This is a conceptual music video consisting of a single shot of a room. Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes' singer) walks in and writes the lyrics to the song on a transparent wall or board in front of the camera. Towards the end of the song (after the singing finishes) he walks out of the room. There is no apparent narrative or conventional performance of the song. There also no close-ups or star image motifs - as Bright Eyes is on an independent label, there would be less demand for 'selling' the artist as a brand.
The relationship between the music and the visuals is fairly contradictory as the light-coloured room contrasts with the darker music, and also at one point, while there is a pained cry in the background of the song, he draws a happy stick figure.
The video could be loosely compared to Radiohead's 'No Surprises' in which the singer is in a glass tank upon which the lyrics are projected.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Music Video Deconstruction: Muse - 'Sunburn' Dir. Nick Gordon
The music video for Muse's 'Sunburn' is a concept-based narrative music video which shows a girl attempting to steal from the family she is babysitting for. The band then appear in the mirror, performing the song, as a manifestation of her 'guilty conscience'. There is a clear relationship between the music and the visuals as the video starts off subdued (as does the music) but as it progresses , there are more close-ups, jerky-camera angles, and quicker transitions - mirroring the music of the song becoming more frantic.
There is less relation between the lyrics and the video, but the concept of the video's narrative is based upon 'guilty conscience' which is mentioned in the song.
There is clear reference to the notion of looking - the girl and the young boy she is supposed to be looking after appear to be watching television at the beginning. Much of the video also features a mirror, which is used to symbolise secrets.
This music video is from the band's early days, so they have not yet developed any clear image-motifs. However there are some genre characteristics, such as the dark clothing and hair of the band which helps represent their alternative/rock image.
It could be argued that the video includes some hegemonic values as the girl appears to suffer as a result of stealing.
[Embedding is disabled, but video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9SZaOJEWXU]
There is less relation between the lyrics and the video, but the concept of the video's narrative is based upon 'guilty conscience' which is mentioned in the song.
There is clear reference to the notion of looking - the girl and the young boy she is supposed to be looking after appear to be watching television at the beginning. Much of the video also features a mirror, which is used to symbolise secrets.
This music video is from the band's early days, so they have not yet developed any clear image-motifs. However there are some genre characteristics, such as the dark clothing and hair of the band which helps represent their alternative/rock image.
It could be argued that the video includes some hegemonic values as the girl appears to suffer as a result of stealing.
[Embedding is disabled, but video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9SZaOJEWXU]
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
The Key Features Of A Music Video
Andrew Goodwin, in Dancing In The Distraction Factory (1992, Routledge), has identified the following features of music videos:
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (eg stage performance in a rock video, dance routines in a boy/girlband video).
2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, or contradicting)
3. There is a relatiomship between the music and the visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, or contradicting)
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style)
5. There is frequent reference o the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes etc) and particularly voyeristic treatment of the female body
6. There is often intertextual references (to films, TV programmes, other music videos)
It is also worth considering
Whether the music video is primarily performance-based, narrative-based, concept-based, or a hybrid, and how elements of each are used in it.
You can also use Goodwin's categories to analyse music videos for yourself.
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (eg stage performance in a rock video, dance routines in a boy/girlband video).
2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, or contradicting)
3. There is a relatiomship between the music and the visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, or contradicting)
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style)
5. There is frequent reference o the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes etc) and particularly voyeristic treatment of the female body
6. There is often intertextual references (to films, TV programmes, other music videos)
It is also worth considering
Whether the music video is primarily performance-based, narrative-based, concept-based, or a hybrid, and how elements of each are used in it.
You can also use Goodwin's categories to analyse music videos for yourself.
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