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Analysis 1: 

 

Ed Sheeran’s song ‘sing’ comes from his album ‘X’. This song in particular was written by both Ed Sheeran and Pharrell Williams, and was on digital release on 7th April 2014, and served as the lead single from Ed Sheeran’s second album. The length of this video is 4:30, and is a typical length for a music video. 

The video shows a puppet model of Ed Sheeran on a night out, partaking in many different party antics on a night out, including karaoke, going to a strip club, and also picking up the actual Ed Sheeran and Pharrell Williams.
This is a completely narrative based music video, showing the puppets life on a night out. Narrative music videos are very common when it comes to pop and acoustic videos. When it comes the lip syncing, the puppet is doing the majority of the lip syncing in this video, followed by cross cutting of Ed Sheeran playing his guitar, with a background of a bright blue and white swirl pattern, I think this shows the fun loving nature of the music video, showing the good time everyone is having on the night out, Pharrell Williams also plays a small part in the music video, lip syncing to some parts of the chorus, however he himself is not singing any of the song, it is just Ed. The music video itself, does not have any links to the actual lyrics of the song, it mainly just enhances the songs happy pitched, fun loving lyrics.
The other characters within the music video are very typical of a narrative music video. For example there is the typical group of women in their mid-20’s who are going out for the night, these types of characters are very typical when it comes to narrative music videos. However there are some more unconventional characters seen in this music video, for example there is the group of Chinese looking men, who seem to be in their mid to late 40’s, they seem to be out on a business trip, and are partaking in some karaoke. These are not the sort of 

 characters you tend to see in music videos, this makes the video very unique and different to anything I have seen before.

When it comes to mise en scene, the costumes of the characters are very conventional to the setting. For example, the group of young women are all wearing short dresses and large amounts of make up with bright lipsticks, this is enhance their sexual appeal and can be linked to Laura Malveys theory of the ‘Male gaze’, where women are seen as sexual objects. In contrast the Chinese men are wearing smart business suits, this is very conventional for this type of character, this helps the audience to establish how out of place they seem in the night club. Ed himself is wearing a very casual outfit of dark wash demin jeans, with a printed t-shirt and a navy zip up hoodie. 
     The opening shot of the music video, sees a long shot of a pile of cardboard boxes in a dark, un-used alleyway. The camera then cross cuts to another long shot, however this time it is the puppet version of Ed Sheeran recklessly driving a large white truck down the road, swerving from side to side. I think this sort of opening is very common in narrative music videos, this is because it is starting with the ending of the video, showing the audience the outcome, making them want to know what caused this in the first place. The video then goes on to show the puppet Ed stumbling out of the truck. This lets the audience presume he is drunk, letting on to the audience about some of the events which are about to happen in the video.
The video tends to cut a lot between different locations, for example we see a long shot of puppet Ed walking towards the camera in Chinatown in London, as well as slouching over a counter in a strip club or night club. This is where we see the wide variety of characters, including the gang of Chinese men who are singing on the karaoke, in this case they are lip syncing along the actual song. The night club itself uses a lot of low key lighting, creating an atmosphere which the audience will be familiar with of a typical night club scene. The props have also been carefully thought out, with a large pile of shot glasses next to puppet Ed. This is to show the vast amount he has been drinking.
     The next scene we see is the chorus, where we see puppet Ed, take over the microphone from the Chinese man, to start singing the start of the chorus. There are many transitions throughout this part of the video. These are mainly seen through fades, this is to show the long extent of time puppet Ed is singing for. The music video, is not made up of one long continuous video, and is made up of many different shots, this is something which is seen a lot in narrative music videos, this keeps the audience alert, a lot more than if there was a long continuous shot, in contrast the audience would get bored and would probably not continuing watching the video. 
     The video then goes on to see puppet Ed pick up the young women in a bright white limo. The are many straight cuts and faded cuts between puppet Ed and the young girls in the nightclub and also in the limo. This gives the audience the impression that they have had a busy and hectic night. The lyrics ‘and nows she’s kissing my mouth’ are synced up well with the video, just as Sheeran sings these lyrics it cuts to a scene in the night club of puppet Ed kissing another girl. After the night club and the limo scenes, the video then cuts to puppet Ed frantically driving over to a studio, this is to pick up real Ed Sheeran and Pharrell Williams. The group then reunites as they drive off to perform their song live. This scene uses a lot of low angles, to make puppet Ed look very similar in size to real Ed and Pharrell, making them equal in height. 

     The last scene we see is the group of Chinese men dancing to the chorus of the song. This is to show the ending of their night, and the fun that they have had. This is shown in a combination of low angle shots and wide long shots. These are used to show the vast amount of Chinese men dancing.
At the end of the video, we see real Ed waking up on a bed. He looks confused and in a false sense of reality. From looking at his facial expressions you can see that he does not know where he is. This is very relatable to the audience, who might have had the same experience. We see this shot from a point of view shot from puppet Ed’s point of view, we then see a confused Ed looking at the puppet, trying to piece together what happened. This gives the audience a false sense of security, making them think if this was reality or if it was a dream all along.
Overall this is a very unconventional narrative music video for a typical acoustic music artist, and is not something you would typically see from an acoustic such like Ed Sheeran. 

Analysis 2: 

 

George Ezra’s ‘Blame it on me’ is the British singer songwriters fourth hit single from the album ‘wanted on voyage, following earlier hits such as ‘Budapest’. The song was released on the 11th August 2014, making it a very recent single from the album. This is more of a shorter music video at only 3:45, compared to other music videos of the same genre.
George is a very popular acoustic singer songwriter, who has recently been more recognised for his music, on a number of different radio stations and music channels including radio 1. 

 

This type of music video is conceptual; this is because the lyrics of the song do not actually have any meaning or influence on the music video itself.  However the video brings the audience onto a more personal level, allowing them to sympathise with Ezra as he is put through a series of events, which some people may class as unlucky. This type of music video is quite common with acoustic singer songwriters, who tend to choose random locations, symbolising their lyrics or the meaning of their song. The locations tend to typically be in run down areas, this links well with Ezra’s music video, which is located in a run down street, full of old looking houses and saloons. Another convention of acoustic music videos is that they are normally performance based, with shots of the artist being shown playing usually a guitar; this is shown in their random location or in front of a crowd. 

This is also a very slow paced music video, with the shots of Ezra being very slowly panned. They usually consist of long shots, with Ezra walking towards the camera. This slow paced theme throughout the video is also something which is very common within acoustic music videos. Because the video is so slow paced, the main focus of the video is Ezra walking down the street, with the series of unfortunate events which have happened throughout the video.  The instruments used in this music video allow it to be portrayed very well in this slow paced environment. For example the beat of the video is a slow paced guitar being played, and this forms the base for the music video, enhancing the slow pace. 
         When it comes to costume, Ezra has decided to keep it very simple, wearing a plain light blue t shirt, with dark wash jeans. I think this is mainly to stick with the simplistic theme running throughout the video. However even though he is wearing a casual outfit, it does infact look very smart and well dressed, something which is typical of acoustic music videos. The costumes of the other characters within the video are also very simplistic, for example, there is the young boy, also wearing a plain T shirt and jeans. However there are some more unconventional characters within the video. For example there is the rugby team, who are wearing bright blue and white striped t shirt and shorts, emphasising their sport and making them look very eye catching.

         The props used within the music video also help to create the conceptual type of video. For example the props are used to enhance the different events which are happening to Ezra throughout the video. Examples of the props used are the guns being shot at the end of the video, and the bombs and bullets. These are used at the end of the video to show the resolution and to emphasise the main lyrics of the song, which are ‘whatcha waiting for?’ and ‘blame it on me’.
Other props within the video include a bow and arrow; this is used when the child attacks Ezra, when he is looking at the bird mess on his shoulder. The props enhance the different events happening, making them seem more real and effective. 

        The editing for this music video is very conventional for the type of music video that this is. The conventions for typical acoustic music videos are mainly straight cuts, sometimes with some fades and cross cutting to different locations.
Cross cutting does not happen a lot with this music video, because the video is shot within one location, along a long stretch of road.
However within this video, there are a lot of straight cuts used. Straight cuts are mainly used to make videos seem a lot more realistic, rather than having fades and other transition’s which may look very unrealistic and quite amateurish. So throughout this music video it is mainly straight cuts, between different characters, and different locations within the one street. This is very common with acoustic music videos, showing how George Ezra has decided to stick with the conventional themes. 
      I think the best part of the music video is where the rugby players are running. I think this is the most influential part of the music video because it symbolises how all his troubles are running straight at him. This gives the audience a lot to relate to because they can link this to their own life, linking it to their own problems which they might have. This is a convention which is used a lot within acoustic music videos, for example it will usually be the artist singing about a past event which has happened in their life, giving them trouble or grief.

Overall I think this is the most influential part of the video, and for me the part which I can link best with to my own real life, and think this is very symbolic for a lot of other people to. 

 

In conclusion I think this type of music video is something which we might not consider using for our own music video. This is because we want to have a mixture of narrative and performance, with the video linking a lot to the lyrics. We also want to have the artist performing some of the more key parts of the video, compared to having a completely conceptual video which might not portray a lot of the meaning. 

 

Analysis 3:

Jake Buggs song ‘Broken’ is featured in his first self titled album, debuted in 2012. This is the seventh single from the album and was released as a digital download in the UK on 21st June 2013.The highest this song peaked within the charts was 44 within the UK top 100. Jake Bugg is an acoustic folk/rock songwriter, with many other hits including ‘what doesn’t kill you’ and ‘seen you all’. The music video is around 5 minutes, 40 seconds long. From watching the video, I would class this is a narrative video, which is very common when it comes to acoustic singer songwriters. Even though this song does have elements of performance within, the performance shown is actually within the story of the narrative, therefore not showing the artist performing to an actual live crowd.

 

The storyline of this video is that it is an open mic night, in an old run down pub, full of rowdy men and women who are all arguing, shouting and fighting. However when Jake Bugg starts singing, the whole pub turns silent, with everyone listening to the song. The whole mood of the pub changes, with everyone making up with each other, not arguing or fighting. The lyrics of the song bring together the people within the pub, with everyone dancing and getting along. 

 

 

 

I think the lyrics of the song can be linked to a past relationship Bugg may have had. In a past interview, Jake has revealed the lyrics were written in a girl’s house, sitting by the fireplace. He said it was ‘just about my emotions at the time’ (Q magazine), allowing the audience to link the song with an argument or break up which may have happened at the same time.  

        The camerawork within this music video is mainly the use of long shots. The long shots are used to show the arguments going on throughout the pub; it allows the audience to see the vast extent of the fighting before Jake starts singing. For example there are the group of two men and a woman in pink jumper arguing around a snooker table, throughout the song their fight progresses outside to the car park. Long shots also show the less significant characters within the video, which are paying no attention to the song being played, and are just sitting at the bar alone, these characters become more apparent towards the middle and end of the video. Throughout the video, the long shots are also used to show the resolution of the arguments, through the characters listening to the song being played. This is a very unconventional idea for a music video, and is something which acoustic singer songwriters don’t usually do.  
        Low angles are used a lot within the video as well. This kind of shot is mainly used when Jake is performing on stage, showing the camera from the bottom of the stage looking up towards Jake. This helps to give the video a personal feel towards the audience, helping them to imagine that they are directly within the video, watching the performance. By making the camera angles a lot more personal to the audience, encourages them to buy the single, or even the album.
When it comes to lighting, there is mainly the use of low key lighting. Low key lighting is mainly used to create dramatic effects and to set the mood within the song or location. I think this has been done very well throughout the song, with the low key lighting enhancing and emphasising the arguements going on throughout the bar. It also helps to show the characters moods, which in this case tend to be more downbeat.  

 

When it comes to costume and make up, there are no significant costumes or make up which emphasises specific characters. For example Jake himself is wearing a very casual outfit of dark wash jeans paired with a plain t shirt and black leather jacket. I think this use of a casual outfit is used to emphasise Jakes low profile persona within the video, allowing the audience to focus more on the other characters arguing. Some of the characters do have more colourful outfits, an example can be seen with the couple dancing towards the end of the video, and here we see the woman wearing a bright white print sun top, standing out a lot more compared to the other characters who are typically wearing leather, to enhance their ‘rough’ ‘hard’ look. I don’t think the costumes and make up within this are very significant, and were not used to portray any meaning. 

      However I do think the setting used for this music video was very important. The setting for this video is a run-down looking pub, full of old snooker tables and chairs. I think this setting creates an atmosphere for the characters, showing them in their natural habitat. It also emphasises the loneliness of some of the characters. For example at the start of the video we an old couple, with the man sitting at the bar and the woman sitting on a chair. We see the women in the foreground look back at the man who is sitting in the background, with her eyes looking full of regret and longing, this shows that they may have had an argument. The setting of the bar also allows the audience to see the hustle and bustle of the location, emphasing the arguments a lot more. I think this is a very conventional setting for an acoustic music video, because most acoustic music videos tend to have one location, rather than multiple.
The props used also help to set the setting well. For example there are many conventional props for a bar scene, including snooker tables, beer glasses, low lighting and many cigarettes. All these props help to make the music video very atmospheric and once again personal to the audience who are looking up at Jake whilst he is performing. The tables are laid out with the beer glasses and ash trays to give the audience the feeling that this is a very busy bar. 

       Overall I do think this is an unconventional music video for an acoustic singer songwriter, because most acoustic music videos tend to be a mixture of performance based and narrative, whereas this one is completely narrative, giving it a unique feel, compared to other videos which I have seen. 

Analysis 4:

Keep your head up was released on single on 26th August 2011 as a digital download. The highest this song ranked in the UK charts was 74 in the UK top 100. The song was written completely by Ben Howard himself, with no other influences. However in other countries such as Mega single top 100 and Dutch top 40 the song reached number 1.
Other bands have also covered the single, such as Enter Shikari who are a Heavy metal band. They covered the song on the radio 1 live lounge. This is an example of a conceptual music video, showing a montage of friends on a summers day, something which is not very common when it comes to acoustic music videos.

 

The first scene of this video shows a bright sunset, with who we can assume is Ben himself carrying some hay bales through a forest area, this makes me think he is a labourer or is going to work on a farm or something. This is all seen through a dark silhouette, with only the colours of the fields and Bens face himself being shown up in the sunlight.
The setting is very conventional for an acoustic music, showing an isolated location which in this case is a forest location. The forest location not only shows isolation but also helps to create a mystery to the viewers, drawing attention to elements of the video such as Ben himself and the sunny, bright fields. The shots make the audience want to know more. 
The setting itself is very picturesque, and gives the video to start with a happy atmospheric feel. This is something which progresses throughout the video until the very end. Towards the end of the opening of the video, we see a gust of bubbles blow across the screen. These bubbles are highly focused and are seen in the foreground of the video. The bubbles can also help to suggest that this is a happy, light hearted video.
The next part of the video we see is Ben filling up a large bucket of water and carrying it up to the forest area where a water slide is located, which we can assume has been built together. Once again there are silhouettes seen with only the forest and Ben’s face being shown. This can show the secrecy of the video building up to the big reveal of the waterslide, which is seen later on. This engages the audience, making them want to keep watching, not letting their attention be taken away from the video. Within this section of the video there are also many shots which are not clear and are out of focus. For example at 1:06 you can see Ben going to jump off the trailer carrying many hay bales, this is also an example of a cross cut to a different location within the video, which happens quite a lot throughout the video. Cross cutting is something which is very typical within narrative and conceptual music videos which this is. It helps to show the differentiation between locations, allowing the audience to clearly distinguish them. These shots which are out of focus can be linked to the bright natural lighting within the video. From watching these shots I also get the feeling Ben is trying to portray an early morning, bright summers day, where you are motivated to be productive and make a project with your friends, which is what is being seen throughout the video. The video itself then progresses to show us that Ben alongside the other characters within the video are making a water slide through the forest, linking together the start of the video, where Ben is taking Bales of hay up to the forest. The waterslide can be seen as a symbol to always be positive and to make the most of what you have in life, even if you do not have a lot. At 2:12 we see Ben actually start to descend down the waterslide, showing his facial expressions of happiness and the feeling of achievement for what he has just done. 

Overall this music video uses a few typical conventions of acoustic music videos including the isolated location and the different uses of lighting techniques.

When it comes to mise en scene, there are not many props used within the video. Examples of props which are used are the bucket carrying water, the tractor and trailer used to carry more hay bales and the water slide itself, which carries on all the way down to the bottom of the forest, close to where Bens journey starts off. This minimal use of props makes the video very simple and easy to achieve, meaning anyone could copy the idea of it. It also highlights the idea that you do not need a lot to have a good time and to have a good day out with your friends.
The costumes used within the video are very casual and simplistic. For example we see Ben in a light navy blue t shirt with a logo on the front, with some straight jet black jeans. This does not come across as a completely summery outfit, suggesting he may be trying to let go of something or is trying to forget about something which may have happened in the past, linking with the lyrics ‘Keep your head up, keep your heart strong’. The other characters are wearing much more light hearted colours, including cream and white, which are both typical summer colours. The casual costumes used fit the casual theme of the music video very well, for example Ben would look very out of place if he was wearing a suit and tie whilst sliding down the waterslide.
There are many different examples of camera techniques within the music video. For example whilst Ben and the other characters are sliding down the waterslide it looks as though they are using a handheld camera. This gives the audience the illusion that it is a home video style, documenting their day, creating memories. This gives the video quite a sentimental feel. Another camera technique which is used frequently through the video is panning. An example is where the lyrics say ‘the sun so hard upon my side’, the camera pans up to focus on the bright sun, showing how literally the sun is upon his side. Long shots are also used a lot throughout the video. These are used to show the scenery, showing the forest and the fields full of bright yellow corn and maize. It also shows the tractor and trailer holding all of the hay bales. These are the main different camera techniques used within the video, and are the ones which have the most significance.
When it comes to editing the main technique used here is the natural lighting or high key lighting. The high key lighting is used to show the intenseness of the summer day, showing the heat. The high key lighting also enhances the videos generally upbeat tone, showing the friends having a day out working together. Slow motion is also used on some clips. For example on 2:17 we see Ben coming down the waterslide, we see the slow motion used as he is coming round the corner. This is used to enhance how quick he is coming down the slide.

 

Overall I think this is a good example of an acoustic music video, and has a lot of techniques and examples which we could use for our own music video.

Analysis 5:

‘Let her go was released in July 2012, and was the second single from Passengers third album ‘All the little lights’. This song has had huge success in both the UK and overseas, including the Netherlands where it hit number 1 in the Dutch top 40, staying top for two weeks. Since being a hit in the Netherlands the song also has success in countries such as Australia, Sweden and Mexico. In the UK this song has sold over 1 million digital copies, and over 4 million digital copies in the US.
Passenger is a folk rock, indie artist, with more songs including, Golden Leaves and Hearts on fire. 

Within the first opening scene of this video I can tell straight away that this is a performance based video. The first thing we see when the video starts are fairy lights. These fairy lights are out of focus, dimming the brightness of them, giving the audience the impression that they are hanging high up in the sky or high up in the ceiling. This type of prop is very common when it comes to acoustic music videos, because they suit the softer tone of the video, making it more personal and relatable for the audience who are watching. The use of the blurred fairy lights also helps to set the mood of the video and the song, which in this case is a sad more reserved tone, talking about love and surrender. The camera then pans down to a close up of someone playing the keyboard, bringing in the opening to the song. The camera is completely focused on the man’s fingers and the keys of the keyboard, showing the rest of the keyboard out of focus. 

Low key lighting has been used in the background; this is so that the camera completely focuses on the man and the keyboard, not distracting the audience’s attention. The next shot we see is an extreme close up of a single fairy light flashing. The camera is in a deep focus of the fairy light, whilst the other lights are out of focus, very similar to the first opening shot we see. The fairy lights in this shot are twinkling. This can be linked to stars in the sky, twinkling at night and can also be linked to the high pitched tone of the opening of the song, using instruments such as xylophone and twinkly sounds on the keyboard.
The next scene we see is very different. Here we see all the individual elements of the opening shots come together, the fairy lights and the keyboard player. The camera quickly pans out to show a long shot of the complete band altogether, showing the fairy lights which I linked to a glittering sky earlier, however they are now also backed onto a night sky background, making the rest of the band members look like silhouettes, contrasting against the dark colours. The next shot we see is a slow paced movement of Passenger himself walking towards the camera, getting ready to sing. Slow paced camera shots and movements are very typical conventions of acoustic music videos, because they do not distract the audience and they fit the slow pace of the song very well, which in this case is a slow paced song. The slow movement towards the camera helps the audience to see his facial expressions, this also reveals what the mood of the video might be, matching along with the rhythm of the song. The video then goes on to reveal that he is playing this song to an audience at a concert, bringing in the performance element of the music video. The audience at the concert can also give away the pace and the mood of the video, for example if this was a rock concert, the crowd would be a lot more active and loud, compared to the more subdued and quiet crowd seen in this video.
Throughout this video there is a lot of background shots used within this video, showing the team getting ready for the concert. We see many long shots of them discussing where to put instruments and props for the concert. By having background shots of the concert being shown, it shows the audience how difficult it is to set up the concert. Characters within the video also become a lot more apparent. For example the women who keeps being frequently shown throughout the video. We can link this woman to being the love interest throughout the song, linking with the lyrics of ‘only know you love her when you let her go’, which is a common saying for someone you love. The rest of the video tends to be pretty similar throughout, showing more background shots and more concert shots of the different characters, linking in with the lyrics which show the mood of the characters and tone of the song.
 

The lyrics within the song hold a lot of meaning, which can be linked to the music video and the movements and camera angles of the different shots. An example is ‘only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low, only hate the road when you’re missing home, only know you love her when you let her go’. These lyrics suggest that you do not realise what you have until it is gone. It may also suggest that you should not take things for granted, and you should be grateful for everything you have. This suggests that the tone of the song is very slow and sad, suggesting he has lost important people in the past, and that he is now starting to reflect back on his life and thinking back to what he previously once had. ‘Everything you touch surely dies’, is also another powerful sentence used within the song. This can also be linked to letting the one you love go, thinking that he is no good for her and that he has to let her go or give her up. However this lyric could also be linked to ‘letting her go’ as in death, showing his grief and remorse at his loss. Lyrics and themes like this within the song are very common when it comes to acoustic songs, because they usually tend to be linked to relationships, break ups and families, whether or not the lyrics of the song are happy or sad, in this case they are more down beat.

When it comes to mise en scene within the music video, this has been something which has been taken into great consideration. The costumes used are very simplistic and are just casual clothes which would be worn on a daily basis. For example Passenger himself is wearing a light grey button up shirt and brown chinos for the concert parts of the video. This is a very casual, normal outfit and is not the main element within this video. It also does not have any effect on the viewer and is not portraying or connoting anything either. There are many other elements of the video which are more important. The other characters within the video who are playing other instruments are also wearing very simplistic and casual clothing, including checked shirts and plain blue demin jeans.
The props used are also very simplistic, and are not showing any storyline, whereas they are actually part of the set-up of the concert. The only actual props used are the fairy lights at the start of the video, which are supposed to be twinkling stars and the sunset background, showing a night sky also with the fairy lights.
The camerawork and editing used is the main focus in the this video. There are many different camera angles used, for example close ups and extreme close ups are very commonly used and are something which is very common when it comes to acoustic music videos. This is because it shows the emotion within the singers face and the characters face. An example of a close up can be seen at 2:48, this is during the chorus of the song. It allows the viewer to see the passion he has for the song and the emotion in his face; this is something which is very apparent within this song. Long shots and mid shots are also used. This shows the concert stage and the background areas being shown. This gives the audience an insight into how busy it is to set up a concert, showing them all the elements which go into it, whilst also showing a story of love and break up backstage between the different characters. The shots help to show interaction between the characters showing their individual emotion and their emotion together. Low key lighting is an editing technique which is used a lot in this video. This is mainly used on the stage during the concert and I think this is used to show the night sky background, allowing the twinkling lights to shine through. Straight cuts are also used frequently, this is very common because they are the most realistic and life like to show throughout a video.

Overall I think this video gives us a lot of inspiration to use within our own music video, giving us ideas on props and costumes which are affordable for people to buy and use. 

Analysis 6:

‘I will wait’ is Mumford and Sons most successful song to date, being first released in the US on August 7th 2012, surpassing their other successful hits such as ‘The cave’ and ‘Little lion man’. This song has got a lot of critical acclaim, reaching number 1 on the Canadian alternative rock chart. It has sold over 2 million copies in the US, and is the highest charting song both in the US and UK. I will wait comes from their second studio album ‘Babel’. This is a typical example of an acoustic music video and song, showing acoustic folk. 
       The opening to this video shows a dusty road, with the words ‘The road to red rock’. I don’t think this much in relation to the song, maybe telling the viewer it is part of a series of videos yet to come, or maybe even showing the location of where the video is being filmed. The next part of the video goes straight to a live concert, showing that it was filmed in a live environment, in front of a crowd. This could cause some problems when it comes to filming being they might not know how the crowd may react to the song, or how they would react or behave throughout the whole concert. The crowd is elevated throughout the stand, meaning they seem to appear higher and higher the further you look, this makes the venue look very small, and personal to the viewer, meaning you can nearly identify all the crowd members, showing the connection between the crowd and the band. 

We then see many shots of the individual band members playing their instruments and singing. Examples are the lead singer, playing a guitar, a keyboard player and other multiple guitar players, also a double bass, which is a very common instrument when it comes to acoustic music videos. We see the bands in many different shots throughout the video, all showing them in a line playing the song to the crowd, one shot which is used a lot throughout the video is a long shot showing the back of the band, this shows the vast amount of members, and it is also used to show their passion and enthusiasm they have for the song. We can see this by their movement in time to the song, stamping their feet and ducking in time to the music. Because this is a live performance I can also assume this is to keep in time with the music, this is something which can be difficult with so many band members all playing instruments at one time. Another type of shot used is also a deep focus to one member or a group of people in the crowd. This usually shows them jumping up and down in time to the music, with their hands in the air. An example of this can be seen at 1:44, where the camera focuses on a man wearing a blue shirt. Here you can see his excitement and thrill of being at a Mumford and Sons concert; this shows the loyalty of the fans as well as the demand for being there at one of their concerts. By having a deep focus on one member or a group of people in the crowd also shows how dangerous they can be. For example we see the crowd all jumping in time to the music, making it look busy and very hectic, however from everyone’s faces you can see that they are in fact having a very good time. At 2:38 onwards, you can see a shot of the lead singer, from a low angle view, singing with a smoke effect in the background. This makes him stand out more compared to the other members of the band, who are in fact less significant because he is the lead singer. The smoke effect makes him stand out to the crowd, making him more eyes catching, showing he is the singer. The uses of shots where the band are playing their instruments are also very popular within this video and are something which is used a lot. I think these shots suit the style of the song well, because it shows the bands energy in relation to the quickness of the song, showing their passion as a band and how they work together to produce quality music. Overall the same kind of shots are used throughout the video, similar to the previous video I analysed which was Passengers ‘Let her go’, which used a lot of performance based shots, showing the crowd reacting to the song.

There are not many props used within this video, because it is a live performance, meaning props were probably not thought about in relation to this video. However the costume used within this video are very typical when it comes to conventional acoustic folk songs. For example the lead singer within the band is wearing a light grey linen shirt with a black button up waistcoat, this is a very conventional outfit and is something which is a theme within Mumford and Sons, and they all tend to dress smart; however they all have a casual country look about them, suiting their music well. The other members of the band are wearing striped shirts, such as the double bass player who is wearing a pin stripe light blue shirt with a baggy t shirt underneath. The other band members are all wearing casual clothes too. The crowd are all wearing t shirts, I think this is mainly because of the heat within the arena, also the crowd probably would not be wearing fancy or ‘posh’ clothing to  a concert, they would want something comfortable with they could easily move around in, this makes it more personal to the audience. 
       The lyrics have a lot of meaning within this song. For example, ‘I will wait’ suggests that he is waiting for a girl, maybe someone he has like for a long while. It is suggesting that he will wait for that relationship, and that he is willing to take some time doing that, overcoming all the obstacles which come with relationships. From looking at research I found out that this song could be linked to the lead singer Marcus, waiting for his wife Carey. This is because they are long distance childhood pen pals, who lost contact and became reunited. This song is showing Marcus’ wait for her, telling her that he will wait and unconditional amount of time for her. ‘well you forgave and I won’t forget’ shows how he is willing to move on from the tough times, never forgetting the good times they had together, longing for her love and the thought of being together forever. Overall from listening and looking at the lyrics I can tell that the main theme of this song, is waiting and longing, linking with the pen pal and longing for a relationship with her. 
      The last thing I am going to mention when it comes to this video is the editing used, which plays a large part within the video. One of the main uses of editing within this video is filters. Throughout the whole video I can see that they have used a light sepia tone covering the whole of the video. This filter gives the video a warm tone, making it look inviting towards the viewers. I think this is something which could be used within our own music video, to give the illusion of good weather and also to make it more appealing on the eye of the viewers, linking in with our younger target audience. It also makes the members of the band look fresh and flawless, showing no imperfections. Colours are also contrasted with the lighting at the concert to make certain colours stand out. For example reds, oranges and yellows. I think these colours stand out to show the warmth, linking in with my previous comment. The main transition between shots throughout this video is straight shots. These are the simplest kind of transition and are some of the most professional looking, and are something we will definitely use when it comes to making our own music video. Straight shots also make the footage more realistic, fitting also with the faster pace of the song, compared to a much slower song which may use fades and dissolves to go through the different shots. 
 

 

Analysis 7:

Thinking out loud is the last song written from Ed Sheeran’s latest album ‘X’. This is also his most personal and favourite song from the whole album. This song entered the UK singles chart at number 26, peaking to number 1 for only one week. It has also had a lot of success in other countries such as Australia, Ireland and Norway, where it also peaked number 1. Sheeran himself has described this as a ‘walking down the aisle’ song, as well as the ‘happiest song on the album’, showing the beauty of love and relationships. A theme that is very common when it comes to acoustic songs. This is a very different music video to ‘sing’ which I have previously analysed, which was a narrative, compared to this song, which has a conceptual music video. I think this is a conceptual music video, because even though the dance can be linked with the song, it does not show a storyline between characters therefore it cannot be a narrative video, and it is not a live performance, meaning it can’t be a performance music video.

 

The video itself is a very romantic dance routine between Sheeran himself and Brittany Cherry, a professional ballroom and contemporary dancer, showing intricate and challenging dance routines and moves. The opening to the video shows Brittany behind a dark red floor length stage curtain. The colour of the curtain is very symbolic of the romance throughout the video, because red is a very typical colour which connotes love and romance. The curtain is lit up behind, embracing the dark colour, also showing Brittany’s slender posture and silhouette, showing the curves of her body move in time with the deep tune in the shadow. 

 

This video is unlike all of the other videos I have analysed because it has a strong female character running through the whole video, unlike all the other videos that have had male characters. The next shot we see is a low angled shot of Brittany walking towards Ed, to meet in the middle of the dance floor. She takes very long strides, showing her legs. Her legs are walking in time to the beat of the song, making it all very connected, her dress also emphasises her long strides, with the dress falling down her sides as she walks, making her look as though she is floating or gliding across the floor. When they meet in the middle of the dance floor they immediately connect, with the camera still at a low angle spiralling up to the both of them, spinning around slowing in time to the beat and lyrics. The use of low angles makes them look very professional and completely in love, it shows their closeness and lack of wanting to separate, this is something which is not seen throughout the whole video. At 0:40, we see a mid-shot, still from a low angle, of Brittany taking Ed’s hand and pushing his head up so his eyes are level to hers. This sets their constant eye contact throughout the whole song; this can be linked to the lyrics, ‘will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?’ which suggests she always has a boasting smile on her face, so proud and happy to be in a strong relationship. The next shots we see are the dance routine, shown through a series of different camera angles including, long shots and close ups of both Ed’s and Brittany’s face. The shots are used to make them the complete focus throughout the video, and a way this is done is through a constant spotlight in the shape of a heart. I think they chose to use a heart shaped spotlight instead of a conventional circle, to emphasise the romance and passion between the two as well as throughout the song, it makes the overall video a lot more romantic. At 1:32 we hear the lyrics ‘take me into your loving arms’, which indicates he wants to be with her forever, never wanting to let go. Towards the end of the video we see the spotlight being used a lot more in the corner of the room, illuminating the whole dance floor. Because the spotlight is coming from the corner of the room, it completely lights up the corner of the room. I think this gives the illusion of heaven, or ‘the gates to heaven’, showing how the couple could not be happier, spending their entire life together, also linking in with the thought of this being a wedding song. This also highlights the romance within the video, showing the passion between Ed and Brittany. 

 

Mise en scene plays a big part within the video, to create an atmosphere of romance and passion. For example setting is one of the most important elements within this music video. The video is filmed in a grand, old dance floor, with a cream and ivory interior designs, showing draping curtains with intricate wall lamps, with are set on a dim glow, to make the room appear dark and to give the illusion of candle light, which also heavily connotes romance. The ceiling also appears frequently in the video, this is seen a lot because of the low angles used throughout the video. An example is seen at 4:33, where Brittany and Ed’s arms are outstretched together, with the ceiling being seen above them. On the ceiling itself I can see that there are many different old patterns, including cupids, shooting arrows. The cupids shooting the arrows play a big part in this connoting the romance within this song. Overall the setting looks very expensive, showing the love within the song.
Brittany’s costume is also a significant element within the video, and links well with the setting. Her dress makes her look light a floating angel, with the varying lengths of fabric, moving around her bod as she is dancing, making the viewer think that she is gliding across the dance floor much like an angel. Her angel like dress can also link with the spotlight coming from the corner, showing how she could be an angel sent from heaven to dance with Ed. The top of her dress makes it look a lot more sexual, looking a lot like lingerie, with a corset like structure. This can be linked to the sexual dance routine, and also with Laura Mulvey’s theory of ‘the male gaze’. Laura Mulvey’s theory suggests that women are seen as objects rather than characters themselves. This can be seen a lot throughout this video, because of her costume, especially the length with the slits along the side of the dress, as well as the upper half of the dress resembling lingerie. This gives males something to look at compared to Ed who is not wearing a revealing outfit; he is wearing black suit trousers, with a plain white formal shirt and a black waistcoat. His white shirt is buttoned up all the way to the top of his neck with only one button being undone. The only thing which could argue against Mulvey’s theory is that Ed’s sleeves are rolled up, showing his arms covered in tattoos, however this is very insignificant and does not take away from Brittany’s sexual outfit.
When it comes to editing, there is mainly straight cuts being used to transition between the different shots. Straight shots are a typical editing convention when it comes to acoustic music videos and music videos in general, because it shows the video to be more realistic, compared to using fades and dissolves. All the music videos which I have analysed so far tend to use straight shots instead of anything else, because they have all been based outside or at a live venue, where animated or technical transitions are not needed to create an effect.

Overall  I think this is a good example of a music video, which has some elements we could use for our own music video, including the use of dimmed lights to give the illusion of candlelight and the use of formal dress for both the male and female characters, which could be something we could consider. 

Analysis 8:

Listen to the man was released in the United Kingdom on 28th october 2014, making it a very recent release. It was released through Columbia records and is the 5th single from his debut album 'Wanted on Voyage'. 

 

The opening of the video sees an old man walk on silently, to sit on a bench next to George himself. Because there is no backing music, you can clearly hear his footsteps, showing how empty the stage is, highlghting the confusion and awkwardness between the old man and George himself. As soon as the old man sits down on the bench the music starts playing, with large, white font being shown on the screen next to them, filling space on the empty stage. During the first chorus, we see George being blurred in the background, whilst the old man sings in the foreground, allowing him to have centre place on the stage and to be the main character taking away from Georges actual singing. During this we see George become more and more angry and disgruntled, meaning he wants to be the centre of attention and the main character within the song, which at this time in the video he is clearly not. 

There are many close ups of his face, showing him looking to the side and rolling his eyes, with the camera panning back to the old man straight after. The second verse sees George trying to distract himself from the old man, letting him carry on with taking over the song. This doesnt work and we see George himself walk off stage, shown through a long shot camera angle. When George returns, he has wrapped round him an impressive guitar. I think this is used to try and have an advantage over the old man, who throughout the video has caused annoyance and disturbance. At one point during the video George stops the music and tries to talk to the fan, who has many props brought to him during the conversation such as an elaborate drink in a coconut. As a suprise to the audience and George himself, the old man turns out to be a fan, and someone who is excited to be part of the video, this makes him a lot more willing to be in the video. After this conversation between the two characters we actually see them start to work together as a double act, singing together and looking like they are having a much better time together. The viewer sees this through different camera angles such as mid shots, showing just above the top of their trousers. By having the use of mid shots it allows the audience to feel the characters emotions throughout the video, showing how they are having this arguement and disgust through their hand movements and facial expressions. Throughout this whole conversation scene of the song we see Georges facial expressions very easily, showing him not smiling at all, when speaking to the old man. I think by having Georges face looking very disgruntled and disgusted makes it easy for the audience to understand that he is not enjoying having the old man within the video as well, giving us the impression that he is an intruder. 

 

When it comes to mise en scene costume plays a huge part in the video, really bringing out the persona of the two characters, showing just how very different they are. By having them seen as very different it also really emphasises their clashing throughout the whole of the video, showing how they will never get along. This is what they audience will understand at the start of the video, however we do find out at the end of the video that this does infact turn out to be wrong because they do end up getting along and understanding eachother. The old man looks very bright and outstanding in his green and cream floral shirt, which is paired with a plain white t shirt underneath. The old man is also wearing light cream chino which make him look very bright compared to Ezra who is wearing black skinny jeans with a plain white t shirt and a black T shirt. I think this contrast has been chosen to show the two different personalities of the two characters and to also show the conflict which they both have at the start of the music video. The dark colours within Ezras clothing can also be used to show his negative attitude at the start of the video, showing his annoyance to the older man.
Towards the end of the video there are a lot more close ups of the two characters, especially with the old man with his arms around Ezra, showing their friendship at the end of the video. At 3:41 you can see a close up with both characters smiling, once again with the old mans arms around George. You can see in both thier faces that the are a lot more happy and uplifted compared to the start of the video, where we saw George being the complete opposite. This is very uncoventional of the acoustic singer songwriter genre, with videos normally tending to show a character who is in an isolated location, with no other characters usually being seen, normally mainly of the singer themselves playing the main character. 
The editing within this video is very conventional of the genre, with straight cuts being used throughout the whole video. The straight cuts make the whole video look a lot more professional, and also more realistic. It allows us to see the transistion between the two characters, showing the distress with Ezra at the start and the transistion into the two characters friendship between them at the end. Straight cuts are something which are used a lot within conceptual music videos which this video is, showing the movement between the characters. 

 

Overall this music video is a more contempory and unusual music video for this kind of genre. This music video also has many different ideas which we can consider as a group for using within our own music video. I think one of the main ideas which stands out to me within this video is the use of Georges name appearing at the start, along with the name of the song, I think this fits well with the genre, and makes the overall video look very professional.

Analysis 9:

Dream on me is Newton Faulkners most sucessful song to date, with it charting 5th in the Australian Charts, and 7th in the UK top 40, in august 2007. This is the third single from his debut album 'Hand built by robots', produced by Mike Spencer. 

 

I think this is a very conventional video for this a singer songwriter genre music video. From watching the video once you can see that Faulkner is sitting in an isolated location, with minimal props, only a guitar, and a casual outfit which looks infact quite scruffy. This music video also has the use of flashbacks, being shown within photoframes which are constantly being shown throughout the video. I think the uses of flashbacks are very effective within this video showing the emotion within his face, and through the lyrics of the song. In some areas of the song, for example towards the ending, the location changes showing the woman who was seen within the photo frames in different locations such as the sea and an old wood.

When it comes to mise en scene the camera work used within this video changes and varies a lot within the music video. For example at the start of the video we see 0:06 we see a close up pan of the guitar which is being played. This helps the viewer to see exactly what genre this song is before it has properly started and also to show Faulkner playing the guitar during the more instrumental areas of the video. At 0:12 we see a point of view or over the shoulder shot of Newton, this is shown from a longer angle. I think the use of this shot is to show his isolation and complete emotion throughout the song, with the photo frames only just starting to be shown. This shot also shows us that he is sitting on an old wooden chair, which looks quite rickety and worn. This compliments well with the video and also with the guitar and Newton’s outfit which also looks within the same condition. Other elements of the setting which can be seen within this shot is an old wooden bed, this gives the impression that he is sitting within a bedroom, reminiscing about his past relationship. Relationships are a very common theme within acoustic singer songwriter songs, and are a typical convention. At 0:20 we see the first mid shot pans of the photo frames. The entire photo frames show pictures of a woman, with the first one showing her looking down, with her face in her hands. She is also wearing a floaty white dress. This could give the viewer the impression that this was a much happier time, by looking at her outfit and her facial expression which is a smile, almost look quite bashful.

 

At 0:36 we see Newton from a long shot, surrounded by all the photo frames, containing photos of himself and the other location within the video. This gives the impression that he is surrounded by all his happy and fond memories, with them all linking back to this one location, which has been featured many times, this makes us think, did something happen in this location which is significant? Or did he meet the woman in the pictures here? At 0:59 we see the woman outside of the photo graphs for the first time. She has her eyes closed and it looks as though there are fire flies, swirling up into the air all around her. The sunlight is also glowing all around her. This makes her look almost angelic in her appearance, with the white floaty dress now coming across as a peachy colour, also complimenting the sunlight. The woman looks as though she has come straight out of the photo graphs, out of a hot summer’s day, maybe linking back to a significant past memory which they had together. At 2:55 we see the woman again standing within the sunlight, this time she is spinning around, with the wind rustling her hair. She also makes direct eye contact with the viewer; this makes the video a lot more personal to the viewer, bringing them into the video as well, immersing them into the storyline of the video. At the ending of the music video we see the photo frames start to become smashed all around Faulkner, swirling around him as he’s playing the guitar. This can portray that the relationship between Newton and the woman ended badly or a tragic event which is leading to these memories to been forgotten is linking of the photo graphs being smashed around him playing the guitar.

 

The editing within this music video also compliments the storyline very well. For example the whole video has a sepia filter applied, giving the video an orange and golden glow. I think this links very well with the flashback elements of the video, showing that the memories being shown within the photo frames were very old and now are only past memories. The sepia filter used also gives the video a sadder, negative view showing how he is not going to get these memories back, also linking with the shattered frames at the end of the video. Straight cuts are also once again used within the video, linking all the different shots together. Straight cuts have mainly been used within all the videos I have looked at. I think the straight cuts are also particularly significant within the video because it shows the quick transition between the happy memories of the woman and the shatter frames at the end showing the closure. Straight cuts allow us to see this clearly and quickly, easily allowing us to quickly establish what is happening. Low key lighting is also something which is used throughout the video, hardly showing any of Newton’s face, casting shadows, especially when paired with the sepia tone. The low key lighting also highly emphasises the isolated location where Newton is singing. 

 

Analyis 10:

Ho Hey is the lead song from the American Folk Rock bands debut album, which was released on March 11th 2012. The song was written by Jeremy Fraites and Wesley Schultz, as well as being produced by Ryan Hadlock. Originally the song could only be sourced by a digital download, however once it came out on a physical CD it also became a lot more popular, reaching number 1 for 18 weeks on the billboard rock songs chart and also number 2 on the alternative charts also from billboard. The song peaked at number 8 in the Uk Top 40 Charts. This song also reached platinum status in the US, making it their most popular song to date. This song is typically an indie folk sound, featuring many of the conventional instruments including a guitar and symbols such as tambourine, all of which are commonly seen within this genre of music. 

 

The costumes used within this music video are not significant in the way the video is show or to show any theme within the song. For example one of the band members is wearing a plain white t shirt with black braces, and a black trilby hat. This does not make the band member stand out at all, only making him blend in with the music video. However when the crowd forms within the video for the performance part of the video it seems as though all the backing dancers are wearing the same plain white t shirt with the black braces and black hat. 

This does not have any significance to the lyrics of the song; however I do think this makes this band member look more important and outstanding to the rest of the band. The female band member is wearing sheer white dress, which has no sleeves. I think this links with the light hearted summery vibe, also with the natural raw ness of the video, which links with all the outfits being worn. The singer of the band is wearing a dark shirt also paired with the famous trilby hat which is seen a lot with this video. Overall these outfits are very typical of the genre, wearing light clothing which links well with the light hearted tone of the song.
   The editing used within the music video is very typical of the genre. With straight cuts being seen to transition between the different shots of the music video. Straight cuts are something which is typically used within music videos, as they complement the pace of the song, moving it along more quickly or a lot more slowly, depending on the tone and tempo of the song. Fades are also used at the end of the song to show the finalisation and conclusion of the performance the band has just done to the quite large crowd of people.
One editing technique which has been used in this music video which I have not noticed as much within other videos is the use of deep focus. At the end of the video there is a long shot of the crowd dancing and the band members singing. Here we see the camera is completely focused on the colourful streamers which are falling all around them. I think this gives the illusion that time has stopped and that they are all completely within the moment, not wanting to forget what has happened within the video.
When it comes to sound one thing I did notice at the end of the music video was the use of diegetic sound. For example this is cheering and laughing at the end of the video is not something which is featured on the actual music soundtrack itself, only something which is featured on the music video. I think this use of diegetic sound makes the video seem a lot more personal and uplifted, and a lot more real.

The camera work within this video varies a lot to show the different shots within the video. The start of the video shows us a mid -shot of a photo frame, with what I can only assume is the band itself. The picture shows some sort of family portrait resemblance, and immediately links the viewer with the band, connecting them and showing familiarities which are seen throughout all their videos, giving the audience points of reference. Next we see the camera panning to the right, following the constant stream of fairy lights which are hung on the wall, and also across doors. This gives the video a more relaxed feel, something which is very typical of the singer songwriter genre. This is also the only lighting source at the moment in the video, showing the warm, cosy glow of the lights, this is similar to Newton Faulkner’s music video for ‘Dream on me’ which also uses very low key lighting as well as natural lighting throughout. At 0:19 the song starts to be sung, with the lead singer facing towards the right of the wall, quickly turning then to face the camera. I think this is to give the illusion that he is singing directly to the viewer turning to devote his full attention to them, this draws in the viewer more, allowing them to feel more close to the video. The lead singer then continues in a mid -shot only showing down to his shoulders and across his chest to follow the stream of fairy lights, tracing back where the camera has just been. The fairy lights play a big part in the next scene with them glowing brightly and then going dim in time with the music, when the lights say ‘HO’ the fairy lights then glow very brightly in time. After this shot the camera then cuts to a long shot showing another member of the band, and then walking through the arch made out of a silk material. He is playing a tambourine which can now be heard in the song. Once again both members of the band are now walking towards the camera, making it look as though they are singing at the viewer. At 0:57 we see a low angle mid-shot showing just the band members feet. The dark low key lighting makes it look as though they are silhouettes. All the band members in this shot are stamping their feet in time with the music; this show’s their passion for the song, and could maybe be linked to them wanting to be successful within the music industry. The next shots we see are close ups of each band members face, showing them singing along to the song. They all look very enthusiastic and passionate, singing the song in complete unison. This gives the viewer the opportunity to see each band member’s love for the song, and happiness to be part of the band. At 1:06 we see a close up of one of the members stamping on a light bulb, smashing it completely. This can be linked to earlier in the song, when the fairy lights glowed very brightly in time to the music, because the light bulb was smashed in time with the music as well, this almost provides the video with a Segway or transition between the different shots, showing the viewer that the music video is moving on to something else or a new part. At 1:11 we see the female band member walking through another door into a stream of running crowd. This time it appears that she is playing the guitar and is the main source of music for the video. A slight close up is seen showing her making eye contact to the camera and quickly turning whilst smiling. This can show her excitement and longing to be part of the crowd, wanting to see where they are going. The next shots seen are long shots of the two male band members playing the song in the middle of a giant circle of fans, who are all dancing. This brings a more performance element into the original conceptual video, because it now looks as though they are performing to a crowd rather than the video having no links to the lyrics. The camera then goes on to switch between this long shot and a long shot of the band walking down a corridor, all playing different instruments. The most significant element of this shot is that the fairy lights are once again glowing in time with the music. This provides a hook or a linkage point within the whole video, making the wide range of different shots not look to random or complicated. The video then continues with the band playing in front of a crowd, at 1:58 we see a streamer cannon being let off, showing short strands of streamers twinkling down onto all the people within the video. This makes the performance look angelic, and also adds different shards of colour, such as red, green and blue within the original very dull appearance of the video; it overall gives it a very uplifted feel. The end of the music video sees the song finish with a long shot of the band and backing dancers all cheering and laughing. The streamers falling all around. This finalises the video, making that clear to the viewer. 

Analysis 11:

Pumped up Kicks was Foster the Peoples first debut single in September 2010. This song was included in their debut album Torches. This single was classed as the bands breakthrough hit and was one of the most popular songs the band has ever released. The song was written by Mark Foster and also produced by Mark Foster. Originally the song was released as a free download, where a lot of its attention immediately from fans. The lyrics of the song are thought to be written from the perspective of a troubled and delusional youth who had homicidal thoughts, and was part of an act to make youths more aware of violent crimes. The song has had many controversial views, with it being banned from some U.S radio stations after the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shootings. Some people thought that the song had some direct link to these school shootings. The song only managed to reach 18th in the UK singles chart, with this being the highest peak. This song has also been covered by different artists including The Kooks who performed a cover on Radio 1’s Live Lounge. 

From watching this video I can see that it is a performance based video with some back ground elements, showing behind the scenes and the band travelling to different venues. The use of this makes the viewer seem involved with the bands travelling, making it seem as though you are coming along with them on their journeys. At 0:16 there is a mid -shot of one of the band members torsos, showing him playing a guitar, the camera then pans upwards to form a high angle mid shot of the man playing the guitar. I think this shot is showing the viewer the different band members, showing them in a performance based environment. At 0:19 we see a blurred mid- shot of one of the band members face. Here we see him moving in time with the music, this makes him look very passionate and has a passion for what he helping to create. The blurred effect which has been used also creates a slight enigma about the band member, not giving away anything too soon in the video. It also makes the video look very raw and homemade, fitting with the back stage clips. At 0:30 we see a long shot showing one of the singers playing a tambourine. You can also see in the background of this clip a backing dancer or member of the audience who is seen to be dancing along and enjoying the music they have come to see. This use of an audience member in the background makes the video seem a lot more realistic compared to if there was no backing dancers to the performance, which would make the overall video, look very unprofessional. At 0:37 there is a clip where the band is standing on a roof. This is a long shot, which with natural lighting which then goes to low key lighting to show the band members as silhouettes on top of the building. I think this use of an isolated location is very effective within the video, and is something which is very conventional for the genre. Having the band in an isolated location, makes them look very contempory. The video then goes to on progress between clips of the concert and the back stage clips. At 0:47 we see a close up of one of the band members closing the door to the camera. This is one of the back stage clips of the video, and adds some light hearted humour to the video. The band member is also making direct eye contact with the camera, therefore making direct eye contact with the viewer. This makes the video look a lot more personal. At 0:57 we see an extreme close up of a band member, showing his eyes looking up at the camera. This is a very raw shot, and was probably taken on some sort of hand held camera. This type of raw, natural shots only using natural lighting, help to balance the video, showing that it is a more humorous video, compared to a more serious video which is what acoustic singer songwriter videos tend to be. At 1:10 we see a clip of the singer in the band. This clip is taken from a low angle with the camera looking up to the singer. High key lighting is also used within this clip making the low angle look somewhat angelic, accentuating the singer to make him stand out and look the most important person within the band. The blue background also makes the low angle looking up at the singer makes it look like the sky also accentuating the angelic feel towards the clip. At 1:20 there is an over the shoulder point of view shot which shows one of the band members in a studio recording some music which I can only assume is for their actual album. This use of back ground shots and ‘behind the scenes’ shots brings in the viewer more, making them want to see more of what is going on in the bands life’s, and their transitions between performances and how they prepare for their shows. The song continues to progress between the two different kinds of clips background and performance, and this is repeated for the majority of the song. I think the video even though it has a good concept and is very humorous in areas, I think the length personally is too long, and maybe become uninteresting for the viewer, with the attention being seen elsewhere. The ending of the video is completely performance based with all the clips being shown are all of the concert. The shots all then switch between the different members of the band. I think this is used to show the different members of the band, showing their individuality and how they react and sing the song. All the shots are seen in a mid-shot, which shows just down to the waist of each band member. At 4:09 there is a close up of the lead singer of the band, this is set with a green toned filter also seen in the background from the disco lights. In this clip you can truly see the passion within his face and the effort he is going through to accurately produce the song. Overall I think this video uses many different camera techniques which we can consider using within our music video, such as the effective use of pans, showing the movement of band members and the backing dancers who are enjoying the concert.

 

One of the main editing techniques I have seen which is used a lot within the music video is the use of different filters. These filters are used to distinguish between the backstage clips and the concert clips. The majority of the colours used within the concert clips are seen within the background where there are artificial lights used to create this wanted colour. An example of this can be seen at 1:22 where a red coloured filter is used. A sepia filter is something which is used to show the back stage clips. I think this helps the viewer to see the difference in the two types of clips, rather than them becoming very confused by the different clips. Right at the start of the music video a vintage effect filter is used with a vibrant bright purple coloured scene. I think this vintage effect is used to show the type of band Foster the People are and maybe also to give the effect that this is an old video, it also gives the illusion that this video may have become damaged through old age. Natural lighting and high key lighting are something which is also used throughout the video. Natural lighting is mainly used within the outdoor clips. An example of this is seen at 1:17, where the camera pans from a high angle to a long shot of the band walking down the pavement. This is compared to the concert scenes where the lighting used is high key lighting and also sometimes low key lighting especially when a filter has been used to change the colour of the clip. Another editing technique I noticed within the video was that some of the clips have been sped up. An example is seen at 0:59 when the bands are walking towards the camera in a long shot. This clip is sped up to make the clip look more humorous and to give the viewer the impression that they are rushing to get somewhere. 
    When it comes to the costumes and outfits the band members are wearing, they look like they do not add anything significant to the music video. All the band members are wearing casual clothing such as plain coloured t shirts, baggy jogging bottoms, jackets and skinny jeans. One thing I have noticed is that all the outfits are plain coloured with very monotone shades such as black and white and very pale shades. 

Analysis 12:

 

She will be loved is Maroon 5’s 3rd single from their debut album ‘Songs about Jane’. This song was released in July 2004, and would typically fall in the acoustic rock, soft rock genre. The song was globally received, peaking number 5 in the US, as well as peaking 4th in the UK top singles chart. Written by Adam Levine and James Valentine the song had sold over 2,722,000 copies by 2012.
The overall music video shows a love triangle between Adam, and a mother and daughter, showing them on a holiday, with different turns of events, such as the mothers abusive relationship with their with her husband, showing the love triangle unfold between the characters, showing the true love between Adam and Kelly. The mother in the video is played by actor Kelly Preston, with the daughter being played by Corinne Carrey. This is an example of a narrative video. 

The first shot we see within the video is a mid-shot with Adam with his back to the camera. He also appears to be facing a swimming pool. The water is swirling and rippling quite uneasily, giving the impression to the viewer that something significant is going to happen. The camera then cuts to a series of clips which I can only assume are flashbacks of the video yet to come, showing two different women (Kelly and Corinne). This shows that there might be some love triangle within the characters, which is yet to progress throughout the video. These clips are shown very quickly, in a very high pace, with the clips almost only being flashed up on the screen. This could be linked to Adams mind who wants to forget the memories which he is reminiscing about. Flashbacks are something which we have thought and discussed using within our own music video, as it is an effective way of showing a relationship unfold, showing raw emotion without confusing the viewers to much as to what is going on.  At 0:13 we see another mid-shot, however this time Adam is facing the camera, he has just dived into the swimming pool, possibly with the thought of drowning out his memories, forgetting everything which just happening within the flashbacks. This swimming pool is a very isolated location, with no one else there. This setting is very typical of the genre, using an isolated location to show emotion. The shot also then sees Adam look to the right under water, with the camera then straight cutting to a close up of Kelly and Corinne walking down a path, the shot appears to look like it is taken by sitting in a car, with the edges of the car window being shown in the shot. At 0:18 we see a series of fade transitions between the different clips. The fades are very discreet showing Adam still swimming in the pool, he has his head in his hands, showing to the viewer that he is in some distress or over thinking the whole situation. The fades switch between Kelly and Corinne, once again highlighting the love triangle which is unfolding right in front of the viewer’s eyes. At 0:23 we see a long shot, with once again Adam jumping into a swimming pool. However this time he is accompanied by Corinne. I think this shot was used to show the link between the start of the video, showing the first relationship Adam is in. The swimming pool setting can also be used to show they are on holiday in the hot humid weather. At 0:31 we see a close up of Adams face looking longingly at Kelly and Corinne’s. This is quite unclear to the viewer, because it does not show who Adam is looking at, still keeping within the love triangle theme. This shot hooks the viewer into thinking there is something going on, making them want to watch a lot more of the video. The video then goes on to show shots of Kelly around the swimming pool. The shots are shown in a wide range of different shots such as long shots, mid shots and close ups. At 0:40 we see a long shot of Kelly trying to get her husband’s attention by running her hands down his shirt. The viewer however sees her husband is completely uninterested, not paying attention to Kelly instead looking away and holding his glass of Whiskey. The next significant part of the video is a long shot of Kelly dancing in front of her husband. This shot then cuts to another long shot of a group of young men sitting on a bench; taking advantage of Kelly’s dancing. I think this shot was used to show that Kelly is still desirable, and is still capable of getting male attention. There is then a close of Kelly. Here in this shot she appears to be making complete eye contact with the males on the bench. The camera then straight cuts to Kelly’s husband who looks completely distressed because of the fact that she is dancing to other men. The camera cuts throughout to close ups of Adam also looking longingly at Kelly, showing that he may also be in love with her. He also is paying no attention to Corinne who is sitting with him, playing with his shirt and also trying to get his attention, this links to Kelly who was trying to get her husband’s attention. At 1:11 we see a close up of Kelly’s husband abusing her in the downstairs lobby of the hotel. In this close up we can truly see the horror in her eyes and the pain she is going through being with her husband. This makes the viewer sympathetic to Kelly, wanting her to escape from this character. At 1:23 we see a long shot of Adam and Kelly kissing after her husband previously attacked her. This shows some resolution between the characters, showing what the build-up previously was all about, with the close ups of each other looking longingly together, building the viewer’s suspense. The video then goes on to progress seeing both characters after the holiday, seeing each other in normal daytime situations because of Adams relationship with Corinne. At 2:50 we see a shot of Adam singing within his band in a nightclub setting. At 2:52 the camera then straight cuts to Kelly turning around on a bar stool to face Adam singing, she is once again using the same facial expression we saw on the holiday, the same longing look. She has her legs crossed and her arms resting on the bar, to give the viewer the illusion that she is completely relaxed. This is quite unnerving to the audience because it does not give any hints away as to what is going to happen at the end of the video, building tension between the two characters. At 3:06 we see an extreme close up of Kelly’s face, looking Adam directly in the eye, the camera previously starts to zoom into Kelly’s face, showing her lust for Adam and the chemistry the two characters. 3:39 sees the video come to conclusion, with many straight cuts previously of Kelly and Adam looking at each other. At 3:32 see a close up of Adam looking completely at Kelly, showing the tension building up to a climax in the relationship. The straight cut between the characters builds suspense to the outcome of the video. The ending of the video shows a mid -shot of Kelly and Adam embracing together. The camera then straight cuts to Corinne, watching the two of them embracing together. At 4:18 we see an extreme close up of Corinne’s face. This shot can help the viewer truly understand the hurt she is going through and the betrayal she is feeling with her own mother and Adam who she thought was her boyfriend. The video ends with a series of straight cuts revealing that Corinne knew about the affair the whole time. This sudden outcome is very shocking to the viewer, making the video worth- while with a surprising outcome. The video then fades out, ending with Corinne’s face fading in blackness. I think the camera work used within this video was very effective when it came to capturing the true emotions of the characters, showing the love triangle and surprises which came out of the video, especially at the ending. This video gives us many ideas to use within our own video to accurately portray a narrative video. 

 

There are many significant costume choices within this music video which influence the way we look at the different characters. The character with the most significant costumes is Kelly, who is a very strong character within the music video. At 0:46 we see Kelly wearing an extravagant floral dress in a dark pink and green colour, she is also wearing a matching over throw to complete the outfit. This is outfit is being worn when she is dancing to get the males who are sitting on the benches attention. The bold outfit makes her stand out a lot compared to everyone else within the scene, making her look bold and desirable. The way the dress is floating in the breeze along with her hair, makes her look angelic and innocent to the men who are watching. At 2:52 Kelly is seen wearing a tight red dress in the bar where Adam is singing with his band. The red dress connotes many different emotions such as romance, passion and love, something which is very apparent within this music video. The red dress Kelly is wearing also links with Laura Mulvey’s theory of the ‘Male Gaze’. The red dress she is wearing makes her look very desirable and sexy to males. This is what Laura Mulvey’s theory suggests, that women are portrayed as looking sexy for males. The two outfits I have mentioned also show that within the video they are perceived as well off, because of the expensive looking outfits. These outfits however are not something which is typical within this type of genre music, with outfits not usually being significant, and instead being casual and usually down to earth.
     When it comes to editing, the music video is mainly made up of fades and straight cuts. The fades within the video are used to show the flashbacks. This is something we considered using within our own music video. Fades make it clear to the viewer that these are flashbacks not confusing them to real life. The fades are also used to show inside Adams mind, especially in the clips when he is underwater in the swimming pool with Kelly and Corinne’s faces fading in and out. The straight cuts are used to show the normal clips, which are not flashbacks, as well as showing the build in tension, especially within the intense staring between Adam and Kelly showing the love triangle intensifies. A sepia toned filter is also used to show the warmth within the area they are in, and also to show the warmth between the different relationships. 
 

 

Analysis 13:

‘I know’ was released in December 2013, and is the fifth single from Odell’s debut album ‘Long way Down’. Even though the song was relatively popular it only peaked at 92 in the UK singles official chart, not making it one of Odell’s best singles to date. The music video shows Tom in an isolated location, with no other characters present within the video. This is something which is very typical and conventional within acoustic singer songwriter music videos. The video also uses many different shots and editing techniques which we have discussed using within our own music video. 

 

When it came to editing there was one thing I noticed which we have considered using as a group within our own music video, and that is the use of slow motion. An example of this can be seen at 0:13 where tom is walking with the camera looking at him from the side. The camera is also tracking him whilst walking. This use of slow motion links well with the slow tempo of the song at this point of the song. During the chorus the song moves more into a crescendo with song becoming a lot louder. The music video also is made up of a lot of straight cuts; this just makes the video look more realistic, as well as building suspense.

 

Throughout the whole video, Tom is seen wearing a black coat, which he does not have fastened up. During the long shots of him running towards the camera, the coat moves in the breeze. I think this looks very effective, fitting the slow tempo of the song. However costume is not something which is significant within this music video, compared to Maroon 5’s ‘She will be Loved’ where costume plays a big part in portraying Kelly making her look very desirable. 

 

The video starts with a pan long shot of a field, showing long grass and a stone flooring. This is to enhance the natural element of the song, and also to show the isolated location. The appearance of the setting also looks as though it is night time; this is to show that there are no other people around, highlighting the isolation within the video. At 0:07 we see an establishing shot with Odell being seen in the background, he looks very small in this shot because of the vast distance which is separating him and the camera. The establishing shot also allows the viewer to see the vast amount of woodland area there is, showing the contrast in height within the trees. This makes the path Odell is walking down stand out a lot compared to the trees, almost looking as though it is glowing; highlighting a journey he is going on. At 0:17 we see a mid-shot of Odell just showing down to the middle of his stomach. Here there is high key lighting, making it look like bright sunlight. It also makes Odell look like a silhouette against the harsh sunlight, fading out of the shot altogether because of the sunlight. At 0:34 we see a mid- shot just down to Toms shoulders, showing him walking towards the camera, with the misty trees in the background. This gives the video an eerie feel, and could make the viewer start to feel uneasy or start to wonder what is going to happen to Tom at the end of the video, creating an enigma about other possible characters who may appear in the video. At 0:56 we see a high angle shot of, showing the camera facing down on Tom. This could link to the lyrics of the song, ‘I know what you told me’, showing he was in a past relationship and has moved on since then, knowing that maybe it ended on bad terms. The setting is still within the woodland area, highlighting the isolation of the setting and the isolation he is feeling within the lyrics of the song. The song then repeats many of the previous clips, repeating back to when he was singing in the woods, with the mid shot of him walking towards the camera, also close ups of him singing. I think this is a very typical music video for a song of this genre, not being too complicated, with no story behind, being purely conceptual in the way that the video does not link to the lyrics of the song. At 1:49 we see a long shot of Tom running towards the camera. In this shot Tom himself looks very small in comparison to the woods and the road in which he is running down towards the camera. It looks as though he is running away from someone or running away from his past relationship. This is something which can be commonly seen within music videos of this genre, showing no other characters just the actual artist himself, within the isolated location. At 1:56 there is an extreme close up of Tom, standing on the left hand side of the frame. The use of the extreme close up is very effective because it allows the viewer to connect with Tom, seeing the passion in his eyes which he has for the song, you can really see the definition in his face, showing all his facial expressions. The use of the dark black and white toned filter also makes Tom look quite sad, with dark shadows forming on his face. At 2:14 we see the same long shot of Tom running towards the camera, however this time he is closer to the camera. I think this use of him running towards the camera will eventually see his run completely past the camera, maybe with the camera panning after him, showing him running away. The darkness of the partly black and white filter also makes it look as though he is running through the night, and could be linked to something chasing him. At 2:31 we see the last long shot of Tom running towards the camera. Here we can see him start to come into focus, showing the speed he is running at. The ending of the video is completely different to the format of the video previously. At 3:15 we see an additional character being introduced. A long shot is used show her tall structure. The shot now is also nearly in complete darkness, giving the character an off putting glow. In this shot her face is completely hidden. At 3:18 another long shot is used, however the female character is now more in the foreground of the shot, this time revealing that she has not got a face at all. The way she is standing and the way she has got no face, shows that the video has got some possible intertextuality with an existing video game called Slenderman, whose main character also appears to have no face, and whose structure is highly similar to the woman being shown in this shot. By having the female characters face not being shown can also link to their past relationship fading and the loss of memories which Tom has of the two of them together. At 3:46 we see the woman’s face start to disappear. This is seen with the use of a mid-shot with the camera showing just down to the woman’s waist. I think this shot confirms my initial thoughts of forgetting about the relationship, and Tom forgetting the woman who he was previously with. This is not very conventional for a music video of this genre, and is not something we have considered using for our own music video.
Overall the music video uses many camera shots which are very effective in showing Toms emotions and are very effective in portraying his relationship at the end of the video. 

 

Analysis 14:

Last night is Lucy Spraggans second single from her studio-released album ‘Join the club’. The song entered the UK Singles chart at number 29, and was first performed as Lucy’s audition song on the X factor in 2012, however due to rules with contestants releasing their own songs after being on the X factor, it was pulled from the charts and had to be re-released later on. Before the X factor rule change the song reached number 2 on the iTunes download chart. The music video for the song was directed by Damien Reeves, and produced by Melmo Films. The video was also funded by Live and Unsigned, with this being her winnings for becoming runner up of Live and Unsigned 2011. The music video itself shows Lucy waking up from sleeping on sofa, the video then progresses to show her reliving the party, also with her cleaning the house up after the party, with different props sparking her memories of the previous night. 

An editing technique which is used frequently within the music video is the use of reverse. An example of this can be seen straight away at 0:17 where we see Lucy lying on the sofa, she then jumps off in a reverse motion, straight into the party. 

 

I think this use of reverse, is to create the illusion that Lucy is reliving the party all over again, however this time recognising things which she did not realise happened last time, because of how drunk she was. At 0:26 we see this same effect used with Lucy holding a champagne bottle, with the champagne collecting back in the bottle. I think this is effective because it shows the viewer that the champagne should really in fact be spraying out of the bottle, which is what obviously happened at the party before- hand. This links with her reliving the party again throughout the video. At 0:37 we then see a close up of Lucy walking backwards down a corridor full of couples, who are holding hands and kissing. This shot might have been used to show how at the party Lucy was alone, or to show how it was her party. The same reverse effect is also used at 0:55. This shows one of the partygoers taking a polaroid type photo, however because the shot is reversed it actually shows the photo going back into the camera. The photo being taken links further with the video when we see Lucy going through the house in the aftermath of the party. Overall this is an editing technique is used a lot within the video, and plays a highly significant role showing the past night when the party was, allowing Lucy to relive the past events. Another editing technique which has been used is by speeding up some of the clips to make them more face paced. An example of this can be seen at 0:28 where the party is in full swing, with many different extras within the same shot. I think this has been done so that the party looks busy and to show that everyone is having fun in the fast paced environment. When it comes to different filters being used in the video, the main one which has been used is a brightening filter. This has been used to show the party scenes. I think a brightening filter has been used to show the light hearted fun tone of the party, and to show that everyone is having a good time. These is in contrast to the morning after shots, where the lighting is very dim and dull, with a partly black and white filter used to create this effect.  Overall I think all these editing techniques help to enhance the music video a lot, helping to create and show the story.

The costume is not something which is significant within this music video. For example, Lucy herself is wearing casual demin skinny jeans, with a black jumper, which has a large logo covering the front. This outfit is not specifically for the party, with it mainly just being her normal style which is portrayed a lot throughout her other videos. The other party goers are also wearing casual outfits as well, showing that this is not a fancy or posh party, with it mainly being a large gathering between friends. We have decided within our music video that we are also going to concentrate on using casual outfits for our characters. This saves us a lot of money because it means that we do not have to pay extra for buying specific outfits. 

 

The first shot we see is a close up showing Lucy’s feet. The shot also shows her name, which is being shown in its signature font, which is shown in all her music videos. This gives the audience some familiarities between her different music videos. At 0:13 we a close up of Lucy. Here she is looking very dishevelled, giving the impression that she has been sleeping on the sofa all night, this shows us that she has been to a party or has been the host of a party. At 0:06 we see a long shot, showing different props such as shot glasses, lime wedges and paper cups. These are all typical party items, showing the viewer that the party was a success and that the house is now very messy after. At 0:15 we see another close up of a radio on a coffee table. Here we also see that the coffee table is very messy covered in different props such as paper cups and paper streamers. This also shows the viewer that Lucy has a lot of clearing up to do in the morning. At 0:25 we see a long shot of Lucy holding a champagne bottle. To the viewer it looks as though the champagne is going to spray everywhere. There are also some extras in the background of this shot, showing the party is in full swing. With Lucy being in the foreground it shows that she is the most important or significant person at the party, letting the viewer know that this is her party. 0:32 we see another long shot used, however this time Lucy is in the background, and there is another character in the foreground, however we cannot see her face and she is passed out on the floor, Lucy is looking round the corner quite nervously showing us that she cannot remember anything about the previous night. There are many flashbacks used to show the party, which is being played in reverse, at 0:40 we see a close up of Lucy’s face. We can see that this is the party scenes because of the different lighting and by her facial expression, which we can see seems to look as though she is drunk. She also has a glow stick around her neck, giving her a carefree and light hearted look about her. The video then goes on to progress, showing the flashbacks of the party being shown in reverse as well as showing Lucy clearing the house up the morning after. At 0:54 we see a close up of Lucy again, however this time she is looking closely at a photograph which was on a coffee table. Previously the photo was taken at the party, showing how she cannot remember who is in the photo, or who is taking the picture, therefore jerking some of her memories from the previous night. At 1:12 we see a long shot of Lucy clearing up the corridor with her observing another character lying on the floor, she then progresses to checking the person with her foot, to see if he or she is alive. At 1:25 we see another long shot. This time the shot is so foggy and misty you can only make out Lucy, running in and out of the mist. This could be linked to her memory fading in and out throughout the party, remembering some elements from the party and others which she has completely forgotten. Long shots are used within the video to show everyone having good time, showing all the backing dancers and extra partygoers. At 2:00 we see another close up of Lucy now wiping excess make up off her face, wiping away memories of her past party. The ending of the video shows Lucy waving everyone out of the house, however this shot is seen in the bright filter, showing how it might be her waving the characters into her house for the party, showing before the party has started. Overall I can see the video mainly consists of long shots and closes ups capturing the party feel of the song. I also think this is a very uncoventional music video for a song of this genre. For example it does not show her in an isolated location with no other characters, with it in fact being the complete opposite. 

Analysis 15:

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