Music Video 1:
Paramore – ‘That’s What You Get’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEtHWflr8bQ
The video targets its demographic audience through a clear narrative structure involving two main characters; a girlfriend and her boyfriend. The Todorovian narrative theory can be applied: the equilibrium being the couple are happy together; the disruption being that the male character flirts with another girl, who could almost be the Proppian ‘villain’, and the new equilibrium being that everything is forgiven and back to normal again. Using the conventional teenage theme of relationships conveyed through this narrative, the video is relatable to a teenage audience. This is emphasised through stock settings such as the characters’ bedrooms and gatherings with friends, and props like mobile phones. A close-up of a mobile phone is significant as it means audience members with the same phone can relate to this character and the casual, laid back costume of the characters in the video include hoodies and graphic t-shirts which would appeal to the tastes of the teenage target demographic. The editing is used throughout the video to be parallel with the mood of the music, for example, fast-paced straight cuts are used at the opening of the video in order to emphasise the fast-paced, energetic rhythm of the guitar-based music; however slows down as the singing starts. Wipes and split screens are used in order to frame and capture the emotions of the two main characters, establishing their relationship, making the characters and situation relatable to the audience. The fast-paced editing used during shots of the band playing connotes the rebelliousness of youth by suggesting they are hard to pin down, making the video appealing to the target audience. High-key lighting is used throughout the video to create a light-hearted mood and connote a youthful atmosphere to the audience, emphasised by low angle shots of sunlight coming through trees, connoting the freshness of youth and the innovative sound of the music. The theme of love and relationships is also emphasised here as these high angle shots of trees are edited with low angle shots of the couple, connoting the intensity of their emotions. The camera shots used during the band playing are abnormal, for example a medium long shot framing the band through a doorway in which the band members take up only a little of the image. By framing the band in the corner of the image they are connoted to be unique and quirky, making them exciting to the audience. The bands play in the same setting- a gathering of friends- as the teenage characters in the narrative. By becoming part of the narrative and sharing the setting of the teenage characters of the video, the band establishes a connection with their teenage audience and they become more relatable and likable. They also establish themselves as credible pop rock artists, as during shots of the band playing, quick zoom-ins and pans are used to emphasise the energy and rhythm of the music and the main female singer is framed in a close-up in order to engage and grab the attention of the audience. Using these close-ups and positioning the singer in the centre of the frame means she is recognisable to fans and gives her ‘star’ status. Her bright red hair colour connotes the individuality of the music and appeals to the rebellious, fun-seeking nature of the target audience, making her easily relatable and likable, as well as straying from the conventional ideology of beauty found in popular music.
Music Video 2:
Green Day – ‘Jesus of Suburbia’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7o0X9lcb7I
This video also follows a clear Todorovian narrative structure, again involving a couple, but this time focusing more on the male main character- the Proppian hero. At the start of the video, the equilibrium and Hero are established through three close-up shots of the main male character, followed by a shot in which the camera tracks him walking into a shop. The close-ups help the audience to empathise with the character as they can easily read his emotions and automatically the audience relate to this character through his youthful appearance. The band’s punk image is connoted through his spiky black hair, eyeliner and drainpipe jeans, and so the video would appeal to this particular subculture of youth. Close-ups of props are used such as cigarettes and beer bottles to relate to a teenage audience and connote the rebellious image conventional to pop punk music (a sub-genre of pop rock in which Green Day fall). The equilibrium goes on to portray a hedonistic lifestyle using the conventional stock settings of teen dramas, for example parties and bedrooms. The slow motion pan, low angle camera shots and low key lighting used during the party scene connotes an almost dreamlike state in which this character lives, in contrast to the bedroom scene in which the Hero and his girlfriend are captured in both high angle and close-up shots in a series of fast-paced straight cuts, including one rolling camera shot from a high angle above the bed. This emphasises the hectic, hedonistic lifestyle lived by these characters by having a disorientating effect on the audience, and also emphasises the importance of the issue of relationships which is relatable to the target demographic. The high angle shots give connotations of vulnerability in the characters which makes them much more relatable. Pastel colours like blue and pink are used in these scenes to connote that despite the anarchy of the Hero’s actions, this is his normality. During the disequilibrium, however, the colours become darker. The Hero and storyline becomes more established as the video goes on, as using subtitles the audience watch an argument he has with his mother. This, along with the break-up with his girlfriend, establishes the disequilibrium, connoted also through dark colours such as grey in the argument scene. Bringing in the issue of family problems, the video becomes more relatable to teens and the audience empathise with the Hero. The camera pans big groups of teenagers with bright hair and punk clothing in settings such as car parks and abandoned, graffiti-covered buildings, connoting the band’s rebellious and youthful identity to its audience. The video targets its audience successfully as the hedonistic lifestyle portrayed is admirable and even relatable to some teenagers. The rhythm, pace and lyrics of the music throughout the video is parallel to the action on screen, as well as the camera shots, movements and editing used. For example, quick straight cuts and close-up shots are used during a fight scene between the Hero and another male character, accompanied by the song becoming more fast-paced during the disruption to the equilibrium. However, during the realisation of the disruption, the music is slower and has a steady beat almost like a clock ticking, and is accompanied by close-ups of the Hero staring into space, giving connotations of deep thought and reminiscence. Then, the Hero seeks to re-establish the equilibrium, or to build a better life, in which the camera tracks him walking down a long tunnel in a low angle shot and is accompanied by lyrics such as, “You’re leaving home”. These parallels between the music and the action on screen engage and immerse the audience in the story. Shots of the band are limited; as Green Day are a credible, prolific pop rock band, they already have an established fan base, and therefore focus more on the storyline of the video. The only shots of the band are captured in the Hero’s television set, however the main singer is still captured in low angle, close-up shots, giving him god-like status. By having the Hero be a fan of the band, the audience’s admiration for Green Day inevitably grows.
Music Video 3:
New Found Glory – ‘Kiss Me’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVqW8OTaPVM
Again this video appeals to its teenage target demographic through the conventional issue of love and relationships; however this time the main character appears to be the villain as he ends up getting his comeuppance at the end of the video. The Proppian character theory can be applied as the villain, the main male character, is ‘defeated’ when he is tied to a tree after the girls he has been cheating on discover his antics. The first appearance of the band is a medium close-up framing the band members in the back of their tour bus. Positioning the band members so close together in the frame connotes close friendship which is important to their teenage audience and a conventional and relatable teenage issue. This is later reinforced in a low angle shot framing the main singer behind the guitarist. Constant tight framing connotes the friendship involved in being in a band and therefore makes the band more likable to its audience. A high angle shot captures a group of teenagers running around and jumping on mattresses in a park. This connotes spontaneity and rebellion, appealing to their audience by perpetuating these stereotypes of youth. Later in the video, the camera moves on a crane and captures the green trees and grass of the park setting, giving the video a light-hearted mood which is conventional to pop rock music. The bright colours used in the video, such as green and red, emphasise this light-hearted feel, and the idyllic scenery captured in a tilt at the very end of the video connotes the freshness of youth and suggests the uniqueness of the band themselves. Close-up shots are used to tell a story to the audience, for example, there are close-ups used on the main male character kissing various different girls and a close-up of him keeping a ‘tally’ of the girls he has kissed on his forearm, establishing him as the ‘villain’. Both male and female members of the audience would relate to this character and situation, so the video successfully engages its audience in the narrative. Including humorous scenes in the video such as the main male character mistaking a fat, bearded man for another kissing partner establish the band to be laid-back and funny, making them more likable. The band continues to be emphasised as likable musicians by playing in the same setting as the teenagers in the video. By not including props like a stage or using spotlights on the band, a connection is made between the audience and the artists as it seems that they are ‘at the same level’ as their fans. This connection is emphasised by a quick zoom-in of the main singer grinning at the camera. The cheeky facial expression engages the audience and connotes the youthfulness of the band, and the quick zoom-in gives the video a fast pace that is parallel to the fast-paced song. Similarly, the youthful, fun and casual outfits worn by the band members; for example ripped jeans, t-shirts and caps; make them more relatable to the audience and connote the conventional laid-back attitude of pop rock artists. However, low angle shots are used of the band members too, to provide them with ‘star’ status and make them admirable to the audience. Close-ups of the instruments such as guitars and drum kits mean the audience immediately identify the music genre as these instruments are conventional to pop rock music. The energy and fun of the music and action on screen is emphasised by the camera rolling during a shot of the band playing, which is disorientating to the audience and gives the band a quirky, unique image. This is exaggerated through handheld camera used during the band playing, which creates energy and makes the band more relatable by creating verisimilitude and trying to absorb the audience into the action. The focus of the band shots is the main singer, who is constantly jumping around and looking straight into the camera. In one shot, the singer jumps up to the camera ending in an extreme close-up of his mouth, which makes him seem powerful and rebellious. A convention of pop rock music videos is a focus on the main singer, and by having front man status he needs to engage the audience, which he does successfully in shots like this. Again, the editing is parallel to the rhythm and pace of the song, for example during fast-paced parts of the song with a quick drumbeat, very fast-paced straight cuts are used connoting energy and fun. During the slowest part of the song, there are slow pans of couples kissing, emphasising the importance of this issue in teenage life and reinforcing the song title, ‘Kiss Me’, making it memorable to the audience.
Music Video 4:
Wheatus – ‘Teenage Dirtbag’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jJWQkVgDs4
This video uses the conventional narrative structure, character types and stock settings of a teen romantic comedy film. Set in an American high school, the hero is the geek who manages to ‘get the girl’ in the end despite the efforts of the villain (the ‘jock’) to stop this. Stereotypical characters and conventional narrative structure of a teen rom-com film means the audience instantly recognises the genre which engages them straight away. The main character, the geek, is relatable to the audience and established as the hero through a shot tracking him riding his bicycle and a close-up framing his shocked facial expression when the jock’s car crashes into his bicycle, meaning the audience instantly empathise with him and relate to his situation, which is reinforced in a POV shot where the audience see through his eyes as he walks down the corridor. Using costume, the band establish a connection with the main character and the audience, as close-ups of the main singer frame him wearing stereotypical ‘geeky’ clothes: odd combinations of sunhats, thick-rimmed glasses and bright orange shirts which connote a lack of fashion sense that is typical to the laid back, uncaring attitude of pop rock artists. The love interest is established through a medium shot in which she tosses her hair back in slow motion, which connotes the sense of awe the hero feels and communicates her sexual identity to the audience, appealing to male members of the target demographic. A sense of anarchy is created during the chorus of the song, which is fast-paced and louder than the slower, lighter sounding verses. The pace and rhythm of the song is parallel with the action on screen, which is a conventional technique used in pop rock music videos; during the chorus fast-paced straight cuts are used throughout shots of the band playing, connoting the fun, energy and rebellion conventional to pop rock music. This is emphasised by framing an excitable young crowd jumping around in the background, connoting the bands’ youthful, fun-loving identity to the audience. Also, the teen rom-com storyline fits with the light-hearted mood of the music, which reinforces this conventional attitude of the pop rock genre and makes the video entertaining and easy to watch, therefore appealing to its young, laid back audience. Using contrasting high angle and low angle shots the storyline and characters are developed further as the ‘jock’ is connoted to be intimidating through a low angle shot tracking him as he walks down the corridor, whereas the geek is connoted to be vulnerable in a high angle shot of him reading on a bench. Props such as the book reinforce this character and make this relatable to teenage life. A fade-out to the prom scene is used to help carry the narrative along, in order to show a lapse of time and change of scene, and is parallel to the slow acoustic guitar accompanying it. Shots of the band are typical of pop rock videos; close-ups of the main singer looking directly at the camera and also a low angle shot in which the camera pans the band playing. This gives them star status; however shots of them laughing and smiling and holding props such as a banana give them a fun, quirky image, connoting a laid-back attitude parallel to the mood of the music and target audience. The settings in which they play include the school gymnasium, the school corridor and the school prom, which are all relatable settings to their target audience and conventional settings of a teen rom-com. This also puts them on the same level as their audience which makes them more relatable and likable by giving them a youthful identity. The lyrics of the song fit with the characters in the video and the artists’ image, targeting their audience directly: ‘I’m just a teenage dirtbag’, making the song and video funny and relatable to the audience. The conventional ending of a teen rom com closes the video: the hero dances with the girl at prom. The fade out connotes a happy ending, reinforcing the light-hearted mood of the video.
Music Video 5:
McFly – ‘5 Colours In Her Hair’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8wcYrqIzhg
Being that McFly is a more mainstream pop rock band, and therefore has a wider and perhaps younger target demographic, the video has a much more light-hearted mood which is parallel with the lighter sounding music. The bright, bold colours used such as yellow, blue, pink and green create a fun, light-hearted mood emphasising the energy of the music and fit with the title of the song ‘5 colours in her hair’, making it more memorable to the audience. The audience follow a female character in the video, which appears to be this girl with ‘5 colours in her hair’, as a medium close-up captures her multi-coloured hair and so establishes her as the heroin, and also makes her an admirable character as she encapsulates the conventional rebellious image of teenagers that is a code of the pop rock genre. She is immediately relatable to female members of the audience through the costume she wears: a bright coloured short t-shirt showing her stomach, jeans and trainers- but what makes her attractive and engaging is the use of a black and white background, making her stand out. This connotes that she is not only the heroin but also fits with the Proppian character type of princess too, suggesting she needs to be rescued from this bland and boring life she lives in. This is emphasised by other characters in this scene being black and white too, such as the stereotypical mother figure who is almost comically angry in facial expression and body position as she leans over and shouts at the main female character. Instantly the conventional teenage issue of problems with parents makes the heroin much more relatable to the target demographic. McFly is given Hero status in the video as members of the band end up rescuing the girl, which would appeal to McFly’s main target demographic, teenage girls. This audience is also targeted through a medium shot of girls in the crowd, framing their youthful costume of short skirts and bright, studded belts. The video parodies the format of a TV show, using the copy ‘The McFly Show’ at the start of the video which the heroin watches on TV. Using this prop, the television set, the band is given ‘star’ status as the heroin clearly admires them. This also means a connection between the audience and band members can be established, as the band members are introduced directly to the audience at start of the video through a four-way split screen with the names of the band members under each image. This is reinforced through quick straight cuts used through panning shots of band members playing as the singing starts, which makes the band members recognisable to the audience. Through these shots and the copy reading the names of the band members, the band are instantly more personal to the audience and allow the audience to choose ‘favourites’ in the band, making their music more exciting by establishing this connection with the audience. Zoom-ins are used to emphasise this audience connection by capturing band members singing straight at the camera. During scenes of the band playing, an exciting and fun atmosphere is created through fast-paced editing and the energetic movement of the band onstage. Also, the scruffy hair of the band members and youthful costume such as shorts and trainers connotes a youthful image which is aesthetically appealing to the target demographic. Band members are also positioned to the side of the frame in a medium shot connoting they are unique and different and hard to pin down, which is appealing and engaging for their fun-loving, young and carefree audience, reinforced by quick zoom-ins of their faces and instruments. There is also a close-up shot of the two main singers sharing a microphone, and by positioning band members tightly in the same frame it connotes the fun and friendship involved in being in a band, making the band more likable and appealing to the interests of the target demographic. However, the ‘star’ status and Heroic image of the band continues to be connoted by positioning the band higher up than the audience, as the band play on a stage. There is also a parody of the famous Abbey Road Beatles portrait, an intertextual reference that reveals a funny side to the band but also could connote musical credibility, which is atypical of most mainstream pop rock artists who are conventionally unconcerned about their credibility and more focused on appealing to a wide, young audience. However, this could also have connotations of McFly’s strong fanbase, suggesting that they are the ‘Beatles’ of this generation. Overall, the video promotes the band as fun-loving individuals, thus targeting their audience, and creates a light-hearted mood throughout that fits with the conventions of the pop rock genre.
Music Video 6:
Blink-182 – ‘Josie’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4J-c48ReW0
This video follows a narrative structure conventional to most pop rock music videos with the conventional issue of love and relationships. However, blink-182 is well known for their laid-back, youthful image and sense of humour, and thus the video almost parodies the stereotypical storyline of a teen rom-com and the conventional characters and issues found. For example, the relatable teen issue of embarrassing parents is portrayed in an extremely exaggerated and comical way through a long shot of a huge crowd of teenagers laughing hysterically at the main character, who is also the band’s singer, who has just kissed his mother on the cheek. By parodying the conventions of a teen comedy film, the teenage target audience would instantly recognise the genre and therefore find the video amusing. The band members are the main characters in the narrative, which makes the audience relate to them more and puts them on the ‘same level’ as their fans, making them more likable and down-to-earth. The setting of the video is a high school, including the settings of a sports field, school canteen and classroom, and a boys’ lavatory where the band play. The latter heightens the laid-back, funny mood of the video as it connotes that the band members don’t take themselves too seriously, and the setting of the high school is recognisable as a convention of a teen comedy film. There are conventional character types of this film genre found in the video too; the pretty cheerleader, who is connoted to be the love interest through a slow motion tilt, the jock, and, of course, the geek who wants to get the girl. Proppian character types can also be applied, as the main character is the Hero, the other two members of the band- the Hero’s friends in the storyline- are the helpers, and the cheerleader is the princess. Props are used to make the settings more realistic and therefore more recognisable and relatable to the target audience, for example posters on the wall reading ‘Go Team!’, a conventional prop found in American teen comedy films, and at the opening of the video there is a close-up of the guitarist skateboarding into school, which would appeal to the interests and hobbies of the target audience and skateboards also have connotations of rebellion and are conventional to the pop rock and pop punk music genre. Close-ups of the singer frame his purple hair which emphasises the youthful and rebellious image the band portrays. As the video continues, the audience empathise with the Hero more and more- for example through a POV low angle shot capturing three male characters about to beat him up. This emphasises his ‘geek’ stereotype and evokes sympathy from the audience. During shots of the band playing, both singers look straight at the camera, making a connection with the audience, and are often tightly framed together, connoting the fun and friendship involved in pop rock music and teenage life. There are also quick pans from one band members to another, giving connotations that the band members are energetic and hard to pin down, which creates a fun and exciting atmosphere that is parallel with the fast-paced music, and appeals to the young and fun-loving audience. There are also close-ups of the drum kit and guitars, which are conventional instruments of the pop rock genre so the target audience can identify the genre. High-key lighting is used to create light-hearted mood in the video and the predominant colours used include white, yellow and green which are all bright and eye-catching and have connotations of freshness and youth, so reinforce this mood.
Codes and conventions I have found from my pop rock music video analysis:
- Typically follows a storyline involving issues of love and relationships in order to relate to and engage the target audience.
- Uses Propp’s character types, e.g. Hero, villain, princess, helpers. Main hero is an ‘average’ teenager, which is relatable to audience
- Often uses stock character types of a teen comedy film, e.g. jock, geek
- Follows a Todorovian narrative structure
- Settings are relatable to teenage audience and representative of ‘everyday life’, for example school, and characters bedrooms. Band often plays in the same settings as fans/characters in the video making them likable and relatable to audience.
- Some idyllic settings also used, e.g. green areas with the sun coming through the trees. Creates a sense of freshness and youth, connoting the fun and youth of band and music, gives a light-hearted mood to video.
- Costume of band and characters is youthful and casual, appealing to the target audience and connoting the laid-back attitude of artists
- Editing used is parallel with the mood and tone of the song, during choruses and shots of the band playing, fast-paced straight cuts is used to create an exciting atmosphere
- Wipes and split screens used to connote relationship between characters or introduce characters and band members
- Close-ups of instruments and rolling camera movements connote a sense of rebellion, create an energetic mood and give the band a unique, quirky image, which engages the young, fun-loving audience.
- Low angle and close-up shots of main singer gives them ‘star’ status, making them admirable to the audience
- High-key lighting is used throughout to give the video a light-hearted feel
