Textual Analysis of Fujiya & Miyagi - Ankle Injuries

'Ankle Injuries' by Fujiya and Miyagi from their 2006 album, 'Transparent Things' used stop motion to create a clever visual display for the audience through an everyday, seemingly normal item; a dice. Genre-wise it's probably more of a soft-rock/indie combination than anything which at the time wasn't quite as popular as it is now, so made for an interesting song.

In terms of the relationship between the lyrics and visuals, at times they go together solidly and at others are completely afar from the song meaning as a whole. There are certain words which relate to the visuals, whether it be the dots on the dice or the concept of having lots of things build up into one picture such as 'pixilation' and 'spray'. The visuals are heavily linked to the concept of pixilation, which perhaps represents that sometimes the picture is clearer if you zoom out/ take a step back. 

The jittery style of the visuals matches that of the song, as it has a high-pitched and upbeat feel to it. Each cut is usually on the beat which makes the visuals fit to the music really well. I also find the colour arrangement interesting, as it uses simple, basic colours like black, red, blue, yellow and white yet still it appears as if there are shadows. This is mostly down to the ratio of the die background colour versus the contrasting dot(s). This gives the illusion of light  and the impression that the image is 3D when it is actually 2D. 

Overall I really like this music video's retro style and how well the visuals work with the track. Personally I would have added some form of narrative to the sequence, as it appears a little unorganised at times in terms of chronology which does make it less easy-going to watch. Despite this I really like this music video for it's unique and artistic approach to representing the song. 

Textual Analysis of Breathe Me - Sia

'Breathe Me' by Sia is an extremely cleverly-done stop motion type video which features a polaroid photo-like framing which gives the whole video a very authentic, vintage feel. In terms of genre, I would say that it falls under a collaboration of pop, indie and soft rock which makes it rather unique and unusual in it's style.

There is a strong link between parts of the visuals and the lyrics within this music video. It has quite emotive lyrics and if I had been given just the track to make a music video to, I think I would have found it quite difficult to convey the thoughts and feelings of the writer through the visuals. However they have been very clever wth the concept of piling photos up as it gives a feeling of stress/emotion piling up and it becoming too much, which connotes more to the meaning of the song as a whole rather than the lyrics as such, but a successful one nonetheless. Another example would be tht at many points througgout the usic video, Sia is shown curled up in a ball, hugging her legs "unfold me, I am small, and needy", and in contrast, at other times is shown walking around and sitting down. One large factor I noticed was the fact that with the exception of the last section, the video is set entirely in the confines of a house. I thought that this could link to the lyrics, "lost myself and I'm nowhere to be found" in that she feels trapped and isolated within her own body. We see evidence of her leaving e/g shots of her going up and down the stairs, at which at some points she changes clothing momentarily which arguably furter relates to the fact she has lost herself, and doesn't know who she is. However, the video seems to have a happy ending as she manages to escape her house and runs free in the streets outside. Her happiness is shown through the contrast of lighting - it is much brighter outside which suggests freedom and happiness.

The visuals also link to the music as the rate at which the photos are being placed down is generally sycronised with the beat of the song, although there are notable exceptions such as when it is held on a certain photo for effect, or when a tracking zoom shot is used and we are absorbed into that scene. This gives the video quite a jolted, broken-record type feel to it but it works really well, and perhaps connotes to the lyrics - it's not going too smoothly at the moment?

The character in the video is the artist themselves so there are a number of close ups of Sia within the video. This is similar to a lot of her other content where she features again, such as in, "clap your hands" and, "You've Changed". I think it makes her videos more personal and intimate, and also means she can continue her creative vision, seeing as she writes the majority of her songs herself.

Breathe Me contains aspects of concept, narrative and performance within it; the concept surrounds finding yourself and/or someone to help you do so, the narrative follows on from this concept whereby we see her journey to escapism and there is performance intertwined within the former elements. In reference to the notion of looking, I think a large factor would be perhaps her looking through old photos and wanting the audience to feel the same - she wants to evoke emotion within the audience where they can somehow relate to the lyrics, music, video or all.

Overall I think that this is a really clever video and I absolutely love the song - it suits the visuals perfectly and is exactly what I would have wanted to see when listening to it.

Textual Analysis of Take a Walk - Passion Pits

Take A Walk by by Passion Pits describe themselves as an, 'indietronica' band, which is a combination of indie and electric genres. They have released two albums in several countries and are well known for their alternative style.

The video follows a clever concept where we follow the journey of a little blue ball, as it gets thrown and bounces to many different people and places. The video is filmed from the ball's point of view the whole time, with the exception of the beginning and end. This is done very effectively and it really feels as it you are bouncing around the streets.

The visuals link to the lyrics in the fact that the whole song is about taking a walk - perhaps to clear your head and get some perspective, and this is represented by the journey the ball takes. It goes to a huge range of places, including neighbourhood cul-de-sacs, huge cities and rivers. The fact it was flying through the air caused me to wonder if this represents that by taking a walk, they are suggesting you should try to see things from a different point of view? Or alternatively that sometiems you need to take yourself out of normal situations in order to solve something?

The reason I am saying this is because the artists seemed to take an honest approach when writing the lyrics, talking about real situations. It documents the struggles of two men during America’s two worst recessions. One sells flowers outside of Penn Station in order to save up enough money to get his wife and family across the Atlantic only to have them bail on him shortly after their arrival. The other over-borrows and makes bad investments that go bust landing him in a cowardly state of poverty. Both men take then walks. I wondered if Passion Pits were suggesting that no matter what goes wrong, if you take a walk it will either lead somewhere else or at least provide a change of scene. This narrative is sort of evident within the music video, for instance neighbourhood homes suggest family life, however it does not follow it concretely.

There is no reference to the notion of looking - in a sexual form anyway; there are lots of shots where people are looking at the ball, for example when it gets bowled to a baseball player, so the only reference is very innocent.

Overall I really like the way the action is passed on. It makes it interesting for the audience to see where the ball will end up and shows the range of different people and places in only a ball's throw distance. 

Music Video Initial Ideas

Here is a brainstorm I did today of some of my initial ideas, which have been inspired by studying and watching a few current ones. 

Textual Analysis of Counting Stars - One Republic

::Put Video here::


One Republic's popular song, 'Couting Stars' has acoustic tones but builds up t amuch denser, powerful riff. It peaked at number 1 in the UK charts and follows conventions of pop and indie genres with some hints of rock:

• It has an unudual balance of concept, narrative and performance, with a separate narrative and a performance coming together at the end via the concept
• Gripping bassline
• Upbeat and catchy
• Wide range of shots, but several close ups of facial expressions

The music video holds an encapturing storyline, and shows 2 completely different situations eventually coming together at the end. One half is One Republic performing the song in a basement/warehouse in a casual style, like they're rehearsing, as they have no audience. The second half is of a group of people belonging to what appears to be a modern church, who are attending a session of worship. 

WIthin the video, there are many occasions within the visuals which subtly link to the lyrics. One that particularly stands out is, "But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard", for one half of the narrative is centered around the concept of prayer and worship. However it is not the singer of One Republic praying, therefore not a totally 100% link, but the idea is certainly embedded. Another lyric which possibly links to this idea is, "I don't think the world is sold, I'm just doing what we're told" because we are taught in life to follow certain rules, guidelines and/or expectations. One of these guidelines could be to follow a faith, practising prayer to hopefully lead to some form of enlightenment or paradise. However there are many conspiracy theories surrounding the success of the said guidelines, and the lyrics suggest that we are lead into a certain frame of mind by society, "I don't think the world is sold", but there is no use battling it and it is automatic to follow convention, "I'm just doing what we're told".

In terms of relation to the music, the visuals are reasonably in sync. For a start, there is a large performance element with the band performing in an abandoned warehouse, so the instruments are in time with their parts of the song. Alongside this, the pace of the visuals matches that of the steadily increasing pace of the song, which builds up substance and energy as the song progresses. So at the beginning of the video, the editing is quite mellow, with slow motion and panning shots employed, however towards the end of the song, sharp, choppy cuts are in place to build up to the 'finale' of the video.

Again, as the video is partly performance based, there are lots of shots including the band in quite a raw, almost rehearsal-like situation. In comparison to their previous music videos it is actually shares similar aspects, as they often have some sort of unusual performance aspect embedded within a narrative, such as in, 'Good Life'. In some ways, the band name links to the concept of the song, which in my eyes in about breaking conventions, "So no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars" - it is an ambition to steer away from the material world which centers around money and possesions, and instead to go back to natural roots and apprieciate teh things in life which really matter. There is absolutely no reference to the notion of looking within this particuklar music video, as it would not fit the genre or the lyrics.

The music video is primarily split into two storylines, one being narrative/performance based and the other being narrative/concept based. However these intertwine at the end when the floor collapses; a very unexpected and clever twist. I thought it could also hold metaphoric meaning for the idea of prayer - from one outlook that the attempts and hard work will literally 'fall through' or alternatively, if you put enough work in, you can break the mould and be introduced to a whole different world/perspective.

Overall, I really like this music video and the song. It has an essence of revolution within it, portraying the idea of unexpectancy and that things are not as they seem. It is cleverly devised and of high quality, which thus contributed to the success of the song. 

Time Lapse

I have always been intrigued by time lapse footage, whereby a camera is positioned in the same place for a certain duration of time, filming all that is in front of it. When sped up, some amazing effects are created and it is an extremely effective way to shrink time.

Below are some of my favourite examples of some beautiful time lapse content:

I think that this is my absolute all-time favourite time lapse video. The settings are stunning and remind me of the true power of nature. The editing is perfect and the use of colour within each frame even further exaggerates the beauty within nature. The shots are so smooth and easy to watch, that it is almost convincing that this is the actual pace of the world; it looks so real! 

The City Limits from Dominic on Vimeo.

Another one of my favourites, despite it's stark contrast to the previous example is 'The City Limits'. I love the business of this video, and in terms of editing how the pace of the footage matches that of the song. The lighting is impeccable and really adds to the whole effect of the video - I thought the roads look like lava. I love the contrast the director provides us at the end when the song slows by showing less busy and more, I guess static shots which really help you process and think about the meaning; I think the director is trying to say, don't lose yourself in/limit yourself to the city - always go back to nature and reflect when possible.

Midnight Sun | Iceland from SCIENTIFANTASTIC on Vimeo.

This video truly captures the beauty of Iceland, and has made me really want to visit the all of the stunning locations within the country. Again the colour contrasts work fantastically and smooth shots make time seem to disappear.

Textual Analysis of Do It All Over Again - Elyar Fox

Elyar Fox is an up and coming pop/dance artist who has risen to fame though filming himself singing at home and uploading these videos to YouTube; a concept which is becoming more and more popular for new artists. His music is growing in popularity and his debut single 'Do It All Over Again' was hugely successful in the charts. It follows conventions of both pop and dance genres:

• Fast pace/tempo
• Catchy, memorable bassline 
• Bouncy
• Lively
• Upbeat
• Raises heartrate - motivational and makes you want to get up and dance

The music video is very up to date in that it focuses on many of the latest trends in terms of content sharing. For example, at the very beginning of the music video, he starts the song as if it were him singing from his bedroom, which links to how he begun his journey as an artist. It poses as a nice throwback for his regular audience. Secondly, there is reference to the concept of selfies which has beome a huge epidemic on social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. 

The relationship between the lyrics and the visual elements of the video hold many links however they also have some contrasts. There are subtle links such as, "To wake, wake me up, up, up in time" which link to the bedroom setup and also the darker set layout, which could link to nightime. There is also huge emphasis placed on the girl within the visuals who we would assume to be who he is singing about. Lyrics such as, "She works me overtime, my heart's working overtime" and, "So hey girl, hey girl, why you hesitate, girl?" give further evidence, as she is in most of the shots when the girl in the song is mentioned. Furthermore,  the lyrics, "Do it all over again" are represented in many forms, but through a spherical type set up. The camera frequently pans 360 degrees around the subject(s) from a low angle point of view, which represents repetition, and ties into the meaning of the song. 

 

Another important aspect to this music video is the idea of technology and sharing, which link to the lyrics. Although this does not necessarily link to the music or the visuals, I thought it plays such a huge role in the video anyway I could not ignore it. It is based very much around the platform YouTube and frequently shows shots where the content has been cut into a YouTube type frame. There is much emphasis placed on the view count which is shown to rise massively, connoting both to Elyar's rise to fame and the popularity of the YouTube clips which link to the artist in some way. Additionally, further current trends such as the selfie are addressed, which builds Elyar up as a current, modern artist which is appealing in terms of his image. 

In terms of the links between the music and the visuals, there are quite strong links between the beat of the song and the cuts of the clips in that they often cut to the beat. This makes the visuals easier to follow which means the video is more interesting for the audience. The song also has quite a dancey/electrical tone which links to the blue/purple hues of the setup, but I imagine this was enhanced through colour correction in the editing. 

A large proportion of the video includes close ups, mid shots and angled shots of the artist, which is a common feature in debut music videos as the record label likes to introduce the new person. When he is more established they may tend to experiment with slightly more artistic concepts as I feel like this is quite a 'safe' music video. It works very well for the artist though and represents him as coming from the humble beginnings of his bedroom and using social media to his full advantage to raise his image. 

Furthermore, there is great reference to the notion of looking within this music video. There is a particular girl which the lyrics centre around, so they have transferred this in the music video by focusing on someone doing their make up from a clever point of view angle of her mirror, so it is as if she is looking right at the audience. From a low angle panning shot which follows her to where she sits down, we can see that she is wearing quite a short skirt and is wearing make up, as if she wants to impress someone, so I would say there are very subtle hints of voyerism embedded within the music video. There are also female dancers and other female characters taking selfies with a similar camera angle setup; there is lots to suggest that they are to be admired. 

This music video is more so a mix of concept and performance rather than having any obvious narrative to it. It covers concepts such as selfies, YouTube and 'doing it all over again' - linking to the title of the song. The narrative is very subtle but is basically centred around him gaining popularity, which as a debut appearance is what the record label and indeed the artist are looking for. 

Overall, to improve it, I think I would intertwine some more narriative into the music video, or take it out completely as it is a little bit confusing to follow the action at certain points within the video, so I feel that having either more or less could improve the watchability slightly. Nonetheless, I think that this video really suits the artist and is a great introduction to his work for those who haven't seen it before.   

Textual Analysis of Everything's Changed - Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran

'Everything has changed' is a mellow country/pop/indie combination from a collaboration of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. The concept surrounds two young children who represent their older, singing counterparts (Ed and Taylor) and follows the development of their friendship.

There is a strong connection between the lyrics, music and the visuals in the fact that the narrative closely follows the concept of friendship and getting to know someone better. For example, the boy and girl are at the beginning of their friendship, and they are both starting a new day at school - there is lots of reference to new beginnings. Following this, there is a direct link to the boy's appearance; when Taylor sings, "And all I've seen since 18 hours ago is green eyes and freckles and your smile in the back of my mind making me feel like" whereby there is a side-on mid-shot of the young boy drinking from a flask, highlighting his freckles and green eyes, followed by a shot of the young girl smiling. From this, we can assume that the girl in character is singing or thinking about the boy, so the concept of love is also active.

This kind of link is made throughout the whole video, as we come to learn more about the characters, which follows the theme of the lyrics, "I just want to know you better". We come to gather that they are both typical to their gender stereotypes; the girl is very neat, tidy and precise whereas the boy is more abstract and wild. For example, whilst decorating cookies in their class, the girl arranges a very sophisticated and neat double layered biscuit, whilst the boy is showing just piling everything and anything on his. This could have subtle references to the kind of people they are now, which they are trying to put across in the video to show their personalities. In terms of their current star images, lots of very subtle references are made, for example, when the girl is pretending to give the boy a tattoo, the boy drawing in orange in his book (one of Ed Sheeran's trademarks - ginger hair/orange in general) and when they are both doing yoga instead of running aroud like the other children. I think the idea was to set them apart from the others to show that they have always been different, and that that's not necessarily a bad thing.

There is a very slight reference made to the notion of looking, but it is more an admiration/awe rather than sexual desire - when the boy is painting the girl whilst she dances. Little occurances like this are made throughout, again when the boy is reading to the girl and she is looking up at him, and again when he plays the guitar for her.

We do not see any shots of Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift until the end of the video where it is revealed that they are actually each child's parent. This is a twist to the audience, as prior to this it is hinted that the duo are playing the young Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, but we discover that they are actually their children, and prehaps their relationship could mirror their parents one - they could bring them together. It leaves on a real cliffhanger, as it seems like the children have such a lovely relationship that perhaps their parents would get on really well too.

Overall, I really love how the concept and narrative work so well together in this video, and the cating was perfect - the roles of the children were really convincing and it suited the song and genre perfectly.

Textual Analysis of White Noise - Disclosure

'White Noise' was created by electronic music due, Disclosure who combined with AlunaGeorge, another electric music duo who provided the vocals. Consequently we end up with a deeply electronic soundtrack which uses a innovative and complicated, yet catchy rhythm and hook melody. The video is heavily concept based with narrative running alongside it. Like most dance videos it has a love story between 2 characters and includes lights and dancing, but not in the conventional club setting.

There are very few direct links between the lyrics and the visuals, aside from the lyric, "You got me washed out, washed out, colour drained" which a large majority of the concept of the song is based around. The setting is in very dull, deserted and decaying buildings which seemed to have suffered from intense urbanisation. However, the man seems to have made the most out of this and instead see's the abandonment as a form of escapeism and way to detach himself from the pressures of society, everyday life and work. In terms of narrative, we assume he is a security guard from the coat he is wearing and the fact that he has access to all of these deralict buildings which would usually be off limits. It is quite an unexpected storyline; I though he was going to unlock it and either find people in there, or that he was going to set up a party of his own and hold it as the video rolls into night.


There is a much stronger relationship between the music and the visuals. For example, when the first beat drops, the man starts dancing as if he were listening to the song, which is portrayed through the prop of headphones. When the beat slows down and the more mellow bassline is playing, the man goes back to his more everyday life, which shows him walking through various parts of town which furter establishes the desolate setting, for example, close up shots of people smoking, a dog barking aggressively behind a wire fence, graffiti etc. It seems to be as if when the music drops, he drops his ordinary life in order to be isolated within his dance.

All of the characters within the music video are actors rather than the actual musicans themselves. However there is an additional concept involved, which disclosure use within all of their content, including other music videos such as, "F For You", "Latch" and, "You an Me", which is that they somehow embed the disclosure logo - a white outline of a face - into the visuals. This is a combination of clever marketing and also adds to the narrative as it kind of represents a spark between two people, which would be appealing to the audience as it is what most people are looking for. There is hardly any reference to the notion of looking apart from the section towards the end of the narrative where the man is dancing for the woman and she is almost admiring him, despite her slight embarrasement.


Overall, the video is narrative and concept base, with no performance of any kind. This music video grew on me as at first, I found it a little repetitive and cliché however after analysing it further it makes sense. The representation is perfect for the setting whcih again contributes to the success of this music video.