Preliminary Task: Shot List & Timings

1) James sat in  canteen looking sad (6 Secs)
2) James leaving canteen, with someone offering reassurance (6 Secs)
3) James singing line (3 Secs)
4) Shot of a jigaw falling apart (3 Secs)
5) Sitting at desk, throwing papers in desperation (2 Secs)
6) Throwing bag against wall (2 Secs)
7) Shot of James kicking ground (1 Sec)
8) Mixture of Piano playing & singing (4 Secs)
9) Shot of exam paper with F on the front (1 Sec)
10) Opens exam paper, words 'Don't lie' on first page (1 Sec)
11) James walking out to bike and waving at someone (3 Secs)
12) James riding bike (1 Sec)
13) Shot of CCTV camera pans down to show James walking along coridoor  (2 Secs)
14) Angry boss shouting at James (3 Secs)
15) Stop motion - words 'You Had a Bad Day' written onto whiteboard (3 Secs)
16) James riding on bike in distance (3 Secs)

Preliminary Task: Bad Day Lyrical Analysis

Music Video Analytical Presentation: Passenger - Wrong Direction

The slide above shows how animation is used to enhance audience enjoyment of the video. Throughout the production, animated objects, such as fish and hearts, are used to symbolise things that are important to a successful relationship. 

The screenshot above shows how the setting is used to amplify the 'When I was a Kid' lyric, with the use of old-style wallpaper and furnishings. When compared to shots later on in the video, this shows how time progresses in the video.

The shot above shows the scene changing, with people coming on to move objects, and others carrying a green screen on behind the character. This is an unusual technique, and breaks the conventions of a typical music video. By enabling the audience to view the set change, this gives the video a more casual feel, making the audience feel more involved with the production.  

The green screen effect is used to show different backgrounds behind the character. This represents the idea of him going on a journey, and travelling through different places, rather like a marathon. 

The shot above shows the artist lying in a small swimming pool full of water. This shot is effectiveas it confuses the audience, who may be wondering how he is managing to lie in the pool whilst still keeping all of his clothes dry.

Illustration, Amplification & Disjuncture

Illustration: Olly Murs - Army of Two

Olly Murs uses illustration in his video of Army of Two to link to the lyrics of the song. The video uses a tracking shot showing Olly moving through the scene, and by pointing to the camera when saying 'Army of Two', makes the audience feel involved, making it seem as though there are two people involved with the video, even though only one is shown on screen. The video uses a greenscreen technique to replicate Olly, giving the impression that they are all 'following his lead', again illustrating the lyrics of the video. In addition, the video highlights the idea of staying the same and thinking as one, with all of the Olly's in the background dressed in the same way. The video is also based on performance, with Olly singing the song as he walks through the scene. At one point, Olly also pretends to conduct the people behind him, which again adds an element of performance to the video. The setting is also appropriate for the video, as the warehouse location appears symmetrical, again linking to the idea represented in the song of staying the same, and linking together as one.

Amplication: Naughty Boy - La La la

The video by Naughty Boy focuses on the idea of blocking out your surroundings, and only focusing on the good things. The La La, La La La La La La La La La La lyric is amplified by the boy, who covers his ears and sings to this line. The boy goes on a journey through the mountains with the other people, going to a place where he is safe, blocking out any bad events that can happen. The line 'respect your venom' is also amplified, with the boy looking up to the adults around him, learning lessons from the good people, whilst not listening to those who are bad. The idea of setting yourself free which is represented in the song is also portrayed in the music video, with the main character going on a journey, leaving the city where he feels scared and lonely, moving into the freedom of the open desert, where he is free and happy.



Disjuncture: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't Stop

The music video for Can't Stop by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a fantastic example of disjuncture, with the video making no reference to any of the lyrics in the song, or the narrative behind the music. Although the band can be seen performing at some points, the video features lots of seemingly random shots, including people looking in mirrors and holding bins in their hands. However, the majority of the shots are filmed in rooms with white walls, which could symbolise addiction, and the act of repeating something many times.



Concepts in Music Promos

Illustration  - the promo basically illustrates the ideas/narrative in the song lyrics

Amplification - the promo uses a key idea/image from the lyrics and develops it

Disjuncture  - the promo bears no resemblance to the lyric or its meaning - often seen as unconventional/ 'arty' videos

Conventions of a Music Promo

Camera Work

• Close ups often used - shows instruments and creates tension. Also shows the brand of the instruments - becomes a form of advertising, and also shows that the band have the money to play expensive instruments
• Mid-shots used to show the performers - helps to sell the band, giving priviledged access. Also helps to promote the skills of the band and their musicianship
• Panning & Tracking creates movements and helps to move with the characters through a setting
• Audience reaction shots
• 1st person shots from the perspective of the audience and the performer
• Crane shots - give scale and size of audiences
• Performing into the camera
• Invisible observer

Editing/ Editing Effects

• Camera cuts to the beat of the music
• Sometimes slows down the editing depending on the song genre
• Advanced editing effects are commonplace
• A lot of videos use green screen effects
• Lots of jump-cuts are used

Mise-en-Scene

• Instruments  - shows that the audience can do it. Gives a sense of reality, and adds credibility to the performance.
• Location links with the lyrics of the song & the genre
• Lots of music videos include a cast - not just the band
• Representation of stereotypes
• Costume is also linked to the genre
• Stage performance is often well lit

Narrative & Performance

• Strong link to the lyrics
• Bands often focus on performance - smaller audience, perhaps a 'secret audience'
• Intertextual references commonly used
• Narrative adds to repeatability
• Often don't follow a traditional narrative - can be mixed up/fragmented
• Sometimes narrative is left for the audience to work out

Blink 182 - First Date

In the music video for Blink 182's first date, a variety of editing techniques are used. Although straight cuts are the prevailing technique used, the cuts are very quick, and in time to the music, which helps the video to sustain the same feel as the song. In addition, the use of some zoom cuts also gives the video a futuristic feel.

The clothing worn by the actors in the video gives it a 1980's/1990's feel. This is also represented by other Mise-en-Scene elements, including the garage where the first section of the video is filmed, and the vehicles shown in some sections of the film. The use of these techniques helps the audience to identify the time period, which may give some people something to relate to when they are watching the video.

The music video for Blink 182's First Date includes over 120 different shots, and a variety of shot angles, including long, mid, close-up and extreme close-up shots. The use of these shots represent many different connotations and meanings throughout the video.

The first shot of the video is taken from a low angle position, and seems to be set in a garage. This gives the impression that the video is an amateur production, making it seem like a group of youngsters who are filming the video on a low budget, and have had to prop their camera up on the floor to shoot their video. This is added to by the fact that we can see the members setting up their instruments, as though they have left the camera rolling whilst they prepare, and have not edited this afterwards. This perhaps links to the bands past, and represents many other bands who may be in a similar situation.



The above shot still uses a low angle, but is a mid shot, focusing on the band members. This again links to the amateur feel of this part of the video, as more established artists may attempt this sort of shot.

The use of the Mid-shot above helps the audience to get a sense of location. In addition, the over-the-shoulder shot shows that someone are watching the two characters in the centre of the shot. Furthermore, the filter used on the shots gives the video a slightly retro feel, linking back to the 1980's/1990's, when cars such as the one in the background were perhaps more common.

The use of a long shot when filming the motorhome also helps to give a sense of location, showing that they are out in the open. This helps to link to the lyrics, and the reference to hoping that the evening will last forever.

Finally, the use of an extreme close-up shot shows the pain that the character is in. This links to the heavy metal genre, and the use of the scraping/screaming sounds that the genre usually adopts. As the diegetic sound can be heard over the song at this point, many people who enjoy this genre of music will like this scene.