Thursday 26 June 2014

Textual analysis of music videos

Mise-en-scene

The setting for the song Lithium by 'Evanescence' is a snowy garden with a lake. The snow could indicate a sense of innocence and peace, which is also reflected in the singer's passive walking speed. The naturalistic setting also has contemplating connotations, which could imply that the song is about reflection, adding more substance to the video.










There are also several shots of the singer deep within the lake, having both positive and negative connotations, with the blue of the water indicating tranquillity, while the image of her reaching out could suggest she needs saving, relating to the lyrics of the song.











The costume the singer is wearing is similarly white to the snow, indicating that she doesn't really stand out and if anything tries to blend in to her surroundings as a way of protecting herself. By wearing her top quite low, she is also using her femininity and possibly conveying a flirtatious persona. This is another stereotypical convention of the punk rock genre, presenting women as damaged and a damsel that needs saving.













Sound

There is no diegetic sound within this music video, making the song the main focal point, and also fits the structure of the video, considering it's more concept-based then apposed to narrative, moving away from the verisimilitude seen in examples such as 'Paramore's That's What You Get.

Editing

The transitions used throughout are jump cuts, indicating that the events within the music video take place in a short amount of time. This gives it a faster pace, mirroring the stereotypical conventions of the punk rock genre, as it's quite rare to use other techniques such as the fade. A sense of progression is also demonstrated in the editing, with shots lasting for several seconds, to reflect the more slow and simplistic tempo. However, this then changes when more instrumental music comes in and shots then last for a shorter amount of time. This is an example of Goodwin's theory that there is a connection between the music and the visuals, as the visuals are constantly changing in correlation to the speed of the music.

Camera

Typically of the punk rock genre, there are numerous midshots of the singer, putting a face to the music and highlighting their talents. The same can be said for the rest of the band, demonstrating the layers of the music by capitalising on the performance aspect.



























Below is an example of the camera being used to make the singer appear inferior and quite vulnerable. This creates a melancholy mood and tone, with the black piano also contrasting the purity of the snow, which could suggests that this female is an outcast in society.










There is also multiple longshots and midshots in which they're framed in a way which the surrounding setting appears to be closing in on the singer. This is another technique to highlight her vulnerability, and the fact that she's in the centre of the frame demonstrates her importance in the video.















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