The camera work used through out this video is typical of this genre. There are close ups of the lead singer all the way through, allowing the audience to become familiar with him and his band. Also as part of the group gaining recognition, it’s easier and more common to do so if the lead singer is well known.
There are a few mid shots of the whole group playing together. This shows their relationship as a band. Also allows the viewer to begin to get the bigger picture of the band and become more familiar with the number of members in the band along with a vague idea of their roles.
Further into the video there are lots of extreme close ups on each instrument being played by each band member, there is a close up on a band members foot on the large drum, along with extreme close ups on the band members fingers strumming the guitar. This allows the view to establish the unique styles and characteristics of each band member. This creates their individual roles into the band. Making them much more prominent than before.
There are some mid shots from above the band. Birds eye views of some of the band members. This can disorientate the viewer, as this isn’t a normal thing for the eye to do. But this is great way to add some variation in to this simple video. Also a selection of these one after the other to the beat can emphasis the song.
Long shot of the lead singer alone doing his thing. This type of shot gives more time for the viewer to establish that he is the face of the band. This also allows the viewer to become more familiar with him as the leader of the band.
The leading is focused on a lot in the video; this could be quite boring to just stay on him all the time with the same shot. But there are a variety of shots through out. There are a few mid shots of the band, not quite getting them all in, but then the lead singer walks towards the camera a little, and there is a tracking back shot. This creates some more variation in the shots used. This can also make the viewer feel they are interacting with the band lead. As he moves towards us (the camera) we move back.
The band isn’t really wearing any costumes. Each member is wearing casual clothing. This connotes a sense of relaxation. This makes me feel that the band is quite laid back in there approach to this song. Which is a slight contrast to the energy given of the band as they move during the song. This makes me think that the band is enjoying what they are doing too. I now know each band members have their own sort of style. This is good for the band to be seen in this type of wear, as there individual characteristics and style can become more visible to the viewer. This is a contrast to the fact that the band should be seen as one, usually shown in the same clothing or style.
The only props in this video are the instruments and the lead singers mic. This is very simple. The instruments are typical of this genre and performance video. The band cannot perform with out the instruments. Also the instruments allow the viewer to establish the roles of each band member in the song.
The setting for this video is almost non-existent. They are situated in a completely white room. This room doesn’t seem to have walls or anything, its just whiteness going on for as far the eye can see. This means there are no distractions from the band. All the focus is on them performing. This allows the viewer to see them work as a group. This can also help the view become more focused on realizing the bands over all style. This setting gives me the impression that this bands music is a lot like their surrounding, simple but effective.
The lighting in the video is the same through out. It’s always bright. No change in intensity or angle. This again creates no distractions from the band performance. This makes me feel that the band has nothing to hide, they are all exposed for us to analyze and enjoy. This is almost connoting a sense of confidence in the band.
There is no obvious make-up used in this video on any of the band members.
The editing in this video is what makes it. There isn’t a lot in this video in terms of props narrative and setting, so the editing creates some depth in the performance. There isn’t any continuity editing in terms of narrative, as there isn’t one, but there is a lot of straight cuts quite frequently one after the other along with a particular series of beats in the song. This emphasises this part of the song. Doing this allows the viewer to notice more of the actual parts of the soundtrack in terms of beats ECT. This is good for gaining song recognition, so when those particular beats are heard on the radio for instance the listener will recognize the song.
Some of the editing speeds up some parts of the frames. One particular thing the editing does is it does a full 360 view of the band and speeds it u in to a spinning effect. This disorientates the viewer slightly as this is and abnormal movement for the human eye. I feel that this creates a sense of high energy. The energy from the band and the song all combined then making our vision spin. This is a great way to liven up the simple concept of this video.
This video isn’t a narrative as there is no story being told. It isnt a hybrid video either. This video is a performance video. This video just has the band performing the song all through out. But it wasn’t always the band all together. This could make the video conceptual too, which does make it a hybrid. But this is a matter of opinion. This is a stereotypical trait for a music video of this genre. But this band isn’t performing to a crowd, which is part of the stereotype. This could connote the band being part of this genre but have more style and characteristic in there music that don’t fit the stereo type of this genre. This makes me feel that the band and their music are, almost, breaking the mold.
MGMT- Electric Feel
In this particular video there are many of the same shots through out. It begins with a tracking mid shot of a man walking. We don’t know if he is a band member or an actor. The view is therefore somewhat confused at this point, unless they are familiar with this band already. This shot creates a good beginning to the story. This shot also makes the viewer familiar with the theme of the video almost straight away.
There is a close up 2 shot of a different man with a woman on a motorcycle. This shows the viewer their relationship in the video. But weather they are band members of actors, is unknown, unless the viewer is already familiar with this band. This again shows the theme of the video some more with the costumes and setting.
Then there is a long shot of the group, establishing the members. The two men before are in this group shot. This straight away establishes their role in the video. This also shows the relationship between the band members.
Extreme close ups of the leading singers singing different sections of the song, allow the viewer to become familiar with the lead singers of the band. This is to recognize the lead singers individual styles. This is very important for a band to have recognition and gain familiarity through a particular group member\members.
There are a lot of mid shots showing the actors and the surroundings. This allows the viewer to establish a storyline. Also these shots are often accompanied by a zoom or tracking shot to focus in on the lead singers. This lets the view re familiarize them selves with their roles in the song and the actual story too.
The use of a crane is obvious in this video. There are some tracking shots that seem to drift upwards slowly. These shots show more views of the tribal people and the band member together as part of the story. This allows the viewer to follow the story some more, along with keeping the video interesting with a variety of shots.
The costumes worn by the band are the same as the actors. This makes the band become part of the narrative in the video. The costumes look tattered and almost tribal like. This can be a representation of the unity in the band, as one, as a tribe. But I feel this may not be the case. The story line is one of wonder, nature and being free. So the costumes connote this with the organic and natural look materials used. This is almost a very chilled way to dress, like an extreme version of a hippy. This could also be a representation of the style of this particular song. The songs beat is mid tempo and chilled, like the characteristics of a hippy.
The props used through out this video are unusual, but not in the sense of the videos narrative. There is a motorcycle, a dog, a horn, miniature piano, wooden bowl, bottles, and lots other random things along with some instruments. All the props look old and home made, as though they were made in the rainforest, by tribe’s people. This helps keep the narrative more realistic. Props create more emphasis on certain parts of the story. The instruments emphasis the song, the bottles and bowls and buckets emphasis the over all feel of the rainforest people ECT.
This video is set in a fake rainforest. There is an over all feel of humidity, looks fairly dark too. There are fake trees in the set, along with rocks and vines. This is narrative of a small part of the lyrics, talking about the Amazon. So the viewer can establish that this is the Amazon. The Amazonian feel could connote their take on music. That Amazon congers up the words, nature, animal, wilderness, and growth. These can represent the band as nature can mean they have natural talent for this style of music, animal to their love of animals, which is clear as they have random dogs and the video. The word wilderness can denote a feel of freedom, which could be the freedom the band have over the style of their music. All this allows the viewer to further establish the unique style of the band.
The lighting in the video is the same intensity through out. It’s not that bright, and has a slight tinge of green and a subtle turquoise. This creates a more realistic feel to the setting in terms of amount of light. Its quite dim lighting in the video, like it would be under the canopy of the rain forest. The green and turquoise tinge gives and unrealistic conceptual hint to the video. This gives the feel of more representation than reality. I feel this connotes the music of this band. They have realistic meaning behind there songs but unrealistic concepts to explain them.
The make up in this video is visible. The actors and the band members have some evidence of war paint. Some actors have some sparkly parts of make up on there face. This all helps emphasis the costumes and the over all theme of the video.
The music video starts with a sped up establishing shot of a rain forest, with a jump cut to the lead singer walking through the rainforest. There are jumpcuts of him walking through the forest, connoting edginess, through the break-up of a continual and flowing motion - contrasting to the smooth and soft, unbroken music. There are then a series of straight cuts between all members of the band, conveying equality, although the main storyline follows the lead singer, connoting that the lyrics he sings are important and unique. Following this, there is a jump cut to a performance/party scene, where the band are performing the song to many people - with straight cuts from the audience to the band; showing the band as well liked, entertaining and fun. There is then a straight cut to the lead singer and other members of the band singing the lyrics of the first verse. Throughout this performance scene, there are a variety of straight cuts between the members of the band as well as the audience, connoting the band as down to earth, which contrasts with the quirkiness of their costumes and lyrics, conveying how the band are unique in their music and sound. Following this scene there is a jump cut to charicature-like animals who are playing instruments in the forest, further supporting the edginess and unique aspects of the band. There is then a jump cut to an evening performance combined with a narrative scene, where straight cuts are used to show the continuity of the story.
The use of straight cuts paired with jump cuts throughout the video convey the band as unconventional, edgy and unique, through the pairing of jump cuts with flowing flute sounds and straight cuts within the verse
This video is a hybrid. It is a narrative video with a small section of performance. But this performance isn’t for long. And some performance parts aren’t the actual band its puppets. This gives the impression that this band is comical. This shows their style more too as to be one full of humor, this create a unique characteristic for the band in terms of recognition.
The visuals illustrate the lyrics. What is said in the song is mostly represented visually in the video. But some parts are amplifying the lyrics visually. For example the visual representation of the ‘electric feel’ is illuminated liquid done using computer graphics to emphasis this particular part. This amplifies the main lyrics in the song. This is also a very unrealistic way to show the ‘electric feel’ as this luminous liquid is clearly not real. This again shows the bands style in videos to be one that denotes the feel of quirkiness and humor.
The visuals of this video illustrate the music too. The music is a moderately paced beat with strange sounds, that don’t sound like instruments, over the top in some parts. The visuals of this video are all quite strange and quirky in their own way, like the random dogs and the motorcycle in the sky. Also some parts contradict the music as this a moderately paced song, and some parts the movement of the tribal people seem a little over the top compared with the relaxed beat of the music.
Generic Features...
Here are some key generic features that I have found into my research into existing music video of Alternate Rock Genre.
Researching into the two videos has shown me very important and common elements to a video of this genre, from camera shots to mise, en, scene. Comparing my two videos I noticed that…
· Many close ups on the lead singer/ band members.
· Often a few close ups on the band members playing an instrument/ showing their contribution.
· Extreme close ups on instruments, especially at vital times when that instrument is dominant in the song.
· Many long shots to show the band together and playing as one. Establishing the band.
· The band wears similar outfits. In terms of style and overall concept.
· The settings are usually on a stage or outdoors. But for the concept it tends to be narrative to the song lyrics.
· The lighting is always to highlight instruments if played in the video; also the lighting is often used in the performance parts, as they would look to a crowd at a concert.
· Props used are commonly instruments that are used in the soundtrack, along with a mic for the lead singer; this is the most commonly used prop. Speakers of some sort are often used too.
Alternative Rock
MGMT- Electric Feel
YouMeAtSix- If I Were In Your Shoes
Camerawork:
MGMT-
· High angle shot of the main singer and some band members. They look up at the camera, making it feel as though we are up high, maybe in a tree, so we are there in the Amazon with them.
· Panning shots all through out the video. Mid shot. Showing the amount of people in the Amazon partying to the song. Creating a sense of constant slow movement.
· Mid shot, 2 shot of different actors and a band member. Showing the relationship, to then denote the overall feel of the song. Also allowing us to establish the band relationship and roles.
· Long shot of all the people dancing, and then zooming into the two band members that are singing. This shows the relationship between them and clearly point’s out that they are important and are the main members.
· Backwards tracking shots are used. This again makes us feel as though we are moving away from the band. Again giving the feel that we are too in the Amazon. May be even creatures of the Amazon backing away.
· Mid shots that move up and away, making the viewer feel slightly disorientated as this isn’t a natural movement. Gives a feel of abnormality.
YouMeAtSix-
· Close up on instruments all the way through. This shows that the band members are playing the soundtrack, and they can all play instruments, giving them vital roles in the band.
· Close up of lead singer. This allows the view to become familiar with the lead singer. Also it shows his importance, as there is many close ups of him through out.
· Mid shots of different band members. In the shots you can see the members playing their instruments and dancing or head banding, creating individual band member traits.
· Long shot group shot, establishing the band all together, and showing how they all work together. This also allows us, the viewer, to see the relationship between instruments and band members.
· Low angle shot of lead singer. This shows his importance over the other band members as he is often on his own at this point. Also this creates some simple differentiation to the simple performance video.
· Tracking back and forth with the lead singer. This shows the lead singer interacting with the camera, which makes the viewer feel more involved with the band.
Mise-En-Scene:
MGMT-
· Costumes…
Rough, torn, beaten, old clothing. The colours don’t match either. This connotes unhygienic, old and deprivation of clothing ECT. This really links into the Amazonian setting, and being in the rainforest. The costumes are narrative to the song.
Headdresses and elaborate almost tribal like clothing for the actors/ dancers. This separates them from the band members, again giving a feel of living in the Amazon.
· Props…
Wooden living equipment, like bowls and stirring stuff along with headdresses, a dog, motorbikes, spears, horns, the fake moon, and animal puppet band, are most of the props used. These all create a feel of humor to the video. The pretend band is quite comical. The other items add more elements of reality to the setting.
· Setting…
It is set in a fake version of a forest, representing the Amazon. This is illustrative to part of the song lyrics. There are fake trees, rocks and plants around the band members and dancers.
· Lighting…
The lighting is very important in this video. It is lit so it is brighter in some areas than others as though they were in the rainforest. As though they were beneath the tree canopy, where breaks of sunlight are seen. Also it becomes night during the video and the lighting is then changed to a blue sort of tint accompanied by white fog, gives the great effect of mist in the night.
· Make-Up…
The only make up used is on the dancers. They have tribal war paint on to make them more like Amazonian tribal people. Also when the actually ‘Electric Feel’ is represented, it is shown as a liquid then put onto people, so make up would have to of been used for this too.
· Editing…
Continuity editing is used in the video. There are many simple straight cuts and a few jump cuts through out the video. They are all done a beat. I feel this makes them less obvious and makes the straights cuts smoother.
The transitions are at normal speed and in tempo with the song. They don’t speed up or slow down at any point.
There is some computer graphics added to the video to highlight the ‘electric feel’ liquid. This makes it stand out even more as it is the main part of the narration of the lyrics.
YouMeAtSix
· Costumes…
All the members are wearing casual clothing, t-shirts jackets trousers and skate trainers. The lead singer is wearing burgundy where as the other band members are wearing black and grey. This makes him stand out more than the others, as he is the lead singer.
· Props…
There is a mic, full PA system, guitar, base and drums. These are the raw essentials for a band. These are the items that make the band. It creates no distractions away from the band members and their instruments.
· Setting…
They are set in a completely white room. There seem to be no walls and no boundaries, which could denote their take on their style of music, a style that has not limits. Also the white room with no colour or fixtures eliminates any distractions from the band and their music.
· Lighting…
All the way through the lighting stays the same. Its very bright and all areas are completely lit. Keeping the lighting the same again avoids distracting the viewer from the band.
· Make-Up…
There is no visible make up used in the band members. But maybe just to touch up their skin to make it look better on camera, but no illustrative or amplifying make up being worn in this.
· Editing…
The setting, costumes, lighting, make up and props are so simple that with out some clever editing this video would be boring and just be a video of their performance. The editing in this changes the video up and creates some simple effective differentiation.
Continuity editing used in this video. There are many jump cuts and straight cuts all the way through the video. They are very frequent. There are a few sections of rapid straight cuts back and forth between frames, to the beat. This is a good way to emphasis the beats in that section of the song.
Some transitions are just normal straight transitions, but there is some transitions that make the frame whip and fade into the centre, but very quickly. Spinning a blurring is another effect that is used in this video. Spinning one shot to then reveal the next.
Some sections of the video have been sped up, along with others being slowed down. This again makes the simple concept of the video more interesting to watch. Very simple but effective.
Style Of Video:
MGMT…
· The video is a narrative video. There is a sort of performance in it, by puppets, but it isn’t the band so it’s not a hybrid. It’s a comical narrative video. The video tells a story.
YouMeAtSix…
· The video is a performance video. The band is performing in a white room all the way through. There is no story being told, and no extra props or elements are making it a conceptual video.
Link Between Lyrics & Visuals:
MGMT…
· The visuals illustrate the lyrics of the song. The lyrics have the Amazon in, and the video is set in a fake Amazon setting. Along with the main subject “electric feel” being represented with a shiny computerized liquid. Thus illustrating the lyrics.
YouMeAtSix…
· The visuals contradict the lyrics of the song. The lyrics are about a girl, and there are no girls in the video so its not illustrating the lyrics and there are no ironic sections that amplify and make some of the lyrics stand out.
Link Between Music & Visuals:
MGMT…
· The music is amplified by parts of the visuals. The cuts are with the beat so amplify the sound and make it more prominent. Also nothing fast and extremely energetic happens in the video, this illustrates the music as its relaxed and fairly slow tempo compared to high-energy rock song.
YouMeAtSix…
· The music is amplified by the music as when there is an important sequence of beats the visuals become faster or more intense to amplify the beats. It makes them stand out a lot more. When the beats play the cuts are more frequent with the beats to visually represent them. Thus amplifying them.
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