Music Video Research 2 - Fancy

Artist: Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX

Track: Fancy

Director: Director X

Camera/Editing/Visual Style/Mise-en-scene

One of the main focuses of the music video is the rap artist Iggy Azalea which is shown through the different ways the camera is shot on her, the majority of those shots being Close Ups and Long Shots throughout the video. From the beginning we instantly gather that the music video is a remake of the 90's film, Clueless, as the song replaces the film title of 'Clueless' with the song title of Fancy. The music video is set in the same high school as the film was set. We then realise as the video progresses that Iggy Azalea is Cher and the featuring artist, Charli XCX, is Tai. The camera shows shots of all the different types of characters from the film and all the different scenes from the film are shown in just 3 and a half minutes. The music video often uses slow motion, one in particular is the scene when the characters nearly have a crash and Big Close Ups and slow motion are used to dramatise their fear. Low angle shots are also used when Iggy is dancing to show she is the popular high school girl who everyone wants to be.

Narrative

As we know the music video has an intertextual reference with the film Clueless as it makes a short remake of it. The lyrics of 'Fancy' also suggest how Iggy is wealthy shown by the cars in the video and the designer clothes she wears, 'classic, expensive, you don't get to touch'. The only narrative the music follows is that of the film, that being following the life of a young popular rich girl.

Conventional/Unconventional

The track falls into the Hip Hop genre, typical Hip Hope songs focus more on the artists image whereas this video doesn't, however with the intertextuality of Cher and Iggy it can be argued that she is still the main interest of the music video therefore it doesn't show much originality other than the fact of using the intertextual reference. Those who haven't seen the film will see it as another convention Hip Hop music video. The director, Director X, also makes the music video no different from any others because he is well known for directing many R&B and Hip Hop videos for artists such as Rihanna and Drake.

What works and what doesn't

The music in certain aspects does link with the visuals, the film Clueless can be also regarded as a fancy film depending on what the audiences idea of fancy is. The music video allows the audience to feel a connection with the music video as it makes those who are familiar with the film nostalgic. Again however, not everyone watching the video will know the film and therefore they will not relate to it.