Music Video Research
Artist: The Kooks
Track: She Moves In Her Own Way
Camera/Editing:
When the lead singer is miming and performing to camera, big close ups of his face are used, as well as medium and long shots picturing the whole band. The movements of the camera are very jumpy and shaky, with low quality making it look like a home video, or documentary of friends on holiday having fun. There are lots of quick cuts used, to reinforce the fact the band are travelling round and their schedule is very busy. The editing at times is effective, for example the beginning and last shot are the same, yet it cleverly sets up the narrative and resolves it.
Narrative:
When the lead singer is miming the lyrics, he looks as if he is just having a conversation with his friends and therefore the music video seems casual, matching the home video like camera and editing. We can clearly see that the band are on tour, due to the use of a bus and hotel rooms and these visuals coincide the lyrics of the singers feelings for a girl, presumably back at home. While he sings this, the band are saw out exploring cities like Mexico and having fun drinking and flirting with other girls, which is quite ironic as it juxtapositions the lyrics making the music video comical at times and being the conflict in the narrative. Typical male stereotypes are also reinforced, as the singer says one thing and then is unfaithful and does the other, however the there is a conflict resolution, as we see a shot of the tour bus driving away, meaning that the band have left the random girls behind and more than likely won't get caught out.
Conventional/Unconventional:
Aspects of both within the music video:
Conventional -
Performance to camera
Range of locations used
Band playing instruments
Heterosexual relationship
Unconventional -
Low quality camera
Unrelated video - ironic to lyrics (opposite)
Doesn't match the pace
No dancing
What Works:
The music video juxtapositions the lyrics, which is ironic and comical breaking the audiences expectations, it also does this by using a heterosexual relationship, however showing the actual realities that they face, for example being unfaithful.
The tour bus becomes a significant object with in the video to symbolise that the band are constantly on the move around the world and reminds the audience that each of these individual shots are taken in different places.
ReplyDeleteThe video its self is very down to earth and is just a group of men telling a story about their lives, whilst on tour with the band. This could be a representation if the band and how they want their image to come across to potential fans so they can relate to them and understand how normal they are despite being so famous. it allows us to have a very clear insight on their lives as the video connotes realism and reflects what we expect to happen when a group of men get together.
'you don't pull my strings' is a line with in the video that is cleverly used to make the lyrics match the visuals. at this specific point a close up is focusing on a bass cello therefore making it look clever and done purposefully for dramatic effect.
ReplyDeleteThe use of key props such as a Mexican flag is shown to inform the audience of where the band is in the world and keep them up to speed with the quick pace video.