Music Video Research - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Music Video Research
Artist: The Beatles
Track: While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Director(s): Dandypunk, Andre Kasten and Leah Moyer



Camera/Editing:
Illustrations are used throughout the music video and move looking like they are alive and come to life in the real life world done through the editing of the video. The lighting is used effectively, for example in one shot a moving gobo is used to project the illustrations onto the dancers body. Long and wide shots are used when the woman is seen dancing on a big stage, to suggest how she feels (free) and big close ups (BCU) are used when she is between two concrete walls, connoting that she felt enclosed and trapped. The shot types used were effective, because they could portray the dancers emotions. The song is from a male perspective and the only glimpse we get is of his hands. The camera uses an extreme close up and only ever slowly tracks left or right, to keep his identity hidden.

Narrative:
A is writing a letter to a woman (reinforcing typical heterosexual relationships within the media) about how he feels, expressing his feelings through the song and letter. Flash forwards are used, as we see moments when the woman is reading the letter and then dancing and using movement to suggest her longing for this person and her response to his emotions. The underlying message could be that not everyone is able to express their thoughts and feelings vocally, we may all be human, but everyone is different and their own individual.

Conventional/Unconventional:
Aspects of both within the music video:
Conventional -
The lyrics matched the visuals at times
Musical instruments are used to show a band, however in an unconventional way, as they are drawn and for example the guitar is strummed with a pencil
Unconventional -
Moving illustrations are used, instead of an actual person
Emotions are expressed through dancing and drawing
There is no performance to camera
The pace and tempo doesn't match the song

What Works:
The use of movement and drawings, along with shot types is a clever way of expressing emotions without literally having to act it out. However, the overuse of dancing at parts can make it seem comical, because of how unnatural it is and this also makes it less relatable to the audience, as it breaks their expectations through this.