Analysing music videos with different approaches

Analysing music videos with different approaches

Illustration – the promo basically illustrates the ideas/narrative in the song lyrics

Amplification – uses a key idea/image from the lyrics and develops it into a concept within the promo. A link remains between the lyric and the promo.

Disjuncture – The promo bears no resemblance to the lyric or its meaning; abstract; often seen as unconventional/ ‘arty’ videos; creates a new range of meaning for the song.

Illustration 

Parklife - Blur

This music video starts off with a pint glass, in a vintage filter, resembling how Blur is trying to make their music video seem as if it was filmed in a different period of time.

At 0:52, we see the actor and narrator of the song, Phil Daniels, standing by a car talking into the camera. This is an intriguing, yet effective take on music videos, as it captures an ‘every-day’ man, interpreting his day in a way that the audience wouldn’t suspect.

We then see Graham Coxon carrying a placard saying “Modern Life Is Rubbish” – Blur’s previous album title, and written on the reverse is “End of a Century”, Blur’s last song title on Parklife. This video is very obscure, yet follows the idea of illustration since the ideas and narrative from the song lyrics are actually being performed.

Amplification

The Scientist - Coldplay

This music video starts off with Chris Martin singing The Scientist as he travels back through time. The camera work on this video is incredibly unique, with no other music video really like it. This is because the whole video is filmed and edited going backwards.

In this shot, Chris Martin is actually walking and singing backwards whilst it is being filmed. The narrative of the lyrics explains how Chris Martin is “Going back to the start.” This explains why the video is filmed backwards, reversing its way through time.

This music video also refers to Todorov’s Narrative Theory, since a new equilibrium is formed at the end of the music video. This is because the car, which crashed in the future, drives along as if nothing happened. However the audience could also question this, as they do not know if it will actually take place in the future again.

Disjuncture

Life On Mars? - David Bowie

This music video is completely obscure to its lyrics. It focuses on David Bowies eyes, which feature bold blue eye shadow, instantly making it obvious to the audience that this music video is of an ‘arty’ nature.

This promotional video was filmed backstage at Earls Court, featuring Bowie against a plain white backdrop in a turquoise suit. This video is attempting to be a parody of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”, as it became very successful.

Life On Mars? bears no resemblance to David Bowie’s lyrics, or its overall meaning. This is because it is more seen as an artful video that is ‘unconventional’, yet very effective with the audience it is being portrayed to and creates a new meaning for the song.