PowerPoint Presentation

Music video Analysis by Andrew Godwins Theology1

Genre Characteristics Because the genre of this media text has very little to compare to as few videos from this genre are produced, the only thing to pick apart from the video is the editing techniques of fast paced cuts which are alike similar genres. This technique is used to visually emphasize the energy and tempo of the genre. This can be similarly seen in the video Holey Hole Inna Donut by Kaytranada.

The Relationship Between The Lyrics And The VisualsImmediately there is a visual representations of the lyrics within the first shot, as the first line of the song sings its gonna be you and me the male character enters the frames from the right as as the artist sings its gonna be you which connotes the male characters within the shot is who the artists is referring to. Then as she continues to sing and me the female character enters the frame from the left and the synchronicity of mise en scene and audio signifies that she is to the focal point of that line and is me or the artist.

The line it gonna be everything youve every dreamed is emphasized by the cinematography, more specifically the use soft focus to to give the outer edges of the frame a blurry effect. This creates a harmonies shot that is almost surreal and utopian to accentuate the dream thats the male character is supposed to have wanted .

Later in the music video the line have you gone off your love is sung and simultaneously the intensity of the two characters kissing dramatically decreases which gives off the connotations of the passion between the two declining and an enigma between the two protagonists.

The Relationship Between The Music And The Visuals

There is a significant relationship between the visuals and music as both seem in simultaneous together, the mood and tempo are reflected in the lighting, cuts and close ups of the characters. For instance the video starts with a long length shot which emphasizes how calm the music is to start with, also as the music fades in, the screen also dissolves from black to the background colour of which is pink. This is used to intensify the use of stringed instruments as both the warm colour and music combine to give connotations of love and romance.

Then as the song progresses and it reaches the drop or climax (the point in a music track where a switch of rhythm) the pace of the cuts increases as the rhythm and beat does and the drop is emphasized by a burst of high key lighting. Lastly the lighting is used effectively again to draw attention to the drum and clap effect used in the music when the beat and tempo of the song slows down. The composition of the shot is of the characters in the foreground with no lighting apart from low key lighting emitting from behind the characters when the beat claps which reveals their silhouettes and intimacy thats being portrayed through the music

Recurring Visual Style Within the Video there is only a few recurring visual styles. This is because the artist has produced very few official music videos and the record label he is signed to signs different artists from different genres so the conventions of one video cannot apply to another. A visual style that did reoccur was the theme of pink and purple colours within his video, as the background in the You And Me video was pink and is His video for Holdin On a pink/purple filter was used to create a recurring theme within his work. Also one could draw similarities between the use of both male and females within his video and a theme of love or passion. This idea comes from the fact that the only two characters in both the video for You And Me and Sleepless by Flume are one female and one male. In the You And Me video theyre passionately kissing where as in the Sleepless video the male character is seeking the female while the female dreams about the male.

The pink and Purple themes achieved via filters is the Holdin On video (above) and pink theme in the You And Me video achieved via the pink background.Sleepless above, You And Me bellow.

The Notion Of Looking

This media text has the also has the notion of looking running throughout the piece as at many points within the video a point of view shot was used. This means the camera is being used as if its a characters eyes and so where the character looks, the camera does to. The POV shot was used within the video to create voyeurism within the audience but is not biased or sexists as the shots consists both characters point of view gazing at each other assumable naked. This then engages both gender audiences as the sexualisation of both the characters (by focusing shots on eyes, jaw and collar bones) evokes pleasure for both men and women watching it. The hegemonic view of this text would be that it conforms to the gaze theory proposed by Mulvey but it could be argued that although there is aspects of the Male and Female gaze, there is no dominant gaze and so the video us unbiased and doesnt conform to the theory.

The Intertextual References The whole theme of this video is just a colossal reference to another music video by Disclosure, the owners of the original music piece before it got remixed by flume. The producers of the productions took the theme of kissing and passion from the music video Latch by disclosure and incorporated it into their own video. This was achieved by using a range of similar angles, lighting, mise en scene and costume (or lack of costume). Even the composition of the characters within the shots in the You And Me video is identical to how the characters are positioned in the Latch video. This then engages the Disclosure fans and brings them into Flumes demographic as the same things that lured them into watching the latch video are throughout the You And Me video and so would appeal to the Disclosure audience. Any audiences that are familiar with Disclosures work will also be brought a great sense of joy when they realize what the producers were trying to do by referencing a different video by disclosure.

The Lighting in the You And Me video is almost identical to the Latch video as its very low key and the composition of the characters is also the same with the boy on the right and girl on the left. (You And Me aboveLatch bellow) Once again the high key lighting reflects the lighting used in the Latch video and the hand positioning plays a significant role as both a character in Latch and You And Me grasp the other character the shot in the same manner.