Music Video AnalysisRhia Assi

Andrew Goodwin's 7 Features of Music Videos

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop). 

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting). 

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting). 

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). 

5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6. The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style)7. There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV program mmes, other music videos etc).

Lana Del Rey- Young and Beautiful

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).

Young and Beautiful can be categorised under the genre of indie rock. The dark yet touching song is played in a way that creates mystery to the audiences ears, making them feel captivated within the song. The music video itself matches the song and genre of it, as it is conveyed in a dark, slow and simple way creating a mysterious, dated and melancholic affect making the audience relate to the song by wondering whom it could be about. In many alternative rock music videos a colour scheme of a dark nature with hints of bright colours is used to create dated and natural looks and a dull but captivating atmosphere. This is used within the video therefore this idea can be applied to ‘Young and beautiful’. The way the music video is kept very simple only showing either the orchestra or Lana herself matches the style of the song as it to seems very simple however when the beat is more abrupt the lighting goes from black to red to enhance the idea that the song has more emphasis and meaning at that point. Lana Del Rey when seen in the music video could be seen to match the typical idea of a female artist, she appears very girly, wearing red lipstick and her hair seeming to be perfect, making her look very pretty.

There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)

As stated previously the music video is very simple. The orchestra is seen mainly throughout the video which has no real connection the lyrics. However Lana is seen in a close-up singing when the chorus is sung, creating a more personal feel to this part of the song. The chorus is repetitive starting with the lyrics “ Will you still love me “ again reinforcing the idea of it being a more personal part of the song as lyrics are very direct using first person pronouns.

When Lana sings the lyrics “the pretty face and electric soul” she is seen to gesture her face by placing her hand on her chin, this therefore connects the lyrics and visuals together at this point.

Another connection can be seen to be made when Lana sings “Dear Lord when I get to heaven…” although she is not seen in this shot the composer is with his hands up, which in a way suggests he is pointing to heaven as the common belief is that heaven is above us.

There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

• Although the music and visuals can be seen to be amplifying by repeating the scenes of visuals which has no connection with the music.. There is a illustrative point of the video which is that the orchestra is mainly seen within the music video therefore holding a connection with the music and visuals due to the music being played by the orchestra itself. The music is very melancholic, mysterious and dark, this is portrayed also through the visuals through very dark and dusky lighting and hence the atmosphere of what the song also creates is reinforced through the visuals.

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). 

The demands of the record label of lots of close ups are met. Nearly every time Lana Del Rey is in a shot it is a close up of her face, emphasising her red lips and dark eyes. The technique of only using mainly close up when the artist is seen, creates a more personal and connecting music video to the audience. It allows them to feel like they are being sang to directly and they feel her pain she brings through the melancholic vibe she creates through the way she looks at the camera, with emotion in her eyes and some what sorrow facial expressions.

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

• Whenever Lana is seen within the music video her lips, eyes or curvaceous figure are highlighted. This therefore meets the idea of the voyeuristic treatment of the female body, although the highly sexualised parts of the female body are not highlighted the eyes and lips of a women are seen to be a promiscuous, flirty feature and hence she is seen to be promiscuous in a subtle way, this is emphasised by Lana wearing bright red lipstick making her lips seem even more promiscuous due to the colour red to be seen as a sexualised colour. When a full shot of her is seen you can see the outline of her curvaceous figure, although this image is seen in a dark setting making it not completely clear the fact it is emphasised even a little bit reinforces the idea of the voyeuristic treatment of the female body in this music video.

The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style)

“Young and Beautiful” matches the style of other Lana Del Rey music videos. She often uses the feel of dark, mysterious, misty affect and vintage themes within her music videos. Creating a more dated music video which suggests Lana's music and look is inspired by dated music.

There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc).

• Great Gatsby• 1920’s film based matches retro feel of music video

Rihanna ft Jay-Z - Umbrella

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop). 

The genre of Umbrella is POP, it is very ‘dancy’ and has that traditional vie of what a typical pop song would sound like. It is a song you will know all the words to and want to sing along.Outfits not very popy- not colourful- black=contradictionDance group = reinforces idea of pop music being dancyHiphop vibe with jyz = hiphop clothing= blackPop is genrally inncent = vid not inncent very seductive= contradictionPop is elobrate and bright= black bright background for rain.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting). 

• Umbrella- umbrella being held • Rihanna – “rihanna, good girl gone bad” panning shot of rihanna in all

black not in her usual innocent light• “let it rain”lights fall behind jayz moves fingers to suggest rain falling• “you had my heart” rhiana rubs hand on her chest where her heart is• “mayby in magazines” rhiana strikes a pose. Magazines are posey =

connection

There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting). 

• Moves to the beat, when in point shoes and singing “ey ey ey” its to the beat• Dance to the beat of the music in dance routines. • Jumpcuts when happen matc the beat, emphasising the beat at this

point.• When beat slows down the editing is much simpler and subtler and

then both speed up.

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). 

•

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style)

There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV program mmes, other music videos etc).

Jay-Z ft Beyoncé - Bonnie and Clyde

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop). 

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting). 

There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting). 

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). 

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style)

There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV program mmes, other music videos etc).