Textual Analysis

Cinematography

Medium ShotIn the beginning of my video, I have opened it up with a medium shot from behind my artist/actor. The reason I have chosen to do this is so it is visible to the audience what he is looking at, allowing them to view from his perspective. Then, further along in the video, I have filmed my artist performing by again using a medium shot. I felt using a medium shot was suitable for the performance because it is conventional and also it was easier for my artist to fit in the shot, which I thought made it more aesthetically pleasing. Throughout my video, I use medium shots frequently because I feel like it is the best way to portray the main protagonist interacting and performing within the music video. Also, having medium shots establishes the protagonists costume as opposed to having a close up where their costume isn’t visible.

Medium Close UpIn the performance part of my video, I have used a medium close up to portray the protagonists emotions. I feel by having a medium close up I allow the audience to connect with the protagonist more, therefore they sympathise with them because they can identify their emotions more closely. Instead of having my actor stand to the side while shooting the medium close up, I have framed the shot so he is in the centre. This makes the shot more appealing to the audience but also, you are automatically drawn to him because he is directly in the centre. Again, I have also used a medium close up when filming my actress. The main reason for this is because I edited to the beat so I cut closer to her on the beat, ending with an extreme close up of her eyes. By doing this, I have allowed the audience to engage with my actress and possibly identify her emotions due to the shot I have used.

Other examples of medium close ups

Again, using a medium close up for these shots captures the emotions of the protagonist and actress which is then portrayed to the audience for them to identify with and sympathise.

Close Ups

In my video, I have sometimes used close ups which feature props within the mise-en-scene or the artist himself. I have used close up shots of the pictures so that the artist could connect to the video and identify what exactly it is my artist is looking at, in some senses it gives them a point of view shot. By showing the photos, the audience can be active and understand what exactly the narrative is about as it shows him reflecting on his past, which is what I am trying to connotate through these props. I have also used a close up to show my artist performing, which puts emphasis on the artist as he is lip syncing and it also allows the narrative to progress.

Extreme Close Ups

In one part of my video, I have used an extreme close up. The reason I have chosen to do this is because in the song, there is a part that says “you’re giving me the coldest stare” and I wanted to put the emphasis on the ‘stare’. Therefore, I used an extreme close up of my artist and actresses eyes so that it symbolised the lyrics of the song. By doing this, I have connected my song with the video which allows my audience to connect with it more and understand what is going on within the narrative.

Long Shot/Wide Shot

At one point in my video, I have used a long shot which shows my protagonist running into the tunnel and into the distance. By using a long shot here, it allows my artist to fit into the shot but also it shows to the audience how he is isolated in such a big place. The isolation is shown by the wide space he is in and also how he disappears so far into the distance, it is like he is lost and he is trying to run away from his emotions. The framing here allows the protagonist directly in the centre, making it aesthetically pleasing for the audience to view but also you are drawn to him automatically because of him being in the centre.

Two ShotIn the video, I have frequently used 2 shots. The reason for this is because the two shot establishes the connection and interaction between the protagonist and actress so the audience is aware of the relationship between the two and what type of relationship it may be. In my case, I have used a 2 shot of my artist in a flashback sequence where the 2 are close and happy so the audience will be able to establish this from the shot. However, during the performance the 2 are further apart from each other and the lighting is darker which the audience could identify as foreshadowing the future of the pair and their relationship.

Mise-en-scene

CostumesThroughout my video, my protagonist and actress both wear 2 different outfits. In the performance shots, I have put my actor in a black t-shirt and some jeans and I have put my actress in a blue t-shirt and leggings. Having a black t-shirt allows my artist to stand out on the white background but it also connotes his emotions, he is in a dark place so the black portrays this. With my actress wearing the blue, it connotes how she is confident and peaceful which would reflect her attitudes in the video because she is confident with her feelings and how she portrays them. In the narrative sequences, I have chosen my actor to wear a white t-shirt, grey hoodie and black jeans. By wearing these he connotes how he is pure and innocent but it could also show his emotions with how he is upset and broken. Also, my artist is wearing a white t-shirt, khaki jacket and a skirt. The skirt reflects how she is a confident female and the white portrays how she is innocent, which shows to the audience despite the narrative she hasn’t done anything wrong, she is just following her feelings.

Props My main prop within the video is the photos. The reason I incorporated these is because I had seen them used within other narratives that portray a heartbreak love story so I felt it would be effective to follow conventions. Also, by using them it allows my narrative to progress and portray the actions of my protagonist. The photos are the main focus throughout the video as they are used for my actor to reflect on and I think they are helpful for the audience to connect with the actor. Also, by having these photos, I am able to introduce my actress straight away at the beginning of the video and this establishes her role within the narrative, making it easier for the audience to follow.

Editing

Cross DissolveThroughout my video, I have quite often used the edit ‘cross dissolve’ to cut from different shots. One reason I did this was to allow my narrative to flow more rather than constant cut edits that would get repetitive. Also, in the sequence where my artist is shuffling through the different photographs, I have used the ‘cross dissolve’ edit here to represent the feeling of time passing which shows to the audience that he constantly thinks about and reflects on the past, which allows the audience to connect and sympathise with the protagonist. From looking at existing products, I saw that this effect cropped up frequently so I decided I would use it in my product. One video I looked at and used as inspiration was ‘Right By My Side’ by Nicki Minaj as this uses dissolve edits a lot throughout and I felt this looked effective and allowed the narrative/performance to flow well.

Cut Edits/Rhythmic Editing

Quite often in my video I used cut edits which matched the beat of the song. This is called ‘rhythmic editing’. I have chosen to use rhythmic editing because by editing to the beat, it makes the video more interesting and the shots are not too long. In some parts, especially the beginning of the video, I have used rhythmic editing a lot as the song has a very strong beat so I wanted to make sure I didn’t waste this. By using rhythmic editing I have made my video more interesting to watch as it doesn’t drag on, it keeps the audiences attention as the shots constantly change so it makes them want to see what happens next.

Black and White/Slow Motion

By editing some parts of my video in black and white, I have indicated to the audience that the sequence is a flashback as it show the happy relationship of the 2 before the occurring events. I have also used slow motion in the scenes with the 2 of them as I think it emphasises the fact it is a flashback.

Sound

Sound

The sound within the video is all non-diegetic as this allows for the performance of the artist as we see him lip-syncing in the performance sequences of the video. Although it shows my actor speaking within the narrative at one point, I have chosen not to include any sound breaks as I feel this would disrupt the song and narrative and also sound breaks are more conventional within the pop genre, like: Sam Smith’s ‘I’m Not the Only One’ and Beyoncé and Lady GaGa’s ‘Telephone’.