Research Task 1

I researched some music videos and looked how they have included the elements of mise en scene, how they have used lighting and all of the different camera angles. This task was so that we could get an idea of how we could use them when it comes to making our music videos.

Good Time - Owl City feat. Carly Rae Jepson

Some of the contents of the videos match the lyrics. This clip poses a girl with her hands up as the line ‘Hands up, if you’re down...’ is sung. It is on the beat and is a very quick glance.

This shot shows the 2 musicians in a ‘diagonal’ position. The camera has been set so that you can see both in one shot stood one behind the other.

This shot is a master shot. When listening to the music you can tell that they are talking about a party and this is some of the group together getting ready.

They are currently in front of what looks like a fishing hut, most of the girls are dressed in shorts and sleeveless tops, there are a couple of guys in the background, but the main focus is of the 2 singing.

This is another master shot.  Everyone is carrying objects such as sleeping bags, big rucksacks, some are wearing wellies. This suggests that their party is something related to camping or festivals etc.

The three at the front are all looking to their right, possibly looking at what is going on off screen.

This 2 shot shows 2 girls making daisy chains which again suggest something to do with festivals. They are sitting in the grass talking to each other.

This action/master shot shows everyone dancing in front of tents in a forest. This looks like a group of friends are having a camping party. You can tell that they are all having fun, once again the actions are relating back to the lyrics.

The 2 shot in this clip shows both the singers in front of the other campers, dancing and singing. I think they had a 2 shot here to establish how close they are and to emphasise their fun. 

Picking Up The Pieces - Paloma Faith 

The first shot of this music video is an establishing shot to set the atmosphere and show the viewers were it has been set. At the moment, it shows that it is going to be quite a dark piece.

This shows a woman on her own in a big place, which looks quite scary. Her outfit makes it look like the time in which it has been set is around 1920’s. The building also is old looking.

The camera has panned from the shot above to this shot here. It is showing that she’s isolated and slightly upset about something.

This shot is quite close up on her face, showing very bold make up. She has dark red lips and thick, black eyeliner, possibly suggesting she is portraying somebody dark and mysterious-matching the atmosphere in the first establishing shot.

This two shot establishes the relationship between the two people in this scene. It looks like they are have fallen out and are distancing themselves from each other.

Darkside - Kelly Clarkson

This shot is quite close up of her face on a dark background. Blending in with the title of the song. It is suggesting it could be a very basic video.

This effect shows a couple of signs pointing out that people are going to face difficulty ahead and you have to get through it to reach the other side.

There are a few shots of people showing their struggles in life, matching the lyrics in the song when it sings ‘everybody's got a dark side’

This master shot shows a group of silhouettes that look like they are fighting. Possibly a victim of bullying. 

This song is basically a campaign linked to depression and when people think of depression they associate it with suicide and tablets. Hence the close up of this.

This master shot shows a very busy street somewhere in the world, they have used this to show that it doesn’t matter how big the crowd somebody will be struggling with something.

This looks like a person having a flashback of his time fighting. He could be remembering something or just thinking and reflecting.

Nearing the end of the video, the lyrics suggest that things get better and people do get out of their ‘darkside’ Here is a glance of a heart painted on a wall, suggesting this theory.

Lorna Brown