Analysing Music Videos - Part 1

3 Music videos from 3 different genres

Tyga Ft The game – Switch lanes (Hip/Hop & Rap)

The music video begins off with a shot of a helicopter in the sky at night and then the camera is pointed down and shows a quick view of America from above. The scene immediately changes to the roads of America, it then fast-forwards to a street racing event which was created by the rappers themselves and the roads are blocked off by luxurious cars. It then fast forwards again and it repeatedly does so 3 times whilst showing the race track, cars and police. After covering the racetrack the beat of the song in ‘switch lanes’ starts to begin and plays slowly. Once the beat of the song drops the race begins for both cars in the music video. Tyga begins to rap slowly in other words uses spoken word poetry for the audience to be able to understand the key part of the lyrics, being able to understand the lyrics carefully without misunderstanding what is being rapped. Hence, it created an atmosphere which some spectators can relate to and emphasise their experience or desires with the artist.

The mise-en-scene is articulated through prop usage within the music video such as the cars, the costumes of the audience and different accessories are also used such as diamond jewellery, watches, hats and a mask. The clothing that is worn by the people in the background is the type of clothing which appears to be very urban in the fashion world. This is worn by the people in the age group of 17 to 25 year old youth/young adults of today’s society in America. This strongly links to youths who live in the suburb area, representing their passion for racing and what their lifestyle may consist of. This establishes that the scenario is taking place in a suburb area. The colour range used in the music video does not stand out as much, nevertheless this portrays mysteriousness and makes the artist himself stand out by the white costume worn which reflects upon the night-time background.

At some point during the night it had rained as you can tell with the wet road surface. The wet road allows the quad bikes to drift and make smoke from their wheels easily by doing ‘burnouts’. The effect of the smoke possibly signifies that Tyga and The Game are far ahead of their competitors as their competitors are left behind to see only the smoke that was made by Tyga and The Game. This was portrayed in the music video by the cars racing off ahead into the dark. By looking at the music video Tyga is wearing white clothes to make him stand out from the dark backdrop behind him which consists of the night sky and few dim street lights. The Lamborghini is also in white which emphasises the key area of the whole video, as the music video relates to racing cars. Hence, the Lamborghini represents this, which colour coordinates well with the white outfit Tyga is wearing.

The camera shots move very quickly emphasising how rapidly the cars race, shooting from the back of the car to moving the shot to the racing track then instantly to the end of the racing track. Using different angle shots such as low angle shot which makes the character look more courageous and important; the video then consists of aerial shots which then focus on Tyga and The game as they rap, this is done a few times within the music video. Having quad bikes circulate them to not only make them stand out but the quad bikes also link to cars and racing. This allows the audience to have a full view of what is around the artists.  The music video also consists of an establishing shot whilst the game drives his car and raps giving the audience a closer view of the scene. This makes the audience sit at the edge of their seat as well as giving that feel to the audience that they are in the scene, experiencing every moment and every angle of the car race. The facial expression on each individual shows confidence and resilience, which highlights also the car race as it is all about confidence and being competitive. The music video also has female characters which are in the background of the artists. This tells the audience not only do they have love and devotion for cars and seeing them race but also for young females. The costume that the female characters wear is ‘revealing clothes’, which shows not only the beautiful cars but the beauty of the females who represent them.

The ideology of the music video and the lyrics overall represents that it is all about changing lanes, moving up and that money is not an issue for the artist. This is emphasised through the usage of props and costume. Tyga shows that he is superior and is confident, when he begins his lyrics off with “Ahh, when I switch lanes, tell them doors swing” (0:27-0:30). This context refers to his arrival, it may be when he arrives at the scene, when he gets onto the stage or anytime he is around. It is just a way to express his entrance as he progresses. This tells the audience that Tyga is the definition of royalty and that everyone should respect him and perform a grand opening for when he arrives at the scene/location. This form of verbal intertextuality illustrates the expression that the artist is on his way upwards on the ladder of fame and success and that money is not an issue. The genre of the music is Hip-Hop/ R&B. Throughout the music video there is a rhythmical expression known as ‘rap’ which is a form of storytelling ballad. The soundtrack of the song has numerous beat drops throughout the music video, which suggests the genre of the music is Hip-Hop/R&B as the majority of Hip-Hop/R&B music have consistent beat drops in their music. Intertextuality interconnects in a method of working hard (through the artist) as it shows that the only way forward and going up, is by working hard and earning money. This relates to the audience perspective as the Stuart Hall’s theory believes that encoding and decoding is vital, as this shows how an individual interprets something. Stuart Hall theory allows each individual of today’s society to accept the illustration of music videos and the way the number of viewers view this, targeting the age group of 17-25.

Andrew Goodwin’s theory is strongly implemented in the music video, between the visual imagery and the music which is performed within the music video itself. This also includes the narration and performance which was also implemented. This is shown through the intertextuality and mise-en-scene, as previously mentioned. Lastly this video allows the audience to understand the importance of working hard and earning money as well as enjoying life without money being an issue. This produces a form of admiration and aspiration for the young audience of today’s society. Laura Mulvey’s theory about “Male Gaze”, was used at the beginning of the music video on few occasions. Females were shown in the first few minutes of the music video, emphasising not only the beauty of cars but also the beauty of a female which is used as an erotic object for the character within the narrative to view and for the spectators. Binary opposition is not completely excluded from the video but it does include opposite sex, however, this does not come across in a sexualising way. 

Beyoncé Ft Drake – Mine (R&B)

The music video was formatted in a very basic but eye catching scenario. It started off with a big text format saying mine, as the letters slowly burned away. There are six main shots which repeat throughout the music video. The piano begins to play as the camera shot then consists of a zoom shot which includes every character involved in the scene whilst the backing dancers dance and flaunt their clothing behind the black backdrop which stands out and makes it noticeable for the audience. The scenes begin to change from the dancers to the artist as the camera focuses on Beyoncé’s face and then slowly zooms out and we see a young female in white paint emphasising nudity and sophistication. The camera shots also contain zoom shots which included just the face of the narrator, it then swiftly moved to a dolly zoom effect which showed the back dancers and the shot then changes to a point of view shot which shows the camera in someone else’s point of view as she slowly lets go of her ‘lovers’ hand. Subsequently, it changes again to do a close up shot and changes once more to a medium shot. The beat drops when it comes to the point of view shot where the camera uses effects such as lap-dissolve. This is where two different scenes lapse and then fade away, showing different sides of the story of the music video. In the music video it contained 4 different scenes which rapidly changed within few seconds. The beat then slowly begins to drop and Drake begins to rap. The use of long and medium term shots is used throughout the video; this represents the focal point of the whole video. The mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sound and cinematography has been used to expose the iconic illustration of relationships and the love of their life through many stages.

The mise-en-scene is articulated through the use of different costumes. The main theme of the costume which is worn throughout the video are earthy colours such as khaki green, brown, ashy white, ash grey. This represents the natural environment and emphasises the artists’ feelings. The costumes worn are striking as the backdrop throughout the music video stays black which highlights the artist and dancers in the front of the backdrop in the scenario well. The location of the music video is shot in different places, as one minute it is in a studio with a black backdrop, it then changes to the desert and then later on the scene modifies to the sea. The waves in the scene throw up against the characters involved, showing their love through seduction, physicality and emotions. The facial expressions used majority of the time in the video was seriousness, passion and doubt towards their loved one and their future, which is shown in their affection through the lyrics. The mise-en-scene all comes together as one as this emphasises the importance of the music video and shows the uncertainty of certain issues we may experience in life. Though it may not actually show the affection between the singers, it still emphasises their love through the lyrics which is formed. Most of the scene is done in black backdrops, to express mystery and doubt.

The characters and artists are shown through different elements of the video; the characters, apart from the main artists, remain in the same costume. Beyoncé and Drake have a change in costume to indicate that they are the main focus of the music video, making sure that the audience focuses on them as narrators. The ideology of the video all comes to the fact that it is about love, compassion and knowing who he/she belongs too, as the artist repeats the lyrics “I just wanna say, you're mine, you're mine”. This is continuously repeated as the chorus, during the duration of the video. Another ideology which arises with this is though the music video has a disjuncture, it is that the love the artist may have for his/her lover; should also be presented to our world. This links to the earthy colour costumes and the real life background of different backdrops of the earth, showing the natural habitat.

The melody of the song begins off slow and calm but when it gets to 1:38 in the music video the beat then begins to play heavy, where drake then begins to rap. The voice is auto-tuned for it to seem like he is singing in the radio but is losing connection, as the scene is formed in the desert. The song involves of sounds with African-esque beats, and haunting vocal textures which adds to the tension and mystery. The character representation is very intriguing as it consists of just dancers and the narrators of the song. The use of earthy natural colours makes the video stand out portraying seduction and love; forming a mise en scene which empowers love and doubt but captivating the audience with the extravagant dancing and rhythm to the song. Showing the characters in long and medium shots exposes the natural habitat which is earth through not just colour but the action used. Therefore, emphasising intertextuality in a form of physicality, this makes the audience gravitate towards the love and feelings from the lyrics. The genre of this music is R&B as it plays heavy rhythmical drum beats, but begins off with calming instruments such as the piano. However, it makes sure the drum beat remains constant throughout, including a smooth tempo to it.

Stuart Hall’s theory can be considered in many different ways but this can be based upon the individuals taste in the genre of music. The target audience this music video can represent is 17-30 year olds, for both male and female, as it is about love and doubts which everyone may or may not have gone through but can link their personal feelings and emotions to it. Laura Mulvey’s theory is considered in the music video, as the use of the female characters is to show seduction and compassion with the opposite sex. This uses females as a sexual object for the narrators and the audience to view. Binary opposition is included; however, it is not presented in a sexualising format, but does include female characters. Lastly, Andrew Goodwin’s theory ‘thought through beat’ consists of the artists singing the song, which tells a story of their love and the uncertainty they have for their ‘lover’. The relationship between the music and visuals of the music video does not show through, which is known as ‘disjuncture and amplify’. The meaning of the song is completely unidentified within the music video, as well as repeating the camera shots and the characters which is engraved into our vision.

George Ezra - Budapest (Folk Music/Blues)

This music video is distinctive and has its own illustration; the camera shots are simple and distinct as well. The key idea which followed through was to aim the music video on the artist and make it simple. Effects were added to the music video to focus entirely on George, with the red lights blackening out the characters with a white spotlight centring on George as his sings his song; this also portrays mystery which follows through with the beat of the song. Another effect used is the slow motion effect which slows the action of the characters, which configures with the slow rhythm playing. The camera shots used in the music video are medium shots and bird’s eye view. The camera shot begins off as a bird eye view, identifying each character showing that everyone is different in their own way from the clothes they wear. The camera then zooms in to recognise the artist, as George Ezra begins to sing and the beat slowly drops allowing the music to flow along with the timing of the singing. The camera shots then move around to each character, showing us that everyone is different in their own way whether this is personality, looks, colour, religion etc. The shots and angles are not dramatic as the whole theme was for the music to be slow and smooth. This also includes the background scenario; which is a black backdrop not emphasising the song and George. The camera shots and angles are used on numerous occasions throughout the music video.

The mise-en-scene is represented through the usage of characters and the costume worn by them from people wearing suits, to doctor’s uniform, party wear and many more costumes. This identifies each characters personality. This also includes the prop usage used within the music video, which is then distributed around to the crowd one by one, as well as George Ezra. This also shows the bond between all characters within the crowd, showing that they stand united together. George Ezra is also featured with a guitar, as he plays the song tune whilst he sings emphasising his passion for his ‘beautiful Castillo’ (0:18) as he mentions at the beginning of the lyrics which is a form of intertextuality. You can see the bond he forms with his ‘Castillo’ (castle); this shows his admiration for not only his castle but his ‘lover’. However, he also mentions in his lyrics “for you, you I’d leave it all”, saying he will leave everything behind for his ‘lover’. The facial expression which are used, change throughout the video showing the characters different emotions rather than just showing their emotions through posture.

The artist, George Ezra, is presented in a very simplistic form and music is formed in a very calm setting. The camera mainly focuses on George, making him the main attention of the music video as well as his music and guitar which he plays. This shows the audience George in his own environment, as it is basic and shows the essence of him and his voice. The costume that the artist is wearing is not bright colour clothing. I think this is because the main focus was just his face and his voice as his mouth exposes the power of his music which comes from his heart. This allows the audience to interlock with George Ezra. The main content of the music video is to pay attention to the lyrical versus rather than the music video as it is a disjuncture. The ideology behind the whole music video is to show society as one, it makes the audience think what George Ezra is trying to represent with different characters and what they mean to him individually. We know that the characters in the background weren’t very important and notable; as well as knowing that the characters who were in the music video make society and how George feels noticeable in society as he is in the main focus of the video. This could possibly suggest that he is trying to get away from his life which does not represent much and overlook and shine from the rest of the characters in the room as he wants to be the ‘apple of the eye’ for the audience.

Throughout the song there was the beat of the guitar playing and slow drum bass to give the song a rhythm to it and adding an element to the performance he performs in his music video. The beat of the music goes with the pace of the changing camera shots which flows throughout. The guitar is an iconic instrument for George which he uses to play within the music video, representing him as an artist and the genre of his music which is indie/folk music. His voice emphasises the whole music video as his voice is more spoken word during the duration of the video which links to the simplistic background and characters.

Stuart Hall’s theory links well with the lyrics formed, this interprets George being in love and would leave everything behind and his family just to be with his loved one, "my friends and family they don't understand" and "for you, you, I'd lose it all". This follows through on the perspective of what the audience believe. Some of the audience may be able to relate and interpret the lyrics of the song as they may be experiencing this situation or may want to take this option for their love life. Stuart Hall’s theory of audience viewpoint is essential, nowadays in today’s society a lyric of a song interprets an individual’s life which they may agree upon.

Andrew Goodwin’s theory of the 5 ideal aspects of cinematography is vital; the ‘thought through beat’ is implemented into the music video as the beat of the song gradually forms the structure and chorus of the music. It then builds up to George’s unique indie/folk voice, which is performed in a spoken lyrical way. Not only that, he tells his story through his lyrics which represents what he is going through emphasising his feelings through his lyrics and connecting with the spectators who relate to him. Another key aspect of Andrew Goodwin is ‘music and visuals’, George Ezra’s music video is known as a disjuncture as mentioned before. The reason for this is because his lyrics which he performs does not relate to his scenario of the video, which gives the audience a confusing interpretation of what George is trying to put across. The artist is also using the feature ‘amplify’ in his music video; this means that the camera shots and angles are repeated throughout of the music video. Star image was vastly included in the music video in every angle. By doing this it brings a unique emphasis to the video and to the way he portrays himself in the video.

Lastly Laura Mulvey’s theory, as mentioned before, is known as ‘Male Gaze’. This consists of a female being used as an erotic object for music videos, hence, seen in the perspective of a heterosexual man. In the music video ‘Budapest’, George Ezra performs his song without a female figure being the main attention. There are female characters that are present in the background of the music video; however, he still does not mention his ‘lover’ in a sexualising way and the song lyrics does not ideally focus on the characters. Binary opposition is completely ignored in this music video, though females are included with male figures.