HL: Music Video Deconstruction

Arctic Monkeys - 'Fluorescent Adolescent' (2007)

Directed by Richard Ayoade

Institution and audience

This video would be consumed through music channels such as 'Kerrang' due to the channels special focus on alternative rock music, and also 'MTV' as it introduces upcoming acts and artists as well popular acts such as 'The Arctic Monkeys'. This video is very much a focused piece of viewing due to its illustrative ideas and its developing narrative. Due to this it has a sense of repeatability about it as the ideas revolving round the narrative are interesting and unique meaning that the video is able to stand out above other alternative music videos. Others may also view this music video online due to the director (Richard Ayoade) a well respected comedian & actor, whoes directing portfolio is unheard of by most people. It is clear that due to the success of 'The Arctic Monkeys' the record label 'Domino Records' would of funded the music video and other promotional texts relating to the new track and video.

The XX - 'Crystallised' (2009)

Directed by Alex Flick and Masato Riesser

Genre and Narrative

With an understanding of Goodwin's theory, one is able to understand the evident conventions and forms shown in this music video. To begin, the use of a performance piece demonstrates characteristics of the genre 'indie-rock' as it implies a sense of musicianship as well as a clear example of musical talent.

Another aspect which links to the genre, is the use of a disjunctive relationship between the lyrics and visuals as this low budget performance piece features weird and wonderful images projected over the band as they play.

In the narrative aspect of this video we see how the sound of the music is emulated by the images projected over the band, this paired with the dark background connotes a sense of mystery about the band, with some members pushed into the corner where as the main two vocalist are given prevalence.

In some aspects this video could be received as a piece of art due to its simple yet inventive ideas used in the video, which in turn relate to the band's music as it follows the convention of a normal band however its difference is how they use technology e.g. a drum sequencer instead of a drummer.

 

Frank Ocean - 'Pyramids' (2012)

Directed by Nabil

Media Language and Representation
In this music video directed by 'Nabil' the audience is shown how the media language creates a message/purpose behind the video, this 'message' refers to a social aspect rather then aspects revolving the artists image. It focuses on the social aspects of the male gender i.e. alcohol and strip clubs.
This is then backed up by the shots used, as we are shown a protagonist (Frank Ocean himself) drinking an amount of alcohol and then entering a strip club , this sense of an alcohol induced evening is represented through the use of a colourful and bright colour filter as well as an unsteady camera pan and 'shaky' meat shots.

The mise-en-scene also emulates that of an average American working man i.e. suit with an unbuttoned/loosened tie. This then is an important reference as creates a post modernistic view of the American male society. Continuing with this, we see how the artist Frank Ocean is shown to fit into many stereotypical views of the American male culture. Aspects such as drink driving and over indulgence are shown in this video. Social groups are also represented, as the strip club scene contain a variety of different men, with very different races, jobs and ethnicity's.

However the representation of women is shown to be extremely undermining, this link to the theory of Goffman et al, where the women are dismembered from the real world, the dancers are shown to be more of an object then a being. This in turn introduces ideas behind the voyeuristic and fetishistic view of women, with a main focus being on fetishistic due to the location in which the women are placed. 

Other sexualities are also marginalised again due to the scene leaving heterosexuality to been seen as almost normal, this is ironic as the artist himself has mentioned his bisexuality in an interview.