I have chosen to analyse Jason Derulo's video 'What If' which belongs in the genre of RnB. The songs within this genre tend to be have catchy beats and lyrics and also have noticable back beats even if the song is slow. The tracks are usually sung instead of being rapped which distinguishes the RnB from Hip-Hop. They tracks also have a tendancy to be about love which is true of this particular track.
Throughout the video the lyrics of 'What If' portray the question that the track is about of whether the couple have a future. The video portrays this as the video is shown in rewind as we watch the couple meet and fall in love. In particular the lyric 'what if im the one for you and your the one for me?' which shows Jason Derulo looking at an engagement ring. And again when he sings 'future with a dog names ........... and a house with a fire place' clips are shown of the couple bathing their dog and lots of them in a house together. The video portrays his love for the woman he was about to propose to dying in a car accident and the lyric 'we can't, no we cant tell the future' which symbolise that you never know what way happen in your life, and as she dies this lyric is repeated.
The pace of the music also reflects the visuals and particularly at the beginning when the music cuts out completely and is replaced by a heart beat as the video slows to show the possible accident and Jason Derulo running to save his girlfriend. This sets the scene and explains the lyrics to come in the video. The clips of the past in rewind are at a fairly slow pace which matches the music as it shows the couple being relaxed and very much in love with obvoiusly no idea what will happen in the future. I also noticed that the beat of the song almost matched the pace of the people walking in the rewinds as it shows normal life before slightly faster paces shots as she dies at the end.
Throughout the video there are several close ups and some extreme close ups of Jason Derulo which shows how he is the singer but also shows the emotion of the song. I think that he is trying to get across how you would be feeling if an event like that happened to you and how yuo would look back at your time together as people can relate to that.
In previous videos Jason Derulo does alot of dancing aswell as singing and his look appears to be the same as he wears sunglasses big watches and drives expensive cars. He also often writes songs about love and heartbreak which have a simular theme maybe as they are so easy to relate to.
I think that he wants to show love in his video and how it was taken away from him., There is no sexual display but his girlfriend is obviously attractive. The costumes again dont show sexual display yet they are attractive and fairly normal.
The main feature of the video is the rewind in time (people walking backwards, actions back to front and his watch moving backwards) which shows what he has lost and how he remembers there past.
The video is mainly narrative based as from the beginning before the track starts it shows his talking to his girlfriend and looking at the ring which sets the scene. And then the whole narrative gives the lyrics more emotion and more meaning. Yet he is also singing in the video through the narrative, showing that the song is his but also it gives the track more emotion.
Showing posts with label Music Video Comparisons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music Video Comparisons. Show all posts
Aero Smith & Queen
Aero Smith – I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing (1998)
Queen – Somebody to Love (1976)
I have chosen to analyse 2 videos from within the genre or rock but also chose them to be love ballads as I wanted to see how they differ. I firstly chose Aero Smith’s ‘I don’t wanna miss a thing’ as this is a well known rock ballad written for the film, ‘Armageddon’. I am comparing this to Queen’s ‘Somebody to love’ as this is another well known classic which could be considered a love song. These tracks also differ in age as ‘I don’t wanna miss a thing’ was released in 1998 while ‘Somebody to love’ was released in 1976, so does this make the videos different?
Throughout Aero Smith’s video the lyrics are well matched to the visuals. The video is a mixture of Aero Smith himself singing at the recording studio and clips of the film, ‘Armageddon’, that the track was written for. The clip shown of the astronaut saying good bye to his partner and leaving is matched with the lyric, ‘I miss you babe, and I don’t wanna miss a thing’. And later the astronaut kisses the girl as the lyrics say ‘and then I kiss your eyes’. This shows how the track was made for the film but also makes the words of the song seem more emotional. Aero smith’s actions such as touching his heart in certain shots and closing his eyes reflect the lyrics as he looks as though he is really feeling the words.
On the other hand, there are not particularly any visuals which reflect the lyrics of ‘Somebody to love’ as the band appear to be in a recording studio for the majority of the video, and no story is shown to match the words which there could have been. The only slight match from visual to lyrics is how Freddie closes his eyes as he sings ‘Can anybody find me somebody to love?’ as if he is really wishing for it. Even when the video switches to the performance on stage the band are only singing with emotion there is no other visual to go with the lyrics.
Although similarly, both video’s show a change of speed in camera shots when the pace either quickens or slows. Aero Smith’s video stays slow through most of the first verse only moving from medium close ups to close ups of Aerosmith. Yet with the heavier beat and faster pace comes shot reverse shots from Aero Smith to the clips from ‘Armageddon’. As the tempo increases so does the pace of the shots which creates more emotion as the video flicks faster between shots. There are also shot reverse shots in the Queen video as the repetition of ‘Somebody’ comes with shots of Freddie Mercury to the background singers in a fast pace to reflect the increased pace of the music.
In both video’s the band/artist and musicians are shown in individual close up or medium close up shots so that we can establish the track better. Aero Smoth is shown about half as much as the film clips as if to remind us that it is his song and it was created for the film. The musicians and instrumental parts are also shown in medium close ups and zooms on the band in the Queen video but there are many more of Freddie Mercury showing that he is the lead of the band and also the music. There are also shots briefly of the other band members like the guitarists so we can identify them. At the end of the Queen video there is an extreme wide shot showing the band on stage performing to a large crowd, this shows that they are massively popular and the vastness of it shows how well they must be doing and how big they are in the music world.
Both artists have a similar taste in clothes/costume as do many others in the rock side of the music industry. The stereotypical tight fitting clothes, long hair, heavy makeup and extravagant and weird coats are used here by Aero Smith. While Freddie Mercury wears something that looks like a leotard along with the long hair and makeup on the stage, he is wearing a casual shirt in the recording studio. Perhaps showing that he is more normal and his stage look and performance is all an act?
The setting of Aero Smith’s video is in a recording studio as he records the track for the film but clips from ‘Armageddon’ are also used. This helps the music sell the film in the same way the film will sell the music as well as creating a more emotion filled video by using scenes of the astronaut and the woman. Although the video switches between shots the 2 sets are brought together when a rocket sets off in the film and smoke is everywhere and similarly it bursts into the studio. Also the girl from the film is shown at the end watching the video in the studio looking distraught. Perhaps foreshadowing events an unhappy ending in the film? These things make the video a mixture of both performance and narrative yet Queens video is entirely performance based. Aero Smiths video definitely shows more emotion by including a narrative side with the film clips and maybe Queen thought they were known enough and good enough without needing extra ideas in there video? Or maybe it was just because the video was made a while before Aero Smith’s and technology wasn’t as good.
Queen - Somebody to Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxbFLYa0_bw
Queen – Somebody to Love (1976)
I have chosen to analyse 2 videos from within the genre or rock but also chose them to be love ballads as I wanted to see how they differ. I firstly chose Aero Smith’s ‘I don’t wanna miss a thing’ as this is a well known rock ballad written for the film, ‘Armageddon’. I am comparing this to Queen’s ‘Somebody to love’ as this is another well known classic which could be considered a love song. These tracks also differ in age as ‘I don’t wanna miss a thing’ was released in 1998 while ‘Somebody to love’ was released in 1976, so does this make the videos different?
Throughout Aero Smith’s video the lyrics are well matched to the visuals. The video is a mixture of Aero Smith himself singing at the recording studio and clips of the film, ‘Armageddon’, that the track was written for. The clip shown of the astronaut saying good bye to his partner and leaving is matched with the lyric, ‘I miss you babe, and I don’t wanna miss a thing’. And later the astronaut kisses the girl as the lyrics say ‘and then I kiss your eyes’. This shows how the track was made for the film but also makes the words of the song seem more emotional. Aero smith’s actions such as touching his heart in certain shots and closing his eyes reflect the lyrics as he looks as though he is really feeling the words.
On the other hand, there are not particularly any visuals which reflect the lyrics of ‘Somebody to love’ as the band appear to be in a recording studio for the majority of the video, and no story is shown to match the words which there could have been. The only slight match from visual to lyrics is how Freddie closes his eyes as he sings ‘Can anybody find me somebody to love?’ as if he is really wishing for it. Even when the video switches to the performance on stage the band are only singing with emotion there is no other visual to go with the lyrics.
Although similarly, both video’s show a change of speed in camera shots when the pace either quickens or slows. Aero Smith’s video stays slow through most of the first verse only moving from medium close ups to close ups of Aerosmith. Yet with the heavier beat and faster pace comes shot reverse shots from Aero Smith to the clips from ‘Armageddon’. As the tempo increases so does the pace of the shots which creates more emotion as the video flicks faster between shots. There are also shot reverse shots in the Queen video as the repetition of ‘Somebody’ comes with shots of Freddie Mercury to the background singers in a fast pace to reflect the increased pace of the music.
In both video’s the band/artist and musicians are shown in individual close up or medium close up shots so that we can establish the track better. Aero Smoth is shown about half as much as the film clips as if to remind us that it is his song and it was created for the film. The musicians and instrumental parts are also shown in medium close ups and zooms on the band in the Queen video but there are many more of Freddie Mercury showing that he is the lead of the band and also the music. There are also shots briefly of the other band members like the guitarists so we can identify them. At the end of the Queen video there is an extreme wide shot showing the band on stage performing to a large crowd, this shows that they are massively popular and the vastness of it shows how well they must be doing and how big they are in the music world.
Both artists have a similar taste in clothes/costume as do many others in the rock side of the music industry. The stereotypical tight fitting clothes, long hair, heavy makeup and extravagant and weird coats are used here by Aero Smith. While Freddie Mercury wears something that looks like a leotard along with the long hair and makeup on the stage, he is wearing a casual shirt in the recording studio. Perhaps showing that he is more normal and his stage look and performance is all an act?
The setting of Aero Smith’s video is in a recording studio as he records the track for the film but clips from ‘Armageddon’ are also used. This helps the music sell the film in the same way the film will sell the music as well as creating a more emotion filled video by using scenes of the astronaut and the woman. Although the video switches between shots the 2 sets are brought together when a rocket sets off in the film and smoke is everywhere and similarly it bursts into the studio. Also the girl from the film is shown at the end watching the video in the studio looking distraught. Perhaps foreshadowing events an unhappy ending in the film? These things make the video a mixture of both performance and narrative yet Queens video is entirely performance based. Aero Smiths video definitely shows more emotion by including a narrative side with the film clips and maybe Queen thought they were known enough and good enough without needing extra ideas in there video? Or maybe it was just because the video was made a while before Aero Smith’s and technology wasn’t as good.
Queen - Somebody to Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxbFLYa0_bw
Oasis & Snow Patrol
Oasis – Champagne Supernova (1995)
Snow Patrol – Crack the Shutters (2009)
I chose to analyse a music video created in 1995 by Oasis called ‘Champagne Supernova’. It is an Indie/Rock video which usually means that the video will have a unique and individual idea which relates to the unique and perhaps slightly weird lyrics. The video’s are usually mostly performance based yet can still tell a story or imply meanings behind their lyrics. These characteristics apply to the Oasis video yet also to a more modern video of this genre: Snow Patrol’s ‘Crack the shutters’. Crack the shutters, was released and videoed in 2009 and also fits into the category of Indie/Rock.
Throughout the Snow Patrol video ‘Crack the shutters’ the lyrics fit the visual. During the chorus, the lyrics say ‘Crack the shutters open wide’ and a crowd of people burst into the scene and run across the set to reflect them all running to be with someone as it implies in the following lyrics. This faster visual also fits the pace and heavier beat added in the chorus. The lyrics are then visualised again as the lyric says: ‘the daylight seems to want you just as much as I want you’. At this lyric the crowd of people walk through the darkness with torches to show how they are searching for someone and also to portray the darkness and a slightly sombre mood.
Similarly the lyrics of the Oasis track ‘Champagne Supernova’ match the visuals shown. There is a theme of the rock and roll lifestyle, drugs and alcohol being implied throughout the lyrics, and also through visuals as the blurred backdrops and slow spiralling shots reflect the situation.
Although this video is less clear than Snow Patrol’s, as it is all fairly jumbled up as this reflects the random lyrics, yet this randomness and sense of confusion portrays its own idea of the rock and roll lifestyle: music, drugs,girls… Though neither of the videos are narrative based each gets across a meaning using simple shots and visuals during their performance to reflect their lyrics.
Snow Patrol’s song speeds up at the chorus which is matched by a cut and zoom out to show a wide shot so that the people running by can be seen along with the whole band. Similarly the Oasis video flows throughout the slower part yet also speeds up when the beat livens. All instrumental parts of the track are illustrated using close ups from all different angles, the instruments themselves are also focused on a lot. All of the band members seem to appear on the video an equal amount which suggests that they are all equally important to the image. On the other hand Snow Patrol’s video has no full instrumental part yet there are a few seconds where there is no singing when the camera focuses on the guitars and drums.
In the Oasis video the pace speeds up and the music gets louder with quicker shots which are slightly random and confusing as they jump from the dancers to the band, the background or distorted images. These all appear for seconds at a time which matches the confusion of the song in general. On the other hand, Snow Patrol’s video is a lot simpler and flows as zooms are usually used instead of cuts. When the lead singer is singing acoustic there is extreme close up of him which zooms out to a wide shot as the pace increase and the chorus kicks in. This makes the video appear a lot more natural and flowing.
The clothes of Snow Patrol are very normal and are nothing special which matches the non extravagant video, the band appear to be fairly normal and laid back which is easy to relate to for fans. While the members of Oasis look to be slightly wacky and off the wall as they seem almost surreal in their video. Their costumes don’t reflect this though as they are fashionable and on trend for the era which makes me wonder if they put on a lot of the characteristics in the video or if they just wanted to be fashionable!
Both of the videos are fairly simple and videoed in a studio, both bands were well established and popular at the time that these tracks were released so they wouldn’t need to sell themselves too much, only their music. Snow Patrols’ video is fairly normal and plain as it is almost like a private gig, this aspect shows how laidback and easy going there music is and how they themselves. Oasis’ video includes more special effects which would have been good for the era and also help to show the drug theme.
Snow Patrol’s video is very simple and is pretty self explanatory and the lyrics are easy to interpret, whereas Oasis’ lyrics are stranger and so along with the visuals the implications of ‘sex drugs and rock and roll’ are formed. The dancing women in revealing costumes show sexual display associated with the theme as well as distortions and slightly abstract shots showing the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Both videos are mainly performance based yet Snow Patrol manages to tell a story of their lyrics from the stage by including their crowd. Oasis could also come under the category of a concept based video as the unusual shots and visuals present a ‘different’ idea.
Both the video’s follow the same outlines and stereotypical video of being unique, Snow Patrol more down to their song while Oasis make a more original video. Although the tracks are from different decades and are almost 15 years apart the genre of Indie/Rock as not changed much making both video’s quite similar.
Snow Patrol – Crack the Shutters (2009)
I chose to analyse a music video created in 1995 by Oasis called ‘Champagne Supernova’. It is an Indie/Rock video which usually means that the video will have a unique and individual idea which relates to the unique and perhaps slightly weird lyrics. The video’s are usually mostly performance based yet can still tell a story or imply meanings behind their lyrics. These characteristics apply to the Oasis video yet also to a more modern video of this genre: Snow Patrol’s ‘Crack the shutters’. Crack the shutters, was released and videoed in 2009 and also fits into the category of Indie/Rock.
Throughout the Snow Patrol video ‘Crack the shutters’ the lyrics fit the visual. During the chorus, the lyrics say ‘Crack the shutters open wide’ and a crowd of people burst into the scene and run across the set to reflect them all running to be with someone as it implies in the following lyrics. This faster visual also fits the pace and heavier beat added in the chorus. The lyrics are then visualised again as the lyric says: ‘the daylight seems to want you just as much as I want you’. At this lyric the crowd of people walk through the darkness with torches to show how they are searching for someone and also to portray the darkness and a slightly sombre mood.
Similarly the lyrics of the Oasis track ‘Champagne Supernova’ match the visuals shown. There is a theme of the rock and roll lifestyle, drugs and alcohol being implied throughout the lyrics, and also through visuals as the blurred backdrops and slow spiralling shots reflect the situation.
Although this video is less clear than Snow Patrol’s, as it is all fairly jumbled up as this reflects the random lyrics, yet this randomness and sense of confusion portrays its own idea of the rock and roll lifestyle: music, drugs,girls… Though neither of the videos are narrative based each gets across a meaning using simple shots and visuals during their performance to reflect their lyrics.
Snow Patrol’s song speeds up at the chorus which is matched by a cut and zoom out to show a wide shot so that the people running by can be seen along with the whole band. Similarly the Oasis video flows throughout the slower part yet also speeds up when the beat livens. All instrumental parts of the track are illustrated using close ups from all different angles, the instruments themselves are also focused on a lot. All of the band members seem to appear on the video an equal amount which suggests that they are all equally important to the image. On the other hand Snow Patrol’s video has no full instrumental part yet there are a few seconds where there is no singing when the camera focuses on the guitars and drums.
In the Oasis video the pace speeds up and the music gets louder with quicker shots which are slightly random and confusing as they jump from the dancers to the band, the background or distorted images. These all appear for seconds at a time which matches the confusion of the song in general. On the other hand, Snow Patrol’s video is a lot simpler and flows as zooms are usually used instead of cuts. When the lead singer is singing acoustic there is extreme close up of him which zooms out to a wide shot as the pace increase and the chorus kicks in. This makes the video appear a lot more natural and flowing.
The clothes of Snow Patrol are very normal and are nothing special which matches the non extravagant video, the band appear to be fairly normal and laid back which is easy to relate to for fans. While the members of Oasis look to be slightly wacky and off the wall as they seem almost surreal in their video. Their costumes don’t reflect this though as they are fashionable and on trend for the era which makes me wonder if they put on a lot of the characteristics in the video or if they just wanted to be fashionable!
Both of the videos are fairly simple and videoed in a studio, both bands were well established and popular at the time that these tracks were released so they wouldn’t need to sell themselves too much, only their music. Snow Patrols’ video is fairly normal and plain as it is almost like a private gig, this aspect shows how laidback and easy going there music is and how they themselves. Oasis’ video includes more special effects which would have been good for the era and also help to show the drug theme.
Snow Patrol’s video is very simple and is pretty self explanatory and the lyrics are easy to interpret, whereas Oasis’ lyrics are stranger and so along with the visuals the implications of ‘sex drugs and rock and roll’ are formed. The dancing women in revealing costumes show sexual display associated with the theme as well as distortions and slightly abstract shots showing the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Both videos are mainly performance based yet Snow Patrol manages to tell a story of their lyrics from the stage by including their crowd. Oasis could also come under the category of a concept based video as the unusual shots and visuals present a ‘different’ idea.
Both the video’s follow the same outlines and stereotypical video of being unique, Snow Patrol more down to their song while Oasis make a more original video. Although the tracks are from different decades and are almost 15 years apart the genre of Indie/Rock as not changed much making both video’s quite similar.
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