Marking Previous Students' Work.

'Stuck'- Canopy Climbers.

Lyrically, the song in the video explains what I perceive to be an individual coming to terms with his mistakes. This is amplified visually by the character who sings the lines arguing with a girl, and attempting to apologise to someone he has been bullying. The line 'my eyes are stuck in a gaze reflecting every move you make, another one trapped in a maze repeating all the same mistakes' is expressed through pained facial expressions as they are recited, with dramatic running or fighting sequences illustrating the struggle.

The tempo is reflected in the cinematography, as steady cams are used to follow characters running along with upbeat instrumental sequences. Quick jump-cuts as they fight during the chorus. And mellow, warm lighting to reflect character development, as opposed to the usual cold blue that enhances the dramatic atmosphere of the song. 

This is a dramatic, indie-rock music video. This can be seen by use of iconography in items such as boxing bags, fires, running, fight scenes and drinking. The mise en scene is generally cold and blue-toned. Costumes are generic and show their demographic, working class/lower middle- which connotes the idea of gangs and violence in WC subcultures. 

There is a wide variety of editing in this example. Time-lapse editing is used to show the passing of time via the movement of the sky, a common feature in music videos. And jump-cuts act as thought beats to match the song. Jump-cuts in the fight scenes also make them seem more realistic, as there is no need for poorly acted punches, the audiences brain assumes they have happened, as we cannot follow the movement of the camera due to the interrupting cuts. 

Intertextuality in this video is simplistic, with most references being reminiscent of boxing films such as Rocky and other teen, coming of age films. The cool tones and urban setting is similar to La Haine, an artistic French noir film; in a way, this adds creative credibility. 

The narrative structure of this music video shows a young man training to fight back against bullies, and one of those offenders coming to terms with his mistakes. The visual narrative tells this story, while performance elements show the offending boy singing the song. It is a good ratio and balance of performance to narrative. 

Representation is good, selection of races and cultural classes. No explicit mentions of disability or sexual orientation and lacks female presence. However, video is reflective of song and its message. 


'Blow Your Mind' - Dua Lipa. 

Lyrically, the song in this video describes female empowerment and self-awareness of her (the artist's) 'power' as she can 'guarantee to blow your mind'. The talent in the video visualises these lyrics through the use of 'star image', an attractive girl is seen carefree and dancing in fairgrounds and quirky cafes. 

Tempo is well reflected in the cinematography, I particularly like the opening shot of the fairground ride and out of focus lights paired with the 'muffled' audio. They compliment each other nicely.

This is a fun, soft pop video. Use of bright neons and pink as well as lens flares and sparkly iconography create happy and carefree vibes. The talent is seen dancing and laughing, smiling and genuinely happy- illustrating the carefree attitude of the song. 

The editing in this video is extremely creative. Visual effects contribute to the quirkiness of the video in its entirety and add more creative elements.

Intertextuality wise, the use of neon is reminiscent of films such as Blade Runner or Birman. It's very Nicholas Winding-Refn. The fairground scenes are similar to that of classic carnival or circus centred films, such as Dumbo, or American Horror Story: Freakshow. 

The narrative and performance is blended into one, as the talent lip syncs in a variety of locations. It's not particularly ground-breaking, but it is conventional of chart music and pop. 

Representation is poor, a white, seemingly middle class female with no presence of any other characters. However, this is reflective of the songs supposed demographic, young girls who listen to pop, popularly white, middle class girls.