Planning - Research into similar videos

Analysing different music videos 

Content and visual style

Sia- Elastic Heart

Whilst analysing this music video i was particularly interested in the content and visual style of the video. 

• Themes apparent: Isolation, struggle, connection, escape

• Lighting and colour: Natural lighting, top and back lighting, no added colours. 

• Body language and facial expression of the characters: flexible and bendy body language throughout, emotionless facial expressions at the beginning, then turns aggressive.

• Setting: A white empty room, inside a large cage 

• Iconography/ objects: bandages wrapped around the male characters hands. 

• Character representation: The characters are represented in an unconventional manner, as they are perceived to be looking dirty and having no emotions, simply expressing themselves through their dancing. They are not reflective of mainstream characters and therefore, this music video is likely to be targeted at a niche audience. 

• Artist representation: This is not evident in the music video as the artist is not evident. 

• Editing: slow editing used at the beginning, as the characters are emotionless, and towards the end when the male character is trapped and struggling to let go of the female character. Fast editing is evident in the middle of the video when the characters begin to show more emotion. 

• Use of camera work: Drastic panning around the outer edges of the cage, establishing shots allowing the audience to see the surroundings as well as the characters, extreme long shots of the characters when they are dancing together. 

After analysing this music video, we have identified similarities to our music video as we will also portray themes of struggle and escape. We will also have the male characters inside a cage within a dark room, where they will also fight each other through homoerotic dancing, like the characters in Sia's 'Elastic Heart' music video. We will also use fast editing during the fight scenes to increase suspense. We will also follow use panning shots around the artist and the male characters. 

Artist representation

Lady Gaga- Judas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn8Wrmzuc

Whilst analysing this video, I was mainly interested in the artist representation. 

• Body language/ movement and facial expression of the artist: straight, emotionless facial expressions, free body language, dancing and moving. Towards the end of the video, her facial expressions begin to show emotion as the artist cries, with tears streaming down her eyes. 

• Costume, hair and makeup: Unique makeup and costume, promoting the artist as different and intriguing the audience.

• Interaction with others: Vulnerable, holds on to other characters, leads the dancers,as she dances at the front. 

• Camera work around her: Close up's of her face, long shots when she is dancing. 

From this analysis, some of the similarities I have found include: My artist will also have an unconventional outfit and makeup promoting her as unique, and will also take lead as she will be controlling the male characters. I will also capture my artist through close up's and long shots so the audience can connect with her. 

Structure and artist representation