Music video analysis 3 / You Need Me, I Don't Need You - Ed Sheeran

This music video is also simple in its style. It is in black and white, putting more focus on the general concept which is the lyrics being narrated using sign language. This isn't something I have seen before in a mainstream pop video but I like the effect it has. It begins by fading in on a long shot of the main subject who appears to not be the artist of the song. Then a few medium close up shots appear of a guitar being played - you cannot see the face but it is suggested by the trademark guitar and the mystery that this is Ed Sheeran. Before the lyrics begin, a close up of the main character's hands emphasises their significance to the music video and its concept. There are cuts between these shots, a close up of the subject's face which engages the viewer and then the lyrics begin. A mixture of long and medium shots at different angles (side and face on) using the same background and similar lighting puts focus on what the hands are doing. As the pace of the song quickens, so does changes in the lighting and pace of editing - they both become in time to the beat of the song. The camera also starts to move more, quick pans and zooms are used which give the music video more energy and helps the song build. Quick shots of Ed Sheeran's silhouette keep the viewer engaged as they want to see the artist in full. At the half way point of the song, there is an introduction to objects that relate to the lyrics and dancers. Both these aspects add more meaning to the lyrics and fast focus pulls quicken the pace even more. The editing gets very fast for the last verse, but the main focus is still on the sign language. The final shot of the music video reveals Ed Sheeran in full to the viewer, so similar to the previous two videos, the ending satisfies the person watching. I like this music video a lot, and I especially love the concept of not necessarily using the artist of the song for their music video, instead focusing on the storytelling of the lyrics through different forms.

Music video analysis 2 / Silly Boy - David Stewart

This music video is slightly more narrative than The Weeknd's, but the style is similar in that is is quite simple and the lighting is generally low key and dramatic. The opening shots show feet walking and inanimate objects slightly out of focus, this creates mystery to the music video and avoids introducing a full body image of the artist/main subject from the outset. There is then an establishing shot to introduce the main background and also a full body image of the artist is shown for the first time. Jump cuts of the artist with different positions and actions are edited to the beat of the song and this compliments the production and quickens the pace. There are a lot of shots throughout the music video which contain focus pulls, this distorts the image for the viewer and this effect is used frequently when parts of the song warp from the usual sound. The lighting is in general low key, giving the video a dark, atmospheric feel. There are some very fast cuts from shot to shot as you progress with the video, and I like this effect as it helps the visuals build with the audio. Close up shots are used for emphasising important lyrics but there are many times in the video when you can see no facial features at all and simple a silhouette - this adds further mystery and this dramatic look adds a new dimension to the song. The music video finishes with a fade out, what I consider as a viewer to be a satisfying end.

Music video analysis 1 / Live For (feat. Drake) - The Weeknd

This music video is quite simple in its style. It is not very narrative and instead I feel the engaging factors are the editing & lighting. The beginning shots follow through a long, dark tunnel mixed in with random fast paced edits and text. This opening creates mystery and a sense of confusion which I like as it then seems as if the video has more progression when it starts to develop. The artist when introduced is under a single spotlight and positioned in the corner of an extreme long shot, giving the viewer a sense of perspective and ending the mystery of the opening. When the song begins to become more upbeat, flashing lights start and the pace of editing quickens. Although it is quite a slow song, the fast, inconsistent editing style speeds up the pace naturally, whilst not seeming strange or unusual. Both subjects in this music video are dressed in simple, quite plain clothing, putting more focus on the harsh lighting and editing. Throughout the music video, low key lighting is used, adding drama and mystery. The general feel of the video is quite dark, though the flashing lights add dimension and engage the viewer. At the end I noticed how the last few shots are a reverse of the beginning few shots and I think this is a satisfying way to end for the viewer. I love the way this music video has been edited and shot, the inconsistent fast paced editing along with the low key flashing lights create a very dramatic atmosphere which compliments the song well.

Initial ideas

I have chosen to go with the song Incredible by David Stewart. This song is pop in genre but quite slow paced and has interesting lyrics. From listening to the song multiple times and brainstorming a few basic ideas the following aspects come to mind:

• low key lighting
• blue tones
• UV light/paint
• ballet/modern dancer
• simple style
• lyrics told through choreography

Possible song choices

1) Milk - Sea Oleena

2) Incredible (feat. Yasmin) - David Stewart

3) Places We Should Be - Daniela Andrade

Beginning research

Today I begun conducting my research into music videos by watching a variety of examples on the internet. I was able to narrow down to a genre of interest and 3 or 4 possible songs for my video production. Brainstorming rough video ideas is what follows from this so I can then decide on my chosen song and conduct detailed research relating to the specific video style, genre & target audience.

The main task

To create a promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, with two of the following three options:

• a website homepage for the band
• a digipak for the album's release
• a magazine advertisement for the digipak

Preliminary task