DW: Music Video's Research

Heights - Eleven Eyes (ft. Sam Carter)

• Interesting use of close ups and framing, i.e feet.
• Everyone else walking backwards and band walking forwards.
• Amplification of the lyric “the world isn't working any more” 
• Contrast between conceptual and performance of just the frontman and the guest vocalist.
• Very definite band ‘style’.

Your Demise - These Lights 

• Lots of different locations and costumes, adding to the bands style.
• Performance and conceptual, the frontman seems to be constantly smiling, makes the song quite uplifting. 
• Sense of rebellion, the blurred middle finger and the slo-mo blowing of the smoke; typical hardcore band. 
• Cutting rate to the song, at the very beginning, anchors the beat of the drums and guitar. 
• Camera is constantly moving, makes it easy and enjoyable to watch.

Feed the Rhino - Left for Ruins

• Use of pull focus and general blur, hard to see everything but focuses audience attention.
• Camera movement aids in the amplification of the bands energy.
• The lyric, “I’ve watched the world change, I’ve seen it change” is quite bold, yet the partial narrative is reflected by that lyric.
• The location is quite gothic and has connotations of drab, dreary emotion; its cave like simplicity makes the video quite chilling. 
• Lots of meat shots, shows how much the band can really ‘kick it.’ 

Odessa - Carry the Weight 

• Use of pull focus on the girl, creates disjuncture and establishes an enigma in the narrative.
• Effective use of a rotational panning shot when the girl is putting the ribbon on the tree, connotations of surrounding emotions.
• The use of snow against white cloud makes the girl look to be in an area of nothingness. 
• The band are performing as if it were a live show, anchoring their ability to be able to play their music well.
• Eye level shots of just the frontman in an alleyway in a different costume shows his importance in the band and provides the ‘meat’ shots.

Cave Painting - Rio

• Definite conceptual video, their seems to be some form of disjuncture, yet the music is suited to the visuals.
• The use of projectors for effects on people works well, creates a distinguished line between reality and falseness. 
• Cut to the video with lighting play a large part in setting ambiance and mood. 
• Lots of interesting close up shots with varying focus levels, distances the audience but also reveals emotion. 
• The props used create enigma, there is no sense of narrative or narrative closure, which adds to the repeatability of the track. 

Stray From the Path - Badge & A Bullet

• Components of narrative, conceptual and performance; an effective blend to create a definite image for the band and a new direction they are taking.
• Strong connotations of rebellion, as the bands name, ‘Stray From the Path’ suggests, they are not a band that conforms to any set rules. 
• The slo-mo and jump cuts, used only occasionally, showed impact and therefore created impact - the shots were strong and amplified the lyrics. 
• The CCTV camera effect was the main source of meat shots, connotations of talking directly to the law. 
• Strong performance, although it was obvious at times the vocalist was miming, there was definite talent. 

Heart in Hand - Almost There

• The closing shot, pan left, of all the instruments with no band members is almost quite chilling; a definite end to the video.
• The black and white and the formal suits compliments the melodic hardcore genre, in particular this song; the removal of the jackets prior to the first beat down suggests a change in style, which is true. 
• The camera constantly panned around the frontman as he was singing, showed his full profile and offered the desirable meat shots. 
• The contrast of formality and the excessive tattoos conveys a sense of the bands persona; yet the overall image of tattoos and piercings is conventional of the genre. 
• Whilst the video is entirely performance based, the audience feel a story within the video, a coming of age of the band. 

While She Sleeps - Seven Hills

• The performance in this video is very real, no miming or anything, as the video points out at the start, it is held in ‘The Barn’ where they practiced everything they had ever written and recorded/produced their first EP; therefore to fans of Sleeps the video has a very nostalgic and personal effect. 
• The intersection of MCU eye level shots of each member of the band and cross fades of earlier music videos shows how the band has grown as a group and as individuals. 
• The slo-mo to real time has a very ‘punchy’ effect, therefore the video very much amplifies the music played. 
• The lyrics are amplified by the emotion in Loz’s, the frontman’s, face and also in the slo-mo shot of Mat, the guitarist/back up vocalist, smiling as the song breaks down to a quieter bridge. 
• The hardcore genre is reflected in this video; the small venue, the tattoo’d band, the emphatic performance, the rowdy crowd and the sing alongs; relatable to an audience of fans. 

Bonobo - Cirrus 

• The framing of it connotes age applicable to the era in which the visuals are from, the effect of an old television is given
• Each change of image is anchored by the track.
• The looping of it follows the timing combined with its obscurity highlights the repeatable factor of the song.
• The images have nothing to do with the song, yet feel right in being there considering its throughout theme.
• The complexity of the video juxtaposes the simplicity of the song - yet it works.

Young Guns - You Are Not 

• The whole video is shot in reverse, the audiences perception of Gus (the main character in the video/singer of the band) changes as the video comes to a close. 
• The change in pace of editing highlights the important and lesser important elements of the storyline.
• Its only when the video has ended when the video actually makes sense, seeing it in reverse makes it confusing. 
• Plenty of ‘meat’ shots even though Gus isn’t singing, all of the band members are also in the video which promotes the band.
• The visuals amplify the lyrics in an abstract way.

Don Broco - Fancy Dress 

• It’s an amalgamation of their summer tour/shows/festivals, shows how much the band play live.
• Plenty of ‘meat’ shots of the band, especially Rob (the singer).
• Its a genuine performance, not at all mimed.
• The use of filters connote fond memories.
• If a fan had been to one of the shows, an element of nostalgia will help with the repeatability factor of the video.

Bring Me The Horizon - Can You Feel My Heart

• Jump cuts anchor the beat of the song, whilst also giving a sense of fragmentation and somewhat disfigurement.
• Semi narrative, very conceptual and definite performance; this video combines all three types of music video in a very eery, mystical way to anchor the song and amplify, in a sense, the lyrics. 
• The ‘meat’ shots of Oli are rarely still; the camera is often panning or tilting, on a track moving back and forth or in a slight expansion of time. 
• The use of the hooded figures as both dancers and as part of the narrative juxtaposes one and other - the audience never seem to know what they are or who they are. 
• The abandoned warehouse location, the hooded figures, the main guy in the narrative waking up somewhere new are all various enigmas, ones that increase the repeatability factor of the video as there is no narrative closure. 

Disclosure - White Noise

• On some levels this video could be considered as to having a narrative, however it is largely conceptual - there is no clear path of events, the audience is never sure as to why the man is dancing, yet it fits and anchors the track well. 
• The locations are very run down and not particularly attractive, makes the dancing stand out and become the focal point of the video. 
• Effective use of jump cuts and slo-mo, adds disjuncture to the video and fits it to the beats of the track. 
• Tracking shots and pans are the most effective in the video; the movement of the camera compliments the dancing and makes it look more outstanding. 
• The use of lighting is particularly prominent; in the dancing sections, the use of camera in to the sun, and emphasis on the torch light somewhat restricts the visibility of the dancer but also makes his moves more noticeable.

Bastille - Of The Night

• The application of grain and a desaturation of the footage makes it feel old and rustic, to anchor the costumes of historic extravagance in the video. Entirely conceptual, the rustic feel and look amplifies the song effectively.
• The initial pan of ‘Bastille’ in writing is a bold opening shot, introducing their band and the cover of the famous song ‘Rhythm of the Night’ by Corona. 
• The intersection of occasional lyrics as filler shots breaks up the video due to its random, but fitting, nature. 
• The camera seems to be handheld as it is constantly moving, having the effect of a recording of a memorable night by someone who was also attending the party. 

Napoleon - Brought Here to Suffer

• Noticeably fast pace of editing, matches the songs up-beat tempo.
• The camera is constantly moving, focusing on all the members of the band and them playing their respective instruments.
• The fact that this is entirely performance based amplifies the song but also the genre - just showing a band playing their song with enthusiasm is really what hardcore music is all about. 
• The opening sequence of the frontman walking towards the set is possibly the best sequence of the video; the fades masking the jump cuts of a simple MS with the frontman facing away and walking from the camera is as if he is just about to walk on stage which, effectively, he is. 
• The ending part of the song is also very effective; the crossfades of the band performing and the frontman’s silhouette provides the ‘meat’ shots of the frontman whilst also reminding the audience that the band is more than just the frontman, its about them all.