Types of music videos analysis

PERFORMANCE

Nicki Minaj Ft Chris Brown - Right By My Side In this music video there is a variety of different shot types such as mid shots, long shots and close ups of Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown in the rule of thirds framing connoting they are the importance of the video. Also the panning camera movement is used to show the whole setting and Nicki Minaj. First of all the music video starts of with Nicki in casual clothing sitting on a chair lip sinking the lyrics to her music video. The video is lit in normal lighting to connote to start of with to which connotes no extra lighting is needed. Long take shots are used more often of Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown to emphasise there importance in the video. Shorter take shot lengths are used on other characters in the video who are not as important to the video. Continuity editing is used through the whole video to allow the audience to understand the narrative of the music video. Editing techniques such as fades and fades to black are used to fade from one scene to another to show the passing of time. The sound is synchronized like all other music videos to make sure the artists are in time with the lip singing. This music video is aimed to teenagers of both genders and all ethnicitys as they are the target audience. Both genders are represented in this video to have style and appeals to both genders as the song is about being in love.

This is the opening shot of the music video. Immediately the audience know that Nicki is the artist and that it is her song. She is framed in the center and this is a long shot. She is dressed in child like girly pyjamas connoting her girlyness. The setting shows an expensive house.

This is editing overlaying two clips together to create this effect. This screen grab shows that nicki is in the background sitting on the chair still. Then her boyfriend is shown in the foreground in the rule of thirds connoting his important. And then a title reads CHRIS BROWN as the bottom. This shows all the main people in the video in one shot. 

This has intertextuality references. Rockstar is a game creator label and is written in the same font as the one on the car bonnet. The car looks expensive and it white which connotes purity.

This is a close up of Nas. It is a over the shoulder shot of Nicki. Because the over the shoulder shot belongs to Nicki, it signifies her importance however Nas is in the shot whereas Nicki is more restricted which signifies his importance.

This is a mid shot of Nicki Minaj. Her performance clearly shows her performing to the camera reinforcing that this music video is of the performance genre. Her arms are spread out as if she is singing passionately. She is wearing a black dress which connotes darkness. The background is a dark grey/black too. She is centered in the shot.

This has a voyeuristic feel to it. It feels like the audience is in the car looking out of the window at Nicki and she is looking back at us. Nicki and Nas are dressed similar. Both are wearing a jean jack. They are matching which reinforces their relationship. 

This mid shot is clear that Chris Brown is performing. His actions tell the audience that is performing. His performance is conventional in music videos of this genre. He is dressed in all white with a pattern on his coat. White symbolises purity and there is a clear sky and trees in the shot which are also pure.

This is a long shot of Chris Brown and Nicki performing to each other. This shot could confuse the audience and make them think that them two are in a relationship rather than Nicki and Nas. Chris Brown is wearing white and Nicki is wearing black which are completely opposites. The background is grey/black and there is a smokey line in the center cutting through Chris Brown and Nicki.

This is a close up of Nas and Nicki Minaj. Similar to the last screen grab it looks like they are in a relationship. Nicki is dressed whereas Nas is topless. They are framed in the center connoting their importance. Nas is behind nicki which shows that Nicki is more dominant and empowered. Nick is also wearing Nas's chain. She raps in this bit "wearing your big chains" therefore this shot synchornises with the lyric.

This is a long shot of Nicki and Nas again. The setting is nature with lots of greenery connoting the nature of the love they have for one another as they are in a relationship. The are sitting down next to each other on the prop of a bench. right by eachothers side which is the song name Right By My Side. Their performance shows them looking at eachother like they are in love.

NARRATIVE

Usher & R Kelly - Same Girl

The narrative of this music video is based on the concept of R Kelly and Usher believing they are both in love with the same girl. In the end, there is a twist in which the audience discover later on in the video.  

This is a mid shot of R Kelly. His costume is white which connotes purity. the colour white subverts to the prop of a cigar in his hand. Mise en scene shows the audience that he is on the phone. He is framed in the rule of thirds connoting that he is important. The background is blurred shallow focus which reinforces his importance in the shot.

This is the girl in which both R Kelly and Usher think they are dating at the same time. This extreme close up is restricted. It shows the girls eyes which are blue connoting beauty. Her make up is light and natural looking and her skin looks flawless.

this is a split screen shot of Usher and R Kelly. The use of the split screen in one shot tells audience that both artist are important and dominant as they are equal to eachother. In fact throughout the video the artists are equal to each other. Costume shows them being dressed very similar throughout the video. In this mid shot, we see them both wearing a white long sleeve top. there performance is showing them doing the same actions. It is almost as if they are mirroring eachother. In both shows the background is blurry and in shallow focus whereas they are in deep. The lighting is low key.

This is a low angle which signifies superiority. The artist are both dressed similar. Both are in formal clothes and wearing sunglasses. Their performance shows them greeting eachother with a friendly handshake. The sky is deep blue and the clouds are parted between the space in between the artists. Lighting is high key in this screen grab.

This close up looks voyeuristic as it is taken from behind them. We know this because of the position of the chairs. It shows r kelly who is dressed in white again signifying purity pouring alcohol in to a glass for the girl. The performance again juxtaposes the symbol of purity.

This has a blue tint on it. It tells us that they are in a club with a fun atmostphere. This is a close up and the girl in which the audience think is the same from the previous shot is whispering in to usher's ear. He is wearing sun glasses like r kelly was in the previous shot. The girl has big hooped earrings on which connotes her girlyness. The fact that she is whispering something in to Usher's ear shows the audience that maybe she is hiding something as a whisper is the act of a secret.

In this long shot the audience are shocked to discover that it was not the same girl but twins. They are dressed in opposites. One is wearing a light beige dress and the other is wearing a dark brown one. This is binary opposites in colour. One twin is in the foreground, and the other is more in the background as she walks over after. This is followed by a cut to a reaction shot of Usher and R Kelly. It is as if they are the audience because they are just as shocked as the audience are. This music video has repeatability because of the twist in the end. It makes the audience want to watch it again to see if they can notice that they are twins from the beginning or not.

CONCEPTUAL

Labrinth - Earthquake

Labrinth is an artist who is well known for his music videos being of the conceptual genre. He makes dance music which are suitable for clubs to play meaning that they are upbeat. Earthquake is his most well known song and got him big.

This is a restricted shot. It tilts up to reveal the artist Labrinth. Automatically the audience can see that this is a conceptual music video because of the CGI in the background.

In this long shot the audience can see that Labrinth is framed in the rule of thirds connoting his importance. This part has intertextual references to the film Transformers which is about a car that transforms into a robot. The car next to labrinth in this shot transforms. This also reinforces that it is a conceptual music video and conforms to the genre of a conceptual music video.

The car transforms into text which is written in this shot. Labrinth is written in the car pieces. It looks 3dimensional which attracts the audiences attention. The artist himself is also in the shot connoting his importance and that this is his song. Conceptual music videos are usually colourful and this one conforms to that. 

This extreme long shot shows labrinth surrounded by speakers which reflects the song lyrics about making an earthquake happen. The speakers are vibrating crazily throughout the video and are an example of a reoccuring visual motif. They make Labrinth look small and the high angle makes him look inferior.

This is an mid shot of rapper tinie tempah. He is wearing yellow which connotes happiness. He is framed right in the center which reinforces his importance. The background is grey which makes his yellow top stand out more and makes it eye catching.

This long shot shows labrinth in the rule of thirds which connotes his importance. He is surrounded by the speakers which are bigger than him making him seem inferior. There are CGI lights flying around and the speakers are moving and the floor is shaking which conforms to the conceptual music video genre.

Labrinth is wearing red. Red connotes love however there is no love interest in this. That is a common theme in his videos, he never usually has love interest because he doesnt do narrative music videos. The audience can sympathise with him because of this. He is centered in the middle making him look isolated and lonely. There is space around him in which little megabytes are travelling around connoting space and emptiness.

This is a low angle which makes the artist look dominant and superior. He is looking down on the audience which makes them feel uncomfortable. Behind him is a moving digital thing which conforms to the idea of a conceptual video. He is wearing a red jacket and his performance looks angry.

This time he is wearing a formal attire. Black blazer and white shit with nerd glasses making him look smart. The black and white contrast eachother as they are opposites. This is a close up. The white background makes the black blazer stand out. 

This is an interesting scene as editing displays to the audience clones of Labrinth. There is 6 of him in this shot where they are doing an acapella of the song. They are singing to the 'energy' in the center of them. They are dressed in all black robes with the hood up connoting isolation. However the fact that they are all singing together connotes unity between them.

This is a worms eye view of Tinie Tempah. This connotes his superiority. He is standing where the 'energy' was in the screen grab before which reinforces his superiority and that he is powerful. 

Editing adds fire to this making it conform to the conceptual music video genre. The ceiling is red too which connotes fire and heat. Tinie Tempah is centered in the middle.

This extreme long shot shows labrinth in the middle of the room. This time he is alone in an empty room which connotes loneliness. There are speakers in the room in which go crazy when the beat drops making the visuals synchronised with the beat of the song. This conforms to the conceptual music video genre.

This is a long shot of labrinth. There are yellow and white lines shooting through the ceiling and he is dancing around them enjoying it. The colour yellow connotes happiness and his performance connotes happiness too. He is wearing white which matches the white lines.

This restricted shot shows Labrinth wearing white shows standing on the letter R which is also in white. White connotes purity. There are different sized white and yellow squares floating around Labrinths feet. He is wearing jeans which is casual costume.

The shot before then tilts up to reveal the artist. He performs into the camera. He is wearing a funky coloured/patterened shirt which conforms to the conceptual music video genre as they are funky aswell.

This is how the video ends. It is a still shot and slowly Labrinth walks away from the camera making him appear smaller and smaller connoting him as inferior.