Performance and Narrative

She's So Lovely by Scouting for girls has a key relation between the lyrics and whats shown in the video. This video supports Goodwins theory that what is in the lyrics is often the subject of the music video. In this case some words directly link to what is being shown like when the lyrics are "bites her lips" as the actress does this exact thing. The video illustrates the lyrics but also amplifies them. The woman here is made to be an object who has no personality emphasising whats being said about her appearance. The sexual nature of some of the lyrics are amplified by the very sexual images in the video. For example the line "shake them hips", has a slow motion track of the woman walking where the camera focuses on her bottom exaggerating the words. The high angle on this shot makes the audience feel as if they are looking at her without permission expressing her sexual purpose in the film.  The video includes lots of semantic elements. In a mainstream pop video images of women being sexualised in common. Laura Mulvey said that most pop videos are made for a heterosexual male audience making this objectification very useful.

 

The song Weapon of choice by Fatboy Slim is interesting as the whole video is narrative based. There is not much of a story being told either as the whole video focuses on a man dancing through a hotel. The only real link between the lyrics and the video is when it says "walk without rhythm" as the man is dancing to the beat of the song. The whole video illustrates a dance pop song but rarely links to the lyrics. This disjuncture between the narrative video and the lyrics is original and would attract a certain type of audience. The famous actor Christopher Walken being the main character in the video is also a good way of making a popular and unique music video that attracts the heterosexual male audience who could relate to the actions this man is taking.

 


Michael Jacksons Beat It music video shows a good example of Todorovs equilibrium theory. Most videos that include a narrative use the equilibrium theory where there is an initial peace and then a new equilibrium at the end. There is an initial break in equilibrium during the music video as the gangs go off to fight from the pub. Then the hero of the story Michael Jackson recognises this and goes to solve the problem. Here there is a good mix between narrative and performance to show that the is a music video. The climax in a knife fight is broken by Micheal Jackson and then a new equilibrium is made after the damage is repaired. The performance sequences in this video by Michael are also adding to the narrative. For example when he is performing In the bar it also shows to the audience that the gang members are out having a fight.

The song also has good links to the video. For example when the lyrics say "who's wrong or right" as he is attempting to stop the fighting. The songs lyrics are illustrated here by the video.

From this task I learnt about all of the different techniques used in music videos and about the balance between narrative and performance. I have seen some videos that use completely narrative and some that use mostly performance. I have looked into band performances a little and have discovered that they include more performance as they focus on all of the instruments. I haven't looked into them in detail as I doubt my music video will be similar to one. Some very effective music videos were ones that tell a meaningful story. For example I have seen a use of the equilibrium theory by Todorov in a second video. I first saw this with The A Team by Ed Sheeran where the start of the video shows the end equilibrium as a twist where she is dead and at peace. Beat It is another effective video using this technique.