Task Three #1:
This casual music video gives off a fun and light-hearted atmosphere, which has been captured by a small group of friends having fun on camera by dancing, walking, driving, rowing, spinning round and round, playing, laughing and doing every-day activities. The two girls are dressed in casual outfits and have been lightly styled, to give a natural and every-day appearance, which takes the video away from being a performance video, as well as tying in with the beat and feel of the song. Slightly more styled outfits have been used when the wedding location is on show, as this ties in with the narrative, as well as demonstrating natural events, such as dressing up and having fun at a wedding. The male characters in the video however are even more relaxed than the girls, wearing only shorts and t-shirts. This gives the same casual and enjoyable vibe, linking with the song.
Locations such as the car, streets, a garage, a city, a field, a house, a monument, wedding, market stall, swing, fountain, lake (boats), fairground and concert style venue at the end have been used. The car and walking etc. have been used to show travelling, which makes this video more of a narrative, however since the actions don't have much relevance to the song, it can also be seen as disjunctive, but with a loose narrative technique. I like the method of including the travelling in, as you can look out of the window and jump cut to the different shots of location, to show time passing in a simple way.
The band is not used in this video, as in The Givers other performance videos I can see that these characters are not part of the band. No singing is done by these characters, and this is something that I will need to incorporate into my video.
I really love the way the video has been edited, as it cuts to a different frame every time the beat occurs. The beat of the song is uneven, yet runs in a similar pattern throughout the song, apart from the 'middle eight' which has a loose beat to it. During this section the editing is tied to the melody and tune of the song, however there is no structure, and long shots are mixed in with shorter ones, changing when the director feels appropriate.
When filming, the camera is never still. It is either moving in one direction slightly, following or contrasting the movements of the friends, zooming in quickly whilst filming (or zooming out). A tripod cannot have been used to achieve this effect, as some of the shots are also shaky, like when using a hand-held camera. I like this affect as it feels natural and like you are part of the action, involving the audience and providing non-static camera methods that make the video more interesting to watch.
To achieve this affect, a large amount of footage will have been taken, however some of it would have been in the same shot, yet edited to look jumpy and disjointed. For example, the scene in the field with the two girls, and then one guy dancing, can have been filmed in one long shot, and then just edited. The camera will have been moving, or taking the same footage from different angles and zooms, as well as doing these things whilst filming continuously. This affect is really good, as it shows the continual journey, yet makes it interesting through the use of editing.
I really like the idea of the style in Noche Nada, as I can film things in various locations such as on holiday in Austria, Coombe abbey, supermarkets/markets, town centres, cinema etc. However, in this video the same characters are used throughout, and with filming many different things in different locations, this may be difficult to achieve, and still use the same people in the video. I really want to create a video along these lines, and other songs by the Givers will also be good due to their unique and mellow sound.
Task Four #1:
Why did you choose the text you are analysing?
It's an unusual video and by one of my favourite bands. I love the song and enjoy the light hearted feeling the video portrays.
In what context did you encounter it?
Before downloading the album I wanted to listen to the songs in full and went on YouTube to find the video in order to listen to the song.
What conventions of the genre do you recognise in the text?
- Dancing
- Stars multiple people
- Outdoor locations
- Costume changes
- Jump Cuts
- Fast paced editing
- Variety of angled shots
- People in the video who aren't the band and don't sing; creating a narrative
What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?
Because I was listening to the song for the first time, I really had to focus on what I could hear and see, and because I liked the song, my feelings for the video were automatically the same.
To what extent does this stretch the conventions of it's genre?
The fact the band isn't in the video breaks one of the largest used conventions, however the narrative containing people singing is also commonly used. The 'narrative' in this video however doesn't really portray any real story, just shows several events such as a wedding, a trip to a landmark and a party at the end.
Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
The people in the video are not band members, showing every day people such as the audience can have fun, not just celebrities. The actors haven't been lavishly or excessively styled, they don't look glamorous like stereotypical artists and their outfits.
What sort of audience did you feel that the video was aimed at?
I'd say it was aimed at the teenage audience, however it does not adhere to the conventions most thought of when thinking about teenagers, like loud music, concerts, half naked girls/guys, big dance numbers. etc
What sort of person does it assume you are?
Fun, light hearted, eventful, silly, likes to have fun and go out with friends to parties or day trips, doesn't care about looking strange; something that goes against the opinion we all care about what we look like and how others see us
What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?
We're not extravagantly posh, we're down to earth, middle class due to the style of wedding in the video and the everyday life locations used etc. People around 20 years old/teenagers are known to have fun, does things for no reason, go on day trips etc. Girls in this video are seen as relaxed, happy, look like they're having fun.
What relevance does the text actually have for you?
It portrays things done in real life such as messing about with friends, going to weddings and parties, they seem down to earth and like regular people, not just famous celebrities whose lives are so different to ours. It's similar to the days out and messing around that we all experience at some point.
What knowledge does it take for granted?
We like seeing other people do what we do and have fun, it reassures us that we're not the only ones who act differently, it takes the knowledge that we all want to fit in but have a good time.
To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the video seeks to position you as?
I do random things and have fun, singing and dancing is amusing with friends as you can have a laugh. I often have days out like they do in the video so I know how much fun you can have and whilst the video makes me smile, I also recall times that i have spent in similar locations.
Are there any notable shifts in the videos style?
When the music changes in the Middle Eight the editing style changes as to cut in time to the beat requires longer shots and more irregular editing. The scenery also changes from the day to the night, meaning the lighting and shots are different.
What responses does the video seem to expect from you?
Smiling, thinking about happy times with friends, relate to the events, teenage lifestyle comparisons.
How open to negotiation is your response (are you invited, instructed or coerced to respond in a particular ways)?
It's hard to watch the video and feel something other than happiness due to the fact the audience is invited into the happiness and enjoyment of the characters
Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected ways?
No, because the band isn't that well known, and society hasn't accepted them as a band 'everyone should like' like bigger bands and stars e.g. One Direction
To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against the grain' of the text and the genre?
I don't due to the fact the song has no hidden meaning and the video is simple and effective, I am in the intended audience, therefore feel what the producers intended us to.
How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?
It's not very typical due to the fact it looks low budget and ordinary and there are no post-production effects, lighting, large amounts of choreography, glamorous or sexy outfits that most female artists or bands may wear. I've not seen many other music videos along the lines of this one, and that makes it unique and atypical.
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