Indie Pop Music Video Analysis- Robbers by The 1975

For my fourth Indie Pop music video analysis, I have chosen to study 'Robbers' by The 1975.



Camera Shots/Movements/Angles:
Most of the camera shots in this video appear to have been filmed using a handheld camera. The shots have an unstable, wavering quality which makes the video appear more realistic, and increases elements of tension and chaos at certain points during the video. The realistic quality that using a handheld camera added to the video allows the audience to feel more involved in the narrative, as if they are watching the events unfold from the perspective of somebody who is actually in the video. Establishing shots haven't really been used in this music video, as it focuses mainly on the story involving the two main characters- setting is not a key element of this video. Close-up shots are used throughout this music video in order to emphasise the intensity of the narrative and to show the emotions of the characters through their facial expressions. 

Editing Transitions:
The editor has used simple jump cuts to change between clips/camera shots in this music video. This emphasises the realism of the video and doesn't distract attention from its plot. At the start of the video, the editing is fairly slow paced, reflecting the relaxed atmosphere of this part of the narrative. As the storyline dramatises, however, the editing becomes fast paced, the clips shorter and cuts more jumpy. This highlights the intense and chaotic mood that has developed within the video. The tones in this music video are quite subdued and muted, so a desaturation filter may have been added to the clips during the editing process to create this effect. 

Mise-en-Scene:
The colours shown in this music video are quite dull and desaturated (mentioned above)- an effect that was most likely added during the editing process. This type of colour scheme seems to be popular within music videos of the indie pop genre, so in this way the band have conformed to a stereotype of their genre. The lighting in this music video appears to be purely natural, which again emphasises the realism of the narrative. There are some scenes in the video where the lighting creates artistic effects, for example when the two lead characters can be seen together as silhouettes. Professional lighting may have been used here in addition to natural lighting in order to create this effect. These types of artistic shots are common among music videos within the indie pop genre, and add interesting conceptual elements to narrative videos. 

I think that the clothing worn by the characters in this music video could be viewed as typical of the genre. The female protagonist of the video can be seen mostly wearing outfits including plain high waisted jeans or shorts with patterned cropped tops. The clothing she wears in the music video is unusual and unique, and therefore fits the indie aspect of this genre. The male protagonist dresses predominantly in black, ripped skinny jeans with various shirts worn throughout the video. His clothing is edgy and fairly distinctive, which also fits the indie aspect of this genre. 

I don't think that setting plays a key part in this music video- the storyline is so captivating and focused on that the settings of each scene appear to be a minor background detail. The establishing shot shown below appears to be the only point in the video where the setting is the main focus of a shot. It creates an air of mystery, as commotion and gunshots can be heard from inside the building, yet the audience are unable to see what is actually happening. They are left to assume what happened from the events that occur before and after this particular shot. 

Representation
In this music video, only the lead singer of the band features enough to show any real representation of character. The lead singer plays a seemingly dangerous character who appears to be quite romanticised. Throughout the video, he drinks, smokes, does drugs and plays with a gun whilst clearly intoxicated, all before robbing a supermarket and getting shot. These actions should in theory make him seem like an unappealing person, however, I think that the presence of a lover throughout the events of the video secure the artist with a desirable 'bad boy' type persona. 

Genre of the music and how this is signified in the video

As mentioned previously, the genre of the music is indie pop. I think that the low saturation and muted quality of the colours in the video are indicative of the genre of music, as this is a common feature in alternative pop videos. The main characters in the video are young adults, and as Indie Pop is quite a modern and newly popular genre of music, the age of the characters in the video reflects this. The clothing of the characters in this music video is also relevant to the genre of music as it is quite unique and unusual- words that relate to the word 'indie'.  

Intertextuality

There are no clear intertextual references within this music video. This is probably due to the genre being Indie Pop- the association of mainstream media is not a common feature for an Indie Pop music video to have. However, this music video could be interpreted as a homage to Bonnie and Clyde as it depicts a boy and a girl who are madly in love committing crime together. 

Audience Reception

Stuart Hall's Audience Reception Theory demonstrates three ways in which an audience might read a media text. The theory of preferred reading is when the audience reads the text the way the author intended them to. The theory of negotiated reading is when the audience reads the text the way the author intended, but also uses their personal experiences and interests to modify their interpretation. The third theory is the oppositional reading theory, where the readers' social position means that they have an opposing relation to the text. Therefore, they reject the reading.

For The 1975's 'Robbers' music video, I think that the theory of preferred reading is the most relevant as there is a clear storyline for the audience to follow, therefore, they view the video the way that the artist intended. The theory of negotiated reading could also be applied to this video as a viewer could use their own positions and experiences to interpret certain elements of the storyline. 

Uses & Gratifications- Why might an audience enjoy this video?

The Uses and Gratifications theory suggests that audience members are not passive, but take an active role in integrating media into their lives. It also states that audiences are responsible for choosing certain medias to meet their needs. It focuses on what people choose to do with media rather than the effect that the media has upon them. I think that an audience might watch this video to fulfil entertainment needs, as it has a compelling and gripping storyline.  

Can Andrew Goodwin's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?

I think that elements of Andrew Goodwin's theory can be applied to this music video. For example, the video expresses genre characteristics such as a muted and dull colour scheme, and the involvement of both concept and narrative aspects. There is also some possible involvement of intertextuality in the video (Bonnie and Clyde reference mentioned above). The song is titled 'Robbers', and the narrative appears to show a couple robbing a supermarket together. The lyrics of this song make several references to guns, and a gun is featured in several clips in the video, so in this way, there is a link between lyrics and visuals, and Goodwin's theory can be applied. 

 Can Laura Mulvey's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?

Laura Mulvey coined the term 'Male Gaze', and believes that film audiences must view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male. Her 'gaze' theory is made up of 3 aspects- how men look at women, how women look at themselves and how women look at other women. 

The 'Male Gaze' theory states that the camera lingers on the curves of the female body, and the events that happen to her afterwards are largely based upon the male's reaction to this. It also demotes women to the status of objects, and gives the female viewer a secondhand experience of the narrative through identification with the male on screen.

I think that this theory can definitely be applied to The 1975's 'Robbers' music video. There are several shots where the camera seems to linger on the curves of the body of the female protagonist, and her main purpose in the video appears to be looking after or fulfilling the sexual desires of the male protagonist. I don't think that this quite denotes her to the status of an object, yet it still gives the audience the impression that she is purely a backup character to the male protagonist. 

Are there any Binary Oppositions in the video? If so, where?

Levi Strauss came up with the theory of binary opposites. A protagonist and antagonist, or a hero and villain are typical examples of binary opposites. I don't think that there are any specific binary oppositions shown in this music video, however, at one point in the video, the male protagonist appears to play the part of the villain as he jokingly points a gun at the female protagonist's face, as she is visibly distressed. This could be viewed as an example of binary opposites.

Indie Pop Music Video Analysis- You Are A Tourist by Death Cab For Cutie

The third music video within the Indie Pop genre that I have decided to analyse is 'You Are A Tourist' by Death Cab For Cutie.



Camera Shots/Movements/Angles:
This music video contains a wide variety of shots including tracking shots, ariel shots, mid shots, long shots and close ups. Tracking shots seem to be a common feature of Indie Pop music videos, so it is fitting that this video contains a lot of this style of camera shot. Tracking shots have also been included in this music video to follow the artist from setting to setting, which moves the video along. Ariel shots have been used in this video to create visually pleasing and artistic clips of the dancers. This kind of shot is a popular feature of concept music videos, as it fulfils the criteria of making the viewing experience interesting for the audience. Close-ups, mid shots and long shots have been used in this music video to film the band from varying angles. This makes the video feel more enthralling as there is diversity on screen- the footage is of the same people, but the different shots distinguish the clips from one another. 

Editing Transitions:
This music video was filmed in one take, using multiple cameras with no edits or re-takes. I think that it was important not to use any editing transitions within this music video as the video itself is quite chaotic and busy, so complicated editing transitions would make it seem over the top, and would minimise the fluidity of the video. Switches between cameras/shots are simple and instant, so as not to distract attention from the visuals on screen. 

Mise-en-Scene:
The colours in this video are bright and bold, which contrasts with the typical muted colour scheme of an indie pop music video. Lighting and projection are big features in this video, so bright colours are necessary in order to ensure that the full impact of the lighting effects is carried across on screen. 

In this music video, the band are shown to be wearing plain black suits. The suits light up with dotted bulbs in alternating colours as the band appear as silhouettes in front of a large screen playing a geometric graphic sequence. The suits match the setting of the video, as the stage and drum kit are lined with blue bulbs also. I think that wearing relatively formal clothing makes the band appear more professional, while adding the lights onto the suits shows the audience that while professional, they are not dull or monotonous. 

This music video appears to be set in some kind of production space. This is made clear as the video progresses and shows aspects of the set such as large digital screens, a large performance space and various props, all of which were likely created from scratch exclusively for this video. 
Lighting plays a big part in this music video, and features consistently throughout the sequence. I think that it could be argued that lighting is the central focus of this video, as it makes up a large part of the mise-en-scene, including costume and setting. The lighting in this music video is quite artistic and captivating, which makes it clear that this is a concept video. 

Representation
I don't think that this music video really highlights any significant representation of the band, however, I think that the mise-en-scene of the video allows the audience to make their own judgements about them. The band members are seen to be wearing all black suits, which light up with bulbs in bold colours. Wearing suits as opposed to a more casual style of clothing could show the audience that the band are professional and take their music seriously, while adding the bright flashing lights to their clothing gives the impression that they are not boring or mundane. I think that the overall concept of this music video showcases the band's creativity and their ability to come up with unique ideas. 

Genre of the music and how this is signified in the video
The genre of this song is indie pop, and I think that this is reflected through the conceptual elements of the music video such as the artistic lighting and projection. The colours in this music video are mostly bold and contrasting, which varies from the expected colour scheme of a video within this genre.  

Intertextuality
There are no clear intertextual references within this music video. This is probably due to the genre being Indie Pop- the association of mainstream media is not a common feature for an Indie Pop music video to have. 

Audience Reception
Stuart Hall's Audience Reception Theory demonstrates three ways in which an audience might read a media text. The theory of preferred reading is when the audience reads the text the way the author intended them to. The theory of negotiated reading is when the audience reads the text the way the author intended, but also uses their personal experiences and interests to modify their interpretation. The third theory is the oppositional reading theory, where the readers' social position means that they have an opposing relation to the text. Therefore, they reject the reading.
For Death Cab for Cutie's 'You Are a Tourist' music video, I think that the theory of preferred reading is the most relevant as the video doesn't really appear to have any deeper meanings, so the audience interprets the video the way that the band intended. 

Uses & Gratifications- Why might an audience enjoy this video?
The Uses and Gratifications theory suggests that audience members are not passive, but take an active role in integrating media into their lives. It also states that audiences are responsible for choosing certain medias to meet their needs. It focuses on what people choose to do with media rather than the effect that the media has upon them. I think that an audience would watch this music video for entertainment purposes or because they are a fan of the band. 

Can Andrew Goodwin's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?
I think that elements of Andrew Goodwin's theory can be applied to this music video. For example, the video expresses genre characteristics such as the involvement of conceptual aspects. There are lots of close ups of the band shown in this music video, which also complies with Goodwin's theory. However, the colour scheme does not match the typically dull and muted tones of an indie pop music video, there are no links between lyrics and visuals, no links between music and visuals, and no intertextual references.

Can Laura Mulvey's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?

Laura Mulvey coined the term 'Male Gaze', and believes that film audiences must view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male. Her 'gaze' theory is made up of 3 aspects- how men look at women, how women look at themselves and how women look at other women. 

The 'Male Gaze' theory states that the camera lingers on the curves of the female body, and the events that happen to her afterwards are largely based upon the male's reaction to this. It also demotes women to the status of objects, and gives the female viewer a secondhand experience of the narrative through identification with the male on screen.

I don't think that Laura Mulvey's theory can be applied to this music video, as the female body is not really focused on in a sexual way.

Are there any Binary Oppositions in the video? If so, where?
Levi Strauss came up with the theory of binary opposites. A protagonist and antagonist, or a hero and villain are typical examples of binary opposites. There are no Binary Opposites in this music video, as it is purely conceptual and performance based.

Indie Pop Music Video Analysis- Royals by Lorde

The second music video within the Indie Pop genre that I have decided to analyse is 'Royals' by Lorde.



Camera Shots/Movements/Angles:
This music video contains a variety of shots including close ups, mid shots, long shots and tracking shots. Using this range of shots makes the video feel more realistic as it enables the audience to see more of various scenes, almost causing them to feel as if they were in the room. It contains footage filmed on both handheld cameras and using a stedicam, however, the majority of the video has been filmed using a stedicam/tripod. I think that this gives the video a clean cut feel and allows the audience to focus on the content of the shots, without being distracted by excessive camera movement. Clips of the singer lip synching to the song have been included in this music video. They consist mostly of close up shots where the singer is looking directly into the camera. This allows the audience to connect more with the artist, and showing close up shots of the artist provides the opportunity for recognition from the audience. A tracking shot of a street has been used at the beginning and end of this music video. This makes the audience feel as though they are travelling to and from the setting of the video, providing closure and a narrative perspective for the viewer.

Editing Transitions:
In this music video, simple jump cuts are used to switch between clips. This emphasises the clean cut feel that the video has, and ensures that the focus is entirely on the clips on screen rather than having elaborate transitions. Jump cuts also provide an immediate switch between clips, which in turn takes up less screen time. A slow motion effect has been added on to a few of the shots in this video. This makes them more dramatic, which I think fits the overall theme of the music video well.

Mise-en-Scene:
The colour scheme in this music video is quite subdued and dull- this effect may have been created during the editing process by decreasing the saturation of the video clips. This gives the music video a bleak and desolate quality, enhancing the dramatic yet realistic feel of the narrative. The lighting in this video is muted, giving each shot an effect that works to enhance the overall theme of the music video.

This music video shows the actors and the artist dressed in simple, plain and modern clothing. This gives the impression that costume is not a large focal point in the video, as the outfits almost seem to blend into their surroundings- they are not out of the ordinary. This highlights the elements of realism shown in this music video and makes it feel more relatable to the audience. The clothing worn in this video also shows that it is set in the present day, which reflects the modern and contemporary style of music.

This music video opens with a tracking shot showing a suburban housing estate. This immediately shows the audience that the video is set in a mundane, everyday environment, which also sets the tone for the whole music video. The other settings used in the video are the various rooms in a house, a gym, a swimming pool, a bus stop and a bus. These settings make the music video and the artist feel more accessible to the audience as they are universally recognised as day-to-day places that have a presence in most people's lives. 

Representation
I don't think that this music video shows any specific or particularly prominent representation of the artist. The only featuring that the artist has in this video is short clips of her lip synching to the track interspersed among the narrative clips that make up the majority of the video. This could give the impression that the artist is modest and not self-centred, as she is not the sole focus of the video. The artist is not filmed from a high or low angle, which could be interpreted as her way of showing the audience that she is on the same level as them- they are equals. 

Genre of the music and how this is signified in the video
The genre of this music video is Indie Pop. I think that the low saturation and muted colour scheme is indicative of this as these are fairly common features for a music video within this genre to have. The actors in the video are young adults, and as Indie Pop is quite a modern and newly popular genre of music, the age of the actors in the video reflects this. The artist is also clearly in her late teens, which backs up my aforementioned point about this genre of music. The video doesn't appear extravagant or over produced, which reflects the 'indie' (independent) aspect of the genre. 

Intertextuality

There are no clear intertextual references within this music video. This is probably due to the genre being Indie Pop- the association of mainstream media is not a common feature for an Indie Pop music video to have. 

Audience Reception

For Lorde's 'Royals' music video, I think that the theory of negotiated reading is the most relevant as there is a narrative for the viewer to follow, and as there is emphasis on the realism and mundane elements of this video, the audience can read the text as the author intended, while also drawing on personal experience in order to relate to the video.

Uses & Gratifications- Why might an audience enjoy this video?

I think that  an audience would watch this music video for entertainment purposes, and perhaps to fulfil a desire to learn more about the artist's background, as this video was Lorde's debut, and ultimately what gained her widespread recognition.

Can Andrew Goodwin's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?

I think that Andrew Goodwin's theory can be applied to this music video. The video shows several close-ups of the artist throughout, and expresses genre characteristics such as the involvement of both concept and narrative aspects, and the muted colour scheme. However, there are no links between lyrics and visuals, no links between music and visuals, and no intertextual references shown in this music video.

 Can Laura Mulvey's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?

I don't think that Laura Mulvey's theory can be applied to this music video, as the female body is not really focused on.

Are there any Binary Oppositions in the video? If so, where?

Levi Strauss came up with the theory of binary opposites. A protagonist and antagonist, or a hero and villain are typical examples of binary opposites. While two characters in this video are shown boxing, the same two characters are also shown laughing together, indicating that they are not binary opposites- there is no real hero or villain in this narrative.

Indie Pop Music Video Analysis- California Nights by Best Coast

Before I create my own music video, I am going to be researching music videos of the same genre as the artist I have chosen. The artist I have chosen for my music video is Halsey, whose music is defined as 'Indie Pop'. I have therefore decided to research various music videos within the Indie Pop genre. 

The first video I have chosen is 'California Nights' by Best Coast.



Camera Shots/Movements/Angles:
This video consists almost entirely of panning shots. I think that this gives the video a really flowing quality and keeps the audience interested as the shots are constantly moving. The shots in this video vary from close-ups to long shots, and I think that this variety is part of what keeps the video from being dull and mundane. Wide shots have been used as establishing shots to create atmosphere and close up shots have been used to show details in the setting of the video. 

Editing Transitions:
Layering is used to overlap clips throughout this music video, giving it a transcendent and almost dreamlike quality which I think reflects the song well. Some shots transition with simple jump cuts, which I think has been done to break up the sense of motion and fluidity in the video in order to keep the audience interested. The editing is slow paced to match the relaxed feel of the song and video, and I think that the video really enhances the song because of this. 

Mise-en-Scene:
The colours in this music video are mostly either extremely dark shadowed shades or bright, warm and intense colours. The gradients of warm colour shown throughout the video create a relaxed and almost dreamlike atmosphere. As the song is titled 'California Nights', I think that the colours in the music video really enhance the theme and subject of the song as they are typically associated with Los Angeles sunsets.

Costume does not play a big role in this music video, especially since there are only people shown on screen in a very small part of the video. From these clips, I think that it is easy to determine that this video is set in the present day, and is supposed to be realistic. The outfits worn by the people in the video are not out of the ordinary or particularly memorable, which shows that the artist probably wanted the audience to focus on a different aspect of the video to the clothing worn in it. Towards the end of the video, the man and woman on screen can be seen wearing sunglasses. This emphasises the stereotypically Californian theme that this music video has.

Setting is clearly the main focus of this music video. Throughout the video, a series of wide shots, panning shots and close ups are used to show different pieces of scenery and landscapes. These clips make up the majority of the music video. I think that setting has been used as a point of focus for this video as the song is titled 'California Nights', and the shots throughout the video show stereotypical elements of a California landscape such as palm trees, cacti, desert and pink hued skies. The setting directly relates to the song, and the audience is able to make an instant link between the two.

Representation
This music video does not portray any specific representation of the artist. The band members of Best Coast are only briefly featured in this music video, which doesn't really allow the audience to draw any particular conclusions about them. On the other hand, the lack of artist presence in this video could give the audience the impression that the band are quite reclusive and modest, and want the focus to be on their music rather than their image.

Genre of the music and how this is signified in the video
The genre of this song is Indie Pop. It is a fairly niche genre that is mostly made up of artists that focus on concepts and themes rather than narratives in their music videos. I think that this video is easily identified as an indie pop video as it is clearly conceptual. Indie pop is a genre that is aimed mainly at young people, so the presence of young adults in this video links directly to the genre.

Intertextuality
This music video does not show any obvious or recognisable intertextuality. This is probably due to the genre of the song being Indie Pop, as the association of mainstream media is not a common feature for a video in this genre to have.

Uses & Gratifications- Why might an audience enjoy this video?

The Uses and Gratifications theory suggests that audience members are not passive, but take an active role in integrating media into their lives. It also states that audiences are responsible for choosing certain medias to meet their needs. It focuses on what people choose to do with media rather than the effect that the media has upon them. I think that an audience might watch this video to fulfil entertainment needs, as it is quite artistic. They might also watch this video for educational reasons in order to learn about Californian landscape looks like.

Can Andrew Goodwin's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?

I don't think that Goodwin's theory can be applied to this video as there aren't many clear close-ups of the artist in the video, there are no links between lyrics and visuals, no links between music and visuals, and no intertextual references. The only real link is between the song title and the video content.

 Can Laura Mulvey's theory be applied to the video? If so, where?

I don't think that Laura Mulvey's theory can be applied to this music video, as the female body is not really focused on.

Are there any Binary Oppositions in the video? If so, where?

As this is not a narrative music video, there are no Binary Oppositions shown in the video.

Lyrics To Our Chosen Song ('Colors' by Halsey)

"COLORS"

Your little brother never tells you but he loves you so
You said your mother only smiled on her TV show
You're only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope
I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old

You're dripping like a saturated sunrise
You're spilling like an overflowing sink
You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece
And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink
Mmmmm

Everything is blue
His pills, his hands, his jeans
And now I'm covered in the colors
Pulled apart at the seams
And it's blue
And it's blue

Everything is grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means
And he's blue
And he's blue

You were a vision in the morning when the light came through
I know I've only felt religion when I've lied with you
You said you'll never be forgiven 'til your boys are too
And I'm still waking every morning but it's not with you

You're dripping like a saturated sunrise
You're spilling like an overflowing sink
You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece
And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink
Mmmmm

Everything is blue
His pills, his hands, his jeans
And now I'm covered in the colors
Pulled apart at the seams
And it's blue
And it's blue

Everything is grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means
And he's blue
And he's blue

Everything is blue
Everything is blue
Everything is blue
Everything is blue

(SPOKEN) You were red and you liked me 'cause I was blue
You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky
And you decided purple just wasn't for you

Everything is blue
His pills, his hands, his jeans
And now I'm covered in the colors
Pulled apart at the seams
And it's blue
And it's blue

Everything is grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means
And he's blue
And he's blue

Everything is blue [4x]