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.
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.
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