Music videos

Exam style - MUSIC VIDEOS: 

10 mark question - 15 minutes
15 mark question - 30 minutes
- Could be asked about language, representation or context
- Could be asked about one of the videos, both or a comparison of the two.

Titanium:

• Lighting is natural giving less of an artificial effect - could also highlight the aspect of bullying by making the seriousness of the issue known/clear to its audience. Once lighting gets darker it connotes this idea that the young boy is seriously upset and unhappy with the life he lives.
• Slow pace at the beginning enabling us to interpret the situation but once on the bike the pace reflects the speed that he is cycling at.
• Special effects are used when the toys are floating around the room and when the boy summons the keys from the kitchen counter. 
• Long shots create the isolation he feels whilst also suggesting that he is different to those around him.
• At the end of the video there is an over the shoulder shot from behind the police officer which could suggest that the boy holds more physical power - reflected when the officers are thrown back at the end.
• Warm clothes signify this idea off 'living life in the cold', combined with his emotions we feel this saddened atmosphere he lives within.
• Red hat is a main prop throughout the video as we are able to recognise him meaning this prop serves to be a strong motif and explains his differences to the rest of society.
• Keys have two interpretations they symbolise escapism from constantly having the hide in the dark whilst, also emphasising the idea of wanting to hide from others so that he isn't bullied/attacked.
• Representation of his house being in a complete mess reflects the state of his life during this time.
• Video takes us on a journey and shows us how he had the strength to carry on until we are presented with this bright light right as the final shot which could suggest that he has committed suicide.
• Boy returns to the same body position that he was in at the beginning (head in his hands) - highlights this idea of a cyclical structure connoting this idea of not having a rest from his tiresome awful life.

Stop where you are:

• Low angles connote strength and that she is able to 'stand tall' - something that is hard to do in society. Lower angles could also reflect the weakness she felt in her old self and the slightly higher angles suggest how far she has grown as a person.
• Pan shot off her shoes creates a calm tone at the beginning whilst showing the women's elegance.
• Many shots of the women are of her being alone, this highlights the idea of independence and being able to hold her own.
• Women in the red dress has the most screen time as the message is about how she has grown from a saddened hopeless little girl to a strong independent women.
• It's evident that the women is speaking to her younger self in the hope that her message will reach out to other people who are feeling the same way that she was.
• Bullies in the foreground look bigger than her which could suggest she was intimidated by them at one stage of her life.
• The red dress has connotations of love and women empowerment and the blue hoodie her younger self wears has connotations of sadness.
• Darker lighting is evident in shots of her younger self, this juxtaposes the brighter lighting in her older self - suggesting she is happy now.
• The emotional performance could reflect how she had a rough life when she was younger but as she has got older she has learned how to deal with it which has resulted in growth in her personal self.
• Slow pace so that the meaning can be acknowledged and understood by the audience, also the slowness highlights the seriousness of inequality.
• Video explains how we are all part of the same community and therefore everyone should be civil and should respect everyone regardless of how similar or different they are.