Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor
Electro / pop / alternative
Genre Characteristics
Bright block colours are highly present in the mise-en-scene throughout the video; this includes the construction of the set and the bands/ performers costumes.
The close ups of maniacal/ functional items throughout the video reflect the electro genre of the music as well as the nerdy image of the band/ genre, for example the C.U of the wind up teeth, also the technical equipment. The mixture of the strong presence of colour coupled with the occurring visual presence of technology and non ambient lighting makes the mise-en-scene seem very artificial, this again couples with the electro genre of the music. The mise-en-scene of the video is a warehouse, this is shown in several shots, and this again fits the genre of the artist and highlights the sense of artificial and technology. There is dancing in the video which fits with the dance/techno aspect of the genre, but this is contrasted with the awkwardness of the dancing, this fitting with the nerdy characteristics of the genre/band.
Visual and lyrics
At the beginning of the video lyrics appear on a TV screen on a wall, this display a link between the visuals and the lyrics, this same shot repeats again in the middle of the song.
Tendency for close ups of artist
There are C.U’s of the lead singer and band member throughout the video.
Reference to looking / voyeurism
There is a strong sense of voyeurism in the video displayed though several aspects in the video. For example the CCTV style footage watching the performers / actors.
Inter textual references
The lead singers appears dressed as the ‘Joker’ from ‘Batman’ for a large majority of the music video.
City and Colour – Coming Home
Acoustic / alternative / rock
Genre characteristics
There is lots of C.U used of the artist playing his acoustic guitar, this being a characteristic of the acoustic genre. The video has been edited in black and white, this makes it seem soft and artist, this could be again said to be a genre characteristic. The artist sits on a stool. There are several cross dissolves in the video suiting the slow steady pace of the acoustic music.
Visuals and lyrics
The song has several lines relating to different cities and travelling there are several shots of urban locations, linking the visuals to the lyrics.
Visuals and music
The visuals are cut to the beat of the music.
Tendency of close ups of artist
There are C.U’s of the artist throughout the video, this links to the fact that the video is performance based. The C.U’s are general of the singers face and hands and are slighting angled to the side of the performer.
Reference to looking / voyeurism
There are C.U’s of the artist throughout, the impact the C.U’s makes the audience feel as if they are with the artist sitting there watching him perform by his side, this makes it very personal to the audience, as well as very voyeuristic the sense of watching the artist perform in front of you. The narrative part of the video consists of a girl in her room the audience watch her as she lies on her bed, there are several C.U’s as she moves around, this is again very voyeuristic as the audience watch the girl in her bedroom which is associated as normally being a very private space. There are also shots of her showering; again the audience invade on the private space of the character, creating a strong sense of looking, voyeurism.
R.E.M – Daysleeper
Rock/ alternative
Genre characteristics
The video is narrative based, with no performance, although the lead singer does play the part of the main character in the video.
Visuals and lyrics
The narrative reflects the lyrics of the track, it being centered around an office worker. There are speed up shots of cities, and the general life of them, this again fits around the topic of working, but contrasts with the slow slugishness of the 'Daysleeper'.
Visuals and music
The speed up footage contrasts the pace and 'sleepiness' of the track but is reflective of the the songs lyrics based around working and the rush of the city. It also creates a sense of tideousness, as if in an constant loop, making the male character in the video seem robotic, tired and automated by his function as a worker.
Tendency for close ups of the artist
Although there is no performance in the video the main character in the video is the lead singer of the band.
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