Michael Buble - Lost analysis

This video has an evident use of two worlds where the singer is singing and there are actors that are portraying the lyrics through the narrative. The video starts off with a tracking shot going across some stairs which leads to the singer. There is also the use of fading black (below) with some of the cuts which is in sync with the beat of the music that is slow and corresponds to give a gentle pace to the video. This is a typical convention of a music video as the cuts are in sync with the beat of the music.

The audience is aware of the editing process of the video andis not drawn into the narrative. This is due to the bisected close up shots of the singer frequently as the camera is always very slowly so that the camera work does not become static as Vernallis says “It provides a simple way for a music video to catch and sustain a songs momentum”. Therefore, this is a typical convention of a music video as the camera is never static and is always moving.

There is also the frequent use of close up shots on the actor of the narrative, which suggests that the narrative is understood by the audience through the facial expressions and movements of the actors which also link to the lyrics of the song which represents how they feel.

There is the use of establishing shots throughout the video to commence the beginning of the narrative of the video, as the audience is fixed on the lives of several different actors and how they link to the narrative and portray that through their lives. In the establishing shot, it is also evident how a medium shot is used so that we are able to see the actor and everything in the room which may represent how vulnerable he is and insignificant he is in the narrative.

The mise en scene of the video is realistic as it is set where everyday people will go which is seems a block of flats or apartments. Also, the singer is dressed casually smart which reflects the genre he is representing which is pop. The singer wearing a suit or smart clothing which is his trademark because he is always wearing his black suit or another suit and nothing else. The actors also wear realistic clothing to add to the realistic mise en scene trying to be portrayed which is a typical convention of a music video.

There is the use of tracking shots that are constantly used throughout the video and links the singer’s world and narrative world where we can easily access them as the singer’s world represents the narrative world. This is done without too much notice (below) and is a typical convention of a music video to represent time changing.

The 180 degree rule is broken by the singer for the majority of the video as we see the front of the singer walking towards the camera and we also see the singer walking in front of the camera and tracks him from behind. This could be code for freedom and that there are no boundaries surrounding him which juxtaposes the narrative where people are trapped. This is conventional of a music video nowadays, where before not many videos broke the rule, but it can now be found in many music videos to usually connote freedom and allows the camera to move more freely.




There is also the use of codes such as when we see the actors trapped in window as if in a shop. This could be code for how they are trapped, while everyone gets along with their lives. This also links to the title of the song "Lost" where the actors are lost in the narrative.