30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill

The music video for “The Kill” is based on the film “The Shining” so events that allow the narrative to move forward is intertextuality to the film. This is evident through the cuts of the shots, the mise en scene and the narrative. The music video has decided to copy the outline of “The Shining” as the narratives are similar but have different purposes. In the film, the narrative is about a man who is a caretaker for the hotel during the winter, where he also tries to write his own book. This makes him go mad and goes on a killing spree on his wife and child. Similarly, the music video copies the films, as the band are there to write a song and perform, staying at the hotel for a few days, which makes them go weird and mad.
The opening shot of the video is similar to the film as there is non – diegetic music that is featured during the film to progress the narrative. The use of white on black writing with the same font is conventional of the film (below) and is therefore used in the music video. The use of these shots happens during the video of each day the band is there. Therefore, due to these shots carrying the narrative of the video to the climax, this is conventional of a music video.

There is an establishing shot of the building that the band will be staying in for a few days, which is similar to the hotel in the film, linking to the intertextuality, as it is large and historical linking to the genre of indie which portrays a gothic feel. This is a typical convention of a music video as establishing shots allow the narrative to commence and notify the audience what the narrative is about.

Many of the shots used in the music video are extremely similar to the film, due to the intertextuality. An example of this is the singer positioned similar to the film (below) through the use of a close up shot that focuses on the singers face which is very gothic. This video may be intertextuality very similar to the film, but it still keeps the conventions, which is the focusing on the band.

The pace of the cuts are also similar to the film. We hear a diegetic sound of a thud. The sound is in sync with the cuts of the shots from the notes to the typewriter to the singer bouncing the ball linking to the syncing of the beats to the cuts. This is once again intertextuality from the film, as the character does exactly the same to the film "The Shining" as a means of carrying the narrative.

There is the typical convention of a music video is also featured in the video of the artist performing on a stage. The low angle medium shot gives the impression to the audience that they are a part of the audience and the narrative. This is typical because the artist wants the focus to be around them and not so much the narrative. As Vernallis says "Low angle shots are used more extensively in music videos, partly because they reproduce relations among the audience, performer and stage” which supports that idea. Also, there are a number of close up shots of the different members of the band. This is a typical convention of a music video as it allows the band to show off their musicality toward their audience.

Also, at the beginning of the video, we see the use of low angle shot looking up the at the band in the car shows their power and control over the audience as Vernallis says "Such shots confer authority upon performers". This is typical of a music video as the artist wants to stay in control over the audience and to show their power.

The video is also very Gothic and this links to the film once again such as the naked woman that comes out of the shower in the film. Intertextuality is once again featured in the video, as the similar woman coming out of the shower comes out of the shower and is embraced by a member of the band. Also the cuts flash to other cuts of the Gothic woman covered in blood asVernallis says "Quick cutting on the beat”.

Also, the images and mise en scene that the music video is repeating and implementing from the film allows the music video to portray the Gothic and sinister feeling that is from the film. This is placed into the music video to get this Gothic impression also. It is made even more sinister when the member of the band sees his dark side, portraying their stages of madness. The idea of the video being Gothic due to the indie genre and the intertextuality is also seen through the flashing images of the naked woman, that through the flashes we see draped in blood. This is intertextuality to the film once again.

The audience is made aware of the editing process due to the different rules being broken throughout the video. An example of this is the 30 degree rule which is broken throughout the video. This is shown when the lead singer is walking up to the typewriter, but we see him get closer to the typewriter through quick cuts but are below 30 degrees which is not a typical convention of a music video, but is frequently broken often. These jump cuts are also in sync with the beat of the music as Vernallis says "Quick cutting on the beat”

The 180 degree rule is also broken in the music video which is not a typical convention of a music video. This can be seen when the singer of the band tries to follow his impersonator through the hotel and we see him from back and then we see him walk and then he is walking toward us as a match on action shot. The way that the rules are broken allows the Gothic theme to be successfully portrayed as the audience is disorientated as the audience is not sure which is the real band member and the confusing chash.

There is also the close up shot note at the beginning of the video that the band read, the note tells the band not to go into room 6277 which is reference how the characters are warned in the film about not going into room 237, once again intertextuality. The use of this shot is to move the narrative along and too also explain it to the audience, which a typical convention of a music video to keep the video moving.

There is also an aerial shot of the twins in the hall dancing and allows the audience to see a very clear view of the people in the room. It also gives the impression of the audience being involved in the narrative which is a typical convention of a music video.

At the end of the music video, where the narrative climaxes, the editing process is made aware to the audience. This is shown through the way the screen splits at the end, giving a double and disorientating image to the audience, which is typical in a indie genre music video. This also makes the audience aware that the end of the video and pulls them out of the narrative.

The mise en scene is evidently very similar to the film as the setting of the hotel is similar to the one in the film. Also, the costume of the band at the beginning reflects their image and the genre of music that they play as they wear black, jeans and have distinctive hair styles.

There is also the use of slow swipes at the end of the video which links to the slow beat of the music in the video. These use of the slow swipes as an edit to the next shot, gives a sinister feel toward the audience as the shots cut from the close up of a band and then to the other twins in the room. This links to the idea of the lyrics linking to the images as the lyrics say "What if i wanted to break" which gives the idea that the band want to break away with their twin linking to the cuts to the other twins in the room.

However, from that costume, when we see the duplicates of the band, they are dressed in a smart dinner suits. Conclusively, at the end of the video, we see the band performing in the dinner suits whilst the band also walk into the hall. This shows their change and how they have merged the two worlds and their impersonators, linking to the of the other twins in the place.

Lady Gaga - Telephone Analysis

Throughout the video, there is constant intertextuality of different forms of media. This music video is a clear example of postmodernism as it references to lots of different art forms such as film and other artists.

This is shown through the video being based on the film "Thelma and Louise" through the way Lady Gaga and Beyonce become a duo and "punish" men for their behaviour toward women, as the film demonstrates through their toughening of femininity. There are also the shots of product placement such as the Coke brand as a means of advertisement. There is also the car used in the film "Kill Bill" that is also featured in the video.

There is a low angle establishing shot of barbed wire from a prison which is code for the hip - hop genre which reflects crime. The use of the low angle shot also gives the impression that the artist has authority over the audience and we can notget over the barbed wire as Vernallis says "Such shots confer authority upon performers".

The font at the beginning of the video is also reflective of the femininity trying to be portrayed by the narrative. The use of 1970's graphics that is bold in style and colour is also code for no nonsense and how femininity is changing, by becoming tougher, and that the font shows how the women do not care what people think of the change.

There is the high angle CCTV shot that looks down at the singer walking through the prison. This may resemble the audiences high position within the narrative. This shot also allows the narrative to progress as we are finally taken into the building. This fully emerges the audience into the narrative, which is conventional for some videos, but videos do not usually allow their audience to fall into the narrative.

There is also a point of view dolly shot as Lady Gaga walks down the prison corridor, the camera turns to the cells that Gaga is walking past to allow the audience to see what the artist is seeing. As Vernallis says "The dolly shot keeps the video moving, it starts invariably as soon as the video begins". This is a convention of a music video as videos want their audience to focus on the narrative, but not to be too emerged.

The mise en scene of the singer, Lady Gaga, is iconic in terms of her costume. This is flamboyant and overdressed which is conventional of a music video as the artist wants to make sure people understand why she is iconic in the first place and what makes her different. This links to the videos such as Eminem who wears the iconic white vest in his videos. Lady Gagas costume also links to the setting of the prison as it is black and white stripes. The mise en scene of the costume juxtaposes the realistic mise en scene of the scenery such as the prison.

There are also a mixture of still images in the video when the artist is in the car with Beyonce. The use of the still images allows the audience to see the bizarre and overdressed costumes that the artist has come up with. This once again links to the idea of the video wholly focusing on the artist which is conventional. Also, this makes the audience aware of the editing process of the video, not emerging the audience thoroughly into the narrative.

There is lots of phallic imagery throughout the video.The medium shot of the guards walking from the cell, clearly points out the swinging truncheon which may represent a penis and therefore is code for how Lady Gaga has been "abused" by the guards, linking to the idea of femininity getting tougher throughout the video.

Also, there is the code for femininity being tougher which is also shown through the artist Beyonce eating a sausage roll in the car. She carelessly takes a chunk out of it and then the camera does a high angle shot of Beyonce chucking the sausage roll on the floor. This gives the impression that the sausage represents masculinity and that woman are destroying it, as the code shows and that the high angle shot makes the sausage roll look weak and vulnerable.

As the music begins to start, we see the artist on the phone and we become aware of the editing process of the video as the camera become jittery, flashing in time with the music. This is a typical convention of a music video as it gives a disorientating feeling to the audience and also makes the audience once again aware of the editing process.

As the artist begins to dance there is the frequent use of low and high angle shots on certain areas of the dancers and the artist. Vernallis says "asserts their sexual charisma, often crudely, by highlighting the erogenous areas/zones of performers" which is what the use of the shot implies linking to the message of femininity becoming more dominant.

The 30 degree angle is broken in the video as there are cuts that move below 30 degrees. This is not a typical convention of a music video. We see this happen when Gaga is thrown in the cell and there are jump cuts between each shot but moves very slightly less than 30 degrees, breaking the typical conventions of a music video. This allows the audience to see Gaga in an "uncontrollable state" and makes the audience aware of the editing process.

The 180 degree rule is also broken in the scene where Gaga is in the prison yard and the actor walks up to her. We see the actor from behind the artist and then we also see him from the position of being in front of the artist. This shows how the boundary is being broken and is not a typical convention of a music video, but is widely used nowadays.

There is also dialogue during the video as the song is playing which is unconventional of a music video. The dialogue interrupts the song, but plays the part of extensively portraying the narrative of the video. Also, with the scene in the cafe, the actors behind begin to dance with the artist, where before they did not. This sees the merging of the two worlds as the actors before were not a part of the narrative, this too is unconventional.

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.