Music Video Analysis: Daughter - Still

Mise En Scene

>Limited sources of lighting is used for the entirety of the video. The opening scene is illuminated with a streetlight, followed by a room dimly lit with a lamp and "natural lighting" from the moon coming in from the windows

>The moon creates an almost unnatural shade of blue which softly illuminates select furniture and people in the room. This could suggest that the highlighted subjects could hold some sentimental value/significance.

>The contrast in the colour themes is introduced to the viewers as the woman is first portrayed in a warm yellow, contradicting the cold blue hue the man is set in. It shows the polar opposites of their personalities, the colours and tones clash. The blue connotes depression, its unnatural shade could suggest confusion, representative of the state their relationship is in.

>The lighting creates a gloomy atmosphere, a visual reflection of the music

Editing

>The sharp cuts interrupt the flow of the video, occasionally cutting away to a shot of the band, Daughter, playing on the TV showing elements of a performance music video within a narrative.

>The video is slow paced but doesn't appear to be manipulated post-filming and rather the subjects appear to be moving with weight, suggesting that they could be heavy with guilt and/or sadness. 

Camera

>Close ups on the woman's face is frequent throughout the video, showing subtle changes to her expression as she enters the house.

>Extreme close ups lingered and sustained shots on the desirable parts of the woman's body as she undresses. This suggests that the video could be tailored for the male gaze. This supports Mulvey's theory

>CU shot on the picture frame of the couple, defocuses after a second possibly representing the way their relationship abruptly went downhill

Sound

>Diegetic and non-diegetic sounds: the diegetic sounds that overlaps with the music directly involves the audience (music plays over sound of keys in door), allowing them to also relate to the characters

>The video begins with the singular sound of the woman's footsteps on the stairs, suggests that she could be lonely. This idea is later enforced when the man is introduced

>The pace of the video remains consistently slow, matching the song's tempo. 

Music Video Analysis: alt J - Every Other Freckle

Two music videos were produced for this track, both are almost identical with the exception of the subjects (man or woman) presented. They’re both tailored to attract the target audience (presumably the opposite sex) through exhibiting desirable parts of their body. These shots were accompanied with various random scenes leaving it up to the audience to interpret whether they relate to the lyrics or the occurring shots of the male or female subject.

Mise En Scene
> Main subject of the video(s) is the man/woman, produced two almost identical videos with the gender presented to the viewers as the only difference.
> Sustained shots on desirable parts of their body, both tailored to appeal to the heterosexual opposite sex.

Editing
> Cuts to different scenes, sometimes loosely or directly relating to the lyrics "like a cat into a bean bag"
> Different settings are made to look like they each represent an emotion
> Frequent changes in the pace/speed of the footage ranging in quick cuts, sustained cuts, slow motion shots etc. Smoothly plays along with the music, making it easier to watch


Camera
> Angles effectively used to create an image of a subject presented in the video. For example, a low angle is used on the man dressed in fur and holding a weapon, running towards the viewer in a violent fashion. This angle puts the viewer in a vulnerable position

> The nature and purpose of the music video suggests that the viewer could be the submissive half in the relationship
> Extreme close up on the man/woman's parted lips, slowly zooming in, directly involving the viewers. A series of clips follows which appears to represent feelings.

Sound/Music
The music is mainly generated from a soundboard, we rarely hear any other instruments than the occasional drum beat. This keeps the music quite light and consistent, making it easier to listen to when in a calm mood. The visuals stay in beat with the song.

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Genre Study: Indie Rock