Glass Jaw - Ape dos Mil / Greenday - 21 Guns / Plan B - Stay too long

Ape dos Mil - Glass jaw, Video opens in same window

Containing the lyrics 'How could you heal?, If you don't ease back the blame, Knowing you're right, won't you heal?', the regret in the lyrics is parallel to the regret in our chosen song. The scene of interest was between a masked couple, yet their intimacy is blurred suggesting that is it secret, a past memory. The camera angles suggest disorientation, almost inebriation as it scoops up underneath the couple. As the essence of the video is similar to the essence we are trying to capture, this idea is perfect, as it could portray the intimate regret, the real intimacy obscured by blur. Light from behind the couple cascades through the gaps and is almost blinding.

21 Guns - Greenday, Video opens in same window

The last four screen shots display the camera rotation during a interlude of music between lyrics, dramatised by the spotlight highlighting each of the couples faces. This rotation is threaded through the video and is used mainly around Billy Joe and a single standing microphone. This camera movement was appealing as it increased focus on the object it was rotating around.
The cracked glass camera trick is clever and is thought provoking, a cracked distance between them is established yet the mirror draws them into the same frame suggesting their connection that still exists.

Pieces - Plan B ft Chase and Status
As this video is related to our specific artist it may be an idea to link ideas to maintain coherence between the artist. Also as it is a similar track, the professional editing and camera movement will be important to analyse.

It was important to embed this video as well as the additional screen shots as understanding elements of the video is very important. Constant camera movement, swings and very fast pans, angles and the use of a hand held camera capture an immense sense of disorientation, enhanced further by the use of extremely fast editing. This would be disorientating for both the audience and the protagonist, these aspects of camera movement and editing would be perfect for the fast pace video and the regret we want to create. The editing also captures the crazed action of the disruptive party, the audience haven't time to understand or comprehend the images yet pieced together the narrative fits. A green tint is used throughout the footage of the home video to differentiate between action he views previous and what he sees once he finally gets to the flat. A fish eye lens is used also which creates a powerful effect and manipulates the footage uniquely, this is used in conjuncture to extremely face cuts of lip syncing, a epic part of the video. I believe we could use a moment where the artist invades the camera in our video. The effect of speeding through traffic using a fish eye lens is also inspiring, it manages to also establish geograpicall setting due to the London buses and bus stops, which notifies the audience of the artists background and increases a urban theme - something we have to establish in our video.

Stay too long, Plan B- Video opens in same window

This effect is amazing, the vibrant colours of lights smeared and slanted would be perfect for a video set at night, as most likely ours will be. I hope to find out where to create this effect!

Evanesence - Everbody's fool / Christina Aguilera - Fighter / Beautiful

Everybody's fool - Video opens in same window
Here are chosen shots which were most inspiring:

The use of shadows is striking and clever as the emphasise her isolation, however they are too disturbing and sinister as they act as her only companion and appear to be watching over her. In the second image her shadow is framed which increases its appearance of a separate silhouette. The shot depicts the female artist in despair, simply dressed in a white vest she appears fragile, the main colouring is white and black yet a tint of green in used here.

A desolate hotel room is used to host and exaggerate her isolation. She lip syncs, well screams, the chorous and the words 'never will be' stand out as a contrasting shot is used. A fierece saracatic wording is also used in the bathroom scene,
use of the bathroom, under water, dark shadows, blurred lights, de saturation, cold blue light veil,exaggeration of light, a large window utilized for the light, exposure, exposed, emotion



mirror play, again, alone, yet two images of them, two personalities? breaking of mirror, lapse of high emotion,

Beautiful- Video opens in same window

emotion, alone, fire, green and yellow lighting, close ups, vingette of black shadow framing her, again window but blocked out.

Fighter - Video opens in same window

fighter, the black and green and jurkey camera

Brand New - Transit Gloria...Glory Fades

Transit Gloria...Glory fades - Video opens in same window

Director: Marc Webbs
This video is a very clever interpretation of the lyrics and displays manipulated control. The male protagonist of the video believes he has ultimate control, until he discovers he in fact is merely a puppet himself. The video's editing is slow compared to the fast pace of the chorus, the rest is fitting. I think this has been done so the audience has time to appreciate and understand the obscure narrative of the video; the lyrics depict a sexual intimate act from a young males point of view, however this video has interpreted this is a psychological way as loss of control. Opening with running that matches the beat of the music longer shots have been used to capture the action till it ends as he hits a door; on one side a lamb, on the other a sign reading 'watch your step', framed in an extra close up to highlight its importance. Blue lighting is consistent and creates a cold atmosphere, the image appears to me as desaturated. The artist first lip sync's to the important lyric 'This is so messed up'

The lighting is seductive thus deceiving, strong shadows are created throughout. The use of mirrors is inspiring, literally multiplying his body is a metaphorical of his many persona, cleverly you cannot see his physical body, and his reflections thus appear to be following and without control. The single lamp as well as adding to the mise en scene once reflected has created a visual boundary which he has crossed.

Dramatic movement increases as the powerful fast chorus kicks in, destruction of once perfectly aligned mise en scene expresses this loss of control. Smashing of glass is used on a hit of a symbol, the glass is visually dramatic as it shatters, slow motion is used to capture the scattered pieces. The second lyric to be mouthed is 'It used to be the reason i breathe but no its choking me up, die you and save yourself', the latter half screamed to mirror the screaming of lyrics.
At 1.14 to 1.20 a tracking camera rotates around the protagonist to face to opposite way, this camera move stood out to me as it was unusual and a contrast to the other shots. At 2.04 the sped up action is extremely effective as it is almost inhuman, similar to the other ideas in the video.
The identity of the person controlling the protagonist is always unknown the shadow leaves only a silhouette

Rihanna - Russian Roulette / Disturbia / Wait your turn

Director: Anthony Mandler

Russian Roulette - Video opens in same window
The editing in russian roulette is seamless, the action has been under cranked or over cranked in places to fit with the rhythm and pace of the music and every subtle beat sees a change of shot. A number of locations has been used throughout, however two main locations are used to host the action, in one she is mainly shot isolated, the other accompanied and hosting the narrative to the video.
These two locations are differentiated through tone of lighting, in one red is strong, the other blue. The narrative is loose, focusing mainly on expressing the depth of emotion. Lighting is sinister throughout, and spot lighting is used to highlight her fragile body positioning but also creates dark shadows to enhances the atmosphere. She is framed at contrasting places in the shot throughout, however she is seen regularly in a corner or against the wall/floor, anxious and alone. Although the action is slow, the pace of the editing is relatively fast to fit to the back beat of the track.
Flash backs are cut extremely fast between pause in lyrics which creates mystery to the narrative as these shots are to fast to establish. The video jumps between different camera angles and camera shots, subtle camera movement is also used, long shots, close ups extra close ups and medium close ups all used throughout.
Lip syncing is laced throughout the video, however poignant parts in the lyrics she mouths repeatedly to increase and highlight their importance eg. "I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving". The ending lyric 'So just pull the trigger' is a theme installed in the video throughout, the use of the gun on the table connects and so the lyric is visualised exactly and the ending gun shot to the audio finishes the track abruptly; as well as a life suggested by the cut to blood within water following.

Framed in a medium close up, Rihanna's body language and emotion conveys despair. Her body is highlighted by the focused lighting, surrounded by darkness
The blood comes into focus as the lyric says "And you can see my heart beating, you can see it through my chest", when this lyric is repeated the blood is reversed and dissipates, a clever portrayal and depiction of the lyrics.
A montage of moments that inspired us:

The dramatic use of overlays are amazing, in the shot where Rihanna faces herself the shot is halved, one half a shot of artist in a close up the other in a medium close up which when juxtaposed creates a depth to the image, the lighting is similar in both so the overlay blends well. Shadows invade half of the artists face in both which narrows the lighting to display the intense emotion on her face. Overlays work well with the pace of the music and are a creative aspect to the video.

During the bridge of the song, as emotion increases and Rihanna's voice strengthens the shots become more complex. The lyric 'As my life flashes before my eyes' shows a complex use of fast overlays amongst a flood of light cascading over the room and the artist,which mirrors the lyric. A kaleidoscope of tigers flashes on the screen which could suggest her inner fierceness, this is however disorientation for the audience .Flashes of images have been cut within to link to quick beats in the music, red also floods the once blue room which mirrors the increase in drama, red connoting danger and passion.

The third and final chorus changes location to the outside, away from the cell she was contained within previously, however this seams to be a flashback, as the action implies she has been run over instantly cutting to bright white and returning to the cell. Amazing visual images follow, sunken into depth of water, white dress used to elegantly adorn the artist, as red blood dissipates into the blue water. As she is hit with a bullet of bubbles she instantly bleeds which suggests her fragility. The creativity is outrageous and inspiring.

Wait your turn - Video opens in same window

Wait your turn starts immediately with six continuous overlay shots, you can already see a coherence between the artists videos and the directors ideas. Here is one

One of the overlays, a static close up and a long shot containing movement which visually works well.

The opening of the video establishes Rihanna in a hard light. Here costume is questionable, if she has been hit could this be a song in retaliation, 'Wait your turn'. Jumps between long shots and close ups as well as fast camera movement hits you instantly as she lip synchs thoughout. By continually lip syncing it suggests the lyric is aimed at the audience, or the viewer it is truly aimed at this is a contrast to Russian Roulette. Interesting angles are used in the video and the editing is fast even though the track has a repetitive strong slow back beat. Although the video is constantly in black the depth of tone is striking, bright light floods from behind her throughout.

Close ups are of great importance, they capture emotion and lip syncing for importance and are used regularly. Again a few location shots are used changing between inside and outside continuously. Outside lighting is important as the video is shot after dark, thus street lamps and city skylines stand out. A grainy effect has been editing onto the video for a gritty and harsh appearance to match Rihanna's hard exterior and bold lyric statements. The smoke which cascades from her mouth is an extremely powerful visual one i would like to recreate, shot in a close up it captures her in profile. The video has an urban feel due to the costume and location which appeals to me greatly; a city skyline, barred bridge and street shots are all surrounded with background smoke creating a sinister atmosphere.

Disturbia - Video opens in same window
This video only emphasises the coherence in Rihanna's music videos.
Again Anthony Mandler again uses close ups of Rihanna juxtaposed with long shots of movement for powerful overlays. This is a creative devise i would love to use in our video.