AMY TOMPKINS
A2 MEDIA
Music Video Analysis #1
(Narrative) Coldplay - The Scientist
''The scientist'' is a song recorded by Coldplay for their 2nd album, ''A Rush of Blood to the Head'' made in 2002. The video was directed by Jamie Thraves. In order for Chris Martin, the lead singer, to appear to sing whilst everything was moving backwards.
The video was filmed in London and Bourne Woods, Surrey. The video fits into Andrew Goodwin's category of amplification.
The narrative is presented backwards at the start of the video. It starts on the mattress and ends with the car crash, it is shown as a linear narrative as it goes into order of what things happen, but backwards. at the near end of the music video, chris and a girl seems to be in a car crash, from that moment onwards it seems like a dream sequence, as if he died from the car flipping down the hill.
From the lyrics of the song, it seems to be all about love, that he have had for a women. You get this from the lyric ''running in circles, coming up tails, heads on a science apart'' this demonstrates that they are stuck in the same place in their relationship. It also implies that he wants to ''take me back to the start'' which relates in the music video.
However, at the start the lyrics don't make sense to what is seen in the music video, the audience won't understand, until when it is clear everything is done in reverse. it does suggest they're going ''back to the start'. The audience are unaware who chris is talking about until the end of the video, so throughout, who he is singing about remains a mystery. At the start we see chris along his journey from a wooded road to the centre of a city, and throughout the audience are still wondering who he talking about, and where he has come from, and making them want to watch on. At the ending, we discover that he had been driving a car before swerving and crashing into a fence and trees, then rolling down into a field. The lady, who we assume is his lover in the car, where previously joking and laughing in the car, is lying dead. It is clear to the lyrics now that he is now remembering her, for how she was before she died, and wanting to go back to the start.
As the song is sad and serious song, the cuts are slow edits, They appear almost to be continous which is technique coldplay use a lot. Having long edit creates more meaning in the song as we able to see the facial expressions and how they are feeling. There are many different shots used too, such as mid shots, long distance shots and short shots, which help the auidence see what is going on and what chris might be seeing too.
Andrew Goodwin's theory can be applied here as the artist is repeatedly doing the same thing throughout during different music videos so that their audience and fsn base know who the video is for, meaning they are recognisable. This gives 'Coldplay' major star image. The video can also be applied in his on narrative theory because he suggests that the artist should act as the main character to make it look more realistic enables the audience to connect to the lyrics of the song better.
In a lot of 'Coldplay's' music videos, Chris Martin is the only band member to appear. This maybe because most of the videos are either concept or narrative, something which a band are not needed for.
Overal this music video is good with connecting visuals to lyrics, but also very basic and simple.
Music Video Analysis #2
(Performance) Beyoncé - Crazy In Love ft. JAY Z
''Crazy in Love'' is a single from the singer Beyoncé's 2003 solo album, 'Dangerously in Love'. It features a guest verse from rapper Jay Z. The music video was directed by Jake Nava. When asked in an interview Beyoncé described the video's conception: (It) celebrates the evolution of a women. It is about a girl who is at the point of a relationship. She realizes that she is in love, she is doing stuff she would not normally do but she does not care. It does not matter, she is just crazy in love.
The music video starts with Jay Z as a passenger in a speeding car down a road, then he encounters Beyoncé who is standing in the middle of the road. Then walking up the road, Beyoncé is wearing a white tank top and denim blue shorts.
The majority of this music video is set outside in the streets of Los Angeles. The performance of the music video is choreographed, as it includes high energy dance performances with Beyoncé on her own, then with a group of people, All women. Like Beyoncé said, they are all dancing and singing about someone they're in love with.
In the lyrics of the song, Beyoncé describes her relationship with the partner she fell in love with. She talks about her bad times and good times, but at the end of it no matter , She is crazy in love with him.
Overall the music video is intended to make someone feel better and more lively, as the cuts on the music video are sharp and quick, and they go into the next performance with no hesitation. This song and video matches to Goodwin's theory on Lyrics to visuals. The girls are singing and dancing about love, ft One boy.