Music Video Analysis: Bring Me The Horizon, Follow You

Pop rock song, 'Follow you' music video was released 16 March 2016, and performed by British rock band, 'Bring Me the Horizon'. The song featured on their 2015 fifth studio album, 'That's the spirit'. The video depicts a series of violent events leading to the end of the world, as the camera follows a character around a neighbour hood, seemly random acts of violence, murder, arson and property damage are encoded on screen, which the character/protagonist is oblivious to. Using the four key micro-elements i will be decoding whether the music video conforms or subverts the common hegemonic reading of a pop rock song.
The music video can be accessed globally and for free here; Bring Me The Horizon, Follow You

Mise-en-scene:

The mise-en-scene is everything the target audience see on screen, from props to lighting. A brief preview of equilibrium and disequilibrium is connoted, conforming the Todorov's narrative theory. As the music video begins with a pan where the demographic denote a male sleeping on a white sofa, in a high key lighting environment this is connoted as equilibrium as the light and white colours/tones signify pureness and safety. However as the pan continues a elderly woman with a gun is denoted, connoting the beginning of the corruption of the equilibrium as a shotgun in the possession of a elderly woman subverts common stereotypes of older females being a grandmotherly or motherly figure. Finally the camera then pans down to a dog eating the face of a dead man that's been shot in the eye, this signifies disequilibrium as it is out of the normality. As the scene progresses we follow the protagonist out of the household the audience encode that the producers were preparing the target audience for the duration of the music video, where from the very start it is signified and encoded that equilibrium is lost.

For the entire duration of the music video, all the violent situations take place in an ordinary American neighbourhood, this signifies that the producers want the target audience to decode and compare the reality in the music video to the recent corruption in society. The location of the music video throughout is an upstate neighbourhood, the common hegemonic reading of a friendly civilised upstate community is subverted, where it is replaced with the representation of a 'modern' ghetto. This ideology not only mocks the upper class but also casts a counter-type on higher classed societies.

The ideology of mocking or exposes the society to the harsh reality is conformed in the prop of headphones. Their used throughout the music video and connote that the protagonist is blinded to the corruption around him. This signifies a wider ideology of how today's generation is so trapped in the advancement of technology we are blinded by the harsh reality and truth- however an oppositional view is that it is connoted that he is listening to the non-diegetic soundtrack of the song, 'Follow You' (experiencing it at the same time of the demographic) were the emotion of love is explored, signifying that love is what is blinding him to all the negativity and hate going on in the world. An sense of irony is used in the enigma of the protagonist's black eye, conforming to Barthe's theory of enigma, the black eye juxtaposes his happy manor as his dances through the neighbour separate and distant from the violence surrounding him, this can connote how love has beaten him up, emotionally, or even mockingly signify the impact of 'falling' in love with someone.

Camera:
The camera movement and narrative of the music video links to the title of the song, 'Follow You' as demographic is forced to follow the protagonist around the neighbourhood to his connoted girlfriend's house, signifies how certain love is forced. Through the various different shots throughout the music video connotes the producer's different perspectives of love through the different shots and angles. The juxtaposition of associating the surroundings of the violence acts with love, subverts common stereotypes of love and relationships, signifying how love is differently felt for each individual and every relationship experience different situations they need to overcome. A depth of field, mid shot, during the middle of the music video, focuses on a mail box, denoted reading 'welcome'; a kind and friendly term used to comfort others in an introduction, however out of the focus range in the background of the shot is the fire and destruction caused by violence acts, this adds a sense of irony to the meaning behind the term, 'welcome'. From this denotation the demographic can connote that what is the first impression of someone or something is false kindness, however true colours begin to show behind the mask- signified through the destruction behind the mail box.

In a brief mid shot, one of the character is denoted wearing a mask, which covers his face and his throwing a bottle on fire. By the frame of the shot being a, mid shot, restricts the location of the scene/footage was filmed in, connoting how the violence is and can be experienced throughout the world and this exact situation could have been taken place anywhere. The mask denoted on the character in the shot signifies as a symbolism for the everyman where there's no identity singling the character- connoting  who can and the large number of people that can cause this violence act.

Soundtrack:
The soundtrack throughout the music video is a mixture of non-diegetic and diegetic, sounds in which take place in scene or only heard by the demographic, added in post production. Non-diegetic soundtrack of the words, 'gun' being sang directly links to the adjacent scene of a male denoted holding a gun, signifying how the producers are foreshadowing certain aspects or events, this can connote a bigger image of the target audience encoding the violence acts as foreshadowing reality in the corruption of today's community. The non-diegetic soundtrack of a reporter in the very beginning of the music video is contrapuntal to the images denoted on screen, as the news reporter announces the 'random acts of violence' taking place in the today's society, however yet the typographically on the screen are about love, this juxtaposition causes the demographic to decode a sense irony, where love is signified as a joke. 'Follow You' music video the song sings about love, however the violence and hatred denoted around the protagonist throughout the music video connotes that no matter how harsh and cruel the world is around him love keeps the character out of danger, his is brave or unaware of the violence and negativity, signified that the pureness of love has blinded and makes him in denial to the violence and negativity.

The diegetic soundtrack of the background sounds of violence occurring, connotes that the producers are trying to bring the audience away from the ideology of love and exposing the harsh reality of the violence within the music video and within society. The protagonist sings, 'drag me through hell' synchronous and parallel to the images, this diegetic soundtrack connotes a sense of irony which allows the target audience to connote him walking through hell, this ultimately mocks the society of today and labels them as violent and symbolically connoting Earth as Hell. As, 'hell' is sang the high key lighting dramatically drops to low key signifying how Earth is coming hell, through the violence acts humans are executing.

Editing:
Montage of shots is denoted in opening of the music video, the shots consist of news reports of violence acts and archive footage that has taken place over the last few months, this conforms and signifies the ideology of a corrupted society within the music video and reality, exposing how if the world continues the way it is it will only get worse. As the montage of shots is a variety of day and night, it connotes how violence can happen anywhere, at anytime, making the audience exposed to the reality they may be 'blinded' from while making them feel unsafe. The sense of irony of typography reading 'love is blind and deaf' in the beginning of the video, then followed by a character whom is connoted as oblivious to the 'end of the world' occurring behind him, signify him as selfish because all his cares about his making his journey to his girlfriend's house. Through this irony it signifies that unlike G-Eazy and Bebe Rehxa's music video, 'Me, Myself &I', Bring Me The Horizon's, 'Follow You' is of comedic purposes and doesn't hold a moral meaning, however oppositional view is that even though the music video doesn't conform a explicated moral meaning, it is connoted to have camouflaged

foreshadowing an impact on the world if society continues it's violence acts.As the music video about a character singing about love in a corrupted society it signifies that, music video contradicts the lyrics/song and mocks the ideology of love. Instead of showcasing the popular theme of love, the video acts as a, 'great awakening' where the demographic are exposed and start to see their reality of their future it is continues, audiences connote and encode that the producers are attempting to make their target audiences change society for the better.

Music Video Analysis: Chris Brown, Look At Me Now

Chris Brown, American singer and occasional rapper debuted hip hop genre music video for, 'Look at me now', March 9, 2011. Directed by Colin Tilley, the song and video features American rappers Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. The video was shot in Los Angeles, California February 16 2011. Along side it's producers Afrojack, Diplo and Free School the artists' co-wrote the song. I will be analysing the music video using the four key micro-elements; mise-en-scene, camera, editing and soundtrack.
The music video can be viewed here: Chris Brown, Look at me now.

Mise-en-scene:
The mise-en-scene can split into a number of different sections including; props, costumes and location.The entire music video is set in an abandoned graffitied car park, this signifies the relationship the artists' have with the streets, as the majority of the time they are denoted around a crowd of people wearing bagging clothing, it connotes a sense of 'crew' or 'gang', this is a common hegemonic reading of a rapper and hip pop genre artist. Another common convention of a hip pop genre that is conformed in Chris Brown's, 'Look at me now' music video is the ideology the music video has an homemade feel to the lack of quality in the shots and lack of location change. Additionally, the location can be signified as showing the artist's roots and where he first started his long journey to his success, this compares the two extremes of his life, conformed in the title of the song, 'Look at me now' where his denoted rapping and singing about how far his life as come due to his music. Throughout the duration of the music video, all the shots are filmed in night and darkness, this connotes to the ideology of gangs, as they are stereotypically linked to night, along with violence an danger. This also signified illegal events could be occurring as the night time is connoted as the time for crime as less people are around. 

The lighting of the music video is primarily low key desaturated lighting, connotes an old school and outdated effect through the lack of quality in the production, this conforms previous ideology Chris Brown representing his roots where he first started music. The de-saturated lighting throughout every shot, has a tint of yellow, the colour yellow signifies and symbolises joy, happiness, and energy, this connotes how Chris Brown isn't only talking about his financial or fame success but his mental health and physical health state, subverting the common stereotypical lyrical song for hip pop. The costumes of the artists, throughout their costume changes, they are wearing bold bright colours allowing them to stand out, connoting their significance and separates them from the crowd. Therefore the artists' conforms Richard Star's, paradox of the star theory, where the artists are both ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary in the sense of they could be mistaken for another ordinary person in the music video, however extraordinary as they are given the spot light and the ability to high budget produce their music. The baggy clothing, conforms to the old school feel to the music video, clothing connotes a 90s style, signifies and conforming stereotypical codes and conventions of a hip pop genre in the 90s.

The use of the sci-fi piece of technology for enlargement is denoted in Chris Brown's hands, signifying the ideology that Chris is the future for this generation and he is foreshadowing that he is going to do new big things. Throughout the music video the female character roles are side-lined, one girl denoted dancing provocatively dancing surrounded by males, this is a hegemonic reading of females in a hip pop genre music video, and conforms Laura Mulvey's theory of the Male Glaze theory and how women's roles are sidelined. The use of the flash cars and designer brands, conform the hip pop genre as it is a common convention in hip pop music videos, by showcasing these items their connotes their financial status and their materialistic value.

Camerawork:
In which the movement, shot, or/and angle of a scene is filmed they can cast polysemic views for their target  audiences to encode. The shake of the camera, as the artist and his backing dancers dance, signify the power and impact the artist creates, connoting his own sense of importance to the world. The pan shot, is when the camera moves from one aspect of the scene to another in the same shot, a pan down from the artist to the connoted fans/crew is denoted, this is a common convention in a hip hop music video as unlike other genres (such as pop) where a narrative (linear or non-linear) is denoted, hip pop artist's showcase their lifestyle and perform. A long shot of the dance routine, where the artist is denoted in the centre, brings the eye and the audience's attention to him, connoting him as the main leader of the group. This attitude is iconography in hip pop artists, for example, hip pop artist, Kanye West, is well known, for his vain attitude and behaviours, recently stating, 'I made Taylor Swift famous' and plans for running for president in 2020. During this long shot the previous ideology of artist's performing in hip pop music video's is conformed, through showcasing his dancing abilities Chris Brown is idolised by his target audience, ultimately resulting in a bigger mass demographic and more publicity/fame.

A point of view (POV) shot is also used in the beginning of the video, denoting a fluorescent shop sign reading, 'girls girls girls' with two females in the frame with provocative and seductive attire, this connotes that the females are selling sexual activities or their bodies, conforming to Laura Mulvey theory of the male glaze, as the females are being signified as put on show for man to have voyeuristic pleasure. This convention is common in hip pop genre music videos as it prompts power for the males, as the females are forced to feel below them (on screen and off).

A mid shot in a low angle, presents and denotes a person wearing a mask inside a cage, this figure and scene is cross-cutted throughout the music video. The mask restricts his/her's identity dehumalising them, they are further dehumanlised in a shot, where the masked person trapped in the cage, hanging like a monkey, connoting the animalistic behaviour to strip the character of his freedom, identity and humanity. Oppositional view is that the golden reflective surface of the mask, connotes the inhumane figure as the making American Dream where the artist is showcasing the ideology of him achieving his American Dream. Another connotation of the mask, signifies that the lack of identity connotes how anyone can make the American Dream, where it's signified that Chris Brown is trying to motivate and empower his target audience. The extreme low angle, in which Chris Brown (the artist) is denoted, connote him as the one in control and powerful to where the audience feel they need to look up and respect him.

Soundtrack:
The two types of soundtracks found in an extract are; non-diegetic soundtrack, sound that is not heard in the scene, e.g. voice over, and diegetic soundtrack, sound that is from a source in that particular scene. Within the non-diegetic soundtrack, the lyrics denote an increase of his fame, a common hegemonic reading and convention in hip pop. The high pace of the non-diegetic soundtrack is parallel and synchronous to the images, this connotes as reality and normality for the artist and the lifestyle he created for himself. The lyrics consistently refers to 'paper' connoting money and the money his gained, as a subject or theme to the song, money, is a common convention of hip pop genre music video. In the lyrics the line, 'my red flag' occurs commonly, parallel and synchronous as he is denoted showing a piece of red cloth as he raps the line. Red connotes fire and blood, signifying the lifestyle they have and the style of music is in their blood, and is the source of the fire within them. Further connotations of the colour red includes, determination, passion and desire, signified that hip pop the desire drives them to achieving their American Dream, which is the message behind the song. A 'red flag' in 1602 the flag was used by military forces to indicate that they were preparing for battle, connoting how gangs dangerously battle, or oppositional view how the artists' are preparing to battle their obstacles that stand in the way of meeting their goals and dreams.

The diegetic soundtrack of the artist saying, 'lego' acts as symbolism and iconography or a label to the artist, connotes to gain publicity in the media by embedding that image of himself into the audience from a catchy phrase. Another diegetic soundtrack, denoting the spraying of the cans, signifies that his trying to build a 'bad boy' representation and image, this conforms a common stereotype of hip pop artists' and rappers and how their lifestyle and behaviour is denoted on screed and connoted off screen.

Editing:
In the very beginning til 0:22 the the shots acts as an introduction, for the 4:08 minute long video, the typography in the introduces the artists' on the track, 'Busta Rhymes' and 'Lil Wayne' introduction shot, is in the same shot overlapping each other, connoting that the they are not as important and are only featuring this track. Whereas Chris Brown get his own single shot, signifying for the demographic to encode that the music video is mainly Chris Brown's therefore all the target audiences attention should be on him. Cross cutting between two shots, one denoted of the person in the cage to the artist dancing. From this we can denote, the person in the cage is copying the movement of the artist, signifying how the two characters are the same person. The yellowed toned filter is used throughout the duration of the music video, yellow connotes as an attention getter (this is why yellow is used for American taxi's). This connotes how Chris Brown is trying to get his audience's attention onto the image/message his expressing. The face pace jump cuts are parallel to the high energy of the music video and connotes the crazy and bust lifestyle of the artists.

Storyboard for my Music video

Lyrics and Shots

The song I have chosen for my music video production is a cover of 'I was made for loving you' by Madilyn Bailey.

Verse 1

Instrumental Introduction: Synchronous to the soundtrack the visuals will be an close up side angle view denoting the artist playing the piano- this shot will also have overlay shots of archive footage of the two lovers.
'A dangerous plan, just in time': The visuals will be a mid shot of the two characters in London ( with a deep depth of field). The over lays of this shot will be of the artist singing (parallel and synchronous to the lyrics) and a studio shot of the artist moving her hand to the side.
'A stranger's hand clutched in mine': The main focus shot will be a extreme close up of the two characters holding hands with a sun glare into the camera, this will be overlaid with an close up of the artist closing her hand- synchronous with the lyric 'clutched'.
'I'll take this chance...': Footage of a long shot (use a tripod for the steadiness) of the two characters; the male spinning around the female.
'...so called me blind': the previous shot continued, however a overlaid shot of the artist's eyes closing in slow motion.
'I've been waiting all my life': Three different shots/scenes overlaid (the artist is wearing different outfits but denoted doing the same in each) this connotes a sense of time moving on.
'Please don't scar this young heart': Performance shot, either in the studio with a black ground or in the forest with the fog ascending behind them.
'Just take my hand': Previous shot duplicated in this line, where as the artist sings, 'hand' she reaches her hand towards. Also with the overlaid shot of the two character's hands reaching for each other.

Chorus

'I was made for loving you': Archive footage filmed by the characters signifies as memories, the artist laughing

'Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through': The previous shot continued with an overlay shot of the artist In the studio.

'Every bone screaming I don't know what we should do': Performance: in front of the fog as it is ascending.

'All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you' : Again the same type of performance shot seen previously, with the over lay of archive footage (of the artist taking a polaroid photo toward the camera POV)

Verse 2



'Hold me close..': Extreme close up or close up of the characters hugs as the male protagonist wraps them around the artists.
'...through the night....Don't let go, we'll be alright': Archive footage of the two character messing around and filming each other- connotes as memories.
'Touch my soul and hold it tight': Performance shot, in the studio with the black background match on action with the synchronous with the words 'touch' and 'hold'.
'I've been waiting all my life, I won't scar your young heart'; Archive shots with the traditional black and white camera (hand held).
'Just take my hand': synchronous and parallel the two characters reaching out to hold hands.

Chorus

'I was made for loving you, 'Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through': Archive footage of the male filming the female, where she makes a heart sign, parallel to the lyrics.

'Every bone screaming I don't know what we should do, All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you': Performance shots in the white studio with the projected image behind her. Alongside overlaid match on action shots.

Bridge

'Please don't go, I've been waiting so long, oh, you don't even know me at all': Performance shots, either the fog, studio or projected with overlaid shots of archive footage with the polaroid camera.

'But I was made for loving you': Performance shot, overlaid with archive footage of the two characters happy. 

Chorus

'I was made for loving you, Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through': Performance shots in the studio with projector or just the studio. 

'Every bone screaming I don't know what we should do, All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you': A montage shot of different stages of archive footage with the character.

Outro [Ending scene]: Either a pan out of a tree with cravings of the couples names or a long shot of the couple walking away together- both endings will fade to a black screen.