Textual Analysis: Oasis - "Supersonic"

Camera
As it has become increasingly apparent, each band member receives some degree of screen time, however, the amount of screen time they receive and through what camera techniques differ greatly. For example, during the opening stages of the video frontman Liam Gallagher is represented through the use of an extreme close up, and is central to the frame. On the other hand, the drummer is presented through a loose frame and the lead guitarists and bass player are represented through a mid shot. This connoted that (as has been a commonality amongst the analysed texts) the frontman/vocalist is of the most importance when it comes to marketing the video. Despite this, long shots are used sporadically to make the band look more of an alliance, standing with the frontman at the front, drummer at the back and the two guitarists/bassist just behind the frontman - the archetypical formation of a band, causing them to look powerful but organised. Much of the filming is done with a handheld grip - this gives the viewer a sense of involvement and brings them closer to the action, creating a sense of empathy between artist and consumer. Some of the handheld shots create a sense of verisimilitude for the viewer, which subverts the dissolve techniques used in the editing of the video which makes for an interesting video, as there is not only realism but also a distortion of reality.

Mise en Scene
The band are stationed on a rooftop, which is incredibly windy which adds to the choppy nature of the song which features hard rock guitars with striking riffs. Although the band sport mod clothing, it is often difficult to decipher the colour of the clothing as the majority of the video is in black and white, however it is clear that they are wearing mod shirts and frontman Liam Gallagher wears sunglasses with a retro jacket, this fashion has to be relevant and appeal to the right demographic.

Editing
Many cuts are used again, sometimes cutting to clips of trains to connote the bands power and dominance in the music industry and also staying relevant to the narrative of the song: "She's into Alka Seltzer, She sniffs it through a cane on a supersonic train". This is why the cuts are made in reference to the train as a quick flash of an image that is reinforced by the lyrics is likely to stay in the viewers mind. The fluctuation between black and white and colour makes the video incredibly interesting as it suprises the viewer, who never knows whats coming next, this in conjunction with some of the dissolve techniques that are used are aesthetically pleasing to the audience and create a sense of mystery. Cuts are also made to concord planes, as 'supersonic' denotes a speed that is greater than the speed of sound, which is why the director has chosen to include fast modes of transport such as trains and planes - this informs the viewer of the narrative and they are passive recipients to the narrative merely from hearing the song in conjunction with watching the video.

Sound
The soundtrack is merely the recorded single "Supersonic" written by Noel Gallagher and performed by Oasis, no sound effects where used during the production process.

Textual Analysis: Blur - "Parklife"

Camera
The camera represents frontman Damon Albarn and cameo appearance from Phil Daniels through a low angle shot to emphasise the importance of the two protagonists. An ECU is used on Daniels' tie to show the audience that the two men are dressed up in suits as salesmen, before a POV shot is used in conjunction with a high angle when looking at the door. This connotes that Daniels and Albarn are of importance and suggests to the viewer that they are the protagonists and significant in the video. A two shot is then used from the point of view of the customer to denote that Daniels and Albarn are acquaintances, this informs the consumer that they are the subject of the video. The camera often zooms into either Daniels or Albarn to again reinforce their importance to the narrative and extend the time that they are on screen. Many ECUs are also used on Albarn as he is of great significance to the band as the frontman. Throughout the chorus, a series of cuts are used to create a build up of suspense and keep the pace of the video fast to create excitement. A mid shot is used to show the band together during the chorus of the song. At times, a series of mid shots, close ups and extreme close ups are used to show Albarn dancing to keep the video interesting.

Mise en Scene
As previously mentioned, during the verse of the song the two protagonists are dressed sharply in suits as salesmen, however during the chorus, Albarn and the rest of the band sport casual clothes to give a binary opposition to what they wear during the versus, when portraying the narrative to the audience.

Editing
A series of cuts are used to quickly to keep up with the upbeat music, apart from this there are no other particularly striking editing techniques used apart from jump cuts, which are used to give extra detail about a particular scene, before reverting back to the original angle, for example, when Daniels shouts at someone on the pavement, a jump cut is used to get the reaction of the civilian before reverting back to the original camera angle inside the car. Jump cuts are used to give more information about a certain scenario, to gain another reaction or facial expression.

Sound
The soundtrack is the recording of "Parklife" written by Blur and performed by Blur and Phil Daniels.

Textual Analysis: Blur - "Song 2"

Camera
The video starts with a loose frame which makes the drummer look isolated, as the drums are the only instrument playing at the beginning of the song, this creates ambiguity as to where the rest of the band are - keeping the audience interested. It then shows the guitarist on his own in a loose frame on his own, then a close up of front man Damon Albarn before using a mid shot introducing all of the band together as a whole. The gradual introduction of each band member creates a suspense that keeps the audience guessing. Mid shots are used often in this video as it is a performance video, which documents the band performing the song, although not live. Occasionally, extreme close ups are used to focus mainly on the front man to convey his importance to the audience, who are traditionally most interested in the lead vocalist. The camera also uses an incredibly fast zoom to zoom into certain aspects of the shot, whilst occasionally a whip pan is used in order to suprise the audience.

Mise en Scene
The band perform in a rather obscure environment, decorated by wallpaper that has clearly been influenced a paisley 1960's design. This, like with many other bands, gives an 'indie' style to their video as it is a retro design sported by other successful bands such as The Beatles and The Who. The band themselves wear very casual clothes such as plain t shirts and dark wash jeans. This is worn as these styles were at the height of fashion during the 90's 'BritPop' era and therefore this sense of fashion would have appealed greatly to a young demographic at the time.

Editing
Cutaway shots are used to cut away from the original shot and show another aspect of the musician, for example, in the opening the drummer is playing the drums, and the camera cuts to a close up of his foot pounding the bass drum.  This is used to provide the audience with more information about that particular shot, allowing them to see the mechanics behind the process of playing the song giving them a detailed insight. Continuity editing is used throughout the video, unlike some other videos in which parallel editing is used, this video provides a chronological account of the performance of the song, this continuity is favorable to some people, who don't like jumpy videos. It is suprising that the director has chosen to include continuity in the video, as the song is incredibly fast and aggressive. The different shots are seperated by standard cuts, which allow the audience to see each band member individually, although the frontman is given the most exposure, which is a commonality in music videos.

Sound
The soundtrack used is the original recording of Blur's "Song 2" written by Blur, though the audio has been specifically adapted to match the visuals perfectly, as the visuals are also fast and aggressive.

Textual Analysis: The Kooks - "She Moves In Her Own Way"

Camera
Close ups are used to help familiarise the audience with the band members and give them a sense of identity, it also allows the audience to see facial expressions in detail. The close ups are mainly used on the lead singer to convey his importance to the group. Each member of the band receives screen time, however the frontman (Luke Pritchard) receives the most screen time and is centralised, the director has clearly taken the rule of thirds into account and decided to give the singer the most exposure. The camera often zooms into certain members of the band to reinforce significance, such as the lead singer/songwriter of the band. This connotes importance. There is a mixture of two shots/long shots/close ups that film each member of the band individually and again as a whole, this is two give each member an identity but also to reinforce the band's importance as an alliance. A low angle is sometimes used to connote importance and inform the audience of the band's status in the music industry and also outline how important the songwriter is in the band's progress.

Mise en Scene
The band are all wearing 'indie' attire such as mod shirts and skinny jeans, also known as 'drainpipes'. This fashion allows them to build a band identity that makes them recognisable to their fans and remembered by people. The style is designed specifically to link into their music, they are an indie band and follow this up with the clothes they choose to wear in their videos, it allows them to attract fans with similar interests and they have targeted a specific demographic by choosing this attire. High key lighting is used a lot of the time to give an upbeat dimension to the band's music and render their audience with a means of catharsis. Many of the video was shot in LA, which will attract a lot of attention as this is a very popular location and will allow the band to market the single efficiently, which is effectively what the music video is designed to do.

Editing
At the beginning of the video, the tour bus is tracked, which connotes importance and informs the viewer that those inside the tour bus are significant and that they should be followed. A series of cuts are used throughout the video, although they are quick to keep up with the tempo of the song, and also to keep the viewer interested. Jump cuts allow the band to be presented in a number of different environments in a very short space of time, which makes the video interesting and keeps the audience on edge.

Sound
The soundtrack used is the original recording of "She Moves In Her Own Way" written by The Kooks. The soundtrack has been adapted to match the visuals.

Textual Analysis: Arctic Monkeys - "When The Sun Goes Down"

Camera
The video starts with a combination of a close-up and a soft focus, blurring the background so that the subject is visibly clear. It is snowing, and the camera captures the girl (a prostitute) staring pitifully into the camera, whilst her surroundings make her look isolated. A mid shot follows this which shows her at the top of a block of flats in a deprived area, this follows the narrative of the song, which describes an area in the suburb of Sheffield which is renowned for prostitution activity. Two shots are used to represent the girl and the men who exploit her together, which informs the audience that they are the girl's clients and therefore manifesting a clear affiliation between the two parties. This ensures that the audience can comprehend the narrative. At one point, a loose frame is used to show that the girl is isolated and vulnerable. With regards to the rule of thirds, the girl is centralized the majority of the time. The use of a two shot also allows the director to manifest the difference in size between the girl and the antagonist, it allows the audience to see a clear binary opposition between the girls more diminutive figure and the man's slightly taller build. This technique has been employed to show a clear contrast. Extreme close-ups are used throughout to represent the mix of vacancy and pity in the girls expression, which causes the audience to sympathize with the girl.

Mise en Scene
The girl is sporting a parka on top of a bland grey hoodie, with less than impressive tracksuit bottoms and trainers. This attire subverts the natural stereotype of a prostitute, however, it connotes that the woman's less-than-lavish appearance is because she is struggling financially, which helps the director build meaning and help make the video as relative to the narrative in the song as possible. The song's antagonist (referred to as a 'Scummy Man') is wearing a long trench coat, which connotes that he is ostensible and has something to hide. At one point he wears a black shirt, a colour connoting evil and uncertainty, which further justifies the director's decision to use these colours in the video.

Editing
A series of standard cuts are used throughout to keep up with the pace of the music and maintain audience interest, as seen in their video "Brianstorm". Jump cuts are also used to disorientate the viewer and also convey how disorientated the character is. At times, parallel editing is used to create a sense of foreboding and an anxiety in the viewer, which causes them to become engrossed in the video as they want to see how the narrative culminates. The director has refrained from using tracking shots, as this would connote that the woman is of importance. The omission of a tracking shot suggests that the girl has been left behind by society and she walks unnoticed, which is relative and plays into the hands of the narrative.

Sound
The sound is the single "When The Sun Goes Down" by Arctic Monkeys with no added effects to adapt it to the video. There is no need for the vocals to be synced, however there is continuity that is maintained between the soundtrack and editing/camera work to keep the viewer interested.

Textual Analysis: Ed Sheeran - "A Team"

Camera
The promo opens with a few extreme close ups on the song's protagonist to capture facial expressions. After a soft focus, it cuts to a mid shot of the protagonist (a young female prostitute) lying asleep on a bench, this emphasises the fact that she is isolated and lays down the foundation of the narrative for the audience. A soft focus is then used to blur the background and focus on the girl, this reinforces her importance to the narrative. After this, the busy London night life is shown to progress at incredible pace, whilst the girl remains in the same position with the frenetic traffic/pedestrians scurrying past her. This connotes that she has been ostracized by society. The girl is then shown applying her make up through an extreme close up, suggesting that she has two identities: one in which she is pure and innocent, and one which suggests she is hiding behind a mask and doing what she has to to earn a living and survive. Quite often, the girl is represented through the use of a high angle shot, which connotes that she is inferior.

Mise en Scene
During the opening scenes, the girl is dressed in clothes that are anything but exorbitant, and as the video progresses, she is shown to be more scantily clad. The entire video is represented through black and white to outline the simplicity of the matter, and evoke a sense of depression from the audience. Throughout the video the lighting is always dark, to highlight how extreme the issue actually is. The lighting creates a sense of foreboding right from the beginning of the feature. The video is set in the busy streets of London, the crowds of people not only add a sense of verisimilitude to the feature but also deprive the girl an identity which plays into the hands of the narrative.

Editing
A soft focus is employed in the video to shift importance and emphasise significant elements of the narrative. This is noticable when the protagonist is waiting at the bus stop, she is blurred and the background is visibly clear, however, the focus shifts and the background becomes more blurry until difficult to decipher, until all the emphasis is placed on the young girl, who is on her own and this adds connotations of vulnerability. At the beginning of the feature, a tracking shot is used to highlight the fact that the girl is the song's protagonist and she is the subject of the narrative. The vocals often dictate what happens in the narrative of the video, which is why standard cuts are used to jump to different obstacles/scenario the girl faces in daily life. Cuts and jump cuts constitute the majority of the video as it is an efficient way of including all the relative information in the song, which makes up the bulk of the narrative in the case of most music videos. Also, a monochrome effect has been applied as a post production technique which is somewhat of a commonality for more indie videos and is certainly something I will take into account to possibly incorporate into my own work.

Sound
The sound features the pre-recorded single "A Team" written and performed by Ed Sheeran, no post production sound effects are added to the video.

Textual Analysis: Arctic Monkeys - "Brianstorm"

This video qualifies as a 'performance video' - it documents the band playing the song surrounded by exotic dancers and fast flashing lights. The video was directed by Huse Monfaradi in 2007.

Camera
The camera uses a series of fast paced cuts that keep in time to the frenetic speed of the music . The video opens with a long shot, which includes all members of the band within the camera frame, although they are silhouettes which creates ambiguity - the environment they are in is also obscured. A POV shot is used from the drummers perspective during the opening scenes, to emphasize the importance of the beat, as the song is played at an incredibly fast pace. There are also some over-the-shoulder shots used that are angled behind the drummer, presumably to allow the camera to see the rest of the band in front of the drummer and render the audience with a sense of involvement. Two shots are often use to include more than one member of the band and connote that they are an important unit. Frontman Alex Turner is often represented through a low angle shot which gives connotations of superiority.

Mise en Scene
The band all wear relatively dark clothing with navy and black being the primary colours worn by the band, this connotes that the song bears a dark and mischievous meaning. The band, although most noticably frontman Alex Turner, sport retro 'mod' attire such as Chelsea boots and Harrington jackets with skinny jeans. This sense of fashion gives the band an identity that their fans are familiar with and can relate to, giving them a sense of identity too which allows them to empathise. The band often sport retro 1960's clothing to come across as 'indie', this style of fashion encapsulates their sound and makes them recognisable.

Sound
The soundtrack features the original product written by the Arctic Monkeys, with no additional sound effects to supplement the music video. The music is perfectly in sync with the visuals.


Editing
The video features an array of intercuts which include exotic female dancers performing in front of a computerized display. There is also an array of intercuts which show a man, whom the audience postulate is the song's protagonist, in a rather lavish jacuzzi interacting with attractive women. To further accentuate the speed of the song, a series of whip-pans are used throughout the middle of the song to disorientate the audience. The whip pan spreads between the dancers, who are made more visible by the computerised display behind them. The director has also chosen not to adhere to the 180 degree rule - it has been documented that the omission of the 180 degree rule often results in the audience being disorientated. The video manifests a clear lack of continuity, however, this is all relevant as the song is played at a fast frenetic pace and the director has recognised this and feels that this lack of continuity could actually work well.