Research: Codes and Conventions

L/O: to analyse codes and conventions in similar products

Music Video 1: Cruise Control by Tomper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fzS8T5zerM

The entire video is shot with a reduced aspect ratio and has a distinct, high contrast, saturated colour palette which mimics older cameras, for example some outside shots are overexposed. 

Narrative is expressed through visual language rather than the song itself. Woman is missing her partner. 

MES: Wide shot of a dinner table and the woman sat at it. She is staring longingly at the clock and photographs on the wall.

Editing: The shot then cuts to this POV close up shot of the wall, which gives the audience a clearer look at the props.

MES - Clock: The presence of the clock implies that the partner is late home for dinner.

MES - Photographs: Tells the audience 

Camerawork: Frames the audience as if they are the table, reinforces absurdist/nostalgic theme of the video. 

MES: Prop of the missing poster features lighthearted lexis suggesting the less serious and carefree narrative. Humour: "Last seen eating plain yoghurt"

 MES: Overexposure on camera gives it a vintage look, often utilised by Indie videos to maximise low production values.

  

Music Video 2: Still Waiting by Jazz Emu

The video features an absurdist narrative of a man watching the "DVD Logo" and waiting for it to hit the corner, this is a direct intertextual reference to an internet meme in which the "DVD Logo" never "hits the corner". The song, and the video's narrative, display this man's decline due to his obsession with the DVD Logo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ws0QtAiiXQ

The video relies on a combination of camerawork and Mise-en-scene in order to display it's narrative.

The first example of this is a combination of camerawork and mise-en-scene which frames the audience inside the Television. This POV shot also acts as a close up of the protagonists excited expression, and the display of the DVD Logo which enforces the idea that this TV is an obsession for the protagonist.

 

Shot of the protagonist out of focus as his wife leaves him, the protagonist is still focused on the TV

  Camerawork: Protagonist is in focus still watching the TV, his wife is not in focus, displaying his priorities. He cares not for his family. 

Visual story telling via mise-en-scene, 'Certificate of Divorce', further reinforces the narrative of obsession.

Exaggerated prop of the dried eyes shows the character's obsession, in conjunction with the lyrics: 'No amount of liquid can rehydrate them'. This close up shot of the exaggerated prop reinforces the absurdist narrative of obsession with the DVD Logo. 

The mise-en-scene of this shot is dreamlike, utilising the projector and the colours to create the impression that our character is dreaming, in conjunction with the lyrics: 'Sometimes I wonder/What will happen when it hits'.

A woman with the DVD Logo is displayed carressing the protagonist, reinforces the theme of obsession as this is all he cares about. 

 

Music Video 3: Call Me What You Like by Lovejoy

The music video displays the narrative of a plane crash, with a combination of live action shots and a diorama of the plane crashing.

Diorama style of a plane flying establishes the narrative. 

Handheld camera makes the scene frantic and emphasises the panic on the steward's faces (Mise-en-scene). 

Character's static expression remains for the first half of the video, the narrative occurs in the background mostly, with all other characters running to the back of the plane.

Shots in the back cabin have a handheld style at head height, acting as unstable POV of the frantic panic regarding the crash. 

As the character grabs the announcement radio the cabin becomes smoky suggesting a fire, during the character's monologue.

Diorama continues to advance the narrative by displaying the plane crash in a low budget style.

"Thank you for choosing WU&IO Airlines" as lexis maintains the narrative at it's end.