Analysis of a music video

Darrell Stenering

Track: Swim Good

Artist: Frank Ocean

Producer: Midi Mafia

Director: Nabil Elderkin

Year: 2011

Camera: Movement, Shots & Angles• The music video begins with a

close up shot of a male and this is so that the audience aware of who the artist (or main character of the video) is.

• The majority of the video is made up of tracking shots which follow the artists ‘story’ as this video is a concept based video.

• There are many shots of different women who are in shot for only a second or two and this is to contribute towards the lyrics and story.

Editing: Transitions and Special Effects

• Many of the shots fade into each other and these smooth transitions give the video an idea of fluidity.

• The director chooses to frequently use horizontal white scratches, which are commonly associated with VHS, this it to give the video a sense that it is in the past and the character is looking back.

Mise-en-scene: Colour, Costumes, Props, Locations, Expressions etc.

• There is a lot of east Asian influence as the character is seen wearing a kimono/monk like robes as well as Asian lettering.

• Also, the location is a long road which leads to a body of water, and judging by the lyrics, this is symbolism for his long battle with relationships which have consistently failed followed by his decision to take his own life.

• Throughout the video, the waters are rough and choppy, but at the end, they’re still, this could be an example of him finding tranquillity at the end of his journey.

Dominant Ideologies

• The song challenges the ideology that the male is the stronger emotional party in a heterosexual relationship, as the song and video is regarding a man looking to commit suicide after losing his partner.

Genre

• Swim Good is an R&B/pop song and this isn’t immediately –because R&B songs tend to be about a relationship and therefore show both parties in the relationship, but this one features mostly the male. In addition to this, the artist doesn’t appear to show any change of emotion throughout.

• There is no sign of the ‘typical R&B musician lifestyle’ which tends to be wealth, jewellery and lots of females.

• In R&B videos, women tend to be objectified in a way to satisfy male viewers, this doesn’t happen as the few shots of women have their faces and not their bodies.

• Usually, there is a resolution – most likely a happy ending –to the story portrayed in the video, however in this, the artist has the same mind set at the beginning as at the end.

Intertextuality

• Due to use of popcorn, which has connotations with film and cinema, and the ‘old VHS’ effects in the music video, it gives us the notion that the character is watching a home movie or is at the cinema, this is an example of intertextuality as it is the referral of a media text in another.

Audience Reception

• The audience reception could be negative due to the dark subject matter, however, many may not even notice that is a song and video about suicide due to the use of metaphors.

• The video also has some shots of a samurai sword which appears to have blood on it and an exploding vehicle towards the end, this may make it unsuitable to younger audiences.

Why might audiences watch/enjoy this music video?

• This video tells the story of a man’s journey of troubles and turmoil's with relationships comes to an end through metaphors very well.

• The song has some depth which may not be noticed at first listen and this is similar in the music video as with first watch the meaning may not be seen and the metaphors overlooked.

Does Andrew Goodwin’s theory apply?

• Music videos demonstrate genre characteristicsNot really.• Relationship between lyrics and visuals. Lyrics represented with imagesThere is a literal translation, as well as some subtle ideas• Relationship between lyrics and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the

visual reflect the musicYes. The solemn tone is replicated in the video• Demands of record label include need for close ups of artistYes. No other person is featured as much as the artist• There is frequent notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment

of the female bodyNo. Women aren’t shown from a voyeur point of view• Intertextual referencesBrief references to intertextuality at the beginning, otherwise none.

Can Laura Mulvey’s theory be applied to this video?

• Laura Mulvey’s theory states that all women in media are objectified. She is a feminist that believes all women are shown through the eyes of men and are seen in voyeuristic ways.

• This video does not adhere to Laura Mulvey’stheory as the women are not shown in a fashion which appears to objectify women. Women are a key aspect to the video, but not in a sexual approach.