MODESTEP-’Sunlight’

I really like this music video as it includes both a studio performance and narrative. It contradicts the daily routines of pensioners which illustrate the video; activities such as getting drunk, taking illegal drugs and going to gigs are stereotypical prospects of a youth generation.

In comparison to Emalkay ‘Fabrication’ and Nero ‘Guilt’, not every music video from Modestep features a full narrative, only the top-rated tracks. From my research I found that the reason for this is that the predicted views and sales of certain tracks are not high enough to fulfill the budget of a music video, in addition the track may not qualify within for example ‘the top 20 chart’ and may attract only a certain type of audience.

Andrew Goodwin states ‘there is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics) of a music video. The music video for Modestep ‘Sunlight’ signifies a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, these visuals contradicting the lyrics in a way that the whole genre of the video is not taken literally, for example the literature of the lyrics expect the audience to be prepared for a music video which features visuals within the lyrics. The visuals contradict the lyrics completely by surprising the audiences’ expectations of the video; typically after listening to the song you would visualize the music video to feature general youth expectations.However, this music video represents the band’s image and identity well by making the video humorous , also contradicting the subject of youths and what they do in their spare time. The lyrics for ‘Sunlight’:Put on those shadesAnd wave to yesterdayThe sunlight hurts my eyes[x?]

Sunlight hurts my [x5]Sun [x?]The sunlight hurts my eyes [x?]

Don't look to the skies

Eyes [x5]

The narrative of the music video manipulates an everyday routine of elders. Establishing and over the shoulder shots are used in order to create a relationship between the narrative and the audience, this may appeal to a younger target audience as the use of recreational drugs are shown.

At 0.39 there is a shot through the CCTV camera, these camera techniques link to Andrew Goodwin’s characteristics of music videos, that there is likely to be references to voyeurism, where viewers are granted an exclusive interaction with the subject group.

The song is known as 'Sunlight (2011)' in download sites because the song was modified by the band from a 2010 demo version which was not released commercially.