3 Daft Punk Music Video Analyses by Thomas Griffiths - 0601
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Transcript of 3 Daft Punk Music Video Analyses by Thomas Griffiths - 0601
Daft Punk3 music video analysis
By Thomas Griffiths – 0601
Centre Number - 33751
***VIEW THIS IN FULL SCREEN***
Group background knowledge and introduction
2 songs which I have analysed were first featured on the Daft Punk album “Discovery”, the songs are from a film called “Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem”. The film was made using only music from Daft Punk, along with no dialogue (other than lyrics) and minimal sound effects. This film was then split up into “episodes” and each episode was featured as a music video for a song on the album. As the film was co-created with Daft Punk, the music videos where created to their standards. This of course makes the music videos very similar and easily categorised as both performance and narrative styled music videos.
The final song is not from this album, however, so it does not follow the same idea as the other 2. The final video is a conceptual music video, however I will explain the music videos in more detail when I get to them.
One More Time
Album: DiscoveryRuntime: 5:22Category: Performance/narrativeGenre: House/techno
Although the characters in the video arenot real, they are designed to be likethe band themselves, this is the reason why the music video is also performance. The characters are fictional as there are only 2-4 people in the group.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO, YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO YOUTUBE
(This is a YOUTUBE clip, click link to play)
Overview
• Although it is animation, the same techniques still count, such as “lighting” and “angles”.
• Storyline is added to include the audience and create a cliff hanger.
• Song ends with bell sounds, which is the start to the next song on the album and in the storyline.
• The video matches the Groups style as it is vibrant, fast paced (with quick transitions), bouncy and leaves the viewer wanting more.
Shooting through space Tells audience that the song will be fast
Perhaps danger? Relation to opening of Star Wars films?
Planets, which are easily observed and can be related to by audience
Informs us that artist is “different” or “alien”
Camera spirals, showing a “zooming motion”, informing audience of area
Close up of lips, shows audience that this is the singer
Officially starts the songTitle of song is first lyric
Again shows audience that the group is different
Establishing shot, to show area
The beauty of animation is emphasised, as made up worlds can be created and look so amazing. Makes the audience feel as if they are there too
Bright colours, showing that the song and group are bouncy and bright
“Rave” disco styled lighting, can be related to
Changes, showing disco style
Harmonic colours
Puts viewers into audience’s shoes
Over shoulder style Also point of view style
Harmony emphasised
Low angle, looking up to show their skill at playing
Perhaps point of view of fictional audience/crowd
Panning shots of neighbouring houses Bright colours houses, emphasising brightness of music and the group’s style
Establishing the setting
Inside homes, seems to be house party
Families all listening to same song, showing that the music is for anyone
Shows the group had fun creating the music
Same thing again, people both old and young listening (and dancing) to the song
Also establishes city more, shows mass of buildings and its beauty
Vocals are emphasised here, and overlaying of images is used to emphasise happiness
This also gives off a good vibe to viewers, making a “feel good” atmosphere
Showing their love for the music
Panning shots complimented with overlaid close ups of band
Lights it background to add atmosphere of gig
More emphasis on instruments, with “negative” hue overlay of band member clapping cymbals together
A slow tilt creates a smooth and happy feeling for viewers
Tilts upward to show night sky
By this time the viewers have become a part of the video, and the darkness symbolises danger, which is inevitable no matter how much the viewers don’t want it
Focus distance switches from characters dancing to a red light on what seems to be a radar. Of course red has connotations with danger, and it is obvious that the viewers know what is happening
Characters’ smiling faces are still visible
Shadow/silhouette of a person, darkness symbolising danger
This dark character seems to be watching our “heroes” and this creates a tense atmosphere
This shows that there is always a story behind Daft Punk’s music
Red, in the case having connotations with blood, anger and evil
Cloaked characters are mysterious and make the viewers want to find out who they are
Bells start and a silhouette is standing in a doorway, creating a tense atmosphere
The audience is sure that danger is on the way as the video ends, creating a cliff hanger. Giving the feel that the music always leaves you wanting more
Aerodynamic
Album: DiscoveryRuntime: 3:38Category: Performance/narrativeGenre: House/techno
Although the characters in the video arenot real, they are designed to be likethe band themselves, this is the reason why the music video is also performance.The characters are fictional as there areonly 2-4 people in the group.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO, YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO YOUTUBE
(This is a YOUTUBE clip, click link to play)
Overview
• The second part to the video.
• Fast paced music with fast paced transitions and movement on screen.
• Instrumental, perfect for video as singing wouldn’t fit the panic setting.
• Vibrant style of group is emphasised in this video.
Precision with music, everything is in time
Light switches on with bell sound
Colourful vibrancy on screen, showing brightness of artists
Darker side is shown as vibrant colours are faded away
Gradient used to emphasis darkness
Party style still occurring (as this follows on from pervious video)
Quickly comes to a sudden holt as music picks up
Danger and panic begins here
Looking up at “bad guys”, as they have power and superiority
Panic shown on characters faces, shock sets in for viewers also
Smoke overpowers crowdViewers feel panic building
Same chords playing, creating atmosphere as if the same thing is taking an eternity, which is common in a situation like this
Character running away from smoke, creating more panic
This character straight away becomes protagonist
We want the character to escape
Chords still playing
Viewers are shown that rest of band has been captured, emphasising need for final one to escape
Female character held at front, as females are often seen as vulnerable and helpless
Chords change and music becomes even higher tempo, adding to the panic atmosphere
Viewers are willing the character to run faster
Masked man precisely applies ammo to his weapon, to show the precision on the group’s music
Close up used to emphasise danger in this piece of equipment
Zooming effect of weapon is used to show inevitable future for the character. The viewers hold onto a last glimpse of hope that the character may get away
Panic of both music and visuals allows the style of the group to be shown as very up pace
Uncommon shot of firing of weapon. The shot is repeated from different angles. This is used to emphasise the precision and power in this single shot
This obviously shows the group to be very precise when writing and creating music
The “panic” styled layer of the song dims down at this point, because the character has been caught. Heavy drum beat tells us this.
Shows that the band puts meaning behind their music
Antagonist character is seen for second time since first music video, with close ups of his expression, to show his evil smirk.
He remains a silhouette in order to keep the viewers interested and add a cliff hanger as to who he is
Another cliff hanger is added at the end of this video, there may be a possible last hope
Red symbolises power, and in this case the viewers hope that it is enough power to save the heroes
Around the world
Album: HomeworkRuntime: 4:01Category: ConceptualGenre: House/techno
Being conceptual, this music video is more of an art form than a video. It has no real meaning behind it, it contains no specific start middle or end. However it is very moving and artistically choreographed.
(This is a YOUTUBE clip, click link to play)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO, YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO YOUTUBE
Overview
• This music video is different from the other 2 which I have analysed so far.
• It is a conceptual video as there does not seem to be any narrative to it.
• The video was taken in one session from many different cameras in a single studio, no “takes” where made (it was one continuous piece).
• The video is very complex, however it can be broken down easily.
Firstly seems obscene and very nonsense-like
Panning, showing different “stations” for dancing to take place
Patterned dancing, the women lift their arms in waves
Build up for song is obvious, and colours in background portray that
Master shot, showing all of dancers, but not all are active or lit up
Rest of dancers form a circle around the centre podium
“Funky” dancing up the steps is shown by the strangely dressed men
It becomes apparent that each “group” of people is being portrayed as a “layer” of the music
This is again shown when the women dance up the stairs to the tune of the song
The astronauts begin to dance also at this point, as they are matching the vocals of the song
As the focus of this part of the song is the vocals, the astronauts are mainly lit, along with the white dancers on the central podium. This is because these 2 “layers” of the song are the dominant ones.
The precision in choreography shows how precise the group is with their music creating skills
In contrast to the previous slide, everything is lit up now, showing how the song is evenly levelling out all aspects of the song, from the beat to the tune
The background lighting also changed, to show the difference in this part of the song
Again to show precision and emphasis on a single entity in the song, the camera focuses on the white dancers on the central podium and they are also predominantly lit
Also the background lights match the colours of the white dancers’ clothes
(This is a YOUTUBE clip, click link to play)
Here we can see what I have been saying in action. Notice that as the men run down the stairs, a certain part of the song will play. This can be best explained when the men move only to this specific layer of the music, along with the astronauts dancing to only the lyrics in the video above. (you can watch the clip as many times as you like by replaying it on youtube)
THIS IS THE THIRD SHORT CLIP USED FOR ANALYSIS, CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO YOUTBE
Arial shot, which is unusual, much like the song and the style of the music
Gives us a 3 point perspective of what is happening
This clips shows the precision in choreography, which is an indicator of how precise the music is, which is obviously a trend in Daft Punk’s songs and style. It is clearly visible how each individual “set of dancers” matches an individual aspect of the song, as stated earlier.
(This is a YOUTUBE clip, click link to play)
THIS IS THE SECOND SHORT CLIP USED FOR ANALYSIS, CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO YOUTBE
The mass of different “characters” could show how diverse the musicians are with their music
This can also be said for the diverse amount of colours in the background
(This is a YOUTUBE clip, click link to play)
Again we see how difficult it must have been to choreograph this video, as it was a single take. These final moments of dancing finalise the piece as a work of art, as is the style of the music. No matter how many times the lyric “around the world” is said, it never gets boring, as is the same with the dancing, it always amazes viewers.
THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL SHORT CLIP USED FOR ANALYSIS, CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO YOUTBE
As the music video comes to a holt and the song fades, the lights dim and the dancers stop.
At this point, the viewer feels fulfilled and entertained, whish is the meaning of the video
Thank you for paying attention