A-Ha- Take On MeCase Study

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Industry Information…

"Take on Me" is a single by Norwegian pop band A-ha. It was written by the band members for the group's first studio album ‘Hunting High and Low’, released in 1985. The song combines synthpop with a varied instrumentation that includes acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums.

The original "Take on Me" was recorded in 1984, and took three releases to chart in the United Kingdom, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart in November 1985. In the United States, the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1985, due in no small part to the wide exposure of its memorable and cutting-edge music videoA-ha- Take on me video joins reality with

animation. The originality of this music video is what makes it so innovative and unique. The Norwegian pop band have managed to incorporate lyrics within the animation along with reality. The way this adds to the music video is because it turns the video from narrative to narrative and performance.

Genre Conventions….

Camera Shots: Close ups and extreme close ups are constantly used to emphasise the artists for promotional use.

Camera movements: Pans, Dolly track shots and tilts are used to follow the artist or band.

Editing: Jumps cuts are the most commonly used because it allows the editor to jump between a story and the band/singer or to be used when changing location. Reaction shots are used in narrative videos because it helps show a relationship between the actors.

The genre may be considered as a practical device for helping any mass medium to produce consistently and efficiently and to relate its production to the expectations of its customers – Denis Mcquail

The quote above states that the genre may be considered as a practical device for helping any mass medium. This suggests that the bands have to consider how there video will relate to their audience or attract their audience. For example Rihanna; she targets teenagers to men. She achieves this by making herself ‘sexy and ‘wanted’

Narrative..

This music video has a linear story plot as it has a start, middle and end narrative. This story has a Proairetic code, due to the end sequence where the main characters are being chased. The fact there is a proairetic code means there is a protagonist and antagonist character.

This video has a dream sequence aspect to it as it is has a very interesting storyline, but completely impossible. This is the main reason it has a dream sequence aspect.

In this music video they use a parallel narrative to help the story line. For example; she leaves the shop without paying for her drink. This infuriates the waitress so she throws her comic into the bin. This has a chain reaction effect on the story line as this results in the Antagonist character entering the plot.

Visuals and lyrics…

We're talking awayI don't know whatI'm to say I'll say it anywayToday's another day to find youShying awayI'll be coming for your love, OK?

Take on me, take me onI'll be goneIn a day or two

So needless to sayI'm odds and endsBut I'll be stumbling awaySlowly learning that life is OK.Say after meIt's no better to be safe than sorry

Oh the things that you sayIs it life orJust a play my worries awayYou're all the things I've got toRememberYou're shying awayI'll be coming for you anyway

Music and visuals…

These two shots of the music video are representing points in the video where the tempo picks up. The shot on the left is at the start of the video and is representing the speed and agility of the motorbike race. The second shot is when the tempo is at its highest due to the antagonist characters chasing the protagonist characters.

The musical tempo is this screen shot is representing the anger of the shop worker, due to the fact that the female character did not pay for her order. The band acomplish this by using the piano as this can achieve a fast tempo pace. She reacts by scrupling up her comic, which results in the antagonists entering the scenes to come.

Shots on the band…

Representation of love…

It is clear from the start of the video that the female character has a crush on a character in the comic. She is reading the comic purely to find out what happens to the male character. This shot is representing the amount of trust she has to have to take his hand and be with him.

This shot represents her trust for him and believes she will be happy and safe with him.

This is the shot of the lovers meeting for the first time and

looking into each others eyes.

In this shot the lyrics quote ‘Take on me’ This is trying to represent that he wants her to trust him and the fact she is walking towards him is an indication that she does.

This shot is when the antagonists have entered the video and one of them grabs the female character. He shows his love for her by punching him in the face to protect her. They proceed to run away and get trapped. He only saves her, which clearly indicates his lover

for her!