Genre Music Video Analysis

• I will be analysing 2 music videos from the alternative rock genre. These include Arctic Monkeys – ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ and All American Rejects – ‘Gives You Hell’.

Genre

• With Fluorescent Adolescent it is easy to tell it is an alternative rock video as it includes a comedic approach to the video as well as some form of narrative which is conventional with most alternative rock music videos. In particular the visual elements within the video such as the concept of gangsters fighting clowns, and a narrative that doesn’t go with the song, shows that this is a alternative rock music video.

• Similarly with Gives You Hell, there is a narrative that becomes clearer throughout the song. This as well introduces a comedic approach, therefore conforming to the conventions of an alternative rock music video. Particular visual elements used such as the rivalry between the neighbours and the rock star lifestyle being shown by the lead singer and his band mates tells us that this is an alternative rock music video.

Setting and Decor

• In Fluorescent Adolescent the setting and décor of the music video is ‘grainy’, similar or that of a drama film or programme. This connotes to the audience that there is a deep storyline to the music video. The director may have chosen this to be ironic as the actual narrative of the music video does not fit with the setting or décor of the actual music video. Although in doing this the music video does fit the alternative rock genre of music videos.

• However with Gives You Hell the setting and décor is made to look similarly with that of a sitcom that lives in a suburban area. This connotes to the audience that the narrative of the music video is of a normal couple. However similarly with Fluorescent Adolescent, the narrative progresses and shows that the setting and décor doesn’t fit the narrative. The director may have chosen this for the same reason as the Fluorescent Adolescent; to be ironic. Because of the this the setting and décor do fit the alternative rock genre of music videos.

Costume

• With Fluorescent Adolescent the costumes are of gangsters and clowns. This may connote to the audience that the narrative of the music video is already not going to make a lot of sense. The director may have chosen this because he was looking to make the video as random as possible. It is because of the randomness of the costume and the storyline that it does in fact fit the alternative rock genre of music videos.

• With Gives You Hell the costumes are that of a suburban couple and of rock stars. This would connote that there will be some sort of interaction between the 2 different kind of people. The director may have chosen this to make sure the narrative can be seen visually as well as within the music video itself. Because they’re dressed in rock star clothes it does fit the alternative rock genre of music videos. The lead singer/frontman of the band is dressed differently to all the other people ion the video. However he plays 2 people and therefore doubles the effect. This shows that they are the most important member of the band.

Props

• In Fluorescent Adolescent the props in the video are bags, chains, cars, vans, chairs and boxes. These connote to the audience that as the majority of these props are used as weapons that there’s a lot of violence within the narrative of the music video. The director has most likely chosen them as they are typical weapons used by gangsters in hand to hand combat. As the props fit the narrative it does in a way fit the alternative rock genre of music videos.

• In Gives You Hell the props used are amplifiers, megaphones, hoses, lawnmowers, microphones and instruments. This connotes to the audience that the band is a typical alternative rock band. This is because they have instruments and random props to go with the narrative of the music video. The director would have chosen these to make the video generic to the alternative rock genre. With the directors choice of the props used within the video, they have made the video fit to the alternative rock genre.

Body Language and Movement

• In Fluorescent Adolescent the body language and performance used within the video connotes to the audience that the band itself is very random as their performance does not fit the alternative rock genre typically. The director may have chosen this because it fits with the more random, unconventional side of the alternative rock genre that the artists seem to represent. As it is unconventional to the genre, it doesn’t fit the genre conventionally, but does still fit the genre unconventionally. Different audiences would interpret the style of the music video as bad as it does not fit the expectations of the typical audience for the alternative rock genre, others would however deem this as correct as it is expected for the artist to be unconventional. The artist does not move differently to everyone else.

• In Gives You Hell the body language and movement would connote to the audience that the artists are a typical alternative rock band as the style is conventional to the genre. The director would have chosen this because the artists are renowned for this style of music video and wants to portray the same image. This therefore fits to the alternative rock genre. Different audiences might interpret this as conveying to the mainstream policies of alternative rock and therefore lacking originality. The artist moves differently to everyone else to show that he’s the front man. This creates the effect that he’s the most important member of the band.

Performance

• In Fluorescent Adolescent the artists are of little importance as anyone could have been used as there were no scenes of the band playing or singing. The performance of the artists however adds to the narrative of the video.

• In Gives You Hell the artists are of importance as they are acting in the narrative while also showing themselves as a band. Their performance adds to the effect that they are a generic alternative rock band.

Narrative

• In Fluorescent Adolescent there is a narrative. The artists take part in the narrative as actors. The narrative however doesn’t link with the lyrics of the song whatsoever. The narrative only adds to the music video to show how random the artists are.

• In Gives You Hell there is a narrative. The artists all take part in the narrative. The narrative slightly links with the lyrics of the song but instead of talking about a woman, they are talking about their annoying next door neighbour whom he has a rivalry with. The narrative adds slightly to the music video to show them as a generic alternative rock band.