Music Video Research

Genre: House/ Electronic Dance

Artist, song/linkGenreThoughts

Corona- Rhythm of the Night(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3ltZmI5LQw)Electronic Dance Music (Eurodance)Overall: The video fits perfectly with the genre of the song. I always feel house/electronic dance music can be agitating and although feel-good, that is certainly the case in Corona's video.

The quick edits and Corona's almost freestyle Voguish dancing between the various locations only adds to the discomposure of the video.

Camera workThe feeling of euphoria usually associated with House and Electronic Dance Music is maintained throughout this video through its camera work. For example, it uses a variety of camera shots such as zoom-ins, zoom-outs, high angles, low angles, wide-shots, extreme/medium/ close-ups along with computer-generated imagery.

Here are examples of the Zooms:

EXAMPLE ONE (there are many exemplified here)

EXAMPLE TWO

Mise-en-SceneThere are various elements of Mise-en-Scene throughout. For example, as seen in the above screenshots, Corona appears in various locations along with two extras (who are both at the Fairground); these include being atop a hill, as seen here: Within a Fairground setting:

At the end of or in an authentic looking street/town/city:

Or uses green-screen or computer-generated imagery:

Or simply in a studio or a clear backdrop:

Throughout the video, Corona remains in a black trouser suit, with very bold earrings, straightened curly hair.

EditingEvery piece of media needs editing. On the whole, this video is made up of various separate location shoots or green-screen/computer generated imagery that had been edited together to create the hallucinatory effect of the end product.

I really like the discombobulated style of the video as I feel it matches with the disorientating feel of the genre.

The various shots often fade in and out of each other.

SoundThe sound within the music video is digetic, the visuals begin and end with the music.

When the song beat kicks in, the video's visuals too become powering.

Zedd ft. Foxes- Clarity(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxxstCcJlsc)Electronic Dance MusicOverall: Fitting with the genre of Electronic Music, this video is extremely conceptual, disorientating and unusual.

This is portrayed through not only concept but also includes a very disjointed narrative (assumably to the genre)

Camera workElectronic Dance music is associated with agitation and possess a sense of hallucinatory confusion. Zedd's music video follows these conventions through the video's camera work. For example:

(mirrored visuals)

VIEW EXAMPLES HERE

AND HERE

Aside from the heavily computer-generated imagery within the video, there is also narrative. This narrative is showcased through a variety of shots including:

ESTABLISHING SHOTS

Weather Shots (Panning Shot, taken from moving vehicle)

Loose Framing

Wide Shots

Very Wide Shot

Cut-ins

SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD EXAMPLE HERE

Mid-Shots

Extreme Wide-shots

Aside from the narrative shots, there are also segments of the video evidently filmed in front of a studio green screen, exemplified below:

These being of the featured artists and the performers within the video.

Close-up/over-the-shoulder shots are also featured abstractly- almost like a painting by Johannes Vermeer- see below:

Mise-en-Scene

There are various elements of Mise-en-Scene throughout the video. For example, locations of:

The Desert

The Streets of Urban America

Studio Green-screen Shoots

Within Caves

And then, the computer-generated imagery

Costume/make-up: The artists/performers within the video are not seen to be wearing clothing or make-up too extravagantly. For example:

Here, Foxes is seen wearing a nude coloured lace texture dress. See here also:

While in the early narrative, she is seen to be wearing a denim jacket. However, toward the end of the video, she is again seen in the car with the male protagonist, who remains unchanged with his costume, wearing an 'F' for FOXES green Jersey:

The male protagonist within the video is seen sporting a similar costume throughout the videos entirety, despite being featured in the various segments. For example, above, during this green-screen shot, he is portrayed as the typical Indie-heartthrob with long hair and facial hair, wearing a white T-shirt and a leather jacket (think Danny Zuko).

Here, adding to this is the clich ripped jeans and trainers look.

The song's creator is seen here wearing a blue shirt and black jacket, very casual.

EditingEditing is one of the main elements of Zedd's video. The reason behind this is due to the quick pace of the Electronic Dance Music, the video too needs to match.

Obviously, all of the video is edited for the entertainment of the viewer. In Clarity's case, to not only tell the narrative and to feature shots of the performers/artists, it also visually stimulates the viewer. For example, in the below clip, see how the video builds tension, along with the song and the thought beat that takes place as the computer generated imagery begins, as the song's beat drops. The computer imagery then stopping when the beat calms again:

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/7701741

SoundThe sound within the song is digetic. As previously mentioned, the visuals within the video coincide with the sound; with the visuals reflecting the mood and tone of the song/sound.