MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS OF TAYLOR SWIFT: SHAKE IT OFF

ANDREW GOODWINS THEOLOGY

By Kenya Bell

ANDREW GOODWINS 1) Music Video demonstrates genre characteristics (e.g. Stage performance in

metal videos, dance routines for boy/girl band)2) There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (Either illustrative,

amplifying or contradicting)3) There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (Either illustrative,

amplifying or contradicting)4) The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of

the artists and the artists may develop motifs which occur across their work. (e.g. A visual style)

5) There are frequent references of the notion of looking (screens within scenes, telescopes) and particularly voyeuristic (sexual) treatment of the female body.

6) There is often intertextual references (to films, TV programs and other music videos)

7) Whether or not the video is primarily performance based, narrative-based or concept-based and how elements are used in it.

GENRE CHARACTERISTICSThis video ‘Shake It Off” follows a lot of pop genre stereotypes like Goodwin suggested. This song has the typical dance performances. The dancing continues all the way through the video however it is mostly focused on Taylor Swift, but she cannot dance this is why she is surrounded by professional dancers to make it look better in the background.

Another genre characteristic this video follows is the instruments it has drums, keyboard and an electric guitar. There is a contradiction because the video has included some jazz instruments such as saxophones.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS

“Got nothing in my brain” this lyric links with the visual of Taylor pointing towards her brain. This video is making a joke about the lyrics because she is trying to make what people say about her funny and show they do not get to her. You can tell she is trying to do this because she clearly has a brain.“That's what people say, mmm-mmm” Taylor

Swift’s lyrics take on their literal meaning in relation to the video so the singer within the video always shows movements that relate to the visuals. Along with the lyrics, she has people blocking her which shows that people are the ones that are making this up before the actual person get to Taylor to ask her the truth.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS

“Hey, And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate (haters gonna hate)” the visuals amplify the lyrics because she is referring to people who hate her in the real word, but this spin on the video shows how much it hurts her but how dramatic the others are being about something that they don’t understand.

“I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off” Taylor Swift in the video is shaking but this is again an amplification of the actual meaning because she really is shaking off the emotional abuse people throw at her, however her spin on it is that she is making it seem upbeat to show people that the abuse does not get to her.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS

The dancers separate when the instrument, which sounds like the saxophone, becomes more noticeable within the video.

The shots change on the beat to other dancers and they make the shot closer to Taylor after we have seen the huge group of new dancers that she is with. For example the image to the left is the shot of the dancers and the shot to the right is a closer shot of Taylor.

INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCING

Taylor Swift’s video has references to Beyoncé's "Mine" video in certain scenes. Taylor’s video has several different personas and she does not stick to one. This could represent the many rumors that people have created about her.

They have went for the same style but Daft Punk have taken more time on their outfits because the video is mostly that scene. However, Taylor Swift is trying to take on many personas so her costumes change every new scene.

When Taylor Swift is dressed like this (in the image to the right) it shows a resemblance to the music video ‘Get Lucky’ by Daft Punk (on the left)

ARE THERE CLOSE-UPS OF THE ARTIST AND STAR IMAGE MOTIFS

There is a continued motif throughout the video of the artist with different dancing styles and costumes. To the end of the video the close ups become more frequent during the motif because they are quickly scanning through every scene to jog the audiences members of every character Taylor has tried to be.

IS THERE REFERENCES TO THE NOTION OF LOOKING?

Taylor Swift is looking to the camera however it is blocked by other people showing that Taylor wants to share this experience but the other people there think it is a private rehearsal where the audience should not be allowed to watch.

Swift is looking towards the dancers and watching them: this seems like an intimate moment that the audience should not be there to see because Taylor doesn’t seem to know how to react.

Taylor Swift is making the other females seem sexual because she is looking at them where she shouldn’t be. However she has been allowed to go under them by their permission but it still seems like the audience should not be watching from this point of view.

IS THE VIDEO CATEGORY ILLUSTRATION, AMPLIFICATION OR CONTRADICTING? HOW MUCH OF

EACH?Goodwin’s Theory suggests that the video has many different bases such as narrative, performance and concept. Taylor Swift’s video focuses more on the performance, because she trys to join in with other dancers of different styles of dancing such as ballet, street dance etc.

The video is 99% illustration because the lyrics and visuals strongly relate as this video has took on the lyrics literal meaning. The amplification part of the video is the meaning behind some of the dancing when they are not shaking like the lyrics say. The dancing routine to the right shows people’s anger and they are directing it towards Taylor, giving a little insight into what the lyrics could mean.