Corrine Bailey Rae- Stop where you are

Corinne Bailey Rae - Stop Where You Are from SianField81

Music video assessment

Explain how representations in music videos are chosen to promote the artists. Refer to one of the music videos you've analysed.

At the beginning of the music video by Titanium by David Guetta and Sia, there is a boy aged 12/13 crouching in a ball amongst debris and mess in a school. We cannot yet see his face but the camera pans across his body at floor level to visualise his closed body language, suggesting he is scared and vulnerable. The shots then focus on the destruction around him then a long shot pans out and portrays the boy sitting up amongst the mess of a school. The camera then pans along with a close up shot of the boy as he walks out of the school and puts on a bright coloured hat which foreshadows the colour contrast between his hat and the dullness of the school whilst also suggesting the contrast between society and the brilliance of the boy’s unknown hidden powers and individuality. The boy then walks outside, where the atmospheric colour becomes more enhanced, encouraging the theme of escape and freedom. Whilst doing this, the police car discourages the theme of freedom with the theme of threat. The shot then shows the boy riding a bike, however, editing has allowed the pace of the shot to speed up to portray the power within the boy and his need for escape. When at his home, the camera goes from a long shot of the living room to a close up of the television that reads “supernatural occurrence at local school”. To the left of it, there is a ‘superargo’ poster which Is a vintage supernatural fan poster. The shot then changes to a mid-shot of the boy throwing stuff off his bed. After the boy has left by using his powers, the drop of the song erupts as the door smashes open by the police. Although the music Is fast-paced, the shot of the door opening is edited in slow motion, presenting the impact of the strong beat within the song. A low shot is then used facing upwards to the ceiling of the boy’s room, where two teddies’ are floating. As the boy steps out into the forest, the bridge of the song starts playing which builds a climax to the final event of this boy’s journey. At this point, the sky has turned to dusk to represent the darker stages of the story which is proven as we see a long shot of the police chasing after the boy through the woods. As the boy is caught, a mid shot is used to show he has fallen and is now trapped by the police. At this moment, the head lights of the car near him turn on which represents the light of the boy’s powers and allows the audience to see the actions occurring. Close ups of the police men’s faces emphasise the stress and fear due to the situation. In the final moments, the boy returns to his original crouching position which was performed at the start of the video, showing a cyclical theme. From a long shot a bright light then follows from the boy and causes the police men to be thrown backwards in slow motion. The contrast of the bright light to the surrounding dark atmosphere creates brilliance for the boy with the power and encourages the audience to remember the video due to the explosive visual.

The costumes used in the video are basic, autumnal and normal to everyday people. The set is also basic and shows a national school where disaster has stuck along with an average 80’s American neighbourhood. No characters have heavy makeup or outfits. Although the basis of the video is neutral and normal, the artist behind it are glamorous, rich and well-established. They probably do not usually visit schools or even normal neighbourhoods, therefore, this representation of working-class people makes the audience feel that the rich celebrities behind the song do have an idea of normal life and the difficulties of wanting to be individual in society.

The music video takes on a narrative form, showing the journey of a supernatural boy. The main character, the boy, never breaks the fourth wall or breaks character. He is shown as vulnerable and desperate throughout. This identifies the difficulty individuals may feel when wanting to be comfortable in their own skin but society does not accept it. The artists David Guetta and Sia, may have wanted to portray this to show they support individuality and want encourage young people to be themselves without fear.

Titanium presentation

Presentation1 from niamh deasy