A-Level Media Studies
Jack Johnson- Better Together
This music video does not follow a narrative theory, it is very original in the sense that it is highly performance based rather than narrative based. We see many montages of happy people throughout the whole video and then other sections are of the band performing on stage.
Mise en scene;
A vast majority of the music video is performance based. The lead singer of the band is singing on a stage at a concert, the use of this is effective because it gives the audience a more genuine feel to the video which is also conventional of the indie genre. Non- verbal communication is used frequently throughout the video, this is to excentuate the happy vibe in which the band are trying to portray. The characters within the video are always smiling or laughing which gives the audiences an uplifted feeling. Non- verbal communication is key in the production of our music video, we want to portray mental illness in a subtle manor and the only way to achieve this is through carefully chosen non- verbal communication.
The props used within this music video are basic band equipment such as an acoustic guitar, minimalistic props such as this are conventional of the indie genre and give a more realistic view to the whole video. The costumes follow the same theme as the other elements of Mise en scene in the sense that they follow a very minimalistic route, again conventional of the indie genre. The main character is dressed in a white top and jeans which continues portraying the fact that the video is genuine.
Camera Work;
Many of the shots within this music video are hand held, for example whilst the main character is performing on stage. The use of this gives the whole video a more rustic look, which is conventional of the indie genre. We have chosen to use this technique in our music video, during the moments that we are showcasing happy memories, as a team we feel as if it will work really nicely and create a more realistic vibe. Extreme long shots are used when showcasing the bands fan base, this is to demonstrate the amount of people that the band are reaching and to show their popularity. When the viewers are shown the lead singer of the band, the majority of the time it is through a side profile, mid shot. This gives the audience a more realistic and genuine portrayal of the artist. As stated previously, non verbal communication is used frequently throughout this music video. When the lead singer shows extreme signs of happiness, such as a smile we see it through an extreme close up. This allows us to see the emotions that he is portraying and allows the audience to create relationships with the band.
Editing;
The most prominent editing technique used in this music video is a split screen. This is used at the beginning of the music video to showcase multiple people portraying the same emotion in one shot. This technique creates an overwhelming sense of happiness for the audience. Filters are also used during this music video, mainly black and white but occasionally the colours are more saturated to create a warmer and content vibe. We will be using this technique but in a slightly different way, we will be using black and white filters during our sad moments, to create a more dull feeling. As for the saturated colours we will be using these frequently during our happy moments between the couples to enhance the feeling of contentment and love. Fades are used throughout the entire editing process to create a smoother process between each shot. We are also going to use this throughout our editing process in order to create less of a harsh cut, but during the sad moments we will be using static shots in order to create more of an uneasy feel.
Soundtrack;
The entire song is composed in a major key, this is conventional of an indie artists due to their determination to create a happy sounding song. The use of a major key makes the music video and soundtrack synchronous, the characters in the music video are always happy which fits with the soundtrack. This soundtrack also has a folk element to it, we hear this when the harmonica is being used. Indie genres are typically linked with others to create a more original sound, our song in which we have chosen is completely indie, we chose it because we wanted to maintain a more upsetting feeling rather than happy feeling.