Analysis of Students A2 Music Videos

Macklemore - Cant Hold Us - A2 Media Studies Music Video

To gain inspiration towards our music video and give us an idea on what would give us the highest grade possible we had to look at previous students work. We were comparing different music videos and picking up on genre, type of video, group image , intertextual references , camera shots and representation. This will give us an all round idea on what we need to think about when it comes to creating our music video. 

The genre for this song Can’t Hold Us is a combination of hip hop and R&B. The original music video by Macklemore doesn't have a pacific storyline, there isn't one set location or a theme to that clearly links to the song lyrics. However in the recreation of the music video they have kept with a random theme like the original video, but it consists of a much more exciting and funny storyline which is easy to follow and understand. 

This music video is a combination of performance and narrative, for example when the camera cuts from the robbers in the symbolized white and black striped outfits who are frantically looking for there bag in which a stranger misplaced as his this part is classed as narrative, then the next cut we are shown the three male actors lip synching into the camera which is the performance section to the music video. The body language and facial expressions on the actors faces emphasizes a joking and humorous side to the video, the stereotypical coedy of over exaggerated falls and everything being more over dramatic reveals a comedy value to the storyline in the video.The special effects used also represent the comedy side, by having a cartoon comic effect creates a unique and interesting ,fun incorporation to the video. 

Group Image 

By just watching the first few second of the music video you can automatically tell that the storyline and overall video is going to be classed as comedic group. There element of silliness and messing around in away which is over dramatic emphasizes the comedic feel to the video. For example the  exaggerated falls and posing in random location with funny faces highlights the jokey recembalance to the clip. The twist on not having a stereotypical romantic narrative and instead placing a comedic atmosphere to the video is intriguing and very unique.  Another thing I noticed is they seem to subvert the stereotype of looking frantically and sensibly for their missing bag, instead they seem to be represented as chilled people who also when filming are very comfortable and relaxed to just randomly start dancing and play fighting informant of a camera in a busy park, this resembles their professional side to their image. 

Intertextual References

This video is based around a comic / cartoon theme , the special effects and filters placed in during the editing stage to make is come across as a kids comic strip is intriguing. It portrays a mix of different medias and which combined it has created a peice which works well together. There is also a storyline to this music video which perhaps could've been inspired by a comedy film Rush Hour Or The Other Guys, due to the black and white striped stereotypical robber outfits two of the boys wear and then the misplacing of an item which they then hunt for , is very much similar in my opinion to that film.

Camera Shots 

Throughout this video there is a variety of different mer angles and shots, which have been used to create an eye-catching music video which also portrays the narrative in a view in which the audience would understand and be able to follow.