SC: Chase and Status Video Analysis

Product Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ8IwCSPVt8&NR=1

Music video: End Credits – Chase and Status ft. Plan B.

Chase and Status are two drum and bass artists who have come together with rapper/soul singer Plan B. This song was released as the theme song for the film “Harry Brown” which is about one mans struggle against a group of abusive youths on a rough London council estate (in which Plan B stars). The music video keeps to the theme of the film and includes clips of it, however, Plan B appears in these clips as an alter ego to his character in the film (an abusive, violent thug). The theme and culture of the rough London estates is portrayed and represented throughout the video using mise-en-scene, sound, editing and cinematography. These tools are also used to portray a fight between the main character's good and bad side, as well as a theme of life and death.

The video starts with a slow motion image (using editing) of the main character falling, in time with an acoustic sound. He eventually hits the floor and as he opens his eyes as the song progresses from a slow acoustic sound to a more lively one, showing a direct link between the visuals on screen and the music itself, a common music video convention. The video creates enigma in the narrative due to a lack of sound other than the backing music itself as we don’t know what or who has hit the character; the mise-en-scene doesn't give anything away as to what has made the character fall either. The cinematography emphasises the expression of the character as he hits the ground using close-ups and extreme close-ups.

We are then shown different clips from the film, Harry Brown, with some dialogue over the music to represent the character's attitude and behavior. However, the character from the music video is in the room as well with a look of sadness, and the cinematography focuses in on actions of the alter ego as if to plead with his other self not to be so aggressive. It gives the impression that the character in the music video is looking back on his former self with guilt. We are shown several of these clips throughout the video, of the main character looking back on himself and begging himself to stop. This fits with the lyrics themselves (showing a link between the lyrics and visuals on screen, another common music video convention) which are about hoping people will be sad when you are gone.

The rest of the video is filled with clips of the film representing a very stereotypical culture and attitude of young people in modern times. Using costumes, sets, props and the characters actions they are portrayed as violent, aggressive and undisciplined. For example, a gun is used to represent violence and blood on a boys face represents the presence of death or murder. The costumes used are stereotypical, hoodies, jeans track suit bottoms etc. which together play to the common stereotypical representation of lower class youth today. Overall the mise-en-scene creates a very negative representation of youth.

Images of the main character (from editing techniques used) rising represent death, his ascent to heaven, having shown guilt for his actions in life. This use of editing adds to the life/death theme. The final scene is of the character being found dead, hinting that we have just seen is a stage between life and death, his fall at the beginning of the video having killed him.

Sam Crimes

Stu H CD Cover

The album i am now analysising is by 'Example', real name Elliot Greave and the album is called 'Won't Go Quietly'. Firstly, the album being called 'Won't Go Quietly' is marketing ploy as one of hit singles was also called the same, this is done so even is you don't know Example, you might know that song.

The font stands out fully, with the artists name and album title in white on a black background, the font is simple and modernistic and is easy to read.

The album cover is made up of different pictures of Example with a variety of fun props, e.g. astronaut helmet, sun glasses, gaffer tape, megaphone and a donkey costume, plus the mise-en-scene of his wild, happy faces and confident fun poses makes him appeal to the younger generation. This makes the album cover look like a collage, and represents him as fun loving man appealing to the younger generation. This mise-en-scene makes him accessible to the younger generation who are into him style of music, a mix between electro/rap/pop. Looking at the album cover at a deeper level, being younger means usually struggling with your identity as media theorists say, therefore as this album cover is appealing to the younger generation i believe that showing Example in different situations relates to the younger people trying to find their identities, also showing him have fun appeals to the stereotypical teenager who likes going out, have fun and crazy times.

Stu H - CD Cover

I am going to analysis the album cover from The Saturdays, an English girl band. Firstly, the album cover matches the conventions for the genre of music, the genre of music is popular culture by a young stereotypically attractive girl band, therefore it matches the typical album cover for this genre by putting the band on the album cover. The label do this because its attractive and grabs people attention, then getting people to pick up the CD and look at the reverse, where there is different information regarding; songs and exclusive content. There is also a sticker on the bottom left hand corner announcing their biggest hits, this is done for the fact that people might not know them, but might know there biggest songs and it an extra marketing ploy.

Now looking at the lettering of ‘The Saturdays’, the font style is serif and is very basic and matches the bands simple, modern, minimalistic and stylist look to the public, using black also symbolises this. The album cover is in stylish gradient grey and again shows minimalistic stylist, standing out from this is each of the girls in the band which are each wearing a bright different coloured dress, pink, purple, yellow, green and blue, and all wearing black heels and tights making the stand out from the background fully and easily attracting your attention, the connotation of each of the girls wearing bright colours shows they are fun, interesting and bright. Also looking at mise-en-scene, there is no eye contact from the girls as they are looking towards the light while the camera takes a side picture, this is because they want to be looked at while not looking back, this is because stereotypically they are sexual objects and the should be sexually passive.

This album cover is very conventional the way it portay’s the group as a young, fun loving girls with no worries which attracts people. The representation of the band is shown on the album cover and is stereotypical, for example; they are sexually passive and are seen as sex objects to men. However, they are seen different to women who see them as confident and powerful, this is because they are in confident poses/positions showing they have power.

The audience for this album is younger women/girls who want to feel a sense of belonging and get pleasure from being part of ‘The Saturdays’, they also get escapism from their lives and try to live the life of the ‘The Saturdays’ who have very thing they want.

Stu Harrison - CD Cover

The font used is firstly san-serif, this means it doesn't have serifs. The font is in bright attractive pink which is stereotypically a female colour, outlined in white making it stand out further. There is also little hearts and stars which are stereotypically female. The writing is also in a large font and stands out from the background, this is because it is the artist name and the label will want you to see who it is and push them out into popular culture.

The layout of the CD cover has the artist, Katy Perry, in the middle of the cover which attracts you attention. She is but in the middle of cover to attract your attention because she is stereotypically attractive, and in a exotic pose, the mise-en-scene of using red lipstick and wearing red heels and top which gives the impression of danger and sexuality. The layout of the album shows what is stereotypically the 'perfect' american home; big white house, bright colourful garden flowers, and the white picket fence. The album cover matches Katy's representation of being a fun loving 50's style girl, her clothing and the grammarphone all match the 50's style. She matches the stereotypically representation of the attractive female, including; sexually passive and weak. This album cover has elements of showing conventions, firstly showing the artist on the cover looking glamorous and also having the name of the artist and the album.

Blog Created

Wooo! The blog is now created on 16 September 2010 at 10.54am.

Ran by;

Sam Crimes

Jack Bloor

Stu Harrison