I have decided to analyse the music video for James Arthur's music video 'Say you wont let go' as it links to the work of our music video, by its use of the black and white filter and genre of music. It also features similar performance aspects, such as the guitar and James being on his own when performing.
The black and white filter links hugely to our own music video, as well as the variety of shots and the performance element where Ben uses the guitar and begins to play in the music video. To start the analysis of James Arthur, the first thing which catches the eye is the shaky camera movement by the director as well as the black and white filter. The connotations used are very bleak and simple, focusing solely on the person in the music video, very similar to ours. The simple filter links to Goodwinâs theory where the visuals and music should link, shown by the relationship between the guitar and James playing the guitar in the music video. Goodwinâs notion of looking shows the conventions of the music video genre, where the close-ups and quick cuts of the artist therefore give the image of the artist to the viewer.Â
This links to Goodwin who says that the institutions will use the artist to gain popularity and views by selling them to the viewer, by frequent close up shots of James etc. The close up of James as a younger person and his lover, shows very infatuated connotations, giving the reception by the audience that love is a beautiful and great thing, compared to its binary opposite of love being a horrible thing. The focus on both of them in the shot shows a togetherness within them, showing love as a good and powerful, allowing the ideology of the music video to be that love is a strong and happy thing, even from a younger age. His theory was presented by Stuart Hall who associated this as the preferred reading, so for example, in this shot it allows the representation of love being great and nice, being shown to the viewer and allowing them to be influenced by the shot and changing their perception.
As the shot comes out of focus, it perhaps shows the love coming out of focus, showing Levi Straussâs binary opposite theory, as the love is presented as in focus and easily seen and that anyone can have it, however perhaps foreshadow events in the music and video and love itself. As the love is focused, it becomes out of focus and hard to see. The use of lip syncing is conventional of the music video, as it becomes apparent to the link and relationship of the music, and the visuals. The frequent over the shoulder shots of the couple being in shot constantly shows the ideology of love being a bold and beautiful thing, however this is a positive message making it approved by the government and to the viewers. The low angle shot of the male and the baby being together is a nice shot as the depth of field is relatively strong, with the mise en scene being very basic and bleak, allowing the male and the baby in the centre of the frame, to be the main source of the shot. This could link to some sort of escapism for the viewer, linking to Blumler and Katz which show the uses and gratifications of people using this video to escape to a happy and fulfilled life of love. A further link to the music video is shown by the lyrics âSay you wonât let goâ which links to the extreme close up of the child holding onto the manâs plumbs which connotes to innocence and love, similar to the connotations of the song. Further links show the small girl looking over her shoulder which further links to the lyrics used.
The video doesnât follow any inter textual references which link to film or television, however are contextual of the genre being used. The black and white filter in particular and the innocence of the children are conventional of the guitar song genre. The different shots link to the tone of the song, such as when the mellow guitar begins to play, the shots of the mise en scene featuring the hospital room and the man grieving feature horrible thoughts by the audience, thoughts of death and despair, relating to the changed tone of the song, as well as the lyrics used such as âDeath do us partâ. In particular, the exteme close up of the older male, showing his reaction to the death and circumstance of his loved one.This notion relates to the sense of escapism but also the sense of real life, and giving people their own real identity and playing out the way it should be. In conclusion, the video fits to Goodwinâs link of the relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, as well as the Stuart Hall theory where the media can change the perspective of the viewer, however this theory is considered relatively outdated, but can sometimes give the viewer to have a positive view on the world and a positive view on love by allowing a real escapism of people having fallen in love and then lost it, however the black and white filter allows connoting to bleak and simple connotations, but then changing to the tone of the song, such as despair and woe.
In the music video, there is rarely any shown example of Laura Mulveyâs male gaze. This is due to the genre of the music and general tone which doesnât quite fit to the eccentric and typical exploitation of females, and allowing the video to be viewed by the heterosexual male. The video has its typical wide audience, shown by its kind nature and soft lyrics, which links to the lack of female exploitation and its overall focus on the couple as a whole, rather than just the female. If anything this video puts away the male gaze by showing that the male gaze canât particularly link to everything, showing that the music video can be seen by not a heterosexual male, but anyone wishing to go from their current life. This is shown by Blumler and Katz uses and gratifications, which shows that people use the media in order to give a sense of escapism. This is down to the ideology of the song showing that love is a strong and pleasant thing, however is painful, especially during the end of the love between a couple.
The Binary oppositeâs theory works very well within this music video. For example, there is a distinct binary opposite of the couple being shown as a young and brewing example, with the mid shot of the kids playing with each other, showing that a relationship can blossom from a young start. However it then shifts from this to an elderly couple whose love has fallen due to circumstances, showing a binary opposite of the youthful love being shown, by the director using certain shots including an over the shoulder of the children being together, but then contrasted to the isolated wide shot of the male on his own, showing the opposite of the young and the old, as well as the binary opposite of love being forever and powerful, to love being painful and difficult. The mise en scene of love is also shown by the mise en scene which represents the love being shown by the setting, or example the mid shot of the couple outside is then contrasted to the end of the song, where the director uses shots of the older male in the hospital, showing love as being a apart of nature and the outside, and then love leaving as it enters the harsh and sharp inside. Nature also represents love by the close up pull focus of James on the leaves outside, being linked with the lyrics âSay you wonât let goâ showing the Goodwinâs theory of there being a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals and the close up for James links to the notion of looking that is used, in order to install the face of the artist into the audiences head, as well as the institution and record label effectively selling their product and allowing a face for the song.