Amara Maiden

Music Video Deconstruction 1

The 1975 - Somebody Else (Official Music Video)
[Link]

At the start of the video we see a long

opening (which is approximately 3 minutes
in length) where we are introduced to the
lead singer who is also the lead role within
the music video. This opening sequence is
filmed as one continuous shot in which the
camera remains completely still and always
pointing at the same angle. A
post-production effect has been applied to
the footage which makes it appear black
and white but also slightly grainy and
distorted, in the style of an old VHS video.
The black and white colour creates a
sombre, quite unnerving effect. The visuals
accompanied with a low droning sound
creates a sense of tension and captivates
the audience. This opening is also highly
stylised and surreal which is a common
convention of music videos as they are
more artistic and creative than other types
of media.

We next see an establishing sky-line shot of

the city in which the music video takes
place. Over this we see the band's name
presented in the standard font they use for
their logo on their products, such as
merchandise and CDs, as well as their
other music videos. This allows the
audience to know who is performing the
song and the use of their standard logo and
font will allow the audience to relate this
music video to others they may have seen
by the band. The use of the white font is
effective because it clearly stands out
against the dark background image. This is
also the point where we begin to hear the
song, Somebody Else, begin to play.
Amara Maiden

We then see the song title appear on

screen in the same font used for the band
name. The title lasts for two shots, the first
being of the main character walking down
stairs and the second of him being in a lift.
The lowkey, dull lighting is carried on from
the previous shot and continues the mellow,
sombre atmosphere that was created right
at the beginning. The lead singer is also
wearing dark clothing which suggests that
he is also feelings the emotions felt by the
dark, dull lighting and atmosphere. The
mood created by these aspects is
appropriate because it reflects the sad
nature of the song.

Throughout the video we see a number of

locations which are used repeatedly. One
being a small room which is presumably
inside a flat. This room, again, has
extremely low key lighting as well as dull,
worn out furniture and decor which makes it
appear highly unloved and uncared for
which may reflect how the main character is
feeling. We also see the lead singer often
sitting in the back of a car. During these
shots we see him lipsyncing to the song
which links the audio and the visuals
together and reinforces the idea that this is
a promotional video for this song. We also
often see the camera cut to the same
character in a lift. The symbolism of this
location could be that he is trying to escape
from his surroundings. The shots used also
allow the audience to see his distressed
facial expressions which fit with the lyrics he
is seeing. We also are presented with a
number of tracking shots throughout the
video, some outside and and some inside.
These tracking shots reinforce the idea that
this character is alone. Throughout the
video it cuts back to this type of shot which
links the whole video together.

Then, as the song reaches the chorus we

see the character in a new location which
features more warm, high key lighting. This
fits with the audio as the chorus, although
its not upbeat, is more face paced than the
rest of the song. During the first chorus of
the song we also see other characters for
Amara Maiden

the first time since the opening where there

is a woman slumped on the sofa. This
contrasts the shots previously seen within
the video where the lead singer is purely on
his own.

We also see the repeated use of a prop, in

this case a skateboard, which may hold
some symbolism. The use of this prop over
multiple shots suggests that although the
video cuts quickly and the shots are often
not in chronological order, the whole video
is taking place in one night. Throughout the
video the shots often cut in time with the
music and therefore the audio fits with the
visuals in an aesthetically pleasing way. Not
only does this look appealing but it also
makes the video appear professional and
well edited.

In this shot we see the lead character/main

character in silhouette. This stood out as it
is one of the only shots like this within the
piece and it creates a highly interesting
visual. It also stood out because it is a
technique that has been used in other
music videos by them

The next part of the video takes part in a

new location, a bar. The bright coloured
lighting and more positive atmosphere
highly contrasts the sequence previous to
this. However, throughout this sequence we
also so frequent cuts to the main character
in the same car we saw him in previously.
This creates drastic contrast as the lighting
within the bar is very warm and bright
whereas the lighting in the car is very cold.
This also makes the video appear highly
stylised as the events are not shot in
chronological order. There are frequent cuts
which show the character in many different
locations all at different times. The main
storyline is in order but the shots that are
embedded cut to both the future and the
past.
Amara Maiden

We then see a mid-shot of a female

character showing her reaction to the main
characters actions. This shot is what
triggers the next part of the video and
causes the storyline to move forward. This
is needed in order to make the video more
interesting. If nothing else happened then
viewers may possibly find the video boring.
We also see other male characters and the
costumes their are wearing are significant
as the highly contrast the outfit worn by the
lead singer. His outfit is black and less
mainstream than the costumes worn by the
other characters. This creates the
impression that is is different from the other
characters and possibly even an outcast.
This makes him stand out more which is
positive as he is the lead singer of the band
and the main character within the video.

We also see shots of the lead singer doing

actions relating to the lyrics of the song. For
example, in this shot we see him acting out
the lyrics by doing a phone action when the
lyrics say phone. This has a similar effect
to the use of lip syncing, it links the audio
and the visuals together.

Throughout the video and particularly within

the fight sequence we see the use of shaky,
hand-held camera shots. This allows the
video to look more personal and allows the
audience to feel as though they are more
involved in the action, whilst still looking
professional. We also see a wide variety of
shots throughout the whole video but here
is some examples from the fight sequence.
We see a long shot of all the people stood
around the lead singer and then we see a
close-up of the female character. This adds
variety to the video and makes it more
interesting as well as more visually
pleasing.
Amara Maiden

We then see repeated shots that have been

used previously in the video but this time
with a slight difference. Here is one
example that comes from the video. We
firstly see the woman sat in the cafe, the
same as before but this time when it cuts to
the lead singer he appears confused
instead of upset. When the video cuts back
to the woman at the table the lead singer is
now looking at himself. This use of editing
creates a sense of surrealism and fits with
the other abstract aspects of the video. We
also see this with the fight scene and the
scene within the club. The locations that are
used previously are repeated but this time
the lead character is seeing the other
characters as himself.

The video finishes with the lead singer

alone in the car. He is moving his body in
time with the music which, again, links the
audio and visuals together.

Conclusion In conclusion there are many aspects of this

video that have inspired me and that I could
use in my own music video. One of the
main aspects I feel inspired to use after
watching this music video is lip syncing. I
felt that the use of lip syncing really tied the
audio and the visuals together and made
the overall production seem like a music
promo video rather than a video with music
placed over the top. Another aspect I liked
was the use of one main character, I felt
that this worked well for the genre and the
style of the video. I could definitely use this
with in my video by asking an actor to play
the lead role within my video and possibly
pose as the lead singer of the band.
Another aspect I may use in my own video
is the use of repeated locations with the
shots often not being in chronological order
whilst still telling a story. I think this abstract
style is highly appropriate for a music video
and sets them aside from other media
products. Overall, there are many inspiring
Amara Maiden

ideas contained within this video that I could

possibly use within my own production.