R+P Post 9: Music videos that have inspired and influenced my ideas

There are several music videos which have influenced my initial ideas, though each has impacted the development of my ideas in a different way.

The Killers - When You Were Young

This music video uses a hybrid of
performance and narrative structures. I would
like to use a hybrid structure in my own video.

This is a music video which supports Simon Frith's theory of music video structure as it incorporates a performance and narrative element. What I especially like about this video however is that these two elements converge towards the end of the song, which adds a unique level of surrealism. This is something I can definitely see myself utilising in my own video.

Tove Lo - Not on Drugs

There are two things in particular that are influential to me ideas. The first is the editing style; which incorporates a lot of unique effects. The editing means that these effects can be quite jarring, but considering the lyrics and meaning of the song makes the editing very effective. I plan to do something similar with my own video; in regards to the intense, yet meaningful editing.

The inclusion of a 'pandemonium
scene' is something I am
quite eager to experiment with.

The second influential feature of this music video is the state of pandemonium that develops throughout the first and second verse before breaking out during the chorus. I would very much like to include a scene of pandemonium in my video as it provides some really unique and interesting options for camerawork and editing. In this music video, the state of pandemonium is displayed primarily through close-ups and the manipulation of pace, even reversing the footage in some cases. This is something I would like to do with my own ideas.

Weezer - Buddy Holly

This music video is very effective as it utilises the theory of Andrew Goodwin in which he proposes that music videos often make intertextual references so that the audience can recognise and involve themselves more easily in the product. This song utilises intertextuality very well: the band Weezer are made to appear as a typical American boyband in a style reminiscent of Happy Days. This juxtaposes with the 90s style of Rock music that the band plays, which creates a surreal experience for the audience. As mentioned previously, surrealism is something I would like to utilise in my own video. The only concern that I have with the inclusion of intertextuality is that it is very difficult to include it a meaningful way: without a clear connection between the referenced text and the song, the use of intertextuality can easily appear to be tagged on. Nevertheless, this concept has had an impact on the consideration of my ideas.

The 1975 - Chocolate

This song utilises a strong black and white colour scheme. The reason that I find this so influential is that this colour scheme is an exceptionally powerful signifier of the band's image and genre. As such, I believe that using a defined colour scheme in my own music video would help to create an especially clear identity for my band. Additionally, this music video is a good demonstration of Andrew Goodwin's theory of genre characteristics: this music video contains many features of the indie genre. Chocolate has influenced my approach to denoting and connoting my genre's characteristics.

(add gif - caption identifies genre. Mention genre characteristics)