Music Video Analysis | Sia - Elastic Heart

Music Video Analysis

TITLE: Elastic Heart

ARTIST: Sia

RUN TIME: 270 Seconds

FORMAT: Theatre /Role-play

SYNOPSIS

The music video that was created for the song "Elastic Heart" by Sia is based around a running narrative behind two characters who are pictured to be fighting and displaying different forms of emotion to each other. The music video is typical of Sia and can be seen from a very artistic perspective as oppose to a narrative video which could be seen much more story based.
We get the basic understanding that throughout this video the person is clearly dealing with trauma or some kind of addiction, in which one side of them is trying to break loose but the other is stuck in the same looping spiral.

The video has many different running themes and narratives throughout which I split up into four different categories to analyse.

LOCATION

The music video is based in an abandoned warehouse in which there is a large cage like setup and two characters are trapped within this cage in the narrative although, as we see at the end of the video, the girl character can get through the cage but the male character is trapped, from this we can understand that he is trapped in a never ending spiral of his ways or in a relationship or in any kind of never ending circle.

We can see minimal light coming through the top of the warehouse through small windows this tells us as the audience that little light is being put into the situation and not much sanity is being prevailed maybe.

RUNNING THEMES
Right from the beginning we can understand that there is some kind of distress emanating from both of the characters, this is greatly increased by the swirling eyes (0:15).
The whole video has just one main running theme and that is a face of between two characters, moreover the characters represent a persons battle against something, as they are battling and showing lots of emotion. The child character, at times, is showing a more grown up approach to the subject where as the adult who is the route of the addiction is behaving erratically and non controllably to leaving the addiction behind.

NARRATIVE

There is no set narrative throughout the music video as there is a display of multiple emotions and characteristics throughout. The viewer cannot get an absolute understanding of who plays what and their relevancy to the narrative structure as everything is very abstract within the video. I believe this was done deliberately as that is Sia's style of music and that is a running theme within all of her music videos.
You can break down the music video to discover little narratives within it however and there are multiple examples throughout for example the older man plays a supportive role for the child entertaining her towards the end, but at the same time 

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The music video is shot in a very contemporary style as that gives the viewer a clearer understanding of the overall narrative and house style.
The producers decided to film the music video in this way because they had sufficient budget and crew to do so, they also said it presents a more clear view of the video and the meaning.
Although simply filmed the message is clear through how the video is shot that the characters are distressed and are looking for some sort of contrast and salvation.

Music Video Analysis | Taylor Swift - Blank Space

Music Video Analysis

TITLE: Blank Space

ARTIST: Taylor Swift

RUN TIME: 282 Seconds

FORMAT: Narrative Story

The video is compiled of separate elements that make up the overall music video, these elements can be split up into ten individual sections.

NARRATIVE

The Music video sees Taylor in a big house, with lots of glamour and exclusive items, along with who is shown as her boyfriend. From the rest of the video we understand that he is only temporary and there is always someone new.

From the narrative we get the understanding that everything is good with Taylor and she is in her dream relationship. Quickly that takes a bad turn and she is seen to go crazy and quickly let her emotions get the better of her and attack the man.

The video consists of 19 scenes compiled with multiple shots that makes the video. Throughout the scenes there were at least 22 hair and outfit changes for Taylor and 16 for the man, this shows us that Taylor is very wealthy and can afford lots of different clothes, it shows that Taylor can discard clothes often as well moreover this can relate to how the media presents her to be using her money and wealth to support and discard her relationships.

MISE-EN-SCENE

The mise-en-scene within this music video uses satire to reflect the media’s view on Taylor Swift and how she is portrayed. The prestigious house, clothes, car, and boyfriend are all part of an act that mocks the way she is represented within physical and social media, moreover the way she acts on twitter as well as how the press capture her. The large mansion suggests that she is very wealthy and has expensive clothing such as the expensive looking shoes that convey the image that she could be very materialistic and only soughts as after only the best products available. A grey sky is used from 0.48 seconds in the music video when there is a long-shot of her and the man walking outside of her mansion. This and her black dress further conveys her supposed ‘dark’, ‘twisted’ character that we see being brought alive later in the music video. The red lipstick throughout suggests that she is dangerous, red is classified classically as evil, and as you watch the video ahead you see her turn from very sweet and innocent, portrayed via summer clothing, into a very deranged and irrational person that makes snap decisions.  The red car that turns up at the end of the music video reinforces the red t-shirt syndrome, showing that whoever is driving the car is in danger and may reach the same fate as the others.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

The cinematography is introduced with a traditional establishing shot which also reflects the prestigious mansion-like building. This establishing shot shows an expensive sports car and therefore, the audience can assume that whoever lives here must be wealthy. There is a pan at 0.05 seconds which also graphic matches with the bedroom scene at 0.08 where Taylor moves her arm to the right, in the direction of the previous pan.

EDITING

The pace of the editing becomes faster as the narrative progresses onto Taylor Finding out that the man in the video had cheated on her. 1.54 - the shots become fast paced and more frequent . The use of animation at 3.00 could further represent the surreal way media portrays Taylor Swift.

SOUND

The only sound within this music is the non-digetic soundtrack. However, music videos such as ‘Rihanna - We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris’ has a one minute dialogue that sets the tone for the rest of the video. This therefore could reinforce that the music video is more of a short-story in that case. Rihanna – We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris.

LANGUAGE

If you analyse the lyrics from a first-glance view, you can interpret that the song is about getting into a relationship. However, in collaboration with the song’s music video, the song lyrics become a lot more reckless and encrypted.

IDEOLOGY

The ideology of Taylor Swift is conventionally teenage relationship troubles. However, after bringing out her new album ‘1989’, her ideology has seemingly changed slightly. She was quoted saying that she wanted her new album to be about being free and not being tied down by things such as relationships is reinforced by her hit single ‘Shake it Off’ that came out on 8th October 2014.

INSTITUTION

Taylor Swift is a singer/songwriter from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee when she was just 14 and was signed to the independent label Big Machine Records. Creating her first hit album at just 17.

AUDIENCE

For this specific music video by Taylor Swift, I think that her target audience is for those who create false representations of her such as: the media and certain characters within society. It highlights a very prestigious lifestyle that can only be obtained through money.

REPRESENTATION

There are distinct representations of both men and women in this music video. The woman is represented as a clingy, attached ex-girlfriend who is also slightly insane.