music video essay

Explain how representations in music videos are chosen to promote the artist(s). Refer to one of the music videos you have studied to support your answer. [10] 

In the music video for stop where you are by corrine bailey rae representations are used to promote CBR by showing her not to judge anyone. The music video is all about breaking down stereotypes and showing everyone to be great.

One example of this is at the start of the video, where it shows a young Indian girl, wearing a hoodie, the hoodie could give of connotations of someone who is bad. However, the music video shows her to be sad and does this by a longshot as this shows how she feels insignificant. CBR, then heads over to her and after they start talking the girl becomes happier, this therefore represents CBR as someone who can help others.

Another example in which the video for stop where you are breaks down stereotypes is with the homeless women. This already breaks down a stereotype has the stereotypical homeless person would be a middle aged man. They first of make the homeless woman come across as extremely aggresive by the way she shouts at the man passing her, they also make her seem more aggressive by doing lots of quick cuts. However, when the man comes back he has a conversation with the homeless woman and she is shown to be nice, this is another example of the video breaking down stereotypes.

Another way in which the video for stop where you are promotes CBR is during the chorus. Right before the chorus CBR is walking through the flats when she is bumped into by a teenage black man wearing a hoodie, this would already give the audience connotations of someone who is to be avoided as they could be part of a gang. This is reinforced by the video as it quickly pans into CBR who is looking worried. However, as the chorus starts he goes into slow motion and starts dancing. This is significant as it shows another false stereotype being broken down. It also implies that CBR brings out the best in people. The use of slow motion also helps to fit in with lyrics of the chorus as it says "stop where you are" when the slow motion.

In the video for stop where you are the location is also use to promote CBR and project her in a positive light. The video is set in a large, dark flat. This would already give of connotations of somewhere that is not nice to live. However, as CBR starts to walk through there is shots of the sun rising through cracks in the building. This therefore gives connotations of hope and therefore shows that the building is not bad, this idea is consistently reinforced by the video as it shows the people who live there doing great things. It also implies that could be because of CBR as these shots always follow shots off her.

In conclusion the video of stop where you are portrays CBR in a positive light by the way false stereotypes are broken down in the video and how it shows CBR role in doing this.

CBR shots

Titanium screen shots

Titanium, Stop were you are

Titanium

• Video starts with a huge mess on the floor and a longshot so you can see the character and the mess that they have made.
• It than pans towards the character in mid-shot so you can see their facial expression and than follows them as they walk down the corrider between the mess.
• As the character walks down the corrider someone shuts a door when they see her (could represent metaphorical doors being shut. The kid then opens a door to leave the school it is edited as one longshot.
• The video than does a series of quick takes between the teacher, police officer and the student, this is in time with the music. She is then shown cycling away in a series of quick cuts as it shows different part of the bike, this gives the impression that the kid is going really fast.
• The video then does a jump cut to two women running. The kid comes from the back of the shot and cycles past them. 
• The video than does a series off short cuts showing the kids bike as she cycles home.
• The kid then enters the home in a jump cut, the house is also very messy. There is then a jump cut to the TV, where is reporting on a supernatural occurance in a school, which is the kid.
• The kid then runs into the room and chucks a teddy bear on the floor, this represents her growing up.
• There is then a jump cut to the door where we see shadows, to build tension, with the music.
• There is then a series of quick cuts as the kid runs to the back door. However, she cant open it . There is then a jump cut to the front door being broken into. There is then a jump cut to her using her powers to open the door.
• There is then a series of long takes of her walking through a forest. Then her being chased through the forest.
• It then does a jump cut to her being captured and shoved to the floor.
• Then in a long shot it shows her using her powers.

Stop were you are 

• The video starts with a midshot on her face, then cuts to her walking and then back to her face. It then does a series of cuts showing the building. Then cuts of her walking up the building. It then cuts to a girl standing wearing a hoodie, this gives connotations of someone who is doing something wrong. It is also a long shot to make the girl look insignificant.
• It then does another series of cuts until it cuts to someone covered in tattoos, this is also gives off the same connotations. 
• There is then another series of quick cuts showing the building, the building is a city tower block so it gives of connotations of being not a nice place to live.
• There is then a cut of the singer walking up to the girl in the hoodie.
• There is then a cut to two girls having a fight, goes against stereotype that is girls not boys.
• The group of girls is then showed running towards the singer but it goes into slow motion. There then continuous to be lots of quick cuts as the girls run past the singer. 
• It then cuts to someone harassing someone in a business suit. They then buy them a drink.
• It then cuts to the tattoo person walking their dog.
• It then cuts to a group of people dancing. There is then the same series of quick cuts.
• The whole video is about breaking down stereotypes.
• The first person is a young teenage Indian girl, she is wearing a hoodie. Because of her age and the hoodie it would give connotations of someone who is bad, this however goes against a traditional stereotype of someone with her ethnicity. 
• There is then two teenage white girls fighting, which goes against stereotypes.
• There is a female homeless person in the video, this goes against stereotypes as the stereotypical view of a homeless person is a middle aged man.
• There is then a young black man who is also wearing a hoodie, he bumps in to CBR and when he does she looked worried. This gives the false stereotype that he might steal from her, which is reinforced from the video. However, he is just a dancer.

shelter

old spice

Lucozade