Daisy M

Music Video Analysis 3 – Breakbot – ‘Get Lost’Breakbot is a French producer and a DJ who has been signed with Ed Banger Records since May 2009. He is most recognised for his remixes

Camera:

Editing:

Mise-en-scene:

Representation:

Genre:

Intertextuality:

In terms of camera shots, this video has fast paced ones which show the same shot in a variety of angles and the same shot in different parts of the video with small changes*. An example of the same shot but from a different angle is the two screenshots on the right where in one the vicar is shown and the bride and groom have their backs to the camera – and the other shows them facing the camera with the guests behind. Alongside the fast shots, there are a few close ups which emphasise expressions. The shots flow well and allow for an interesting narrative.

The way that this video is edited is one of the main reasons as to why I chose to analyse it. Throughout the video the shots are continuously repeated right after shown and this gives a striking effect. Essentially, most of the shots are shown twice but done quickly and this not only goes with the beats of the music, making the shots rhythmic, but also allows for a preview of the upcoming part of the narrative. The editing of the video makes it so that there is a type of ‘action, reaction’ style going on and I find this clever in order to show a narrative. For example the photos to the right where the lady with the red lipstick has a specific look on her face and we know it’s possible she will do something then she does. This is the same for the man who looks at the photo and then reacts to it by punching the other man.

*What is in the shot changes but the shot is almost the same as before

The mise-en-scene stays true to the narrative as it is clearly a wedding occurring and this is most noticeable by the outfits of people. Alongside this, who they are in the video is also shown by what they are wearing, for example the vicar, bride and groom and father. The use of props is also largely featured in the narrative as they tend be the things that disrupt the whole wedding such as photos and the large cross behind them.

The way that people are represented in the video is also intriguing because it isn’t a normal wedding that goes smoothly. It shows near the end of the ceremony but as things happen, people act one by one. The representation of the father of the bride/groom is quite accurate because he punches the man who is seen with the bride in photos and this makes sense because he wants to protect his son/daughter. The woman who holds up the photo is represented as the catalyst for bad events and she is wearing red lipstick and a red dress which could be said that the devil is red so she is chaos. This links into a close up of her as she gives a mysterious look. Alongside this there is the more average representation of the choir girl and boy. Overall, each important character in the video is represented differently.

The genre of the song is dance/electronic. This follows Breakbot’s usual genre as he does music of the genres Electro house, House music, Nu-disco, Electro, Boogie and Synthpop. These genres are generally less popular than rock or pop. However, the video is still popular to some extent because YouTube shows that it has over 1 million views.

There is not really any references to other texts in the video.

Daisy M

Audience reception + why?

Ideologies:

Theories:

Lily: Not a fan of how the shots are repeated. When in sync with the music beat it works well but then I skipped each movement so I only saw it once

Katy: Like how the screen matches the beat. Makes you focus too much on the video and not the song

Jasmine: Struggled because it replayed so much. Pretty interesting video.Overall, Lily gives mostly an oppositional reading. Katy and Jasmine show more of a negotiated reading as they like some parts but criticise others.

A dominant ideology denotes attitudes, beliefs, values and morals shared by the majority of people in a society. This video is convention breaking in terms of both narrative and editing style. This means that the ideologies present are not necessarily dominant ones. In terms of narrative, it is not dominant because societies’ attitudes towards weddings are generally positive and happy but this video shows them in a way that they are destructive. However, it could be argued that the bride is in the wrong and the woman who reveals the photos is doing what she morally believes is right.

Andrew Goodwin believed that specific key features make a music video successful: Key relationship between lyrics and visuals – “Get lost, in the moment,

Make this day, last till the end of time” The lyrics could be said to be talking about the wedding. This video shows more of a relationship between the rhythm of the song and the visuals and this makes sense because Breakbot’s style is about the music more than the lyrics.

Narrative performance – There is a very strong narrative performance in the video where the location does not change and narrative builds. The ending could be described as humourous.

Star iconography/close ups – There are a few close ups but Breakbot himself is not featured in the video so the whole emphasis is put upon the narrative/music.

Voyeurism – A little voyeurism occurs when the boy in the church looks at one of the photos of the bride because he seems to desire her and this is supported by the next shot which shows her lips and this sexualises her.

Intertextuality

Laura Mulvey's theory employs concepts to argue that cinematic apparatus of classic Hollywood cinema puts the spectator in a masculine position with the woman seen as desirable. This occurs with the boy in the church as he finds the bride desirable.