Taylor Swift – The Story of Us

Textual Analysis

L.I.I.A.R Analysis

Mise-en-Scene

The title of the song is ‘The Story of Us’ and there is an evident comparison to the setting within a library - surrounded by books (stories). Taylor Swift (the artist) wears a school uniform throughout the video, reinforcing the teenage audience her music is aimed at. The mise-en-scene also syncs with the lyrics. Taylor Swift sings ‘I’ve never heard silence quite this loud’ as she stands in a library –which is very ironic. There is a flashback to when her relationship was good (contextual knowledge about lyrical meaning – a bad relationship break-up). Within this scene, her hair is down, whereas the rest of the music she is conserved. Some skin is exposed on her arms and chest; this can show that she felt more comfortable back when the relationship was good. Whereas for the rest of the video (the “reality” aspects) she wears glasses (meaning of hiding within herself) and her hair is tied back, no skin exposed shows her vulnerability and self-preservation. Both Taylor and the boy she is singing about, wear glasses in the library scenes – this shows that they are hiding from one another/the truth and reality of the situation.

There is also a contrast between performance and narrative within this music video. The rest of Taylor’s band members, perform in a music room. This can supposedly reinforce that she is screaming out for answers of why they are not speaking but keeps it enclosed within a safe place (music is normally played in a music room, just as your thoughts are confined within yourself.) The end of the music video brings about both Taylor and the boy into the centre of the library. There is a crescendo within the music as they exchange stares. All of a sudden, the extras within the library begin to dance and suddenly throw all their work in the air. This can show that they have finally given up with the relationship, and there is no hope. They both shrug and part their separate ways. The paper, being white, can have connotations of being free (a dove symbolises peace and freedom, and are usually white, signifying purity.) For example, the paper being thrown in the air can suggest it flying away, like a dove – breaking free from the drudgery of the relationship (or the denotation being drudgery of work being done by students within the library.) Almost like a burden being lifted. There is a contrast between grey and warm tones within this music video. When there is a flashback, there is more orange/red hues, this gives a positive vibe, showing that the relationship was happy. However, the dark, grey tones suggest sadness and a melancholic mood.

Cinematography

To open the scene there is an establishing shot of an old university building. There is a high-angle of the building to show that it is a place of importance – in this case, it is a place of education. After the establishing shot, there is an evident close-up of Taylor with her head in her arms. The close-up shows her melancholy facial expression, reflected by the mise-en-scene of a room with dark and grey tones. There is continuous close-ups within the first scene to establish lip-sync. It then moves onto a two-shot of both Taylor and the boy in a flashback (23 seconds) This shows the interaction they used to have, the rebelliousness they shared as a library is supposed to be a silent, independent place. It showed her reliance on the relationship.

There is a tracking shot of Taylor walking through the library that cuts to Taylor on her own in a centre shot with a bookcase either side. This shot suggests she feels trapped, and the audience can connote this to her mind being imprisoned from what she really wants to say to him. Also, taking into account the rule of thirds, she is shown within a central shot. This can suggest that the song is about the singer and idolises her as the performer and main protagonist within the narrative. The comical effect of this video is portrayed via the shot of the lecturer (58 secs) reading

a book in the corner and the camera pans to the band members playing their instruments vigorously. Again, this is ironic and contrasts to the uptight, quiet atmosphere of reading or sitting in a library.

Editing

Instantly, the pace of jump cuts in the opening scene is fast and sharp. Jumping from one scene to another in sync with the beat of the song. The jump cut editing continues throughout the music video and also acts as a way of establishing the scene. For example, the setting is established via a jump-cut from a book to the high-angle of the university building. This is done to reinforce the up-beat music. The jump-cuts are also used to effectively show a flashback and therefore shows the difference between Taylor in the relationship and Taylor after it is finished. At 27 seconds, there is a fade from the flashback to a close-up view of Taylor’s face. It shows her facial expression as sad. This reinforces the fact that she is thinking of the good times and it seems to be ‘a lot like a tragedy now’.

Sound

For this music video, the only sound is the non-digetic music. However, for some of Taylor Swift’s other music videos such as ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ there is a two minute dialogue intro that is only featured in her music video and not on her actual soundtrack. The purpose of this as to reinforce the fact that her music video is narrative based – almost like a short film. This decision may have been made to involve the reader with her as a person as conventionally, she writes from her own experiences.

Language

The lyrics represent the narrative throughout the whole music video.The lyrics have a direct correlation to what goes on visually in the video. For example, ‘I’ve never heard silence quiet this loud’ as the mise-en-scene is set within a library. (which is supposed to be a silent place to study.) Therefore, the lyrics have been taken into account and incorporated into the mise-en-scene. The artist has chosen to contrast the lyrics of the song with the images on the screen. • The song is about a relationship that has ended without

an explanation. Normally when people want an answer, they research and try and find out the information. Therefore, there was a conscious decision to incorporate a library into the music video as this is a place where people can try and find answers – in books. Therefore, it could suggest that the artist is looking for an answer as to why the relationship broke down.

• 'Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on.’ has direct correlation to books and the title of the song ‘The Story of Us’

Ideology

The artist’s ideology seems to be reflected by her target audience. As she aims her music at teens or young people, there is no evidence of sexualisation which is commonly found in music videos to present day.• The mise-en-scene of a school-girls outfit reinforces the

target audience and includes them within the visual image of the music video. It enables the audience relate to her music as this is what she claims her music is for.

• Also, another ideology of this music video would have been to entertain and make people laugh. Apart from the fact that the song is about a relationship break-down there are many factors to suggest that there is humour aspects. Such as the band members dressed as stereotypical ‘nerd’s with un-coordinated dress.

• Also, towards the end of the video as it becomes more up-beat, everyone in the music video begins to dance. This has a comical effect as the professor that we see at the beginning of the video with a closed body posture, reading a book, gets up and joins in.

Institution

Taylor Swift is a singer/songwriter from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee when she was 14 and signed to the independent label Big Machine Records.

She began as a country star and has recently changed her career direction towards pop music with her new release of her fifth album ‘1989’.Although she is signed to an independent label, she is regarded as a mainstream artist.

Audience

Taylor Swift’s target audience appears to be for young females, specifically those who are in high-school/college. However, her newest album release has expanded her target audience. As she is more well-known to the general populous, more people are exposed to her music.The most common response to this video would be that the majority of people could relate to it, because how many of us have been caught in an awkward moment with an ex-partner? Most of us. It relates most to teenage girls because that’s the character role she plays throughout the narrative, along with the setting and the way Taylor acts as this character.She often sings about boys, what most teenage girls are into and doesn’t do it in a sexualized way.Most of her music videos go against Laura Mulvey’s Gaze theory as there is no emphasis on a woman’s figure within ‘The Story of Us’ music video or any other of hers. Her music appeals to both an Indie audience and a Mainstream audience. This being because country music is typically seen as an indie genre and she has produced this type of music up until her newest album. Therefore, her ‘1989’ album has expanded both her audience and genre,By expanding and trying out new things, it means that the artist is able to branch their success.

Representation

One scene within the , there is evidence of women being provocative as there is a flashback to an affair where another girl seduces the boy Taylor is singing about. Therefore, in this scene, women are represented as tempting. However, when Taylor wears a cardigan and glasses, she is presented as vulnerable and conserved. There is a mixture of ways women are represented. For example, the flashbacks show Taylor as more carefree, the mise-en-scene of having her hair down, arms exposed, smiling. When she is covered up, hair tied back and glasses covering her face, the mise-en-scene contrasts well with the lyrics of the song. Also, here, she is represented as a frustrated/feup girl. I know this various close-ups of her tugging at her hair and clothes.There is no solid representation of men within this music video. However, the boy who plays as the antagonist is portrayed as disloyal due to the scene where he kisses another girl. This makes the audience dislike him when Taylor smiles at him across the library table.