Analysis of a similar music video & props research - Homework

Analyse a similar music video

The script – Man who can’t be moved
The video of ‘man who can’t be moved’ by the script tells a story throughout, matching the visuals to the lyrics very successfully. Throughout the first verse of the song there is a wide range of camera movements and shots such as long shots, close ups & medium shots which makes the scenes quite illustrative to the viewer regarding the lyrics. In result of using a range of shots it promotes the artist and encourages the audience to identify with him. The setting of the video is on a busy street, (again linking to lyrics, ‘’you’ll see me waiting for you on the corner of the street’’) which makes it quite simple & realistic, yet effective. To emphasise the realism of the video and artist, his costume is scruffy and casual wearing jeans and a jacket. In the chorus the scenes cut to a different location of the band in a empty car park, singing with their instruments. This links to genre characteristics of rock as performance is very common in these types of videos; however the song has elements of pop and rock. The majority of the video is shots of the main artist singing to the camera and short duration shots of the band & instruments; however the strong use of camera panning, tracking and low angle shots keeps the viewers interested throughout so they don’t get bored.  Not a large amount of props are used throughout, but when they are they are only used in short duration shots, besides from the instruments, the video also includes a watch, microphone from the news reporter, and then street like behaviour such as characters that pass by & cars.

Research into props for pop music videos

‘’ a prop, is an object used by actors/ artists to further the plot or story line. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set decoration and a prop is use. If the item is not touched by a performer for any reason it is simply a set decoration. If it is touched by the actor in accordance to script requirements or as deemed by the director, it is a prop.’’

I have looked at a range of pop music videos to get ideas of typical props that are used.  

Kesha – Tik Tok: Lyrics match visuals throughout the video & props are used to tell the story. Toothbrush, Alcohol, bike, car, balloons, boombox, sunglasses

Beyoncé – If I were a boy: food, cars, sunglasses, laptop, phone, jewellery, make up set

Examples

 Katy Perry’s pop song California Girls uses props that have specific references to sweet foods such as candy canes, lollipops, jelly, cream, and also board games and sand for beaches.  This provokes audience’s connotations of sweet food, relating to good times and fun. The fact this uplifting song also uses the graph logical field of sweet foods could pragmatically imply that the song describes Californian girls as sweet and fun. In comparison,  music videos such as Pink Just Like a Pill, which is a more depressing genre of music video has a contrasting prop use compared to Katy Perry’s pop songs. Pink uses props of drugs, violence and alcohol to describe the narrative of the song.