Music Video Analysis; Q1: Media Forms And Conventions

1. Media forms and conventions: The Parlotones – Overexposed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIb76iJCXYY



The mise-en-scene is presented with the theme of a child’s life as the main characters in the video within the narrative (excluding the band) are a child and his mother. This “child like” image is created with the use of animation avatars (like graphics used in computer games), the animation characters playing football in the street and the silhouette doll of the band member the kid finds at the end of the video (interests and hobbies of kids). An everyday typical adult scene of an industrial town is recreated to almost empty the industrial scene of adults and adult politics and introduce such characters as bunnies jumping down the street. This personalises the video into a child like view and encourages the audience to see the video as such. Lyrics to the visual and the music also emphasises this and gives us a sense that the child in the video is describing to us his ideal world; “Shiver, shake, shudder and make my mistakes, this is my life” these lyrics convince us to side with the child in the story of the music video as he attempts to rebel against his mother (the hand to guide him through his life) and does smile and point at the giraffe at 0:32 – which is where such lyrics as “make my mistakes” backs up this rebellion in the child and desire of him to express himself and his preferences. Stereotypically, the lighting and colours of the video are also bright (sunny day and bold colours of avatars) to help appeal to a younger audience, and the CGI of the video uses a variety of camera angles, bold and quick movement. An example of this would be at 1:59 over the lyrics “Get out, get out” the camera zooms out at quick intervals (giving the effect he is pushing his mother away). When the characters all group at the end 2:16- 2:22, this gives a rather claustrophobic feel to the shot which could relate to the title of “Overexposed”.
In the way this video relates to genre, in this case alternative rock, typical attitudes from the band like throwing the guitar, kicking the music stand and close up eye contact with the camera are commonly used within this genre.
Inter-textuality of this video can relate to other bands, one most commonly known as the “Gorillas”, that have a cartoon image within the same genre, therefore perhaps The Parlotones are aiming for the same target audience with this approach to their music video “Overexposed”.