As we continue to analyze music videos of varying music genres it is becoming more interesting. There are videos that give new meaning and depth to songs.The music video Because of You by Kelly Clarkson added surprising depth to the already powerful song. Kelly Clarkson along with Vadim Perelman were the auteur of the video. Kelly Clarkson helped to write and direct the music video because she wanted it to reflect her own life experience in a broken home as closely as possible. The auteur of a video and the back story helps to shape videos to be successful artistically. Because of You also displayed many shots of mirrors. Mirrors and reflections are symbolic to reflection and looking within the self. It is interesting to see how in one shot she looks in the mirror and sees a younger version of herself. This shows how her past is always with her and when she looks at herself she sees her past. The diegesis is that she does not want to repeat her parents mistakes and that she family is important to her.
Mirror image in Because of You by Kelly Clarkson
Stan by Eminem was another video that stood out to me. It is a narrative that tells the story of a fan of Eminem's that idolized him and took it to the extreme. The mise-en-scene in this video was important because there was often clutter, darkness and posters all around. This is important in contributing to the meaning of idolization and being in a bad place in life with no innocence. An impactful shot was of when Eminem looks up and he is reflected into a window of a now deceased Stan. Going back to the mirrors thing, it is a reflection within showing who he could be or was and who he is now.
Mise-En-Scene in Stan by Eminem
Pop songs like I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift are not expected to be artful and deep. However, this one was surprising.It was a narrative about a girl who fell for a guy knowing it was a bad choice and regretting it. The video periodically flashes back to moments in her relationship that demonstrate both how toxic and fun it was for her. The scene was mainly based out of a finished concert in what seems like the middle of nowhere. This contributes to the sense of being alone and worn down.It also contributes to the mise-en-scene that something can be great for awhile but the aftermath may not be so great. The contrast between the flashback scenes of her in the relationship and the scenes of her in the desert show the contrast between what her past felt like and her present.
I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift Setting
American Soldier by Toby Kieth was also a narrative about a man leaving his life behind to go to war. The shots played with lighting to depict the meaning behind going to war. Often times the soldiers, while on duty were in the shadows while everything else was bright. Toby Keith is also portrayed in a crucifixion pose which has a religious connotation as lifting someone or something up. There is also an important diegesis in this video where a soldier is riding with his family and they pass a cemetery. The man becomes distressed and he goes to the shadows. This can be interpreted as the fear of death in military families.
Shot in American Solder by Toby Keith
The music video Hey Brother by Avicii is a narrative about a father going to war in Vietnam and the impact it has on his family. The entire video is a flashback for the son on memories of his dad, who is originally portrayed as an older brother. The fact that he is portrayed as the older brother contributes to the diegesis of the video. The father was not around a lot and when he was he acted as more of a father figure. In the entirety of the video there is red, white and blue and patriotic symbols everywhere to contribute to the sense of nationalism. The video also plays with the idea of editing. There is a sequence where the video flashes between war scenes and a Fourth of July party. This shows the parallel between patriotism and freedom in the U.S.A and war. Photographs are also an important symbol in the video. The photos at the beginning start out blurry and unrecognizable then they become more clear as the story is told.
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