Music Video Ideas Generation by Ryan Baxter, Daniella Johnston and

Adam Cunliffe

• Lyrical Meaning• Type of video - Concept/narrative/performance• Iconography• Genre Conventions - Rock• Camera work/Cinematography• Characters• General Mise en scene • Editing and digital effects

Lyrical Meaning • The name of the song 'Use Somebody' suggests feelings of loneliness and longing for

somebody. It could be ambiguous for using a person to get something you want - exploiting, taking advantage, being selfish etc. Themes include love, selfishness, loneliness and relationships. – Visual ideas relating - separate shots of the lead singer with the band and then alone so

we can make comparisons. Contrasting shots of his life and her life. We could also have live performances from the band in the video, or parts where they are playing together, highlighting their friendship and how they can use/need each other.

• 'Looking down at all I see' He could have no interest in the majority of women he meets, this could be because they are superficial ('Painted Faces') and are maybe using him for the fame and luxurious life. It could also mean looking down on other couples with envy or looking down in general at his life, which he isn't happy with at the moment. – Visual ideas relating - shots of the city from high angles and the lead singer looking

down to highlight his success but his unhappiness. • 'Someone like you' implies he has already seen the type of person he is looking for. By not

mentioning a name wen assume this is an interest from a distance, they haven't met. – Visual ideas relating - Shots of him looking at her from a distance or cross dissolve

showing they are in two different places and have two different lives.

Lyrical Meaning (Cont.)• 'Waging wars to shape the poet and the beat' The use of opposites suggest they have

opposite lifestyles. 'I hope it's gonna make you notice' means he wants her to notice this, and she should because opposites are suppose to attract.– Visual ideas relating - Montage of what they get up to during the day with fast paced

editing to highlight their hectic lifestyle, comparing it to a 'war'.

• His contrasting lifestyle prevents him from finding a relationship 'While you live it up, I'm off to sleep'. He doesn't get to live a normal life and have the freedom to go out and enjoy himself. – Visual ideas relating - Binary opposition between the lives of the band and the lives of

someone who doesn't have the fame e.g. the band have to stay in at night to rest before a gig the next day whereas others get to go out and enjoy the nightlife/have more of a social life.

• 'Countless lovers under cover of the street' Looking for a more serious relationship rather than one night stands. Connotations to prostitutes.– Visual ideas relating - shots of the band showing what they get up to on tour and when

they have some free time e.g. drinking, going out, meeting new people etc.

Type of video - Concept/narrative/performance

• Concept – Create feelings of loneliness, jealousy, love and other emotions portrayed within the lyrics of the

song so we can relate to it and empathise with the band. • Performance

– Filming the band playing together, e.g. during live performances or rehearsing.– Shots of the vocalist singing towards the camera.

• Narrative– Could be based on the lead singer longing for somebody from a distance, someone who he has not

yet met, or someone who he sees everyday just she isn't aware of his feelings for her. – Could be focusing on the lifestyle of the band, giving the audience a chance to see what they get up

to when they are on tour or when they are not performing, making it feel exclusive. The narrative could be linear to show a typical day in the life of the band or non linear showing all the different things they get up to during a week at different times, to create confusion and highlight their busy lifestyle.

– Could involve being used and taken advantage of, whether that be female fans using the band just to get a taste of fame, success and luxury or the band using female fans just because they can.

– The video could not contain any shots of the band and instead just have characters in the narrative. For example, a day in the life of a group of friends showing that they all need each other. We could also have a victim of bullying that could 'Use Somebody' to talk to.

• Combination of all three styles could be used as the narrative could cut to and from shots of the band performing.

Iconography • Industrial/urban landscape• City of Manchester/Night life • Instruments - iconic of rock music e.g. guitars• Cars and traffic - represent their hectic lifestyle and

travelling when touring• Smoking/Drinking - Stereotype of rebellion• Money - representing power/fame/success• Leather jackets• Motorcycles• Band members have piercings/tattoos

Genre Conventions - Rock • Use of black and white • Use of night rather than daylight • On stage performances• Screaming crowds/fans• Dark colours• Stereotypes of rebellion, power etc. • Backstage footage • Gestures of male friendship e.g. band doing stuff

together• Playing of instruments e.g. guitars • Juxtaposition of opposites e.g. day and night

Genre Conventions - Rock (Cont.)

• Faced paced editing/slow motion • Men are subjects and women are objects • Montage of industrial settings• Wide shots of the band together • Shadow and low key lighting

Camera work/Cinematography • Establishing shots near the beginning to establish the setting and create a mood for the

video. • Tracking and panning shots of setting to establish the setting and start the narrative e.g. of

the city. • Wide long shots of the band - this could be of them performing together or in a bar, in a car,

backstage etc. This would represent the unity of the band. All of them being in a shot together would show they are close.

• Close ups during the more emotional movements of the song e.g. of the vocalist singing to the camera. Making direct eye contact to create a sense of closeness to him between him and the audience and to establish a relationship. He could also be looking down away from the camera so we can empathise with him and this would add to the feelings of loneliness.

• Close ups of instruments being played e.g. hand playing a guitar to show the iconography and empathise the genre.

• Eye line match between the lead singer and another character in the video, perhaps his love interest, fans or just something else he is looking at. This would be used to compare the relationship between them and see both of their emotions.

• Lip sync - matching mouth movement in shots to the soundtrack to make it more professional.

Camera work/Cinematography (Cont.)

• Handheld camera for some of the shots/during some scenes e.g. when the band are travelling or backstage before and after a gig. Making the camera look like it is one of the band members filming gives the video a more exclusive feel and creates a sense of closeness with the band for the audience.

• Two shots - with two characters talking in the frame. • Low angle shots - We could use these of shots of the band when they are performing

together or when they are on stage to highlight their power and success. • High angle shots - We could use these of the lead singer when he is singing up close to the

camera to make him look more weak and vulnerable and to represent his loneliness. • Focus pull at the beginning and the end of the video. This will change the depth of field and

we can use it to bring something in focus out of focus e.g. the lead singer sitting alone as the video is ending.

Characters

• The band • Love interest • Screaming fans • Camera crew • Majority are male - to highlight the genre rock which is

male dominated. Males are subjects and women are objects.

• Group of friends • One obsessive fan

General Mise en scene • Settings

– Travelling on the road – Backstage – In a bar – On stage/live performances – In their apartments – Manchester city centre - nightlife – On the beach

• Costume – Generally dark clothing to represent the genre rock. – Tattoos and piercings – Tight/skinny jeans and baggy vests/t-shirts – Facial hair and long haired characters/band members – Messy 'rugged' look – Leather jackets– Sunglasses - conform to our idea of 'stars' – Designers/expensive (fame and success)

• Lighting– Low key lighting– Shadow– High key lighting – Black and white

• Props– Instruments e.g.

guitars/drums/microphones – Money – Beer bottles – Cigarettes – Car – Pool/snooker table

Editing and digital effects • Cuts to make shots blend more smoothly, making it look more

professional.• Slow motion • Cross dissolve e.g. 2 overlapping shots to highlight the contrast between

them so we can compare e.g. how ordinary people spend their night compared to how the band spend theirs.

• Montage with fast paced editing - during the instrumental part of the song. Shots could include them on the road travelling, traffic, them getting ready, performing etc. - bits of everything all mixed together.

• Fast paced during the faster parts of the song and slower during the more slow, soft and emotional parts of the song.

• Split screen - to show two videos at once. This could be useful for the narrative by showing different viewpoints of characters.

• Fast motion • Superimposing one video on top of another to show two different scenes

at once. This could be used during a montage.