When The Sun Goes Down’ EVALUATION.pptx

7/27/2019 When The Sun Goes Down EVALUATION.pptx

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When The Sun Goes Down

Arctic Monkeys Key:

Emotions/mood

Narrative

Relating to theorists

Suggestions

Costumes

Location

Shots

Linking with lyrics


2/17

Narrative StructureWhen The Sun Goes Down has a

strong sense of story telling, this canbe seen through the beginning(introduction of main character)middle (confrontation with magician)and end (back to the start, a lifewithout happiness)also through theexposed plot. The music video has anobvious use ofBarthes Codes; the

video is that of a closed text (whenthe meaning is explicit). Althoughsome interpretations are made onthe music video, it is a clear narrativeand the interpretations are similar ifnot the same. The video is obviouslyperformance with out takes, this isbecause the use of costumes, andconstant change of location. Forexample, when the girl is trashing themagicians room, it is shot in manydifferent angles, concluding that itwas performed more than once, toget many different effects.

Beginning

Middle

End


3/17

Narrative Structure

Plot

Girls voiceover begins introducing her character, the video begins with the

introduction of the relationship between the man and women. The audience are

established into the location and surroundings of the main character (council house).

It goes onto show the violent ways her pimp treats her, and what she has to dowhen the sun goes down. Half way through the video, the girl meets a magician,

seemingly her only friend, who brings happiness and colour into her life. The audience

think that this is it, she has finally found a reason to stop what she is doing and

escape. This soon changes when her "owner finds her and ruins the relationship

between her and the magician. The video ends, with the man talking to the girl, with

his arm wrapped around her, never letting her go, with no escape for her.


4/17

Narrative Structure

Goodwins theoryAndrew Goodwin's production of the book Dancing in the Distraction Factory in 1992, established fivekey aspects of music videos that the audience, should look out for:

Demonstrates genre characteristics

Relationship between lyrics and visuals

Relaationship between music and visuals

Record label may demand lots of close ups of the artist

Reference to notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body

Intertextual reference

Strong sense of story telling

Goodwins theory in the Arctic Monkeys music video When the Sun Goes Down:

There is a strong sense of

storytelling which is shown through

the relationship between the lyricsand visuals throughout the music

video, for example:

The opening shot is the introduction of the main

character , with the opening lyrics of Whos that

girl there? suggesting that she is a blank canvas

with no identity.

The introduction of the pimp with his first

close up, establishes that he could possible be on

drugs, linking with the lyrics What a scummy

man


5/17

Narrative Structure

Binary oppositionsClaude Levis Stauss felt that in some music videos the constant

creation of conflict/opposition drives the narrative. His theory

relies on the concept of binary oppositions ; visual (light/dark,

love/hate) and the use of flashbacks, which are in visual

opposition to real time.

Examples of Binary Oppositions in When the Sun Goes Down:

Happiness/Fear

Light/Dark

Linked shots, grabbing

both, aggressive to both


6/17

Analysis of Shots

The music video is splendidly shot, with gripping camera movements and action.

The opening shot is text which reads right beside us are the ones hidden by the night, there is

then an inputted voiceover of the main character, who has an aggression to her voice. It is

suggested that the text displayed is expressing her character, and the introduces the audience

to her story which will be displayed through out the video. Also her voiceover is aggressive,

suggesting that what she is saying has been forced, they are not her words of choice.

Key:

Emotions/mood

Narrative

Relating to theorists Suggestions

Costumes

Location

Shots

Mise En Scene


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Analysis of Shots

The zoomed in close up shot of the main character andher owner suggests that they have a tight,claustrophobic relationship. In the shot, the man isstealing the girls food as his own will, this suggeststhat he has control over her, which she can do nothingabout. The uncertain and vulnerable look sheexpresses to the camera, expresses that she is sayingto the audience its alright, I am used to it. By himtaking what he wants without even deliberating thatwhat he is doing is wrong, it represents her life; alwaysliving off the scraps. The classic out of date furnituresuggests poverty and struggle. Seen him with girls ofthe night

Further on in the music video she is

having a meal at another caf with one of

her assumed clients. The shot is zoomed

out, suggesting that she has space to be

herself and feel like she can breath

without being threatened. The smile on

her face suggests that she is happy and

comfortable in her surroundings. She is

able to eat her own meal without living

off scraps like she does with her pimp.

Mise En Scene


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Mise En Scene

Analysis of Shots

The close up shot of the pimp in the car is the first time the audience are fully

aware of the characteristics of the character. It seems by his facial expression that he

is intoxicated (drugs), he seems violent and almost monster like, This links with the

lyrics They say he changes when the sun goes down, suggesting that when night

time approaches he becomes a drug women obsessed maniac. The shot following,suggests that it is that of a point of view shot, establishing that he is on drugs and

the world around him is out of focus, the only thing on his mind is his next fix, and

the night ahead, linking with the lyrics what a scrummy man.


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Analysis of Shots and Lighting

When it is only the girl in the shot, she is mainly focused on through

close ups expressing her upset. By looking at the camera she is making

an emotional connection with the audience, especially to viewers in her

condition. The colourless frame to the shot suggests isolation, poverty

and loneliness. The light and colour fading from the shot, links in with

the name of the song (when the sun goes down); it could indicate her

soul slowly declining, or her life coming to an end. Her pale face and

expressionless eyes suggest that she is intoxicated with drugs,

explaining to the audience why this man has a hold on her, and what

she needs money for. The weak smile she offers the image suggests that

she is putting up with it because she has to, not because she wants to.

Mise En Scene

Key:

Emotions/mood

Narrative


Suggestions

Costumes

Location

Shots


10/17

The long shot establishes the location of

where her pimp spends his nights (withstrippers). He is smiling and dancing whilst

his women works, establishing that his life

is based on women and his control and

power over them. He seems to have no

conscience.

The close up shot of the man andwomen in the car, suggests aclaustrophobic space. In this section of

the video, he licks the girls face andgrabs her threatingly, the girl is lettinghim do whatever he wants, suggestingthat she is his puppet. The man is angrywith the girl for having fun, and enjoyingherself with another man (magician)rather than him.

Mise En SceneAnalysis of Shots

In each shot, there seems to be a main focus, which is usually very still or low on movement, with a very busy

background, usually at high speeds for example, the opening shot of the girl in slow motion looking at the camera,

whilst the slow falls in full speed. The main focus is very close as well, taking up the proportion of the shot. Whether it

is a person or an object, it is used to express the feeling and emotions felt by that particular character, or set the mood

shown by the object.


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Mise-en-scene

Costumes

When the main character engages in contact with the magician,the audience see a change in her emotions, she seemsconfident, happy and delighted. The use of the feather bowersuggests that unlike before she does want to stand out, there is

a beam ofconfidence in her that she wants to show. She issmiling in the caf with an assumed client in the long shotportrayed. The feather bower could indicate a friend in her life(the magician), which she is not used to having, someone shecan have fun with, with no interior motive. As the pimp entersthe caf the expression on the main character and heraccomplice face is that ofdespair.

The close up of the pimp of him wearing the feather bower,suggests that he owns her happiness and her. She is notsupposed to be happy unless it is indicated by him. In the finalshot (close up) she appears again, but without the colour in herlife (bower, face), with bitterness in her eyes.

Key:

Emotions/mood

Narrative


Suggestions

Costumes

Location

Shots


12/17

Mise-en-scene

Costumes

Costumes are a big aspect to representations of characters in this musicvideo. The pimp is dressed as a gangster would; in a full black suitwith a shaved head. In the shot of him wearing the crown, suggests thathe is the king and that he rules the main characters life. She is hisprize and no one can take that from his powerful grip.

His possession is dressed in stereotyped chav clothing; tracksuit,trainers, hair scraped back. It seems that she does not want to benoticed, and that she wants to blend in with her surroundings, seemingthat she is hiding from the man who owns her. For example, in the longshot when she is walking by the shabby building with amateur graffiti,she is camouflaged, she is not what the audience notices in the image ,which is her aim; to be unnoticed and avoided.

What is noticeable in the video, is that the main character rarelyremoves her hood. It could be suggested that she sees the hood as ashelter and barrier, from the torment of her pimp, and keeps herenclosed from all the bad things she has to do for money. The only timeshe does remove her jacket is when she meets the magician. This shotrelates to the lyrics avert your eyes and staring at the ground.


13/17

Location

The opening shot, establishes the location of

the main character, and where the music video

is set. Behind the close up of the girl, are a

block of council houses (her home), suggesting

that she is not of wealth. Through out the

music video, the scenery is rundown, dark anddreary, reflecting the emotions of the girl as

well as setting the scene. The use of classic out

of date furniture establishes that the location,

in which the music video is set, is that of lower

class. The idea of a greasy spoon for a

romantic meal, reflects the lower class of thecharacters, as they cannot afford a restaurant

meal. The character blends in with the somber

scenery, establishing that this is her home, and

it is where she belongs.


14/17

Location

The worm eye shot establishes thelocation, the obvious Is that it is thestaircase of her block of flats, but theway the shot is taken, suggests that thestaircase is never ending,just like herrelationship with her pimp, the never-

ending nightmare that is her life. With noescape. It is a minimalist location with nocolour, just black and white, representingno colour or light in her life.

The location of the magicians lairexpresses a place ofhope and desire. Byentering the magic box she is wishingthat she could teleport into anotherworld without violence or pain. She islonging for escape which will nevercome, not even a magician can grant that

for her. Compared to the shot of thestairs, this location is full of colour andbrightness, reflecting the girls emotions.

Binary

oppositions

(No escape

chance of

escape)


15/17

Audience

The audience who I feel would benefit most from this music video are that of anolder age (17+) this is because of the hard hitting aspects and deeper meaningof the video (violence, prostitution, drugs). Individuals who are in the sameposition as the girl, may be able to relate to the character and realise thingsabout their lives that they hadn't been able to realise before. It has a hardemotional effect on the public, who may not see truly what women (like the

main character) go through, it gives them a deeper perspective.When the music video was released it was played on radio stations (NME), inshops (especially record shops) , through people humming it, car stereos and onthe television. Through these different aspects of advertisement, the audiencegrew and grew, resulting in arctic monkeys being one of the most famous indierock bands in Britain today.


16/17

Intertextual referenceLauren Socha landed a role in

the hit E4 show Misfits. Her

character was very similar to

that of her character portrayed

in Arctic Monkeys music video.

Just like Sochasrole in when

the sun goes down she had to

portray a sterotypical chav.

Her costume in

misfits is much like

that in When the sun

goes down. Typical

chav: hoop earrings,hair scrapped back .

Dark clothing to

blend in with the

crowd, she cannot

afford expensive

brands.

In when the sun goes down,

it is suggested that the

character is on drugs, selling

her body for her next fix. In

Misfits Sochas character is

portrayed much the same.

In the beginning shot of

when the sun goes down,

Socha is shot with her

location (home) behind her.

This has been done also in

misfits, again her character

in this media text lives in

council flats, establishing

the chav stereotype.

By wearing a community service

jumpsuit, it suggests to the audience

that she brings trouble to herself

Video evidence of Socha in

Misfits establishing the chav

sterotype, and resembling

aspects of her character in the

music video, are exhibited at the

end of this case study

Lauren Socha expresses her

identity through her style and

clothing, establishing that she

is part of a subculture. Which

relates to the theory of Dick

Hedbrige


17/17

Intertextual referenceStephan Graham starred in thehit film This is England a yearafter his role in When the sun

goes down . Directors and

casting agents saw potential in

his character and chose him for

the role in This is England, astheir characters are much

alike. Fans of Arctic Monkeys

and viewers of This is England,

are able to associate the

pimp with the racist thug

that is Combo.

Video evidence of Graham in Thisis England exhibiting similarities

to that of the pimp in the music

video, are exhibited at the end of

this case study

Combo in This is England is veryaggressive and threatening,

much like Grahams character in

When the Sun Goes Down. He

brings terror and fear to those

around him, and like to feel

superior to others.

Grahams costumes in This is

England are much like that in the

music video; his shaved head and

smart clothing, suggests that hehas money (not necessarily well

earned) and he likes to take

pride in his appearance. By

looking good he feels powerful

and confident enough to harass

others.

In This Is England, Combo has

just returned from time in

prison. Grahams character in

When the Sun Goes Down,

suggests prison time in the past

or in his future.

Key:

Emotions/mood

Narrative


Suggestions

Costumes

Location

Shots

Linking with lyrics

Documents

When The Sun Goes Down’ EVALUATION.pptx