Analyse
one of your productions in relation to narrative
I am going to analyse my A2 music video in
relation to narrative. In media terms, narrative is coherence or organisation
given to a series of facts, narrative is the way a story is related. The basic
storyline of my video involves a band trying to create and record material in
the studio with a dream that they will one day perform onstage: they fall out
and the band’s dream disintegrates.
The narrative construction of the video aims
to show demonstrate this in a creative way: technical codes were used to give
the viewer insight into the band’s real persona. I chose to edit this video in
a way that gives it a non linear narrative, interweaving dream sequences with
reality. I have chosen to juxtapose sequences of arguments in the studio with
sequences of stage performance, cutting frequently between the two to suggest
the chaotic and conflicting lifestyle of the band.
I start the video with a close-up crane shot
of a spinning vinyl with a match cut to a spinning bicycle wheel to introduce
the narrative, bringing in props that set the scene: the record player and vinyl
connote the end product – what the band is aiming for and the bikes introduce
reality – these musicians are just kids with bikes. The costumes for my actors
were symbolic codes, carefully chosen to suggest to the audience they are a
trendy young band; the classic ray ban shades worn by one and the Mickey Mouse
t-shirt worn by another suggest retroism, tying in with the vinyl, and converse
shoes are iconic rock star footwear.
Another element of dream sequence includes
stop-frame shots of boggle and scrabble letters to spell out the song lyrics.
Another sequence with a slinky rolling down stairs is put in to suggest that
the band falling apart is unstoppable now that it has started and foreshadows
the end of the video when we see the band’s feet walking downstairs off the
stage. A fisheye lens is used in one section is used in one section to portray
the band’s disorientation.
Low camera angle is used to shoot this and
the bicycle session sequence at the beginning to suggest impersonality and that
this could be anyone – we don’t see their faces. By contrast with this, the
singer is frequently framed full face, breaking the fourth wall, to suggest
egotism in this character.
Other characters are frequently shot using a
camera angle that doesn’t show their faces, concentrating instead on their
instruments. The split screen sections emphasise the disequilibrium in the
band, one showing a close-up of the guitar being played, the other multiple
images of the singer face on.
Verbal codes spell out ‘yeah yeah and it’s
ok’ telling the viewer that things will work out in the end. Every story has a
beginning, middle and end but Todorov suggests all narratives follow a three
part structure beginning with equilibrium, moving through disruption to a new
equilibrium.
Although my narrative is not linear, the
three parts are clearly evident, the band begins in the studio, their work is
disrupted by disagreement and they leave the studio at the end. As defined by
Propp, my narrative has two main characters; a protagonist who is the quiet
guitarist, trying to keep the band working, and an antagonist, who was the lead
singer, being counterproductive and arguing with people’s ideas.
I have used binary opposition to emphasise
the narrative conflict; lighting utilises the binary opposites: bright lighting
to portray the dreamy scenes and dulled lighting to suggest a darker mood and
reality. When confined in the studio, there seems to the most conflict between
the band, whereas there is freedom from tension in the outside scenarios.
Other binary opposites that reinforce the
narrative include the dream (performance, animation, success, harmony, bright
colour) and reality (studio, failure, conflict and darkness). There is binary
opposition in the way the antagonist and protagonist are depicted: the
protagonist never shows his eyes hiding his identity behind dark shades whereas
the antagonist challenges the viewer by looking directly into the camera.
There is an additional narrative sequence
where the protagonist blows up a red balloon then lets it go in the park. It is
a symbolic representation of his desire for creative freedom, breaking away
from the band.
