Recently, I have learned about narratives in music videos and how they can create an engaging watch for an audience to promote the artist and their music. There are 3 types of narratives that a music video may follow disjunctive were the narrative is random and has no relation to the lyrics, amplified were there is some reflection to the lyrics but takes on a different perspective and finally illustrative were the narrative illustrates the song lyrics.  There are also 4 different structures:

• Episodic- self contained stories within a story
• Anachronic- this can include flashbacks and doesn’t stick to a chronological time frame
• Thematic-  will amplify the lyrics and illustrate the ideas in visual metaphors
• Linear- the classic, beginning, middle and end of a narrative.

Below I have picked out 3 narrative music videos and have analysed the narrative:

The Harry Styles Satellite music video follows an amplified narrative, with the narrative following a vacuum cleaner at a Harry Styles concert seeing a space machine roaming the planet on TV backstage. This sparks the vacuum cleaner aspiration of being like that space machine and to find it. The narrative cuts to a montage following the vacuum cleaners journey through different places and areas representing the distance it travelled and resilience the vacuum cleaner has. It ends to the vacuum cleaner making it to a satellite where Harry Styles and it watch together and then cuts to the vacuum cleaner running out of battery and shutting down.  It follows a linear structure with the classic beginning, middle and end which creates a fulfilling short wholesome story for the audience. The narrative fits with the lyrics ‘I can see your lonely down there’, as in the beginning when it goes to the news report of the space machine the reporter says it’s been alone for 10 years which sparks the vacuum cleaners desire to go find it. And also at the end when the vacuum cleaner and harry sit and watch a ‘satellite’ together which connects the narrative with the lyrics of the song.

This Lewis Capaldi music video follows the narrative of a dog and it’s owner showcasing there wholesome bond they have which then the owner passes away the dog is sad and misses his owner and the dog is later readopted by another young boy who takes care of the dog just like the previous owner. When the dog passes the new owner buries the dog with it’s original owner- overall constructing a heartwarming sad story. This is another example of an amplified narrative as it takes on a different perspective to what the lyrics say so instead of a break up song which the lyrics suggest, it showcases the narrative of losing loved ones to death. The lyrics of “wish you the best” fits with the narrative as you can interpret this either as a break up or losing a loved one. The structure is anachronic as we see flashbacks back when the dog was with it’s original owner near the end which further represents the narrative to be sad yet heartwarming.

Never Felt So Alone by Labrinth follows an amplified narrative alongside a thematic structure. It begins with a pov shot showing that he is been taken in a sort of hospital bed with people dressed in black cloaks representing a sense of mystery and eeriness and then opens with the visual metaphor of being isolated with Labrinth being chained up in an isolated room. Then this metaphor is further amplified with a shot of Labrinth being stuck in a tight enclosure trying to escape emphasing his isolation and a metaphor of feeling trapped. It then keeps with narrative of being in this mysterious sci-fi confinement as we see multiple people chained up and ends with the star now chained up with the other people, the ending seems to be open to interpretation which is a clever way to get the audience to re watch and gives them something to talk about. This music video narrative is a great metaphor for the feeling of loneliness which links with the lyrics.

I have decided to come up with 3 of my own narratives based on what I have learned today:

Un stoppable – Girl who loved to dance from very little gets into a car accident and loses a leg. This does not stop her from fulfilling her passion as she still overcomes this obstacles and ends up winning the competition. Disability v Ability  

Lose it All – A rich and famous man is shown living his life in fancy cars, gambling surrounded by woman in casinos but he loses it all in a scandal surrounding drugs and is now alone and isolated. Popularity v Invisibility

Delusional Love – A boy falls crazily in love with this girl and from what it seems she likes him back, however it is revealed throughout the narrative that the guy has made it all up in his head and in the final shot we see him stalk her with pictures of her covered in his room. Love v Hate

From this task I have learned a lot about narratives within music videos. This is so useful as I am now starting to create my own mini pitch of a narrative for a potential music video which I’m very excited to start brainstorming. I will keep in mind the conflict narrative of binary opposites (Levi Strauss) as I have learned it really helps drive a narrative forward and creates drama and intrigue for the audience.