To understand what makes a music video different and how we can interperate narratives we need to explore music videos with different meanings. Below I have analysed three different music videos that range from amplified, disjunctive and illustritive narrative content as well as involving different stuctures such as episodic, linear, thematic and anachronic. By doing this has allowed me to decode a variety of different narratives enablising me to further understand how structures and content can make a good nrrative for a music video.
Take On Me- A-Ha
Take On me by a-ha is an alternative/indie/pop song released in 1984 feturing a narrative sequence using a pencil sketched animation as well as real life footage, switching betwen the two. The video follows a comic book narrative where a young women is reading the comic in a cafe. Whilst reading the comic the charcater within it winks at her and invites her inside the comic into ‘his world’ where she then appears to be a pencil sketch herself and the action unfolds throughout the video.
Take On Me features a very illustrive story throughout the video allowing the audience to see the womans connection to the comic and how it comes to life including a linear structure where events fold in a chronoligical order. The ending of the video reveals the man within the comic to fully come to life with no animated sketch drawings. It allows the audience to see the characters journey through the comic and then towards the end for them to be together in the ‘real world’.
The One That Got away- Katy Perry
The One That Got Away by Katy perry is a pop song released in 2010 which features a nrrative peformance of Katy Perry’s past relationship with her ex boyfriend. The video reveals to the audience a clear love connection between the two but clear arguemtents throughout the relationship. The video then transitions to her as an older lady with grey hair and wrinkles showing how she is reflecting on her relationship when she was younger, a lost love.
The music video follows the story of their relationship and how her past boyfriend was ‘the one that got away’ with the ending revealing how he died in a car crash at a young age. It shows a anachronic event where we see Katy Perry as her older self revisiting the spot where he died and the two reuniting at the end although he is still trapped as his younger self. It includes an amplified narrative content where througout the song the pace and volume picks up to increase the pace to the final moments.
Dusk Till Dawn- ZAYN
Dusk Till Dawn by ZAYN is a pop song which was released in 2017 where it reveals a ‘love story’ between zayn and a lady who cannot be together. It gives a sense of risk between their relationship with ‘ill be with you from dusk till dawn’ signifying that no matter what they go through they will be there together. The couple are seen with the same suitacse throughout the music video to fool the cops that Zayn is the real criminal when in actual fact it is the lady.
Dusk Till Dawn follows a linear narrative sequence with it being in chronological order as well as it involving a perfromance aspect throughout. The narrative content is amplified throughout the video as the action proceeds; the pace and speed quickens to build tension within the scene. The ending of the video shows their getaway and them driving away from the scene as they reunite with one another showing how they ‘stick together’.
Three Of My Own Narrtaives:
Now I understand the content ivolved with creating inresting narrative sequences I have been able to form my own in order to help work my creative aspect to form potential ideas for my future music videos:
- Can I Stop The Clock– A man reaches the point in his life where he regrets the time hes wasted, he wishes for his time back and the clock to stop ticking so he can live in the moement to live a life hes always wanted.
- Mystery Man– A young man struggles to find out who he really is; everyday life feels the same and he can’t quite fit himself into society making him a ‘nobody’.
- 18 Candles– A young girl turns 18 and shows her living her dream life, partying, friends and just having fun but when she gets home she is lonely and only wishes for company. The 18 candles are blown out by herslef at home.