Florence and The Machine - Breath of Life (Textual Analysis 2)

Florence and the Machine – Breath of Life

Written By: Florence Welch/Isabella Summers

Director: Scott Murray

Genre: Indie Rock/Gothic Rock/Symphonic Rock/Art Rock

Structure: Narrative

Florence Welch has recorder this song for the soundtrack to the film Snow White and The Huntsman. Basically, the video is showing the cuts from a movie which match with the song. The inspiration of this song was a Queen character played by Charlize Theron, as she has inspired the writers of the song. The song is sung from the perspective of the Queen as she is just incredible character, so hungry for life and at the same time so dead inside. As she’s sort of eternal person but inside her wasn’t left nothing. She has her thirst for youth but even she hasn’t got an idea for what sort of life she wants to live. As she is incredibly beautiful person and character, her darkness creates a kind of juxtaposition between the beauty and death.

The some of the parts which presents Florence and her orchestra has been recorder at London’s Abbey Road studio, which is seen in the video between the movies cuts. In these shots we see a clattering drums and huge bass with any people singing the tones behind the Florence.

The whole parts which present the Florence and The Machine are in black and white what gives them archaic feelings what connotes with formality of orchestra style, whereas the movie parts are presented in colours what makes them distinguish and highlight from the rest of the video. The video resembles some parts as they were from the past as there was re-occurrence of the events, as the Queen has been looking for her “breath of life” before and it is as plain as the black and white. This colours perfectly matches her personality as she’s pure beauty but with a dark soul.

We see the Florence singing and matching with the actions from a movie parts, as the Snow White is running from chasing her Huntsman who’s been order to bring her heart back to the Queen. The use of costumes reminds a Victorian era and match perfectly with the background and locations which has been used in the movie. The main character has been dressed as a poor girl what has underline her position as she’s lost and abandon after her father has been killed by the powerful Queen. However, the Queen which isn’t playing a main role in the movie is a main inspiration from which the song has been created. So, everything what is going on in the video is linked to her. The way how she is dressed is marvellous, she is very strong and independent women who know what she want but in other hand she seems as she trying to reach what is unreachable. Her costumes seem to be made just for her, even when she is naked she is wearing her crown what is significant for her power, same as her dresses as in one scene she has gold dress which made her invaluable and priceless.

The scene where the Queen is naked just with her black crown on it refers to the words of the song “… I was looking for the breath of the life…” and also make a connotation to the black and white as she’s diving in some kind of white cream. Also, the words from the song “…And I started to hear it again, but this time it wasn't the end…” refers to the Queen as she has change in some sort of demon who’s falling down and melting in black flame. This concept refers to the audience giving them objective view.

In one of the scene in video we have seen as Queen grabs the poor girl from a village and take her soul out in order to possess the youth which she is so desperately looking for. Moreover, the song refers to this scene as the Florence is singing that: “…But all the choirs in my head sang, no oh oh oh…”, as the Queen was refusing to change and become a good character. This scene has been presented by using the zoom in and long shot what shows the audience how she has done her crime and let the girl fall as she was just a thing for her. This could be associated with the male qualities as normal, mortal woman would not be able to rich a young, adult girl and lift her up as she was a feather. This gives a very violent aspect to her character and shows her black side. Furthermore, this gives the audience negative attitudes of this character and also might let them think about position which she gain my killing the king. This makes a contrast between a Queen as we all associate and her, as everyone always thought that the Queen needs to be good and respectable by standing next to her husband, the King. Charlize Theron breaks these conventions and presents her character as violent, powerful and unbreakable person. It is also an unusual viewing experience for the audience as they aren’t as used to seeing women as opposed to a man act in a violent way.

The audience for this specific movie and song has been describing by use of genre. Basically, the movie is an old, child story which every little girl knows however, as it had been changed and made more violent and aggressive the movie has been restricted for over 16, and same as a song the audience age group is more likely to be from teenagers to young adults and over. The symphony and chords are not usual to be listen by young people, but as the movie bring people’s attention and attract the young audience the song has become rare and unusual.

The ideology of this music video was to promote the movie but also to present the song as it is, what’s mean that there was a need to show the scenes from a movie as the song is basically made for it and about it.

Moreover, this music video is unconventional as its doesn’t presents the male gaze which has been established by theorist Laura Mulvey (1975) her concept regard the way how females performance is directly linked to the way how male are seeing them, for example: being sexual as the Queen or present themselves in costumes which might bring them attention and make them want to watch it, even more than women would want.

Imagine Dragons - Radioactive (Textual Analysis 1)

Imagine Dragons – Radioactive

Written By: Imagine Dragons/Josh Mossers/Alex da Kid

Director: Syndrome

Genre: Alternative Rock/Electronic Rock

Structure: Abstract

The video revolves around a mysterious female drifter (Daddario) who is on a quest to save her friends (Imagine Dragons) from the perils of a sinister, underground puppet-fighting ring. Her puppet teddy bear then knocks out the main winner of the ring and dissolves two bodyguards of the owner of the ring with laser vision. The girl then takes the key off the owner's chest and unlocks the band from the perils, and they all walk out, leaving the owner to be surrounded (and presumably killed) by the rest of the puppets.

The video is in colour which changes its lighting depending of the event and character which is shown. The whole video has an abstract narrative as it doesn’t follow the conventions of usual music videos. The female drifter (Daddario) focus is constantly away from the direct view of the camera. She never use directly into the camera at the audience, as her look is mostly drifting away in order to find what she is looking for. This could be seen as ignoring the audience or unrecognizing them. The audience could almost see her deep gaze into the view which presents abandon place deeply located into the forest what might also indicate secret or danger. The reason why she is not looking directly into the camera might be in the reason that she is focused on her task which is unknown to the audience until last minute. However, her mystery holds the viewer and makes him/her want to see what she is. 

This video is really unconventional and includes the alternative rock with electronic rock style music with a bit of dubstep, while containing cryptic lyrics of the apocalyptic and revolutionist themes. Also, the song has intense and powerful vocals. It also employs a fusion of the genres pop, rock and dubstep as I had mention before. The usual convention for artist is to look directly into the camera as Imagine Dragons do, while the main vocal artist sing his eyes directly contact with the audience to which he is singing. This makes an emotional attachment between him and them and creates empathy.

Moreover, the other unconventional feature which appears in the video is of the “toys” which appears as main characters. This is not often seen in the music videos, and the fact that they are shows more often and as more important than artists by themselves. Also, the fact that the whole band is presented with the shade might indicate the fact that they don’t need to explore themselves to let audience know who they are. The small amount of shots with the band could present that they are enough known that they don’t need to stay in front of camera for all the time.

The song because of its unique style has been used in many media distributions. As it was used heavily in promoting the video game of Assassin’s Creed 3 and the movie The Hostand and is included in the soundtrack for the video game MLB 13: The Show and the upcoming NBA 2K14.

In the video we have seen repeating of the zooms, especially at the emotional expressions of the characters in the clip in order to establish what is happening and to draw attention of the audience. This technique has been used to pull the attention on emotions of the character and establishes their role in the video. Also, this technique has its own unique way of bringing the audience closer into the action which taking place. The supernatural effect of laser eyes gives the video fantastic style. The brightness of the toys could show that even if there is an apocalypse there’s still a hope.

In the other shots we can see the continuity as they cut between each other and both establishes the introduction into the basement where the challengers are kept. The room is dark and scary what could regard to the words of apocalypse and the end as its end of the freedom. There is a close up on the main artist face as he lifts his gaze up, same as he would like to see the light or the way out. The visual metaphor of “… I breaking up, I see it…” could be linked to the scene as the teddy bear is fighting back for they freedom and the main artist is playing the drums from which the dust coming out as he was stuck there for a long time and know he see the chance to break away. The shot of a girl looking around while her teddy bear was losing in a fight creates a continuity as when another close up shot presents her still and steady gaze the toy pull all of its power and hit its enemy with everything what it got.

The song holds the audience still as is sad but very powerful by its music and way of singing. The costumes are very conventional and neutral, as a normal person would wear. However, the cast especially the use of toys is breaking the conventions and gives the video its own impression of presenting their views.

Brief and Chosen Ancillary Texts

A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo, together with a:

·         Cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package)

·         Magazine advertisement for the digipak  (CD/DVD package)

My chosen ancillary text will be a song “Radioactive” created by Imagine Dragons.