MV Analysis

Starboy - The Weekend

This song is recorded by Canadian singer The Weekend for his upcoming third studio album of the same name, featuring French electronic duo Draft Punk. He handled the majority of the song's production, with McKinney and Crikut serving as co-producers. 

It was released on 22nd September 2016, by XO and Republic Records, as the first single from the album. 

Relationships Between Visuals and Lyrics

Looking at this music video, this is a performance and the concept based video which means that the lyrics do not match the visuals. Looking at the video we can see how the man killed Weekend with his old hairstyle and Weekend with new hair was a thief. He then takes one of the expensive cars of the man he killed and rides away. However the lyrics are about him and relationships. 

Genre Characteristics 

This is an electro pop music which means that there should be a lot of bright lighting such as pink and purple. This music video is a cold tonnes and has fragments of purple, pink, blue and green lighting. They have also used a cross which lights up red. 

Performance, Narrative or and Concept

This music video is a mix between performance and concept with a touch of narrative. We can see the plot of Weekend killing the man, getting a revenge on him and leaving mans' house. We can also see the performance side of it as the singer sings in the house as he passes through the corridors and rooms. 

Performance Style

This was a performance based video therefore there was a lot of lip syncing. The camera focused on Weekend with different shots such as medium shots, long shots and close ups. All the scenes are central framed to show that he is the central protagonist in the story. We were also abled to see Weekend dancing while he was walking thought the hallways and singing. This type of dancing is very common among male artists. The dancing was simple this was made so the fans could relate and copy the moves right from the screen. 

Looking/Mode of Address

Weekend is looking directly to the camera throughout the video this creates a sense of direct connection with the audience, in this music video we can see how they applied uses and gratifications theory. Looking directly to to the camera Weekend creates a personal relationship with the audience making them feel as if they were there and he is talking to them. 

Mise-en-scene

The first location was a dining room it was an important location as this is the place where the video started. We can Weekend with his old hairstyle tied up to his chair opposite Weekend, this location was important as it anchored the the difference between the two characters.There were also hallways and where different paintings were hang up. Another location was garage where all the expensive cars were. Finally the last location was inside the car somewhere in the roads.

We can see how make up and costumes affected the video. At the start of the video we saw a man in a mask and Weekend tied up. Later using mise-en-scene the audience saw a completely different thing. We saw the man taking his mask off and it was The Weekend with his new hairstyle. This use of mise-en-scene was made to introduce him new hair to his fans in the video. 

Reflecting on past A2 Final Video

A2 Ida - Oliver Heldon 'Gecko (Overdrive)

This is a music video created by one of the previous A2 students. I will be sharing my analytical and critical point of view of this video.

This video starts of with its title flashing in bright colours. From this presentation we could guess that the genre of this music video is electro dance.

Relationship between visuals and lyrics

There are some words which have been shown literally such as "put my hands" and Ida the singer is raising her hands up, " lights dos low" she bends down. These sort of small words have been the cause of her movements in the dance.

Genre Characteristics 

The song is in a genre Future House which is electro dance music. The conventions of such a genre are featuring climbing, women with minimal clothing, jump and dance around. A lot of bright colours such as UV lights are used a lot.

In this music video I got to see most of the characteristics of this genre. There is a lot of dancing, bright colours and transitions which allowed to create different SFX. The singer is wearing bright green/blue dress which opens her chest which makes it follow one of the conventions of this genre.

Performance, Narrative and/or Concept?

It is a concept based video with a lot of close ups of lip-syncing and dancing.

Male Gaze?

There was some male gaze of the singer while she was dancing on a clear background. She was wearing open clothing and the audience were able to see her chest. This was made to follow the convention of the Future House genre. 

Short Variety

There have been featured a variety of shots and locations starting from the dance studio, centre, outside (in the garden), inside a room with a white background. For each of those locations different shots and angles have been used. When the shot was taken outside in town or in the studio, long shots  on an eye level or low angle or hight angle establishing shots. Where as if it was in a smaller area such as a bedroom a closer shot was done, For example the medium close up of the dinger dancing or a close up in the garden.