Music Video Research

Lazarus - David Bowie

What I liked:

- Abstract, poetic visuals with a tragic message

- Grey dull colour palette

- Shadowy lighting

- Fits the message of the song poetically

Dead Inside - Muse

- Edgy dance to the song adds lots of energy

- Flour/powder on the floor and drums creates some powerful imagery

- Edgy costume and styling choices (bandages around head, black contact lenses)

Wait On Me - Rixton

What I liked:

- 1920s theme with modern anachronisms depicted with Mise-En-Scene (e.g. headphones, microphones), black white and gold colour scheme

- Silent movie style - title cards are used for dialogue and for opening and closing titles

- Narrative of a singer invited to a party who has an affair with the host's wife

- Use of archetypes - the femme fatale, the security guard, the kingpin boss

- Alternative ending is given

- Dramatic slow motion

Wide Open - The Chemical Brothers

What I Liked:

- Incorporation of dance is intriguing and serves the music well

- Poetic transformation

- The long takes that capture all the action are exciting.

- Warehouse setting is really atmospheric

Born To Die - Lana Del Rey

What I Liked:

- Striking colour palette and lighting
- Cross-cut narrative is intriguing
- Bizarre, beautiful visuals (eg. the tigers, the manor house setting)
- Downbeat ending fits the music well and is powerful - the woman dies in a car crash

(Honorable Mention)

I found this trailer for the Netflix series Sense8 that although not a real music video does effectively function as a music video for "Need You Tonight" by Welshley Arms and contained some imagery and visuals I found inspiring:

What I Liked:

- The overlayed, transparent footage reflected was really creative and beautiful
- Interesting green and red colour palette
- Editing work is really fascinating