MUSIC VIDEO TEXTUAL ANALYSIS - PLAN B

MUSIC VIDEO TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

WRITINGS ON THE WALL – PLAN B

GENRE:

What is the Genre of the Video?	Pop
What is the genre of the Artist?	Rap / Pop / Soul
Is there a typical narrative?	Yes, a man is having an affair with another  woman.
What is expected in the video?	Performance Shot  Narrative  Shots of Artist
What is unexpected in the video?	The affair
Intertextual References?  (Video link to other music videos?)	Links to other song within the album "Writings on the wall" - Stevie Wonder, Superstition

NARRATIVE:

What is the storyline of the video?	Strickland Banks has an affair
Is there a theme?	Strickland Banks the artist,  Love  Trust
Is there a recognisable structure (TODOROV – Equilibrium 5 stages)?	No, although there is a equilibrium at the end of  the video
Are there recognisable characters?	Male artist, female protagonist, female  antagonist - One night stand
How does the video reflect the lyrics?	Yes it reflects the lyrics in  their relationship suggesting that it isn't over,  however he is having an affair with the one night  stand indicating that their relationship was not  very good in the first place "Writings on the  Wall"

REPRESENTATION:

What issues of representation are evident?	Woman looking domestic in kitchen.   Male = Worker / Celebrity = Power
How have these been represented? Stereotypes?	Woman is seen in the kitchen which is  stereotypical.
Look at the artist as a star – how have they been constructed?	Plan B = Strickland Banks (Fictional Character)  Successful and popular
Do they have an anonymous role in the  video or are they there as celebrity?	Male is the fictional celebrity - seen as a big star  in the night club they are in.

VISUAL CODES:

Where is the video set? Connotations of this setting?	Nightclub - Motown / 1970's - 80's  Period - Strickland Banks performing there   Dark clothing represents sinister and mysterious  behaviour and shows he is hiding something.
Dominant colour used in the video? Why? What is the effect?	Black/Darkness in night club = Sinister  Colour in the house = Happiness
Written Iconographics? Typography? Why?	Strickland banks written on venue header at the  start of the video
Shot Compositions that stand out?	ECU = Wife/Girlfriend at home. ECU = Meal - connotes how important the meal is to them. Low angle shot on Strickland Banks = Power High angle shot on wife = Vulnerable.

TECHNICAL CODES:

Camera Angles? Interesting ones? What effect is created?	ECU of the guitar  CU of the pan  Long shot of pan burning her
Does the way the camera moves help to tell the story?	POV shots of Strickland Banks moving around
What is editing like? Type of cuts etc?	Fast cuts of different shots

AUDIENCE:

Who is the target audience for the video? How does the video target this specific audience?	Teens to early twenties, young characters are  used in the video so the audience can relate to  the characters and its based in a night club
Demographic?	E . D

INSTITUTION:

What role does the record company play in the music video?	679 Warner Music Group, which is the record  label for Strickland Banks
What is the brand image of the star that is sold? How is the star marketed and promoted?	Fictional character is promoted as a celebrity  within the video and is seen to be a big name.

Analysing Plan B's Writings on the Wall will help me break down a music video, it will help when it comes to making my own music video as I will have looked into detail the conventions of this music video and therefore have a better understanding of what needs to be included.