Analysing a music video focusing on the 4 key concepts

4 Key Concepts:

• Narrative
• Genre
• Media Language
• Representation

The Narrative of a music video is looking at how you would describe the narrative structire of the video, for example: is it linear, nonlinear or mix. Also analysing if there is a disruption and/or equilibrium in the video and if the central atrist/artisis' are participant, narrator or an observer. Last but not least, thinking about the lyrics and whether they are illustrative, unconnected or amplification.

The Genre is focusing on the location and settings and what it may represent or convey, also thinking about is it reminiscent of anything else you've seen. The genre can also be presented through the constume and lighting to create the mood, tone and atmosphere.

Media language is analysed by looking at how the editing is used in the video, for example: manipulation of time, repetition of action, creation of perspective, and pace. After establishing how the editing is used, you have to think of what effect it has on the overall video.

Representation is a more broad concept as it consists of many parts - gender, age, ethnicity, place, disability etc. But the main one of focus is gender, as it is one of the most obvious areas of representation in a music video. To analyse this area, you must think about the reaction of men and women, what the video is saying about men and women, who's perspective it is coming from and who the target audience is of the music video.

The music video that I will be analysing will be I Need You by Ndubz.


Narrative - The structure of this video is linear meaning that it plays in chronological order from beginning to end, although there are some cut aways to the band on a roof top singing the song, but the main story plays in sequential order. The disruption to the video is when they find out that their partner has left and they are no where to be found. This creates the 'hype' mood of the band causing them fustration and anger. All members of Ndubz are participants and each one of them are also narrators as they narrate their part of the strory through their lyrics meaning that the lyrics are illustrative.

Genre - This still image from the music video. From looking at this image, I can tell that it can fit into the catergory of hip-hop and r'n'b. Looking at the location and setting, they are sitting in a night club partying and drinking conveying that they are party people, in other words, 'ravers'. Analysing their style in clothes, they have come into the club in the dress code of 'dress to impress' insinuating that they are hoping to find someone they fancy. The shades, era cap and wolly hat and gold long chains the men are wearing and the fancy dress, 'bang bang' heels, hoop earings the girl is wearing represents their style, in other words, 'swagger' which represents the genre of hip-hop and r'n'b as this is the typical costume that would represent the genre. Lastly, the lighting is mainly disco/clubbing lights. There are neon lights on the floor creating the 'blue' mood which has connotations of feeling down and the spot light that is on the band helps them stand out from the rest of the party people in the club.

Media Language - The editing in this music video is a mixture, but in the beginning, there are faded cuts which could possibly be cut to the sound and rhythm of a heartbeat creating that sense of adenaline. There are some repetition of action in the video and some that have just been played back to one second dismembering the action. The cuts and editing is used to match the beat of the track which isn't slow but not very fast. It is quite upbeat. There is also some parts of the video where the editing has minipulated the time by slowing down some action to set the mood. The edit is quite 'choppy'.

Representation - As the band consists of two males and one female, it is obvious that the male's perspective will be more dominant to the womens. But this band has managed to work it out by positioning the female in the middle of the two males. Watching each reaction to them coming back to find that their 'link' has disappeard, i have noticed that the male's reactions are more stronger than the female's reaction as the female feels more emotional whereas the male feels more anger.