Goodwin Analysis - (Flosstradamus, The xx, Disclosure)

Flosstradamus - This is an example of a performance video with Flosstradamus showcasing the inner concert feel of being in their one of the their own shows. The whole video is recorded live at a variety of their shows, following them playing and mixing songs to convey the atmosphere of being at a show of theirs which is clearly a very hyper and high energy environment.

This very first establishes the video being performance based with the re-curing strobe lights and computer used to play and mix songs by Flosstradamus throughout the music video.

The high angle shot helps establish the large amount of people that are at this gig and creates a view of Flosstradamus being popular and having a large amount of fans. The sub-woofer conveys the loud high quality their music is being played at the gig.

This clearly shows the youthful 'hip-hop vibe' the group illustrate with the Chicago Red Bulls vest and snap-backs, which are often worn by the younger generation, which they are both part of.

The strobe lights also give this videos audience the illusion of being live at a Flosstradamus show with these lights appearing throughout the video. It also re-enforces this being a performance video with many components like the strobe lights being present at a live show.

Again another shot of fans at a show and this shot appears as the song has a big drop communicating to the videos audience the reaction Flosstradamus get from the crowd as the song drops. Many fans also appear very hyper and happy which would encourage someone to want to go to a show.

This triangle with an exclamation mark is re-curring throughout the video with it being the groups visual logo they use in both shows and album covers, this once again shows them using aspects from their live shows and including them in this video, conveying it as a performance video.

Another shot of their fans, this time showing the large amount of people recording the show via phones and other devices, its like this performance video is used to show the fans recording the show as a performance video as well.

This time a close-up of a fan, with others in the background, presenting Flosstradamus fans as being youthful and the girl here has some Flosstradamus apparel, with this being included in this video it promotes the groups merchandise to their fans.

The use of hashtags in the video also conveys the use of Twitter being involved, (were hashtags are mostly used) and this also shows the use of social networking from both Flosstradamus and their fan, along with the moniker's of #Hoodieboyz and #Hoodiegirlz that Flosstradamus use to name fans of their music.  

The xx - This is an example of a conceptual music video in which it follows a dance narrative with similar routines that alter slightly through the video. The dance routine conveys a relationship between two people who have gradually grown apart from one another.

This is the first shot of the dance sequence, that changes as the video continues. It conveys the two people in a relationship being very close and loving towards another. The X background also can stand for representing the groups name (The XX) or x, which in slang means a kiss to also represent the physical element of the relationship.

This shot in the sequence metaphorically shows how the couple are together, with the proximity of the dancers showing them altogether as one - this is symbolic of the couples relationship.

The XX also appear together in the foreground, suggesting the dancers and the band are both simultaneously conveying the sense of being 'together as one'.

This shot is an exact parallel to the one before where the couple appear kissing, the widening of proximity and the absence of the kiss abstractly conveys the couple distancing from one another in their relationship.

This shot establishes the destruction of the relationship between the girl and boy, and also the XX band show this. Using proximity this is shown effectively through the parallels with similar shots that appear earlier in the video, as they show everyone close together.

The levels of proximity furthermore expand as the couple are now distanced and the difference in facial expressions (compared to earlier on) highlights the ending of the relationship. Although minimalistic, the change in space between the couple shows they are no longer physically intimate.

The addition of fire represents the destruction of the relationship, which the XX also mirror, possibly the song along with being about the couple also relates to the XX as a band and their relationship with another. The use of only showing one band member and only one of the dancers dancing shows how the relationship that formed the couple as one has been broken and they are now individuals.

The fire spreading and the one dancer and band member being the only ones to appear show the loneliness and loss of a relationship that has occurred. 

The last shot being the some of the band and dancers walking off convey the complete end of a relationship with all the damage done (the fire) and people are left to go their separate ways as they walk off. The ending of the video could be an inter-textual reference of the film 500 Days of Summer. Unlike many romantic films it involves the boy not getting the girl, similar to the way this music video ends.

 

Disclosure - This an example of a narrative video which follows a young couple as they embark on a trip in Amsterdam and what activities they engage in whilst there, is what the narrative of the video is primarily based upon. 

The video starts of with the couple together and through their proximity it is established the close bond relationship they have with one another. 

The whole Amsterdam experience is shown throughout the video, an example here is showing them smoking (possibly marijuana) inside a bar, a behavior illegal in most places around the world.

The toy penis used is also something relating to Amsterdam known for its notorious Red Light District and it also goes along with the whole experience of going to the place much like the previous shot does. It can also relate to a typical fan of Disclosure, who would likely be around 16 - 24 (similar age to actors used here). This all correlates to the duo marketing themselves to their audience.

The continuation of fun and adventure the couple embark on is continued and it is reminiscent of party scenes of Project X and Superbad -which show some intertextual references within this video.  

 

The fun continues with the couple in the video also this shot is cut as the chorus begins to highlight the enjoyment conveyed through the actors.

These body shots are a clear indication of the couples physical intimacy with one another and also follows the notion of looking within this video. 

As the videos second half kicks in the narrative shifts from full fun to anger and some sadness. This part where the girl argues and wants to hit the taxi driver is the introduction to the second half of the videos narrative. It also follows wild nature young people are often stereotyped with having.

The choice of casting is also an interesting aspect in which free runner Tim Shieff who is well known in the parkour community. The music can also be appealing to free runners through using a popular figure in the sport with him being  in the video. Through his tricks he does also fully represent the video in which both characters are on an adventure.

As the video progresses towards the end a bit of performance is mixed in with Disclosure themselves making a cameo in the video and this also links with the narrative as the couple go and see them in the video as a live performance.

This shot being connected to the narrative as Disclosure are seen playing a gig in the video it also promotes Disclosure's album as well with marketing to their fans through this video.

Doing this task has helped me in understanding and being able to see the differences in performance, narrative and conceptual music videos along with conventions each one follows. Along with this, each video is selling to a particular audience and through the inclusion of certain things in videos this is made clear. For example Flosstradamus with close-ups of fans in between around 18 -25 - showing who their music is trying to appeal to being ravers as evident in the video. This also brings ideas of things that relate to the music video that we will be doing and what type of music video it will be whether conceptual, narrative or performance based, or a mixture.