ANALYSING A

MUSIC VIDEOFLORENCE & THE MACHINE-

“COSMIC LOVE”

Analysis CAMERA SHOTS1) The mise-en-scene of this shot incorporates warm colours to let

the audience connote a feeling of security and comfort while the use of an everyday item like a light bulb as a prop in focus with other light bulbs out of focus adds a mysterious and mystical vibe to the atmosphere of the piece. The lighting and camera techniques adds to the verisimilitude making more interesting and engaging as an opening camera shot.

2) The framing of the shot makes the artist the centre of attention. The slightly tilted low angle gives the impression of her being of high status, letting the audience denote that she’s the star of the video and is of extremely high status in the video. This shot also uses the imagery of light bulbs and mirrors once again but has a different colour scheme of blues and oranges which go well with the branding of Florence's vibrant hair. The blues, oranges and blacks let the audience connote isolation and the unknown with the blues, blacks and use of mirrors. The orange lighting is a visual link to the previous shots and let’s the audience connote very little security and comfort.

3) This camera shot relates to the branding of the artist who is known to have many abstract and amateur style music videos by incorporating visually interesting effects with props instead of using computer effects. This camera shots framing allows the audience to connote relaxation by the movement of the actress and the slow pan of the camera. The multi-coloured lights and lens flares let the audience connote confusion and dizziness because these are colours often seen when a person is disorientated

(amateur style video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrx6etMl0w&ob=av2n )

(abstract style video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nxO-yPQesA&feature=relmfu)

AnalysisEDITING

The editing is the segment of the music video is very effective as it cuts to the music. This scene brings the audiences attention in as the camera has already shown the audience glimpses of the three distinct worlds in the video and as the music reaches a climax the editing becomes more erratic and lets the artist take centre stage letting the audience connote that something major and important is about to happen.

The editing once again relates to the target audience by not using CGI to do the camera transition but instead focuses on timed editing, lighting and the actors movement to give the scene power. The timing of the piece lets the audience connote that this is a sudden burst of energy from the artist because of the fast speed it happens at.

The editing also helps express the artists mind set in the video by using a shot of her arms to the sky in the “world” that signifies freedom and space (because of the soft lighting and visibility of the room,) looking relaxed and then transitioning the lighting to the “world” of isolation and restriction as the lighting becomes colder with more blacks and specs of reds. The artists arms also look restrained before she smashes her arms outwards and is in a Christ like pose in the “third world”. The editing in this lets the audience connote that the artist is dreaming of freedom while in an isolated world and is finally going to break free.

To illustrate to the audience the artists new found freedom and joy upon breaking free into the “third world” the videos editing incorporates jump cuts as the artist dances with energy to let the audience connote energy, happiness and joy via camera and the artists movement.

AnalysisMise-en-Scene

1) The mise-en-scene in this shot of Florence dressed as a Brothers Grimm themed fairy tale character and forest location let’s the audience denote fantasy and mythical themed story telling. This mise-en-scene lets the audience connote a playfulness and childlike quality to the video. The forest looks slightly makeshift which goes with “Florence and The Machines” style of videos. It should also be noted that the warm colours in this scene emphasise the fairy tale nature of this “world” in the music video which seems very dream like when related to the lyrics.

2) The colours that are used in this are scene let the audience connote an airy and light atmosphere while the movement of the artist also emphasises. The costume and blue and pink lighting denote feminity and childlike happiness. The colours and costumes can also heighten the other worldly aspect to the artist especially with the lights covering her costume which make the artist seem almost one with the set she’s in (,which has light bulbs hanging from the ceiling).

3) This segment of the music video evokes a sinister atmosphere via the mise-en-scene to use limited lighting to have the artist bathed in black and use specifically blues in the lighting as the audience will denote a cold atmosphere from it which will add to the darker verisimilitude of this segment. The costume in the segment is a strong contrast to the costumes which are more loose and feminim which connote ideas of freedom and being loose while this costume is dark coloured (another contrast to the other costumes) and is skint tight letting the audience connote restraint. The lighting and dark colours helps with the branding of the artist as her trademark flame coloured hair is even more striking against the black and blue lighting.