WEST COAST (05/2014) ULTRAVIOLENCELANA DEL REYINDIE POP ROCKMUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

By Aminatta Sylva 13H

What are they wearing?The female protagonist (Lana) is wearing a black biker leather jacket with a white V-neck t-shirt, blue denim jeans and a silver necklace. Minimal if no makeup is visible on Lana’s face. This is the casual look, this appeals to young people that do not wear heavy makeup. She may be trying to show her audience that she doesn’t really care about what she looks like. It also suggests to us that she is young, and not mature in this shot. Similarly, her lover is wearing similar clothes to her; leather jacket, white t-shirt and black jeans. This connotes to us that they have a rebellious relationship, perhaps they are on the verge of coming to age (coming of age films). The leather jacket represents a tough/gangster side of Lana and her lover. Perhaps, he influenced her wear tough looking clothing. This kind of clothing can sometimes come across as intimidating. The female and male protagonists also have tattoos, this makes them physically alike. Tattoos also make certain people look tougher, fiercer and more masculine, especially for Lana.

What are they wearing?In the next shot, Lana seems dressed up, with makeup on, and she may be wearing a dress. Her love interest in this section seems to be an older man, preferably in his fifties. Her love interest is wearing a suit and sunglasses this suggests to us that he could be a playboy. Hence, Lana looks more mature in this section that the other one. The biker scene is young naïve Lana, the next is the sexually matured Lana. Lana is seen smoking in this section, which further suggests to us that this is the grown version of her. The cigarette has some connotations of phallic imagery, and this makes her seem tougher and more masculine.

What are they doing in the videos?In the first section of the music video, we see the two lovers playing around on the beach- cuddling, play fighting on the beach. This shows us the playful and affectionate side of their relationship. Foe found footage is also used to give us a more intimate view into their relationship. During this section voyeurism is constantly being introduced to the viewship, because the camera is focused on the protagonist, we are shown close ups and mid shots of her, and we sometimes see shots of her that are in slow motion. This makes the video full of emotion and personal. In the next shot she is riding with her love interest in a 1960s’ convertible (seeing as the majority of her videos make references to 1960s pop culture). In this shot she seems very vulnerable, because of her facial expressions (which seem like mood swings), some she looks happy, in some she looks distant to her lover. She is smoking in this video, this signifies to us that she is mature in this section.

What is the song about?The song is about living life out on the

west coast, reminds me of the sex, drugs and rock’n’roll lifestyle.

The lyrics make references to alcohol, leaving California, feeling the ‘baby blues’ and unpredictable references.

What is the song about?

The song is about living life out on the west coast, reminds me of the sex, drugs and rock’n’roll lifestyle.

The lyrics make references to alcohol, leaving home and finding

love.

“Boy blue” is a common lyric from Lana, despite most of the songs featuring the words, or variations of it, are unreleased.

Down on the West Coast I get this feelingLike it all could happen that's why I'm leavingYou for the moment, you for the moment, Boy Blue, yeah, youInstead of Lana innocently asking if this man has rhythm, she’s questioning whether he is drunk. As she has the saying ‘if you’re not playing, you’re not drinking’.Lana feels like she can do anything since she’s in Hollywood. After all, it is the land of opportunity, so always a chance of success.

"If you're not drinkin' then you're not playin'."But you've got the music, you've got the music in you, don't you?Down on the West Coast I get this feelingLike it all could happen

Telling her boyfriend that she misses him a lot would be saying that she’s not having a great time and the fact he’s not there is bringing her down — but that’s not true. She’s having a great time with the music (which is why she left anyway). She’s alive, she’s a-lush.A-lush also can mean a heavy drinker, especially a habitual one.

You say you miss me, and I say I miss you so muchBut something keeps me really quiet, I'm alive I'm a lushYour love, your love, your love

Lyric Analysis

Lana’s lover is swinging due to the music he has in him, which is another reference to him being drunk. Parliaments are a reference to the cigarette brand, Parliament.

His hands are up in the air as if he were on a roller-coaster, which reflects the up and down nature of their relationship. These thrills are exactly why Lana is in love with the West Coast lifestyle.

Their relationship might not have a future but as Lana knows: on the West Coast anything is possible.

I can see my baby swingin'His Parliament's on fire and his hands are upOn the balcony and I'm singingOoh, baby, ooh, baby, I'm in love

He is insane and Cuban like me [en Español], loveI can see my sweet boy swayin'He's crazy y Cubano como yo, my love

Lyric Analysis

Cinematography

o Longshots of California beach, they have been filmed using a black and white filter, this gives the audience a retro feel. This is what draws her people to her music, they always have a retro touch added to it. We can hear the diegetic sound of the waves, before the music begins.

o Other shots of places near the beach, that couples and friends would hang out at.

o Whilst at the beach foe found footage is used to add a personal and vintage touch to the music video. It gives the video a 90s vibe, as that was the era that technology began to develop. This was suggested through the use of the low quality home-video, that zooms in and out.

Cinematographyo The lighting throughout this video is between high and mid key lighting,

because we can clearly see everything in the first shot as there were no shadows. However, in the second shot there were some shadows, this could signify the different sides of the relationship; the good and happy vs the dark and troublesome side.

o Editing- lots of cross fades, graphic matches were used, this made the video have a sweet and romantic touch to it. The layering of images; this made the video seem extremely retro, through the use of the green screen. In this odd colour shot; Lana is wearing a red dress, surrounded by flames from another shot layering upon her shot. Behind that shot is the black and white shot of palm trees. This could symbolize, self destruction, as the flames are burning over her layer and she is slowly dancing around.

o The reason why one could believe this is because the influences of her past (the lovers) may have lead her onto this track. She is also wearing a red dress, red connotes sex and seduction, it burning, signifies rejection.

o Most of the shots have been edited to be at a slower pace, to make it more pleasurable and intimate for the audience to watch. This way of editing also goes with the flow of the interlude of the songs.