Artist Analysis - Waiting on the World to Change

'Waiting on the World to Change' was the single from Continuum. The video also starts with a short clip before the song kicks in.
 

This video has Mayer walking along a bridge while singing his song. It's interesting because the song is a kind of protest song, but not really. It kind of says we need to change the word, but do it in your own time. Rather than telling us to change the world it's just suggestive.
I think this is why they didn't choose to use a theme of changing the world. Instead they chose to show a bunch of artists who spend time planning a mural and then going out and doing it. It shows people taking action, but avoids the cliched 'lets change the world' kind of theme. Instead one of the tags says WAKE UP!
I really like some of the over the shoulder shots while he's looking over the bridge. I also like the walking shots.
I also like how the camera is never still. It's constantly moving, whether it's following somebody or just has a handheld effect. This helps keep the video interesting and keep things flowing.
Did they cross the line at 2:13? Seems like he's facing the other way.

Past Student Analysis - Effects

This is a video from last year by Lew Parker. 

I love how important style is to the video. From the band's clothes to the effects applied in Final Cut, everything in the video is about looking cool.
I love the very beginning of the video where the band are faced backwards. The singer of the group is highlighted from the very first shot and is seen pulling his collar up.

From here we head straight into performance footage. This is so vital to this video. It takes up a good amount of screen time and is, perhaps sub-consciously, very expected of this genre and music videos in general. This links to one of Goodwin's theories.

The quality of this video is very professional. I'd obviously love to achieve footage of a similar standard, although I'm not sure my camera is quite that good. Different motion speeds are used over and over, whether it's fast or slow. This is a kind of motif and it used very well. It's somehow escaped being gimmicky, which means it's been used carefully and considerately.

Other effects are used on some shots, such as the one above. This lens flare effect is used on all the shots at this location. This creates a feeling of familiarity and also looks very cool, which continues the idea of everything being stylised.

Another effect used is this kind of wobbly 'faulty camera' effect. It's often applied for a very short period of time to make a boring shot more interesting.

My favourite part of the video is the end or last half, where the whole video is replayed backwards to the beginning part of turning up the collar.

Miguel - Candles in the Sun

Artist: Miguel
Song: Candles in the Sun
Album: Kaleidoscope Dream
Release: September 25th 2012
Label: RCA
Genre: R&B, Soul, Pop



This video is completely in black and white. At first I didn't really realise which was strange. This video is very powerful and pretty emotional. It's a kind of protest song about needing to stand up and do something. It was nominated for the MTV award of Best Video with a Message. I'm considering doing a video with a message.
I'm not sure how this video fits with Goodwin's seven. In the genre of the artist there should have been some scantily dressed women, a focus on muscles and bling etc. There was a focus on the mix of races - and black people dominate the R&B/Soul scene.
There was definitely a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. In fact the visuals emphasise the song a great deal. There was also many shots of the artist, which could be pushed by the label. They are interesting shots because he is ignoring the camera very obviously. He stands to the side in some shots, whereas in others he may stand facing the camera. He makes interesting hand gestures too. They make sense when he is looking into the camera, but look strange when he's stood to the side.
I like that parts of the soldiers and the use of America as an example of what he's singing about.

In this video Miguel is not represented as black men stereotypically are in the R&B genre. He's well dressed and is singing a song about caring for others and 'taking a look around' and wanting to change what he sees. He appears to be anti-drugs from this song, or at least anti-children-taking-drugs.

Artist Analysis - Your Body is a Wonderland

I've chosen to do Great Indoors by John Mayer. John Mayer now has six studio albums, of which there have been fifteen music video's made. I'm going to look at some of my favorites, as well as some of the most popular ones.

His first hit single was 'Your Body is a Wonderland' which established him as 'cute singer/songwriter guy'. The video reflects this, with him hanging out with a girl and occasionally filming her. Lovely scene where he plays guitar for her in the bath!

The video is about two characters. The singer and his lady friend. My idea for 'Great Indoors' is either about a fictional character who acts out the song, or the singer and a lady friend.

The whole video is of some kind of live performance. Whether this is footage of Mayer singing one on one to the girl, or raw footage of his live performances on tour. This shows both sides to him, one as the soft singer/songwriter and the other as the best guitarist on the planet.



There is a tiny intro at the start before the song plays. This will become a kind of motif of his videos. I really like how it sets up the video before the song kicks in. It allows a character, person or place to be established without using up the start of the song.

Song Selection

Wildfire - John Mayer

It's currently the summer and this is my summer song. I would love to do this song for my music video because it's got clear narrative and it would be great for costumes.
The principle of the video would be a love story where a guy and girl are on a date by the river. They're cowboy types and carry drinks flasks and such.
The video would carry on through their date and show them having fun, doing different activities and messing around by the river.
As I'm typing this I'm realising that there is less actual material I could film for the song. Also the time of filming would be closer to winter, so it may be hard to film for a summer song.

Song Selection

Dave Matthews Band - The Stone

This song is fairly long - although not by Dave standards. It may have to be cut back if I choose it. When I listened to this song with a video in mind it was quite creepy. Through the verses I've pictured a chase or hunt. Perhaps an old fashioned hooded person with some kind of mask.
The chorus changes the mood of the song significantly. I thought this could be interesting, as I could follow with the video. Perhaps changing from fast to slow or from colour to black and white or vice versa.
A different idea is that the chorus' could be flash backs to a better time in the character's life - before he had to "go alone".
The picture in my mind for this song is very dark and set at night time.
This would definatly be a fun song to do and the idea in my mind would be amazing. However, as I know from past experiences, it's important to be realistic and to remember what is possible.

Song Selection

Great Indoors - John Mayer

This song is from Mayer's 2001 debut album Room for Squares. There's currently no music video, so it's easy to start with a blank canvas.
This is a song I know very well, but upon listening to it with a video in mind I thought of something different to what I'm used to.
I imagined a person sitting in a living room - a kind of couch potato - who doesn't leave the house. The song begins and it tells the story of when the character pulls all the shades and wonders the great indoors. Next comes a kind of Narnia moment where she opens a dusty door to reveal an amazing world all within the home.
The video would continue with a trip through the great indoors until they return back to the grubby living room they once loved. It's here they decide that actually they're going to leave the house and step out into the great outdoors.