Plan B Analysis

By analysing a variety of different music video genres, I am able to increase/widen my knowledge of convention and codes of different genres. The purpose of analysing this music video was to understand different shot types used within this style of music video (heavily performance based). Having said this, their is also a strong narrative in this music video which allows me to apply the TODOROV theory to see if it follows the idea of an equilibrium being disturbed and then restored in the end.

MUSIC VIDEO TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

WRITINGS ON THE WALL – PLAN B

GENRE:

What is the Genre of the Video?	Pop
What is the genre of the Artist?	Rap/R&B
Is there a typical narrative?	Love story- man cheats on woman
What is expected in the video?	Close up shots on artist
What is unexpected in the video?	The affaire
Intertextual References?  (Video link to other music videos?)	Songs/videos link together (album) & Stevie Wonder-very superstitious

NARRATIVE:

What is the storyline of the video?	Man has an affaire
Is there a theme?	The Strickland Banks love & trust
Is there a recognisable structure (TODOROV – Equilibrium 5 stages)?	Equilibrium- man & wife Distribution- meeting one night stand Recognition-woman putting phone down
Are there recognisable characters?	Male artist, female protagonist-one night stand- a little dirty
How does the video reflect the lyrics?	Yes it reflects the lyrics in that their relationships isn’t over, but he is having an affair with the one night stand. It indicates their relationship wasn’t brilliant in the first place.

REPRESENTATION:

What issues of representation are evident?	Woman= domestic in kitchen making meal Male= worker/celebrity= more power
How have these been represented? Stereotypes?	Woman in kitchen (stereotypical)
Look at the artist as a star – how have they been constructed?	Plan B= Strickland Banks (fictional character) successful popular, being held back by woman
Do they have an anonymous role in the  video or are they there as celebrity?	Male is the fictional celebrity- seen as a big star in the nightclub they are in

VISUAL CODES:

Where is the video set? Connotations of this setting?	Nightclub 1970-80’s House 1970-80’s era
Dominant colour used in the video? Why? What is the effect?	Black/darkness in nightclub= sinister/suspicion colourful in house= happiness
Written Iconographics? Typography? Why?	Strickland Banks written on venue header at the start of the video-you can tell he is doing a performance. Sold out connotes he is popular
Shot Compositions that stand out?	ECU- wife/girlfriend at homes face ECU- meal connotes how important the meal is to them- last chance? Low angle of Strickland= power High angle on wife/girlfriend at home= vulnerable

TECHNICAL CODES:

Camera Angles? Interesting ones? What effect is created?	Close up on artist Male gaze theory (tilt) on the woman he cheated on Pan burns her (longshot) represents her getting burnt in relationship
Does the way the camera moves help to tell the story?	POV shots
What is editing like? Type of cuts etc?	Slow paced on woman in kitchen shows shes bored by herself Fast paced on male (plan B) shows he’s having fun elsewhere

AUDIENCE:

Who is the target audience for the video? How does the video target this specific audience?	18-26 because audience can relate to young characters in music video (in club drinking etc.)
Demographic?	E&D

INSTITUTION:

What role does the record company play in the music video?	679 were music group promotion of fictional character Strickland Banks
What is the brand image of the star that is sold? How is the star marketed and promoted?	Fictional character is promoted as a celebrity Selling out a big tour