Analysis Of A Real Main Task:Narrative

Coldplay: Paradise• The video has the theme of playfulness; him dressed as an elephant that is very cartoon looking

gives it a childish feel. Relating to Goodwin’s theory of narrative and imagery; the video has a story as we follow the elephant on his journey to the other band members in the middle of the desert. However, there is no known link between the lyrics of the video and the story portrayed in the video. Therefore we can say that it is disjunctive. As we follow this story in the video it gives audiences the idea that it is cinematic, telling the story of an elephant on a journey to find his band mates. Narcissism; the character dressing up as the elephant is very obviously over exaggerating his self-image. We can also see this through the other band members when they are seen in the same elephant costumes later on.

o Hyper reality; this video shows hyper reality as we are following a man dressed in an elephant costume as he does ‘normal’ things. For example, on the train, on the way to the airport, on the plane and going into a shop to buy a bike. These things are all normal every day activities that are deceived into hyper reality by the fact that he is in an elephant costume.

 o Overall, it is clear that the video is postmodern as it follows a lot of the forms and

conventions that make it postmodern e.g.; hyper reality, narcissism, themes and relating to a postmodern theorist. These factors help the audience to relate to and enjoy the video more. I think the video has a good hidden meaning, telling their audiences to express themselves as he was doing wearing the costume in public.

Sam Smith: Lay Me Down◦ This music video is filmed in one take, I feel as though this makes the story flow and makes it

easier for the viewer to understand.

◦ In the video, Sam is mourning the loss of his husband. At first, we see him standing at the end of the aisle where everyone is dressed in black and are crying. From this we can understand that he is at a funeral although its unclear at first, who has died.

◦ Next he begins to lip sync and the camera continues to pan down the aisle focusing on certain people (family members) to a change of scenery however still in the same church.

◦ We then see a close up of two men holding hands and a pan up to where the vicar is speaking and they kiss, making it clear that they are married. The camera then continues to pan around to a now empty church, which shows Sam sitting alone, by himself which suggests that it is a while after the funeral and he has gone to pray/ remember his husband.

◦ Although this may not be possible for me, I feel as though a music video filmed in one take through the use of tracking and pans makes the narrative of the video easier for the viewer to understand and grasp.