I Found You – The WantedVideo Analysis

Artist: The WantedSong: I Found YouSingle Released: 06/11/2012Video Released: 15/10/2012Genre: PopRecord Label: Island & GlobalProducer: Steve MacDistributors: Island and

Island Records and Global Talent• Island Records was founded on 4th July 1959 in Jamaica by

Chris Blackwell and Graeme Goodall. The company moved to the UK in May 1962 but still have part of the company in New York, USA

• Global Talent is based in London and has an ‘Artist Management’ section in it’s business as well as basing its efforts on music promotion. Global Talent also owns a series of radio stations that they use frequently to promote their own artists, examples of these radio stations are Capital and Classic FM.

Storyline & Camera Shots• The storyline in the video is one that tricks the audience into thinking something else is going to happen when in fact a plot

twist is used to both shock and impress the viewer.• The story begins with a close up of a girl gagged and tied up, leaning against a wall. This already holds connotations of

violence. A straight cut is used next to bring in a mid shot of five lads (The Wanted) walking down a street. Mise-en-scene is used here as their costumes are smart and they look ready to do business. Their acting also adds to the storyline here as they walk in a very hard fashion and they walk fast, seemingly knowing where they’re going. Another straight cut is used to cut to a close up shot of a Boxer dog. This holds connotations of a sniffer dog, which in turn holds connotations of drugs or violence. The viewer already begins to question how these three shots add up to form a storyline. A low mid two shot is used of Max and Jay and this puts the band on a pedestal and makes them seem important. We then get a clear wide head shot of the whole band and we are introduced to how many of them there actually is and we get a sense of character from their facial expressions. A straight cut to a flashback occurs and we see two over the shoulder shots, one of Tom drinking from a glass and another of Jay. Then a side profile close up of Nathan’s face is used with the background unfocused so that the viewer’s eye line is directed straight to his face. Then another character is introduced via an over the shoulder shot; a blonde girl (played by Chloe Lloyd) is also sat with them. This is the girl who was tied up in the beginning and the audience begins to piece together the story. Straight cut back to the present and a two shot of Max and Nathan is used as Max sings the lyrics to the bridge. A two shot is used of Nathan and Chloe, with Tom in the middle of them, unfocused in the background. From their facial expressions and eye contact, we get the impression that they are in a relationship of some sort, or are flirting with each other. The next shot juxtaposes this one, as a two shot of Tom and Nathan (who were both in the previous shot) is used. Before Nathan was smiling and laughing, and here he looks serious and angry. A close up of Chloe drinking some wine is used and we begin to realise that something must have happened to her at that bar and now The Wanted are going to save her. The prop of the wine glass is mise-en-scene and holds connotations of it being spiked or her being out of her senses when she was ‘kidnapped’. As the chorus of the song kicks in, a long shot is used of the band and the dog and slow motion editing is used to show them walking down the street. The mid shot used next is still in slow motion and shows that they are walking single file, with Nathan and Tom looking left as though looking out for trouble. A straight cut to a close up of Chloe struggling against her ties and gag proves to the viewer that they are right; The Wanted must be going to save her. This is shown through editing as both scenes are in slow motion and this links them, which makes the storyline add up. An establishing shot of a building next to some trees is used and straight away the audience realises that that is where The Wanted are heading towards, that is where Chloe must be. Tom and Nathan walk into the shot and then the camera pans around to show their faces.

Storyline & Camera Shots• They look at each other knowingly. Cut back to the flashback and a two shot is used to show Nathan and

Chloe whispering in each others ears. An over the shoulder shot of Max, Tom, Siva and Jay is used, over Nathan’s shoulder. He seems to be telling them something they want to hear. The audience becomes curious as to how the scene of Nathan and Chloe links in with this. Another character is introduced then, again through an over the shoulder shot. He’s wearing a checkered yellow shirt, which is costume and use of mise-en-scene. He juxtaposes the band’s outfits and they are dressed smartly in suits and he is dressed casually. The audience also realises that all shots in the bar are over the shoulder shots and this holds connotations of secrecy and subtle goings on. A low angle shot is used and Tom walks towards the camera, singing the next verse, then Siva follows suit. An over the shoulder shot low angle is used from over the shoulder of grass to see Max tie the Boxer dog up. He kisses it goodbye, and this gentle gesture hold connotations of a caring, pacifistic person. This juxtaposes what is to happen next. A high angle long shot of all the bad is used as Tom breaks open the door. Then there’s a close up of Chloe’s feet bound together by tape and the audience is now sure she’s inside the building and that The Wanted are rescuing her. Then we see a close up shot of the man in the checkered yellow shirt from the bar… he’s sat across from Chloe. The audience then realises what is going on; he’s the one who kidnapped her. Straight cut to a mid shot of The Wanted coming in through the door just as the bridge of the song ends. As the chorus starts, the video is sped up and we get a number of high angled shots of Tom throwing a man against a wall and beating him up. The camera shot changes to a mid shot of Siva and the camera pans to follow him up the stairs, past Tom, to throw a man against a wall and beat him up, too. Fast-paced editing along with a series of close up and mid shots are used here to make the scene happen very quickly to make the scene more dramatic, exciting and action packed.

Why is this an effective music video?• I think this video is particularly effective because of the variety of shots

and quick paced editing used to speed up the events that occur; e.g. quick paced editing is used during the fight scene at the second to last chorus. This adds to the action as it makes the viewer feel like everything is happening quickly, which makes it more exciting to watch.

• The editing is slowed down as Nathan’s solo begins, which makes the video suddenly seem more dramatic and romantic, which quickly switches to realisation when the viewer realises that The Wanted aren’t trying to rescue the girl, but are in fact trying to gain the key to a box of diamonds from her. The plot twist, in my opinion, really adds to the drama of the video and fills out the story line, making it an interesting video to watch.

• As a viewer, you might not catch what’s going on in the story line straight away and may have to watch a second time, and this makes the music video effective too as the purpose of the video is to promote the single; watching the video more than once to understand it may get the song stuck in the viewer’s mind.