Music Video Analysis

The final video I have chosen to analyse is Said it All by the pop band Take That, the video was directed by Lindy Heymann who has also worked on music videos for other artist’s related with the pop genre, such as Faithless and Suede. The music video contains a performance by the band along with a narrative enigma occurring throughout, with the circus theme being featured throughout the music video, which is evident through the mise en scene of the music video. The music video begins with a medium shot of one of the band member’s: Mark Owen, walking through a corridor slowly whilst looking down at the floor with quite a mournful expression. This expression is parallel with the song’s instrumental, which is also quite slow and melancholy.

Extreme close up shots of the band members in their clown makeup highlights the ironic nature of the costume with the stereotypical humorous conventions associated with clowns in comparison to the sombre nature of the song and also the facial expressions they display such as Gary Barlow’s which is quite a despondent expression. The setting of the music video in the beginning section is backstage of a stage location; the use of this setting further highlights the performance aspect of the music video and also creates the feeling of a circus style video. Each of the band members are dressed as clowns but with different styles of make-up and costume, which creates the feeling of individuality between the group. Individuality is evident in particular with the clown character Jason Orange is playing, with blue over exaggerated lips; blue has the connotations of glumness and is also another example of irony with the usual connotations of clowns.

The characters are established by their costumes which are quite flamboyant which is typical of the usual clown costume, however, in comparison to typical clown costumes which usually feature ostentatious colours, the band members are dressed in dark red tones which have denotations of passion, which relates to the lyrics of the song with the undertones of a relationship breakdown. The character’s each have props

that are associated with clowns and so therefore are examples of iconography. With the iconic clown images and props such as bowling pins, a clown wig, clown gloves and a circus hat. These help to establish the clown and circus aspect of the narrative and the performance. There is an extreme close up shot of one of the band members: Howard Donald featured in the sequence of the music video making direct

address with the audience, as direct address is used, there is a connection created between the band and the audience. Direct address also makes the audience feel empathetic for the character, in particular here, where the character looks as though he is emotional about something that isn’t revelead to the audience, which further illistrates the narrative enigma.

The enigma narrative begins with close up shots of the band members preparing their costumes for what appears to be an onstage performance. The close up shots create a sombre feeling for the audience as their facial expressions and lingering stares into the distance or making direct address to the audience are parallel to the lyrics of the song: “staring into space”. The use of parallel action to the sound helps to create a more emotional appeal for the music video. Multiple over the shoulder shots feature throughout the video of the characters applying makeup in the

mirror or staring intently at their reflection. The over the shoulder shots help to create a sense of empathy for the characters and the audience as the audience can see what the character is looking at, for example here, the clown persona Howard Donald is portraying is applying the black eyebrow makeup to himself. The use of the colour black connotates a sense of grief, which is parallel to the underlying tone of the song, which is about a relationship breakdown. In the mise en scene through the over the shoulder shot is Howard Donald’s reflection in the mirror, in this mirror reflection Howard’s reflection is disconsolate which further establishes the sombre tone of the song and the lyrics. The narrative continues on to the band member’s in their characters performing on stage in

front of an empty audience, this suggests that the character’s have metaphorically lost everything, which is symbolised through the empty seats and despite this, find some kind of solace through their dancing and performing on stage. The lighting is low key, with an off yellow colour illuminating the stage. The off yellow colour has negative connotations of: cowardice, deceit, betrayal, jaundice, illness, faithlessness, unrequited love, hazard and emergency. The main negative connotation that applies to this music video is the theme of betrayal; this is established through the lyrics: “Hurt begins to fade as you find a new direction” which suggest that the narrator of the song has experienced a breakdown of a relationship, where the other person has moved on, despite them trying to fix things.

Towards the end of the narrative of the music video, each band member removes the make up from their faces; this is symbolic of the “new beginning” and fresh start the characters will have after accepting the end of the relationship.