By Katherine Pirie

RICHARD DYER'S STAR THEROY

Bereft • Within the maroon 5 music video of

Payphone, the mise-en-scene is connoting isolation this is due to the technical code through the use of the establishing shot. The central character is predominantly denoted however the audience will also denote a burning car in the background. As the music video continues an active audience will denote the central character feeing a bank and then being chased by police, this links to Todorov’s theory of Equilibrium. Within the music video, low key lighting is also used in order for the audience to be interested within the music video but also possibly fear what is still to come. This also links in with the Blumler and Katz’ theory, uses and gratifications, diversion. This is due to an active audience member wanting to escape their daily life route.

Glamorous• At the beginning of the narrative

performance, the central character is denoted in a suit. This is connoting the character is well educated and hold a high position within his job role. This also links in with female gaze theory as female audience members will have a voyeuristic view from the actors iconology of his costume. • The artist is also denote making

voyeuristic actions by biting onto a pen in order to connote boredom, however to an active female audience member this can be connoted as being flirtatious therefore linking to the female gaze theory.

Dangerous • Through the music video, the actor

doesn’t seem to be dangerous himself. However, actions around him suggest that he caused more harm and danger to himself, evidence that shows this is towards the end when he has been chased by police ( after not doing anything wrong, however the police think he is to blame for the robbery) the car chase is ended by the police cars chasing into each other and therefore creating an explosion. • The actor also seems dangerous

however is playing the hero, within Propp’s fairytale characters, due to him saving his work colleagues life as he took her away from the robbers.

Artistic • The music video has denoted

many different qualities through the technical code, this is due to the range of camera shots that has been denoted in order to help with the performance and narrative based music video. Close ups are used for the performance in order to denote the artist singing and performing his song, while within the narrative long shots and establishing shots are used more in order to connote the story line therefore allowing the mass audience to understand the music video.

Talented • The atmosphere that is given off throughout the performance is important this is because this will either draw in a mass or niche audience. • Due to Maroon 5 being well known within the music industry for many years this is why they spend so much money on their music videos as they known they will get their money back and profit. • Normally, Maroon 5’s music videos are subtle as they only focus on a simply narrative due to the main focus being on the vocals and sound. However the juxtaposition within this music video draws in a mass audience as it is something that they don’t normally do. This links in with Levi-Strauss’ binary opposition theory.