Digipak- A type of packaging for CDs or DVDs, typically made from cardboard within an internal plastic holder for one of more discs.
Below is an analysis and deconstruction of the 'AM' album by the 'Arctic Monkeys'. This will include a analysis of the album front cover, the back and the inside panel of the CD.
Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield. The band consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitar), Matt Helders (drums, vocals), Jamie Cook (lead and rhythm guitar) and Nick O'Malley (bass, backing vocals). Former band member Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) left the band in 2006 shortly after their debut album was released.
'Domino'- Record Label
Domino Recording Company, generally known as Domino, is a British independent record label based in London. There is also a wing of the label based in Brooklyn, New York that handles releases in the United States as well as a German division called Domino Deutschland and a French division called Domino France. In addition, Stephan Pastel presides over the subsidiary label Geographic Music, which releases more unusual British and World Music. In 2011, the company announced that it was beginning a book publishing division, The Domino Press. 'One For The Road' - Music Video from YouTube
One for the road, ooh ooh
One for the road, ooh ooh
From the bottom of your heart
The relegation zone
I saw this coming from the start
The shake, rattle and roll
The cracks in blackout blinds
Cast patterns on the ceiling but you're feeling fine
I thought it was dark outside
I thought it was dark outside
So we all go back to yours and you sit and talk to me on the floor
There's no need to show me round baby, I feel like I've been in here before
I've been wondering whether later when you tell everybody to go,
Will you pour me one for the road?
I knew this would be on the cards
I knew you wouldn't fold
I saw this coming from the start
The shake, rattle and roll
One for the road, ooh ooh
So we all go back to yours and you sit and talk to me on the floor
There's no need to show me round baby, I feel like I've been in here before
I've been wondering whether later when you tell everybody to go,
Will you pour me one for the road?
The mixture hits you hard
Don't get that sinking feeling, don't fall apart
Some out of tune guitar
Soundtrack to disaster
Ooh ooh, one for the road
Ooh ooh, one for the road
Ooh ooh, one for the road
Ooh ooh, one for the road
So we all go back to yours and you sit and talk to me on the floor
There's no need to show me round baby, I feel like I've been in here before
I've been wondering whether later when you tell everybody to go,
Will you pour me one for the road?
Synopsis
The video opens with someone from the band driving a tractor along a dirty path before he uniting with the rest of the band to play a very stylish set in the dust surrounded by sulky models and pyrotechnics. The whole of the music video is shot in black and white. The band performs in the dusty field, and the main singer, 'Alex Turner' sings throughout.
Timeline - Deconstruction of the Music Video 'One For The Road'
The shot above is a mid-shot. The way this is edited is by the camera slowly zooming out which then cuts to the next shot. This is an establishing shot as we see a girl standing in front of a tractor wearing a leather jacket with writing on the back saying 'One For The Road', which is in fact the name of the song. The fact the video has a black and white filter throughout the music video creates mystery, possibly creating intrigue for the audience to watch more of the music video.
This is a wide shot of a tractor in a field. This image shows a band member sitting on a tractor driving it through a field on a dirty track.
There is a series of 4 quick cuts to medium close ups of each band member. The final member to be shown is 'Alex Turner' as he is the main singer of the band he is of importance, as he is also kept last to be shown as he is the main person from the band people are looking forward to seeing in the music video as he is also the face of the band.
The wide shot shows the instrumental of the Arctic Monkeys in their music video; this is the climax of the music video. As we see the entire band playing their instruments. Alex Turner is at the front of the band, the way he is positioned within the camera frame is important as he is showing of his talents and his significance in the band as he is the main singer. We then see fireworks later on in this shot, making the music video more interesting. This is the last shot which is shown in the music video, leaving it fresh in the audiences minds as well as making it clear to the audience they are a band which perform live.
Mise en scene- Setting
From the image it is made evident that this is establishing the setting of the music video. Key shots, Camera movements and Editing Key Shot
The image above is a key shot in the music video for 'One For The Road', establishing where the music video is going to be set, what the theme is going to be as well as having the name of the song written on the back of a woman's jacket.
Camera Movement
The image above shows how the camera moves and pans across each band member. This is done effectively to ensure that the audience is aware of who Arctic Monkeys comprises of.
Editing
The editing in the image above is very well done. The Special FX are very visible to the audience to exaggerate the fact that Arctic Monkeys are a band which perform live and are also very rebellious/edgy due to their genre being Indie/Alternative.
Focus Group This is what my focus group had to say after watching the music video of 'One For The Road'. "I really enjoyed watching the music video 'One For The Road' as I thought that the music video was well thought out, especially considering the lyrics of the song. As 'One For The Road' is sung, the tractor which is being driven across a track road is visually shown. I think this is very effective." "I liked this video as I love seeing a live performance of a band in their music video." "I like the way the lyrics match with what is being shown visually in the music video." Lessons to be Learnt
Lessons to be learnt from this music video are:
- The lyrics generally match what is happening in the music video.
- The setting should be established from the very beginning of the music video.
- In alternative/rock/indie genres, the band usually performs in the video, whether it is live in one of their concerts or like like in this Arctic Monkeys music video, they perform in the middle of a empty field.
Digipak - A type of packaging for CD's or DVD's, typically made from cardboard with an internal plastic holder for one or more discs. The digipak which i will be deconstructing is 'Night Visions' by the 'Imagine Dragons' including the front cover, back cover and the inside panel of the actual CD.
Front Cover of the Album 'Night Visions' By Imagine Dragons
Back Cover of the Album 'Night Visions' By Imagine Dragons
Inside Panel CD of the Album 'Night visions' by Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons is an American rock band originating from Las Vegas, Nevada and consisting of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, lead guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman. The band gained exposure following the release of their debut studio album, Nigh Visions (2012) and first single'It's Time' . According to Billboard, Imagine Dragons topped the year-end rock rankings for 2013.
KidinaKorner and Interscope Geffen A & M Records
KidinaKorner (styled KIDinaKORNER) is an American record label founded in 2011, by British music producer and songwriter Alex Da Kid is a music company housing a record label, music publishing, commercial production and a marketing agency.
Interscope Geffen A&M Records (also known asIGA Records) is an American record company. Its parent company is the Universal Music Group a subsidiary of Paris-based media conglomerate Vivendi SA.
When the days are cold
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see
Are all made of gold
When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
And the blood's run stale
I wanna hide the truth
I wanna shelter you
But with the beast inside
There's nowhere we can hide
No matter what we breed
We still are made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
At the curtain's call
It's the last of all
When the lights fade out
All the sinners crawl
So they dug your grave
And the masquerade
Will come calling out
At the mess you made
Don't wanna let you down
But I am hell bound
Though this is all for you
Don't wanna hide the truth
No matter what we breed
We still are made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
They say it's what you make
I say it's up to fate
It's woven in my soul
I need to let you go
Your eyes, they shine so bright
I wanna save that light
I can't escape this now
Unless you show me how
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Synopsis
The clip, which starts as a standard concert video, albeit one bathed in beautiful blue light, features the 'Radioactive' band performing the heavy mid-tempo track about the demons we all have living inside us before a hometown audience in Las Vegas.
One by one, it spotlights someone in the audience and takes them outside of the concert hall into their real life. The story zooms in on that person’s own demon, whether it’s the woman who has just lost a loved one, the young man battling from anorexia (or a disease that has left his body decimated), the son bullied by his father, or the soldier struggling from PTSD.
Timeline
00:00- 00:40- The clip begins with a concert video, showing Imagine Dragons live on stage, with the light being blue very bright. The camera is mainly fixated and panning around the main singer who is literally singing or lip syncing the words of the song 'Demons'. A feature of the band performing live in concert is a typical convention of an alternative/rock band's music video. The camera then pans around the whole band and back to the main singer with a close-up shot of him. The camera then moves through the crowd to see an extreme close up shot of a woman who is standing in the crowd. The way the shot is an extreme close up exaggerates her emotion/expression to what she is listening to and to show that she is trying to make sense of what is being said in the song.
00:40- 00:55- The camera then fades into the woman's face who was standing in the crowd to fade into her sitting on a chair opposite to a coffin. This is then cut to an over the shoulder shot/behind the woman to show what she is looking at in front of her, and in actual fact it is a coffin. This is then cut to a mid shot of the woman's hand in which she is holding a photograph which looks like the loved one who may have sadly passed away and is at their funeral. The camera then looks up at the woman with an extreme close up, showing how she is upset as she is crying.
00:55- 1:20- This then cuts from the woman crying at a loved one passing away to her back at the concert listening to the song in the music video. The camera then pans across the crowd and cuts back to the main singer and then to a close up of other band members.
1:20-1:50- After panning across the crowd and around the band, the shot cuts to one of an older man standing in the crowd at the concert with the blue warm lights surrounding him.This shot is then cut to a fade into the man with a extreme close up and cuts to another scene. There is a mid shot showing the man looking at himself in the mirror as he is rather skinny, so possibly showing how he may have struggled from anorexia or still is struggling. The camera pans around his body showing how skinny he is and then cuts to a close up of his face showing his emotion as to what he is seeing of his reflection in the mirror. This shot is then cut back to the concert of Imagine Dragons.
1:50-2:22- The camera shows a young boy wearing a hoodie standing in the concert with a bruise on his face. Which is then showing a fade into the boy's face, which then cuts to the boy in another setting sitting on a sofa, drinking a beer. We then see a mid-shot of the boy sitting down watching television, and then a man (assuming it's the boy's father) comes along and starts hitting the boy. There are then fast paced cuts of the concert again with flashing lights.
2:22- 3:11- The camera then cuts to a middle aged darker man standing in the crowd in an extreme close up, showing his full emotion. Which is then faded into the man standing as a soldier in the middle of what looks like a war. This shot is then cut back to man standing in the crowd again with a mid-shot, which then cuts to the camera panning around the band and the crowd again as the main singer is singing.
The final cut is of the main singer in an extreme close up as he closes his eyes along with the blue lighting. Then the shot cuts to a fast fade directly into the singer's face.
Mise en Scene
Setting
This shot is an establishing shot of where the music video setting is. We can clearly see that it is a concert of the artist 'Imagine Dragons' with the crowd being shown and the lights being very vibrant and colourful.
This shot shows the woman's story of how she has lost a loved one.
This shot shows the man's struggle with his personal image.
This shot is establishing where the boy lives as he is sitting on a sofa, therefore the audience assumes he is at home. The next shot switches to what it looks like his father hitting him, thereforedepictingdomestic violence.
This shot is showing how the man was in the army and shows how he has saved lives.The mise en scene in this shot is important as it shows a derelict land where a war is taking place.
Costume and Makeup
In this shot, the young boy is wearing a vest top and shorts with trainers and socks in his house, while sitting on a sofa;this therefore suggests that he is a youngboy and hasn't lived his full life yet.
In this shot the man is wearing army clothes. It suggests that he is in the army and therefore depicting him as a tough man.
This shot shows a woman wearing a black dress. This could be significant as she is at a loved one's funeral. Wearing black represents paying respect when attending a funeral as itconnotesdeath. The way in which the woman is facing the coffin while attending a funeral shows how she is grieving.
In this shot the man isshown without a t-shirt and wearing plain blue jeans. Wearing jeans could suggest that he is young/rebellious, while wearing no t-shirt may suggest that he is struggling with something inside, possibly an illness.
Key Shots, Camera movements, and Edits
Key Shot- Establishing Shot
This is a Key Shot in the music video as it is establishing the setting of where the music video is being filmed which is at an Imagine Dragons concert.
Camera Movements/ Editing
The image above shows how the camera moves from the woman standing at the concert to an extreme close up of her face and then cuts to her face in another setting which she is thinking about at the concert, the setting is in fact a funeral which she is attending or has attended.
The editing in this shot is very clever as it fades from the woman's face at the concert to another shot of her standing in a different setting (at a funeral); this is showing what she is thinking about while at the concert.
The fading effect then happens to the other three people, for example in the image above. From the concert to the fade into that persons life/struggle is significant as it is showing a different story as to why that person may be attending that specific concert.
The fading effect then happens again to this man who is in the army. This is significant as it is showing the mans sorry as to why he might be attending the concert and what he may be thinking about while attending the concert and listening to the lyrics.
The fading effect then happens to this boy with bruises on his face. The fade in switches to a young boy sitting on a sofa while what it seems to be his father hitting and abusing his son. Again, this is significant as it shows why the boy may have been attending the concert and his reason is the domestic violence he is receiving from his father.
Focus Group
"I really like the music video as it shows four different people's story across the whole video as well as the live concert performance of Imagine Dragons."
"I really enjoyed watching this music video as it shows a meaning across the four people's lives which it shows across the music video. I think it shows all the conventions the music video should have being 'alternative/rock' and this is shown well with both a short story line alongside a live concert performance of the artist."
' I really enjoyed watching the music video as it illustrates many different peoples lives well. I like the way the lyrics of the song replicate into each persons backstory when shown with the fade in as they stand in the concert hall".
Lessons to be learnt
It is important to include all of the conventions which a music video should have.
Brand recognition is very important in music videos.
Having the singer sing the lyrics without breaking the fourth wall can also work well.
It can be important for elements of the music video to be relatable to the target audience; be that the protagonist or the setting.
People tend to enjoy music videos which have more of a deeper meaning to them.
Digipak-a type of packaging for CDs or DVDs, typically made from cardboard with an internal plastic holder for one or more discs.
The Digipak which i will be deconstructing is 'Cloud Nine' By Kygo. This will include the front cover, back cover and the inside panel of the actual CD.
This is the Front cover of Kygo's Cloud Nine album cover( Digipak).
This is the back cover of Kygo's Cloud Nine album cover.
Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll is commonly known by his stage nameKygo,and is a Norwegian DJ, songwriter, record producer and musician. He garnered international attention with his remix of the track 'I See Fire' by Ed Sheeran which has received over 48,7 million plays on SoundCloud and 60 million views on YouTube. His single 'Firestone' has over 320 million views on YouTube with an additional 400 million plays on the music streaming service Spotify as of August 2016. Kygo has accumulated over 300 million views on his music on SoundCloud and YouTube. Kygo has since released several singles, including 'ID', 'Stole the Show', 'Here for you', and 'Stay', which have debuted on several international charts. Kygo's debut studio album, Cloud Nine, was released on 13 May 2016.
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment (abbreviated as SME and also referred to as Sony Music) is an American label and company owned by Sony through Sony Entertainment. The company was first founded in 1929 as American Record Cooperation and renamed Columbia Recording Corporation in 1938, following its acquisition by the Colombia Broadcasting System. In 1966, the company was reorganised to become CBS Records. Sony Corporation bought the company in 1987 and renamed it Sony Music Entertainment in 1991. Sony Music Entertainment is one of the 'big three' record companies, being the second largest after Universal Music Group (UMG) and ahead of Warner Music Group (WMG). Doug Morris is the current CEO and Chairman of Sony Music Entertainment. Artists that are signed by Sony Music Entertainment as a record label besides Kygo are Bring Me the Horizon, AC/DC, 99 Souls, Craig David, Daft Punk, Foo Fighters, Foster the People, Pitbull, Mark Ronson, The Script, SIA, Snakehips, Snoop Dogg, Foxes and many others.
Kygo- Stay
Lyrics for Stay by Kygo
Thought I could leave you cause I felt my heart numbing
It hits so deep, I closed my eyes and I just took off running
I turned around and saw the look on your face
So I stayed, stayed
But I don't need you and you should know that, baby
It'd take a miracle for you to really try and change me
And I felt sorry for the look on your face
So I stayed, stayed
So I stayed, stayed
So I stayed, stayed
You wanna leave her, don't wanna hurt nobody
I don't believe a single word you say or that you're sorry
Why can't I say "No" to the look on your face?
I just stay, stay
So I stayed, stayed
So I stayed, stayed
You push me away, push me away
But I always stay, I always stay, yeah
You push me away, push me away
But I always stay, I always stay
You push me away, push me away
But I always stay, I always stay, yeah
You push me away, push me away
But I always stay, I always stay, yeah
But will you? Will you? Will you?
So I stayed, stayed
So I stayed, stayed
I stay, I stay
Oh why, do I stay?
So I stayed, stayed
Synopsis
Focusing on a young lesbian couple in a troubled relationship, the clip is beautifully shot and suits the track quite well. The visuals show how the lovers travel throughout beautiful landscapes. The video shows us right through their relationship and their lives and how they get into fights which separate them and then bring them back together. The two lovers then travel throughout serene and snowy countryside in at times just a jacket and underwear, running through the snow, driving along the beach and canoeing in a lake. There is then a point by which their argument interrupts the song, but overall the video tells a real story of the struggle love can be and what it can bring. Timeline
00:00-
00:30- The video begins with an establishing shot of an island and the sea. The
camera then pans across and cuts to a person walking, and then to an abandoned
car in the middle of nowhere. The camera then switches to an extreme close up
of a woman’s face from the side profile. The camera suddenly cuts to a man
in the abandoned car/vehicle drawing a heart on the inside of the car due to
the evaporation. This cut is soon switched to two woman who look like the two
lovers/partners who will be showing the viewers their story.
00:30-
00:45- Even though there is no lyrics in this scene, the relationship/storyline
between the two lovers begins by the camera panning upwards to become fixated on two
women sitting underneath a tree cuddling in a mid-shot. Then the audience sees the couple sitting in a forest with the lighting being very dark .The next cut is to a mid-shot
of a woman swimming with the camera showing part of her above water and the
other underwater, which then cuts to a shot of both woman dancing outside with
their tongues out when ‘Stay’ is said, indicating that they may have had
troubles/ fights but still want to stay in each others lives after all ( which
is a mid-shot). This then cuts to a close up shot of the couple holding their hands underwater as they are moving away from each other .This could suggest how their relationship could be trapped and how one of the women can't escape the pain they are feeling from the relationships. As they women are moving away from each other and holding their hands underwater, could also suggest their deep feelings for each other.
00:45- 1:00- This is then cut to a mid-shot of the couple in a swimming pool. Then a cut to one of the girls dancing in a gambling place in a mid-shot. The lighting is very light and colourful in the gaming place. This is then cut to a girl sitting on top of a car as it moves down the beach in a long shot when the camera tracks the car.
1:00-1:45- This is then cut to several fast cuts of a woman dancing in several settings e.g. on the beach and mainly outdoors. The camera follows the woman around the gambling place as she dances, again with the light being very colourful and vibrant which could possibly be reflecting the woman's mood as she dances. A mid-shot of the woman on the car is shown again as it is moving along the beach and it cuts back to the woman dancing in the gambling place, switching from mid-shots to close-ups in order to capture her mood/emotion.
1:45-2:30- There are fast cuts of both the women enjoying their relationship and winning poker chips from a gambling machine. This is then cut to many fast paced shots of the women's relationship as time goes on, ranging from happy moments when they are all loved up to when they are arguing and fighting.
2:30-3:10- A two-shot medium close up of both women sitting in a blue car talking to each other. The next shot is cut to a girl standing in a hoodie, in a field. The camera moves away from the girl in a fast paced movement, this could be exaggerating thaws she may be feeling when screaming and shouting out loud.
3:10-3:30- The next shot is a mid-shot of both the girls standing outside in the snow kissing, in natural darkness. This is then cut to a mid-shot of a womandrawing a heart with their bare hand on the inside of the blue car's window, in the condensation.
3:30-4:03- The next shot is of the woman standing in a boat in the middle of a river with her arms out wide; this is a long-shot. The shot finally cuts to both the women standing outside in the dark night together and kissing, this is a mid-shot.
Mise en Scene
This is the beginning of the music video. This is establishing the setting to be based outside and in natural places, for example on the beach in this shot.
Again this shot shows a natural scenery establishing the setting of the music video. To also explain to the audience that the music video will mainly be in the outside space.
This shot establishes another setting in the music - a gambling place. The lighting is very vibrant and warm, which reinforces the setting.
This shot establishes a natural setting which is on a beach. The fact that this is a natural setting shows a sense of freedom. The lighting is very dark and edgy which kind of represents the woman who is standing on top of the car as it is driving down the beach. The fact that the woman is wearing a pink jacket reinforces the edgy/rebellious look; however in contrast to the sky and the general lighting the girl wearing the pink jacket and the green jeep looks very displaced in the setting of the music video.
Costume and Makeup
Both the women are wearing autumn/winter clothes which shows that the weather must be cold. Judging by this shot both women seem to be wearing a limited amount of makeup and are not very well made up. Therefore this could reflect their personality and appearance, suggesting they may not care that much about their appearance and what other people may think of them.
The woman is wearing a hat and a long red checkered jacket in this shot; this could show that the season is Autumn/ or Winter, considering the colour of the sky being very dark and grey which is normal of a typical winter or autumn late afternoon/ or evening. I think it was set during this time to reflect on the woman's relationship and the problems which they have encountered.
Key Shots, Camera movement, and Edits
Setting -Key Shot- Establishing shot
This is a key shot in the music video as it establishes the main setting of the clip and also the time of day as well as the season in which the video is set.
Key Shot - meaning of what the music video is going to be about
I think that the beginning shot of the person drawing a heart on the window of a green car is a key shot because this shows to the audience that the main theme of the music video is love. The next shot is also important as it switches from the heart being drawn on the car window to a couple holding hands; this is a key shot because it shows that protagonists of the video (whose journey the video will focus on).
Editing
I think the editing in this part of the music video is very well done. The editing here is very unique as it goes from fast cuts of the woman dancing around to an extreme close up of the woman dancing with the dollar bills flying around her. Then, it cuts to a jump cut of the female trainers dancing around.The relevance of this shot could be how she is feeling the need to express her feeling about her relationship with the woman.
Key Shot / Editing- breaking/fighting of their relationship
I think that the first shot of the flames from a fire represents anger and frustration in their relationship. This then cuts to a close up of the woman's face showing her as she turns away from the camera, representing that their relationship is fading away, slowly dying like the fire's flames. This is then cut to a mid-shot of both the girls standing in the dark outside, pushing each other away, indicating they are having a fight and that their relationship might be over. The editing is very much fast paced and there are fast cuts between each shot that is taken. Again, this could indicate that their relationship is over or has ended.
Focus Group
This is what my focus group had to say about the music video 'Stay' by Kygo.
"I really enjoyed the way the story is told through a lesbian couple as not many music videos these days have this portrayal and I think it is good to show this kind of sexuality publicly."
"I really like the photography and the natural scenery in this music video. It creates a sense of freedom within the music video. I also found the storyline very interesting, especially the way the story of the relationship between the two girls is shown."
" I really like the narrative of the couple throughout. think the lyrics and the visual match well to what is being shown to the audience"
Lessons to be Learnt
It is important to match the mise en scene to the tone of the song.
It is important to experiment ways of establishing enigma and creating an aura for the lead singer.
It is important for elements of the video to match the target audience - be that the protagonist or the setting.
