Analysis of my rough draft survey

Analysis

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Location, location, location.

So, slight change of plan... after talking to the two characters we have arranged to film tonight as it's more suitable for them. So, here are the locations I hope to be filming at...

There is a local road which is always reasonably quiet and has quite a few fields alongside it so I plan to film the alone shots of the female character here whilst it is still light. Here is a photo I recently took at this location with a different friend of mine who won't be in the video. I feel this gives it a little more context though...

The second location is a main road which in the evening won't be very busy but has a lot of streetlights. This will achieve the desired effect and hopefully I will be able to convince my boyfriend to lend his car for us to borrow for the car scenes... the male character is able to drive so safety shouldn't be an issue and I will make sure it is done on very quiet roads to ensure everything goes as planned.


I have spoken to both of the people in the video about costume and they have agreed to try and fit my description as closely as they can. There won't be any props being used really... apart from a car I guess? I think it's going to be very much down to what can be achieved in the time remaining. I will be using a Song HDR HC9 camera:

I decided this would be the best camera to use as before hand the other ones had been quite difficult to control and keep steady. Also, on the previous camera we had to use nightmode for the picture to be visible and it didn't turn out too well so hopefully without this image I won't be tempted to use this to compensate. 

So, the plan for this evening is:

3:15 - Meet actors at their house and walk to first destination. Film female actor alone shots and also some of them together. (Walking away and towards). Do this until dark.

4:45 - Expected sunset time according to 'timeanddate.com'. Hopefully will be able to film for a little longer and then once close to dark will move onto streetlight shots. 

6.00 - If car is available it will be at this time. I may re-meet with actors after they have had time to have food. Hopefully will get some shots of car from inside and outside (like in Lana Del Rey video). If one car is not available another might be so will have to see tonight. 

Born To Die.

I just watched this video (Lana Del Rey - Born To Die) for the first time and I felt it was incredibly deserving of a blog post.
I'd like to draw attention to this section:
1:56 - 2:58

Del Rey is alone, she looks pained and lonely.

Del Rey is now with the male character  but she still has the sae pained look. It's unclear if he is causing this pain or if he is a figment of her imagination and her missing his is causing this pain.

Here Del Rey looks like a bride who has been stood up. The flashes of light seem nostalgic and like flashbacks/memories. She continually looks incredibly upset. At this stage the male character moves his finger across his neck to imply slitting his throat.

Del Rey and the male character are now in a car, the bright lights and travelling aspect are highlighted. The car looks very isolated from anywhere else.

As Del Rey clears the window here it is also unclear as to whether she is just clearing the window or trying to make herself more apparent, by placing her palm on the window is looks as if she is trying to escape.

The male character is mainly in darkness but the light flickers continue in the car scene. He looks very intimidating and powerful. The red lights behind him could instigate danger.

Once again, making the car look remote. Shows the distance.

Del Ray is lighted by a red light here. Once again, looking pained and distressed. 

Del Rey looks at the male character and as he turns to return her gaze she turns away looking quite panicked.






Lyrics:
Feet don't fail me now
Take me to the finish line
All my heart, it breaks every step that I take
But I'm hoping that the gates,
They'll tell me that you're mine
Walking through the city streets
Is it by mistake or design?
I feel so alone on a Friday night
Can you make it feel like home, if I tell you you're mine
It's like I told you honey
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh,
Let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
Cause you and I, we were born to die
Lost but now I am found
I can see but once I was blind
I was so confused as a little child
Tried to take what I could get
Scared that I couldn't find
All the answers, honey
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh,
Let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words,
This is the last time
Cause you and I
We were born to die
We were born to die
We were born to die
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh,
Let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
Cause You and I
We were born to die We were born to die


I feel that the lyrics tell a story of a couple that are trying to stay together but are not succeeding, maybe it's unrequited love? The lyrics "sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough I don't know why" says to me that their relationship just isn't going anywhere. I feel the lyrics tell a very painful story and sometimes there are lyrics that could be associated with death like "choose your last words, this is the last time", "I'm hoping that the gates they'll tell me that you're mine" and of course "we were born to die". Last words, this reference is pretty obvious.. there's also the phrase "famous last words". "The gates" could refer to the gates of heaven and just before that she sings "take me to the finish line" which could refer to the end of life. I think the video tells a similar story, the relationship looks good at the start of the video but they seem to be very distant and cold towards one another as the video progresses. The male character takes his hands of the steering-wheel at one point to kiss Del Rey and the next time you see them the car is on fire and he is standing beside it carrying a lifeless Del Rey. Prior to this you see Del Rey in a white dress in a building that looks a lot like a Cathedral wearing a crown of roses, this has a lot of religious connotations (crown of thorns, white for purity and angelic and of course the Cathedral is a religious building). She also walks down a corridor and opens two large doors which has a bright white light pouring out of them and then you see her in the male characters arms, lifeless. The visuals fit very well with the lyrics and the video is emotive and powerful.
I think that me and Katherine could use notions in this video in our video possibly. I think the fact that she is alone and then with the male character is something we definitely want to show in our video. I also like the singular car part where the shots of them together and alone in the car and the lights change. We tried filming in a car and found it quite difficult but I think if we tried different techniques, angles and effects we could achieve some interesting and unique effects like in this video. 

Pop Folk Artists.

Brooke Annibale is an accoustic pop-folk artist. This genre is more successful than some people may know. I thought I'd pick out a few popular pop-folk artists and the videos they've produced for their videos. I thought this may give us some inspiration for our own video (even though we've made a detailed plan and are filming it in a few hours...) and may help with the editing and how we put it together. So, the first artists I've picked is Newton Faulkner who is very popular and I'm sure many people know...

The video for 'Dream Catch Me' focuses on the artist. We can obviously not go this but we are focusing on the representation of the artist we have made in Molly's character. The video focuses on memories and it travels through situations which is very similar to what we are doing and I really love how they've layered the lights over his face... it could be something we could try and do whilst editing as it would also fit with our 'Under Streetlights' theme and the lights at night.





This is probably the most stereotypical song I could have chosen for 'The Pogues' but hey ho. It's a HUGELY successful Christmas song and The Pogues are classed as 'pop-folk'. The video centres around a couple... it also deals with the past and memories and difficulties in a relationship. Our song is similar but the problems in Annibale's song aren't as apparent as in 'Fairytale of New York'. The video is largely set at night and their are some beautiful shots of lights at night... such as the trees draped with lights and the night sky.

Due to Katherine being absent :( I took it upon myself to contact a couple more artists me and Katherine had said we had liked just in case Breanne says no (yay back up plans).


I've contacted Brooke Annibale and asked for her permission to use her song 'Under Streetlights'...





I've also contacted Grant Woell and asked to use his song 'Rewrite My Heart'...




So, we're kind of just tagging along for the ride currently and seeing what happens. All ace songs though so fingers crossed :)

New song, plan.

So, here is a brief outline of some ideas I've had initially about what we could include in the video for our new song (hopefully!) 'Catapult' by Breanne Duren.


 


Lyrics:
Let's go outside
forget everything for just one night } need to escape?
Nothing to hide
I wanna see you beneath the bright moonlight } want to see beneath the surface? see you shine
Let's do this right let's go explore } need for perfection within the exploring
Try something we've never tried before

This catapult will send us into the sky, into the sky } fly to the sky, towards fame?
No I won't let you fall
'Cause you were born, born to fly
Born to fly, born to fly } born to do this

They'll climb to the rooftops } everyone wants to see them
And just to see us come brushing by } fans?
Over the streets and the sidewalks
Well they'll come running out tonight
Something's bound to happen here
It's been bottled up, bottled up for years } secrets coming out, excitement and talent coming out

This catapult will send us into the sky, into the sky
No I won't let you fall
'Cause you were born to fly, born to fly
Through starry trails } aim for the stars
Tonight across the blue we'll sail } the ocean, crossing oceans, challenges
This catapult will send us into the sky
'Cause you were born to fly, born to fly, born to fly

We'll be like satellites and never touch the ground } once we get there we won't come down
Lost in northern lights we'll never come back, } lost in beauty and light
Never come back down!

This catapult will send us into the sky, into the sky
No I won't let you fall,
'Cause you were born to fly, born to fly
Through starry trails
Tonight across the blue we'll sail
This catapult will send us into the sky
'Cause you were born to fly, born to fly, born to flyYou were born to fly, born to fly, born to fly!

Ideas:

Multi-story car park? Top level, rooftop? Couple on there, looking over town... possibly at night? Reminds me slightly of the opening chapters of 'Paper Towns' by John Green where Margo and Q are going around getting revenge on people and go exploring their 'paper town' and are on the highest floor of a building looking down and discussing life. Everything takes place at night and it's their last adventure together before Margo leaves and Q goes to find her. Q loves Margo and Margo does this to try and help Q gain confidence and to give him an experience to motivate him to leave too. They're both high on life and take risks and have fun. It reminds me a lot of this and it could be interesting to include some situations from the book in the video?

Videos that I feel are relevant to my ideas, may have influenced some of my ideas...

Night, lights and breaking out and showing who you really are. Taking risks, upbeat and fun song.



Friends, lovers having fun and enjoying being young. Break out and enjoy summer.


Possible locations?
Multi-story car park
Park locations?
Fields...


MORE TO COME :)

Update from Katherine & I :)

So, here's out latest update: UPDATE


It basically outlines our plans to change song and has the song that we're hoping to change it to :)


Also here is a small clip of some more split screen trials... (using the new song we're hopefully going to be able to use)

Lana Del Rey - Video Games

Swinging in the backyard
Pull up in your fast car
Whistling my name

Open up a beer
And you take it over here
And play a video game

I'm in his favorite sun dress
Watching me get undressed
Take that body downtown

I say you the bestest
Lean in for a big kiss
Put his favorite perfume on

Go play a video game

It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you want to do
I heard that you like the bad girls
Honey, is that true?
It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
Baby now you do

Singing in the old bars
Swinging with the old stars
Living for the fame

Kissing in the blue dark
Playing pool and wild darts
Video games

He holds me in his big arms
Drunk and I am seeing stars
This is all I think of

Watching all our friends fall
In and out of Old Paul's
This is my idea of fun
Playing video games

It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you want to do
I heard that you like the bad girls
Honey, is that true?
It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
Baby now you do

(Now you do)

It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you want to do
I heard that you like the bad girls
Honey, is that true?
It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
Baby now you do

1 minute analysis:

Coming soon.

A couple of music videos I've come across recently...

So, as you can probably determine from previous posts Katherine and I have been experimenting with the split screen technique and it's a technique we really like and hope to use in our final video. So, I found a music video for the very popular Kid Cudi and his song 'Make Her Say'. I really like the techniques he used in this video, I don't think his style music is similar in any way to the 'Sunsets For Singles' but I think their is a lot of interesting shots and ideas of how we could further develop our split screens in this video. I'd really love to try something similar to the opening balloon shot and I like the concept of their being a shot of the same place from two different vantage points where you can see two different people doing different things (like at 1:10).





Whilst watching NME TV the other day I came across the above music video. I must admit I only caught the last minute or so and whilst I'm not a huge fan of the song I really like how the director (David Higgs) has  overlapped shots and made it have a really vintage style look. The main section of the video that I like start at around 3 minutes and the hue of the clips is really warm and dramatic. I'd like to try this style out as I like it a lot :) I'm not too sure how well it would fit with our song though... so it's definitely something we'll need to consider.

Ed Sheeran copied me.

So, when I first got in contact with Steven a few months back we joked around saying that if anyone was going to play him in the music video it should be Rupert Grint (The ginger man who plays Ron Weasley to anyone silly enough to not know who he is). So, you can imagine my surprise when I find out that Ed Sheeran stole our idea and made a music video with Rupert Grint in it.







Now, even though I'm not Ed Sheeran's biggest fan I do actually like this song (amongst his other stuff). I also really like the video and think the narrative is funny but also has meanings within it. The messages I picked out is that there is now more widespread 'acceptance' of ginger people due to wide spread achievement and strong liking of the two very popular male's in this video. I know that there has always been this notion that ginger people were different to some people and their hair colour has always been something people have made fun of them for so I think a very underlying factor of this video is celebrating them both for their success. The main story does seem to be Rupert Grint stalking Ed Sheeran... this could show that people often confuse them, mix them up? It could also show that people try and change themselves to become their idols (like in Eminem's Stan, even though Ed Brown totally done this before...) as Grint does seem to be wearing very similar clothing to Sheeran in this video. I think it also pokes fun a bit at society for how they've radically all changed their opinion on ginger people mainly due to these two people, I'm sure they appreciate their fame but their ginger hair is still something that singles them out where as we never talk about how much we love Beyonce's brown hair or Reese Witherspoon's blonde hair. 


Very quick lyrics analysis:

I'm gonna pick up the pieces,
And build a lego house
When things go wrong we can knock it down

My three words have two meanings, three words, I Love You? Two meanings? what is the second...
There's one thing on my mind
It's all for you

And it's dark in a cold December, but I've got ya to keep me warm dark and cold in his heart/mind
And if you're broke I'll mend ya and keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on

I'm out of touch, I'm out of love
I'll pick you up when you're getting down
And of all these things I've done I think I love you better now

I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind
I'll do it all for you in time
And of all these things I've done I think I love you better now

I'm gonna paint you by numbers
And colour you in
If things go right we can frame it, and put you on a wall like in the video where Grint puts a frame on the wall in time with this

And it's so hard to say it but I've been here before
And I'll surrender up my heart
And swap it for yours

I'm out of touch, I'm out of love
I'll pick you up when you're getting down
And of all these things I've done I think I love you better now not loving properly before? "I'll do better"... promises?

I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind
I'll do it all for you in time
And of all these things I've done I think I love you better now

Don't hold me down
I think my braces are breaking and it's more than I can take

And if it's dark in a cold December, I've got ya to keep me warm romantic relationship? warmth shared indicates intimacy.
And if you're broke I'll mend ya and keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on

I'm out of touch, I'm out of love
I'll pick you up when you're getting down
And of all these things I've done I think I love you better now

I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind Lost sight of what is important, confused.
I'll do it all for you in time
And of all these things I've done I think I love you better now.

Do you take this woman of death for the rest of your unnatural life?

WARNING: This song & video contains content some people may find unpleasant. I am analysing it though because I find the animation aspect of it to be incredibly good and interesting.


URL: http://youtu.be/VurhzANQ_B0
(Avenged Sevenfold - A Little Piece of Heaven... Embedding disabled by request, sorry!)

To summarize the video:
Man and woman are together, man proposes, woman laughs in his face. Man gets angry and stabs woman to death and rips her heart out, literally. He then has intercourse with her corpse, dances with her corpse and sews her up and stands her up in his house. He eats her heart, literally. Woman comes back to life (as a zombie) and rips heart of of mans chest, literally. Man spirals into hell and also becomes a zombie. They then go on a massive church masacre and kill everyone at a wedding. They then get married and live happily as zombies. Throughout the video there is a band of skeletons. THE END.

I feel the animation is incredibly detailed and very well made. The animator has paid attention to aspects such as light, shadow, texture and depth in the entire animation. As the image on the right displays there is great detail in the texture on the walls and the fog in the background. You can also see her shadow on the wall and on the stone in the bottom right. I feel that to include these factors in an animation is incredibly clever and it's something I think me and Katherine will try to consider if we make another animation for our music video.

Current videos inspiring and influencing us.

This video is by a not very well known British band called 'Dirty Goods'. We're hoping to experiment with using a split screen in our video and also possibly use a projector to project video over a backdrop. We think the effect is really effective and really want to experiment with it, I also like how the swap between colour and black and white. It adds a contrast and ever-changing feel that helps engage the viewer.







The ellement of this video I really like is how they've used the tractor to create the light beams and make it look almost like a professional stage. I'd like to cross this idea with the one above and possibly use a projector in a barn area like the one used in Calvin Harris' video for 'You Used To Hold Me'. I'd like to try interesting and clever ways of using light to make our video stand out and have interesting qualities like the two above which makes it memorable.







As stated before we really like the idea of getting the couple we use to film their own footage over the course of a few days and then use that footage to project onto the backdrop. We may also use the footage they record in the video (without it being projected).







The part of this video in question is from 2:46 onwards. There are loads of short bursts of clips that Adam Young (Owl City) has recorded over the years. I really like the effect of how they look quite dated and are very realistic.







And finally, this is the video that inspired us to have a go at our own animation. It's simple yet effective and it won a competition so they must be doing something right. 

Textual Analysis 2. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home.

Lyrics:


Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma & Pa
Not the way that I do love you

Holy roly, me, oh my, you’re the apple of my eye
Girl, I’ve never loved one like you

Man, oh man, you’re my best friend, I scream it to the nothingness
There ain’t nothin’ that I need

Well, hot & heavy, pumpkin pie, chocolate candy, Jesus Christ
There ain’t nothin’ please me more than you

Chorus:
Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you
(2x)
La la la la, take me Home
Baby, I’m coming Home

I’ll follow you into the park, through the jungle, through the dark
Girl, I’ve never loved one like you

Moats & boats & waterfalls, alley ways & pay phone calls
I’ve been everywhere with you

That’s true

We laugh until we think we’ll die, barefoot on a summer night
Nothin’ new is sweeter than with you

And in the streets we’re running free like it’s only you and me
Geez, you’re something to see.

Chorus

“Jade?”
“Alexander?”
“Do you remember that day you fell out of my window?”
“I sure do, you came jumping out after me.”
“Well, you fell on the concrete and nearly broke your ass and you were bleeding all over the place and I rushed you off to the hospital. Do you remember that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, there’s something I never told you about that night.”
“What didn’t you tell me?”
“While you were sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette you thought was going to be your last, I was falling deep, deeply in love with you and I never told you ‘til just now.”
“Now I know.”

Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is whenever I’m with you
Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is when I’m alone with you

Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you

Ahh, Home
Yes, I am Home
Home is when I’m alone with you.

Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma & Pa!
Moats & boats & waterfalls, alley ways and pay phone calls!

Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you
Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is when I’m alone with you


Essay:


The second video I have chosen to analyse is the video for Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros song 'Home'. The music video was released on May 13th 2010 and is the 6th song on their album "Up From Below". The video consists of clips of all the bands favourite memories from the past few years so there isn't a director for this video, the video is entirely made up of clips filmed by the band. The band is made up of many members, the vocals for this song are performed by Alex Elbert and Jade Castrinos. The bands main genre is indie-folk which is a genre also associated with Frank Turner and Mumford and Sons. A lot of music videos in this genre encourage travel and exploration of the world, it also encourages friends to come together and play music and enjoy life. This is shown in Mumford and Sons's video for Winter Winds where the group play music together and are shown walking through the countryside. It's often that videos for this genre will use these type of locations.
The visuals often represent the lyrics, in a generic sense the lyrics speak of a couple who find that they'll always be 'home' as long as they are with the person they love. When the lyrics go "you’re the apple of my eye" we get a brief shot of Elbert's eyes looking to the camera; in most shots they're covered by sun glasses. Also, when the line "I’ll follow you into the park, through the jungle, through the dark" is sung their are clips of Elbert chasing Castrinos through a wooded area which could draw resemblance to a 'jungle'. I think the lyric "I’ve been everywhere with you" is relevant to the whole of the visuals as it shows their adventures over the years together and is probably a lyric to sum up the entire video. They're also shown barefoot when the lyrics go "barefoot on a summer night. I think that it's pretty good that they've found clips to back up the lyrics of their song, I guess in a way they have probably written about their life and what they know so it may not have been so difficult.
The clips chop and change fairly quickly which fits the happy, lively beat of the music. There are also parts in the video where you can hear a trumpet being played or people whistling and the visuals will show people playing a trumpet of whistling to correspond with that. There are also select parts of the video where there will be someone shouting 'HEY!' and people will jump out as if they're saying 'HEY!'. The visuals calm to be longer clips of calm things (people sleeping on a bus, sunsets/rises) when the music slows down at about 04:05.
I think the record company are looking to sell this track as a 'something-to-listen-to-at-summer-whilst-with-your-mates' track. The video screams: fun, travel, exploring and adventure. I think the record label know that these kind of things are popular among today's youth and will want to promote the band with this image. It is a fairly new image for the band as their previous videos have been odd to say the least. Having only two previous videos, both are set in the desert. The opening for the video Kisses Over Babylon reminded me very much of the biblical story of Jesus's struggle for 40 days and 40 nights. It would appear Elbert is singing in a foreign language throughout the video. I'd say their song 'Home' represents a change in image and genre and the video is relevant to the song which is upbeat and happy. 
I wouldn't say that any members of the band are put on sexual display or sexualised in any way. The main message in this video is promoting love, not sex or lust. I'd say that some of the female members of the band show their femininity by wearing dresses or twirling a red parasol but regardless of that they're not really sexualised. The only notion of looking I could pick up on was that you can tell the clips have been filmed using a hand-held video recorder so there is the notion that these are private memories that have been personally made, unlike many commercially made videos.
I couldn't pick up on any inter textual references in this video, I think it's a very unique kind of video that hasn't been planned to have any inter textual references. It just documents a stage in the bands life. The video is a mix of concept and performance based as the band is seen performing at different stages in their 'home-videos'. 
I think this video is fully appropriate to create a new, fun image for the band and for the song. I think the idea behind this video is fun and I think the caption the band put under the video sums it up well: "This video for Home is a collection of some of our favorite memories over the past few years. We hope it feels like Home wherever you are watching this."

Potential bands.

I had the sudden urge to start my search for unsigned bands today and have found a few I like. I have written to the majority of them in the hope that they'll reply over the next few weeks. Anyway, here they are... 


Balloon Ride Fantasy

Choir of Cubs

Gearloose (I'm in love with Sunsets For Singles, really holding out hope for that right now but none of his other links are working :S !)

Textual Analysis - The Wombats, Anti D.

Lyrics:
Please allow me to be your anti-depressant
I too am prescribed as freely as any decongestant


We kick back and let the pills do the talking
People hear a distinct rattle when we're walking
Then there's the extra two stone that's our only guarantee


Our vivid dreams are just like big production movies
They get entangled well within our daily routines
So please re-think or use my trademark strategy


And please allow me to be your anti-depressant
I too am prescribed as freely as any decongestant


It's hard to smile when you're as flattened as a pancake
The only tears come from our heads when we concentrate
Perhaps I'm being unjust or perhaps you agree


Still I've thrown away my citalopram
I needed more than what was in those 40 milligrams
So cast away with the doctor's plans


And please allow me to be your anti-depressant
I too am prescribed as freely as any decongestant


Still I've thrown away my citalopram
Although I felt as grim as the reaper man
So cast away with the doctor's plans
Like me

Essay:

The video I have chosen to analyse is The Wombats - 'Anti D'. It is the third single to be released from their album 'This Modern Glitch' and was released in  the UK as a digital download on 11th April 2011. The video was directed by Marc Klassfeld and is meant to represent front man Matthew 'Murph' Murphy's mindset when he was on anti-depressants. The Wombats are an English indie pop group and the video isn't incredibly typical of this genre. It is quite sunny and bright which is typical of some indie pop videos and some of the characters and events within the video I find similar to 'Panic at the Disco's' video for 'Nine in the Afternoon'. The characters and focal character (Murph) are dressed quite typically of the genre in suits or in more fun-extreme costumes (commonly found in videos, like Panic's Nine in the Afternoon or Two Door Cinema Club's 'I Can Talk'.) It is untypical in that most indie pop videos are quite lively and fun and this one is quite slow to start and Murph persistently has a straight face throughout. It also appears to have been filmed in one take and there is no editing involved in the whole video. It purely involves him walking down a street singing (as if telling a story) with other characters telling various other parts to the story.

The song doesn't base itself around the lyrics too strongly but the opening lyric is contradicted by the visual, 'Please allow me to be your anti-depressant' is put with a visual of Murph looking fairly depressed himself. In the first 40 seconds we are overwhelmed by new characters all doing things that contradict society's expectations or are purely random, for example: a motorcyclist on a children's playground toy, wonder woman with a lawnmower and a police man with a prostitute. The lyric "our vivid dreams are just like big production movies" could explain why the video is so obscure in it's choice of characters and scenarios and this lyric is followed by "they get entangled well within our daily routines" which shows how the obscure, vivid dreams tangle with the reality of their lives and in effect take over. I feel that these two lines of lyrics form a relationship with the entire visual side of the music video and explain the thought process behind it. When the lyric "I needed more than what was in those 40 milligrams" is sang, Murph is raised and supported whilst sitting on a chair. This could show that what he 'needed more' was support and the raising could show the depression being lifted off him. Other than this the lyrics mainly describe Murph's struggle with his illness and tend to bare no resemblance to the visuals.

The actual music (discarding the lyrics) is fairly calm and slow, I'd say the main instruments are violins but their is a steady drum beat as well; with piano's and guitars also coming in later. The visuals of the characters fits with the music as the characters almost seem to be slowed down from a normal pace (even though I don't believe they are by effects in any way). The music does pick up to be slightly more upbeat in the purely solo musical parts as well as backing vocals accompanying singing 'arrrrrrgggghhhh' over and over. Something I noticed about when the music does this is that the camera doesn't continue tracking Murph, it does a complete 360 around him. There are 2 incidents when a solo musical part occurs, the first time Murph gets beaten down and the camera goes 360 degrees around him clockwise. The second time this happens Murph has just been lifted up and their are lots of people supporting him and cheering and the camera goes 360 degrees around him anti-clockwise. I thought this could show him spiraling into depression (and feeling beaten down) but then spiraling out of it (when he felt supported). See diagram above for further explanation. The video stays at the same pace throughout regardless of the music pace which stays fairly consistent throughout also. 
I think that the record label was looking to sell this song as a personal song which can relate to one of the most rapidly growing worldwide illnesses. It's something that people can relate to lyrically but the video makes it stand out more so and is also fun and interesting. Murph does look fairly depressed and serious in this video, in a way he also looks like he's suffering from a hangover. This is also present in other recent videos by the The Wombats, such as Jump Into The Fog and Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves). However, in another recent video for Techno Fan Murph looks really alert (probably due to him not wearing sunglasses throughout) and fairly happy at parts. The video for Anti-D doesn't conform to these videos in the sense that it's not got elements of performance from the band in it, it's not edited and it doesn't center around a party or occasion. I feel that the video is different from a lot of their others but doesn't demonstrate a shift in image, I just this it's appropriate for the song to have a video like this accompany it. I wouldn't actually say that The Wombats as a group are being portrayed in this video, I'd say Murph is being focused on for this video to demonstrate HIS struggle. This is also an element not commonly found in their videos as the group are almost always shown together on more than one occasion. 

There are a few references to the notion of looking in this video. Although Murph himself is not put on sexual display other characters in the video do appear to be represented in this manor. For example, the prostitute is obviously presented in a sexual manor for reasons I don't feel I need to explain but very controversially a nun is presented in a sexual manor, as are various other characters who have low cut tops or are just wearing underwear. It is predominantly costume and the attitude of the characters that implies the shows them in a sexual way. There is also the notion of looking when the opening shot shows Murph walking out of a house where you can see a small gap in the curtains in the left window. I think that notion of looking could be to show that subtly there were always people looking out for him. 
The only inter textual references I could pick up on was the overwhelming sense of almost saying 'screw you' to society and how people are meant to behave and how they try and fix everything with medication and label everything. I guess you could say it's similar in a way to the punk era where there was a lot of revolt and anarchy towards society and expectations with influential bands such as The Clash, The Ramones and Stiff Little Fingers. I also like the way that they challenge societies judgments towards young people by having the well respected 'doctor' figures causing trouble (and obviously being the people who prescribe and label people with illnesses it seems appropriate) and the young people (the other two band members) helping Murph up (which may show how music helped him out of his depression). 
I'd say the video is concept based as it centers around one idea and is filmed in one take, it isn't performance based apart from you being able to see Murph sing and there isn't really any narrative to it as it's completely random. 
I'd say that The Wombats music video for Anti-D is a modern, unique twist on similar videos and music which has been used to protest and stand up against society. I really like the song and the video for its bluntness and forward approach on a difficult topic which is common in today's society. I feel that the video is incredibly well directed and appropriate for the message trying to be conveyed and I like the subtle use of techniques to convey other meanings, such as the camera work and use of no editing (perhaps used to show how the illness never stops). I think this is probably one of my favourite music videos by The Wombats as the message to people is clear and strong and portrayed excellently by the visuals. 


(Sorry I was unable to post this sooner, had previous problems where Blogger wiped my entire essay and have since had internet problems at home whilst trying to re-post. Ta)