Sarah: Auteur's Music Videos

Michel Gondry
Chemical Brothers- Let Forever Be
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmpxsk3dHaA
-Dance routines: abstract and artistic introdutions to them.
Beck- Cellphones Dead
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zL-lKik2cD0
-Black and white with spotlights on certain objects e.g. the door and the armchair.
-dated costume and decor
Steriogram- Walkie Talkie Man
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=asdN1jJw4EE
-performance but as if they are recording the song.

Chris Cunningham
Aphex Twin- Come To Daddy
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe-XNav5mWU
-Image on TV sceen incorporated into the narrative
-Quick cuts with seemingly randomcloseups on feet etc. creates chaotic atmosphere
-lyrics and beat is heavy and dark: links in with the video

Spike Jonz
Fat Boy Slim- Praise You
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4ULVQOneeZE
-Handi-Cam makes it seem amateur.



The Auteur whose work we like best is Michel Gondry and we are going to deconstruct his video for Beck "Cell Phones Dead"

Michel Gondry was born and raised in Versailles, France. Now in his early forties, his repertoire is astounding. He has scripted inspiring imagery in the form of commercials, music videos, shorts, feature films, and other media. He is partially credited with reviving the music-video format in the 1990's. He has been named a genius by too many people to count. His works are marked with a child-like explorative eye. Like old-school hip-hop Gondry's films are his playground. He tells stories about people and their lives while questioning our definitions of reality. His characters are honest and human and his worlds playfully reflect the interaction between the worlds we live in: nature, society, and the mind.

Deconstruction of "Cellphones dead" by Beck
Mise-En-Scene
Gondry has chosen the set of the video to be dark with only spotlights on certain things e.g. on the armchair and to the bottom right of the door. This creates a sense of mystery and darkness which is often associated with the alternative rock genre; this links the music with the visuals. Costume: dated and alternative to classic fashion. carrying a briefcase- enigma. All the room changing around as the man/furniture morph into different things so as an audience you are never sure which way you are looking in the room.

Camera Techniques
Opening high angle shot looking down on the street. Panning to follow him walking round the room. High angle shot when he’s sitting on the chair. As the people morph the camera zooms in/out whilst panning to follow what is happening. Room moves around the camera- camera stays still but goes from looking at the door to looking at the man in the chair. Camera at one end of room slowly moving forward towards building/furniture men walking around the room. Focus ends with a longshot of the wall with the door and the spotlight.

Editing
Lip syncing. Man morphs into furniture man and building morphs into person shape walking in through the window. Man opens the briefcase in time to the music. Black and white. Light shining from hole in the furniture man linked to real man holding his chest where the light was when the morph as if it is causing him discomfort. Video fast motion whilst a furniture man and a building man morph into each other whilst spinning round creating the real man. Return to view outside at end.

Sound
Diagetic sound from the radio. music changes as man walks into the room. The added voices (“one by one I’ll knock you out” etc.) seem to be coming from the radio. As music develops into the outro, the special effects stop and the camera instead focuses on the man in the chair and the now still furniture.

Special Effects
Man and furniture and buildings all morph into different parts of the set and into each other creating a confusing effect but seems calm with the steady beat of the song. Light shining from gap in furniture man. Smoke fills room, creates more confusion. Furniture/building men spin round fast and morph into the real man.

Goodwin
Genre characteristics
Alternative rock- post modern effects and narrative. Concept video making it more artistic. Long hair and abstract fashion sense (motif).

Relationship between visuals and lyrics
Lip syncing, close-ups of him singing and he is the only real person in the video. Refers to radios jukeboxes and boom boxes in the lyrics and the video includes many different radios positioned around the room at different times.

Relationship between music and visuals
He moves often in time to the music and the camera cuts in time with the beat.