Analysis of previous students A2 work

Here is an analysis of 2 previous students music videos. I decided to analyse them so I could try and gain an understanding of the standards that those of a similar ability as me, were able to create. This will help me in the creation and development of my music video as I can adapt the ideas I like and also I can point out possible improvements and make sure that I don't make the same mistakes.

Jordon's music video of We Found Love by Rihanna is a really good video which is a great example of a typical pop music video. It shows only one performer throughout the song which focuses all attention onto her, the singer. Lots of close ups were used to try and create a bond between the audience and the singer. I think that Jordon edited the video with lots of thought in mind as each cut matched the beat of the song and as the song has very fast beats, the quick cuts made sure that the audience didn't lose focus and get distracted. There were a variety of locations used such as a bonfire, rural roads, fields and a few more. The lip syncing was done extremely well and was almost faultless. If I were to give this music video any improvements it would be to maybe include more visual progression throughout but this would be a minor alteration I would make - it's not 100% absolutely necessary and I think that this video is of excellent quality.

The next music video I watched was Ria's from last year. I really enjoyed this music video as the tempo of the visuals matched perfectly with the tempo of the song. The song used was a slow one and this allowed Ria to increase the amount of time one shot could remain on the screen. A variety of different shots were used such as Long shots, mid shots, Close ups, Extreme close ups, Worms eye shot and also high angle shot. Only two characters were seen throughout the video which kept all attention on them. The video had a clear narrative behind it and to keep this story realistic - no miming was used. This created the feel as if it was a short film within a music video – you could connect with the actress as she was showing all emotions through her facial expressions and body language. I particularly enjoyed the interesting shots which made the video look more professional and makes it seem that bit better. These include the worms’ eye shot when she is walking on the bridge and also the close up of her touching the leaf. If Ria were to make any improvements, should she have the time, then I would suggest that she moved the woman at the window to the window above the door as it seemed it didn’t flow and there wasn’t continuity editing. This is a minor improvement and wouldn’t alter the video drastically.