CASE STUDY 2: Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out

In this music video, the duo from Twenty One Pilots have had another single for their fourth studio album, "BlurryFace" uploaded on April 27, 2015. Mark C. Eshleman from "Reel Bear Media" was the producer for the video and has set out to create a mix of concept and performance style film as both stars are seen throughout the whole video; Also having the theme on adolescence the title "Stressed Out" can tell us that it's pressuring to have grown up as opposed to being young.

The duo is seen to be doing their childhood hobbies, riding tricycles and literally going to each other's houses to record the song, as they went to Josh Dun's childhood home in Ohio to film for the music video. They are seen to be wearing dark clothes and full red at the near end who is supposed to be the character "Blurryface", the dark alter ego of the singer.

For camera, he cycles into the view of a tracking shot, as the camera is going backwards to capture the front of Joseph on his bicycle. This happens often throughout the video and used to lip sync parts of the song. Handheld is also used when he's approaching Dun's house and furthermore used in a mix with still close ups and wide shots in the room. Special effects weren't used however to the near end it constantly cuts to and away from a scene with him having red eyes which could be easily done with CGI or manually done with contacts.

Noticeably, as the motif is about being stressed through the transition to adulthood we can see that the cutting rate gradually rises throughout the video connoting the build up of anxiety. Interaction between the stars is seen through a few scenes in the video. Dialogue is also written underneath without the speech, all portraying what they did in their childhood around Ohio. The majority of it has the singer lip syncing to the lyrics whereas a part of the hook "My name is blurry face" is not due to this being his other self, telling us he cares about what people think about him, connoting he's insecure.

Mise-en-scene includes the streets of Ohio, bedrooms, the side walk and a white room, presumably done with a backdrop. Actors mainly have the stars as the protagonists who also have members of their family in the scenes in the near end of the video. The duo are seen to be wearing dark clothes and doing their past time hobbies from when they were young; representing themselves as if they were free again. However he seems unhappy with the rest looking gloomy, including the setting of dead trees etc. Again, with their relatives, they all look the same, being dim and unhappy with their son/brother. And in terms of costumes for that scene, they all wear casual clothes whereas the duo look unique with red. It could connote their pressure and issues that they have.

This would target a smaller range of an audience, typically young teens to the age of 23; Encouraged to listen to the record by it's relatable lyrics and Rock/Rap style genre. The ideas I would use from this music video would be it's use of lip-sync, camera angles and set up because it has a good use of tracking shots and interaction between the actors as well as the locations used, street, home and a white backdrop.

CASE STUDY 1: Eminem - Headlights

Headlights is a single by Eminem featuring Nate Ruess from his 8th studio album 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2' which has a narrative style music video with Spike Lee as the director for the short film. Similar to most of Marshall's music this takes on his personal life, however, in a more mature manner he wrote a remorseful song as a tribute to his mother, Debbie Mathers. The music video was released on 11th of May, 2014, Mother's Day.

Retaining the genre of hip-hop, the music video has a slow tempo and has a calm tone to it because it's nostalgic and emotional as the theme and motif is about his relationship with his mom who is also the protagonist. The video takes us to her perspective on how she copes alone while trying to reconnect with her son; Having the majority of the video in a first person can express loneliness and rejection due to Eminem's hate on his previous songs referenced on the TV as well as the guards not letting her in to see him.

Camera wise, still, focused shots of various places around a neighborhood (presumably where his mom lives) is shown at the few first seconds and is synced with the beat. Transitioning from an establishing shot of her home it cuts to a point of view shot using the handheld position as it's shaky and life-like. There are also a few third person/over the shoulder shots from the back of the protagonist, concealing her face; connoting how she felt irrelevant and unknown. Some close ups also appear on relatives of the family and when she meets Marshall at his drive way, the star is shown acting for a brief moment who's also presented in old photos. For representation, he's seen to be genuine as he's dressed up in his usual outfit, driving his car out of his home as if he's doing his daily chores.

Editing is used such as the flash back technique that had a sepia special effect to show that the clips and photos were from the past. After a fade transition of the protagonist driving away in a panning, high angle shot, a blur effect was used on the headlights of her car as she left the driveway telling us that it was sad for Marshall to see her go and part ways. Lip syncing was not used in the music video.
For mise-en-scene, it has a more realistic look on life, as we observe through her eyes in her home. However the whole music video takes place in Detroit, Michigan where the setting is around a neighborhood and in front of Eminem's home.

Although it's about Eminem's life, many people can relate to him and this alone has been a factor to encourage people to buy his records. This one in particular would target a wide range from late teens to adults (17 - 30). The ideas I would use for my own would include the camera techniques; to use the first person perspective as well as the stills shown at the beginning.