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.