Exam question:
compare and contrast how media language is used in the music videos to Break My Heart by Dua Lipa and Riptide by Vance Joy.
Make reference to:
- Cinematography and editing
- Music video conventions
- How visual elements create meaning for the audience
In the real exam, you will not have access to the Riptide video, but for today there's no need to limit yourself.
Task: Watch the video to Break My Heart three times in a row, making brief notes under the following headings:
- Codes and conventions – performance/narrative/experimental features
performance based, dancing and lip syncing are reoccurring, the transitions between each set are experimental and abstract and stories do play within the video giving it narrative elements. titles in the opening make it seem like a movie and the video has a cyclical structure ending where it started
conventions- male gaze- dua lipa wearing costumes which accentuate her body and draw attention to the way she looks. her skin is on display and she has done up hair and makeup to make her look as hegemonically attractive as possible.
codes- standing on cars, walks through them looking at all the people kissing singing about having to get it wrong to know just what she likes, the cars represent her experience in her love life and past relationships- she stands on top of them as she has 'conquered' them, she isn't in the relationship (the car) anymore, she's over it (on top of the car). in the next scene she looks down on two boys playing with toy cars.
dominos in the room suggest it's a game, something reinforced by the boys playing with the cars.
the room turns sideways reflecting relationships and love going down, but she tries to get up and is swept away- this represents her as a victim rather than a perpetrator and suggests she isn't the cause- but the zoom out reveals she was the one tipping the boat/room- the bigger picture reveals she was the one rocking the boat. she is wearing the costume which shows no growth or that it is a different version of herself, the same person flailing for the relationship was the same person destroying it. it is key that the room it zooms out to where dua lipa is tilting the toy boat is filled with other people, it suggests that she couldn't stick/commit to one person because of the other opportunities. the lights, stage and people mulling around function as proairetic codes connoting she couldn't stay away from the party- a common stereotype in those who can't commit.
she walks past other couples sitting at the tables, sitting down represents being in a relationship (settling down) which encodes the ideology that it's restricting, the women all seem disinterested and borderline disgusted, which shows a feminist perspective that dua lipa is known for. some of the women can be seen standing up- leaving the relationship and then go onto the stage under the lights to dance. (if sitting is a relationship then dancing is the complete opposite- binary opposition being single is fun)
dancing accentuates her body- lots of women dance with her and some men (feminism is for everybody theory)
the wall breaks and she falls through, she's been taken away from her partying single antics. the fact that she the wall and she fell into the sky encodes a negative ideology around falling for someone but the pink sky connotes happiness and luxuriousness, this binary opposition encapsulates the message of the song.
she falls into the plane seat which is in binary opposition to the boat and reflects the difference between her past experiences in love and this one. rather than being on rocky waters, she's flying through the air.
third costume change- dominant colours goes from red to purple to pink gradually becoming softer and showing her change of ideology and attitude
the plane stretches as she walks down it- she's struggling to get to what she wants aka him. she walks through the crowds of people saying everybody else was a waste of time then sees him- binary opposition set up between him alone and the crowds of people and she says hey you got me the plane breaks. this reinforces the ideology encoded by the previous scene breaking, being in love is negative and equals a breakage. the fact he is sitting links back to sitting=relationships
underneath the sheets/in bed w a man connotes sex her running away after shows that's all she wanted w no added niceties. the sheets are an ugly yellow and the man isn't particularly hegemonically attractive which encourages the audience to condemn her actions. the man's gaze follow her and he stares in confusion as the bed begins to move- represents dua lipa as someone who leads people on.
the switching of bodes is a symbolic code for a...varied and wide sexual life, it tells the audience she's done this many times w many men. but she regrets it 'i should have stayed at home.' this scene offers a complete backtrack on the previous scenes- her growth has been undone and in the next scene she's back to wearing bright red and dancing with other girls.
hamster- observing something trapped in a cage going round and round in circles, links back to the theme that being physically active represents being single but offers a new perspective on it, she's literally/metaphorically? bigger than this perspective. scene symbolises an acknowledgement and reflection which is reinforced by the cutting together of previous scenes, involving knocking down the dominos- could be polysemic ending or playing the game? cutting together of scenes could also be a complete embrace of non-committal party lifestyle- audience can take what they like (preferred reading etc etc)
sorry that was so long and i don't rlly know if any of it is accurate just kinda hoping
- Camera work (framing – shot types, angle, position, movement)
continuos mid shots used to position the audience in front of dua lipa, camera is constantly tracking dua representing her as in control. lots of panning and tracking shots throughout
- Editing – beat-matched?
- Elements of continuity/montage
- Intertextuality
- Sound
opens with sound of traffic and beat as diegetic sound- builds excitement.
- Mise-en-scene – colour, lighting, location, costume/dress, hair/make-up
bold colour palette reflects conflict and passion, opens with dua lipa wearing bright red- connotes love and passion it's very bold which encodes the idea that she's a loud strong personality and the love she feels is very powerful.
In the real exam, you will be permitted to watch the unseen text three times, making notes the second and third time you watch it. This is a good habit to get in to. Repetition will allow you to notice things you would never see after a single viewing.
- What key differences are there in style between the two videos?
- In what ways do the two videos visually match the lyrics of the song?
- What is the preferred reading of each music video/ And who is is the target audience?
- Both music videos rely heavily on costume and mise-en-scene as symbolic codes. What deeper meanings do these two videos hold?
- How do these music videos use binary oppositions?
- One video is conventional, the other unconventional. Why do music videos differ so wildly?
- What messages do these videos encode about young women?
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