How mise en scene and performance contribute to representations in our music video

In our music video there are several representations to such thing as the alternative rock genre or how the singer is shown to the audience. The mise en scene throughout the video shows the representation of the song choice but not the genre of the band (alternative rock). As the song is a rock love/ballad song and the locations and the look of the video throughout the video shows a representation of a typical song which is a rock ballad. As the locations are set in wide open spaces in nature as the singer performs, the shots are edited to look much brighter then original shot to represent the song as a happy and joyful loving song and not just a rock song. The only representation shown in our video through mise en scene to show the alternative rock genre is the master shot where it cuts back to the studio where the singer is lip syncing the song which is seen in other videos with the same genre. As the singer is shown as the only image and performs in a way that is stereotypical of the genre, e.g. head banging. Overall the mise en scene is represented as a rock ballad but has elements of the genre we have chosen.



The performance side of our video shows the genre much clearer, as Douglas Sweeney the vocalist of the band shows stereotypical characteristics of a vocalist in the alternative rock genre. This is shown throughout the video as he over exaggerates his actions and emphasises them to get across the point and meaning of the song/lyrics. As the lyrics “Hold out your hands and lean upon me” are seen as him putting his arms out towards the camera to pull in the audience, which is seen in other videos of the same genre. The use of doing actions that are stereotypical of the genre will attract the audience much more than just simply lip syncing, as we made Douglas Sweeny head bang as that is what’s seen in modern society of music videos in alternative rock genre. Overall the performance in our music video is well thought out to able ourselves to sell the media product to the intended audience and make it seem real as an alternative rock music video through the performance.

The representations of males and females are also contributed by the use of mise en scene and performance. As the costume what the female in our video is wearing (Alex), is very stereotypical of the gender when the weather is cold. Where she is wearing stylish clothes that are practical to keep her warm and look reasonable as a pretty female, with the performance of Alex helping her aswel as she acts feminine and shy when Tom arrives. The vocalist is seen as a strong male by his facial expressions and the fact he is fighting the wind and cold in just a long shirt and jeans through the performance represents him as a strong male. The male protagonist (Tom) is seen as a sensitive male as he breaks up from his girlfriend and walks alone through the streets of failsworth. The costume he is wearing also shows his sensitive side of a male, as he is wrapped up warm in complaisant to the singer having minimal clothes on in such cold weather. Overall the female and males are represented as stereotypes seen in modern society, having a strong male and a feminine girl through the use of the mise en scene in the video and the performance elements from the actors in the video.

POSTED BY DOUG