Music video comparison

 

Music video comparison:

Explain one way in which music videos use media language to differ from each other. Refer to one example of contrasting media language in two music videos you have studied to support your answer.

 

One way in which music videos use media language to differ from each other is the type of shots that each scene was filmed and transitioned into. On one hand we have the music video for ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ which has quite simple shots and the cameras doesn’t move around too much. The lyrics and the video match up as the video are a literal presentation of what the band is singing about. It has traditional shots as the video is supposed to represent a traditional American High school feel as it based on that environment. You have the typical popular girl and her annoying Jockey and a quiet boy who wants to be what the boyfriend is to the girl. There aren’t many hectic shots, the video takes its time with each scene and doesn’t cut halfway through to show another to show another aspect of the American life. Most of the shows in this are eye-level ones and some close ups so we see the corny expressions on the faces of each character.  The transitions are also very basic and they all build up to the biggest night of their year… prom. The scenes start to get more hectic as it goes on and they get more exiting and different types of shots come into play. For example: the scene when the girls tell the boy he has tickets and it slowly zooms into her and then cuts from time to time of the band.

On the other hand, the ‘Sk8ter boy’ music video does the opposite. The shots are very hectic which I think really captures the lyrics and feel of the song. The video is set in an edgy alternative scene to most videos and shows the grunge side of America. The videos really contrast here as one is hectic and edgy and the other is traditional and bright. A common shot in this video are high-angle shots and birds eye view. This is to show that they are different from the rest and could want people to look up to them because they are trying to be different. The teenagers are trying to rebel from their parents and so the video is very choppy and so you have to watch carefully or you might miss a scene. It really represents them trying to break free of the reins of parents and trying to experiment in their own creative way. This is also shown by the different shots. The transitions vary in this music video which I think shows how the relationship between the boy and his ex and the boy and the girl varied and then when they were dancing on cars, everything was finally figured out and it has stopped being hectic.

IN conclusion, I think that the shot types and transitions alone create a massive difference in the two videos. One is very bright like a kids magazine and the other moody and exiting like a teenage, more grown up one, experimenting as they go.