J.R. Technical Analysis

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
GETTING NOWHERE - MAGNETIC MAN FT JOHN LEGEND

Analysis of 00:00 - 01:35

This music video is a narrative based performance, representing youth culture in  a negative way. This music video could be the result of the London Riots which positioned youth a separated from society, something which i believe is illustrated in this music video. 

Shot Number	Framing	Duration	Mise en scene	Effect
1	Extreme Long Shot/ Tracking Shot	00:00 – 00:03	Located in an urban settlement, this shot shows the dark gloomy side to modern day society, explicitly illustrated through the use of low key lighting.	The effect this shot has on this music video is establishing the mood of the video, which conforms to being quite mysterious and dark.
2	Long Shot / Slight Pan Right to Left	00:03-00:06	The brightly coloured clothing of the individual positioned in the right third of the shot, creates a contrast in colour between him and the surrounding area.	This is the first shot which establishes that this music video is a narrative based, shown through the slight pan, which positions the audience with this character.
3	Mid Close Up/Tracking	00:06-00:09	Costume does not reveal identity of this character, this is supported through the fore ground of the shot being blurred out, only focusing on the background of the shot.	This could connote the ideology that was produced mainly from the London riots about, youth hiding their identity within this urban environment.
4	Mid/Long Shot Handicam	00:10-00:12	The character is once again hidden from the audience, as it employs the same effects as the previous shot, focusing only on the foreground of the shot opposed to the background where that character is positioned. The monochrome colour scheme also symbolises	The positioning of this shot produces the idea that we are spying on the characters, revealed through the way the camera is hidden in conjunction with the character.
5	Mid Close Up/Tracking	00:12-00:13	Cut back to the previous shot, once again showing the unrevealed character. These range of shots are I slow motion which allow the audience to concentrate of the characters movements.	Starts to connect the audience with a range of characters, building upon the narrative in this music video.
6	Extreme Long Shot (Handicam)	00:13-00:15	Showing a previously shown character in the brightly coloured clothing on a BMX bike.	This represents youth culture and how they have been singled out in society, shown through the framing of only the young male (unidentified).
7	Tracking Shot	00:15-00:17	This Low angle tracking shot, shows authority of a character, presenting him as dominant.	The dark urban environment is continued through this shot.
8	Handicam/Over the Shoulder (POV)	00:17-00:18	Over the shoulder shot positions the audience with that characters perspective, facial features still unrevealed, with low key lighting.	Establishing a perspective for the audience to look into.
9	Tracking Shots	00:18-00:27	Shows various urban locations, all with low key lighting. These shots also cut in accordance with the beat of the music.	Creates a dark image for this urban environment.
10	Compilation of various handicam shots	00:27-00:30	BMX riders, shown completing an array to tricks.	This conforms to youth culture, shown through their non-verbal language, and in some way developing upon the idea of rebellion.
11	Long/Tracking shot	00:30-00:32	This is the first shot that shows all ‘mysterious’ characters together, showing the unity through the fact that they are all positioned on BMX bikes.	The effect the edit has (normal-slow motion) transforms this shot creating a more meaning in the characters movements.
12	Low Angle	00:32-00:35	Hooded youth, located in an urban environment.	Creates a sense of authority, youth have in accordance with the surrounding area.
13	Fast Cutting Rate/Symmetrical Shots	00:35-00:37	Dark urban settlement coloured clothing contrasts with the surrounding environment.	Flick book sort of effect this process has on the video.
14	Selection of fast cutting rate shots	00:35-00:56	Predominately low angle shots of the BMX bike riders. Illustrative approach to the lyrics, shown though props used in the shots.	Slow motion and rewinding editorial features put in place to create an artist style to the music video.
15	Close Up	00:56-00:58	Old women, with make-up representing her as possessed.	This shot identifies that the hooded individuals may have some sort of power.
16	Selection of Mid Close Ups	00:58-01:02	Reveals that the hooded individuals have no identity shown through the blacked out face. In addition the cutting to and from the horse all in black symbolises death and negativity.	Creates an eerie, un-natural feeling.
17	Pan Left – Right	01:02-01:05	Old man positioned in the right third of the shot, positioned in a plain dull room.	Creating a feeling of emptiness and the use of slow motion allows us to gather an understanding what this characters through and emotions are in comparison to the previous shots, in the video.
18	Close Up	01:05-01:06	Close up of the old man and possessed woman.	Creates binary opposition between the two characters.
19	Mid Shot – Close Up	01:06-01:08	Hooded individual with heavy edit placed over this shot.	The edit put in place, signifies the fact that he could be evil, predominantly shown through the use of the colour black, which connotes negativity.
20	Repeat of Symmetrical shots	01:08-01:10	Shows all the different characters in this dark dingy environment.	Creating flick book effect, adding to the somewhat conceptual style of this music video.
21	High Angle Shot	01:10-01:12	Young males are shown violently approaching another young male shown through non-verbal language.	Creates comparison between the young individuals and the hooded BMX bike riders.
22	Mid Close Up	01:12-01:13	Shows expressions of young male’s faces, non-verbal language.	Re-states this idea of violence within youth.
23	Pan Right –Left	01:14-01:15	Black horse positioned in the same location of the young males (at a different time) connotes that they are related with this individual.	Reveals the character positioned on the black horse, brings back this notion of evil.
24	Close Up	01:15-01:16	Unidentified individual all dressed in black positioned on the horse.	Supports the idea of negativity shown throughout the video, linking the youth with this iconic image.
25	Selection of fast cut shots	01:16-01:35	Non-verbal language is shown as violent.	Creates a connection between the negativity of the BMX riders and Black Horse and the young youth shown to beat up an individual. This is shown through the inter-cutting of the two scenes.

To reflect upon this music video, it is clear to identify that a residual ideology of young people has been produced representing them in a negative way within todays society. This has been constructed through various shots which include close ups that stress the colour of black which is intertwined in their costume representing negativity and violence, which is supported through the characters body language. A fast cutting rate is also an aspect of this video production that conforms the song to the genre, and the use of slow motion and shots placed in reverse creates a more conceptual approach to the music video.