Initial Ideas

Music Video Analysis: Owl City-Fireflies

Music Video Analysis: Owl City-Fireflies.

I have chosen to analyse this music video due to it being relevant to the music genre I am considering and as Owl City is featured in the music video I want to re-produce.

The video starts off with a hand turning on and altering the settings of a keyboard.At the begining the man presses a button which says 'start/stop' and as he presses it the music begins. As he alters settings and presses several buttons the beat starts to kick in and from a long shot which slowly rises to a high angle, you are shown lights turning on magically by themselves in the beat of the music whilst the suroundings of a childs bedroom with pieces of lego and gadgets on the floor which start to come to life as the build up to the first verse begins. Throughout the song there are several relations to magic and creative imagination. The music video relates to Goodwin's theory about the reationship between lyrics and visuals as throughout the video at certain point when lyrics are said the camera will either do an extreme close up or focus on a particular object, for example in part of the lyrics it says ''as they try to teach me how to dance'' and ameduim close up image of a dancing robot is shown. The different camera angles and shots are mainly used when the toys come to life and change quicker as the beat gets faster and builds up to the chorus. Another one of Goodwins theories is 'close ups should always be included'. The main closeups are used when certain toys represent what is being said in the lyrics and when the man is playing the keyboard.

The narrative of this video is telling a story from a childs point of view where everything is possibly and his imagination comes to life. You can tell the song is about childhood, dreams and magic because of the visuals  you see throughout such as the toys and gadgets, the magic of them all coming to life and from the lyrics at the begining, 'you would not belueve your eyes, if ten million fireflies, lit up the world as i fell asleep'' which starts off the whole story of what is going on throughout the video. With the use of one scene you can understand and capture the mise-en-scene much easier.

The target audience for this music video would be mainly teenagers due to the music genre and the artist being well known for creating songs aimed at the same age range along with the fact that just like teenagers, Owl City expresses his throughts and feelings in this song which is another thing teenagers are good at, letting their opinion out and coming to an answer or conclusion to something they are thinking about.

Permission Request

Lyric Breakdown

Lyrics Breakdown: Owl City ft Carly Rae Jepsen - Good Time

0:03Woah-oh-oh-oh0:050:05It's always a good time0:070:08Woah-oh-oh-oh0:090:10It's always a good time0:11
In the opening verse the two characters will be introduced in different natural environments such as looking out a bedroom window at the sunny sky whilst the other one could be doing something relevant to a boys hobby such as playing a sport. The storyline of the opening of the song will be the two characters getting ready for the weekend or an exciting event.
0:15Woke up on the right side of the bed0:190:20What's up with this Prince song inside my head?0:220:23Hands up if you're down to get down tonight0:270:28Cuz it's always a good time.0:300:31Slept in all my clothes like I didn't care0:340:35Hopped into a cab, take me anywhere0:380:39I'm in if you're down to get down tonight0:420:43Cuz it's always a good time0:45
For the first verse the main setting may be in a bedroom, relating to the lyrics of waking up on the right side of the bed. From 0:31 the scene will change to him walking around the house looking tired like he had an eventful time the night before. When he mentions getting in to a cab he could be dialing a taxi company and singing the lyrics as they answer the phone to relate to the narrative of the songs lyrics.
0:46Good morning and good night0:490:50I'll end up at twilight0:530:54It's gonna be alright0:560:57We don't even have to try0:580:59It's always a good time1:01
The build up to the chorus  will be based on them getting ready for the future event. At the beginning of the build up it will show the female getting ready either choosing her clothes for the day and checking herself out in the mirror, sorting her hair out or doing her make up. The scene will then change to the boy getting ready and preparing himself by posing in the mirror, doing his hair and putting on after shave. From 0:54 to the end of the build up there will be a shot of both the scenes with the girl on one side of the screen and the boy on the other singing and about to walk out the door. 1:02Woah-oh-oh-oh Woah-oh-oh-oh 1:061:07It's always a good time1:081:08Woah-oh-oh-oh1:121:13We don't even have to try, it's always a good time. 1:17
We have decided that each chorus will be set at a different event throughout the day to show the passing of time. For this first chorus it will be set at a park such as Ward Jackson, the girl will be sat on the grass with some of her friends singing along for the first two lines, it will then change to the boy with his friends playing football near where the girls are sat. At the end of the chorus the two different images of the girl and boy will be used again as they sing ' it's always a good time'.(However, we need to consider the weather for this scene in case we so as a backup if the weather is dull and rainy the scene will be set in college or an educational looking environment to make it look like the morning of a college day and them being excited for it to end to prepare for the night.)
1:24Freaked out dropped my phone in the pool again1:271:28Checked out of my room hit the ATM1:311:32Let's hang out if you're down to get down tonight1:351:36Cuz it's always a good time1:39
The second verse starts off with the girl dancing in a bathroom and dropping her phone in a bath, the camera will then do an extreme chose up of the sorrow and shock on her face. It will then show her messaging someone online asking if they're up for hanging out and show the previous part of the conversation so the audience can see the story behind why they are arranging on going out.
1:40Good morning and good night1:421:43I'll wake up at twilight1:461:47It's gonna be alright we don't even have to try1:411:42It's always a good time.1:44
The first verse to the build up will be of the boy most likely with some friends again arranging to hang out and buy some videogames. The second line will then be of the girl with her friends meeting up for a girly day out. The last two lines will show a medium to extreme closeup of the different scenes they are at and at the end just just before they go to different parts of the shopping centre they will walk past each other and show excitement of hanging round with their friends and will then leave the scene by doing some form of movement like running for the bus, chasing a football, going in a shop to begin their shopping spree.
1:44Woah-oh-oh-oh Woah-oh-oh-oh1:592:00It's always a good time2:012:02Woah-oh-oh-oh2:052:06We don't even have to try, it's always a good time.2:092:10Woah-oh-oh-oh Woah-oh-oh-oh2:142:15It's always a good time2:172:18Woah-oh-oh-oh2:202:21We don't even have to try, it's always a good time.2:23
This chorus will be aimed in a shopping centre for the girls having a shopping spree and enjoying themselves along with the girl looking for a new phone after the trauma of dropping her other one in the bath, whilst the scene with the boys will be set at an arcade or house with them all playing video games and getting stuck into the atmosphere of the world of video games.
2:24Doesn't matter when2:262:27It's always a good time then2:282:28Doesn't matter where2:292:30It's always a good time there2:322:32Doesn't matter when,2:332:34It's always a good time then2:382:39It's always a good time2:40
The build up to the last verse will be more serious and set on an evening, it will show the girls all getting ready and pampering themselves whilst the boys mess about getting ready and doing the usual silly boyish stuff such as leaving everything till the last minute. Another extreme close up will be used of the girl looking out into the summer sky singing the last bit of the girls lyrics in this build up. Just before the last chorus there will be two long shots of the girl and boy all dressed up ready for the night and getting into some transport to the main event.
2:31Woah-oh-oh-oh Woah-oh-oh-oh2:442:45It's always a good time2:472:48Woah-oh-oh-oh2:502:51We don't even have to try, it's always a good time2:542:55Woah-oh-oh-oh, woah-oh-oh-oh3:003:01Its always a good time3:033:04Woah-oh-oh-oh3:053:06We dont'e even have to try, it's always a good time3:11 The story behind the final chorus will be the girl and boy finally being able to socialise and get to know each other after seeing each other throughout the day and not having the chance to talk. It will be set somewhere such as a different park, the beach or somewhere where teenagers tend to go to hang out and take photos. For this scene we will need plenty of extras to make it look like it is a real celebration. Props such as alcohol/alcopops, glow sticks or a log fire will also come in handy to show everyone having a good time and doing what teenagers like doing best, drinking and having a laugh.(Again this scene will need to take weather into consideration, so as a fall back if the weather is poor the scene will be set at a house party and them bumping into each other, smiling and having a laugh throughout the night.)
3:12Woah-oh-oh-oh Woah its always a good time Woah-oh-oh-oh Woah its always a good time3:22
Right at the end of the song it will show the boy and girl waking up the next day, again from different scenes of their rooms with a prop such as photos from the day before, putting a smile on their face after remembering the events of last night and the creation of a new friendship.Finish 3:28

All Time Low advert analysis

The Beatles digipak

The Beatles digipak

The Beatles digipak from Ellie Marie Brown

11 Frame Analysis

9 Frame Analysis - He Is We from Ellie Brown

Shot Count - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran - The A Team

I chose this video to test the shot count as it fits in with my chosen genre. This video was also a good one to focus on as it tells a story which is what I want my music video to do. After viewing this video I found that there were 68 different shots used which doesn't seem a lot but with it being a slow song, not many shots were expected. However, from 1:46 to 2:07 two different scenes were used but several jump shots were recorded within them as the traffic moved and people passed by in the streets. There are 4 main scenes in the video which are in the park, on the streets, in a parking lot and in an apartment room. The majority of the video is filmed along the streets. The change of shots however weren't really in sync with the beat of the music, they were more based on when the storyline changed. For example from 1:00 to 2:33 the whole scene is shot along the streets as within that section he mentions in the lyrics: 
''And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries''

These lyrics narrate the story of the music video and describe how she has been struggling in her life and spending most of her time on the streets since a young age which is also why a young actress was best used when filming.

''Ripped gloves, raincoat

Tried to swim and stay afloat
Dry house, wet clothes
Loose change, bank notes
Weary-eyed, dry throat
Call girl, no phone''
These lyrics are also used in the same scene and gives you a more in-depth story behind the girls life, how she's obviously been living rough and also makes you realise why she is in the parking lot and bedroom scene without having to question yourself what she is doing there. Throughout the video it is constantly in black and white which can also tell the story of the girl having a dull, black and white life with no excitement or feeling wanted with her; the black and white resembles her being alone, unwanted and struggling throughout her life, so much so that she has had to resort to prostitution to gain the money she needs for drugs and survival.

Personal Skills Audit

My Group

In my group I work alongside:
Jonny Bullock
Gareth Owens