Example- Stay Awake
I really like the concept of this video, as I think you could interpret it in many different ways. Also, to me personally this doesn't look like a very high budget video, which most definitely gives me confidence when I go on to shoot my own as this shows that you can create a good quality video without a high budget. I think that Examples target audience is for older teenagers and young adults, as I think that the meaning behind this video is unity within society through partying and enjoying yourself, something that many teenagers and young adults get up to.
When there are shots that only include himself, I still think that they're just as significant as the shots that explain and represent what his song is all about. The shots that are filmed with just him and shot in black and white. I think that by only using colour within the shots of the teenagers, he metaphorically saying that you come alive when we're all together and letting our hair down. I think that the different colours used represent the different personalities that come out of us, and that partying makes you feel and young and free again.
He is the main subject within the frame as the background is completely neutral, and a high key lighting is used so an audience can focus on him.The first shot of him he has his back to what you could call his 'logo.' By presenting the logo to be the same size as himself, I think that he is implying that his music has become bigger than he is and that he is finally taking off for success, hence the reason as to why this song is all about letting yourself go and celebrating. When using close ups of him lip syncing (shot 6) he himself is anything but serious, and seems to be relaxed and enjoying himself. Like One Direction in their video, nothing seems staged about his performance which I think always makes a video more successful. Shot 12 is extremely similar to this, however a mid shot is used to emphasis the relaxed body language used to demonstrate his carefree attitude and mind. Shot 8 is probably my favourite of Example, as he uses the concept of a 'God-like' status by showing him rising above the ground as if looking up to someone. I like to interpret this shot as music metaphorically being a God to him, that music was his saviour and is what he admires most.
I love how Example has taken three completely different groups of teenagers who are probably from entirely different worlds and see things from different perspectives. The 2nd shot is a mid shot of a girl and a boy, both staring vaguely into the camera. Their facial expressions and body language give us as an audience the impression that they're moody and unsociable people. However, as the music video progresses we see them them and friends celebrating and partying in what looks like perhaps a tunnel or somewhere underground where they all come together and enjoy themselves. What I like most about this particular example is that the use of low key lighting allows the shot to become gritty and this would suggest negativity. However, Example hasn't used anything superficially to show people having fun, but has shown us something us as society might not see.
We're then shown a group of urban teenagers, who look bored and pretty miserable and what appears to be located in central London. You would assume that with all the entertainment that goes on around and in London they'd be people celebrating in bars and clubs, however yet again as the video progresses the group of urban teenagers are seen together dancing and encouraging eachother. I think the message Example is also trying to convey is that teenagers are not always finding ways to entertain themselves by causing trouble or underage drinking, but are coming together to enjoy what they love most. That is why I think that is a good promotional video, as it shows unity and positivity with teenagers, something that the media and internet doesn't do much of.
To conclude, the shots that the last group of teenagers that are in are probably the only shots that include vibrant colours. These shots are a lot more quirkier than the others, and the group of teenagers are seen throwing powder paint at eachother and dressing up in fancy dress costumes. A variety of shots are used including long shots, extreme close ups and low angled shots. The setting and the props are used appropriately as they represent people that are carefree and full of energy. The lighting contrast in shot 9 works really well, as the background has low key lighting whereas the foreground uses high key lighting. The low key lighting may represent the negativity within an area, but the high lighting represents the positivity of the people in it and I think that that is what Example is trying to demonstrate to his audience instead of dwelling on the negativity.
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