This is the start of the video called Proof. This video is a British traditional rock video which plays on a certain stereotype that low class British men, like the man which Christopher Ecclestone plays in this video, are all drunken, wrecked up men who constantly have hangovers and suffer from lost relationships and a lack of love from more mature women.
This particular scene is showing us the effects of what a bad, unhealthy lifestyle involving drugs and beer can do to a man. This scene represents the man's depression after seemingly being let go from a relationship, and his eyes being closed provide emphasis towards the issue that he has problems. The visual effects provide imagery that his life is hard and unable to be dealt with, and that gives the audience sympathy if the character, and allows them to follow him emotionally as a character, much like a TV or Movie product, except it's a music video in this case. This is a technique of illustration usage in the video, and since no actual speaking is involved, this video uses illustration to draw in the audience. Ironically, despite this video playing on emotions, the video seems to be targetted more at a male audience, subverting the stereotype that females are the one's who relate to emotions more and should be the audience to follow.
Past the main drinking verse, this is the verse the confirms, or at least implies that the man has just expereicned a break-up, the cause for his despair and self-pity. The entire concept of his drinking over a loss is confroming to the stereotype that life is an incredibly hard thing to cope with, and both natural and 'artifical' causal issues will always cause problems for the average being. Chris's character plays the role well as an emotional trainwreck.
This is the video ending, this is aided by two visual effects, the camera closing up on the man to emphasise his change in emotions, and the actual facial expression itself. The lyrics are also synchronous with the visuality as well, since they became more positive sounding along with Chris's smile...
Video no.2: Sinead O Connor: Nothing compares 2 U.
This is the start of the video, a simple montage reflecting on the casual yet seemingly happy scenery. This is of contrast to the actual video itself, which conforms to sadness, espeically intensified when Sinead lets a tear drop go into filimg. The scenery is perhaps a metaphor to describe how great and perfect her partner is in every way, and this would certainly represent Sinead's point that she is unable to compare to the one she is speaking of.
This is a part in the video in which the girl pauses and thinks on what she is saying as well as how she feels, this further produces the image that she is unable to compare to him. Therefore she is unhappy with the status quo of he lack in quality as an overall individual.
The whole message of the video possibly conforms to the general stereotype and possibly to the status of society and its class strutcture. Perhaps Sinead seems sad because as an average woman, she cannot compare to what could be a rich, good looking business man of sorts that could have even traded her for a better woman. This theory is further evidenced by the montage at the start.
The ending of the video does 2 things, firstly, thanks to Sinead's performance, she lets a tear drop go into the filming and allows further intensity to become visual in the video towards the sympathetic viewers, another example of a simple video playing this towards audiences. This is an example of amplification via the tear drop being mixed with the illustration to create effect. Though unlike Proof, this video targets females primarily so it conforms to the stereotype that females are more emotional.
Another thing is the final montage. It shows images of angel statues. Perhaps this is another way to represent the perfection of this person she is speaking of in the video, and how she cannot compare to him. On the other hand, another implication is that this man is dead, was her husband, and she's lost him and is in despair, so she is saying nothing will ever be as good as him. This is a media convention that some things in music videos have more than one meaning.
Basically, the whole idea of this video's concept as well as its featured lyrics use the media technique of disjuncture, but use it in a more literal way. The words and visual effects combine to form a separation of the woman protagonist and the one she refers to...
The way both of these videos are produced is generally simplistic. However, the emotions and visual effects, as well as the meaningful lyrics, are what draw in certain audiences. However, this 3rd video is slightly more dynamic and complex in its production. It's called Carrie and is an 80's style video.
Video no. 3: Europe: Carrie.
The video is based on the main artist of the band performing on stage, lacking any narrative approach. The production seems relatively simple compared to most videos. However, the way in which the performance is played with is certainly abnormal. The man is singing a song of mixed emotional content, AKA when the light goes down (negative) I see no reason for you to cry. (Changes to positive) and while he is performing the camera changes to focus the piano.
The entire video focuses on synchronous sound effects and well as relations between sound and illustration. The lyrics are always reflecting the illustrative movements and overall style performance in all of the moments of the video.
The reason a piano is being used is a representation of the genre, this song is of a soft rock variety. The lyrics and loud voice tend to dominate over the soft piano tune in this video. Perhaps this is an intended contrast in sound, so that despite the tune itself fits with the lyrics, the tone and the instrument used do not. Again, this is possibly another way in which the performance contains contrast in both song and feel.
Carrie is presented by a fairly large band, Europe, who also produced the Final countdown song, so a song choice like this would be wise if a large, broad audience is desired.
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