EH - Similar Product Research 1

Solo Task - Emma Hall 9162

Local Natives "Who Knows, Who Cares"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAHD6WQSBWo

This video is mostly narrative based, with the last section including performance that is worked into the narrative, as the group of friends travelling included the band. The purpose of the video is to entertain and create a memorable image of the band. Audience members watching this would gain a sense of personal identity, as it shows quite a distinct lifestyle that is very free and young, but can mostly watch this passively without having to think too much about the contents, following the hypodermic needle theory. This is in some ways unusual for the indie-folk genre, as it generally takes more of an age-neutral stand point, but this video is clearly aimed at a young, in the 20s audience, with the group of friends having fun together, eventually dancing together to live music. This is usually more typical of the pop genre, however, the costumes and other activities such as rowing a boat and fishing which are depicted in the video are more individual and less-mainstream than pop.

In general, however, the video is suitable for the genre, with the locations in particular fitting in with the conventions of folk; an establishing long shot shows a large open field, as characters walk through knee-high grass. The sense of a journey is also typical of this genre of music, which is very prominent here, with the video opening with a tracking shot of the roadside, and frequent shots of the group of friends walking from one destination to the next. Another nicely-framed sot is one of the shadow of the van moving, with one of the occupants arms waving out the top, setting the tone of the video (a relaxing, feel-good tone) whilst also establishing the location and matching the lyrics “we took a van down to Colorado”. Matching genre and lyrics with visuals are elements that Goodwin suggested all music videos should include. In addition to this, he suggested the music should fit the visuals, which this video does very well. In the early shots, the camera is hazy with soft focus, moving slowly, with some shots over-cranked. This enhances the slowness and calm of the music, which is also reflected in the slow cutting rate. The tempo of the song increases halfway through quite distinctly, with an energetic drumbeat starting, which is reflected in the videos narrative, as the amiable outdoor dinner party becomes a food fight. The cutting rate increases immediately as the camera becomes hand-held, capturing the energy of the youth as well as the vibrancy of the colourful foods being thrown.  This energy is sustained for the latter half of the video, with the friends running together instead of walking, and then dancing to the band performing as the day turns to night. In this way the narrative follows  Levi-Strauss’ idea of binary opposition, with the video switching from calm, serenity and slowness to a faster, exciting adventure, as well as transitioning from day to night.

A mid-shot of the friends walking silhouetted against the lake bridges the gap between the day and night portions of the video, as you can see the sun setting behind the group. Whilst there are close ups throughout the video, the outdoor concert at the end is where the record label get most of their obligatory close-ups of the band specifically, as well as of the instruments being played. There is also a more voyeuristic approach to the end sequence, as the girls in the group have friends have changed into bikinis, whilst the men dance without their shirts on, in a more typical male/female representation than seen previously. Rayner suggested that representations are “the process by which the media presents the real world”, but I believe this video, rather than presenting the real world as I know it, instead shows, as O’Sullivan stated “a partially selected view of reality”. This video is set against a lush American backdrop of stunning vistas, where everyone wears nice clothes and the sun always shines. The group of people the video centres around are represented as good friends, with nearly every shot having at least two people in it, and plenty of close ups which emphasise the smiles on everyone’s faces. However, this is not done in a cheesy way, but naturally, as though the video is capturing the events like an observational documentary, with no one making eye contact with or acting as though they know the camera’s there. While idyllic and heart-warming, the video is quite unrealistically perfect, with sun rays bouncing off the camera lens, and one shot in particular showing wide open, clear blue sky, with the camera slowly coming into focus on a solitary bird flying across the screen. This seems in many ways too nice, with the idea of such a large group of friends happily spending the day together in the sunshine without a single hitch or problem seeming too good to be true. Watching a video like this may lead to a changed view of the world afterwards (mediation theory). This video, and media similar to it, paint a picture of America that could create a hyperreality for viewer's that would be contradicted if they ever journeyed to America themselves, or attempted a similar trip with friends - they may find that the trip doesn't live up to their expectations created through the viewing of media.

I’d like to take some of the idyllic tone of this video into my own video, as well as the theme of friendship, but with a more realistic approach to locations, using settings that relate to my own every-day, as opposed to this American fantasy. The way the camera matches the tempo of the music is also very effective here, and I like the way the average shot length increases suddenly to match the upbeat portion of music that comes in halfway through, as it helps to keep the video interesting and not monotonous. This will be a key aspect to get right in my music video – keeping the video moving forward and interesting without waning in the middle.

This song was taken from the debut album of a relatively unknown band, called 'Gorilla Manor'. However, the album received very positive reviews and so was released through Infectious Records in the UK, and then later through independent record label Frenchkiss Records in the US. As it was the debut album from a new band, the album, and by extension the music video did not receive much promotion, although it was reviewed by many online sites and followed by a tour. The video was released onto the Local Natives official YouTube Channel. Other videos have also been advertised on the band's official Facebook and Twitter pages.