Vid EG 1 Young The Giant- Cough Syrup

ACT: Young the Giant

Track: Cough Syrup

Year: 2011

Director: Petro        

Genre: Alternative Rock/ Indie Rock

Main Audience: M & F 15- 25+ (Because these are the ages that are into more subtle music, less upbeat compared to pop and electro songs and have a meaning within the lyrics/ the audience is able to relate to them)

 Representations:

In this video there are women dressed in the old style swimming suits.  They are represented as glamorous and delicate as they are each dressed in a different color swimsuit and at the beginning of the song, they are positioned at the side of the pool sat. However, you may argue that they are represented in a sexual way as they wearing a revealing costume, by this I mean it exposes their legs and arms and the fact that they are wearing heels in some part with their swimming costumes reinforces the idea that they are sexy and dominant as they are at a higher level to the male band.

Relationship between visuals + Lyrics:

When the lead singer say  “beat of a drum” in the video we are presented with aligned drums/ speakers on a table topped with some with water either clear/ or different colors so that that the audience is able to see the “beat” of the drum as drops of water bounce up and down due to the sound that is being produced.

Star Treatment:

The lead singer is positioned in the middle of the band as he is the lead singer, and most of the shots from which he is presented in are close up of his face with the microphone to reinforce that he is the leader of the band. (He is the “Giant”)

 Genre Characteristics:

Random objects are presented throughout, such as glass bottles filled with primary color paints that move sideways as the tempo of the music speeds up. This is a genre characteristic because alternative rock is known to be a genre which is not specific, it's a genre where the artists are able to express their talent and include symbols that aren't necessarily related to the narrative.

 Linear, Closed Narrative:

 This is a non-linear open narrative because there is no storyline that matches with the lyrics that the lead singer is singing, as it's a video based on images that highlight certain aspects of the lyrics. Its sending out the message to the audience that they can express themselves freely, which is what a non-linear open narrative is all about, it appeals to different viewers as there is no set story to the lyrics. This further reinforces the genre of alternative rock as

 Performance Style:

The performance is based mainly around the band performing the song and the women dancing in the water (water aerobics). This is typical of an Indie rock genre band (which is Young The Giant's sub-genre) as the band is typically presented in the music video performing and lip singing their song.

Looking/ Mode of Address

 The lead singer looks into the camera from time to time throughout the video especially when the chorus comes up since it's the part of the song that he is trying to get the audience to pay the most attention to, and by looking into the camera it's as if he is addressing the audience directly and singing the song to them. This is a typical convention of indie/ alternative rock genre as their songs have a meaning behind them, which they are trying to put across to their audience through the use of different symbols and mode of address.

Male Gaze:

This video has got male gaze to an extent as the females are presented in swimming costumes and at the end of the music video when they are in the setting of a photo-shoot, they are posing seductively as though trying to attract the males who are watching the video

Shot Variety + No. Of Setups:

There are three setups in the music video. One of them is the band located close to the pool playing their song. The second is the women being shot underwater whilst dancing or through a medium shot above the water whilst dancing in the pool, and lastly a photography studio where the women are positioned as mannequins while the band in a 

way decorates them with either glitter or spray paint whilst they're posing. 

Notable Shots/ Framing:

The most notable shots are; medium long shots of both the males (the band) and the females presented in the music video. Furthermore there is a variety of medium close up short from the lead singer taken at different angles of the setting.

Pace + Any Variation of Pace:

 The pace of the song is quite fast as you continually get short shots and it transitions quickly onto the next one. The area in which the editing is paced-faster is when the object shots and the women shots are shown, whereas the pace is                                                                                      longer when the band is presented all together during the chorus section.