Music Video Analysis

Shaggy - It wasn’t me
This music video starts off with a cut from black with a slow motion establishing shot that is
used to show the main location of the music video and also add some dramatic effect, this
shot shows RikRok running towards Shaggy’s mansion, this is closely followed by a close up
of the door with a knocking sound effect. At this point, there is dialogue between both of
them while RikRok is telling Shaggy that his ‘girl just caught’ him, this links to the song itself
as well as the narrative of the music video This all takes place with them talking to each
other through a screen. When the lyrics to the song start playing, there is a very long shot
showing the mansion which fades to black, this could be used to show time has passed, this
fades to a body walking past the camera. While RikRok is singing the lyrics to the verse, the
camera is panning round the table, this makes those lyrics seem like they're in a
conversation, the camera changes its position but continues to pan to show Shaggy's
reaction to what he is saying, it looks like shaggy is listening to him, . While these lyrics
continue, the camera cuts to a fancy car with a Shaggy's girlfriend in it, this again cuts to a
close up shot of her phone that shows he has been sleeping with another woman, this is
followed by apart of that video, this part includes some nudity which would increase the male
gaze for the music video.The camera then cuts back to a two shot showing both Shaggy and
RikRok at the table, the use of the two shot could be used to show that both Shaggy and
RikRok are in agreement and then cuts to a close up of his girlfriends phone which is
followed by a mid-shot of her reaction. At this point, there is a mid-shot of Shaggy in a
different location, this location looks like it is a high-tech place which could connote wealth.
Throughout this part of the music video, it cuts back and forth between Shaggy sitting in the
high-tech location and Shaggy surrounded by women, this could indicate that he doesn’t
keep to one woman. After that, It cuts back to Shaggy and RikRok by showing Shaggy’s
back and then speeding up the footage while panning to the table with a two-shot. In this
shot you can see Shaggy holding a cigar, cigar’s are normally an item that shows wealth so
this could be connoting that Shaggy is rich, this is followed by a woman putting an ash-tray
on the table, this again connotes that Shaggy is rich. This part of the song ends off with
some quick cuts showing Shaggy surrounded by women, this continues to create his start
image as being popular and attractive, this is because of the amount of women that are
surrounding him..

When the lyrics list all the places that RikRok’s girlfriend has caught him cheating, there is a
montage of the different locations, after every location is named it interludes with Shaggy
saying ‘it wasn’t me’. This again cuts back to the table while the camera is panning around
the table where both Shaggy and RikRok are sitting, this is followed by a POV shot from
RikRok’s perspective of one of the women he was cheating with. After that it cuts back to his
girlfriend's phone with a close up shot which is then followed by her reaction with a close up,
this continues the narrative by letting the audience make their mind up about what is to
happen next. After this, three women enter the building and catch RikRok in the act. When
Shaggy’s second verse starts, it cuts back to the high-tech location, this could be connoting
his wealth and follows the same format that his first verse did, except this one shows a long
shot of RikRok jumping from a platform to escape his girlfriend and running away. The rest of
this verse is the same as the previous. The pre-chorus is almost the same as before with a
montage and interludes of Shaggy with saying ‘it wasn’t me’, the only difference being that
its of RikRok running away and getting on the motorbike and then his girlfriend's
reaction.with her starting to chase after him since she had found out that RikRok’s been
cheating on her. The chorus is filled with multiple different shots of RikRok trying to get away
but his girlfriend chasing after him. When she catches up with him,there is a slow motion
effect used while she starts to walk up to him. This music video ends with RikRok jumping off
a bridge with quick cuts including Close Ups, Mid-Shots and Long Shots in slow motion with
the truck taking him to the start position of the music video outside of Shaggy’s mansion.
There is a fade to black used at the end of this song, this is to conclude the narrative of the
music video.

Throughout this music video Shaggy is wearing a posh suit which would connect everything
that already points out that he is rich (the mansion, the high-tech equipment, his clothes),
This would connote that he is rich would impact on his star image, This is all while RikRok is
wearing a red shirt, the colour red would normally connote something to do with danger, this
could be connoting that RikRok is dangerous., this shows that he is not wealthy like Shaggy.
RikRoks girlfriend is wearing black clothing which matches the clothes that the bikers are
wearing, the black clothing could connote Power and Death, this would mean that RikRok’s
Girlfriend is powerful and might also connote that their love is dead. Throughout this music
video, Women are wearing very revealing clothing and the girl that RikRok is cheating with is
wearing barely anything, this would attract the male gaze and would make the song more
appealing to men.

Wheatus- Teenage Dirtbag

This music video is based on the 2000’s film ‘Loser’. This music video begins with a fade
from black to reveal Jason Biggs (this could be an intertextual reference to American Pie)
waking up after falling asleep on the stairs after doing his homework (who's playing the
nerdy character) which is followed by a ripple effect that shows the school, this is used to
transition to the next location as well as showing that time has passed, This is followed by
some performance in the school sports hall. This is followed by him getting off his bike with a
sudden close up of a car knocking it over, this could connote to the audience that he is not
liked. The first line of the song is shown by a mid-shot of him singing it. The first verse of the
song is mixed while swapping between the performance shots in the sports hall to the
narrative of Him seeing a girl that he likes.

The performance moves to the corridor of the school during the chorus with all the
microphones and instruments being moved as well, there is also an audience of students in
the background dancing to the music as if it was a concert while there is interludes of the
narrative showing that he is the shy, nerdy kid. This eventually returns back to the school
sports hall. Throughout this the narrative has taken a turn as the girl that he wants is already
in a relationship. Again, during the chorus, it moves back to the school's corridor. There is a
long angle shot of outside the school with Briggs sitting outside with a sign that says ‘Loser’
above him, this reiterates the character in this narrative.

When the music slows down, there is a fade to black and then a fade from back quickly next
to each other, this again shows the passing of time to the audience, this also introduces the
next location of the Prom, this is introduced by a close-up of a disco ball and then a cut to a
crane shot that's moving closer to the band on stage. When the girl’s part of the song is
playing, there is a mixture between both the narrative side and the performance side since
she is lip-syncing the lyrics while there is people in the background, during this there is
interludes of the camera cutting to the reaction of Briggs who is sat at a table with three
people who can also be counted as the ‘nerdy kids’, this is to show their reactions. After this
she puts down two tickets to see Iron Maiden down on his table while inviting him to come
join her.

While the final chorus of the song is playing, there is a mixture of shots of the band
performing on stage and Briggs and the Girl dancing together. Throughout this as well, there
are interludes of the band back in the school sports hall singing the song. At the end there is
a long shot of the disco ball detaching and falling down directly where the camera is, the
disco ball is about to fall onto Briggs but then there is a white flash which cuts back to the
beginning of the music video where he is back on the stairs, this could indicate that it was all
a dream.

Altogether, this music video could be counted as a stereotype of people in an American high
school, this includes Briggs being the nerdy kid. This also follows a commonly used storyline
of Unpopular/Nerdy Kid falls in love with the popular girl. Throughout this music video
Wheatus is shown as ‘nerdy’ to the audience, since the main character is shown as a
stereotypical american nerd..

The Proclaimers - I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)

This music video starts off with a quick fade from black to introduce someone playing guitar.
Before it cuts to the lead singer (who is in front of a green screen) singing the first line of the
song while a video of a street in black and white is in the background. This is when the first
bit of narrative is introduced when there is a midshot of a man in a tree, this introduces the
main character of the narrative (most likely watching something), this then cuts back to the
green screen performance footage with a video of a street edited in. This then cuts to a girl
who's in a car passing by, this shows the audience what the guy in the tree was looking at.
The video cuts back to the performance where it seems to be footage of a train moving in
the background.

The chorus is then a mixture of performance shots in front of the greenscreen with different
videos, these videos are of people in love, this gives connotations that the main character is
in love. This is in the background and the narrative which gives the audience an opportunity
to question what is going on. This links onto the next verse which kicks off with the boy doing
a front flip, there is a bit of the performance before it cuts back to the narrative where the girl
looks impressed over what he just did, this cuts to a short clip of the performance which then
quickly cuts back to the girl and boy sitting next to each other, this looks like they are having
a conversation but throughout this the boy is still trying to impress her, this lets the audience
know that he is in love with her while also showing that she is developing feeling for him.

There is a small bit of performance in front of the green screen but then when the chorus
starts back up the camera does a cut transition to a medium long shot of inside the girls
house while she is ironing and then cuts again to outside of her house where the boy is
practising more tricks, this then cuts back again to the performance in front of the green
screen, this could be counted a montage.
The next part of the song repeats ‘Ta-da-da-ta’, this is when there is a montage on things, this
continues the narrative without having to continue in a order of time, this can also be moving
time forward, these shots include the boy not being able to pick up his hat, him messing around
with food in a pub, him telling his dad about the girl and then him getting kicked out of his house.
The next verse starts off with the boy and the girl kissing each other, this will give connotations
of love, this will let the audience know that they are both in love with each other and then it’s the
performance in front of the green screen again, throughout the green screen parts the band is
shown in the background, during this there is a small clip of the boy inside the girls house which
could suggest that he’s moved in and after a bit of performance, there is another on of the girl
throwing a ping-pong bat at a lamp, after more performance there is a midshot of the boy looking
confused.

During this round of the chorus, It is still a mixture of the performance in front of the green
screen and also the boy trying to impress the girl, this leads to him swinging across a building a
but the cable snapping which leads to the next shot of him being carried into a hospital, this is
followed by performance with interludes of different stunts he has preformed and an end shot of
him getting married to the girl. Throughout this music video, the band is shown to be retro and
have a funky feeling about them, this is because of the effects and also the way the music video
is set out.