Radiohead

“Fake Plastic Trees”

General Conventions Analysis
GC1: Lyrics and Visual Narrative
• The video is a mixture of performance and concept
• There is narrative enigma as the narrative remains
unclear, but there are Proppian archetypes and
stock characters present
• The overall video effect is very jarring, seen in the
bright lighting and chosen editing
• A sense of voyeurism (Goodwin) is present through
the surveillance footage
• The plastic themes of the song are reflected in the
mise-en-scene
• There is a sense of childishness and playfulness
towards the end, which makes the video quirky and
relatable
GC2: Genre Characteristics
• The genre of the song is alternative indie,
and the oddness is reflected in the video, as
well as a meaningful message
• The singer appears as unkept and edgy
• There is an abnormal studio setting
• The singer is emotional when performing
the song, sticking to the serious tone of the
genre
GC3: • There is little narrative established as it is too
Intertextuality elliptical (Vernallis)
and • The ending is polysemic, and encourages
Postmodernism rewatching
GC4: Representations
• The singer appears unkempt which makes him
relatable, a key element to the indie genre
• The singer performs unconventionally, and is
not appealing to the mainstream
• There is a hint of Proppian archetypes, and
many different societal roles represented
(wider appeal)
• The theme of plastic is represented through the
lighting, mise-en-scene, and costume
• There is a shot clearly showing a woman’s
chest, which appeals to the male gaze
(Mulvey)
 • The camera uses a lot of wide angles and ELS to show
the scene, as well as appearing distorted
• The editing is intended to match the tempo but is slightly
GC5: off key
Cinematography • There are jump cuts used which look very jarring, but
achieve the intended effect
and Editing • There are several POV shots and tracking shots for the
viewer to feel immersed
• The lighting is high-key, reflecting the artificial theme
Notable Marketing
• Acoustic version featured in film “Clueless” and appealed to American
market
Possible Influences
• The use of a single set
• Representing many characters/ archetypes
• Surrounding the visuals around a main theme
• The poly-semy narrative