These music videos include lively camera shots, something we have planned for our own music video, they are also quite unusual when compared to the mainstream glossy Hollywood music video's we see on MTV or VIVA.-Something we are also trying to avoid.- So i thought it could help enrich our music video understanding. Sadly the second music video's embed code has been disabled by request, but as it happens it was the one with the most active camera shots, so please ensure you follow the link to YouTube.
What the cat empire are about:'Where hip-hop meets reggae, where jazz is played with dirty hands, where a Cuban line meets an Aussie rule, where nothing seems in place but sounds like many places played in one earthy chord. This is the island where THE CAT EMPIRE was born.(Written by the band in 2001)
This band is very much branded, particularly through their songs but with a lot of help from their music videos. If we are looking at 'DAYS LIKE THESE' from a 'Goodwin's six' perspective, the strongest aspect would be the link between lyrics and visuals. From analysis of these videos you can pick up a lot of warmth from colour editing which expresses where the band come from, 'you can send us some sun and we'll play you a tune' The busy camera work and amount of extras in the video suggest the amount of party's they go to yet a relaxed atmosphere, it also promotes the idea of meeting a lot of new people, and having a lot of friends. 'its days like these kicking back, just doing what we do' The setting of the video is very rustic it suggests that you can live a lot even if you haven't got much, drawing links between lyrics and visuals 'bring a bottle of rum ' -'can't afford it but i bought it, to laze in the sun' again promoting the idea of having a busy social life.
All musicians look directly at the camera which ad hears to Goodwin's 'notion of looking' They wear glasses also which draws attention to their eyes and suggests they are in a sunny place which again promotes their 'branding'
i do not believe there to be any intertextuality to this music video.
demand for close up shots There are quite a few close up shots but when compared to a typical Rhianna video for example its not at all the same amount. The close ups are mostly of the two singers, but in handheld shots (which features heavily to suggest freedom, naturalness, liveliness...) the camera tends to be close to groups of random faces again, suggesting a busy party atmosphere and emotional closeness to everyone.
The link between music and visuals is that of a completely non pretentious, slightly crazy 'do whatever you want' kind of tone. The beats cut off and change to rap sections, within parts of the music a trumpet will kick in for a few beats the music is full of rhythm and beats, its lively, etc etc. The music video fits perfectly to the music as it uses different types of camera and therefore there is a mix of resolutions creating a type of bricolage, as well as them editing a kind of sepia tone to certain shots. The video is also aware of its own production which adds to it being postmodern.
PLEASE!!! also check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFxo4mpiKg <<< Cat Empire, sly music video. or type 'The Cat Empire, sly' into YouTube to see some very fast snappy camera work, something we are aspiring for.
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