A powerpoint made and created by Carmelita Wallace

1. Music Analysis
Florence & The
Machine
Indie/Alternative
By Carmelita Wallace

2. Background Information
• Artist: Florence and The Machine
• Name of song: Dog Days are over
• Album name: Lungs
• Location of video: a white washed
room
• Genre: Indie/Alternative
• Date of release: 1st December 2008
• Type of video: Concept based with
elements of performance

3. Genre Characteristics
In 1992 Andrew Goodwin identified a number of different key aspects featured in music
videos. I will explore these aspects in the indie genre and in this PowerPoint look at
Florence and the Machines 2012 version of the “The dog Days are over” Godwin's theory
states that each genre as a particular characteristic that help the audience identify its
genre. After watching various indie artists music video's I Identified a trend with all of
them. The visuals of an Indie music video tend to be more concept based compared to
the visuals of a rock video which is generally performance based. In a Indie video you
would expect the following characteristics a concept based video with a performance or a
performance with a narrative concept, quirky visuals that tend to make a bold statement.
This can be seen in this music video thus justifying the genre.

4. Relationship between the visuals and the
lyrics
Goodwin's theory states that there should be a relationship between the visuals and the
lyrics whether this is contradicting, illustrating or amplifying. In the music video the dog
days are over (2010 version) the visuals amplify the lyrics throughout the music video
although the visuals are not literally illustrative they still relate to the lyrics. For example
in the song Florence and the machine says at 54 seconds “The dog days are over, the
dog days are done. The horses are coming so you better run” . Even though
visually there are no horses running . At this time the visuals are changed from a
repetitive close up and medium shots to vibrant, short, long shots that consist of bursts of
colour. This could demonstrate a horse as if it was running you would only see a glimpse
of the horse as it would be galloping fast. Visually the colours could represent a new
light/era as the misensence changes from a plain white background to a vibrant and
passionate one. This relates to the audience of a indie genre as when completing target
audience research I discovered that people that typically listen to the indie genre consider
themselves and bold individual characters. Thus helping them to relate to the visuals as
well as enjoying the aspect of the lyrics.

5. Relationship between the visuals and the
lyrics continued…
These pictures show the vibrant,
short, long shots that consist of
bursts of colour

6. Relationship between the music and the
visuals
Goodwin’s theory claims that there should be a relationship between the music and visuals/video in
any music video. In the music video the dog days are over, the relationship is evident from the editing
when the chorus appears the visuals tend to cut on the beats compared to when the verse is on screen
the shot cuts from one to another when Florence's movement/dancing is coming to an end. Also the
pace of the editing increases and no shot lasts for more than two seconds long compared to the
beginning of the song were the shots around 5 seconds. In addition to this there is more variation
with the shots when the chorus comes on, for example there is a gospel choir and drummers in the
misensecence compared to the first verse were there is only Florence and the two dancers dressed in
gold outfits

7. Demands of the record Label/Selling the
According to Goodwin's theory, in order to meet artist
the demands of the record label close up shots
need to be established in order to introduce the
artist in the song. Conventionally the main artist
is shown first, whether they are a solo artist or a
group. This is usually done with a close up or a
medium shot. In the music video the dog days
are over the first shot used is a tracking shot
this enables the artist to be identified as well as
the location and in this case it is a distinct white
background. After the first 3 seconds of the
tracking shot fast pace editing allows the
tracking shot to change, to a close up of the
artists face. This allows the artist to be
established and highlights their unique selling
point. Florence and the Machines unique selling
point is her quirkiness and her bright ginger
hair, This allows the target audience to connect
easily with her as she seems so relaxed in the The picture’s above show Florence in the first 4 seconds of
music video and puts all the focus and attention the song . The top picture is the establishing shot used and
into the lyrics and the music of the song. the second is when it changes to a close up shot.

8. Furthermore framing plays a huge part when trying to sell an artist and the significance the
artist has to the song. Throughout the majority of the song Florence seems to be framed in the
centre, the use of central framing is another figure that allows the target audience to identify
Florence easily; this helps to sell her as it is showing of her talent through both singing and
movement thus helping the sell the Indie image. Her abstract use of costumes also helps to sell
the indie image as from my target audience research I discovered that bold colours/statements
and individuality is part of the Indie culture and there a vibrant colours mainly red and purple
used throughout the entirety of the song thus expressing her personal style.
Above is an example of central framing used in the music
video

9. Notion of Looking & Voyeuristic Treatment of
The Female Body
There is no voyeuristic treatment and very little notion of looking present within the video. One element
of notion of looking is when there is a spotlight on Florence while the dancers watch her. This makes the
audience feel as if they are getting a glimpse into Florence's is world/ mind. It could also connate a
telescope or a microscope as if we; the audience are seeing her closer and nothing else matters expect the
music and the visuals. This imitates the sense of “looking” closely at someone as she is the main focus.
This is also emphasised through the lighting as Florence is in high key lighting compared to the dancers
who are in low key lighting.

10. Intertextual References
In the music video the dogs days are over there are no Intertextual references to other
media products such as music or television. This may be due to the fact that Indie artist
like Florence and the Machine are not dependent on other forms of media and like to
challenge the typical conventions that are usually displayed hence the reason why there
target audience are people of the indie genre.