1. NishaVelji
How is the star image enhanced by key themes semiotics and representation?Analyse
existing media products and discuss the impact of these in your own creative choice.
Heartattack- Trey songs Analysis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r3MZNCGzVY
The song ‘Heartattack’ By Trey uses many pop conventions, to attract its specific target market, and
enhance key themes semiotics and representation of each individual which is shown in the video.
The video is almost a storyline about Trey; having a heartattack due to his past relationship and the
girl he loved which is ‘Kelly Rowland’ in this case. He is having flashbacks of how his love life use to
be and how many memories they have had in the past. The mise-en scene, lighting, camera
movements and editing are all effective and follow the pop genre conventional features. Relating
this back to the audience they would feel more involved with this music video due to the fact, the
target market is teenagers and they may be experiencing this kind of love life in reality.
The video follows Andrew Godwin’s narrative theory, The video amplifies with the music video, as
the lyrics match with the shots used within the scene, this is because one of the lyrics within this
video is ‘I never knew love would feel like a heartattack’ therefore the shot at the beginning of the
video shows Trey having a heartattack.
There are many features of pop conventions used. Immediately at the start of the music video we
see a mid-shot gradually turning into a close up of trey songs lying in hospital experiencing having a
heartattack, within this scene there is also sound effects used, there is diegetic sound used, we hear
heart beat sounds and the sound of the ECG heartbeat monitor, this brings realism and also engages
the audience as they would be put in tension and would want to see what is next to come within the
video. Also we see trey songs, body this could make the male audience which are watching this
video aspire to him and almost be like him. Within the same scene we see black and white shots of
Trey songs and Kelly Rowland’s relationship, this immediately tells the audience that trey songs is
having a heartattack because of their relationship/breakup. The mise en scene in this scene is just
Trey Songs lying in hospital- this may not be conventional to a pop video however the video
gradually moves on to being conventional with the love/pop genre. In addition to this at the start
the atmosphere is dull and depressing as low key lighting is used, which could tell the audience that
something awful has just occurred.
Moving on there is then a tracking shot of trey songs sitting down. He here is the main vocalist
singing and thinking about his relationship. Trey songs dress code is stereotypical he is dressed in
white trousers and white shirt; this therefore makes him stand out more. Similarly the white may
portray purity and innocent this may give the audience a idea that he was the innocent one in the
relationship. The background is a dark colour which allows trey songs to be the main attraction and
bring the audience’s attention towards him. As he is singing we see flashbacks of trey songs and
Kelly Rowland having arguments at the start. At this point they are both in a lonely long road, this is
consistent throughout the video, and we see the same colours such as green, blue white. These
colours subvert from a pop/genre convention as the audience may expect to see the colour red due
to the fact the lyrics are mostly about love. The net shot we see is of Kelly Rowland’s back, she is
dressed in a stereotypical feminine way with heels, tight skinny leggings etc., this therefore links into
the male gaze theory this is because this theory suggests that men see women as objects and ‘sex
2. NishaVelji
objects’ therefore Kelly Rowland is conforming to this aspect as she here is seen as being sexy and
glamorous. The male audience would feel more gratified when watching this video. The camera man
would most likely of been a male due to the slow camera movements of Kelly Rowland’s body. Trey
again is dressed in White clothing and is trying to get Kelly Rowland to talk to him which shows he is
the innocent one in the relationship. The low key lighting within this shot shows that something bad
is happening,, in addition to this the audience would straight away know who they need to
sympathise with due to the costume codes and camera shots. We also see Kelly Rowland crying
whilst having a bath, the mascara is all spreading and her makeup getting ruined, and this is a
stereotypical feature as most girls wear makeup as they want to look glamorous.
The start of this video is abit similar to our music video ‘The one’ this is because we have also
included black and white shots. Also we have a main vocalist which is singing throughout the video,
with her having flashbacks of her own love life. However our vocalist is filmed in the same
environment throughout the whole video which is a black studio room. She also follows the ‘Male
gaze theory’ this is because she looks glamorous and sexy due to the costume she is wearing: Black
and cream dress, with heels. This would therefore gratify the audience, just like Kelly Rowland was
shown in the video ‘Heartattack’. Furthermore our video will be similar to trey songs video however
we will be using Torodovs narrative theory which shows a disruption and a equilibrium at the end of
the song. Therefore at the end of our music video the couple would reunite.
The video then goes back to Trey songs lying on the hospital bed with Kelly Rowland alongside him.
This therefore tells the audience that the ‘love’ has affected both of them and they are both in a
serious condition. This has been shown as a close up therefore it could make the audience feel
sympathetic towards both of them.
Comparing our music video to trey songs, we have also chosen to use a variety of shots such as close
ups, long shots, tracking shots and mid shots. This is because using these kinds of shots could allow
the audience to link their life back to the video and almost feel more involved. We have also decided
to use colours which conform to the love/pop genre which are red, white pink etc. this makes the
video look more effective and romantic. Our video- the one also uses technologies such as IPADS
and BlackBerrys, this could gratify the audience as they also use these technologies. Also the latest
technologies could keep the audience more engaged and entertained.
Trey songs- the main vocalist then moves onto a different scene, he is now shown outside, dressed
in white and red, here the colours conform to a the love theme as the colour red symbolises, love
and trust. There are then shots of the couple having a better love life, of them enjoying themselves
and reminiscing all the memories they shared together. The audience can also see that Trey is
remembering these times as the video shows him putting his hands on his head looking upset, and
regretting the fact they broke up. There are many long shots and mid shots shown in this video, this
allows the audience to view the mise en scene and could also link it back to their love life as they
may have also experienced this kind of relationship in a common environment, parks, gardens etc.
we will also be using Andrew Godwin’s theory as we will be amplifying the lyrics with the shots used
in the video. Therefore it is similar to Treys video.
This music video by trey songs follows Richard dyers theory; he suggests that it brings utopian
pleasures to the audience meaning that thee media creates a escapism from everyone’s daily
miserable life. This links into this music video as it allows the target audience feel better by watching
3. NishaVelji
that it is not just them which may be going through this situation. Therefore the music video not just
entertains them but allows them to relate it back to their own individual life’s. Also trey songs within
this music video is seen as the ‘Star’ as he is the main person in this video, this makes the audience
almost trust him and want to listen to his music as they are already well fond of him and know that
his music video would meet their expectations,. As well as dyers audience theory, Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs pyramid links into this song. By the target market watching this music video it
allows them to gain the basic needs from it, which are the needs to belong and relate to the music
video, the need to be entertained and allow the audience to divert and escape from their own
miserable life. It almost satisfies them by watching this video as they would feel that they are not
alone and most young people experience this situation so it is not the end of their lives.