Music video analysis presentation A2 media studies. Queen-Bohemian Rhapsody

1. Queen (1975)

2. Introduction

Personally, when I think about influential music videos I instantly
think about Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is the true definition.
When growing up, I was brought up around my parents listening
to Queen and I truly admire how they changed rock forever. Even
now, people still admire the work that Freddie Mercury, John
Deacon, Brian May and Roger Taylor put into their passion for
music and how they created a new meaning of sound for rock.

3. Information

Directed by: Bruce Gowers
Producer: Roy Thomas Baker
Written By: Freddie Mercury
Starring: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger
Taylor, John Deacon
Production Manager: Jim Beach
Assistant Director: Barry Dodd

4. Analysis

When analysing the music video of Bohemian Rhapsody, it says
on all blogs and forums that most visual effects and illusions
were done during the recording, and only a small part of it was
done during post-production. The video was directed by Bruce
Gowers and recorded in only 4 hours on 10th November 1975
with a budget of £4,500. The length of the video is a lengthy 6:07
minutes long. At the time, the length of this video was very
long, however it burst through expectations and did a lot better
than expected..

5. Beginning

The music video opens with a shot of the four band members in
near darkness with a vertical light just slightly revealing the
faces of each band member. Within this, you can just make out
which band member is who, however identity is very
mysterious and hidden. I think that this idea is extremely well
thought-out as it shows that they weren’t famous because of
their looks. Which is something you don’t see in today’s society.

6. Cross-fade

The light fades which cross-fades to a close up of Freddie Mercury. I
think the use of this is fantastic, keeping the same mystery in the eyes of
the band members. Not forgetting, post-production editing was new at
the time so the use of it makes its use very significant in this video. The
use of this helps show which member of the band is the lead singer for
the certain song, or which band member who is most popular etc. Which
is sometimes used in music videos which can be found in today’s
industry.

7. Live Footage

The video also includes shots of the band playing instruments, I really like
this part of the video because it makes you feel like you’re at a real Queen
concert. It can also make your mind run wild with the possibilities about what
it could be like at one of their concerts. This is something which is used in
today’s music videos. I think it is something which can be either be very
positive or very negative. Something which can make you want to go to a
concert or make you not want to go to a concert of the certain artist.

8. Close Up

Close-up and extreme close up shots are used to show the passion in
Freddie Mercury’s face. I think the use of close up’s mainly on Freddie
are used because he is the main band member, the one who writes all
the songs, talked about in newspapers, and the one with the strongest
voice. However, he was not the prettiest band member, which if you
compared it to today’s society- it goes against everything you would see
in music videos today.

9. Instruments

Shots of mainly Freddie playing piano and also Brian May playing guitar are
shown. Below is a screenshot of Roger Taylor playing the drums which is
seen in the video. He is filmed throughout the video but not much as the
lead vocalist, Mercury. I do think that this could be to do with the talent of
Freddie compared to the other members as he could sing, play piano and
guitar whereas other members could not do all three. However, this could
also be because of the arrangement of the stage which is shown. The further
back, the less footage. However it would be silly if the drums were right at
the front as you would not be able to see or hear the rest of the band

10. Rank Organisations
 it shows Roger Taylor
In few the last seconds of play,
stripped down to the waist striking a tam tam which is
the trademark of Rank Organisations Gongman famous
in the opening of all Rank Film Production films which
are mainly familiar in the UK.

11. Bibliography
 however I had to
I have used my own knowledge,
research more into the song and band members to
feel confident that what I was writing was true. I
enjoyed researching more into this song and the
history of the band etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_(band)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Mercury
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Rhapso
dy