The document analyzes the music video for the song "What I Might Do" by Ben Pearce. It summarizes the video's structure and relates elements to communication theories. The video begins with fast jump cuts of characters walking on stage to set the scene. During the song, characters dance to amplify the beat, entertaining viewers. More instruments and additional dancers further amplify the faster beat. The video ends by referencing the beginning with jump cuts of characters bowing to thank viewers, making them feel immersed and want to experience dancing and fun. Elements of the video relate to theories about amplification, conceptual narratives, and achieving self-actualization through viewing.
2. Beginning
At the beginning of the song, the audio starts
off very slow and calmly, with very few
instruments playing. Whilst this is playing, a
large number of fast paced jump cuts occur
of people walking towards the centre of the
screen. This suggests to the audience that the
main focus of the video will be the people
that are depicted in the centre of the screen.
The effect of the jump cuts at the beginning
of this song almost sets the scene of the video
to the audience, and almost very quickly but
effectively shows all the characters who will
be present within this video. From this alone
we can tell that the narrative of this video is a
conceptual one which relates to Simon Firths
theory. This is due to the fact that the
narrative does not run in a linear fashion, but
the use of the jump cuts very quickly at the
beginning of the song in collaboration with
the slow calm instrumentals playing almost
provokes a calm mood for the audience.
3. Main Body
At around 52 seconds in, the main body of the
video begins which consists of the beat dropping
into a faster rhythm one, in time with a mid shot
of one of the characters in the video dancing to
the beat. The effect of the character dancing in
time with the beat as it drops relates to Andrew
Goodwin's theory of amplification. This is due
to the fact that the actions in the video in
collaboration with the audio amplifies the song
as a whole. This is turn makes the video seem
more entertaining for the audience to view. It
also helps provoke a better more euphoric mood
while viewing by the audience. The only other
shot type used throughout this video is a close
up shot. The fact that the only shots present in
this video are mid shots and close up shots
makes the video simple, but in collaboration
with the number of jump cuts between different
types of people almost makes up for this in a
sense. The video itself is a low budget type video
yet the effect it portrays with the use of the
characters and the audio amplifies its meaning,
making it more entertaining for the audience.
4. Main Body
Mid way towards the end of the video, the
beat picks up even more when more
instruments are added to the audio in the
background. Whilst this is happening 3-4
shot mid shots happen with multiple people
dancing along to the now faster beat. This
once again relates to Andrew Goodwin's
theory of amplification as due to the fact
that the audio has picked up even
further, the video now in collaboration with
this amplifies the audio by what is shown by
presenting the audience with more people
dancing together in a shot. This has the
effect of further entertaining the audience
and gives a feel good effect that would make
the audience want to get involved or recreate
the same actions presented to them in the
video. This relates to Maslow's Hierarchy of
needs in terms of people viewing this, in
order to achieve self actualisation as what
they are viewing heightens their mood.
5. Ending
At the end of the video, the audio begins to fade off
and more instruments are gradually removed until
eventually the audio stops altogether. During this
period where the audio ends, the image shown in the
video are a number of very fast paced jump cuts
between each of the characters in the video taking a
bow to signify the end of the song, thanking the
audience for viewing. This directly refers to the
beginning of the video in which the same effect and
editing was used when the characters were
introduced walking on stage. This makes the
audience feel more involved and almost acts to
immerse the audience into the video much more. The
effect this has is that it uses Andrew Goodwin's
theory of amplification as the characters taking a
bow at the end when the audio stops amplifies the
fact that the song has come to an end. As well as this,
the use of the characters taking a bow to address the
audience directly has the effect of making the
audience want to experience the same thing
portrayed in the video, people dancing and having
fun. This relates to Maslow's theory of striving to
achieve self actualisation and higher self esteem
when viewing, as the effect this video has on the
audience is a feel good euphoric feeling.
