The Suburbs Narrative Analysis

Anticipation and Closure

The music video for The Suburbs by Arcade Fire builds up an increasing sense of foreboding and brutality throughout; the kids play with guns, they playfight and the police state becomes more and more prominent as the story progresses. The audience expects something terrible to happen in the video's climax, and this is delivered to us when the protagonist is beaten up by his best friend in the restaurant.

The film relies heavily on proaretic codes: the multiple shots of bikes act as a platform to drive the narrative forward, as do the images of the characters playing. This all builds up to the climax of the video; the bikes, which represent childhood and innocence, are undermined as a symbol when the protagonist finds his bike vandalised and broken outside his place of work. This is a symbolic code which also acts to move the story forward - it forebodes the danger coming up in the finale.

The music itself also provides anticipation with its different cadences. The audience expects where the song will go next, and its standard structure provides the audience with their expectation. However, the music throws the audience off balance with the omission of a middle eighth, which is a very common element of modern music. This reflects the video which becomes increasingly darker as it progresses, and the viewer is therefore confused and unsettled by the lack of a middle eighth.

Narrative Strands

The Suburbs contains multiple 'narrative strands', which are interweaving themes and elements within one overarching story. Narrative strands allows for the director of the video (Spike Jonze) to build and establish different characters and their relationships/stories. 

The most prominent narrative strand is the relationship between the two boys (Winter and Kyle). Their friendship is built up at the beginning of the video, allowing the viewer to assert that they have a strong bond and are loyal to each other. However, the friendship deteriorates throughout the video leading to the violent climax.

Another strand is the relationship between the boy and his girlfriend (Winter and Zoe). Similar to the boys' friendship, the video establishes their relationship and tells us that they really care for each other. Similar again to the other narrative strand, their relationship breaks down and there is a shot implying that they have just broken up with each other.

Along with the strands regarding the characters and their relationships, there are narrative strands which outline overarching themes. For example, childhood and innocence is represented throughout the video using the symbolic and proaretic codes of bikes. At the video's climax, the bike is destroyed, representing the loss of innocence and the process of growing old.

This shows each scene which features a certain theme. The boys' friendship is a very common strand within the video, as is the broad theme of America and youth/innocence.

This diagram shows the amount of a strand in certain scenes. In certain shots, such as the boy and girl underneath the underpass, young love is the dominating strand - whilst in others the boys' friendship is very prominent.

Todorovian Structure

The Suburbs can be analysed using Todorov's 3 act structure.

Audience Profile

Strengths and weaknesses of audience demographic models

Narrative structure in 'Everybody Hurts'

Everybody Hurts
R.E.M.

In REM’s music video for ‘Everybody Hurts’, a linear narrative structure is featured which can be examined using Todorov’s three act structure theory. The setting of the video is a highway with cars moving (the equilibrium) and throughout this first act different characters are introduced. The inciting incident occurs as the traffic stops, leading into act 2’s disequilibrium (the singer leaving his car and walking). This is typical of three act narratives according to Todorov, which always follow a very similar structure. In act 2 of the video, the narrative finds its resolution when all the characters leave their cars and begin walking with the singer; this carries on into act 3, where the characters walking becomes the new equilibrium. Using Todorov’s concepts, it can be assumed that this video features a successful three-act structure narrative and succeeds at telling the story it sets out to tell.

              End of Act 1                                   End of Act 2                                 End of Act 3

However, at the end of the video there is a separate conclusion in which the music stops playing and we hear the voice of a news reporter claiming that all the people in the video ‘just got out and walked’ and that ‘they cannot find anyone’. This does not fit exactly with Todorov’s concepts, as although this could be seen as a ‘resolution’ to the narrative, it is featured after act 2 and 3, and is presented as a very short fourth act.

Narrative devices are used very effectively in this music video, the most significant being the use of subtitles as an expression of the characters’ thoughts. These subtitles allow for the audience to better understand the characters and the story, without the need for diegetic sound overlapping the music. At the beginning of the video, the subtitles appear to simply mimic the lyrics; however, it soon changes to the thoughts of a child saying “They’re all stuck.” I find that using this as the first non-lyric subtitle is an interesting and significant choice; it provides impact as it frames the narrative and tells us immediately that something is wrong with the characters. They’re stuck physically in the traffic jam, but they’re also stuck metaphorically within their own sadness and emotions.

Another narrative device used is the car’s window screens themselves. The windows represent an impassable barrier to the outside world, which all the characters are trapped behind to represent their disconnection and dissatisfaction with life. This works as a narrative device because the audience can see from the start of the video that Stipes and the band are trapped in a claustrophobic and colourless space.

The video can be analysed using Barthes’ concepts of proairetic, enigmatic and symbolic codes. Within the narrative, proairetic code is most relevant; proairetic is defined as an opening of an action which makes the audience want to see closure of – in this case being the depression and sadness of the characters being portrayed through subtitled inner-dialogue. The audience wish to see a resolution to the different characters’ problems, which is indeed given at the climax of the video when all the characters leave their cars and begin walking together (symbolic of how the depressed characters “are not alone”).

Three-act Structure

Dialogue in music videos

Some music videos feature dialogue in some form to advance the story and set out a premise. However, to avoid the problem of speaking over the music, many music videos use subtitles to convey dialogue.

Some examples include:

Because our music video is about a couple reuniting, we felt that it would be appropriate to include dialogue between the two in some way. This may perhaps be included towards the end of the video, when the two main characters finally meet.

Another way of depicting dialogue would be through the use of on-screen text messages sent from the protagonists to each other.

This is an interpretation of dialogue which we will use more often than just subtitles. This is because the two characters are a distance away from each other throughout the video, so face-to-face dialogue is only possible in the last moments.

Narrative planning

Whilst planning our music video, we drew out a narrative timeline which documents the events of our music video from start to finish; including the times at which each event happens in relation to the song. We created this to ensure that we can accurately film our video (as well as more easily plan locations and events in accordance with the music).

Mood Board

Genre Case Study

Genre

The genre of indie folk tends to refer to music produced independently and features melodic verses and 'laid-back' choruses. Indie folk - and its sub-genres - can be identified by its noticeable hybrid of traditional folk music and instruments with more contemporary sounds. While our chosen song contains some elements of indie-pop, it can be best categorised with indie folk among artists such as Ben Howard, Damien Rice and Beth Orton.

Many music videos within the indie folk genre are performance videos, featuring the artist singing to the camera (and may be playing an instrument - usually a guitar). To make our video as conventional as possible, we will likely try to follow these typical features. This is important because, according to Christine Gledhill, 'Genres permit the creation and maintenance of a loyal audience which becomes used to seeing programmes within a genre'. This means that straying too far from convention would be unpopular amongst the indie-folk fanbase.

All genres within the music industry - not just indie folk - use shared characteristics. Gledhill claims that this is so that audiences "can rely on [them] already having knowledge and expectations about the works within a genre." This is achieved through grouping similar sounds and music cultures together so that people can identify more easily with groups and music they like.

This concept links into the creation of music videos as well as the music itself. Because our song is in the indie folk genre, our video will not use characteristics such as satanic imagery and strobe lighting which is commonly found in music videos for death metal (and some other sub-genres of metal and hard rock). As seen in the screenshots above, all from different music videos in the indie folk genre, a convention of indie folk is close-up shots of the artist performing their music. This is a decision made to increase the recognition of the artist so that audiences can better identify them with their music.

However, this does not mean that our music video has to strictly stick to convention. As stated by Nicholas Abercrombie, “The boundaries between genres are shifting and becoming more permeable”. This means that, unlike the past where conventions within music would not mix with contrasting genres, we are becoming more accepting of the merging of different genres and sub genres. For example, in our music video we could use elements of concept imagery which is a convention of experimental/electronic music mixed with the narrative and performance aspects of indie folk.

Music Video Recreation

Music Video Inspirations

These are a range of music videos from other artists within the same genre as our chosen song. Looking at conventions of a music genre through pre-existing videos should help us to better plan and direct our own music video.

A noticeable convention in the music videos I have found is that there is a focus on one 'character', who is portrayed by the singer.

The artist in each of the videos has frequent shots in which they lip sync to the camera; thereby forming a more personal connection between the audience and the music.

There is also a small focus on instruments in two of the videos ('Shine' and 'Only Love'); usually including a brief shot of the artist holding or playing a guitar, or an instrument in the background of the video.

Another convention within these music videos is the frequent movement of characters to transition between shots. For example, in the video for 'Stolen Car', the singer is shown to be continuously and fluidly moving between shots. This is the same for 'This Is The Life', 'Only Love' and 'Shine' where the camera mostly follows a single person as they move between scenes.

Annotated Song Lyrics

These are the lyrics to 'Kings' by Samuel Ford; our choice of music video song. Knowing the lyrics is important because it will allow us to more accurately draw links between the visuals in our video and the music and lyrics of the song.

Kings

Hold your tongue,

don’t let your fear become

a call for your pardon,

a call for your sins.

From this first verse, the lyrics tell us that the subject of the song has done something to hurt the narrator, and so we can convey from the song is about a broken relationship.

Take your time,

there’s no need to hide your crimes

from all that surrounds you.

So live like we ought to,

live like we’re born to,

live like we're all of us kings,

together we'll learn,

to grow when we're broken,

grow as we’re open,

grow with the age of defeat,

together we’ll learn.

Together we’ll learn to lose,

and we’ll love.

The chorus mentions learning and breaking, which implies that the relationship can be repaired. The chorus' music is also more upbeat, a contrast to the slow and quite melancholy verses.

Break your glass,

it's too soon to cloud the path,

of hope it is waiting.

So live like we ought to,

live like we’re born to,

live like we're all of us kings,

together we'll learn,

to grow when we’re broken,

grow as we’re open,

grow with the age of defeat,

together we’ll learn.

Together we’ll learn to lose

and we’ll love.

(Instrumental)

Hold your tongue,

don’t let your fear become

a call for your pardon,

a call for your pardon.

The first verse repeats, this time more monophonic, representing a resolution to the song. The change in tone also represents the change in the meaning of the lyrics. Whereas previously they portrayed mistakes and regret in a relationship, now they represent forgiveness.

After analysing the lyrics, we decided to opt for a plot about a broken relationship, and the lengths the affected parties go to to rebuild it.

Music Video Song Confirmation

When our group decided on the song we wanted to use, we contacted the artist.

Music Video Song Choice

Head Over Heels: Goodwin's Music Video Conventions

Head Over Heels
Tears For Fears

'Head Over Heels' is a New Wave song with a performance video (with some aspects of narrative). Contrary to Goodwin's theory, 'Head Over Heels' does not develop motifs which occur across the artist's videos; while this is lighthearted, Tears For Fears tend to have solemn and melancholy videos.

There is often an illustrative link between the music and the video; at 0:31, when the singer places a stack of books onto the counter the verse starts with a bass-line. There is then a shot-reverse-shot between the man and the woman, which changes perspective after a line of lyrics and during a couple of piano notes. These quick edits happen throughout the video, usually after the singer takes a breath after singing a line. 

When the chorus is introduced at 1:11 the singer's movements become ridged and stiff, and he moves in time to the beats in the music. On the second chorus at 2:22, however, the singer appears to be floating around the library with a panning shot following him. This chorus includes a constant close-up of the singer, fitting Goodwin's convention that the record label will demand lots of shots of the singer/band.

At 2:15, the lyrics directly correspond with the video as the singer holds a fake gun while singing 'it's hard to be a man when there's a gun in your hand'. This contradicts with the rest of the video, which largely consists of random and irrelevant images which have no correspondence with the lyrics. For example, at 2:05 there is a man in a gas mask reading a book and at 2:03 which shows a chimp reading in between a man and a woman. This demonstrates New Wave genre characteristics which was a movement going against generic attributes of 80's pop.

Another case where the lyrics link to the video is the ending at 4:06, where the line 'funny how time flies' is accompanied by a flash-forward to an aged singer and his wife - ending the video.

Music Video Song Possibilities

"Torn" - Alan Lewis

http://richerunsigned.com/album/alanofficial/#tracks

Strengths:

• Catchy chorus
• Clear lyrics (makes lip-syncing more possible)
• Dynamic and textured; lots of possibilities for elements in a music video

Weaknesses:

• Slow verses may limit possibilities
• Music video may become slightly generic due to the "sad" sound of the song (will need to be about love/breakups/relationships etc.)
• Very long

"Lifeline" - Alannah Moar

http://richerunsigned.com/album/alannah-moar/#tracks

Strengths:

• Fast tempo; music video can utilise jump cuts and other fast-paced editing techniques
• Clear lyrics

Weaknesses:

• Recording is slightly poor

"Make my Day" - Mealla

Strengths:

• Clear lyrics
• Good buildup with verses
• Catchy chorus
• Dynamic and textured; video possibilities
• Not too repetitive or bland

Weaknesses:

• Quite long
• Abrupt ending

"Looking at You" - The Tartan Rascals

Strengths:

• Clear, catchy and interesting chorus
• Verses aren't dull or too long-lasting
• Genre (alternative rock) would make for an original music video
• Clear lyrics

Weaknesses:

• Slightly repetitive 
• Blunt ending

Our Choices:

Under the Bridge: Goodwin's Music Video Conventions

Under the Bridge
Red Hot Chili Peppers

The music video for 'Under the Bridge' by RHCP fits many conventions outlined by Andrew Goodwin in his framework. It is primarily a performance video - however, there are elements which point towards it being a mix between performance and conceptual; for example, many of the images could be seen as metaphors for drugs and addiction.

There is an illustrative link between the lyrics and visuals in the video; for example, at 0:42 the line in the lyrics 'the city I live in' is accompanied by a superimposition of a city filled with tall buildings. Furthermore, the lyrics 'I drive through her streets' has a similar superimposition of a camera moving through the streets of a city, as if from the view of a car.

Throughout the video, there is also an amplifying relationship between the music and visuals; as the chorus is played for the first time at 1:26, there is an extreme closeup of half of the singer's face which is accompanied by another image of the singer from the chest-up. This is an example of an amplifying relationship because as the music becomes more intense with a more powerful guitar riff and louder drums, so do the vibrant colours and images. In this first chorus there is also images of the guitarist, bassist and drummer superimposed over each other at 1:37; therefore adding to the chaos and intensity of the chorus. At 1:45, the drummer is reflected onto himself, creating a symmetrical image which further adds to the wild, out of control nature of the video. The second chorus at 2:30, while having no shots of the drummer, guitarist and bassist, shows the singer performing with the images of a cheap looking house and the fret board of a guitar superimposed over him. There is also a vibrant background consisting of bright lights set against a dark sky. All of these images contribute to the sudden shift in tone of the music; from slow and melancholy to intense and polyphonic.

As a rock band, Goodwin's conventions regarding visual style and genre characteristics are relevant to Red Hot Chili Peppers. The music is powerful and slightly psychedelic, hence the video is filled with chaotic images and vibrant colours. RHCP utilise similar visual style in many of their other music videos; for example, 'The Zephyr Song' uses very psychedelic imagery and dark, purplish colour filters like in 'Under the Bridge'.

Introduction

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