Music Video Analysis 1

Avicii vs Nicky Romero - 'I could be the one'

Do you think about me when you're all alone?
The things we used to do, we used to be
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free

Do you think about me when the crowd is gone?
It used to be so easy, you and me
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free

I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free

When you need a way to beat the pressure down
When you need to find a way to breathe
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free

If you never see me when the crowd is gone
It used to be so easy, can't you see?
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free

I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free
I could be the one to make you feel that way
I could be the one to set you free

The music video begins with a close up of actions such as stopping an alarm clock, crossing dates of a calender, brushing teeth, and falling into bed. these actions are repeated as the length of each shot decreses and the action within the shot gets more and more exaggeerated. Her growing frustration paired with the increasing speed and intensity of the music illustrate the monotony of her life.

As you can see from the images to the left, the actions become more aggressive and exaggerated in correspondance to the increasing tempo and volume of the track. You can also clearly see that there is a filter on these images to give them a drab, dull look which reflects the dull life of the woman in the video. The shorter the length of shots, the quicker the passing of time feels and this gives the impression of time being wasted.

There is a sudden fade to black as music reduces in volume and dialogue is used to give the video a clear narrative. "I think I hate my life" is the first piece of dialogue and summarises what the inital 00 seconds are about. Over the shoulder shots are used to characterise this conversation which focuses around the main character being insulted. Extreme close ups are used to show her expressions when she is faced with the other woman accusing her of gaining weight, which adds to the previously generated feeling of her not enjoying her life.

Immediatley you can notice a lighter filter with brighter colours and a close up is used of her confused expression followed by a wider shot which displays both her happiness and shock, as well as the reason behind it - she is in bed with a naked man. Camera movement follows the eyeline of the woman to show multiple bottles of alohol on a table, automatically providing a storyline to the scene and making the music video more interesting because we see how out of character this behaviour is. A slight zoom and lift of the camera is used when balcony doors are opened and a tropical landscape is visible; lyrics were used throughout this scene such as 'I could be the one to set you free', and the energetic imaging being presented give the impression that she has been set free.

As the song develops and the beat becomes more prominent than the lyrics, the scene changes to the woman walking along a beach in slow motion in vibrant clothing. An image of her being happy is presented which matches the upbeat, energetic song. Location begins to change quickly as cut transitions are used more frequently; the scenes include eating junk food, dancing in a bar, grabbing a mans bum, and generally being confident and happy - which is the complete opposite to the original images show to us.

Bright clothing, tropical views, and a variation of activities give the impression of a fast pace of life; lots of close ups of her face show the complete difference between her before and after. A third sudden black screen is used and an alarm sounds bringing the viewer visually and mentally back to reality. The woman then wakes up back in her drab life, indicating that all the fun, vibrant images of a paradise away from reality was a dream.

Dialogue is used again when the woman finds herself in a phychiatrists office and her dialogue includes "I feel like I'm trapped in somebody elses master plan. Go to school, get a job, get a mortgage. All I'm really doing is dying", to which she recieves the reply "let me get you some more pills". This reiterates the dullness of her life and how much she hates her life. The scene channges again back to her at her office and as lyrics referring to being set free can be heard, text on her computer such as 'only you can free yourself' and quick cut transitions showing both the exotic island and the boring office begin again. A clear comparision is used between the dark dingy office and reality against the bright sunny island life. When filming island shots, hand-held camera movement and pans are used to show energy, whereas stable shots with no movement are used more oftenly in the office of her and her collegueages. An example of a great contrast is when shots are shown of both the woman smoking marajuana infront of vibrant graffitti in a loud and revealing outfit, and her bed in the dark grey filter, almost as if both options are happening at the same time in her head and reality.

The speed varies during the long shot of her running out of the office as it speeds up and slows down when she attacks people along the way. Again images of her poll dancing and a man thrusting towards her face are used with varied shots to make the video busy and indicate that this is the main focus of the narrative. This montage of footage also replicates the quick chain of thoughts the woman is having and shows her impulsive behaviour.

The end of the video is very dramatic and stops the narrative completely as she runs out of the building, and a full body shot is used as she speaks on the phone ordering a flight to barbados "one way", then diegetic sound of a car being unlocked, and as the song fades out it is replaced with the loud sound of her being hit by a lorry. The final shot is very graphic as we physicaly see her being hit which adds drama to the whole video as the audience feels both happy that she finally make the decision to change her life, however they feel shocked by what they've seen, and sad that she never actually made it.

Towards the end of the conversation the music begins to increase in volume again and the scene changes back to the previously used shot of her falling into bed, with a diegetic 'huffing' sound, to show her frustration. There is another sudden fade to black and then the image of her hitting her alarm clock is replaced with a shot of her reaching her arm for the clock and instead finding a used condom. This is an obvious contrast to the other shot and by keeping the composition of both shots very similar it is easier to draw a comparison and see a clear difference.

Obscure Island images are used such as slow motion shots of her riding a horse along the beach at sunset, which really contrast boring office images. Comical images are also used to show the higher level of happiness in the dream lifestyle, such as the woman struggling to get on the horse.

As the song intensifys, cuts happen in time with the beat of the music as do the actions on screen, for example the words "take back your life" are clicked on her computer screen. The decreasing length of shots adds to the build up of the song before it drops and pairs with the build up of her anger and frustration before she finally snaps and the song drops. A zoom out and slow motion effect are used when she throws papers up in the air infront of collegeues and smashes a machine against the floor. These shots are longer than previous ones which makes them stand out more and draw attention. Humour is used again as she puts her middle finger up to everyone and insert shots are used to show the expressions on the faces of her collegues as they react to her anger.