Here is the link to the music video on YouTube:
CONVENTIONS, STYLE, AND TECHNIQUE RESEARCH
What are the conventions found in the music video?
- lip-sync: Billie is filmed from multiple angles and in multiple different shots as she lip-syncs to the song while walking on the empty street
- close-ups of artist's face, long shots of artist lip-syncing: The multitude of shots where Billie is looking at the camera allows the viewer to connect and get insight on what emotions she wants to transmit throughout the music video. As stated by Billie Eilish herself, the song is written from the perspective of a psychopath who has just murdered her friends, and this is enforced through the expressions which she makes in the close-up shots. The long shots' purpose is for the viewer to understand the context, and therefore they allow us to see the empty road, the panoramic view, the cart full of black garbage bags, the money.
- cut to the beat
- lyric interpretation/ extending or consolidating the song's meaning: the lyrics and the visuals match, as the theme of 'the psychopath killing her friends' is enforced through garbage bags (referencing the bodies of her friends), the wilting sunflower on the road (resembles Billie's future), the police officer coming at the end (she is caught and potentially punished for her actions), Billie just staring at the officer (as if she did not realise the gravity of her actions), her gestures towards her stomach when the chorus comes (having a bellyache, the bellyache being a metaphor for the guilt she feels)
- bright, vibrant colours
- fashionable clothes
What do the elements in the music video represent?
This music video has a more simple structure as it has the same set from the beginning to the end of this music video. It is filmed on a deserted street - it is a very calm and lonely place. The colors are very bright and the sky has a very vibrant and electric tone of blue that makes the video more pop.
Who is the audience for this music video?
The age group that is more likely to listen to ‘Bellyache’ by Bilile Eilish could be anywhere between 14 to 20. Details such as her purple coloured hair is more likely to relate and fit with this younger audience. Also, oversized clothes are trendy now, so the clothes which she is wearing make her appeal more to the target audience. Police is arriving in the end, which is kind of a ‘wow’ factor of the storyline, in order for the audience to be excited. The chill - alternative melodic line is also a factor for which this song is fitted for a younger audience. Lyrics such as “reckless”, “mouth full of gum” and “where’s my mind?" are relatable for this audience.
What genre is the music video in? How is this shown?
The music video belongs to the pop genre, this being shown through different codes and conventions these kind of music videos use. There is a link between the visuals and the lyrics of the song in order to make them easy for the audience to remember them. For example, in Billie Eilish's video where the lyrics talk about the money that she stole, this is represented by her opening bag full of money and throwing it around. There’s bright lighting and objects/costumes in pop videos.This makes the video stand out more and also appeals to the youth (the target audience), as it looks vibrant and lively, something young people are attracted to. It also makes it more upbeat, so it fits the general message of the song. ,,Bellyache'' clearly has some vibrant, colourful scenes that stand out and are usually what younger people are attracted to as it also gives a feeling of modernity, the effects in the shoots being similar with something you would find on popular media platforms such as Pinterest or Instagram. The costumes for actors in pop music videos is generally whatever is fashionable at the time. Billie is wearing a yellow jumpsuit, this being a very modern outfit. She also has purple hair and bold makeup. Also, most of the lyrics from the videos are about love or other adolescent problems such as the stage of rebellion - for example, this music video.
What uses and gratifications can the audience acquire from watching the music video?
- mood management and mood adjustment: the consumers of the music video are gratified by listening to the song to adjust their disposition - as the song is quite upbeat yet melancholic
- sensation seeking
- gender socialization of emotions: the listeners might enjoy the song more due to the carelessness and the apathetic atmosphere of the song
- relationship functions of entertainment: vicarious experiences (as Billie Eilish is quite influential nowadays, especially for the younger audience, the consumers of her music videos wish to be in her position because she embodies someone authentic and fearless, at least in this music video)
We have chosen to use the following elements from Billie Eilish's 'bellyache' music video in our own work:
- vibrant colours
- cut to the beat
- lyric interpretation
Комментарии