Research: Similar product research 1. Little Mix's 'Black Magic'

The establishing shot is a low angle shot featuring a school, therefore the setting of the music video becomes apparent to the viewer immediately. I would suggest that this music video is targeting teenagers due to the use of setting which appears to be an American style high school which references to modern popular culture e.g. the constant use of typical American High Schools in teen films which are extremely popular. An editing technique is used which allows the black to transition into colour by splitting the screen.

This long shot of two females riding bicycles alongside of each other establishes verisimilitude. They are dressed in bright colours which commonly symbolises youth. Their style and fashion choices seem fresh, cool and edgy which is an appearance to which most of the viewers would aspire to. They appear to stand out in the foreground against the less colourful building in the background. I particularly like the way that the two females are in shallow focus and also the way further verisimilitude is created through the use of extras walking around the campus in a relaxed manner. Diegetic synchronous sound can also be heard in the form of students voices to further contribute to the verisimilitude.

After the scene is set we are introduced to Little Mix in an extreme long shot. Editing has been used to impose 'Little Mix' onto the shot, above the girls.
Although the viewers know that the group have a large amount of fame, this is not made obvious through the use of shot. For example many other seemingly less relevant extras are included and they are shown to be ignoring the girls which would support Dyer's theory that 'A star is an image and not a real person' as it is clear that the girls are being represented as characters that are not popular or well known in this setting.

A matched cut is then used to show a medium long shot of the girls. The screen capture to the left shows their unexpected outfits. It is very clear that the director of this music video has attempted to create different representation of the girl which creates a different personas in contrast to the ones we see when they are performing as themselves. All four girls are not represented in a voyeuristic way which is achieved through the use of layering of their clothing. They don't look particularly stylish and I think the difference between their usual appearance and the ones that are being represented here is supposed to be extremely obvious to the viewer. This lack of sexuality that the girls posses is implied to be their downfall which is symbolised by the girls falling over as they walk outside. This heavily suggests that they are outcasts because of their 'nerd like' personas.

The girls are then represented in a very stereotypical way as they are pictured in this medium long shot pining over a boy. However their attempts to get him to notice them appear to be in vain due to what is implied to be their 'undesirable appearances'.  I think personally this is the wrong message to send to girls as it is heavily implied that women must look a certain way to be accepted. However I do really like the use of shallow focus on the girls to draw attention to the fact they they don't fit in with all of the 'popular' characters. I also think that the natural framing of the pillars works very well. The girls are also singing into camera because the song fits the sound perspective. For example, as the girls think the boy is looking at them they soon realise he is gesturing to someone else. Upon realisation they chant in chorus 'Hey!' which is also part of the song but also works as dialogue. Here they go against Laura Mulvey's theory of the 'male gaze' because they are unable to attract a mans attention due to their images.

I thought this low angle point of view shot was very unique and I think it works well to illustrate the girls' confusion upon finding this magical book. It is a good shot if you wish to represent characters who aren't yet powerful or confident within the narrative and also very achievable. On this shot the viewer can also see at this point in the video the girls' make up is extremely minimal. Therefore, at this point in the video the plain and ordinary representations of these girls do not suit the usually fun and outlandish pop genre.

Special effects have been used here to create the illusion of 'Black Magic'. I believe this is achievable on the software that we have available within college and I would be very interested in experimenting with it in order to create an effect very similar to this one.

I believe that this over the shoulder shot may symbolise the close relationship the girls have within their inner circle because the camera is outside looking in. This is a stereotypical representation of females as they are thought to have a small group of close friends in which they share private information with. In my previous analysis of Taylor Swift's 'Bad Blood' I found that the use of wind machines to blow female actresses hair was a popular effect which enabled a character to appear voyeuristic, and almost angelic in nature. This is an effect that I may use in my music video. 

A gradual fade is then used to illustrate the girls' physical transformation from 'nerd' to outfits, hairstyles and make up which are considered more desirable by the media. The girls then walk through the corridor as the camera tracks them. The viewers are now aware that they have now become the focus of the school as they are the focus of the cameras attention. Their outfits are now a lot more coordinated with one another and also each one of them is showing a lot more leg, which is a highly sexualised part of the body on women, they are also wearing high heals to extenuate their leg length.

The ASL decreases as a cut to each one of the four girls is made on the beat showing them using their magic on another girl. This is an unfortunate stereotypical representation of the arguments between women which are frequently caused by jealousy.

Now that the girls are showing off their new looks they are subject to 'the male gaze' which is illustrated here as the boy has direct eye contact with the camera which he maintains as the camera continues to pan past him. This is a large contrast to before the girls experienced a make over when he appeared to look straight through them as though they did not exist.

I may use the arc shot pictured to the left which shows the girls standing in a circle with their backs turned to one another as the camera encircles them while each girl makes eye contact with the camera. I really like the girls hair pictured to the left which as it is highly intricate and detailed. Each outfit the girls are wearing suggests a different personality, for example the red jumper may suggest that she is more reserved than the other girls who in contrast are wearing bra-lets. I will strive to create this much attention to detail in my music video/ For example. using outfits to represent a specific part of my characters personality. 



I love the use of over-cranking as the paper flies around the room while the girls continue to walk through the crowds. I may use this effect in my music video.

This long shot would be quite easily created as the setting is simply a lecture room. I believe that the setting of a school would be extremely easy to use in my music video as there are many nearby. Although it would be hard to get the type of modern, picturesque aesthetic which is portrayed in the 'Black Magic' video. The girls are all singing and dancing into camera which matches the narrative as they are shown to be celebrating the previously boring-turned fun lecture.

The same split transition which was used in the opening is the used at the conclusion of the music video however this time the movement is reversed which symbolises the end of the narrative. 

How this post has influenced my planning and creativity: 

• Encouraged me to use low angle shots e.g to show people looking down on something. Also shown me that it is acceptable and even interesting to obstruct the actors in shot (e.g with the paper) if it contributes to the narrative. 
• I also like the use of lighting in the 14th screen shot as the main singers are illuminated by studio lights whereas the people in the background appear darker.