TheoriesMarcus Catanzaro

GenreThe music video I will be applying Jason’s theory to is The

Wombats ‘Tokyo (vampires and wolves)’. This song is

classed as indie/alternative rock song, it was released on

24th September 2010. This video features the band in

Tokyo, staying out late, drinking and being with lots of

women. This song has a small performance section but it

is not very long it mainly focuses on the narrative. The

conventions shown are seen in other music videos but it is

different, so it is not the same as any other music video

out there. This video has a lot of references to

society, being out with your friends, getting drunk and not

caring about anything. This only represents people aged

18–22 as people in this age group tend to go out a lot, so

it does not represent any other people in society.

Genre

The music video that I will be comparing to ‘Tokyo’ is

Wheatus’ ‘Teenage Dirt bag’. This song is classed as

alternative/indie rock genre as well. This music video is not

similar to ‘Tokyo’, as the narrative they have both been

given is different and they do not have any similarities apart

form the performance stage. The differences in the

conventions are from what the characters do, so in ‘Tokyo’

the characters do what everybody their age does, they go

out drinking, but in ‘Teenage dirt bag’ the characters

perform they add a narrative to make it more interesting

and they try to make it funny to watch.

Narrative

The video begins with a state of normality, nothing strange

is happening, its just three guys hanging out in a car and

being bossed around by their manager. The disruption

occurs when the characters run away and start to party, the

disruption then carries on for a couple more minutes whilst

the manager tries to find them. The attempt to repair the

disruption comes from the manager searching for them so

they can get back on schedule. The return to the normality

occurs at the end of the video when the characters pass

out and are then found by the manager who puts them in

the car. There is a slight narrative to the music video, but

only if the audience looks for it otherwise it is not very

noticeable.

Narrative

Todrov’s theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium is mainly

applied to film’s as it fits the different states it has and it is a

longer sequence so there is more to apply it to. As for a

music video, if there is no narrative then the theory cannot

be applied and even if there is a narrative there is not much

to compare it to as the video itself is only a few minutes

long. For the music video I have looked at there is a

narrative to apply the theory to. The video does begin in a

calm state as the band arrive at a hotel, but then they

disappear and go partying which causes a state of

unsettlement, but as the video goes on their manager gets

closer to finishing them, and when he does it goes into a

calm state again as the band get into a car.

Narrative

Mulvey’s theory states that in films, television shows and

music videos men have a dominance over women either in

the way that they are represented or the way they look at

them. The use of the theory in the music is moderate, there

are women shown but mainly to give the band more of a

sex appeal, to make them look like they get all of the

ladies. The video consists of them talking and flirting with

women, the women were made to look more sexual and

appealing.

Narrative

Metz theory states that the genre and the general feel of a

film or music video changes, the genre of the video will

change as the plot does and it will become different. For

the music video I have analysed there is some change in

the genre and feel of the video but not much, at first it looks

like a dramatic video but it then changes to more of an

action video with the band running away and doing what

they like without caring about what they are meant to be

doing.

Narrative

As there is no conflict in the music video Strauss’

theory does not apply.

Although they are in conflict with there manager as

they are trying to avoid him as they do not want to do

any work, but the conflict here is not very strong and

it is not the focus of the music video.

Representation

The stereotype in the music video is from the way the

characters act, they are in their early twenties and they like

to go out and get drunk. This is a common stereotype of

most people this age, that they like to party all night and

wake up in the morning barley able to remember what

happened the night before.

Gender has not been strongly represented in the music

video, the male characters do not act masculine or

dominating, so no gender related stereotypes are shown

but the females in the video are stereotypical, they act like

they love the band members, they want to be with

them, when really they just want their money.

Representation

The statement talks about how women are only there to

make the men look good and to more of a male appeal to

the video. This is true for this music video, the women are

only there to make the men look better and to make them

appear more dominating when that is not their real look.

So yes, this look is apparent in the music video and it is

well represented.