Genre research - The XX 'Intro'

The videos mise en scene starts off very grey in colour. Also the look of the video is very urban, this then runs throughout the video, with shots of streets, allys and train stations. This urban location is very conventional for an Alternative Dance video. It looks very grey and plain, however like most Alternative Dance videos as it progresses it becomes quirkier using either a narrative or in this case weird and wonderful lighting.

 

The editing throughout the video is to the beat, it cuts to the beat. This is a example of an amplification video as it cuts to the beat and has a amplified narrative. Cutting on the beat is a typical convention as for Alternative Dance the music is the most important part. By cutting on the beat the visuals amplify the music and make it an all round better experience for the audience. However this song by The XX does not have any words, in my music video brief there has to be lip syncing in my video. Therefore the song my group and I choose will feature lyrics.

Another theme that runs throughout the video is it's use of revealing lighting, the lighting is bright in certain areas revealing the seedy background and locations of the video. This is a good way of highlighting key points in the video and making sure there clear for the audience to see. By using revealing and silohette lighting it gives the video that iconic 'trippy' and quirky look most Alternative artists and bands go for in there videos. 

The narrative is not very clear however, the main focus seems to be on the mise en scene and look of the video rather than a narrative. There is a slight theme running throughout the video, what looks like drug exchanges and 'dodgey' goings on are revealed in the video. This could be The XX explaining that things like that go on right under our noses. It doesn't seem as if they are condemning them or saying 'this is wrong' there simply highlighting the fact it happens to the audience. In the Alternative Dance genre the artists and bands never seem to condemn the behavior they portray on screen  so therefore the concept of this video is very convectional. 

 

By using colourful lighting it ads a little quirkyness and fun to there video, also it's very arty. The colour is used mostly to silhouette the people on screen, hiding them and there features but also making them stand out. This could portray the idea that drug dealers and people under the influence are always around us but never noticed. Again they are not condemning the fact it happens or making the people look horrible or bad, there just (by using coloured lighting) stating that it happens. Bright, quirky lighting is massively conventional for Alternative Dance videos, many artists and bands use lighting as a way of making there videos different and alternative.