Analysing Existing Effective Music Videos

Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract

This specific music video is extremely successful having merged both types of 'world' - animation and real life. The interaction between both characters - Paula and the cat, create a humorous response to the lyrics completely corresponding to the line and title, "Opposites Attract." Furthermore, the abstract juxtaposing theme adds a uniqueness to the video due to the persistent changes between costume and scene involving creativity. Following the lyric, "two steps forward, two steps back", the action is portrayed within the video clearly emphasising the comedic aspects of the video.

Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice

Following the previous video, this music video also fits into the category of comedic and unrealistic. The actor, Christopher Walken (who is renowned for playing antagonists) acts as a hotel guest, legitimately flying and frolicking around the somewhat empty hotel to an upbeat dance track by Fatboy Slim. The entire concept of this video is juxtaposed with the audiences original and initial perspectives of Christopher Walken being questioned throughout. For instance, the attire worn by the character is what seems to be a businessman therefore at the time he begins to dance to the track, already comedy is produced. Following on from this, the track allows the character as if to escape from normality by at the end returning to a normal state of affairs. The entire abstract content of the video created much happiness when watched by audiences resulting in the artist being rewarded with 6 awards for this video.

The Fray - Heartless

The Fray cleverly in this video use drawings to help guide a story along whilst enticing an audience through the information being fed via the imagery. The use of a child automatically collects sympathy from an audience corresponding to the minor audio emitting depressing and emotional vibes. These two ideas cleverly work together by the animation of the drawings coming to life, as if to 'guide' viewers through the lyrics by visual aspects. Using drawing somewhat leaves an audience to create their own perception of the lyrics adding originality and uniqueness to the video, contrasting completely with the previously two analysed videos above. 

Overall, the visuals used within a music video have to be enticing for an audience by either extracting sympathy or laughter in order to keep them intrigued and enticed by the track. However, I have learnt that the visuals could completely juxtapose with the lyrics in the right way to create humour yet I think if this was not done to a professional standard, it could come across as a poor and weak music video.