A Level Media Coursework: Textual Analysis of Dance Music Videos

                          

The videos Lullaby (Sigala & Paloma Faith), One Kiss (Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa) and Came Here for Love (Sigala & Ella Eyre) have a similar theme of ideology and ethnic imagery represented in their videos. They all carry similar features and music video conventions when concerning mise-en-scene, camera shots and editing.

For example, in the three videos above, it shows a very clear representation of the age group which are typically into dance music, this can be identified through the use of age specific actors seen throughout the videos, all seeming to be in their early twenties. Those shown in the video are generally female, this has been purposely done in order to attract viewers attention (Male Gaze) not because the audience is mainly this gender. From this we can understand that the videos have attempted  to target both genders. The male gaze is very prominent within these videos, with low angle camera shots of female bodies instead of the overall shots of the dance music atmosphere. Due to this, the videos are ultimately narrowing their audience viewings by assuming the sexuality of their audiences and objectifying women through the use of the male gaze. However, the male gaze is less prominent in the first two videos.

The effervescent and jovial atmosphere created in the dance music videos make a recognisable link to the theme conveyed. All three videos show scene of beaches and foreign cultures, with shots presenting warm weather and beaches, allowing us to gain an idea of this tropical setting. This, again relates back to the period of time dance music tracks/ videos are often released, allowing audiences to  relate to their own experiences. In the dance music videos, media language techniques have been used to enhance aspects of the videos which the producers/ director feels will appeal to their audiences.