Focusing on Mise-en-scene/Camera/Lighting/Editing and sound, 'How do these technical elements add to your understanding of the action and narrative?'
Analysis of Charli XCX's 'Break The Rules' Music Video
According to an article the recording artist wrote on Buzzfeed regarding how the song came to fruition, Charli XCX states that its 'obviously about not giving a fuck'. This way of thinking is also a prominent aspect of the songs accompanying video.
The video beings with a fade-in from black of an apparent school corridor setting; as assumed by the following diegetic sound of a bell ringing and young adults running out of the attached rooms of the corridor (all dressed in matching uniforms, evocative of that of those worn by school children).
A series of jump-cuts are used, in my view, in order to get through the content of the video's narrative in the short time-span of the song itself. These series of shots of Charli XCX start as a long shot of her entire group of female company. Then it cuts to a medium-long shot of the group with Charli XCX in the centre and finally to a medium shot of mostly Charli XCX. It is implied that Charli is the group leader as she is the only one member of the group who's eyes are wide open, as if she were focused on her prey, almost like a hawk. She's on a mission of some sorts. Charli is also the only member looking towards the camera lens, however never directly at, as this could be deemed as intimidation towards the audience.
Numerous close-up shots from a high up angle in the video are of Charli's sexualised physical features such as her short skirt. This focus on her
The female group sets their sights on a 'Trashy Lingerie' shop, and arrive in their punk
Rose McGowan features as 'The Chaperone' in the video, she even gets her own title as such which pops up on the screen. McGowan is most commonly associated with the film genre of Horror as she has appeared in various horror films in her acting career. Her cameo would suggest that something horrible is about to take place at the school dance.
Notes:
The music is not live (diegetic) instead it is pre-recorded and added in post, hence non-diegetic.
High-key lighting in the corridor from the shining sun - suggesting these people live in a hot climate or that it is summertime: this is backed up by the ringing bell and running school children, these elements in combination have connotations of an end to a school year.
She's the only female school-girl who's wearing red lisper (killer-lips), suggesting she's dangers and unique in her ways.
A view from a lower-angle shot of Charli standing on a yellow school bus (giving the audience appear statuesque, thus powerful and in control.
First the 'ordinary' kids leave the class room, then the 'cool, calm and collected pac (including head wolf Charli XCX) leaves the classroom in a bowling pin formation (typical dance routine style).
Highly saturated colours - filter, connotations of social media (instagram) Makes it appear more artistic
slow-motion (Reservoir Dog's-esque) walking in a pac.
The bucket scene resembles/perhaps is a homage to: The blood scene in the Carrie horror film.
Numerous moving camera shots are used to create motion that
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