Music Video Analysis 2

Title: Price Tag

Artist: Jessie J ft B.o.b

Album: Who You Are

Producer: Dr.Luke

Genres: R&B, hip hop, pop, reggae fusion

Release Date: 28th January 2011 (UK)

I will be focusing on Andrew Goodwin’s theory from ‘Dancing in the distraction factory’ to analyse this music video.

There is a metaphoric and contradicting relationship between the lyrics and visuals in relation to the relatively serious issues highlighted in the song and how particular shots seem to mock these ideas by using unrealistic props. Also, the lyrics describe the idea that money is just an object that shouldn’t be the controller of love, relationships, health and that materialistic items are a luxury and should be grateful for not taken advantage of, yet a close up shot of Jessie singing shows her lips covered in pink diamantes contradicting this message, and supporting the supposedly negative perception that expensive or additional objects are needed in order for the music video to appeal to its audience.

Like many pop music videos, typical genre characteristics are evident such as an emphasis on production and technology that is that the music video makes no attempt to hide the indicators to the cost of the making of the video. The music itself also intended to encourage its audience to dance via its beats and rhythms, Price Tag certainly achieves this.

The repetitive close-up shots of the main artist are present to familiarise the star image with its audience for advertisement purposes. This technique is used in many pop music videos, many of which directors have been giving a specific percentage in which the main vocalist should be shown for in the duration of the video to satisfy its audience.

Although the artist is female voyeurism is not present in Price Tag to the extent of that in for example Candy Shop by 50 Cent and Olivia. I believe this is because the target audience would be young adults and therefore this would not be ethical.

Jessie is represented throughout the video in a way in which makes her appear lost in her childhood as well as being frustrated about today’s society. The lyrics of the song suggest she is opinionated and wanting for change. She is generally portrayed in a neutral light meaning that the audience is not intended to dislike nor admire her but rather agree or disagree with her.

Like many of Jessie J's music videos, Price Tag is primarily performance and conceptual based. It starts by briefly showing "Jessie" as a child which could illustrate how her views on materialistic items and values portrayed in the song could have been shared with her views when she was younger. Alongside this visual is the sound a musical toy for a cot would make further illustrating the thoughts and imagination of Jessie's inner child.

I like the use of oversized and under-sized props and how they more than often have no significance to the lyrics. For example a huge bear, toddler sized bike and dolls house could almost a metaphor of Jessie’s childhood.

The mise-en-scene in the video is generated via the use of metaphors, for example the costume is bizarre such as a clown outfit and a ballerina dress which at first seem irrelevant however they all account to the idea that Jessie finds herself wrapped up in the excitement of a ‘child’s play-like world’. Her unusual facial expressions and exaggerated body language further support this.

Broken doll could suggest Jessie’s memories of her childhood are perhaps hurtful or hard due to struggles with money and family.

Jessie in the puppet outfit could be metaphoric to how she felt controlled as a toy attached to string that ables them to move is. This again could be related to her childhood, evident from the clown like make-up and costume which is typically associated with children’s entertainment.

Certain elements of make-up are also beneficial to the music video such as diamante lips because they re-gain interest due to their eye-catching effect.

In means of location when shooting, no natural environments or specifically designed set have been used. All of the backgrounds used in the video appear to have been created and was therefore likely to have been filmed against a green screen. This is apparent because of the use of fading out of colours.

Throughout the video there are obvious examples of gender connotations such as a blue background, traditionally associated with males used when B.o.b is rapping and pink when Jessie is singing.