AO - Music Video Analysis

Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent





Institution and Audience

• How might this video be consumed? The video for this track was released 4 years ago, so I have an idea of how it was consumed by the public. The genre of the song isn’t mainstream, so it wouldn’t have been given as much airtime. I think the video would have been viewed actively, as I don’t feel the video can be watched passively.

• What role would the record label play in creating these promotional texts? I think that the record label would be involved in creating an idea and concept for the music video. They would also advertise the track and video, so it can be viewed a lot of times and have more publicity.

Genre and Narrative

• What are the forms and conventions evident in the video? (using Goodwin) This video is representative of most music video by the Arctic Monkeys, as it is mostly concept/narrative based. I think that the video also has an element of a parody, as it is about a group of clowns (which are usually seen as happy or funny people) having a fight, which I believe is quite ironic and unconventional, as this is not viewed as normal. Conventions of this genre are to have a concept based video that is a bit strange and doesn’t relate to the track, this is what has happened for this video.

• Is this an example of illustration or amplification? Or disjuncture? Why? I believe that this music video is an example of disjuncture, as the lyrics and video do not really relate to one another, however there is some reference. The video is about a fight between a group of clowns and a group of men (who aren’t clowns), and the song is about growing up, and that life isn’t as fun anymore- which relates to the clowns as they are usually associated with being funny, but in this video they aren’t.

• Could this video be considered art? I don’t think that this video can be considered art; this is because it doesn’t have many iconic shots from the video, and the video is all about a fight, which takes place next to a warehouse.

Media Language

• What is the message or purpose of the video? The purpose of any music video is to try and promote the band/artist and to advertise them in a certain style. However with this particular video, I don’t feel that this is the case, this is because the band are not featured in the video and so can’t be sold or advertised. I believe that the video’s message or purpose is to show that the band either don’t take themselves seriously or they wanted to make a video that would entertaining to be in and watch.

• What visual techniques are used to do this and why? The shots of the clowns and the non-clowns hitting each other are good techniques, as they look amusing and gives a pastiche look to the music video.

• Is there any intertextuality/ references to popular culture? The video doesn’t have any references to popular culture, as it is not a mainstream video. The video could be linked with a gang/gangster type of film, as the men’s (that aren’t clowns) clothing is of that style, and the fact the groups are having a brawl is connected to this style. Another intertextual reference is that the ending of the video is much like Radiohead’s ‘Karma Police’.


Representation

• How are the band/ artist represented? The band is not in the music video, so it is hard to see how they are represented in the video.

• How are different social groups represented? There aren’t many social groups represented in this video, only the group of clowns and the group of men that aren’t clowns. The clowns are represented as quite a violent group, as they are fighting with these men and seem very aggressive towards them. As they are chasing after them, this is also shown at the end when one clown kills the man he used to be friends with when they were children.

• What is the ideological discourse? It’s hard to find many ideologies or stereotypes in this video, as it is just about a group of clowns and a group of men. However, the stereotype that clowns are funny, and are seen as happy people is challenged, as in the video the clowns are fighting, which people would not associate with clowns.