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The Human League, both performs and appears within the narrative itself,
which is typical of a pop rock genre. This convention is also seen in the The
Man Who Cant Be Moved by The Script, an example of modern pop rock.
Despite programmes only being broadcasted in colour in 1969, bright colours became
conventional of the pop rock genre, with vivid, idiosyncratic patterns and layers
attracting audiences in the 70s and 80s.
Costume/style, was a vital convention of the pop rock
genre, with some bands/groups expressing unique and
quirky outfits. The Human League all change costume
within the narrative.
Make-up is also a strong conventional characteristic of the
classic pop rock genre, shown throughout the video, to
accentuate the actors eyes.
Another pop rock characteristic is shadow/lack of lighting. This is
shown throughout the video, adding to the mysteriousness of the
narrative, and the stalker-like male character. Shadow/lack of
lighting is also most famously used in Every Breath You Take by
The Police.
When Oakey sings Don't you want me, baby?, the scene cuts from a mid-
shot of him looking into the distance, with a creepy, disappointed stare, to
a medium-long shot of the woman in the narrative, further amplifying the
lyrics. This is repeated, due to the fact that it is the title of the track,
creating a melodic motif, to stick in audiences minds.
When the lyrics are repeated, more shots are shown to reinforce the
narrative, giving a clear indication of the connections between characters
in the scene and how theyre related through the lyrics.
The video is mostly continuity editing, as its aim is to provide a clear narrative, in order to share
the message of the song to the teen demographic.
Oakey sings You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry, which links to the shot of
Joanne Catherall, with a fearful/vulnerable expression, suggesting the danger of Oakeys character
in the narrative.
There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (either
illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)
The music has a punchy, hypnotic feel, conventional of the classic pop rock genre. "Don't you want me,
baby?" is also repeated in the chorus, to further emphasise the narrative and the extent to which
Goodwin's theory applies.
The fast tempo notes played on the synthesiser are contradictory towards
the visuals. The synthesiser makes the music sound fun and energetic,
however, the visuals show a seriousness and uncanny narrative structure.
From the beginning of the video, the visuals are in sync with the music.
Between the rests of the synthesiser, one shot moves on from another and, or
a movement or action is placed, in order to help the music to flow, further
reinforcing the use of continuity editing. At 0:15, a car door slams, just as the
rest is played.
When the music build up to the chorus, the tempo of the instruments increase and so
does the pace of the shots.
When Oakey and Catherall sing, they appear on screen, performing to the camera, which anchors
the relationship between the music and the visuals.
The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the
artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work
There are plenty of close-ups of The Human League, as they are part of the narrative. This could also
be because the record label might want to boost the popularity of all of the band members, not just
Oakey and Catherall, despite the fact that they get more screen-time in this video.
Oakey has the most close-ups, to show his facial expressions and changes
in setting and costume. These close-ups of Oakey are repeated throughout
the video, which could suggest that the record label were trying to create
a motif with this specific song, and the notion of his stare.
When The Human League are performing to the camera, they are connecting with
their audience, possibly because the message of loving someone, could be a
relatable subject for their teen demographic.
There are frequent references to the notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic
treatment of the female body
This video has a strong mixture of performance and narrative, where The Human League performs
the song whilst also acting in the same scene, creating a link between the two.
The narrative is clear at the beginning, but becomes more intense as the video progresses, with
regular cross-cutting from the male lead, to the female lead, foreshadowing danger.
I think this does portray the typical narrative structure, supporting the conventional pop rock genre,
as the video has a clear theme, a mixture between performance and narrative and has repetitive
lyrics.
Narrative Theory
Todorov, Propp, Strauss
Strauss
Good (the women) vs bad (the man)
Propp Strong (the women) vs weak (the man)
Villain- the man Predator (man) vs prey (women)
Composed (women) vs desperate (the man)
Strauss theory could be used to highlight the archetypal one-sided relationship. However, the
element of love within the story, isnt really applicable, as the male gender is needy and
insecure. This challenges the stereotypical male image, which is men, as macho and
emotionally stable.
Todorovs theory doesnt really apply to this video, as its structure is constantly showing the
same theme, without a fluctuation in feeling or mood.
All media is
encoded with
meaning Media Language
The meaning that is encoded in this video, supports and challenges the stereotypically dominant gender ideas. This is
shown at the start of the video (0:59), where there's a medium-long shot of the man sitting slightly above the woman
whilst she is working. This could possibly encode the meaning of patriarchy, as the woman must be watched as she
works and the man is above her, further reflecting the dominancy of the male gender. However, this narrative could
be challenging these dominant gender ideas, as the man is waiting on the girl, not the other way round.
Stereotypically, in a media text, the female gender is usually portrayed, as needy, desperate and lovesick, instantly
creating a preferred reading, whenever a female is placed in a media text. Whereas in this video, this isnt the case.
Barthes theory is applicable to this video, which argues that all media communicates through a system of codes,
denotations and connotations. This theory is applicable to the video, as media language is encoded to challenge
hegemonic views on gender roles. For example, the female is shown on a film set, with what seems to be, a full-time
job, whereas, the man is standing in each scene and watching her every move. This supports Mulveys male gaze
theory, with the view that women are often sexualised in the media, and are often looked at by men, voyeuristically;
referring to the frequent shots of women, using a shallow depth of field. However, this could also challenge Mulveys
theory, as the woman is sophisticated, hardworking, and could be viewed with respect by men. Ferdinand Saussure
argues that all media communicates through a signifier and what it signifies. A signifier in this video could be the reel
of film, and it could be signifying the feeling of being watched, just like the man is watching the woman; further
emphasising the hegemonic views on gender roles.