Within Music videos, different techniques are use between a wide range of genres within the music industry. Elements such as Mise-en-scene can give a certain perception and feel to the music video depending on the target audience which is closely related the genre of the music for the music video. Other aspects such as Lighting, Editing, Sound and Camera Work all contribute to how effective the music video is and how appropriate it is to its audience.
The music video by Nickelback – Photograph, The music video starts the image of the main singer holding a photograph in a frame, apart of the Mise-en-Scene. This instantly has a connection with the title of the song and additionally, the lyrics, “Look at the photograph”. This sounds like a demand or a sense of direct mode of address to the audience and therefore draws the attention of the audiences to look at the photograph, which is also emphasised but the camera work. The photograph/photoframe Chad Kroeger, the lead singer of Nickelback, is holding becomes in focus after or during Chad is singing/lipsyncing “Look at this photograph”. This builds a connection between the singer and the audience watching it. The camera work also can be related to the sound by the use of a smooth shift of focus in this shot. This compliments the tempo of the song itself. As the song progresses, the direct mode of address is continuously used, a sense of a narrative is shown through the lyrics and show also through the Mise-en-Scene, for example “This is where I want to school”, showing a scene of a run down school. Nickelback is also known to include performance into their music videos which is stereotypically of a rock/metal based band to incorporate in their music videos. This also gives a stereotype of the target audience this particular band has and what the music video has to include to suit this target audience. Further more, the clothing in with the band is wearing is also, stereotypical of a rock band which include ripped loose jeans and usually a dark t-shirt. This could also connect with its target audience to what the audience wears or would inspire to wear in an idolising way. Some parts of the Mise-en-Scene within the performance scenes could have a desired effect. For example, the use of old fashioned vintage microphones that the singers within the band are using could be related to the song itself as a “Photograph” is a still moment of a past event. This shift of time of looking into the past is emphasised through the use of these old fashioned microphones. The whole music video is full of past events, reminiscing and re-enactment of locations and events which happen for a stereotypically American teenagers life, relating to school, first kiss, getting into trouble and arcades.
