Existing Products/ Similar To

We felt that is was necessary within the research of our music video was to look at existing music videos within our genre. To specify as well, we we looked at music videos that were similar to the ideas we had such a narrative by using youtube's 'Recommended videos' but also our own knowledge on this genre.

The rock band Slipknot came to mind with the idea of using a mask as a prop within or music video. As that all of the members of the band, each have a different mask, this has create a 'star image' for them. The is evident as we connected our idea to their band instantly. 

The music video of Slipknot - Vermillion is a narrative based video which include a young female protagonist character and the members of the band. As this specific video is 'Vermillion Part 1', this therefore shows that it is part of a series, very similar to a narrative. From the start of the music video the female character is introduced waking up in bed. The mid-close up shot which shows the female torso upwards, that shows the curvature of her body. The female character has heavy make up styled hair that could seem attractive to the rock audience. This could be considered apart of Mulvey's theory as part of the 'male gaze'.
The editing of the video is very jittery which has a 'stop motion' effect to it. This suggests that there might be a time concept within the video and this is show straight away in the first shot as the clock in the distance starts off in focus and then go us of focus to the female character. This time laps within this character is emphasis as she walks down the street.
The female character has been put in an old style dress. This could be seen to emphasis this time concept as it contrasts with the modern society she has been placed in, that she is out of sync. As the dress appears to be dirty and well worn, the connotation is that her prioritise aren't with her looks but with her state of mind, that could suggest loneliness. This is proven as she walks alone all throughout the music video. Also the shot of her attempting to touching the footprint in the sand on the beach as it gets washed away before she can make contact. This could mean that she doesn't have a connection with human society, emphasising loneliness.
A shot of a caterpillar is used that later on turns into a butterfly, this shows change which the female character then does. This means that the pet butterfly was an inspiration to this character, a moment of realisation. This fits in the the equilibrium theory of Todorov, a narrative based theory. As this butterfly could represent beauty and freedom in which the character envy's,  is let free, in it changed/ developed state in which the female character does.
The female character then puts on a mask, similar to that of the Slipknot band members, this could suggest that she is trying to fit in, fit in with society as the band members join her. The band members notice her, a sense of being accepted by them, but they change their appearance to a more normal human featured state. This could suggest that society and time is moving on or to emphasise the loneliness  of this female character, but also the lack of social interaction she has. In contrast to the interaction she has built with the caterpillar.
The relationship she had the caterpillar changed, as the caterpillar changed, as it became a butterfly, it was let free. The female character tries to interact with the butterfly but she had to chase after it and then leaves. This is then shown as the characters breaking point as she is then shown on a top of a bridge, completing suicide perhaps as she leans over the banister.
The loneliness is better yet emphasised as she attempts to interact with society in a substation, as they avoid and leave her, this create sympathy for this character.
The music video ends with an equilibrium where the butterfly comes back to the female character as he attempts to catch it. The butterfly then dies in front of her, leaving the female character to pick up the died body, finally reunited. This final equilibrium makes the female character happy as the butterfly can never leave her, despite being dead but still contains beauty and the freedom the butterfly once had.

In response to this video, many elements we liked such as a female character being use but main the 'time laps' element of this video. This could be done in the post production process of editing and is really effecting within a music video of this genre.