Textual Analysis: Nelly Furtado – Say It Right

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 start of Nelly Furtado – Say It Right, opens with an establishing shot of a city landscape. A suggestion of height is made by the level in which the camera is to the other sky scrappers within the city landscape. Additional a helicopter appears which adds to this fact but also brings your attention to who maybe in the helicopter. As this suggests wealth of this person which later on, Nelly Furtado is revealed, getting out of this. Furthermore, a Nelly Furtado logo is placed onto the helicopter itself but also on the landing platform. This typography of ' Nelly Furtado' is in fact a logo for her album, this therefore is a promotion technique whilst establishing the star image. As the song starts, another star image is show, that of Timbaland. Within this, Timbaland is blinking/ winking in sync with the beat of the track. This is continued through the editing of the first sequence but also, throughout the whole song. Different actions from the different artists and different clips such as blinking and snapping fingers, all of which cut to emphasises the beat. Nelly Furtado then begins to lip sync, this suggests a performance video. Soft lighting is used throughout most of the music video, this makes the subject, appear more angelic. This also would help the star image as this particular lighting makes Nelly Furtado appear more attractive, this would appeal to her target market of teens, being flirtatious toward males and woman may envy her. This is emphasised later in the music video as she rubs her body, wearing a strapless dress and water dripping on, adding voyeuristic elements to the video. Nelly Furtado and Timbaland become a duet, singing to one another, this could suggest that the two artists are in a relationship perhaps. For example, Nelly Furtado sings into Timbaland's ear, this appears to be quite lustful and she is also closing her eyes. Furthermore this could represent a whisper, a secret being shared between the two artists, suggesting trust. Throughout the video, sound and imagery connections are made such as a hand raised when it is said 'From your hand', the emphasises the lyrics within the song, making it more recognisable. Backing dances are introduced, the choreography syncs in with the beat, yet again, emphasising it.