Analysis from our genre: Coldplay – fix it

Textual analysis from our genre

Coldplay – fix it

Genre

I know from this being in my genre that this music video is alternative rock therefore I didn’t have to investigate this. There are connotations of alternative rock seen throughout this video as within alternative rock videos the lighting tends to be rather dark which is seen throughout this video. Also, in alternative rock videos the camera tends to be free hand most of time as it sometimes in videos it follows the character around to create a confused/exciting atmosphere which is actually seen in most type of rock genres.

Narrative

The narrative of this piece I believe is rather complicated. This is because what is seen is seen within the music video doesn’t relate to the lyrics throughout. There is only way section where he says “lights will guide you home” and then a stream of lights appear to follow him however this is not consistent as it is a one off and therefore it doesn’t link to Goodwin’s theory. However, there are aspects of ‘Propps’ theory which relates to whether there are recognisable characters.  The theme that runs throughout is ‘night’ as throughout the whole music video it is dark and he constantly looks like he is making his way back home. The general storyline is that the character (there’s only main character) is singing whilst he looks like he is making his way back home. Then there is a twist as he’s actually running to a concert to perform in front of a large crowd. This then turns into a performance/narrative music video rather than just narrative.

Technical codes

There are a number of interesting camera shots and editing techniques within this music video. The first one which I think starts the video off is an establishing shot which shows the setting of where most of it is filmed and the main character. This is good as it gives the audience a small insight into where it is set, the number of characters that are in the video and a generally feel for where they are. Moreover, another interesting shot is the use of the low angle, this was used to make the character seem dominant and powerful which is stereotypical because men are usually the dominant gender and this is suggesting the same thing. Furthermore, the editing that is used throughout is slow which matches the pace of the song which is also slow therefore it shows consistency and shows it has clearly been thought through. Also, transitions aren’t very frequent; they aren’t constant which also adds to the slow pace of the music video itself. The effect of all of this to create a sad mood/atmosphere as the song is ‘fix you’ which could connote someone isn’t very well and therefore needs fixing which is sad.

 

Visual codes

The video is set within London and I know this because within one of the shots you see a rail sign which says ‘Kings Cross’. Also, it is set in the arches underneath the rail station which you tend to see in London but is seen everywhere. The dominant colour within this music video is black/brown, these colours are typically associate with death and the fact the song is called ‘fix you’ could connote that they are talking about someone who might be close to passing away and they want to fix them.  

Audience

Personally, I do not think this music video is directly aimed at a certain group of people this is due to the fact I know it is liked by people of all ages and people listen to this song when they are upset. The key signifiers that indicate this are the everything is mutual or in the middle. By this I mean that in teenage based music videos there tends to be bright colours whereas in this one it is rather plain which suggest it can be liked by all age groups. However, I believe that only an adult would be able to listen to the lyrics of the song and understand what it means which connotes that the audience is adults of all ages. Fans can access this video via YouTube or the TV as there are music channels now however YouTube is more efficient.