Analyse music Video: F(x) - 4 Walls
https://youtu.be/4j7Umwfx60Q
The music video I would be analyzing is F(x)'s '4 Walls'. The music is mostly influenced by EDM, which presents the artist in a light fantasy fill when presented with the music video.
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. Stage performances in metal videos, dance routines for boy/girl bands)
In most Electro-pop, synth-pop, Kpop, EDM, genre music videos include a lot of scenes such as 'party' scenes or have many people within the video other then the artist but, in this music video '4 Walls' there isn't any club scenes or any other characters then the artist themselves.
By having scenes like this, it makes this music video more focused on the narrative or focus more on the artist so, they can have an understanding of what is going on in the video and how it is different to other Electro-pop genre music videos, such as Calvin Harris' music videos, where he usually has the artist but there will be lots of people in the music video other then the artists and will have them interacting in a club scene or partying etc, where as in this music video the music is much more calm and has soft vocals so it makes the viewer feel more interested in the narrative of the video.
2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)
The lyrics in the music video feel incomplete when listened to it by itself, when paired up with the video the lyrics fit in really well and it makes the narrative very clear and understandable. It also allows the viewer to feel like they are closer with the artists and are able to travel with them through the video. there are a lot of theories involved in the video, mostly associated with love, bonds between friends which is very dominant in the video.
The video references the love between friends, where walls are needed for a strong foundation. since there are four members in the group, the four walls signify how they are stuck together as a unit and friends that overcome struggles together. In the video they can be seen being able to navigate through the confusing world, the maze, with their bond.
The narrative can also be decoded as a confusing love, like some relationships can feel like they can be confining, the person can feel like they are trapped within the four walls, or it can also be decoded to love which can be a strong foundation, by using the four walls. Also, in some cases love in the narrative could also mean that the person can become a beacon, symbolized by the blue lights in the video, to help navigate the world better as a stronger person.
The lyrics that stand out the most are in the chorus, "Love is 4 walls, the mirror that is filled by you, Love is 4 walls, the mysterious maze", this symbolism to that these four people are like one and they have to figure everything out by themselves. I think this because the lyrics 'mirror that is filled by you' suggests that they all see themselves as one or that they see each other every time they try and look at themselves and the lyrics 'the mysterious maze' indicates that they are in this unpredictable maze to find something, a solution or to find themselves.
3. There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)
The music and the video fit in really well because, '4 Walls' video is dominated by feminine, muted colors to help portray the members in a dreamy light, the video itself shows two different dimensions such as the present and anther dimension where things happen to them in the present but, they get to see it happen to one another and try and fix the problem that created it all. the video is presented jumpy editing, it has artsy cinematography that allows the viewer to decode the narrative behind the video and the music.
The thing that stands out the most in the music video would be is butterflies that appear in the video, the butterflies sort of hint to the reader about the 'Butterfly effect' in the narrative, how one small change can change the outcome of something that is going to happen. therefore, throughout the video we see the members experiencing this and the viewers get to experience it with the members.
The opening of the music video we can see the girls waking up and getting ready, within that scene we also see a jump cut to a dark tree with 4 birds on the top of it while the sky goes by really quickly, in that scene, I think it symbolism that these four people are like these birds they are just there not going anywhere. while this scene is taking place, we can see that the editing of the scene is fitted with the beat so if the beat changes the scene will switch to another close up of the member. This indicates to the viewer about what pace this video is going to be at and helps understand what the viewers can expect from the editing and the visuals.
The entire video is framed around what could happen if the member drops the teacup in the beginning of the video. this is because when that teacup drops it sets off a chain of reactions that ultimately leads to one of the members falling and causing her death, this leads to the members in the other dimension where they try and solve her death and try to fix it by undoing it. All of the members are in that dimension and have to experience each other's lives to see how they can solve what went wrong.
Overall, I think the music and the visuals fitted in really well, the music makes sense when watched with the video but, is also enjoyable too by itself but, it can have a different effect, it can give off more of a dance,club music type which is what most Electro-pop genre music have a vibe of, but I think that the music itself would be a bit lighter then the ones usually made by artist like Calvin Harris.
4. 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 (e.g. A visual style)
In this music video, there are a lot of close ups in most scenes there are close ups of the members faces while they lip sync or there would be a long shot, mid shot, of what they are doing but still focus on their faces. there are many scenes especially in the beginning of the music video where we are introduced to the members of the group, but we see them in a similar way to each other, because the way the editing is done, we see them for a second then we see another member doing the same thing, and example we see a member opening the fridge then we see another member in that same place closing it, so the way the editing is done we see them all being connected to each other, even in these types of scenes the main focus would usually be an object or just the members face, usually both. this should make the viewer feel more close with the members since it becomes easier for them to know who they are then spot them throughout the video.
The close ups of the artists is a well known thing especially since their label SM Entertainment usually has the artist themselves being the main focus and therefore, asks for lots of close ups to be taken of them. it is visible in the later work and in their present work, in these videos we see the colours are usually quite mute or are colourful but still dream like this fits in well with the '4 Walls' music video since its very fantasy like and has soft music to follow it, so its not too hard like follow many EDM music videos.
5. There are frequent references to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic (sexual) treatment of the female body
There are a lot of close ups of the members bodies but, i don't think they are many voyuesristic treatment in this music video, I think the aim objective was to show the members as simple and colourful while still keeping the narrative and the setting of the music video.
I think we see them simple because in the beginning of the video in the present dimension the clothes they are wearing is quite simple and not colourful like the ones they are wearing in the forest scenes, where they are wearing dresses and are showing more skin then the other scenes, but the scenes where they are wearing clothes like this the camera tends to focus more on the scene then on the clothes.
However, there are scenes where the camera focuses one of the members but we can still see bits of their clothing like laces, etc, and there are scenes where they are in bed but, they aren't really sexualised. In the forest scene we see one of the members wear a crop top with shorts, i think this could be considered as voyeuristic as, we are able to see the midriff of the member, when she was running the camera focused on her upper body and on her legs, therefore, kind of indicating the voyeuristic treatment to her body.
There are scenes where it frequently references to the notion of looking, such as looking in the mirror, looking out the window. This indicates to me as if they know something is going to happen as everyone seems to be distracted by something, and this makes the viewer feel like they are waiting for something to happen or if it has started to happen.
6. There is often intertextual references (to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc)
There isn't many intertexual references in this music video, it just states things like 'Butterfly effect', or animals such as horses which can be portrayed in the way such as guide or a massanger so the person can find the right path to go to.
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