The video that I am analysing is ‘Love Story’ by Taylor Swift. The video was directed by Trey Fanjoy is a country music and pop music video director Fanjoy has directed over 150 major label music videos. Knowing that Fanjoy is country music and pop music video director I can see and understand that how the country image is vey apparent in the music video as we see alot of outside environtment scenes and the colours that are shown are vibrant and fresh. The genre that the music follows is country pop that is love inspired. The characteristics that the video has that follows the genre are the cuts to the beat which follow closely the beats of the country instruments. Fast paced camera movement & editing illustrates the beat of the music. The use of montage editing captured the narrative in a condensed time. Panning, crabbing and tilts captured the pace of the music. Furthermore, it also captures wistful romance element of the video. Finally, there are a lot of close ups of the artist. This was done to promote the artist and to be seen on smaller screens.
In The music video the lyrics are amplified through the visuals to an extent. This is shown when Taylor sings ‘Say hello’. This is illustrated through a close up shot and Taylor Swift is turning around to face us. Later she sings ‘you were everything to me’. This is presented in a 2 shot and they are positioned close together, which creates an atmosphere of a union between two lovers. Finally, she sings ‘This love is difficult’ in contradiction in the shot Taylor is stroking a Horse. This shot connotes that she is soothing and tending to what the horse can be symbolized as love.
The relationship between the music and visuals in the chorus is presented with the pace of the music being increased. A fast tilt shot is shown going up while Taylor is looking in the distance. The tilt shot really captures the raise in pace in the music. Shots become more swoopy. In the beginning of the music video the pace of the music video is slow and repetitive and sounds like a clock ticking. Visually we see the high school clock, which compliments the shot. Furthermore, there is a slow motion edit. This compliments the pace of the music so it is amplified. Furthermore, when the pace of the music is increased so does the number of cuts.
There are close ups of the artist. This attempts to sell the artist as she is constantly shown in these shots. The image of the artists that is being represented in this video is that she is early 19th century upper class or a princess. Compared with the previous music video by Taylor Sift ‘Picture to burn’ I see that there is no relationship between the videos. We see a change in image between the videos as in ‘Picture to burn’ She is wearing a black colour scheme set of costumes and is presented as independent and rebellious. This is presented through low angles and the music has a constant fast pace. However, in ‘Love Story ’ she is wearing light colour scheme costumes and there is a display of union and love through 2 shots.
The artist is on sexual display to an extent as there is a shot where the camera tilts in a diagonal direction of the back of Taylor. Furthermore, she is wearing a dress which reveals her back. However, she is presented as more of majestic higher class women.
In the video there are intertexual reference to High school, to fairy tales stories and the film pride and prejudice. Intertexual reference to fairy tale stories is portrayed though the shots of castles and a forest. Intertexual reference to the film Pride and Prejudice. This is portrayed in the dance scene. The costumes and the scene are visually similar. Finally there are intertextual references to Romeo and Juliet in the lyrics.
The video is both narrative and performance based. However they are linked very closely. The performance sequences are when Taylor is in the castle structure singing. Whereas the narrative sequences are the ones related with the story of the male and the female.
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