Music Video Analysis: Daughter - Numbers
Directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, the music video for 'Numbers' is that of a conceptual piece that doesn't really bare any relation to the lyrics. Instead, I believe it is more of a social commentary of social identity and growing up in a modernised society - both commenting on how the world is cruel, warped and in some cases distorted, as well as commenting on how people exist through what they perceive to be as "perpetual pain".
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS
Overall, I could make no distinctive link between the lyrics and the visuals, purely because there were no objects or motifs that solely related to what the song entailed. However, with this being said, the concept of being "numb" was highly evident, as shown through a variety of wide angled and tracking shots that showed the lack of emotion of the lead actress, Natasha O'Keefe. Although the video is conceptual, there are elements of performance within the music video; as seen through wide angled camera shots of a band (the lead singer an old man, and the actual singer of the band 'Daughter', acting as a bassist) performing under brooding, low-key lighting. In this sense, I can make a link between the visuals and lyrics, as there is an obvious element of lip-synching: a convention of a performance style music video.
GENRE CHARACTERISTICS
Upon first watching the video and already knowing that 'Daughter' is an ambient pop and dream pop group, the music video definitely conformed to the codes and conventions of the genre. For starters, the genre of dream-pop tends to add an element of subtle surrealism to any product. In terms of this music video having an element of "surrealism" to it, it makes the audience question things that inevitably evokes a response from audiences that force them to question the aesthetics of the video, as well as the deeper, perhaps didactic meaning of the product. As my aforementioned point states, the video draws heavily on how we live vicariously through a modernised society, constantly changing our personal identity to suit that of the agenda of the time - yet, we're possibly unaware of the damaging effects that it has on us. An obvious convention of a dream-pop music video is the vast amount of low-key, cool-hued lighting, that in turn evokes a melancholic response from the audience as well as suiting the overall aesthetic. In contrast to this, there were also moments captured within the video (exhibited through wide-angled and tracking shots) that showed neon, vibrant, high-key lighting that had a soft glow to it - reinforcing the genre convention of ambient-pop, as the soft glow of the neon lights added another dimension to the visuals, drawing the audience in and reiterating the atmospheric and brooding tone of the video. The directorial choice of not using quick-cut edited shots also conforms to the genre of dream-pop, as the smooth, continuous tracking shots reiterate a gentle flow throughout the video, adding continuity and allowing audiences to engage more with the genre of ambient-pop.
LINEAR OR CLOSED NARRATIVE?
In this music video, there is a strong narrative that unfolds throughout the main body of the product - however, personally, it seems a little complex for audiences to fully engage with. The excessive amounts of enigma codes, such as the close-up shots of the deck of cards and the coin, pique audience interest, but makes them work harder in unearthing the narrative. Having watched the video numerous times, it is clear that there is a continuous narrative that flows throughout, but it is also a cyclical narrative, as it opens with a wide-angled camera shot of an apartment bedroom, and ends in the same way - suggesting that the narrative that the actress takes is both continuous and part of her twisted, deluded every day life. The music video is particularly interesting because as we follow the actress throughout the concealed streets of London, the camera directs our attention to several different people, such as the protesters, the homeless man and the woman that injured herself. In terms of a directorial choice, it could be inferred that the woman detaches herself from these things that she deems as "mundane" and unimportant - as she dismissively blows smoke into the faces of the protesters, lighting money on fire and tossing it at the homeless man and finally completely ignoring the injured girl.
LOOKING/MODE OF ADDRESS
Deducing that the music video is in fact conceptual and isn't performance based, there is an absence of looking throughout the video, but only up until the very end where the lead singer of the band is shown through an extreme close-up and lip-synchs to the camera. Up until this point, the actress, Natasha O'Keefe, remains completely distant to the audience, showing her detachment through the same, nonchalant and emotionless facial expression. The idea of the actress distancing herself from the audience by failing to look directly at the camera, reinforces the message that I decoded from the video - she shows that she is perpetually numb and the lack of acknowledgment of the audience and camera, shows the lack of confidence that she has in herself and her personal identity. Perhaps, she also views the audience as being "mundane" and refuses to acknowledge us because of this - just as she did with the injured girl.
MIS-EN-SCENE
Conceptually driven, the music video focuses on a girl and her struggle with personal identity and love in a world that does nothing but take from her, and only stresses that it is indeed a cruel world - as seen through the various other characters. The only way that she finds comfort in the world is taking from other people, hence the strong enigma codes of the deck of cards. Various close-up camera shots of the deck of cards, suggests that this is only a game to her; she is calculated and methodical in what she wants, and knows exactly how to get it. She seeks and she takes - relentlessly. This is the only way to get back at the world from taking her personal identity from her. Considering that she dons a red, satin/silk dress, conjures up imagery of the stock character, the 'Femme Fatale'. Used in a lot of movies and music videos, the 'Femme Fatale' is typically depicted as a beautiful woman with bad intentions; usually to capture lovers. The element of Colour Psychology is again used here, with the colour red usually associated with love, danger, blood and death. O'Keefe searches for men to use and drain of life, with the death of the men happening right after she touches the deck of cards and the coin, and the men being drained of blood. The idea that she touches the deck of cards, shown entirely through high-angled close-up shots, suggests that she knows that she is playing a dangerous game, but this doesn't bother her, as she gets what she wants anyway. The video intimates that life is nothing but a game and a competition and suggests that life is fragile if put into the wrong hands.
The low-key lighting of the video allows for an emotive response from the audience as it follows the harrowing tone of the visuals. In terms of empowerment and disempowerment, there was really no inference that I could make here, as although there were no high-angled or low-angled camera shots of the main actress, it was clear that she remained in a position of power as she was the central figure-head in the music video. The only power inference that I could make would be that of the high-angled shot of the deck of cards and how the woman would always be in a position of power if she continued to play the game of life and death.
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