The music video I have chosen to analyse is for ‘Behind These Hazel Eyes’ by Kelly Clarkson.
The structure of the video is conventional in comparison to similar music video of the pop genre, whereby they consist of a combination of a narrative story focusing on the artist, as well as performance footage of the artist, typically with a band or instruments. In this case, the solo singer is the centre of a narrative story, as well as being shown performing with a band - who are depicted in a contrasting setting to the narrative.
The narrative of the music video is fairly complicated. It follows the same character at different times in her life. It tells the story of how she walks out of her own wedding, leaving her fiancé, when she realises he has been cheating on her with another woman. The story is not in chronological order, however, making it hard to follow.
It begins by focusing on her as she performs with a band. The mise-en-scene reveals a dark graveyard, which reflects death, darkness and typically negative connotations. Close-ups are used of her face, which tell us that she is the significant character and as she sings the lyrics, it gives the impression that she is telling a story. Low angle shots are used of the church or chapel, which give a daunting effect, and make the audience feel submissive, reflecting on how this character might be emotionally dominated by the situation or circumstances - which are later revealed. The lack of lighting, or darkness that is intentionally used, also adds to the negative and sad connotations that can be associated with this character.
In contrast, it then cuts to a shot of her getting ready for a wedding, where she wears a typical white wedding dress - which could portray innocence, as she is not yet aware of her fiancés affair. She is depicted as being quite naïve. The mise-en-scene reveals a room that is lit up by the sun from outside the window and the chandelier, which hangs from the ceiling, both combining to give a warm gold and yellow glow, which has warm, safe and homely connotations. Although the two settings are presumably in the same location, (a church), the contrast in light reveals that this is a different time, both physically and emotionally for this character. The narrative shots then continuously intersperse with the performance shots - again, giving the impression that the initial version of this character is telling the story. The wedding day version of this character then picks up a photo frame. A close up reveals that the photo is of a man and a different woman. The main woman in the wedding dress then emotionally drops the photo and leaves the room. This indicates that the man in the photo was her fiancé and that he is with someone else.
The narrative then cuts to sometime in the future where a woman dressed in black, is walking down the isle towards a bride and groom. Over shoulder shots and point of view shots are used as the character approaches the couple allowing the audience to see from her perspective. Close ups of the character in black reveal to the audience that she is the same character from the beginning of the video, although now at a different stage in her life. It is revealed that the bride is a different woman who is marrying the man that the main character loved. She saw the same couple in the photo.
The shot then cuts to a long shot of the main character, who is in her wedding dress again, as she stumbles out of the church and down some steps. Her costume tells the audience that we are now back to the initial story, and that she has just walked out on her wedding. The mise-en-scene reveals a very dark, misty, graveyard-like location, similar to where the shots of the band are. This reflects the characters emotions at this point, and how, like the location, she has gone from being happy and warm, to being heart broken and cold.
The shots then cut back and forth from the wedding of her ex and his new bride, to shots of the main character running through the dark church yard in her wedding dress which is progressively getting dirtier.
The shot then cuts to her at her wedding, before she walked out, and she is now standing opposite her husband in the traditional position. The mise-en-scene reveals a much darker church interior, with leaves and wind blowing everywhere. Close ups of the main character are used to show her looking around the room, where she sees the woman who he later marries. A close up of her hand is used, as she grabs the ring and throws it in the mans face. The cut rate then increases as she leaves the church, and it shows shots of her singing with the band interspersed with shots of her in the muddy wedding dress, which is presumably where she ends up after she leaves the building.
The pace of the video changes from the beginning, where it is quite slow and focused, to the end, where it rapidly increases, as the shots get shorter in duration, reflecting the main characters shock and despair over the situation. The cut rate also increases a huge amount, cutting to and from shots of each narrative that is being told.
The persona of the artist is put across on-screen through three contrasting fictional characters. The first being her performing with a band, the second being her in the past on her wedding day, and the third being her in the past but at a different stage in her life; presumably years after her failed wedding.
She is depicted as a heart broken woman who turns quite emotionally violent towards the end. The only version of her character that addresses the camera and the audience is the performance version, where she does so at the beginning of the video and at the end, giving it a cohesive structure.
Her appearances are intentionally contrasting, and in keeping with each story that is being told. Her band costume however, is a modern, trendy costume that doesn’t quite fit in with the story, and it gives the impression that this version of her isn’t really there, and instead acts like a narrator. The version of her in the wedding dress, works well in depicting her innocence, and contrastingly her black dress, that she later wears, is also successful in reflecting her envy and sadness over what has happened. The black gives the impression that she has become insignificant in the eyes of her fiancé.
The sound remains non-diegetic throughout the entire music video.
(Tom)
