Music Video 2 Analysis - Lunch - Stella Donnelley

Within the first few seconds of the song we see an oversaturated tree as the camera is tilted up towards the sky, showing the the blue as the background and the title card/text in yellow. These contrast well and I get a happy feeling from these bright but light colours as it's shot in summer. The music itself if first introduced with acoustic and clean electric chords with a simple strum pattern. As this is going on a few clips of the beginning of road trip is taking place. The school bus may reference to the prison-like feeling that the youth must feel and with the lyrics of "Cracking my neck in the consulate line". I think this is a great example of how school can be to many students and makes you feel so relieved that as an older person you have so much freedom. Soon after the audience for this video will realise this video is just a lot of B-roll footage complied into a commemorative video of a great holiday with a bunch of friends. With the handheld camera, perhaps a film camera, it gives a sense of realism. Due to this, it means that the budget for this video is much less compared to a lot of high level bands or groups such as Drake or Ariana Grande. For a lot fo the video the lyrics don't really make sense and link up to what's going on in the video. However, on the occasions that they do, in my opinion, it fits really well. For instance, "Up close I see how they stitched on the stars and stripes". While this is being sung, a clip of, presumably, Stella is wearing a red knitted sweatshirt with the American flag on it. For this example it is really obvious how at certain points a song just shows you what it means rather than leaving it as a metaphor and for the audience to decide what it means. With the shaky camerawork when zooming in and out the miseducating-en-scene is quite unique as it gives the sense of that they don't really care how it looks, they just want to get to footage and it ends up being rushed. Although, I feel as they did this on purpose to give them the idea of that they can do whatever they want and no matter how it turns out, they'll be happy with it as they did and that's enough. Almost as though, nothing is perfect so there's no reason to try and go out of their way to make it perfect.

Just after this a cello begins to play to add to the mix of the song as friends hug as they greet each other. This makes me think about how subtle it can be to share a hug with someone and makes people feel warm and happy if people are glad to see each other. Throughout the song, the lyrics are displayed as subtitles. This I find fairly unique but at 0:45 this where the lyrics changed to subtitles for what is being said in the clips. All of the clips used for the song do not have audio, the only sound is the song. But I really like this idea as it makes you think and almost catches you off guard as the audience would just assume that it'll be the same all the way through the song; rather than change and by doing this, personally, it made me pay more attention to a small but noticeable detail in terms of post production/filming to the video. I also appreciate the fun, double meanings that have been added from the lyrics matching up to objects in the video. For instance, "Would it kill you to listen???". As Stella sings this line, a sign for a gym is shown. Just a playful way to describe people opinions of the gym but of course without the video the listener would think about an argument she might have as she complains about whoever she's talking about to be not listening; which could a reason why she doesn't want to spend time with him or her. In this case, as it's said later in the song. They want to spend time with Stella but she only has time for lunch.

As the first chorus starts, and the lyrics of "And I get homesick before I go away" a clip of presumably her parents is shown being happy and together. She thinks about what she's leaving behind but is also looking forward to her adventure. I understand that these sort of occasions can be confusing and difficult and to decide what you should ant shouldn't leave behind. A backstory that I derive from these emotions is whether to leave a bad relationship you have invested a lot in or to leave a home where people love you but may be stopping you from the adventures you may want to go on with your friends.

At 1:30 some fairy heavy but quiet drum toms play along side a light chime with a fast decay. As there is a break in the lyrics these layers to the song fit well; however, the clips remain the same format so I can seem a bit repetitive but not enough to not want to watch the rest of the video. I personally hope to aim for something similar but be able to break iy up into sections that seem to be more strict in production and then plenty of B-roll clips which is heavily featured in this video. Combining narrative and location , Andrew Goodwin has taught me that it is more effective to combine a couple or more rather than just one as it can become boring as nothing overly exciting will happen.

Right at the end of the video the same clip is played at the end that is first shown at the start, just before the song begins. As the sun shine and flares this reminds me of when films add a similar effect when the protagonist may need to enter a trance. In this state nothing is real and this may be where the character may go to a 'happy place'. This could be Stella's happy place and this is what she likes to think about. Time with friends and family is the main focus but from the lyrics I have an educated understanding that her mind is still thinking of a part relationship and the fun memories with her friends is what she likes to think about to take her mind of the badly ending relationship. With the music fading, for her it's to go back to reality and return from a place of good times and memories. I hope to create something similar as it shoot my own video and be able to enjoy it as I have fun with my friends in which i'll be able to document my friends enjoying themselves as a chill and happy sounding song is played over.