Narrative of my music video: Guns and Horses by Ellie Goulding

By Hannah Alley

My coursework music video to Guns and Horses by Ellie Goulding uses many different aspects to create a post modern, effective narrative. Firstly, the music video holds a linear narrative - each event happening from beginning to the end in chronological order. I based the narrative side of it in stages to make this very apparent.

Linear narrative

Stage 1 (just met)

Stage 3 (arguments)

Stage 2 (comfortable/inlove)

Stage 4 (break up)

Stage 5 (acceptance)

Stages

My music video is also almost episodic as it is both narrative and performance-based; - flickering from the narrative storyline of a couple, to performance shots of my actress miming to the camera. The effect of this is that creates the idea that the audience are not only witnessing the love story for themselves, but they are also being shown the protagonists point of view which adds a more personal feel. It also keeps the interest as it is showing variation. I created a strong distinction between the narrative and performance shots by adding an adjustment layer to the narrative shots, reducing the vibrancy of the colour.

Episodic

Performance side

Narrative side

It has been stated that creating a performance and narrative based music video is very post modern and allows variety. Also, a use of correlation between the lyrics and visuals is another typical convention of a post modern music video, and this is what my music video does.

Applying post modern theory

My music video also uses a restricted narrative, where the audience know no more than my protagonist, Georgina. The audience view the couples relationship in stages and discover new information in the present.

Restricted narrative

Aswell as this, the time and pace of my music video mainly exemplifies emotions represented. There are many shots used on the build-up of the couples relationship in the majority of the music video, almost as if time is stretched to intensify and grow on drama.

Time & pace

A variety of shots are used to make sure that once the audience has entered the diegetic music video, they are consumed. Therefore the audience get used to their relationship, witnessing their every conversation and feeling as if they know the couple themselves. This gives the audience a true insight on the couples relationship and can almost grow to appreciate it, creating a larger effect when the relationship destructs.

Variety of shots

On the parts where the main protagonist, Georgina, is upset, I used extremely fast flickering shots to represent her overwhelming emotion and distraught, so that the audience empathise with her and almost feel her emotion. However, on quite a few choruses I use fast shots of the couples past memories that fade quickly into each other to create a nostalgic, emotional feeling, reminding the audience of what things were like before they went wrong.

Change in time & pace

There are also features of ellipsis where there are many gaps in the narrative in order to keep the viewers interested. A prime example of this is when Georgina goes to meet Matt, we do not see her whole journey on the way there, we are just shown some parts of her getting ready. Irrelevant, boring parts should not be included so that it keeps an exciting appeal.

Ellipsis

However, I have decided to go against one of Goodwins typical conventions of a music video, which is voyeurism. Most music videos sexually exploit their female protagonists, however I have done the opposite to this in mine. I am representing Georgina as an innocent, traditional feminine female who has natural makeup and mainly costumes that cover her up. This is because I want the audience to be able to sympathise for her towards the end and when a female is represented in an overtly sexual way, female audiences find it harder to feel sorry for the female, so I am making sure that my audience can engage with and empathise with Georgina.

Voyeurism