Summer homework - analysis

I have chosen to analyse the video for 30 Seconds to Mars’s ‘Kings and Queens’ as it is quite different to the standard music video. The music video is actually 8:50 minutes and acts as a mini promotional film for the track. The style of the opening minute of the video resembles the opening of a movie, introducing the director Bartholomew Cubbins, the record company and the title of the film ‘The Ride’. This is an unusual way to show a music video, and is the type of thing to be sent round in emails through friends. This is a great way of promoting the video and will get it recognised by millions of people. The video also ends in the same way with credits and cast listings.

The colouring of the video is quite dark and warm, for example scenes of sunsets are featured throughout the performance and the narrative. The sunset effect makes silhouettes of the band which I find mysterious and interesting to watch as will other viewers. This fits the rock genre of the song and their music in general. The entire video is from sunset onwards therefore most of the video is set at night with the lights of the city showing. I love this effect and if possible will include shots of the city at night in my music video product.

The actual storyline of the video is unclear. The video is essentially a bike ride hence the title ‘The Ride’. What looks like thousands of bike riders are being filmed riding through a city. Each bike rider is in a different costume, some are in fancy dress which confuses the viewer and keeps them watching in case this ‘ride’ ends up somewhere. It makes you want to know where the bikes are going which has been thought about by the director. The number of people on bikes to me, accompanied by the music is very powerful and emotive to watch.

There is also a cultural reference involved which I noticed perhaps the 3rd or 4th time I watched it. In the middle of the video a man is shown throwing a vase of flowers, which is representing a piece of graffiti art by ‘Banksy’. This is quite stylish and shows the video is modern, a characteristic which I hope to achieve in my product. I am not sure the reason behind this or if there or more references throughout the video but I think it is clever the way it has been done and makes the video even more mysterious to work out.

Camera angles in the film vary with many close-ups on the singer despite the scene being almost in total darkness. As the bikes are moving there is a lot of camera movement in the video and high angle shots to show the crowds of bikes.