Research for music video - Research: Analysing Costume, Setting and Location

Analysing Costume, Setting and Location

In this post we will analyse the costumes and locations of 3 videos with alternate genres. We will be analysing an RnB, Pop and Grime video and explaining the differences between each genre and the amounts of costume changes and the use of costumes in the video.

Giggs - Monsta Man - Analysed by Sharina





Use of costume.  

THREE costumes are used within this video:

1. Is a fitted white, long-sleeved, Armani jeans shirt, with a grey cap and plain dark beads. This Outfit is shown in three different scenes and locations. 

The first scene this outfit is shown in is in a type of hall-way where is he alone, rapping directly at looking the camera, this is the first shot featuring the artist: 

Another scene/location where he is featured wearing this outfit is in a house party:
The last scene that the artist is featured wearing this outfit is when he is speaking to a young child as he says the lyrics of the song.

       2. The second outfit within this music video is a plain long-sleeved black shirt, with no visual brand name shown. He has paired this with causal, ordinary baggy-looking denim jeans. This outfit is only worn in one location by the artist. He is is in the same place whenever shown wearing this attire. Shown below:

    3. The third outfit he is shown wearing within this music video is an all black suit, with a black colored shirt and buttons. This poses a more formal, neater-presented attire. He is shown wearing this outfit in two different scenes.

Below shows the artist wearing this outfit in the house party type of scene, with a party happening in the background.

The other scene is which the artist is featured wearing this outfit is when he is sitting in a formal, matching black, leather chair in, what appears to be, an office setting - this is shown below:

• Though the word 'Monster' is repeated throughout the chorus, every time they show the artist saying the word within the chorus, he is wearing his formal, suited attire. Suits have connotations of power and respect, along with the word 'monster' repeated, suggests that Giggs is powerful and in control.

• During the chorus different scenes are shown featuring a different girls dancing, and features the artist is all his costumes.

Use of Setting and Location.

• There are 11 different locations within this music video. 

• The office setting links to the artists formal attire, when his wearing his all-black suit. The setting is formal and serious, much like his outfit.
• His also wearing a smart, yet casual attire during the house-party scene which is the sort of clothing you would wear to a house party. 

Jessie J - Domino - Analysed by Eugenie

This genre of the music is Pop, and Jessie J has various forms of setting costumes and props throughout the video. In terms of costume, Jessie J has 8 different Costume Changes. I feel that each costume is meant to represent a different side/character of her, as each costume is different to the next. Her actions that accompany they way she looks makes this noticeable.

In this first outfit, Jessie J is looking like her usual self. With the lyrics 'I'm feeling sexy and free', showing her all in black and embracing how she is looks.

This is the second costume, she she is wearing an all in one piece. The pattern on the outfit matches the design on the wall in the background. This could represent the fun, childish side of Jessie J.

This next costume is more on the theatrical side with the butterfly mask and the glitter, sparkles and embroidery. 

This costume change is more of the urban look with the studded had, red hair, leopard print bra and leather jacket. 

This outfit could represent the hip, street style look with the crop top, shorts, blue hair and the head wrap.

This outfit would represent the girly side of Jessie J, dressed in all pink with pink lip stick too. She does the action of hands on her hips and pouting her lips, to further show this.

This next look could represent the retro look, with the vibrant colours and padded shoulders.

As this is the last costume, i feel like the look has gone back to Jessie J, or is could just be a trendy character with the colourful jacket and belly showing,

Use of Setting and Location: 

With each costume change comes a change in the setting/background:

For example, with this theatrical look, the background has this regal, floral design in the colours pink and black. The location is set internally, with decorative backgrounds in each scene, that has a connection to the character Jessie J is trying to represent. 

This costume change was the hip, funky look, therefor the background has the bright yellow & orange colours. This costume was accompanied with lots of jewelry and statement pieces. Chains, watches, rings, all apart of the costume and the character Jessie J is representing.

In this same scene, the camera shot was far away so the audience was able to see the surroundings and mis en scene. This consisted of gasoline cans and and chair. I think the props was very limited because the focus was meant to to be on the character the signer is portraying and the vibrant backgrounds in each shot.

K.Michelle - Right One

Analyse by Zhane 

This is K.Michelle's - Right One music video, it is from the genre of RnB. The first we see K.Michelle as a participant of the music video she is wearing an adidas shorts set with timberland boots, when she is walking with her boyfriend. It is a cute and sexy outfit yet still appropriate to be worn in the the streets. The outfit is light hearted perhaps symbolising the nature of their relationship. It is also quite an urban style outfit, matching the urban setting they are walking in. He is also wearing urban type clothes. The second outfit we see is when she is performing in front of a black background. We see her wearing a tight fitted, sparkly, catsuit. It emphasises her curvaceous figure. The outfit looks very glamorous and sexy which is typical of costume in RnB. The shots of her in this outfit are also a base track which is referred to repeatedly for the first 2minutes.

We then see K.Michelle as a participant again. This time she sees her boyfriend with another girl. She is sitting in an expensive rolls royce car and wearing all black everything with blacked out sun glasses. Her ripped leggings and leather jacket ensemble resembles one of the typical idea of a 'criminal' but in a more sexualised manor.

We see this outfit again when we see her setting her boyfriends clothes on fire in an     urban, gritty setting. This gives her a 'cool', 'hood' look, meeting the criminal acts she performs yet still meeting the typical sexy      outfit audiences would expect to see from a female RnB artist.

The final base track we see is of K.Michelle standing in front of a white wall with a nice red and black blazer on. During this shot we also see her picking a red rose. The use of the colour red suggests that the song is about love and the picking of the petals symbolises that love may not be as pretty as it comes across, which may have been portrayed in the begginning but it is over.