Unseen Text - Music Video


The Weeknd- Blinding lights:
  • Symbolism:
    • Red - Love, Rage, danger, determination 
    • Yellow- Joy, optimism, Enlightenment, Energy 
    • Black- Death, evil, rebellion 
  • Juxtaposition/Binary opposition between him being injured and dancing is unsettling and sinster. Positions the audience in an uncomfortable situation 
  • The chaotic energy of the music video suggests/intimidates the effects of being on drugs. The blending of diegetic and non-diegetic sound reinforces this. The blending of the two sounds implies 'it's all a blur' and suggests that the character can hear both. 
  • The character the Weeknd us playing can be a reference to the Joker. This is shown through this mannerism and his smile. 
  • Has the typical conventions of a music video such as lip-syncing and dancing. It is both a performative and narrative video. However, it also subverts the conventions by not having the artist lip-sync but rather a smaller character. 
    • This character is shown to be quite important as apart from the Weeknd she gets a lot of screentime. Her lip-syncing may also imply the song is about her, and it could infer that she is the love interest. The mise-en-scene of her costume, the gold dress, signifies her importance. As gold has connations of rewards, and treasures so here it is showing her as the Weeknd's treasure. 
  • 'Sin city's cold and empty '-  shows the Weeknd dancing on an empty road, demonstrating another convention a play on words 
  • Starts with a low angle shot portraying the Weeknd as a powerful character 
  • Variety of different shot types and angles - a visual representation of the effect of being on drugs. This further reinforced through the pov shots and the unsteady camera movements. 
  • Actions on the beat of the music, which is another convention of music videos. For instance, the two guards punching him on the beat. And his scream at the start which is with the music. Perhaps showing the pain of the character 
  • The Weeknd is wearing sunglasses the majority of the music video. This could be the producer communicating to the audience that The Weeknd is hiding his identity, and playing a character. When he has the sunglasses on he is smile and cheerful, he shows a fun playful side. However, when the glasses come off the audience are able to see a maniac side of him where he is still smiling but it is more sinister and less genuine. He also covered with blood in those moments this just supports the crazy-like smile. 

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