Tove Lo's public image is that of a hard drinking, party girl, and the way that she is represented in the video for 'Stay High' is no different. The video uses several techniques to construct her star image such as:
-The locations used in the video are all associated with Tove Lo's public image, bars, clubs and parties are all used within the video, reinforcing the connotations of Lo's life as a party girl/ her association with drinking/ drug use
-An editing technique used frequently in the video is Slow-Motion, this provides connotations of intoxication, particularly when combined with a shot of Lo's emotionless expression, further anchoring the point. Other editing techniques that connote intoxication include rewinds, creating a sense of disorientation for both the audience and Lo. These editing techniques create a sense of surrealism throughout the video, connoting the effects of alcohol.
-Furthermore, the fact that the editing allows the audience to experience what Lo is feeling in the video creates a sense of para-social intimacy with the artist
-The use of camera throughout the video constructs para-social intimacy in a similar way, for the vast majority of the video the camera tracks Lo from in front of her, giving us a constant view of her facial expression/ emotions
-Lo's body language throughout the video is fairly absent, giving the audience a sense that they are spectators in Lo's life during the video, she rarely breaks the 4th wall, only looking at the camera when it takes the place of a mirror in her bathroom. Her facial expressions are key in representing her image to the audience, for example the juxtaposition between her happy expression when she is drinking with her friends and her sad expression when she is alone during the day/ in the bathroom on her own. This unconventionally represents the negative impacts of Lo's lifestyle, helping the audience to sympathize with her as it gives an insight into her own problems, problems that some people may be able to relate to. This first person mode of address, combined with the surreal aspects of the editing throughout the video result in the video being both Personal (due to Lo's interaction with the audience) and incoherent (due to the confusion produced by the video's editing)
-Despite some references to sex, Lo is not represented as a sexual object/ there is no evidence of voyeurism in the video. Any sexual activity represented makes us feel sympathetic towards the artist due to the context of it within the video, and the context within the lyrics of a girl getting over a break up.
-The narrative of the video is relatively simple, however due to the fast cutting rate/ overwhelming content of the shots it is hard to decipher after one viewing, this constructs the Hermenentic Code/ Enigma Code (one of Roland Barthe's 5 narrative codes) as it makes the viewer re-watch the video to spot anything that they missed. As a result, Lo's star image represented in the video will be ingrained into the viewers mind.
- The video is full of meat shots of the artist, giving her screen prevalence and focusing the audiences attention on her for the duration of the video
-The video aims to represent the ordinary, the artists clothing, locations used and the events within the narrative are all relatively normal, making Lo seem present throughout
-The narrative follows Lo on several nights out, for the most part these are made up of several shots of Lo drinking with her friends and the occasional extreme close up of something to connote Lo's intoxication, for example the extreme close up of her eyes rolling into her head/ an extreme close up of a glass of beer
-The narrative then follows Lo throughout the days, connoting her real emotions through her clear emotional vacancy (facial expression/ slow motion are used to anchor this). The video finishes with Lo crying in the bathroom of a club, acting as the final result of her emotional build up throughout the video. This plays on the dominant ideology that drugs/alcohol abuse will have a negative impact on somebodies life
-The narrative fits perfectly with the songs lyrical content, playing on themes of depression after a break up/ use of drugs and alcohol to battle with your emotions
Well done Dan, this is a perceptive analysis using a range of theory to underpin your points. You refer to technical detail to exemplify points made. To secure a L4, you need to introduce Dyer in more detail and apply it to the way in which the two texts construct the artist's metanarrative - you discuss para-social intimacy well, link that part back to Dyer and the way in which the video is both personal and incoherent. Also link that to the digipak at the end. Well done - great start.
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