Deconstruction of music video

Birdy: Skinny Love - Promotional video deconstruction

Birdy

Birdy also known as Jasmine Lucilla Elizabeth Jennifer van den Bogaerde (born 15 May 1996) is a British musician singer song writer. She won the music competition open Mic UK, at the age of 12. Her debut single a version of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love", was her breakthrough,charting all across Europe and earning platinum certification six times in Australia. Her self-titled debut album, Birdy, was released on 7 November 2011 to similar success, peaking at number 1 in Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands. Her second studio album, Fire Within, was released 23 September 2013 in the UK and the other surrounding countries. Beautiful Lies, her third studio album, was released on 25 March 2016 through Atlantic Records.

Current Record Label

Birdy is currently signed under the record label of 14th Floor Records.

14th Floor Records is a British subsidiarity record label of Warner Music UK. founded in 2002 by part owner Christian Tattersfield.  The label has released albums by artists including: Biffy Clyro, Damien Rice, David Gray, Longview, Mark Joesphy, Nerina Pallot, Ray LaMontagne and The Wombats.

Current artists signed to 14th Floor Records include:

• Biffy Clyro
• Damien Rice
• Joshua Radin
• Marmaduke Duke
• Birdy
• You&Me
• Beyond Broken

'Skinny Love'

'Skinny Love'

Come on skinny love just last the year

Pour a little salt we were never here

My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my

Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer

I tell my love to wreck it all

Cut out all the ropes and let me fall

My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my

Right in the moment this order's tall

I told you to be patient

I told you to be fine

I told you to be balanced

I told you to be kind

In the morning I'll be with you

But it will be a different kind

'Cause I'll be holding all the tickets

And you'll be owning all the fines

Come on skinny love what happened here

Suckle on the hope in lite brassiere

My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my

Sullen load is full, so slow on the split

I told…

Synopsis

I think the music video shows a girl exploring the memories of her broken relationship in an abandoned house. The way Birdy walks past the walls touching them very subtly and lightly implies that she is trying to grip onto her past. Their are lots of hidden messages in the music video which could foreshadow recent events. For example, the broken class on the floor 1:43, by her stepping over the glass suggests shes that she has moved on from her past.

Personally I think the meaning of the song is about the the kind of love which is weak and easily broken. As the song is called skinny Love I feel that it has a slight message about being Anorexic/ Bulimic.The girl in the video may of became depressed as she cared too much for a person who cared too little towards her, and as a result she wasn't nourished enough meaning she became skinny mentally and physically. I also think the song is about a broken relationship based on the need of someones presence of a love that is no longer there. By the repetition of the title of the song 'Skinny Love'  Birdy is trying to inform us on how easily love can be broken between two. Skinny could also be interpreted into meaning there is no longer the weight of a relationship.

Timeline

• 00:00-00:15: The video begins with a fade in mid still shot of objects associated with earth and nature. (One of the objects is of a small china angle which may foreshadow death and heaven). The shot is followed by a low angle of a piano which is being played to the beat of the song.

• 00:16-00:33: The identity of the person playing the piano is hidden through a series of over the shoulder shots. (The over the shoulder shots continue of the girl facing a window and walking up two flights of stairs) The identity of the character slowly starts to be reveled as the focus on the girl begins to get clearer. The last shot for this 17 second time gap is a mid of the girl sat at an angle where the side of her face has been disguised with her long thick wavy hair.

• 0:34:0:50: We are finally introduced to who the girl is however her face has no contact with the camera in fact the way her eyes are looking down and her change of expression gives the audience the impression that she is upset and hiding something. I also noticed that the lighting is very dark which continues enigma of location and the girl.

• 0:51-1:14: An over the shoulder shot reveals the mystery girls costume. The girl is wearing a long white gown/dress which is pulled in at the waist by a big bow. It has been made apparent that she is wearing a very childlike outfit suggesting her being stuck in the past. The word "past" has very strong connection to the next shot of a hanging clock which creates a clear message of passing of time.

• 1:15-1:42: The shot is followed by a high angle of the girl walking down a squared staircase, as it is a high angle shot it tells us that as a character she is in fact very weak and small. To the right of the stairs are two old paintings male and female which hold very similar characteristics and expressions to the girl at 00:00-00:15.

• 1:43-2:16: 1:43 An important clip from this time gap is of a high angle shot of broken glass. The broken glass is important as it resembles a broken relation and by the girl stepping over the glass proves she has moved on from past events.

• 2:17-3:33 The final shot is very interesting as we are see the same objects to the opening which draws the story to a close.

Anaylsis

Overall Shots/ Camera Angles 

Total Time- 3:33

Total Shots- 44

Mid-13

Low Angle-3

High Angle-5

Over the Shoulder (behind)-8

Tracking-6

Close Up-5

Long Distance-1

Tilt-2

Pan-1

From the results of the Pie Chart the most common camera angle used was a mid shot. I think the reason for the director deciding on so many mid shots is because it allows us to have focus on the characters face but still showing setting/location.

Mise-en-Scene

Setting and Location

I was unsuccessful to finding any further information online to where Skinny Love was filmed but from my observations I came to the conclusion that there was one main location for filming, an abandoned house. The low-key dark lighting used throughout the video implies the element of mystery in which is accompanied by isolation.

Costume and Makeup

The character of the girl in the video looks very young and innocent. The long dress she is wearing which has a massive bow on the back reminds me of something your mum would force you to wear as a child.

The makeup in the video is also very minimalistic which follows her childlike personality and appearance. Throughout the first half of the video her face has been covered up by her long wavy beach curls which highlights her lack in confidence and self esteem.







Focus group
I asked members of the focus group to see what they had to say about the video:

"The video is beautifully constructed. I think it represents the feeling of being lost in love. When making this music video I reckon they had a hard time as they didn't want it to be constantly compared to the original by Bon Iver. At times I did find it hard to understand the meaning as I wasn't sure on the era."

"Birdy is one of my favorite artists in general so the fact that she is the actress in the video puts my full attention on her. I could re-watch this many times, in fact I already have and have no regrets about it! Its such an emotional song that is very relatable at moments. I think the innocence of the character allows us the sympathies her going through a hard time."

"I love the way Birdy has incorporated her favorite instrument of piano into the video as it compliments her voice perfectly! I think the use of natural lighting hitting against the dark colours and shadows puts the finishing touches to the video.