Weekly Blog Post 6

For the most part, the video for "Hey John, what's your name again?" doesn't collage, overlay, or add digital effects (with the exception of some visual static to accompany the audio static/distortion). However, even in a straight video shot, especially one involving a scene purposefully created, choices like the number of elements and their hierarchy can still be analyzed for purpose, intention, and effect.

The high number of elements throughout the video (excepting the few focus shots), like the many dead trees and falling leaves, make it more difficult to focus on any single spot. This is coupled with the short clips and moving cameras to create a visual density with far to little time for analyzing. Besides possibly a tactic by the video's creators to hide the quality of the footage, it also creates a de-emphasis on the small details of the video, forcing the audience to focus on the story generally.

The number of elements also leads to the creation of a visual hierarchy. Unlike static images, video can use the changes (over time) in aspects such as the quantity of elements to aid its establishment of hierarchies. When the video does a close-up focus, as it does of the boy's face just before the shot and the dead bird on the ground, having fewer extraneous elements (and longer and steadier camera shots) aids the focus of the shot thus creating a hierarchy of not only those subjects but those scene from amongst the rest as well. The hierarchy of the boy is also initially established by the use of contrast and sameness. Whereas the rest of the video is shown in greys and muted blues, the boy's yellow-cast shirtless torso stands out easily, even from the background which has experienced a similar although less pronounced shift in color.

A visual ethos typical to most music videos of at least professional quality is established through aspects like the many, many moving camera angles (which indicates either the time or number of cameras put into the video, as well as the knowledge to attain and then stitch those different shots together smoothly). The two portions of digital distortion and added static further this establishment of ethos by showing further desire and wherewithal for the additional technical manipulation of the video.

The video's creators also implemented to greatly emphasize the feelings and emotions portrayed by the video. One of the most direct sources of pathos, seeing the feelings of other people, is used to effect in setting the contrast of the boy's initial uncontemplative determination to his later regret. The use of color furthers this contrast, shifting from an orange (emphasizing action) to a muted blue palate, relating to the sense of sorry.

Weekly Blog Post 5

The main use of logos employed in the song is the use of symbolism and analogy. At the beginning of the song it says, "Well it must be difficult/Being so Gorgeous/Claiming to be the kings and queens." Obviously not literally meaning kings and queens (or those claiming to be), the song addresses the vanity of those who think themselves and claim to be beautiful and powerful, later saying "But its all/For nothing". They then also, although not directly, ask you to compare and contrast those people with others and more importantly yourself by sarcastically saying "Well it must be difficult". Later, symbolism is once again used to label this group saying that they'll hope and pray for "you/Amongst the reckless and the black", noting there careless sort of nature and alluding to living an impure or at least immoral lifestyle.

Although the narrative is only told generally at best by the lyrics, the music video does paint a more continuous story following the meanings of the song. At the beginning of the video the boy is self-assured, not appearing to think deeply of his actions. He then "recklessly" kills a bird (presumably out of his "megalomania" - obsession with wealth and power). After the discord at the death of the bird, they "congratulate" the boy for his "mutilation of a life". Appearing to now think and regret his actions, the boy drops the slingshot and begins to frown as the light turns from orange to blue. Next, the boy picks up the bird (the amount of blood greatly emphasized) and although finding himself "so terribly weak" (unable to undo his actions), gives it as an offering, to which final end the bird flies away. The story of the boy is meant to engage us as we learn how the choices of another shapes their life. The narrative is also used to invoke additional pathos to the lyrics, especially, for instance, in the images of the small bird. As we naturally relate ourselves to the story at hand, we experience and thus understand the feelings and emotions meant to be portrayed.

The Devil Wears Prada