Textual Analysis

There are numerous of music videos that have the whole flashback element. I found that the majority of them have the same narrative behind it. Boy meets girls they fall madly in love with another. They break up and the boy is left reminiscing over the times the couple shared. However I found that this particularly music video gave off another after narrative. One that my group could imitate as well as copy.

The careless whispers by George Michael music video uses a different element of flashbacks in this video than other music videos that give the same flash animation. The Careless Whispers uses this animation through fades and lightening of lighting. Letting the audience know that we are been taken back in time. In other videos the flashbacks are shown through series of bright white lights. However I feel fades give out a nice scuttle effect that I think works very well.

In this music video there are a series of flashbacks within this video. Moving back and forth of the past to the present day to where he is singing about the couple.

George Michael uses many hand gesture and emotional facial expression through this video. Many of them holding out his hand and holding a very tight grip of his fists, this gives audience the impression he is reaching out for her. Using many close up shots to show the emotion in his eyes and face of how much he is thinking of the girl.


There are repetitive shots within the music video.Especially throughout the flashbacks.When being showed their intimate times.It starts with a medium or long shot which is then followed by a close up.I believe this is purposely done so their actions and emotions are predictable by  the audience.As the medium or long shot is showing them closely drawing into another faces.Then the close up shows the kiss.

Medium shots were also used to show a lot of his body language.Hand gestures showed that he was upset,through covering his face,looking down and having a tight grip when singing certain lyrics of the song.Which shows the relationship between lyrics and visuals within the music video.

These various shots used and concepts used in the video Careless Whispers are concepts our group want to involve in our music video as it give out great connation to our audience. Especially as the flashback is the main elements my groups will be using within our music video to give off the narrative of our group music.

The second analysis I will be doing is Breakeven by The script.Which in my opinion is another great music video concept of flashbacks.The whole video consists of black and white,however the flashbacks are shown in colour,but with less focus to the lens of the camera.Only having what is in site in focus,however it still gives the same great effect.It is very different from other music videos that use flashback animations,as flashbacks are in music videos are shown in black and white or sepia.


There are different paces within this music video,it becoming a lot slower when showing flashbacks,when focusing on the girl.However becomes faster when they band is performing,moving from different shots and angles of the band performing.The main focus on the lead singer,where medium close ups are used and long shots showing him perform from a distance.

The majority of the flashbacks are close ups of his either touching the girl,the girls face or the girl walking closer to the camera.


I think elements of both music videos will be great to use in out music video,i think through the use of lighting we are able to give out various connations to the audience.Through using darker colours of different lighting for the flashbacks does add extra affect to the flashback animation.Medium and extreme close ups is definitely something that could be used within our music video as it added to narrative we are telling.Moving back and forth from the flashbacks to the present day is another aspect that my groups music video will have,as that is what the whole narrative will be based on,and from the analysis of these two music video it works very effectively.