Music Video Analysis: Gabrielle Aplin - The Power of Love

 

I have decided to analyse the opening 30 seconds of Gabrielle Aplin's music video to "The Power of Love" as it uses a similar colour overlay to the one that I will use in my music video. The blue-ish purple with hints of yellow forms a cross processed hue which is common within the indie, acoustic genre. By analysing the use of this overlay I will be able to note whether it will work in my own music video and how to use it successfully (i.e. whether it works throughout the entire video or whether it should only be used in specific sections).

The opening thirty seconds of the music video has six different shots which establish the locations of the music video. I will go through each shot and explain if I think the hue works and if I can apply this to my music video.

The first shot appears to be an old house or estate with an open gate. At this point the music video sound has not begun and the blue hue gives the video an eerie feel. It's obvious that it's autumn due to the leaves scattered across the floor so it could be said that the blue makes the location seem colder. So, the eeriness and cold atmosphere sets up the structure for the music video.

Following this the location of an older house is further established by a statue in the garden. The overlay continues the feeling of coldness and eeriness as the music is still yet to start. The build up of diegetic sounds such as wind and birds increasingly emphasises the autumnal feel that the video encompasses with the overlay included.

A ticking noise of the clock appears in this shot and the blue hue seems to have been made less noticeable. This could be to signal the change in location from outside to inside. Thus this is something I could incorporate into my video and use different hues depending on whether I am filming inside or outside. The light shining through the window is enhanced by the blue hue as it's clearly visible.

However, this is contrasted in the next shot of the bedroom where the blue-purple hue can be seen again. I think this gives the shot a very indie style and builds on the eerie atmosphere as the music still hasn't started. The ticking almost builds tension which makes it seem like the opening to a thriller film. Gabrielle's name is also something I can think about doing on my video.

A distant piano melody can be heard during this shot which continues the eerie theme. It's implied in the shots that the house is old and possibly derelict; old sheets and furniture is placed randomly. Blue hue makes the inside of the house seem cold as it supposedly has nobody living in it: no life. Blue has connotations of sadness; an indication of what the song is possibly about.

The final shot in the opening sequence reveals Gabrielle at the piano in one of the large rooms. This shot has more of a yellow tone but blue and purple can also be seen. The hue makes the shot look visually pleasing and very beautiful. It almost looks like an old picture instead of moving image.

In summary, I think this colour hue should definitely be used in my music video as it makes the video seem cold and sad - reflecting the song's lyrics. I think it really works in this video in making the shots seem beautiful and almost like an old picture. I might need to slightly alter the colour in the different shots depending on how good the lighting is and whether it looks right.