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Miley Cyrus 'We Can't Stop' MV Analysis
- 1. Miley Cyrus Music Videoanalysis Charlotte Simcox
- 2. CLICK HERE TOWATCH: Miley Cyrus ‘We Can’t Stop’ Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr Uvu1mlWco
- 3. I have chosenMiley Cyrus’s music video ‘We Can’t Stop’ to analyze due to the results collected in the questionnaire my group and I created. She seemed to be popular to the public and her music fits into the genre (pop) my group and I are using for our own music video. My perception on the music video is that she is a young female who is living her life as she wants. You can’t ‘stop her’, she does what she wants.
- 4. Camera: Movements, shotsand angles. The we cant stop music video is quite sexual throughout, This is depicted through the camera angles. Through the music video there are many mid shots. In one of the establishing shots it highlights the top half of her body and slides over her slightly. This angle is used to show off her body. Through the video she wears minimal amounts of clothes. The use of the mid shots are used to flaunt her body and depict that she can do what ever she wants. She can be seductive if she wants? She can wear what she wants? The angles draw close attention to her body which is what she aims to do, she wants to look desirable to the audience.
- 5. When Miley isdancing in the music video the camera angle converts to a long shot. This is to highlight her body once again. Miley is seen dancing with her friends in a seductive manner. This adds to the fact that she wants to be seen as a sexual character to her audience. The lyrics say “shaking it like we at a strip club” this highlights that she is trying to be seductive and sexual by the movements shown with her body. The long shot allows the camera to depict this well as you get a full view of her body and what she is trying to come across as.
- 6. While watching thismusic video I have detected a slight hand held shot. In the scene miley and her friends are having a party and having a good time. The visual is everyone causing chaos at the ‘house party’. The use of the hand held shot is to highlight that they don’t care what there doing. You cannot stop them, which is the ordeal of the song. the shot is commonly used to make the scene look realistic and for the audience to feel involved. This camera angle has been used effectively as it makes the chaos look real as if you were there at the party yourself.
- 7. Editing: transitions andspecial effects The idea of the music video is for it to match the song. with the use of editing it puts everything together in the right place. In the we cant stop video there are many quick cuts. The use of the quick cuts draw attention to different scenes and situations as they move swiftly. She uses the visuals as a montage to get through as much as she can. I think the use of the quick cuts is to show small snippets of her being ‘crazy’. In the examples of the quick cuts she has seductive/funny faces to highlight the different sides to her. In the series of clips she sings “we can do what we want” which is exactly what she shows with the edits/visuals.
- 8. Through many sceneswithin the music video there are jump cuts used in certain scenes. For example: The jump cuts are used to show different scenes. I think the jump cuts are used to highlight that they are using drugs in the music video and that’s why there are a lot random irrelevant scenes. The jump cuts aid the fact there is drugs used as it makes the scene look like a hallucination. As you can see in the example it changes from innocent dancing to a sexual nature.
- 9. The music videoconsists of quick editing. Some of this is to match the visuals with the music. As you can see in the music video a lot of scenes match the words of the song. In this scene she sings “So la da di da di, we like to party” and the visuals are her in a pool having a dance party with her friends. The quick edits also give the idea that time is going fast, they are having a good time so it is going quick, where as if they were bored the edits/scene would be slower.
- 10. Mise-En-Scene In the establishingshot you are introduced to a pink pair of scissors. Other pink items throughout the music video are the EOS Lip Balm, Beats speakers and the pink gunk as replacement blood. There are also pink lights lit dimly in some scenes. I think this has been used to depict the idea of being ‘young and free’ and not having to worry about anything. Pink is commonly associated with young girls and this supports the idea by using the colour metaphorically for herself.
- 12. Miley’s facial expressionsthroughout the video are commonly her smiling and being happy. This generates the idea that she is having a good time, she is young and doesn't’t care what anyone thinks of her. Her smiling creates a fun aura to audience and it makes you feel more included into her ‘party’ as if you were a guest of hers.
- 13. There are manymid-shots that depict Mileys outfits. Through the video she wears two colours: white and black. I think that this has been used to contrast with the other features of the video. As most of the video is ‘crazy’ and ‘fun’ it makes her stand out as she is dressed so simple. This is not a common feature within most pop videos as the artist will look more extravagant. But by her being different it shows that she is the main focus rather than everyone else.
- 14. Dominant Ideologies The protagonistis the dominant ideology throughout the video as she is the main focus. For example: she is in the middle of the scene in front of everyone else. Your eyes are drawn to her.
- 15. Miley aims tobe the center of attention throughout the video. In this screenshot you can see that her audience is looking at her and reacting to what she is doing. She wants everyone to focus on her and her body. Her use of sexual movements gains her the attention she wants. She is the dominant figure.
- 16. Throughout the videothere are several close ups of Miley. This connotes that she is the main focus, you will remember her face and no one else’s which is why she has more than 1 close up in a row. Her wanting to be the center of attention is highlighted when she sings ‘we cant stop, no we wont stop’ she means herself. The video is about HER.
- 17. Genre Miley is conveyedas a sexual character through the video. This is highlighted by her outfits. The clothing she wears is minimal/revealing. For example: • A see-through swimsuit • Crop tops, shorts, leggings This is common within pop music videos as the artist is trying to gain the audience attention. Her wearing minimal clothing is trying to highlight that ‘you can look but you cant touch’ as do many other artists within the genre.
- 19. The video alsorepresents the pop genre by using a lot of dancing scenes and close ups of the star. This connotes that there having a good time and supports the up tempo beat of the song.
- 20. Intertexuality Miley uses intertextualityin her music video. Beats by Dre speakers are used to ‘play’ her song throughout the video. This depicts that they are loud enough to be used at a party. By showing the speakers it will encourage people to buy them as it highlights that they are a good product to use if you want loud music. This is a good advertisement scheme for the Beats company as fans of Miley Cyrus will be encouraged to buy the product as she uses them.
- 21. EOS (evolution ofsmooth) Lip balm is also used as a source of intertexuality within the video. EOS is a company known for there good skin care products. Miley uses the product in the music video as well as just showing the packaging. This depicts to the audience that it’s a good product as she is ‘famous’ and she is using it. As the products are affordable to the audience they will be encouraged to buy the product as well.
- 22. Audience reception I thinkthe audience will respond to the music video with a negotiated reading. Through out the video you can clearly see that lyrics match the visuals. The message is ‘you cant stop her’ she is going to have fun and doesn’t care what any one thinks. The video is meant to be fun. I have also found that by watching there could be a hidden meaning behind concept of the song/video. Some people may believe that she has taken illegal substances and that is why there are random/ wierd scenes. Everything is her illusion. I think that audiences will have a negotiated reading towards the song as there are two ways you could take the song.
- 23. Why might theaudience watch/enjoy this video? An audience might enjoy this video as Miley is seductive which will lure in people. Her dance moves and general movements are sexual throughout the video which aims to make her look desirable. As you can see in the example she is biting her lip and moving her body to the music. This could be deemed sexual to the audience.
- 25. Mileys audience mayenjoy the fun aspect of the song. You can see in the video she is having a good time with her friends, parting and dancing. People may enjoy this as it can be relatable to the audience as it’s a general thing people do. It’s not unrealistic and unbelievable.
- 26. Andrew Goodwin Andrew has6 theories of a music video that he believes are true. 1. Mileys video demonstrates the features of the pop genre. Her video consists of party's and dancing and young people having a good time. She also uses fun bright colours, such as pink to highlight the theme of the song. Pop.
- 27. 2. Some ofMileys lyrics are represented with visuals. When she sings ‘Cause we came to have so much fun now’ people emerge from the bushes. The means that people are arriving to her party and are prepared to have a good night. When she sings the word ‘fun’ there are people roasting marshmallows. People do this at party's when they are younger to have FUN.
- 28. 3. There isalso a connection between the music and the visual of the video. The song is quiet upbeat but there is a slower aspect to the song which represents why she is acts sexual. Her movements follow the rhythm of the song and work in time together.
- 29. 4. There aremany close ups used in the video to show her facial expressions towards the lyrics and so she can lip sync to the song. This is to fully get across the message to the audience which is why the record label she works with would demand them. She is a brand that needs to be advertised. If there was no close ups of her it would be hard to determine who is the dominant figure.
- 30. 5. The camerais voyeuristic over Mileys body. As she dances sexually mid shots / wide shots are used to get closer to her body and make her look more irresistible by filling the screen. This will drawn in a certain type of audience and make it more appealing.
- 31. 6. There areintertexual references through the video. She uses the intertexuality at the beginning of the video to highlight that its not the main aspect of her message. She uses EOS Lipbalm and Beats by Dre Headphones. Which are well known, high quality products. This highlights that she only uses the best and will encourage others to buy them.
- 32. Laura Mulvey Laura Mulveystheory is contradicted in the ‘We Cant Stop’ video as she isn't dominated by a male figure. The video consists of her having fun and being with friends. There aren't any ‘lovers’ introduced into the song. Near the end she kisses a mans chest. His face is not shown in the shot, this depicts that he isn't that important that he needs to be shown. She is dominant over everyone else in the song.