Textual Analysis of Music Videos 1

Miley Cyrus-We Can't Stop.

I have chosen to analyse this video as part of my textual analysis because the narrative and plot of the video is quite similar to the video that I wish to make. As well as this the lyrics also demonstrate a similar idea of partying and living life whilst you're young. The song 'We Can't Stop' by Miley Cyrus is about living for today and enjoying life. The song hints that it is taking place at a party ('This is our house, this is our rules, and we can't stop, and we won't stop.') these lines are in the present tense which allows us to assume that these are her current feelings.
      There are huge elements involving mise-en-scene in this video. The video is set at a party involving Miley Cyrus and her friends. It involves them swimming in a pool, dancing around with large stuffed teddy bears and rolling around on a large bed. All people involved in the video are wearing little clothing and are dancing around in a manic way, this displays a very care-free attitude to life which relates to the nature of the song. Although there is no alcohol present in the video, we automatically assume that alcohol has been consumed and that the people are under the influence of alcohol from the nature of the video and the way they are behaving. The lighting in the video is a very interesting aspect of the video, in most scenes the lighting is very bright which represents the feeling of the party-goers in at the gathering. However, in one or two scenes in the video there is no lighting in the frame and the audience's only way of seeing the action in the video is a torch light that is moving around in the frame. This symbolises the people involved in the scene are fully committed to the situation they're in. The surrounding areas of the frame is very dark and there is only one part of the frame that is lit which represents the actors' feelings that their only concern is what is happening in that moment, in that place-the outside world/issues aren't important.
    The cinematography part of the video involve many mid/medium close up shots which represents an easy, carefree life. The camera is always very steady (not shaky) this suggests that even though the environment around them (the public) are normal and calm, they're not and this cannot stop them. The actors in the video continuously look into the camera, which breaks the fourth wall, this gives a sense of that they don't mind if people are watching them and are aware of what they're doing because they're having a good time. It also is rather inviting to the viewer, it's almost as if the actors in the video are aiming to encourage the audience to join them in the party that's occuring.
     From the very beginning of the video, we are greeted with large, bold and yellow text that reads 'WE CAN'T STOP' this fits the convention of text in pop videos, and it informs us from the start that this is going to be a fun and lively video. There are very fast edits in the video,  the fast shots in the video symbolises the good time that the people in the video are having, they're having a fun time and enjoying themselves so the fast shots in the video match the emotions that the actors are feeling. There are also constant scene changes in the video to represent that there's a lot of action occuring at the party, so the fact that the scenes are constantly switching allows us to assume that there's so many things to see at the party.