Written by: Paul Epworth and Adele
Director: Sam Brown
Genre: Soul
Structure: Abstract
The video holds an abstract narrative, the shots are very
abstract with hidden meanings relating to the song. The video also has many
unconventional qualities.
Adele's focus is constantly away from the direct view of the
camera. She never looks directly at the audience almost ignoring them or not acknowledging them. The audience almost feel as though they are watching the
video through the eyes of the man she is singing about. This is because she
doesn't look at the camera as if she is upset with it, like she is upset with
the man in her past relationship. This is very unconventional of videos
including the soul genre that this song belongs to. The artist usually sing
directly to the camera to create an emotional attachment with them and create
empathy with the audience. This is breaking that convention giving a detached
feel to the video.
Another unconventional feature of the video is that Adele
remains seated throughout it. Usually the singer would be shown from a variety
of heights or standing. She also stays in the same location in the same spot.
The fact she is seated could represent that she feels weak from the
relationship break up and staying in the same place could show she is home
bound feeling upset and doesn't want to go outside, she feels trapped. It could
also represent the fact she is such a powerful singer she doesn't need to stand
to wow an audience.
There are repeat use of zooms, especially at the beginning
of the video to draw the audiences attention into the performer or the glasses
of water on the floor. The technique is being used to pull the audience in and
closer to the action. Slow motion is used in the shots of the dancer dressed in
black and is dancing in a room full of flour. The room is covered in black dust
sheets to contrast against the white flour and there is a bright light in the
centre of the ceiling, which joins the back wall. This exaggerates the movement
of the flour when it is flung around the room by the black stick she is dancing
with. It also trails the material that hangs off the dancers costume.
There are many artistic and abstract shots which create
audience interest. One of which is the bottom of the staircase there is a
wooden board stood on iron legs at the left of the frame. Pottery is thrown
moving from the right of the frame and smashing onto the board on the left of
the frame. This is in time with the beat of the music. The person throwing the
pottery remains unidentified creating mystery. The room is dimly light with a
slight spotlight on the area of action. This could be representing paranormal
activity or the violence of her relationship.
It could also be seen to represent the artists broken heart or the
permanent damage the relationship has caused. This is also very conventional of
an abstract narrative as it leaves the audience asking questions.
There are two shots that create continuity between each
other when cut between. We are introduce to a room filled with hundreds of
glasses of water covering the floor. When the beat kicks the water vibrates. We
are then introduced to, again, an unidentified drummer under a stair case. The
room is dimly lit with a light bulb above the drummers head. There is a close
up of the drummer using the kick drum in time with the beat of the music. These
two scenes can be seen to relate as the drummer could be under the room filled
with glasses of water, creating sound vibrations to make the water move. Again
this is very abstract and dramatic and makes the audience think and work out
what is going on in this abandoned house.
The next abstract shot we are confronted with is an empty
room with a rounded rectangular dining table, made form dark wood. There is a
city made entirely from white paper which covers the whole surface area of the
table. Above it are 4 light bulbs suspended. An interesting lighting effect is
used her as they dim it creates shadowing over the paper city emphasising the
structures. The light bulbs eventually burst seeing a shower of sparks over the
paper setting it alight. There are shots of the sparks and fire which are very
artistic and mesmerising. This links with the lyric "there's a fire
starting in my heart..." This could be seen as a visual metaphor that they
put so much energy into their relationship that it overloaded and crashed like
if you run to many volts of electricity through a light bulb it explodes. The
fact the paper city burns and is destroyed could be symbolic of the destruction
he has caused in her life and city.
The shot described in the previous paragraph creates
continuity with the shots of the girl dancing in a room filled with flour.
Towards the end of the song at the peak of the climax the flour creates so much
fog you can only just see the dancer. Also the burning paper has created that
much smoke you can barely make out the city structures. So when these shots are
cut together they seam continuous and share similar colour matching.
All of the shots are filmed inside the one abandoned
building. The room where Adele remains has dust coverings attached to the walls
and a square piece of creased material taped to the wall. The chairs and
remaining decor together with her classic black dress and over large bun with
simplistic make up produce a very wealthy and sophisticated image. This ties in with the lyric "We
could have had it all..." which is repeated through the chorus of the
song, as the location remains constant this, like the lyric, is repeated
through the structure of the video. The black outfits of all three people are
related with death, funerals and sadness. The song holds a sad theme
throughout. The costume and small cast in very conventional of an abstract
narrative but is breaking the conventions of her genre and mainstream music
focus.
No comments:
Post a Comment