Music Video Analysis: 'I'm Blue'

Hey,


As another exercise to help expand our knowledge about the types of music videos, we were tasked with analysing a music video that was created before we were born. My choice of music video is 'I'm Blue' by Eiffel 65:








There are four areas which I'll briefly analyse to get an idea of how this music video looks.


Camera:

• The majority of the music video is actually special effects captured using a green screen, however the shots used when focussing on the band focus around mid shots in order to highlight there are that they are located in as it's an unusual setting (space).
• Some shots when action is involved are varied to try and emphasise the action sequence. For example within the video one of the band members is seen punching blue aliens, but to stop the sequence becoming boring the camera turns around 360 degrees. Metaphorically it could replicate the chaos of the situation and how peculiar everything is.  
• Several establishing shots are used throughout the video as the setting is constantly changing: at first the band are in a ship, then we see blue aliens in a ship in space. Then we see a space station and then inside a tunnel presumably on the space station.

Editing:

• Like mentioned previously, the scene where the shot is captured is constantly changing, therefore the editing is quite fast paced with a lot of cross-cutting being used.
• The editing also cleverly uses the lyrics to its advantage as often the lyrics are replicated or linked with what is being shown. For instance when the chorus 'I'm blue' is heard, the scene switches the blue aliens singing this.

Mise-en-scene:

• Again, like I said before, the lyrics are often closely resembled to what is being shown. The lyrics themselves are unorthodox which is why a lot of the visuals are as well. This includes all the CGI.
• The space stations, the ships, the alien armour - they all help visualise the lyrics to what the band and the music video director, thought they represent. So when watching the video, you'll be able to make numerous links to the lyrics.
• The fact that these graphics are almost 90% of the video, it's quite impressive considering the year the video was made. Which is 1999 - it shows that the band took a risk when releasing the song with this video as not many other bands had even included small segments of CGI; never mind practically the entire video.

Sound:

• The lyrics themselves are often visualised and linked with what can be seen. The producers created a world where we see blue aliens, space ships and space stations to symbolise the lyrics in a more real way.
• The sound links with the editing as previously stated, as the scene will change according to what verse is being sung. For example when the song explains 'I live in a blue house with a blue window', the scene cuts to a (space) house that it quite blue with windows that are also, you guessed it, blue. The seemingly seamless synchronisation the editing and the sound have, reflects how well made the video is.  
• The lyrics itself aren't bountiful. There are only a few verses and the iconic chorus. This also shows how confident the band was in their ability to make a good music video as now, music fans often enjoy music for the video or remember a song, for its video.

Application of Goodwin's Features:


   1. In terms of genres characteristics, it's quite difficult to analyse; this song branched out into a new genre so to speak in terms of video - the graphic effects and CGI had only just started to make it's way into film, never mind music videos. So like mentioned previously, the producers took a leap of faith with this video as it was in its own category.
  
   2. There is certainly a relationship between the lyrics and visuals like mentioned previously; the images represent the 'I'm blue' line as there are blue aliens everywhere. The blue house and blue windows are al included within the visuals.


   3. The music itself is also linked with the visuals as they reflect the tone of the sound; which is upbeat and quite lively.


   4. In terms of motif, the artist have substantiated their style as something quite crazy, effects heavy. The record label may have had a influence in the video, however the close-ups of the band are quite limited.


   5. In this video, there are no women. There is however a stage where the artist performs and certain shots that reflect a voyeuristic view.


   6. As the music video was made before I was born, I am not too sure about any intersexual references that may have been made to other pieces of music if films. However the space-theme may link to other space films that were made around the time of the music's release.