I will carry out textual analyses of music videos to become more familiar with the codes and conventions of music videos of specific genres. Also how music videos represent the artists and put a certain image across to the audience.
The video which I am analysing is Survivor by Destiny’s Child - Released in February 2001. Darren Grant was the director for this particular Destiny’s Child video, but has also directed many other video’s of theirs including ‘With Me featuring Jermaine Dupri’, ‘No, no, no’ and ‘Bills, bills, bills’. The music video for ‘Survivor’ was really successful, and won the 2001 MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video.
The lyrics are amplified and emphasized when the word ’survivor’ is sang by all 3 members of the group together (occurs mainly in the chorus). This is contradicted by the visuals the whole way through the video as it is basically the narrative of the music video. Also the lyrics of the song start almost by telling the narrative of the song. For example, ‘I’m a survivor, I’m not gonna give up’ - shows us that the music video is most defiantly and quite clearly about women being strong and independent. Another example of the lyrics that tell the narrative is ‘I'm gonna make it, I will survive, Keep on surviving'. These lyrics link to the video because after having the power by ‘surviving’ in the south pacific, they are finally rescued at the end of the video.
Also at the beginning of the video ‘Beyonce’ one of the group members is on the shore - she makes a gesture (pictured below) which signifies relief as a survivor.
The genre of this music/ song is R&B. This is represented through the music video by the typical choreographed dances that the group do including back up dancers and the way they are dressed provocatively.
In the music video the main interstitial reference was the narrative which was referenced to the American TV show ‘Survivor’ which was very popular in 2000-2001 (the time in which this music video was produced. The programme was basically about strangers being stranded on an island together and basically ‘survival of the fittest’. This interstitial reference makes the music video immediately recognisable - especially Americans who are familiar with the ‘survivor’ show. The directors are using popularity to promote this video/single.
The video cuts to the beat very fast like most R&B videos. The fast cuts and shots links to the feisty and strong representation that the directors are giving to women in this video.
The video cuts change pace with the music. For example at the end of the video the music is lowered and the visuals become slow paced which links the music and visuals together (as at this point the hecticness of the narrative is slowed down as they are rescued).
There are a lot of close ups used through out the music video of the group individuals. The close ups often cut quickly, with shots of each of the artists. The close up shots are not just of their faces. The close up also show parts of their bodies, which was obviously the directors choice of shots to almost portray the group as ‘sex symbols’.
They are mostly shown in a very sexual way in the beginning (notion of looking), when they are walking along the shore in torn clothes (which are revealing/shown below). It is almost as if they are using their gender and sexuality to gain power and promote themselves as a group. The music video is heavily based of the notion of looking in the point of view of the audience - making sure you are looking at the group at all times through out the video.
The group are portrayed as independent and strong throughout the whole video, and this also relates to other video’s that they made previously, for example Independent woman - where the group are represented as ‘Charlie’s angels’ which is an interstitial reference to the film Charlie’s Angels starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Lu.
