Mumford and Sons - Music Video

Mumford and Sons – Winter Winds

Image         

Mise en Scene

Props – One of the most obvious props that we see is the mans guitar. The guitar has connotations of music and is significant because the band mostly make their own music as they can all play instruments. This means that we get a sense of their talent and the rustic country feel as the instruments like guitars are played acoustically for example. Another prop used are some balloons, which could connote celebration. This may be significant as it could show that the band celebrates their music and get great joy from it. Another significant prop is the flags around one of the mans neck. This may connote a sense of pride and achievement as Mumford and Sons are one of the biggest bands of this genre that have brought it back into the charts and made it popular again. The spade may represent the work and effort that the band has put into grafting and constructing their piece of music.

Colour - One of the main colours in the video is green and its maion connotation is nature because the video is set in the outdoors. This could suggest the free attitude of the band and that their country style of indie music is directly linked in with the colours and setting. Another colour that we see is the purple wildflowers. Purple can represent standing out from the crowd and being cheerful, this again links in with the genre.

Costume – One of the men has the peace sign in glitter stamped onto his top. This linked in with the nature suggests that the band have cares for nature and things outside of music. The can see the beauty in peace and their softer relaxing melodies and lyrics anchor this idea. One of the men is wearing a waistcoat, which suggests a traditional country look that the band wants to anchor the genre of country/indie that they are aiming for. Finally one of the men has an ear piercing which again suggests this willingness to stand out from the crowd and be different.

Camera Shots

Close up – We get a close up of one of the men’s feet as he is walking through the field. The fact that he is barefoot is significant because it suggests that he is comfortable in the outdoors and makes him seem more personal. If he is comfortable on screen then the audience get a sense of comfort from watching him.

Long shot of the band running down the road – They all are running towards the camera which gives the sense that they have somewhere to be running to - that the band is on a journey to somewhere or running from something.

Long shot of pushing one another into a bush – Then below them there is one of them on the floor. By seeing them acting like lads and pushing each other around and having a laugh makes them personal and familiar to the audience – they can relate to them.

Camera Movement

Tracking – The camera follows one of the men through the field and he has his back to us. We cannot see where he is going but we are following him on this journey. He is dragging a chair and his guitar – the guitar is obvious that it’s for his music whereas the chair creates questions as to its purpose…

 Editing

Fade to black – At the beginning of the video the bad run out on the road and then it fades from this to black before beginning the next section of the video. This is significant because it may mean that this is like a flashback then the next section begins with how they got to that point perhaps. It creates questions for the audience.

Straight cuts – An example of one of the straight cuts used is that the camera cuts from the band on stage to the band out in the road alone. This is significant because it may indicate that the bands music allows your mind to escape from the crowded room to the middle of nowhere indicating the music may meant to be relaxing for the audience.

Genre

The elements used in the video communicate the genre well. The main aspects that represent the genre of indie/country are the costumes, settings and instruments. Furthermore the nature and country setting anchors the genre and gives a sense of opportunity and freedom, which is offered by this particular genre.

Target Audience

It is not specific with its audience because the genre is something that is wide and open to any group of people. Furthermore there is little focus on anybody but the band so we cannot get a sense of what type of people or characters are following them we just get brief shots of audiences.

Mode of Address

There are many shots where the band members look down the camera at us and this directly involves the audience. Another way that the video addresses the audience is y adding the personal element of bringing us along on the journey and the camera following them around wherever they go.

TODROV

Equilibrium – The road is quiet, empty and peaceful.      

Disruption – The band run from the woods onto the road.

Realisation – We follow the band as the run down the road.

Quest – There are various clips where we follow them through fields on a journey.

New equilibrium – The band end up resting and relaxing in the road at night.

PROPP

Again none of the band members have a particular emphasis that places them in the hero category but the whole band seem to collectively take the role as hero as they are all seeking something collectively. At the same time they are all seeking there own thing as one is dragging a chair and carrying a guitar, one of the other has a spade – which still identifies the band members as individuals.

Representation

Class – The band appear to be like the working class because they are dressed in country outfits that appear to make them look like farmer style. Their clothes and hair is scruffy and they are unshaven which reinforces the dominant ideology of the working class being rough and ready. Also this is anchored when we get a shot of the band acting like lads pushing each other around into bushes and one of them is lying on the floor. Also at the end of the video one of the band members is lying in the road with their eyes closed. This suggests that the band isn’t concerned with glamour and the celebrity side of the music industry; they are just regular everyday kind of guys.

Enigma

Mainly the opening creates the enigma, as we don’t know why they are running from the bushes. Are they trying to get to something or are they trying to get from something? At this point the audience do not know therefore an enigma is created and the audience will want to watch the video in order to find out the answers.

What image does it present about the band/artist?

The image that we get of the band is that they aren’t glamorous and over the top, they are simple and rustic in their approach to music and seem to have an attitude as take us as we are. They do not try to hide behind heavy bass lines and sleazy dancers just put themselves out there, which is what the indie genre is all about.

How are these ingredients common within the specific genre/subgenre?

The elements used in this video are common ideas within the indie genre. They use this idea of a journey and following the band in order to keep the audience involved and interested. They also emphasise a carefree attitude towards music and do not hide themselves behind any masks or bright flashy lights. They are raw and passionate which is common for artists within this genre.