Music Video Analysis: Indie Alternative: Broods - Bridges

Performer and Record Label
Broods is a music duo from Nelson, New Zealand, composed of Georgia Nott on lead vocals, with older brother and multi-instrumentalist Caleb Nott on production and backing vocals. They are signed to Polydor Records, a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group.

Narrative
'Bridges' is a completely narrative based music video. The narrative itself follows a teenage boy and a teenage girl who appear to be best friends. However, as the narrative progresses, it becomes clear to the audience that the boy has in fact developed feelings for the girl. The shots used make it seem that she is flirting with the boy, but unfortunately at the end of the music video, the boy attempts to kiss the girl, but she refuses and runs away. Throughout the music video, the audience tends to feel sympathy for the boy, because it is made crystal clear that he really likes the girl, but unfortunately for him, the feelings aren't reciprocated. I feel that the audience would be able to easily relate with this music video, because it is a situation that many people will have been in:

Mise en scene
The music video is shot in several locations, however most of the music video appears to be filmed in a block of flats. Due to the wide shot that takes place outside the block of flats, I would presume that the music video was shot on location, because it would quite difficult to create a realistic set that reflected of an urban block of flats.


Costume, Make Up and Props
The two characters in the music video are wearing clothes stereotypical of teenagers: jeans, hoodies and bomber jackets. However, although the attire is stereotypical of teenagers, it isn't clothing that is particularly worn in the present day. The clothing makes me think that the music video is set in the early 2000's, or because the band are from New Zealand, perhaps the clothing is stereotypical of teenagers in New Zealand.
There are several important props that form part of the narrative of the music video, one of these being a set of plastic vampire fangs. The young boy and girl are getting very close, pretending to 'bite' each other with their vampire fangs, and this is the point in the music video where the boy attempts to kiss the girl. He pins her to the ground, making us as the audience think that he is just going to pretend to bite her, but instead he tries to kiss her. Without the use of the vampire fangs, the boy wouldn't have been in a situation where he felt he could kiss the girl, therefore the vampire fangs have been very important in helping to drive the narrative.

Lighting and Colour
Very minimalist lighting has been used in this music video - lighting doesn't help with the narrative of the music video, therefore it doesn't need to be particularly noticeable. Although lighting isn't very noticeable throughout the music video, I would say that more white has been added to the video in colour grading, because the colours in the music video are quite muted: at times, the music video feels quite pale.

Camera and Editing
The music video consists of lots of medium close ups and close ups of the boy and girl, communicating their relationship to the audience. At the end of the music video, time has been expanded when the boy spots a room with smoke and lights coming out of it. It isn't completely clear from the narrative what is in this room, but I feel tat by slowing down this part of the sequence, it looks more effective.