This video is very different to other conventional music videos, for one thing the narrative is used throughout the video, with no introduction of the artists. This means that the audience focus mainly on the story that is the music video. The songs title 'Ghetto Gospel' is oxymoronic meaning that these two words are a representation of two completely opposite things. Ghetto is associated with dark and dangerous places high in poverty and crime and in comparison to gospel, we think of god, light, hope and peace not necessarily two words you would place together. The same appeals to the artists 2PAC and Elton John. Its a very yin yang scenario, black and white, heterosexual and homosexual, rap and pop. This is called jeux de position. You would not see a video thats lyrics speak of a nice and peaceful place and yet be shown the slums of america.
Conventions of a music video are usually seen as, artist singing along to the song, dancing, switching from them to the narrative, the artist eventually being included in the narrative, cuts in time to the music and so on.
"Music videos editing bears a far greater responsibility for many elements than does classic hollywood film editing" - Carol Vernallis.
As an example, many quick edits help build a montage of the story or helps to progress the narrative. Something you don't Generally see in contemporary hollywood films. The narrative itself is described by the lyrics of the song, ensuring that no one aspect of the music video gains the upper hand. This is also known as MTV style editing.
This music video is simply the narrative. From the very beginning we are introduced to a crime scene. The audience are able to identify this from the codes in the first shot. Diagetic sounds can be heard from helicopters and from the sirens of police cars that are all around them. Their facial expressions are all solum an obvious code for sorrow, pain and loss. Low angle shots and point of view shots are used to emphasise the movements of the crowd and of the women who is slowly moving towards a body of a man whom we may be introduced to later on in the video. We guess that the lady is a relative. Rain is used to create pathetic fallacy. As the sounds of the scene are dropped and the non-diagetic sounds of the song begin, we see the women cradelling the victim in her arms, a code which could lead the audience to believe that this is her son.
"Music videos editing bears a far greater responsibility for many elements than does classic hollywood film editing" - Carol Vernallis.
As an example, many quick edits help build a montage of the story or helps to progress the narrative. Something you don't Generally see in contemporary hollywood films. The narrative itself is described by the lyrics of the song, ensuring that no one aspect of the music video gains the upper hand. This is also known as MTV style editing.
This music video is simply the narrative. From the very beginning we are introduced to a crime scene. The audience are able to identify this from the codes in the first shot. Diagetic sounds can be heard from helicopters and from the sirens of police cars that are all around them. Their facial expressions are all solum an obvious code for sorrow, pain and loss. Low angle shots and point of view shots are used to emphasise the movements of the crowd and of the women who is slowly moving towards a body of a man whom we may be introduced to later on in the video. We guess that the lady is a relative. Rain is used to create pathetic fallacy. As the sounds of the scene are dropped and the non-diagetic sounds of the song begin, we see the women cradelling the victim in her arms, a code which could lead the audience to believe that this is her son.
The screen then cuts and blurs, followed by a floating tilt like action which signifies that the victims soul has left his body.
The narrative then reverts back to the morning of that day. The time is shown for the audience to understand this. The narrative and the song are still connected by the lyrics, for when the lyrics are sung "the red sun sinks at last" a red sun appears on screen. This happens throughout the video.
The camera cuts from the same man who was killed, who is now in bed, to him sitting and eating his breakfeast at the table, with the same women (mother) who cradled him as he dies. In the Mise en scene of the image we see the picture of DaVinci's painting 'The Last Supper' code for *hint* *hint* his last supper. Cuts in the same time as the music are done throughout (common convention of a music video). The constant rhythmic bases of cuts is closely related to the song.
The narrative then cuts to a church with and all black gang outside of it. Codes for this are their body language and costume; baggy cloths, bling, and a lot of swagger. we then see a close up of the main character and another gang member swapping a substance/object in their hands, and obvious code for drugs. once he has done this however he has a confused look upon his face, maybe signifying that he dent like what he has just done. we then cut to later on in the day where we see our main man and what seems to be his family. This tells the audience that he has something to live for.
After a few more similar shots we see the main character standing on the top of the roof with his arms stretched out, code for freedom and space, a jeux to position from the ghetto that he is in. Various cuts are edited in the next sequence, cutting between a gang and moving lights moving in and out of the shot, code for something approaching. we then see black car pull up next to the and and they all scatter. Code for a greater danger.
That same car pulls up along side our main character, there is then a long shot of the car and a flashing light that is lit inside it. Their is then a cut to an over the shoulder shot of the main reaching to the bullet that enters him. Then a slo mo shot of his cup spill onto the floor, resembling his life leaving his body.
