Case Study 2 Paramore - Now

Paramore - Now

Usually when watching Paramore's music video we tend to see a usual performance based structure like Greenday, However in this case Paramore's new album has turned alternative giving a different style music video. This music video i decided to use because the lyrics are interesting and the music video that is played with this is also interesting in how they both link to create this emotional connection. This music video has been directed by Daniel Cloud Campos

One point on the Andrew Goodwin's theory points list to make a good music video would be Lyrics and Visuals. Especially for this music video. The video itself is very powerful and if you look into the lyrics alot deeper than usual you can sense the emotion that is coming across rather powerful and strong. For instance at the start of the video we are given an intense long shot of two characters presented as different forces. For instance Hayley Williams being one side and the Captain as the others.

the long shot showing surrounding and settings

When we see Hayley close her eyes it represents that she is hiding her pain. or covering up her pain that she is feeling. We can see this through the use of white makeup at use. it creates this vulnerability and pureness because of the color white. When Hayley is knocked out due to grenade that has been thrown at her from the opposing side. She is lying on the ground unconscious we see this through the use of effects in slow mo and blurry camera shots. She is lying on the floor until her band member "Jeremy" helps her up. Showing the bond of true friendship.

From this moment on from the lyrics and visuals we can see that this video is about people obviously tearing something up between the band and the fans and a fellow band member helping to piece it together. One thing i liked about this music video would have to be the use of special effects. E.g slow motion, the use of smoke motions and powder paint. The lyrics and visuals at this point seem to combine together to create this image for us the audience to finally understand whats going on. For example "feels like i'm waking from the dead and everyone's been waiting on me"At this point Hayley is lying on the floor with smoke around her face suggesting some kind of unconscious state. The smoke around her is representing the blankness fulling her head and body to feel in this state. Which is how the lyrics and visuals play together at the point of the music video.

Showing Hayley's Unconscious State

Throughout this song visuals and lyrics are at use for instance near the end of the song we see Hayley getting hit with the use of powder paint representing some kind of gun powder. This suggest that she has been shot. When she kneels to the floor she looks up dramatically towards the opposing partner "Captain" and starts to mime the lyrics "There's a time and a place to die but this aint it" suggesting that shes stronger and she doesn't want to go down yet because she knows she had the right to win this battle.

"There's a time and a place to die but this aint it"

Not only has visual and lyrics been at use but so has music and visuals which is basically when a certain beat has been hit and the video adds something at the same time to create this emphasis on this particular beat. In this music video we see it done alot throughout the chorus. When listing to the song you can actually feel the build up in the pre-chorus to the music and visuals. When the chorus hits so does the fire and grenades. This is where it tends to create the foot tapping effect. It becomes alot catchier at this point in the song and by making the video do the exact same thing with special effects on this beat it can change the whole emphasis on this too.

Throwing of the bomb and exploding on chorus

The use of these visual and  lyrics and music and visuals combining together to create this music video really helps to create the emotional side which in someway is haunting and yet spine chilling. I think this is done by the use of slow mo and the way we are presented with the "Star Image" or "Record Label". We are constantly seeing Hayley Williams in every shot weathers that's middle, long or close up its shows that she is the main attention that the audience needs. Through the use of these shots it also links in with the visuals of music and lyrics to combine this powerful story line. Which is rather moving. When watching this video clip over and over again it took a couple of times before i finally understood it. However when I did it was just a WOW! feeling. As if gobsmacked you wouldn't of though this alternative style music video could do something inspiring like this. Which is good because it keeps the audience in tack and make them want to watch the video to see what is going to to happen

As we go further along with this music video Hayley Williams is ripped of her clothes. This is to state and show that she is vulnerable and showing her in a emotional state by exposing herself. She is taken out of her baggy jumper just wearing her usual strap top. It shows that she is being ripped from her comfort and exposed to show that she is now going to protect the ones that she loves such as her family and friends.

Hayley exposing her vulnerability

When the captain and Hayley hug. There's a sudden change of light which seems to brighten the video by showing the emotion of love. The background changes to a sunset representing a new dawn. The other band members are in close up shots showing their facial reactions of joy and happiness that they no longer have to fight. We get a close up of the hand and the baton that the captain holds as it slowly drops to the floor. It shows that there is no more war only love. 

Throughout these screenshots you can see there has been a narrative based structure for this video. Showing a story line throughout the video which seems to be very powerful and emotional for the band themselves. Having a narrative structure, music and visuals, lyrics and visuals, star image all combined together. We can see just how powerful one music video can be. For instance there's a use of color to create the mood change of the song and video itself. Going from darkness to the light suggesting that what ever has been going is now finished and its for the best to start fresh. The facial reactions to the last hug in this video seem to be great full yet there is a sign of sadness and regret. Regret of starting something so evil to ruin something so special. I think because of Goodwin's theory's put together to create this music video we can now see what this music video truly means its a sign of conflict of war love and hate.

Just like the lyrics state "if there's a future we want it" it shows that there is a future that they want the only way they will get to live that future is if they accept the change. I think because of there previous albums having gone 2 years doing the same old stuff and they've changed people have had mixed views about them and now this video finally shows the change in a way of showing the conflict between fans and the band.

Paramore 2013 Album cover Artwork

Overall we can see that Goodwin's theory has been applied here to create this powerful meaning through the lyrics to the music video to the performance to the fans. When coming to create my own music video i will defiantly be looking back over these notes and this Paramore video for ideas on how to make our music video relate so well with the Goodwin's Theory like this video has done.