Media Revision 6

Midsommar Film Poster Analysis (2019)

Explore how codes and conventions are used to construct meaning in the theatrical poster for the horror film 'Midsommar'. (2019)

- Codes and conventions are typical things we expect to find in a media product.

- Directors may feel that audiences have become bored with the conventions of horror films, and seek to offer them something different. This is for purely financial reasons, as it allows the producer to potentially target new audiences. This conforms to the genre theory. Films must strike a balance between repetition and difference, this explains why the poster looks unconventional.

- Media language.

Midsommar

• Uses unconventional colours for a horror film - generic conventions are dark use of colours, the imagery of flowers are positioned at the top of the poster are a symbol of life and forms a binary opposition of the horror genre typically feturing death.
• Close-up shot - facial expressions - she looks distressed as we can see from her face and her crying - conventional of horror - young vulnerable woman crying who is hegemonically attractive.
• Anchorage of the crying eye to the centre text to the film title - heirarchy of information - forms hermeneutic codes to the audience - 'Why is she crying?'
• 'Midsommar' and clothes makes an intertextual reference to Midsummer's day, a holiday commonly observed in Austria (suggests setting).
• Lexis - 'Let the festivities begin' similar to the phrase of 'Let the games begin', perhaps the film includes a competiton of who will stay alive, this is a generic convention of the horror genre.

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• The main image is a close-up shot of a woman crying, which is a conventional hermeneutic code of the horror genre as it creates tension for the audience and makes them ask questions. This is anchored by the tagline "let the festivities begin", which further builds tension as the binary opposition between the innocuous phrase compared to the distressing image makes it more sinister.
• Text displays the lexis 'let the festivities begin' a seemingly non-threatening and positive phrase, this is anchored through the bright and cheerful colour scheme and warm high-key lighting. However the facial expression the woman makes her look distraught and in pain, providing binary-opposition and making the overall tone of the poster sinister. This sinister mode of address directly asks the audience a number of hermeneutic questions, and may appeal to audiences who are not even fans of the horror genre.
• The representation of women --> the woman on the poster is hegemonically attractive, and arguably this is a stereotypical representation of women as often women are portrayed as very emotional, which is reflected through the MES of her tears. However the expression on her face surpasses just unnecessary emotion, and it comes across as one of extreme trauma. It is not just a 'dainty' tear rolling down the side of her face as we see in most depictions of women crying, but instead her mouth is open and pulled down, her eyes are scrunched and tearful and her brows are furrowed, implying extreme emotion. This is a highly unconventional representation of women.
• Contradictory - Colours used are not the stereotypical colours of a horror film (blacks, dark blues, reds etc.), but the image of the crying girl tells the audience that something is wrong in the image/film - the bright colours cannot hide her fear. A clear binary opposition between the symbolically happy blue background, and the symbolically miserable crying woman. Once more, this functions as a proairetic code, suggesting violence and bloodshed ahead.
• The white serif font implies a sense of purity, goodness and sophistication. This reinforces that this film is in stark juxtaposition to pre-existing films within the horror genre, and may appeal to an older more sophisticated horror audience
• The poster is immediately unconventional due to its colour palette choice. It's lack thereof conventional horror poster elements such as black or red.
• Simple, elegant design frames half of star Florence Pugh’s face in warm, saturated tones, drawing out the yellow flowers in her hair against the bright, marine-blue background.
• Relatable choice of actor allows target younger audience to identify with her, thus heightening the tension and the horror.
• The mise-en-scene of the bright, primary colours is unconventional to the horror genre as it connotes peace and tranquillity, as well as summer time. This is anchored by the Title of the film being a play on the word midsummer.
• The colourful, brightly lit image and aesthetic of the piece stands in stark binary opposition to the dark and dreary conventional horror poster. This reinforces to the viewer that the contents of this film will catch them off guard.
• The A24 logo may resonate with the producer's niche fandom (Henry Jenkins), with the studio having been known to produce and distribute unique indie/ lower budget horror films to great success in past.
• Where many horror movie posters typically use darker themed lighting and color scheming in order to convey horror, this poster is atypical and uses high-key lighting with a vibrant colour scheme, combined with the distressed facial expression of the woman creates a binary opposition which intrigues audiences that have been used to the conventional tropes that within the horror genre.
• the lexis of the slogan "let the festivities begin" is ominous and has connotations of fear - a convention of the genre - and the layout of the slogan in the centre of the poster with large line gaps can be read as it is written, which adds to the ominous feeling of the lexis
• The film poster is unconventional which is portrayed through the colour pallet used. Conventionally, horror films are set during the night; The film poster background is bright blue, therefore establishing that the film is set during the day.
• The layout and design is simple and not overcrowded, it is a close up shot that fills the frame and then text running down the centre of the image with the name of the film in larger font at the bottom.
• MES - Vignette around the image, going from a dark colour surrounding the edges to a slight warm light outlining Florence Pugh. The light, coupled with the wreath headband has religious connotations (mainly Pagan religions), which are often tropes of horror films.
• a hermeneutic code is used in the hegemonically attractive woman crying, which reminds us of of the damsel in distress, a common convention of the horror genre. the symbolic code used in the costume of the flower crown she is wearing adds to this, giving her a hyper feminine image.

Theories List

Media Language theories:

• Barthes - Semiotics:
• Hermeneutic codes - questions audiences have.
• Proairetic codes - action codes, suggests something is going to happen e.g cracking knuckles.
• Symbolic codes - deeper meaning, symbols have different meanings in different contexts.
• Referential codes - intertextuality.
• Myths - ways we look at the world.
• Todorov - Narratology:
• All narratives moves from one state of equilibrium to another.
• Disequilibrium.
• Neale - Genre:
• Repetition and difference.
• Hybridity.
• Levi-Strauss - Structuralism:
• Binary oppositions.
• Baudrillard - Postmodernism:
• Hyperreality is a representation that is more real than what is being represented, impossible to differentiate between what is real and what isn't.

Representation theories:

• Hall - Representation:
• Re-presentation.
• Reconstruction of reality and inform reality constructed through media language.
• Gauntlet - Identity:
• Audiences can construct their own identities through media products.
• Zoonen - Feminist:
• Media products encode men and women's bodies differently.
• Women's bodies are used as a spectacle to sell media products.
• hooks - Feminist:
• Feminism is for everyone, including men.
• Feminism is a struggle to end patriarchal hegemony.
• Race, class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality all affect how an individual is represented.
• Butler - Gender Performativity:
• Gender is a performance.
• Performance is shaped through hegemonic expectations.
• Sex and gender are different.
• Gender performance influences and shapes the world around us.
• Gilroy - Ethnicity and post-colonialism:
• After colonialism, UK is in a state of anxiety.
• Subtle and not so subtle racial prejudices in our society, deeply rooted in colonial past.
• Media products of white and non-white people are depicted as binary, 'same' and 'other'.

Industry theories:

• Curran and Seaton - Power and media:
• Media is controlled by a small number of companies and primarily driven through profit and power.
• Inferior and repetitive product.
• Livingstone and Lunt - Regulation:
• Due to digitally convergent technologies made possible by the internet, now impossible to regulate any media idustry.
• Audiences, producers and conglomerates break this. Large media conglomerates in particular will actively avoid forms of regulation.
• Hesmondhalgh - Cultural Industries:
• Every media industy is specialised, structured to minimise risk and maximise profit.
• Media conglomerates - vertical, horizontal and multimedia intergration.
• Media producers use well known stars (star appeal), franchising and genre in order to maximise audience reach and appeal - maximise profit.

Audience theories:

• Bandura - Media effects:
• Audiences are directly influenced by what we see in media products, this theory isn't necessarily true but could be used for young children or vulnerable groups.
• Passive.
• Gerbner - Cultivation:
• Through prolonged exposure, media products gradually cultivate and reinforce dominant hegemonic ideologies.
• Passive.
• Hall - Reception:
• Preferred, negotiated, oppositional readings.
• Every media product reflects the dominant ideology of the producer, but the audience are able to negotiate or mediate it according to their own lives and experiences.
• Active.
• Jenkins - Fandom:
• Fans are different from audiences, fans are active consumers whereas audiences are passive consumers.
• Fans are heavily invested in and motivated by media products, they are able to use media products in a variety of ways.
• Active.
• Shirky - 'End of audience':
• Audiences are no longer passive, they interact with media products in a variety of ways.
• Audiences can now use digitally convergent technology to create media, audiences and producers are becomming increasingly irrelevant.

Media Revision 5

How does media language combine to create meaning in the KFC and Walkers advert?

• Media language combines to specifically target a young, urban ethnically diverse audience. It does so by constructing an edgy, exciting and absolutely working class setting.
• The setting is of a city (London) at night.
• The camera movement speed isn't constant, usually zooming, close up shot, into the product. Whip-pan.
• News Agents, bus stop, barber shop, alleyways(?)
• Lowkey lighting, artificial lighting of street lights and neon lights.
• Celebrity Endorsement.
• Intertextuality, branding and franchising.
• Graffiti wall.
• Informal lexis used by the narrator/voiceover, 'get 2 for one deal, mad'.
• Binary opposition of dark alleyway and halogen lighting.
• Ethnically diverse.
• Post-colonialism - black people are represented differently in media products, because of UK's colonial past.
• Lineker is a binary opposition and the urban working class setting.
• Intertextual reference to grime videos.

• Branding, with intertextual reference of KFC, mid shot of the reflection of Lineker in a suit shop window looks like the Colonel, reference to the KFC branding, the voiceover, 'It makes sense' is anchored with the bus in the reflection. The position of the crips is also anchored in the centre. Cross-promotion, allows Walkers to target an existing consumer of KFC.
• Advert is selling the lifestyle of
• The mise-en-scene of the lighting, glowing arrows combines with the camera movement. Guiding the eyes of the audience towards the most important parts of the screen, the brand is an important final destination.
• Whip-pan shot into the barber shop, 'Max Cuts', close-up of the TV showing a Walkers Max advert and a KFC advert and also a football game, they are foods that you usually eat.
• The mise-en-scene of the costume of the women at the bus stop, wearing red, white and yellow - whip-pan camera, close-up of Walkers and KFC. Representation of young black women, bell hooks Feminist theory.
• Symbolic annihilation of the pandemic, presented to the audience, it allows the advert to target its audiences more effectively as we can see their faces - optimistic connotation.
• Fast based editing in mise-en-scene of bright neon lights is a clear reference and iconography of grime music videos, allows Walkers to target a pre-existing young ethnically diverse urban audience who like this genre, reference reinforced through the south London setting.
• Modern notion of Britishness is shown through a range of stereotypically British iconography. The hegemony of football is constructed through the mise-en-scene of a football match being shown in the barber shop. Typical London bus stop, iconic red bus anchors and situates the audience within a relatable mode of address. 
• Audience identity theory - can help us understand how audiences can relate to and take identity from the video, from a stereotypical perspective, a young black audience may relate to the inner-city setting, mise-en-scene of the barber shop and relatable setting of the takeaway , yet a stereotypical white British audience may relate to Gary Lineker.

Media Revision 4

Media Revision 4

How does media language combine to create meaning in the Adobe advert?

• Adverts sell the audience a lifestyle.
• Media language combines to emphasise themes of creativity, colour, fun.
• Setting - Big city, subway further emphasise the themes.
• Fast tracking shots, as the camera moves.
• Binary opposition of the start.
• Audience is positioned with the woman.
• Mythical creatures.
• Centre shot - mid shot.
• Cartoon world.
• Lots of camera movement.
• Major key music.
• Lowkey lighting, artificial.
• One take shot, long take.
• Woman dressed casually.
• Speed of camera movement alternates.
• Bright primary colours.
• bell hooks, Van Zoonen - Feminist theory.
• Many mid and long shots.
• The setting is both interior and exterior.
• Proairetic code.

• It is in one continuous shot because it reflects the endless possibilities you can do on Photoshop.
• The subway has grass growing, low angle close up shot, creates a binary opposition. Allows producers to reinforce the ideology of Photoshop through contrasting the beautiful and mundane.
• The beginning is normal and regular which creates relatability with the audience but then transforms into a mystical world which is more exciting - a lifestyle.
• Extreme long shot, high key lighting, generic convention of Sci-fi. Dream like sequence is established with a mode of address, such as flying cars and a beautiful chrome city - reinforces the ideology that Photoshop can unlock imagination of the target audience.
• Genre hybridity - Allows producers to use elements of representation and difference in order to appeal to a diverse audience.
• Set in New York with connotations of excitement, international city - targets urban audiences - subway anchors this. 
• Sci-fi iconography is beat-matched to the music, emphasised by the chilled, instrumental passage of music, reinforcing the contrast and diverse range of art styles that Photoshop can do.
• Editing pace changes frequency, slowing down and speeding up, symbolic code and reference to the action genre, excitement of everyday life.
• Intertextual references throughout such as Kief Haring, a New York artist, known for pop art - symbolic theme of creativity emphasised.
• Advert arguably sells a false sense of reality of Photoshop being easy to use where in reality isn't easy to use and is boring and clunky to look at.
• The purpose of any media language it is to create revenue for the conglomerate which owns the product, high product value indicates Adobe is a huge multinational conglomerate.
• Representation of gender, selection of a young mixed race woman is a clear nod to equality and diversity, she is stereotypically wearing masculine clothes and minimal makeup - clearly unconventional representation of women.
• The passengers on the train are diverse - targeting a diverse and potentially mass audience, reflects Photoshop's ideology.

Media Revision 3

 

Media Revision 3

You Can't Stop Us | Nike

• The Nike promotional video uses representations to construct reality, Identity theory of the audience.
• Representations demonstrate the ideological perspectives and biases of the producer. Media products allow producers to use representations to reconstruct the world, and the Nike advert is now different. 
• Throughout the video we see two screens playing, edited into one - the relationship between shots link together through overlaying perhaps representing individuals uniting together as one. Representation, dominant ideology - Nike will help this.
• The music is uplifiting with conflict in the middle where it lowers but then rises back, forming a narrative in the video which the audience may easily relate to of getting knocked down but rising up again.
• This narrative is reflected with this music - however shows reflection of the pandemic and racial/social injustices 
• The voiceover 'We're never alone, and that is our strength because when we're doubted we'll play as one.' The tone of the narrator is motivating and inspiring, 'we' and 'our' - use of a collective lexis, the audience will feel like a part of it - direct mode of address.

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• Through split screen with smooth editing, Nike presents the audience with seemingly flowing world in which people are united and connected by sports - in reality, Nike are a brand who are known for sweatshop labor overseas.
• Lots of shots of teams --> symbolic code --> sense of community in pandemic ---> inspiring --> shots of people hugging and with their arms round eachother, montages.
• Inspirational soundtrack --> fast paced strings in a major key ascend and descend in a loop. However, when the pandemic is mentioned strings begin to play in a minor key --> symbolic of sadness.
• Celebrity endorsement - "You can't stop Megan Rapinoe, Serena Williams, or Lebron James. Just as you can't stop Naomi Osaka, Cristiano Ronaldo or Leo Baker.", as well as appearing on screen numerous times.
• The initial split mid-shot shows a white athlete and a black swimmer, both who are women. As a result this establishes the fact that this video has been produced in order to bring everyone in as one; no one is seen as superior as a result of their skin colour, which has been an issue in the past. As the audience carry on watching the video, it includes people of all ethnicity, disabilities, culture and gender in order to emphasis everyone matters and everyone is equal - this is the dominant ideology. In a time where most people feel alone, this video helps in order to bring everyone together and bring positivity into our lives.
• Message of inclusiveness and perseverance during 'trying times' (Power and media industries). 
• The syced up split-screen and parallels in cinematography between the shots on screen constructs a reality that the world is united and connected through sport, via its visuals. Mise-en-scene.
• Implications of the Nike brand's ethos as inclusive and ethical, by including many people of different genders, those with disabilities, ethnic groups. etc.
Uplifitng music for positivity. Works to construct an optimistic representation of the world through the covid-19 pandemic. Direct address, narrator using lexis like 'we' within the Nike manifesto during this ad.
- Adverts are there to sell a lifestyle to its audience.
• The miss-en-scene of the video is all Nike branded in order to establish that the video is created by Nike.
• Editing - Different types of athletes but shown mostly in a related environment that transitions in a synchronized and seamless fashion from one side to the other. This editing connotes the differences within humanity all the whilst still showing the similarities they share with sports, Ultimately, creating and destroying binary oppositions within the same few seconds. This can be seen as a contradictory message.
• Intertextual references to various speeches.
• Subverts stereotypical representations of gender --> women playing sports, being active. Although often the women are wearing more revealing clothes than the men (mise-en-scene) --> possibly appealing to the male gaze --> feminist theory, elements of sexualisation. 
• Commodity fetishism - The Nike logo, value of the product.

Media Revision 2

Media Revision 2

How does media language and intertextuality create meaning in this video?

Blinding Lights by The Weeknd

• Mid shot - It is positioned with the audience, they both sway with him, diegetic sound of him panting heavy and non-diegetic sound of the music sounding suspenseful and links to the horror genre through this convention of sound, proairetic and hermeneutic code. He is wondering around aimlessly and looking for something, the swaying motion could have connotations of being drunk, the setting is a street with bright highkey lighting and neon signs, intertextual reference to Vegas or Hollywood.
• When the artist enters the car, the audience sees a variety of shots at a fast pace (montage) a close up of his foot on the pedal, shaking close up of the speed metre going at high speeds, fast close up of highkey neon lights that becomes a blur - symbolic code of being high.
• The music video gives pleasure to the audience through the use of intertextual references.
• It is a conventional music video in terms of singing, dancing and narrative of the romance between the man and woman.

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• Very fast paced editing --> connotations of tripping/cocaine --> speed up drug.
• Product placement - Mercedes-Benz recurring throughout video, with flashes of the logo occurring frequently.
• Fast paced montage editing, beat matched to the song
• The mise-en-scene of the red lighting and colour pallet that is constant throughout the video symbolises love and romance, which mirrors the lyrics.
• The lyrics reference 'Sin City' and the video is partly shot in Sin City (Las Vegas)
• A feeling of chaos and excitement is constructed through fast paced, beat-matched editing.
• There are a lot of intertextual references throughout the video, making reference to multiple movies like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas through the use of distorted cinematography and fast-paced editing, and other films like After Hours, Blade Runner, and Joker. The Mise-en-scene of the setting also creates intertextuality. Inside the club where The Weeknd becomes infatuated with the Asian singer, the patterning on the walls is an intertextual reference to the red room from Twin Peaks, mirroring the red colour pallet of the video. This intertextual reference could imply that the narrative of the video is a fantasy of the performer's. 
• The initial close up conforms to the hermeneutic code which is portrayed through the man in the clip having blood dripping down his face, looking like he’s been beaten up. His facial expression conveys agony and as a result makes the audience feel tense and feel empathetic towards him. The red jacket and blood symbolises danger which makes the audience want to protect the man; The audience carry on watching the music video in order to establish what has happened to the man . 
• Close up slow zooming in camera shot, flashy transition between the end of first shot and and black screen, high-key red neon lighting, dynamic and tracking shots facing and following weeknd, contrast of lowkey and highkey lighting, headshots, dolly shots, persistent colour of red throughout. 
• There is a birds-eye-view shot of The Weeknd dancing on a bridge and he is in the centre of the shot, reinforcing that he is the performer and the focus of the video.
• The binary opposition between low-key lit shots of a city at night and bright car headlights creates a sense of bewilderment/confusion, interpreting the lyrics “I’m blinded by the lights” in a literal sense 
• Video is a follow up to his latest music video 'heartless', as he is running a billboard behind him displays the title 'heartless' --> an example of intertextuality 
• The mise-on-scene is very closely linked to an older film called Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The location and costume are similar; the hallucinogenic editing is also very similar.
• Mid-way through the music video, the sound slows down and warps as the camera angle changes to a first person shot and bright, vibrant lights flash past, giving it more of a drug-like feel and makes the audience see what the performer's character is seeing. 
• The opening shot is an extreme close up, blood is coming from his mouth, his facial expression symbolises he is in pain which creates an hermeneutic code for the audience 
• Cherries - Common connotations of sex, further implied whilst slowly floating towards stereotypically attractive woman, who appears to be working (bell hooks, feminist theory) 
• The club setting, and simplistic narrative of 'getting the girl', paired with the generic leather-jacketed thugs fighting back against the red-suited, and glove adorning The Weekend. Makes the music video incredibly reminiscent of a Michael Jackson music video, this reference is reinforced by his dance moves within his performance, as well as the 80s adjacent setting.
• Another intetertexual reference: The 80s - Both via through the film grain filter, cinematic aspect ratio, as well as the mise-en-scene and heavy incorporation of synths within the song.
• Mise-en-scene --> the Asian woman is wearing a full face of make-up along with a silver dress, this implies she is glamorous and is an example of gender performativity --> she is presented as nothing more than a possible love interest. --> often east asian women are presented as accessories within media 
• The song is synth-pop and uses synthesisers, typically a futuristic type of music, and the futuristic, high-key lights in the video reflect this 
• The shot types change drastically, edited in a montage, going from close ups of faces to distant long shots of the erratic movements performed by the artist. Its inconsistent nature implies the instability of the artist, which is making reference to drug abuse. 
• 2/4 time music anchors the fast paced feel of the music video, heavy use of drum cements this 
• East Asian performer is established and represented through an establishing montage of close-up and mysterious mid shots, emphasizing her beautiful and exotic status to the audience. Presented as spectacle for a heterosexual male gaze, her mysterious 'power' is made evident through her ability to cause the performer to literally levitate off the ground. This digital special effect is also a clear intertextual reference to cartoons from the 1940's and further reinforces hegemonic gender stereotypes 
• Album is called After Hours.
• In the club; the singer dances on the table --> possible reference to pulp fiction.
• MES of film grain, providing a binary opposition to the harsh, neon digital shots elsewhere in video. Film grain here is connotative of a classic crime dramas and Hollywood cinema, and reinforces the notion that the song is classic and noteworthy.

Media Revision 1

Media Revision 1

Component 1 - Media Products, Industries and Audiences 

Component 2 - Media Forms and Products in Depth

• Codes and conventions – performance/narrative/experimental features
• Camera work (framing – shot types, angle, position, movement)
• Editing – beat-matched?
• Elements of continuity/montage
• How does the video interpret the music and/or lyrics?
• Structure/narrative
• Intertextuality
• Sound
• Mise-en-scene – colour, lighting, location, costume/dress, hair/make-up 

Unseen Text:

Explore how audiences can respond to and interpret the video to 'This Is America' by Childish Gambino. Make reference to media language.

• The setting is an empty car park/garage.
• It begins with a long shot of a man playing the guitar which is tattered, his costume is plain and light and he is wearing no shoes.
• Single shot take with no cuts apart from the ending when he is running in lowkey lighting away from people.
• Beat match, he is dancing when the main verse of the song begins, he shoots the man in the head, 'This is America' - this has connotations of the gun problem in America.
• Connotations of costume of Childish Gambino, he has no shirt on and is wearing plain grey trousers (could link to the clothing of men in the period of slavery), yellow shoes, gold chains and a long beard and hair (black hair is a key part of identity).
• The mise en scene of the costume of the church choir, they are dancing and singing with a close up shot tracking to a long shot of Childish Gambino who then shoots at them - binary opposition of harmonious gospel and violence and rap.
• Halfway through the video we see lots of narratives in the background of the centre shot of Gambino and the school children dancing, creates a form of hermenutic codes to the audience, smoke, glowing red in the back with a police car, chaos is created through people running around this is a a symbolic code of riots, with costume of people wearing helmets linking to riot gear.

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• Mise-en-scene --> costume: Childish Gambino wears old confederate uniform trousers --> the southern confederacy reminds the audience of the history of black people in America such as slavery and segregation.
• Costume - backup dancers (implied kids) in uniforms, most low income area school districts in America establish a dress code with uniform.
• Genre of music of rap and gospel music forms binary opposition.
• Intertextual reference in performance - Childish Gambino takes samples of popular dances that derive from African culture and Hip Hop. This shows that popular pieces of culture lose their specificity over time.
• Pacing - 17 second gap silence for the Parkland school shooting in Florida.
• Costume - backup dancers (implied kids) in uniforms, most low income area school districts in America establish a dress code with uniform.
• Red mise-en-scene is used as a symbolic code for violence - Gambino shoots someone and the gun is placed in a red cloth and is carefully taken away. In contrast, the body of the person who has been shot is dragged carelessly out of the frame. This illustrates to the audience America’s value of protecting guns over human lives.
• Camera is positioned and centred on Glover, the audience are told to watch only him and ignore everything happening in the background - microcosm of America.
• American is represented entirely as a concrete jungle through the mise-en-scene set dressing and choice in location. There is no greenery at any given point in the video, we could infer from this an implication that nothing is natural about the situation in the US.
• Tracking shot at the end, the audience is positioned with him.
• Midshots of the performer means the audience becomes familiar with him and his character, making it more surprising to them when he fires the gun.
• White people are largely absent from the video until the end, when Childish Gambino smokes weed and he is chased by a mob of them, the editing of the video slows down perhaps reflecting the effect the drug has. This implies that white people are more worried about non-violent drug crime in the US, rather than gun violence. The lighting at the end is dark and low-key, with the white mob in shadow, suggesting that they are representative of white people as a whole and their values, since they are not personally identifiable.
• Performance --> the way Childish Gambino bends over to shoot the man with the guitar is an imitation of the Jim Crowe character as well as his exaggerated movements and expression, again a reference to African American history and the way they were mocked in minstrel shows --> intertextuality.
• Setting - Abandoned warehouse (similar to Detroit's car factories, now abandoned).
• Mise-en-scene --> when the choir is gunned down this is a reference to the racially motivated Charleston church shooting in 2015, a recent event which highlights the ongoing problem with racism in the US.
• As the man plays guitar we see Donald Glover appear he is positioned behind a post, this uses an hermenutic code to create an ominous feeling. As Donald Glover approaches he is standing and the man is sitting, making use of levels to present the unequal power dynamic between an armed and unarmed man, binary opposition.