Never Shout Never’s is fairly low profile in the way that it’s not chart music and is very much a focus on the actual music and lyrics rather than celebrity status and fame. The music video for the song ‘I Love You 5’ seems to appear as a low budget video. However it still uses many different forms and conventions of moving images to create the atmosphere and emotions throughout. I believe this video shows an alternative take on the lyrics of the song and portrays his adoration in an imaginative and unique style.
The use of camerawork in the video varies. It makes the most of a master shot of a large group of people walking down a street following the singer Christofer Ingle. There is also the use of close up variations from the master shot which have been used to draw us as the viewer closer in an attempt to involve and engross us into the going on’s of the video. This shot is also used to enhance the observation of emotions which helps the audience to identify with the artist; this is particularly relevant and important with this song as it is very much about the expression of his emotions. It helps us to see that the artist is trying to get across how gleeful he is and how he want to express his love and just jump out and show his love for someone. The master shot is in fact a wide and long shot, this was used to set the location of the set with a large group of people, helping to create and emphasise feeling of support, celebration and the commemoration of love. Other camerawork apparent is the use of low and high angle shots towards the end of the video when the group is gathered outside the house, the low angle shot, which could also be interpreted as a point of view shot, is that looking up at the house where Christofer’s love supposedly is, this generates an importance and power about the anonymous person and how he love is hanging in the balance and he could be shattered by his love’s reaction to his declaration of affection. The high angle shot is one of which is also outside the house where it looks down focusing on Christofer with the crowd anticipating the outcome in the background, it shows his vulnerability yet also in some ways shows his isolation of emotion. One more use of camerawork which is very important and noticeable and perceptible is that of a hand-held and cine-verite camera, it helps to give the impression of enthusiasm and participation within the video which I think is very intentional as I believe Never Shout Never is trying to form a sense of just let it out, announce you love, don’t hold back!
The male gaze is a feature which appeared to be absent in this video, this shows a contradiction in my view to the stereotypical majority male gaze obsessed R&B, rap and Pop music videos of today’s generation. This theory suggests that the male gaze denies women human agency, referring them to the status of objects. I liked this concept as it was an alternative and unusual vista, this worked well as the identity of Christofer’s love was kept a mystery for the entire video.
‘I Love You 5’ was shot/edited to be black and white which is sometimes done for no artistic purpose; sometimes because of extremely low budgets. However think it was shot in black and white for the artistic purpose that the stark contrasts enhance the subject matter. Furthermore I think that shooting in black and white rather than colour, in today’s media often has a "nostalgic", historic, or anachronistic feel to it. The idea that the use of this feature creates such a feelings I believe fits well with the lyrics and message of the song and the lack of male gaze in the way that the video is an attempt to reflect and cogitate what love used to be, it gives connotations that love used to be deep and meaningful and commemorated, it shows a contrast to the contemporary focus on sex which is so often heavily portrayed in the media, especially the music industry.
Editing has been crucial in this music video and plays a substantial part throughout. There is a continuous combination of the use of cross-cutting, parallel action d short takes. These forms of procedure when gathered together to form a collective, construct an impression to us as an audience that the shots of different locations are happening simultaneously and due to the fact the shots are in quick succession creating tension and excitement, much like the story of the video of the exhilaration and anticipation of him going to proclaim his love.
I feel that this video has been using the hypodermic syringe theory for audience communication. By looking back at my own reaction to the video I was very manipulated by what the video makers had created. This theory used to be used to explain why certain groups in society shouldn’t be exposed to certain media texts; mostly for fear that they will watch or read sexual or violent behaviour and will then act them out themselves. However I think with this video it has been turned around to try and communicate a different message, and sway populaces to the way of thinking love is what’s important and manipulate people to go against the now stereotypical sex obsessed and disrespectful image of “love”.
