Star Image - Rihanna

 

 

R I H A N N A

 

 

 

Basic Details, Relevant Genres & Early Star Image 

 

 

Rihanna (originally Robyn Rihanna Fenty) leads a very successful music career due to her significant star image, her range of genres and other roles in terms of media and using these as pathways to success. Rihanna is different from other artists because of her wide target audience in terms of the genres she covers (e.g. R&B, pop, reggae, hip hop and dance). Starting from the beginning, her star image was very innocent. She was moulded in a way to fit the norm of typical teenage girls. This was her starting point. As you can see she was structured in a way to make her seem normal, just like any other teenage girl. Her innocence was conveyed by her natural features. In this way she was able to create a character that everyday girls aspired to be like. This work well with the confidence she showed in what she wore (crop tops, ripped jeans) as maybe in everyday life this wouldn't be acceptable and so a desirability in her female fan base grew as they wanted to be like her. This image was carried through her earlier videos as if to create and impression, as she was a new artist, this image would have been important to keep the audience interested as it isn't usual to have a young independent artist (rather than girl band) that young girls can look up to. She was made into a role model.

 

 

 

 

Development of Star Image

 

 Gradually, over the years Rihanna's career has thrived on her appearance and motifs. She is mainly known in the modern days of her career that she is known for her sex appeal, her

emotions at the time and her style. All of these being reflected in the artwork of each album.

Her main motif is her hair. Her hair colours/styles represent the stages she is going through in her life as well as making a statement to draw in a wider audience. It could be said that with each album she is introducing a new persona, one that is not exposed often in the real world and can only be expressed through music. This is beneficial to her as her audience keeps interest. As shown to the right her innocence was soon taken over by an attempt to creating an older character. Cleverly she was still able to keep her teenaged attitudes yet she widened her audience as people took her more seriously when she decided to cut it short. This made her appear more mature and seemed as if she could relate to older audiences as she was taking her career more seriously. This was a kick start to the planned and perhaps not so planned stages of her life/experiences. After this came she decided to take this a little bit further and gained her first bit of sex appeal. Instead of the gentle teenaged make up she was transformed into a woman with short

hair that matched her dark make up, making her more sexy. This difference obviously got her more attention as now she was now a 'grown-up' experimenting with new things in order to gain fame. At this point she was also gaining more recognition for her tattoos. This was then a beginning to another motif (getting inked). In 2010 her career took a dip due to negative life events she had experienced. This was symbolised hugely in her album

'Rated R'. Her image changed completely. She was changed into a character that came across as careless but not in a positive way. Her style changed into more daring. As her outfits got more revealing her attitude got more aggressive. Instead of being an independent young woman, Rihanna started associate with rappers that gave her performance a bit more edge as well as building a new reputation. Her makeup changed from (suitable) to very dirty looking, she almost looked as if she hadn't been washing. This idea was conveyed not only through her image but her videos. A lot of the music she made on this album was very dark and strayed from her roots of pop by as she sung meaningful lyrics that reflected her life at that time. However this was turned around with 'Loud' in 2011 when she turned her music back around and made it bigger than ever. Her image sustained the innocence that she started out with, a respectable amount of sex appeal and an 'act-your-age' image that formed a whole new audience. This album was created based on her happiness. However, her career thrived on this album due to the experimenting she did when creating this album. Many new genres that she had never sold before were introduced which created an even wider audience due to a range of different interests she was offering in terms of music. The album included reggae, which allowed her audience to get in touch with her roots and how she genuinely started out. She was exposing her culture like never before. However, in the most recent times of her career it would seem that she is putting everything into her singing rather than making a statement. Both herself as an individual and her career have benefitted from her calming down and acting more mature.

 

Widening Her Audience

 

 

In the most recent times of her career, Rihanna has expanded her career with many different types of media that add to her capabilities. By spreading herself like this she is enabling the chances of creating a larger fan base. One of the opportunities she has pursued is in the film industry. She has proved that not only is she a world wide known singer that people love, she can also gain exposure through acting. She has acted in a few well known films along with very famous actors that we are all familiar with. For example, one of the most famous movies would be Battleship (2012) starring the one and only Liam Neeson! However, this is not only the only way she has targeted a wider audience, she also has her own clothing line. Riri partnered up with River Island and started her own clothing line and a very successful one at that. Rihanna said her clothes are aimed at a variety of women, but said they are all pieces she would wear herself.

 

“I would wear everything here. I was being a little bit selfish. I designed everything that I would want to wear, and for the women that I’m with”

 

 

RIVER ISLAND PRESENTS: THE AUTUMN RIHANNA FOR RIVER ISLAND LAUNCH

 

How Is She Sold?

Throughout her career from start to finish close ups have been used to highlight her image. The camera is always focussed on her and she will always be in shot. The majority of the time, if she is not the only thing in the frame she will be shown doing something seductive or continuous eye contact will be used to ensure that she is the main focus. In this way the hair statement as noted above are reinforced to reflect her mood and what she stands for. If the shot includes people, they tend to be focussing on her and surrounding her which also creates an effect that draws our attention as an audience to what they're looking at. The use of editing reinforces this as cutting to close ups is a regular feature that but emphasis on her faces. Her face is a chosen image as it highlights her beauty and her eye contact with the camera. This is a way to connect with her audience and letting them feel more involved with the video.

 

 

Why is She Popular in Present Day?

Rihanna's fame has stemmed from her constant pushing of boundaries in today society. Her clothes are always very revealing but not in a way that she wouldn't look respectable. She rocks the sex appeal goal. In this way, her fan base and even those who claim to dislike her/her music aspire to be as confident as she is. Also, as mentioned before she participates in many different genres which gives people an opportunity to enjoy all aspects of her music. Also, her influences are very famous singers which may make her more attractive to fans. Bob Marley and Madonna are those who drive Rihanna and also are from either ends of the spectrum. Once people know this they tend to dip their toe into her music career which benefits her. Also, in todays society, to gain exposure social networking sites (e.g. Twitter/FB/Instagram) are very important. Those who aspire to be like her gain from getting a constant insight of her life on these sites. Just like many artists Rihanna is constantly updating her fans of what she is doing and sometimes even asking for their opinions to get there more involved. These sites help fan feel like they have more of a connection with her just like they would a friend. In this way she is very trendy and people love that she is doing the same things they do in their spare time. Also her clothing and makeup line come from companies that are particularly popular with teenagers. Therefore, people associated the two and buy what she had taken part in making in order to fit the norm and become more like her.

 

 

 

#3 Textual Analysis - Lost & Not Found (Abstract)

Chase &  Status - Lost & Not Found

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Mise-en-scene:

At the start of the video we are shown a 'Missing' poster on a lamp post. This could be used as an introduction to the narrative of the video, relating to what is perhaps 'Lost & Not Found'. Her appearance reoccurs throughout the video, this form of repetition could be used for emphasis of her importance. We are also shown a young boy on a bike located on a side walk in an American street setting. We know nothing of him and he doesn't seem to have any significance at that particular moment. However, as he begins to move, the camera follows and he becomes a vehicle in which the audience latch onto as we are shown to different parts of the surroundings. This role of vehicle is passed around through different types of characters as the video goes on. In this way we are also getting a feel of what kind of people potentially live in the area. These characters include a range of people in different costumes, showing different habits (smoking), different status', different occupations and different emotions. As this isn't a particularly clear cast, it could be a second interpretation of the title in that those in the video are lost or do not fit in with society.The have been deindividuated as people. Moving on we are shown a number of situations, including a car accident and consumption of drugs, after which the police turn up. This could lead the audience into a feel of confusion in terms of what is to come next and why the police have arrived considering the number of situations. As we are lead into small apartments we are introduced to more characters, one of which is a man crying in a bath tub. This is another example of the audience potentially being confused of the storyline, are there many story lines, is the video exaggerating how we do not give people enough time and highlighting our judgement. After the male character crying in the bath, the camera focuses on a television showing a news channels, this shots lasts loner than the rest which suggests significance in the character. As an audience we are likely to remember him. Although, we do not have to for long as he appears in shot while the police bring him down . This makes the moment more real as it is what we have just seen on the television. What has he done? As the video comes to a close we get the opportunity to become clear of what the relevance of the song name is in terms of the video. This is because we are once again shown the female that appeared on the lost poster at the start of the video. This suggests that after al this time and throughout the video we have potentially been on a journey to find her, which turns out to be a success when she appears on screen. Just as the whole thin starts to make sense and the 'lost' female is led from the apartment while the male on the news is arrested, there is a small twist that adds more confusion. At this point we are under the impression that he has kidnapped her, however, she take a turn for the worst and helps the protagonist. This brings in another argument as to whether she is still the victim and what were we looking for to being with. The police wrap her up in a blanket making her appear vulnerable, adding to her 'missing' story. There is a contrast in the shot as we exit the apartment as she is being comforted by the police officer as the male in the background struggles.  Adding another meaning to the title. At this point the couple are our vehicle and we become a part of the crime. Finally, we are passed back to the young boy on his bike, in the same way as the begginning. This creates a loop effects in that it seems as though we are going round and round in circles as this is the way we started. Throughout the whole  video, not once are Chase & Status shown.

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Camera:

As mentioned before, we are constantly in motion. This is done with the use of a Dolly within a tracking shot. Differently from most other music videos, this particular one completes the whole course of the video in one shot. Even though there are no cuts or transitions due to the single shot the video ranges with camera angles and shot types. These include, close up that identify significant characters and moments (i.e.. the news on television, missing poster), medium close ups for the majority of the sceneries giving them equal significance. As the video is filmed as one, the storyline is revealed in one go.

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Sound:

Just before the track starts the video is introduced with a number of dieetic and non-dieetic sounds.

#2 Textual Analysis - Grenade (Narrative)

Bruno Mars - Grenade

Mise-en-scene:

Grenade is a narrative based music video in the Pop genre. Due to this there are many conventions that the video has conformed to in terms of narrative. To begin the video all we can see is rain. This sets a dull tone for the video and pairs well with the sad tone of the music. Furthermore, we can gather from this that the poor weather reflects his emotions (pathetic fallacy) and prepares us for the overall tone and purpose of the music video - a heartfelt song used to express personal emotions. As we progress through the video we begin to be shown two different sides of Bruno Mars with regards to costume and surroundings. For example we see him to begin with in a potential homely environment where he is sitting on the edge of the bed in relatively casual clothing. This suggests that at this point he is very much himself and comfortable at that time. Also, this may represent how he is more himself without her. He is wearing an orange T-shirt, which connotes the idea of constant crime (prison outfits) in America which could represent his love for her as a crime. However, this changes once we see him walking in the middle of the road in a tunnel whilst dressed in a tux with his hair perfectly styled. This suggests to the audience that he is travelling somewhere important and the purpose of his outfit may be to impress someone (e.g. gathering from the romantic/relationship related lyrics, a woman may be who he is travelling to). With this setting comes a piano, however unlike what we would expect, he is not playing the piano but pulling it with a rope. This creates juxtaposition as we wouldn't usually take someone who is taking part in hard work (pulling the piano along) and dress them in a tux. Therefore we are being informed that Bruno is doing something that is pretty impressive whilst looking very smart which indicates, similarly to earlier, that he is doing this for someone in particular. Moreover, I would imagine that trying to pull a piano along for such a long distance would take a lot of strain as well as putting the person at risk, therefore the piano may be an extended metaphor that elaborates on the lengths he would go to for this woman when trying to impress her. Or, on the other hand, it may be symbolic for the weight that she creates in terms of stress for him and how the relationship is like a constant strain (considering the lyrics - explaining all of the bad things she does in return of his good things - "I would go through all this pain"). In the earlier stages of the video we see Bruno holding a photo frame and in time with the music the glass in the frame cracks. This may be a representation of the relationship as it suggests that there are noticeable cracks in their relationship that cannot be covered for much longer (it is out of his control). As we are drawn into the travels of Bruno and the extremities he will go to express his love, we are shown the different locations he passes on his way to his woman. Most of the locations tend to be dangerous or distressing for Bruno, which shows his determination to get to his love. One of these destinations is a bad neighbourhood. Bruno stands out from this shot as he is dressed well compared to the other males surrounding him who are either topless of wearing white vests. The connotations of being topless show that the males have a certain arrogance between them to feel like they can be half dressed and not be embarrassed about it, they feel like they have something to show off. This pairs well with all of the males' tattoos that are on display as tattoos are usually portrayed as something daring or dangerous as they aren't something you can change. We then know that they are aggressive as the potential leader of the group 'squares up' to Bruno and appears to be giving him some kind of verbal abuse.  We also see a dog that conveys the idea of violence as it is big and slightly uncontrollable with a lead and barks loudly at Bruno. However, the males that are dressed in white vests create a contradictory idea in terms of the connotations we usually gather from the colour white (innocence, purity) it also connotes a unity between those in the gang. This idea is then extended to the end of the video as we see the woman he has travelled to see and she is also dressed in white. In this case, what the lyrics have been informing us of and the previous characters dressed in white show that she is also contradicting the idea of innocence, this is the shown a bit more when we finally see her being intimate with another man. In this same shot we know that she can see Bruno however she shows no shame, which works on our emotions in terms of how we feel for Bruno after we have witnessed everything he has done for her. There are also lyrical relations in "I would die for you baby" as we quite often view Bruno putting himself in extremely dangerous situations e.g. walking in the middle of a busy highway, getting himself involved with gangs and finally standing in front of an oncoming train.

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 Camera/Lighting

We begin with a close up that shows Bruno composed in the rule of thirds. The lighting is low key which causes a shadow on the side of his face making this a restricted shot whilst creating a darkness to Bruno's character. Pulled focus is used at the beginning (pulling the focus from the rainy background to Bruno. This makes us able to see all of the important features in the short that have meaning but by pulling the focus a pace is created in the video to match the song. Soon after this we view a medium close up of a photo frame that Bruno is holding and we see the glass crack. In this case a close up is used to emphasise how he feels in control yet the relationship is uncontrollable and that it as a whole is 'broken'.  It also allows the audience to see a relationship between the tone and the visuals. Using a mid shot, Bruno's performance denotes him struggling. There is a lot of emphasis put on both his struggle and his determination. This is done by highlighting his facial expressions and the props (e.g. rope) which reinforces the struggle. Lighting is very low key which enables the audience to identify that he is struggling and we feel sympathy for him. Also, in this shot he is travelling through a tunnel and the lighting increases which may symbolise the phrase 'Light at the end of the tunnel' which could be the female he is singing about and how close he is to reaching her. We as an audience are informed of his star persona with a close up on his outfit. This close up shows the shoes in which Bruno is wearing. (He is wearing smart black and white shoes with his black tux). It is as if he is dressed for church and as Bruno Mars is a strong Christian, this attire represents his star persona as well as continuing the idea of his struggle. A close up of Bruno's face shows his determination and need to drag the prop of a piano to the girl in which he is in love with. Lighting is again low key in this shot which connotes to the audience that he won't complete him mission, no matter how determined he is. There is space between his face and the rest of the shot in which denotes his passion to get the piano to the girl. Using a long shot denotes Bruno in the rule of thirds. The lighting is extremely low key and he appears as a silhouette. The audience can see the difference between the piano and Bruno. The piano is almost his height and width, the background looks gloomy and creepy and the tunnel is completely empty which makes Bruno appear small in the frame and vulnerable. A long shot is used to show a homeless man watching Bruno as he pulls the piano along and questioning his actions. The man is composed slightly off the centre. It makes the audience wonder why he's there and what happened to him. It questions who we feel sorry for as well as putting emphasis on how crazy Bruno must be if 'even' a homeless person is questioning him. In this close up of a rear view mirror, we see Bruno dragging the piano with so much struggle. The rear view mirror is framed in the rule of thirds and is surrounded by darkness because of the use of low key lighting. This is a point of view of the driver for which moves the audience. This is a convention in narrative music videos.  This mid shot denotes Bruno walking along the road in the tunnel. He is composed slightly off centre which makes him seem inferior. We see cars behind him travelling fast. The head lights of the car are shining in which causes a long line of light. This connotes the direction in which he needs to go in order to see the girl he is in love with. In a close up showing the gang slapped a picture of the girl that Bruno is in love with to the floor. Bruno's hand is composed in the rule of thirds in which connotes his important. Also, the audience can only see his actual flesh which has religious connotations as Jesus gave up his flesh and blood for everyone. There are shadows being shown of the gang in which connotes them being inferior as you cannot see them. This is a restricted shot of them. Overall the lighting throughout the video is dark and gloomy up until he reaches the girl he is potentially singing about. However, he is even at this point contradicting the visuals with the connotations as we associated high key lighting with the good and innocence and at this point we see her with another man.

 

Gloomy lighting to reflect the tone of the lyrics/his emotions.

(pathetic fallacy - what he is feeling is reflected in the nature.

 



 

Emphasis on his struggle using medium close up shot.

 



                                      Again.

 



Small and silhouette-like in the frame            

 

                Small and vulnerable in the frame

 

    Homeless person put emphasis on craziness          

 

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 Editing

Throughout the video rhythmic editing is used to match the slow, meaningful pace of the song as well as reflecting the purpose of the lyrics. Furthermore, slow motion is used quite regularly throughout the video. This could reflect how his travels feel to him is terms of the length  and the speed  at which he is travelling. By cutting to close ups there is emphasis put on particular features that are relevant at that stage in order to make the video make sense. The pace of the video speeds up as the music gets more dramatic. This shows how intense his journey is as well as creating a build up to a anti/climax

 

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Sound

There are many sounds used throughout 'Grenade' which are not part of the music, these are all used for many different reasons. Firstly we can hear the diegetic sound of rain. This captures our attention and adds to the effect of pathetic fallacy as we associate the sound of rain with dark and gloomy days that consist of poor weather. This reflects what we are seeing in the shot (e.g. low key lighting). Shortly after this we hear the cracking of the glass in the photo frame. This matches with the visuals when we see the frame crack (diegetic). At this point this is the only sound we here including the music. This put a lot of emphasis on the meaning/purpose of this shot and kick starts the narrative with is sharp, sudden sound. Also we associate these sounds with breaking and so it send out a negative tone. Next we hear cars racing past whilst Bruno walks in the middle of the road. We hear this almost like it's from his point of view. This highlights how close he is to the cars and the danger he is putting himself in as well as how many cars there are (vs) the only one of himself. This includes beeping of the horns in from the cars. Later on in the video we hear a deep dog bark (diegetic as we can see the dog). This fits the the dogs image as it is quite a large muscly dog that could usually have negative connotations from holding a bad reputation.



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Codes and Conventions of a Narrative Music Video

In terms of a narrative based music video this particular music video very much conforms to all of the expectations. Firstly, there is a storyline (Todrov's equilibrium Theory**). From the visuals we can understand that he is travelling to extreme lengths to meet his woman. Also, we are aware that the lyrics match the visuals in that he is singing about a broken relationship whereby he is the 'loser' in the relationship which matches with him reaching her and seeing her being intimate with another man.

 

**

 

 

 

 

#1 Textual Analysis - Blurred Lines (Performance)

  

Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft. T.I. & Pharrell Williams

Mise-en-scene

Blurred Lines is a performance based music video that is very stereotypical in terms of conforming to the usual codes and conventions of a Hip Hop/R&B video. The target audience is no doubt those of the Hip Hop/R&B genre. Through the use of mise-en-scene, many key characteristics of this particular genre are expressed throughout the video to create a certain image for everyone in the video. One of the key conventions in Hip Hop is voyeurism (the idea of looking/spying and sexualising the female form), Blurred Lines is based around voyeurism and objectifying women to make men look more superior along with other factors to build this image. This particular shot (shown below) is a great example how the women in this video aren't really paid attention throughout the video, this suggests that women are disposable and men are superior (women are something to come back to whenever men want/like a belonging). The only time women are paid attention to is when they are either being touched by the males or looked at in a sexual way or even when they're naked! You can also see that the women are not wearing very much and therefore are not very covered compared to the men. This is when the idea of voyeurism comes in. Even though they are dressed, their clothing is underwear based and doesn't cover much. Also, all of the females are dressed in white, the connotations of white tend to be innocence and clarity which contradicts the lyrics of the song. Furthermore, their make-up contrasts with the colour of their clothing. The red of their lipstick (red) conveys the idea of lust, sex and danger. The colour red is used to grow the image of wealth as well as objectifying females. The fact that the lipstick is the same colour as other props that star in the video (e.g. toy car, hash-tags & the spots on the die) this makes the women appear as an object or a belonging (disposable) and add the 'standard' characteristics of a artists' life. 

Female clothing compared to males.

Not paying attention to females.

Only paying attention when acting sexual.

Red lipstick to represent danger/lust/love.

The colour scheme for this video is very basic, however quite appropriate. As I have already discussed, the whites and reds makes quite a statement in terms of connotations and highlight particular aspects to give a certain representation. The other only colour is gold which usually represents wealth and being able to live at expense. This is used as a reminder to their audience to highlight the males' money and is shown to make people aspire to become like the artists.  This works with their outfits. All of the males are in suits of some sort and wearing sunglasses, which appeals to a female audience as they're aiming for the 'tall, dark & handsome' look which is very popular when attracting female attention as well as adding mystery with the shades. Pharrell tends to avoid this look and goes against this stereotypical look and wears a golden tracksuit which again adds to the idea of wealth and standing out. Finally, Robin uses an ice cream to perhaps provoke a more sexual side of himself. Using a close up shot, he licks the ice cream without breaking eye contact with the camera/audience. This creates a sexual connection with the females watching him. Another prop used in this video is a lamb. The females a shown repeatedly touching, holding or even 'playing with' the lamb which reflects a childlike nature in the women. To start with both the lamb and the women can be associated with their innocence. Also, as the girls are given this childlike attitude, it give the males a little bit more power making them seem superior and more mature, as if they are responsible for the women or even smarter than them.  During the video product placement is used to advertise 'Rem Martin' alcohol. Many artists will do this during a music video as it benefits both parties. The artist gains more popularity as their video will seem more up to date and trendy as they're advertising a new product. This then leads to audiences that aspire to be like the artist buying the product which results in a rise in income for the products company. All of these factors build up and conform to the message of both the song and video (nowadays most Hip Hop videos are based on messages about partying, getting high/drunk and the idea of sex.

Remy Martin alcohol (PP)

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Camera

Moving onto camera, many shot types are used throughout the video that conform to the conventions of this genre. To begin with, close ups are the most popular in Hip Hop videos when establishing the artist or perhaps even the power or the importance of that particular subject. This works because they take up most of the frame and so they're the main focus in the frame. However, it isn't always the artist. Sometimes they're just used to highlight something that should be seen as significant in the video. Stereotypical examples of this are objects such as money, jewellery, cars and sometimes even women! Blurred Lines includes both. By using close ups on the artist you are creating a direct address, which then leads to a star image. We are familiarised with the artist and constantly being reminded of their image and any motifs they may have. This works well for Robin Thicke as he is better known in America than the UK, therefore when putting together a music video, close ups will bombard the audience with the star image so that they are recognised more often (beneficial for the artist when they're new into the industry.  Another shot type used during the video is tracking. In this shot the camera is moving with the artists (using a Dolly) as they walk towards the left of the frame. This way the artists are in control, as they walk it is as if the audience is being lead to something, we are walking with them but we will only find out where we're being lead to when they finish walking. This shot also includes the 'walking and singing' combo, the artists are entertaining whilst leading the camera and only look into the camera when singing which keeps us hooked as we're waiting for that connection. Later on in the video pulled focus is used. Pulled focus is a creative camera technique where the focus is changed during the shot (adjusting from one subject to another). Even though the example in Blurred Lines only lasts about a second, we begin with the focus on one of the females in the background but then the focus is pulled forwards and set on Pharrell just in time for him to start singing. As he is so close to the camera, along with the focus change, a lot of emphasis is put on him, his importance and his purpose compared to the female. He is highlighted as the main subject in that particular frame.

Tracking shot (Dolly)

Close up (Direct Address)

Pulled focus (1)

Pulled focus (2)

 

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Editing

In post production, text has been layered over the top of various shots in order to advertise or be viewed in the same time as the words are being said. A lot of rhythmic editing is used. This is when the shots are cut to fit the beat of the music, throughout the whole video we see this happening. Also, each shot it cut which fits with the usual expectations of a professional music video as opposed to a dissolve effect between each shot. There was also another version of this music video whereby the females weren't dressed. In this sense they have edited the video that is allowed to be shown on television to make it suitable by cropping the shot or photoshopping and obscenities. They have also cut to close up for the purpose of reinforcing the star image of the artist or as well in this case objectifying the women.

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Lighting

The video was shot in a studio using non-diegetic, high-key lighting. There is no other set change throughout the video besides the white backdrop. The brightly lit studio along with the backdrop work together so that all of the focus is on the artists. The connotations of high-key lighting are quite often innocence (matching the nature of the females) and it reflects the upbeat mood of the lyrics.

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Intertextuality

According to Andrew Goodwin's theory applied to music videos, there are 5 key aspects of a music video that we the audience recognise, one of which being intertextuality. This is when an artist that perhaps isn't well known uses other references to gain a reputation and to attract an audience and a fan base. In this video even though Robin Thicke is popular in the US, he isn't very well known in the UK therefore by using famous artists such as Pharrell Williams and T.I.  who have been famous in the UK for a long time, he is creating more exposure for himself. 

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Going against the usual conventions

Unusually, this video includes factors that may not seem as the 'norm' when looking into an R&B/Hip Hop music video. Firstly, throughout the whole video text is layered over the shot in post production. More than not the text includes a hash tag, this could be classes technological convergence as Robin Thicke is hash tagging his name in his music video which may lead people to using it on social networking site (e.g. Twitter/Adding it onto the end of their tweets) and this way Robin Thicke is gaining more exposure. Secondly, small sections of the video are out of sync. The lip-syncing doesn't quite match up with the lyrics/music. This is strange as perfect synchrony would be expected in a 'professional' music video. Due to such famous artists featuring in the video you would expect it to be professional however once we notice it is out of sync it gives the video a 'low budget' feel. This idea is also shown in the video as they only use one set rather than perhaps  a range f sets that could be used to make a narrative (expected in an R&B video)