AWOLNATION - Run Analysis

Camera, Editing, Mise-En-Scene
This first shot shows a crow flying off a rock onto the beach. The camera pans slowly down towards the beach. Using a slow pan suggests the genre and tempo of music, and the what the director wants us to get out of the shot.

The video then goes onto show the crow on the beach and the scenery around, and then a long shot of a mermaid swimming towards the camera. As the shot is very blurry and dark the director does not want us to see who the mermaid is yet, and wants us to question who and why they are there. The shot is very brief, only showing a few seconds of the shot, this keeps this minimal making the viewer see her but not focus on her completely. As the lighting in the shot is very purple, it links with the purple light that is foreshadowing what is going to happen later on in the video.

The next shot then shows a figure with a purple light, the shots keep switching between the mermaid and the figure with the light. This is to suggest that the mermaid is interested and wants to find out what is gong on. To have the protagonist to walk out of the sea with the purple light is quite unusual of a narrative and make us question where they have come from and why they are doing this. Due to the protagonist being hidden about their identity, by having a large helmet and cape to cover themselves, makes the visuals and narrative link with the lyrics and mood of the song. This is to create a relationship between the two so the viewer can clearly understand what is going on. Due to the cape being black means that black has similar connotations to the purple coloured light. As the light is purple helps to add a contrast from all the other colours in the scene. Purple also has connotations of power, mystery and devotion. By using a purple light helps the director get ideas to the viewer subtly. This means that they can create ideas about the protagonist and their personality. The connotations of mystery fit appropriately with the narrative due to the costume and actions of the protagonist, as the colour connotes power it suggests that they might have some power over the other characters in the video. Due to the colour also connoting devotion suggests that the protagonist may be loyal and gives ideas of worship and religion. This suggests an idea to the viewer that the protagonist may be a religious symbol making them important. Due to the secrecy means that this would also support the idea of them being a religious icon.

This next shot shows the helmet of the protagonist in the music video, and the mermaid holding it. The viewer can assume that the purple lighting is coming from the light he carries. The camera is an extremely close up on the characters. This makes us focus on what is in the shot and the expressions on the mermaid. As the lighting is low-key and has a purple tinge to it, makes us really focus on the reflections from the helmet and the minimal light on the mermaid. The director cannot afford us to focus on other things therefore making it an extreme close-up helps us to realise the message they are trying to get across. The movement of the camera suggests that something bad is going to happen due to its movements being random and therefore shaking the camera. This foreshadows what happens later in the video. Bubbles are shown moving between the two characters making us clearly assume that this is underwater, but also think about who is making them. Due to them coming from outside the frame suggests that the director wants us to believe that there is someone that we don't know about. The viewer can assume that it would be the protagonist of the video, taking off the helmet which then foreshadows the narrative later in the video.

The next shot then agrees with this idea due to the protagonist taking the helmet off in the next shot. He then drops the helmet on the floor and it cuts to another similar shot of the mermaid and the helmet. The music is about to change mood and there is a close-up shot of the mermaid looking into the camera. As the music changes, the expressions of the mermaid change making linking the visuals with the music. Due to the camera being close-up makes us focus on the expressions so we realise the mood of the song. Due to the positioning of the camera and linking with the shots before, the viewer can assume that this is the perspective of the protagonist making it a point of view shot. This gives the viewer an insight of what they see in their eyes. When they mermaid realises what this helmet is in the narrative, she runs away, this then links with the lyrics and title of the song.

After the music has switched the mood, the video also changes. The narrative and the shot types change to connote the mood of the song. Longer slower pans and shot lengths are uses to signify and symbolise the mood of the music. By the helmet being in the sea also suggests that it could be washed away connoting that the disguise has been forgotten about. This links to the narrative in the video due to the subject wearing a long black coat. This makes the viewer think about who is behind the coat and then therefore linking to the lyrics in the song. 

Genre Characteristics
Due to the song being an alternative/indie, makes the video have its own typical style. As indies can range in sub-genres, the videos don't really have any typical characteristics or conventions, and tend to follow the conventions of the mood and sub-genre of music. Therefore the video is suited to the lyrics and music, meaning you typically see narrative videos for indie/alternative videos. Due to it being a narrative video suggests it has its own ideas and mood linking with the music. Therefore you typically get its own conventions or a combination of them from multiple genres in one video.