The "Gorillaz" have always been band I admire. I chose to look at their song "Stylo" because I felt that it fit the criteria for an effective music video, as well as being a personal favourite. Jamie Hewlett directed this desert car chase video, it broke records and was viewed 900,000 times in its first 24 hours.
1) Instant Impact:
The instant impact isn't quite as strong as it could be, however the video does instantly attract the viewers attention by first only showing an inviting open road and then covering what it says on the front of the car with smoke. This instantly intrigues the viewer and invites them in, making them want to see more. The harshness of the scene also contributes to the impact at the start. The obvious heat and other dangers surrounding this deserted road can be seen right from the start of the video.
2) Non-Linear Editing
The video uses this at one several stages in the video; when the cop first begins to follow them it cuts straight to him driving behind them. This was probably done to save time and keep the flow of the video going. Similar cuts like that are used throughout the video, particularly in the chase scene. One other instance of non-linear editing comes around when the policeman is claimed by death and it cuts to flashbacks of the first things we saw in the videos narrative.
3) Repetitions
Repeated shots of the road and the cars are used as they are, basically, the whole focus of the video. Repeated images of the black fog are used for the narrative and shots of the word "stylo" on the grill are used repeatedly.
4) Strong Sense of Artist Identity
Murdoc, 2D and Noodle (three members of the animated gorillaz band) are depicted in this video in a style not attempted by the band before. The band used 3D effects to create a full image of the band for the first time, still maintaining the classic look and feel of the usual artwork.
5) A Performance
The performance here comes from the lovable animated characters of the band and Mr. Badass himself, Mr. Bruce Willis, who does a great job of holding a gun and looking tough like in every movie he's ever been in. The band don't do much performing of the song itself but Murdoc can be seen mouthing along to the words during the chase.
6) Visual Pleasures
The animation of the cars, desert, characters, gun shots, smoke and death are all fantastic and stick to a common trend that means you stay interested and can follow what's happening in the crazy plot line.
7) Wow Factor!
This video wowed it's audience with its guest appearance of Bruce Willis and first time use of 3D on the main characters. The action and interpretable plot-line also add to this crazy video's effect on it's audience.
8) Provoke a Reaction
The first reaction this video got out of me was one of distinct confusion. A lot of the crazy happenings shocked me and the ending both made me laugh and sit for a moment puzzling what I had just seen. However, one over riding feeling was the one that made me want to watch it again, and I can't have been alone in that with over 900,000 views in 24 hours!
9) Works on Different Levels
The Gorillaz have a running plot line throughout their videos. In this one we meet Cyborg Noodle for the first time, who is the newest member for the band created for their album Plastic Beach. In the storyline, she was created by the band leader, Murdoc, as a replacement for the band's original guitarist, Noodle, whose whereabouts were allegedly unknown. She was created through the use of cybernetic prosthetics as well as some DNA samples of Noodle that were salvaged from the wreckage of the flying windmill island which was destroyed in the "El Mañana" music video. However without knowing this viewers can still enjoy watching the visuals and interpret it their own way.
10) Pop Culture
Again the obvious answer is the use of Bruce Willis. It was also released (though not confirmed) that the film Mad Max inspired a lot of the stylisation in the video. They also reference themselves. During the video, references are made to three other tracks on the album:
- As he is being run off the road, the officer crashes through and wrecks a billboard poster of "Superfast Jellyfish".
- There is a sign labeled "Sweepstakes" that can be seen when the scene of the police officer's wrecked car is returned to.
- At the end of the clip, the submerged car that was occupied by the animated members of the Gorillaz transforms into a shark-shaped submarine, which begins the music video for "On Melancholy Hill".
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