OLLY Video Analysis 1

The Kooks - Naive

This video is more focused on the narrative than creating a star persona for the band.

Genre characteristics: We can establish that they are an indie rock band. This can be established by the conventions; the bands clothes – leather jackets and white t shirts- rebellion motif. They also have a lot of hair (mullet) which is often seen on the indie rock scene.

Relationship with music and visuals: The lyrics are related to the video, as the lead singer describes his ex-girlfriend – ‘someone so beautiful’.
‘Just don’t let me down’ – referring to the fact that she has cheated on him.
‘Such an ugly thing’ – cheating.

Narrative based - The video shows the band in a club and a flat in an urban city – probably London or Brighton from the culture codes. The video shows the lead-singer who is looking for his girlfriend at the party, only to find out that she had cheated on him with another bloke in the toilets and is really drunk. The singer lipsinks certain lines to the camera to give authenticity, but the band are not seen playing the track.

Camera: There are loads of close-ups of the lead singer to reinforce the narrative as it shows him looking around for his girlfriend. These shots are in with the people in the club to create the effect that the audience is there with him.

Editing: The video starts out being a montage cutting between the lead singer walking, and a glum flat with him and his girlfriend. There are cuts between him in the club looking for his girlfriend and shots of her in the toilet getting jiggy, so we as an audience sympathise with him.

Locations: The majority of the video is in a club to show the lifestyle of the band – where they socialise. There is also a flat, which shows that the band are normal people – not rich superstars.