Music Video Analysis: P!nk - Just Give Me A Reason ft. Nate Ruess

Initial Thoughts:

This video is essentially very simple, its limited settings and characters mean that the director, Diane Martel much use the other factors to make this video successful and meaningful. One reason I chose this is down to the fact that it is completely different to the other two I have chosen in terms on complexity. I also liked the scenes where P!nk and Nate were singing and would like to perhaps include something similar in my own music video.

Conventions

Props
One significant prop in this music video is the large bear on the mattress with light up eyes. The fact that the eyes light up suggests that the setting is not set in the real world and that it is a 'dram world' of sorts. It also represents P!nk's inner child and her vulnerability as she seeks comfort from a cuddly toy. This is later contrasted by the presence of the other man who she also seeks comfort from.

Other props include the two old style microphones used by P!nk and Nate. These are significant to the pop genre as some sort of musical instrument or device is used in the split narratives of pop videos.

The old style television fits in with the overall style of the video, but also provides a link between the white room setting and the 'dream world'. The fact that P!nk can watch Nate singing on the television shows her link to him and how she is always thinking of him.

Costume
One of P!nk's costumes is smart but frilly white dress. This portrays her as innocent and suggests a purity in their relationship. Nate wears a suit throughout the video, which compliments nicely P!nk's posh dress. In the other two settings P!nk is wearing some grey pyjama like clothes once again enhancing the idea that she is in a 'dream world'. Being grey suggests sadness and unrest, which is evident throughout the whole video.

  Setting
There are 3 main settings within this music video. The main setting is the 'dream world', the use of smoke as perhaps clouds, is a clear indication of this. It is evident that P!nk is trapped in this world as there is no ground to walk on. This conveys the idea of isolation.

The second setting is similar to the first but this time the smoke is water and P!nk is joined by another man. Here she is able to go down into the water but is still trapped. The contrast between the two scenes is obvious and this suggests that this is perhaps the 'darker' side of P!nk's thoughts as she wishes she could be with someone else to ease her pain. Whilst in the smoky 'dream world' she is left alone to think of her relationship.

The final setting is a simple white room in which both P!nk and Nate sing to each other. The white symbols not only purity in there relationship but also how the two are both innocent and equal in the breakdown of their relationship. This setting is common ground where they can simply sing together. This setting is very typical of pop music videos as many use the split narrative idea.

Stock Characters
As within any pop song about love the two main characters in this are a man and a woman who were/are in a relationship. As the audience would expect the whole video is based around the two, and how the relationship is tormenting P!nk's mind. A third character is introduced part way through, who appears to be in an intimate relationship with P!nk.



Stock Events
The main stock event in this music video is P!nk and Nate singing together. This is very typical of pop videos which use the idea of split narrative. Without this the audience would struggle to focus on the video for the full four minutes. It is also used to show the emotion and the connection between the two singers.

Narrative Theory
Levi Strauss's narrative theory of binary oppositions could be applied to the two men in this music video. In terms of looks the one P!nk is singing to and is clearly in love with, is a very normal attractive man, who clearly emulates the perfect man. But the man she turns to when having troubles with this 'perfect guy', is the complete opposite as he is covered in tattoos which suggests a completely different person. This opposition is supported by the using of lighting for each man. For the 'perfect' one, the lighting is kept bright throughout, whilst when P!nk is with the other man, the lighting is dark and sinister suggesting a big difference between the two characters.

Codes

Camera Angle
A variety of camera angles are used in this music video. In general, the shots of P!nk and Nate singing to the camera are head on shots, neither high angle or low angle. The main reason for this would be to create equality amongst the two, and to not show a bias between both sides of the story. It also works with the camera range to show the emotion in their faces.


In the 'dream world' scene, a bird's eye view is used. This helps to set the scene but also indicates how 'it's all in [her] mind' as the audience looks down on her trapped in this little world in her head.

A lot of panning shots are used, starting off with one at the beginning panning from P!nk's legs to her face. Again, there is no angle to this just a straight on shot, starting the video off unbiased towards the two characters. Other panning shots are used mainly in the 'dream world' panning from the bed to the TV and back mostly. This is effective in that it makes the setting seem larger and more complicated and overall makes the music video more interesting for the audience, opposed to using still shots throughout.

  Camera Range
This music video includes almost every single camera range possible. We see close-ups of the singer's face to show their emotion, but we also see close ups of different parts of P!nk and the other man's bodies showing the intimacy between the two.

The long shots are mainly used as establishing shots to show the three different settings. This is essential especially for the two 'dream world' settings as without these long shots we would not be able to see the important difference between the two settings.

Composition
As with any music video the composition is quite

often not staged as the characters move about a lot in the frame. But there are significant points in the music video in which the composition has obviously been thought out. These mostly occur in the white setting, as P!nk and Nate are generally placed in the centre of the shot if they are alone. This portrays them as trustworthy and suggests that their side of the story is the true one.

When we see a two shot, one takes one side whilst the other stands on the other, always maintaining a gap between them, this shows that they are in a relationship and there is a connection between them as they sing to each other but also the gap represents how they have grown apart.

Editing
The editing in the music video is fairly quick paced which is very typical of pop videos. This helps to portray the urgency and emotion in the relationship portrayed. Unlike 'I Won't Give Up' there are no fades or special transitions just simple straight cuts that are mainly unobtrusive so the audience can focus on the narrative in the video. Also, due to the relatively fast pace of the song fades would counteract the tempo and would not fit in at all.

Lighting
The lighting throughout the whole music video is very effective. One of the significant difference between the smoky 'dream world' and the water 'dream world' is the change in lighting. The reason the water 'dream world' appears more sinister is the darkness, this suggests the other side of her dream.

In the white room the director uses the lighting very effectively. At some points he has the light in front of the two singers so that the audience can see their faces. But, at other points he has placed it behind so there is just silhouettes of the two. This is effective in that the audience can only see their movements not their faces which define who they are. Now they represent any man and woman in any relationship, and the song is now universal to any couple who has ever had problems.


Mis-en-scene
There is not much in the way of mis-en-scene in the video but some significant things that add to the meaning of the video are the use of the moon and stars. This indicates that it is night time which supports the idea that this is all a dream or a 'bad dream' as suggested in the lyrics.

  Ideology
The ideology in this song is that the breakdown of a relationship is never the fault of just one person. Both will have made mistakes that contributed to it and if it was fate for them to break up then it would happen eventually whether they try to fix it or not.