This music video for "take me to church", Hozier, includes the narrative based on the catholic church's discrimination against homosexual, and the reason behind the music video is to inform the audience on the discrimination that homosexuals receive, and that is it also a huge issue that is still unresolved in many parts of the world.
The opening shot of the music video is a bonfire, this would probably make he audience realise that it is a sign, as fire hold strong connotations of aggression and danger or potentially even passion and power. The video then moves on to a close up of a box which it padlocked shut and buried, which gives the impression of secrecy, later on in the video we find out the box belongs to the homosexual which could be a representation of the secrecy of his sexuality and how the character feels he has to lock away and bury his feelings and his true self. also the lighting in the first few shots are very dim which again represents secrecy hidden in the shadows, and possible danger lurking. It may also represent the dreary emotions and struggle of the characters in the narrative. And where there is a lack of bleakness that may be the discrimination overpowering the homosexuals.
Early in the music video, there’s a wide shot of a flock of birds in the sky, flying above rooftops towards the clouds. This may represent the freedom the birds have, to go and do as they please, whereas the two main characters in the music video are stuck in the world of judgement and discrimination. Moreover,the birds could represent the two main characters, who ignore the discrimination against homosexuality, and they express their love for each other.
A scene in the music video, which shows one of the main characters running down a street, uses a handheld camera technique. This helps to convey their urgency and stress. It also comparatively suggests that it’s raw, unplanned footage, this will also enforce an emotional connection between the character and viewer. Additionally, the use of a camera angle suggests confusion, which often disorientates the audience and creates a sense of unease and alarm.
The final shot of the music video shows one of the two main characters, standing in the foreground, facing away from the camera. He looks over at the group of people, kicking his partner on the ground by the fire. The shot is framed somewhere between a head and shoulder shot and an over the shoulder shot; this type of framing allows us to see the point of view of the protagonist in the foreground, but also look upon the scene as if we were standing behind him. The lighting used in the final scene creates strong silhouettes, the only source of light being the fire, this could reflect that the group of people abusing the main character are the source of the darkness and hatred, and the bright white fire could represent the passion of the two lovers.
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