Textual Analysis in Class
Plan B- Writings On The Wall
Narrative
Plan B's song Writing's On The Wall is followed on by the song She Said where Strickland Banks the famous artist Plan B is accused of rape of the lady he had left with in the bar and rejected when he realised that he didn't want to have sex with her. He had been performing a sold out gig where after he was meant to return home to a cooked meal by has partner but instead proceeded to go for drinks with his 'guys' and ended up returning home elsewhere with this other mistress, who later he refused to sleep with. The piece has both aspects of narrative and performance. The music video is most narrative however, performance is shown within aspects of the video. As Plan B is performing but as the artist Strickland Banks.
He is performing to a large crowd but via another name so that the song isn't personal to him as an artist and isn't performed directly under his own name. The main chunk of the video is however, narrative though as it follows the story of the tickets selling out Strickland performing to the fans whilst his partner is at home preparing the dinner for when he returns. When he finishes playing he calls the home phone and says that he will be back later because he is going for a drink with guys. She then proceeds to run back up the stairs to the food and watch it bubbling in the sauce pan showing connotations that her good cooking and smooth relationship are both starting to steam and bubble out of control. She is then burnt by the sauce pan drinking and sitting by herself whilst he leaves with another women in the club.
Editing
The pace at the beginning of the video was far slower paced than after Strickland Banks meets the new women in the club this was effective alongside the upsurge in the volume of the music adding to the tension of the situation that was brewing and him cheating. The cuts between each shot became faster to show the climax leading up to his actions.
Mise-en scene
The boiling of the saucepan shows connotations that their relationship is beginning to sizzle out of control so much that that after he calls she goes to touch it and it is so hot that it actually burns her. This could have a connotation that she is fooling herself getting ready trying to impress him because he just bails out on her and goes for drinks with his friends instead. This pain of burning herself could be a symbol that he is no good for her and their relationship is no longer smooth sailing but instead toxic. The saucepan overflowing shows the relationship building up to the cheating and going wrong.
The second thing that i picked up upon was the egg and the meat. The egg was laying on top of the meat i believe that this shows connotations of him almost throwing his meat around with loads of different women as women obviously carry eggs. Furthermore, i believe that eggs are fragile more like women if they are cracked or drop they break easily, especially from mistreatment showing the partners vulnerable state.
The twisted telephone wire when she is on the phone to him was a real focus point for me i believe that it could show the way in which she feels nervous about what he is going to get up too. Also i believe that the twisted wire is her being wrapped up into his lies and the entire situation he is causing or going to cause and trap her in through cheating with the other women.
The partner of Banks was presented in bright vibrant colours and good lighting that allowed her to seen far more clearly and allowed the audience to view her natural beauty. Where as, the dark dim lighting used upon Banks in his black suit with the mistress made it clear that he was in the wrong. The women he was presented with was shown in a more gritty fashion than his partner at home which made the audience not like her and side with the innocent partner dressed in a good girl fashion.
Camera Angles
The high angle shot used upon Stricklands other half when she was sitting at the bottom of the stairs made her seem insignificant and vulnerable which shows a symbol that Banks was making her feel as small as the shot was. Furthermore, the low angle shot used on Banks and the other man above the lady in the club show that men are dominating the women and that they are in charge of what says and goes.
Sound
The lyrics saying "i'll keep trying but the writings on the wall and next year we will be no more" shows that they both know keep down they will end. But neither of them want to face up to that problem and address it so instead carry on like nothing is wrong, especially Strickland Banks partner who is still making the effort for dinner, candles, getting dressed up etc. The use of the diejetic sound was used through the call on the telephone between the Banks and his other half. Alongside the use of non diegetic music playing in the background and the diejetic music of Strickland Banks performing.
Within the video it seems the era of this piece is different from nowadays, the partner of Banks has her hair in tight rollers, the telephone is attached to the wire on the wall and the choice of outfits for both of them is not the most modern. Alongside, the camera quality in most parts and most of the men were there gambling and drinking alone, playing pool not many girls apart from the odd few. This will help with my own music video as we watched this as a class and shared ideas so it enabled me to view this music video from many perspectives just as i will need to be able to with my own.
This will help in my own music video because i now have seen the video multiple thought of my own ideas of the meaning and then gone through it in class with other peoples ideas that can contribute to my own. Which means that my music video will have plenty of different meanings just like this one.
Narrative
Plan B's song Writing's On The Wall is followed on by the song She Said where Strickland Banks the famous artist Plan B is accused of rape of the lady he had left with in the bar and rejected when he realised that he didn't want to have sex with her. He had been performing a sold out gig where after he was meant to return home to a cooked meal by has partner but instead proceeded to go for drinks with his 'guys' and ended up returning home elsewhere with this other mistress, who later he refused to sleep with. The piece has both aspects of narrative and performance. The music video is most narrative however, performance is shown within aspects of the video. As Plan B is performing but as the artist Strickland Banks.
Editing
The pace at the beginning of the video was far slower paced than after Strickland Banks meets the new women in the club this was effective alongside the upsurge in the volume of the music adding to the tension of the situation that was brewing and him cheating. The cuts between each shot became faster to show the climax leading up to his actions.
Mise-en scene
The boiling of the saucepan shows connotations that their relationship is beginning to sizzle out of control so much that that after he calls she goes to touch it and it is so hot that it actually burns her. This could have a connotation that she is fooling herself getting ready trying to impress him because he just bails out on her and goes for drinks with his friends instead. This pain of burning herself could be a symbol that he is no good for her and their relationship is no longer smooth sailing but instead toxic. The saucepan overflowing shows the relationship building up to the cheating and going wrong.
The second thing that i picked up upon was the egg and the meat. The egg was laying on top of the meat i believe that this shows connotations of him almost throwing his meat around with loads of different women as women obviously carry eggs. Furthermore, i believe that eggs are fragile more like women if they are cracked or drop they break easily, especially from mistreatment showing the partners vulnerable state.
The twisted telephone wire when she is on the phone to him was a real focus point for me i believe that it could show the way in which she feels nervous about what he is going to get up too. Also i believe that the twisted wire is her being wrapped up into his lies and the entire situation he is causing or going to cause and trap her in through cheating with the other women.
The partner of Banks was presented in bright vibrant colours and good lighting that allowed her to seen far more clearly and allowed the audience to view her natural beauty. Where as, the dark dim lighting used upon Banks in his black suit with the mistress made it clear that he was in the wrong. The women he was presented with was shown in a more gritty fashion than his partner at home which made the audience not like her and side with the innocent partner dressed in a good girl fashion.
Camera Angles
The high angle shot used upon Stricklands other half when she was sitting at the bottom of the stairs made her seem insignificant and vulnerable which shows a symbol that Banks was making her feel as small as the shot was. Furthermore, the low angle shot used on Banks and the other man above the lady in the club show that men are dominating the women and that they are in charge of what says and goes.
Sound
The lyrics saying "i'll keep trying but the writings on the wall and next year we will be no more" shows that they both know keep down they will end. But neither of them want to face up to that problem and address it so instead carry on like nothing is wrong, especially Strickland Banks partner who is still making the effort for dinner, candles, getting dressed up etc. The use of the diejetic sound was used through the call on the telephone between the Banks and his other half. Alongside the use of non diegetic music playing in the background and the diejetic music of Strickland Banks performing.
Within the video it seems the era of this piece is different from nowadays, the partner of Banks has her hair in tight rollers, the telephone is attached to the wire on the wall and the choice of outfits for both of them is not the most modern. Alongside, the camera quality in most parts and most of the men were there gambling and drinking alone, playing pool not many girls apart from the odd few. This will help with my own music video as we watched this as a class and shared ideas so it enabled me to view this music video from many perspectives just as i will need to be able to with my own.
This will help in my own music video because i now have seen the video multiple thought of my own ideas of the meaning and then gone through it in class with other peoples ideas that can contribute to my own. Which means that my music video will have plenty of different meanings just like this one.
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