Music Video Analysis: New Americana

This music video by Halsey is a primarily Narrative video, with a progressive plot. It is structured similar to that of a TV show or movie, which helps to remind the audience that it is narrative.

The video begins with an old-fashioned tape playing, which is established through the Editing: glitches and diegetic-related sound is laid over Establishing shots and non-diegetic narrating to portray this to the audience. This gives the story more of an effect and atmosphere before it has even really began. The glitching of the TV screen is used to transition into the real story, which is impressive to the eye and may captivate the audience.

Furthermore, the use of synchronised cutting at the beginning of the video creates a sense of control and order. The fact that this is abandoned further into the video helps to portray to the audience the idea that there is no control and everything is chaotic. Since this is an important part of the plotline, it could be said that the editing is used to match and parallel the story.

Positioning and focal points play a key role in this Narrative music video. Our first image of Halsey is positioned to the left corner of the screen, and in other clips there is a specific focal point to the eye, that isn't always directly central.

This technique causes the audience to pay attention to the video, and, with their eyes moving to different points with each clip, allows them to feel similar effects to the characters in the Narrative. It creates a sense of confusion and dizziness, which effectively allows the audience to interpret how they would feel if they were there.

A number of Close Up shots are used to present expressions and reactions, which brings together the story more clearly. It is most effective towards the end of the video, where the audience are shown the civilians saving the main character, when before they had just been blankly watching. The use of Close Up shots means that actions such as this are more unexpected and exciting for the viewer.

Diegetic sound, in the form of dialogue, is used part-way through the music video to provide a continuation of the story, and to create a more realistic aspect for the audience. Dialogue is seen prior to this in the video, but it is muted, which effectively causes the viewer to interact with the video and try to interpret what is being said. This is important as it fully targets the audience, making it a more individual and varied experience for all who watch.

Low-Key lighting is used consistently throughout the video, giving it a darker and more mysterious atmosphere. The characters match this with darker clothing and hair colours, which could be metaphorical for the way they feel hidden and lost in a community where they don't want to be found. As well as this, different coloured lighting is used to give a representation of youth, and youth culture. This relates to lighting in terms of parties and clubs, which is almost always linked to the idea of teenagers and their interests. The use of this lighting helps to remind the audience who these people are and, in reality, how they can really be seen as innocent.

Halsey's role in the story as the main character may reflect her own experiences and how she feels she can relate to the character in the story. As Halsey is famous for expressing her own experiences through her music, it could be based on a topic she feels strongly about, or something that has happened to her in the past. However, this idea also creates a link between herself and her music, meaning that her audience are able to give a face to her voice. This is an important theme to Halsey, which could be in regard to her lyrics reflecting her own personal experiences.