2012
Album: Red
Directed by: Declan Whitebloom,
Record Label: Big Machine

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• It starts off with a long shot of a cut out of a city which looks like the type used in theatre. The buildings replicate the buildings that we would associate with New York – its establishes the scene.
• You start to hear non diegetic sounds of cars driving and the honking of car horns which suggests that the music video will involve the city.
• The shot then changes (rolls of the screen), to a female sitting on her window sill and the song starts to play.
• The position she is sitting in and her facial expression suggests that she is upset/angry and in a reflective mood.
• The lighting is bright to emphasise the fact she in her house and it makes it seem  more realistic. The light reflects off the window which could give the audience the felling of eavesdropping or spying.
• A medium shot at eye level is used and the actor is positioned to the left of the screen and part of the window and bushes are towards the right and in the middle we can see her house. This allows the audience to see what kind of person she is portraying and the time period.
• Her costume and set decorates takes you to the 80s, an interesting peculiarity.
• It would attract the target audience as it arms to challenge her style where she shows she is versatile

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This shot shows Taylor Swift talking to her partner on the phone. The use of slot screen to relates to the sense of spatial relations. Her body posture is slouched on the wall and her facial expression looks annoyed and fed up that conveys her attitude and how the visual powerfully relates to the lyrics to create a sense of continuity.

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• This medium shot at eye level of Taylor Swift and her partner walking is powerful and effectively uses natural imagery to represent their relationship.
• The location is ideal and improves the viewing experience.
• The tracking shot and the way she sings to the camera occasionally draws the viewers in.

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• This long shot caught my attention mainly because of the different personality contrasts which are shown through it.
• I like that one side of the table is calm and brighter and the other side is cramped and dark.
• The use of lighting here is clever.
• The prop of the vinyl suggest more about his character as perhaps to self- centred.
• I also like the contrast body postures; Taylor is sitting upright and giving him eye contact which shows that she is serious whereas the male actor is sitting slouched and looked down which shows he is not interested and doesn’t care.

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• The high angle and close upshot shows a different perspective – a more vulnerable Taylor Swift and the close up draws the reader into her mind.
• The lighting once again is suggestive of the time.
• The blue tint suggest its bedtime and her girlish innocence is bought out by the prop – soft toy.

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• I like the part in the music video where the music quietens down and there is a short monologue of Taylor talking to her friend on the phone. It gives a sense of eavesdropping because the music gets quieter. It also engages the audience because it is like she is letting them into her life and telling her story to them. Then the shot changes to her jumping off the bed and there is a transition of the bed going backwards and a shot of people having a party in her living room emerges.
• Once again the close link between narrative and lyrics creates engagement for the audience.

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• The music video ends the way it started. But instead she is wearing a dress and she seems more happy and relieved.
• Once again this creates a sense of journey since the director has carefully thought about the sequence of shots.

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EDITING & TECHNIQUES

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I liked the flow of the video I think this was down to the transitions used, the transitions were smooth and followed onto the next scene. I liked how she walking on the to the next scene or the camera was guided to the next scene. I like how there wasn’t any cuts which suits the song because the song is a slow song.
Such type of continuity editing immerses the audience right into the world of narrative.

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WHY I LIKED THE VIDEO AND HOW I'M GOING TO USE IT

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• I liked the video because of the storyline and the representation female empowerment.
• I also enjoyed the transitions and how smoothly it flowed especially noticed how effects and transitions are carefully calculated.
• I am using this video as an inspiration for some of the camera angles and shots used.

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REPRESENTATION & IDEOLOGIES

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• In the music video she is represented as a strong powerful woman who can take control. This is shown through the way she treated the male actor. So for an example the contrast in lighting, the choice of camera angles and props.
• She is also represented as glamorous and fashionable by the costumes she wore.
• This goes against the ideology that women are the weaker sex and they are more emotional.
• Also it goes against the ideology that males are more dominant and powerful because the male actor is begging to get back with her.

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USES AND GRATIFICATIONS

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• Escapism – back to the 80s.
• Personal Identity and Surveillance – Females can relate to this situation as it is something they may go through and it gives the encouragement and lets them know that they are not the only one.