1. Textual Analysis of ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ – The Maccabees (Part 2)
By
Nic, Mia and Hamish
The aspects of the second music video for The Maccabees – Toothpaste Kisses
that we, as a group, liked the look of and would like to incorporate into our own music
video are the long shots used. The video only has one long shot from the start to the
finish and it is through the use of mise en scene and the sound that the watchers interest is
held due to the lack of editing.
There is a verisimilitude created in the music video of a bar, or other drinking
establishment, through the use of the mise en scene. The lighting of the shot is quite low
and moody, adding to the idea that the scene is held in a bar. There are a lot of people in
shot and many of them have drinks in hand, this is used to keep the viewers eyes moving.
At the start of the video the viewer does not know what is going to happen and the shock
of the two characters kissing is heightened by this. The most difficult aspect of this music
video having only one shot is how to continually entertain the viewer. One manner in
which this is achieved is by keeping a lot of people in shot. This adds to the effect that
there is a lot going on and a lot to see. Another method the video employs to entertain the
viewer is through the use of humor. The unexpected turn in the video, from initially
following the path of a woman through a crowded bar, to following the path of a
seemingly never-ending, gender non-biased kiss, creates the playful and lighthearted
approach that is continued throughout the rest of the video.
This video does not conform to the usual codes and conventions of a music video
in its lack of editing to the beat. By having only one long shot, the pace of the video is
drastically slowed. Considering the genre of the music this is actually quite an
appropriate pace, whereas with many modern dance music tracks, a constant background
beat demands to be edited to. In most music video’s the editing is mainly what is used to
interest the viewer, this is a problem that we will face by using mainly long drawn out
shots in our music video.
The camera is also used to keep the viewer entertained through its constant and
dynamnic movement. In a shot with a lack of editing, this is imperative to keep action on
screen and to tell the story. Though a loose narrative, the music video does follow the
story of a kiss from the start to the finish.
The sound of the music video conforms to the usual stereotypes and is, from the
start, all non-diegetic. The sound played is the music that the music video is about.
However, at the end of the music video there is a burst of diegetic noise as the door is
opened. This, along with the fading music at the end of the music video helps the viewer
know that the video is over. With a lack of editing, the sound is a useful tool to show that
the music video is over and helps to end more slowly, rather than with a sudden stop.
