Music video analysis #4- Daft Punk- Around the world

Music video analysis #4

Act: Daft Punk

Track: ‘Around the world’

Year: 1997

Director: Michel Gondry

Genre: French house
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymei5EA5tz0
(The video has since been removed by copyright claim, and there is no other copy on YouTube.)

Main audience: M and F 18-25 people who frequent disco’s or clubs. Dancers.

Relationship between visuals+ Lyrics: The video is rather abstract in its portrayal of various groups walking around a large vinyl. This directly corresponds to the consistent lyrical substance of walking “around the world”. 

Genre characteristics: French house is a derivement from the larger genre Euro disco. The video is conventional in this sense due to its dancers and fluorescent backing lights reminiscent of the Euro disco scene. Another convention of the genre in relation to this music video (and music) is the sampled and repeated phrase “Around the world” which is repeated around 66 times throughout the song.

Performance/ Narrative/ Concept: This video is highly unconventional to mainstream music video’s due to its unique concept involving fewer cuts than what would be considered standard in addition to the fact the entirety of the video being based in one location (and on an enlarged vinyl). There is no visible narrative throughout this production other than the dancing of the respective groups. In this concept each group of dancers (Five groups consisting of ‘Tall guys’, ‘Skeletons’, ‘Mummies’ ‘Swimmers’ and ‘Robots’) represents a different instrumentation or sound in the song, and so their dance is synchronized with this idea. It is evident by the movements of the dancers that the ‘tall guys’ are representative of the bass, the ‘Skeletons’ ,the guitar, the ‘Swimmers’, the synthesizer keys, the ‘mummies’, the percussion and finally the ‘Robots’, the voice sample “around the world”. The only break in individualism would be towards the end of the song where many of the groups seem to join in synchronization.

Performance style: The distinctly dressed groups of dancers in this video and their respective individual dance moves are a pertinent point of interest in this video. This individuality is lost towards the end of the song when the groups become one in their movements and dance moves.

Linear/ Closed narrative: This video showcases a closed narrative as the video does not formally end, other than fading to black. This is suggestive that the groups on the vinyl do not go away and remain dancing.

Looking/mode of address: There is no eye contact with the audience and the dancers seem highly isolated in their movements and actions. This pure concentration and lack of emotion when performing their dance moves suggests a lack of sentient thought within the dancers. This further reinforces the idea that the dancers are not people, but the sounds of the music.

Star treatment: There is no particular start treatment offered here due to the fact, the various groups are all offered significant attention due to their equal importance in the sound construction of the music.

Pace+ Any variation of pace: The song starts slower and slowly feeds in different elements to the music (And subsequent dancers to the video). This 'build up' is highly conventional of all electronic music and is seen in full force here. A prime example of this would be as the bass line begins at the start of the song, the tall guys are one of the only group to be dancing in synchronization to the music, contrasting from many of the dancers who are sitting on the floor not doing anything. During the climax of the song (the most intensive part of the song) the whole dance troupe (except the robots) dance in synchronization mimicking that of a club crowd this reflects on the pacing of the music as well as the video.  

Shot variety: Throughout the production there are a smaller range of shots than usually conventional in mainstream music videos. Due to the simple premise of this video, the shots include that of medium-long shots, high angle shots, long shots, and a bird’s eye shot. The minimal variation reflects that of the music and simplicity of the concept. 

Medium long shot

This medium-long shot has been used to give the audience a different insight into the stage and depict the dancers from another angle. In this shot the audience can clearly see three different groups of dancers from a refreshing angle.

High angle shot

This high angle shot gives the audience the impression that they are the observer to the performance being put in front of them and gives the audience a feeling of superiority over the stage.

Long shot

This long shot once again offers the audience another perspective on the dance floor and this time shows four different groups of dancers in their respective places.

Bird's eye shot 

In addition to the high-angle shot this bird's eye shot reinforces the notion that the dancers are circulating the vinyl and that the audience is a spectator to this movement.

FX: The only effects seemed to be used are practical effects such as lighting. There is a large amount of low key lighting used to perhaps reflect the scenario of a nightclub or disco dance floor (Highly conventional of electronic music). In addition to this low key lighting a background of multi-coloured lights have been used to further reinforce a disco vibe.

Location+ Mise En-Scene: A singular location has been used throughout the video, and is shown to be a vinyl (record) in which the different factions of dancers perform upon. The stage is backed by a wall of multi-coloured disco lights and above lies additional lights. This low key lighting is highly conventional of the genre as it connotes a dance floor or disco where this music would be traditionally played. In addition to this, the various costumes of the different dancers are highly juxtaposed with one another. This gives the video a very quirky and eccentric feel (mimicking fancy dress?).

Notable shots/ framing: A particular frame of importance would be when the camera moves back and reveals how small the dancers are and ushers in a whole new perspective for the audience.

Director style: The director for this production made an interesting choice to synchronize the dancer’s movements and dance moves with certain elements of the music piece. A prime example of this would be the characters dressed in tracksuits. It is evident that this group is representative of the song’s bass line. This is reinforced in movements throughout the song and when they walk down the staircase in a quick manner (Synchronized with the downward scaling of the baseline). This creative designation of instrumentation's to different groups is a highly pertinent and impactful element to this video.

Elements linked to your idea: The low key lighting in this song is highly relevant to me.