The document analyzes and compares the music videos for "Fluorescent Adolescent" by Arctic Monkeys and "Gives You Hell" by All American Rejects. Both videos conform to conventions of the alternative rock genre through their use of comedic narratives, costumes, props, and body language. However, "Fluorescent Adolescent" takes a more unconventional approach through its random elements, while "Gives You Hell" depicts the band as a generic alternative rock group. The narratives in both videos do not closely match the song lyrics.

1. Genre Music Video Analysis

2. • I will be analysing 2 music videos from the
alternative rock genre. These include Arctic
Monkeys – ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ and All
American Rejects – ‘Gives You Hell’.

3. Genre

4. • With Fluorescent Adolescent it is easy to tell it
is an alternative rock video as it includes a
comedic approach to the video as well as
some form of narrative which is conventional
with most alternative rock music videos. In
particular the visual elements within the video
such as the concept of gangsters fighting
clowns, and a narrative that doesn’t go with
the song, shows that this is a alternative rock
music video.

5. • Similarly with Gives You Hell, there is a
narrative that becomes clearer throughout the
song. This as well introduces a comedic
approach, therefore conforming to the
conventions of an alternative rock music
video. Particular visual elements used such as
the rivalry between the neighbours and the
rock star lifestyle being shown by the lead
singer and his band mates tells us that this is
an alternative rock music video.

6. Setting and Decor

7. • In Fluorescent Adolescent the setting and
décor of the music video is ‘grainy’, similar or
that of a drama film or programme. This
connotes to the audience that there is a deep
storyline to the music video. The director may
have chosen this to be ironic as the actual
narrative of the music video does not fit with
the setting or décor of the actual music video.
Although in doing this the music video does fit
the alternative rock genre of music videos.

8. • However with Gives You Hell the setting and
décor is made to look similarly with that of a
sitcom that lives in a suburban area. This
connotes to the audience that the narrative of
the music video is of a normal couple. However
similarly with Fluorescent Adolescent, the
narrative progresses and shows that the setting
and décor doesn’t fit the narrative. The director
may have chosen this for the same reason as the
Fluorescent Adolescent; to be ironic. Because of
the this the setting and décor do fit the
alternative rock genre of music videos.

9. Costume

10. • With Fluorescent Adolescent the costumes are
of gangsters and clowns. This may connote to
the audience that the narrative of the music
video is already not going to make a lot of
sense. The director may have chosen this
because he was looking to make the video as
random as possible. It is because of the
randomness of the costume and the storyline
that it does in fact fit the alternative rock
genre of music videos.

11. • With Gives You Hell the costumes are that of a
suburban couple and of rock stars. This would connote
that there will be some sort of interaction between the
2 different kind of people. The director may have
chosen this to make sure the narrative can be seen
visually as well as within the music video itself. Because
they’re dressed in rock star clothes it does fit the
alternative rock genre of music videos. The lead
singer/frontman of the band is dressed differently to all
the other people ion the video. However he plays 2
people and therefore doubles the effect. This shows
that they are the most important member of the band.

12. Props

13. • In Fluorescent Adolescent the props in the video
are bags, chains, cars, vans, chairs and boxes.
These connote to the audience that as the
majority of these props are used as weapons that
there’s a lot of violence within the narrative of
the music video. The director has most likely
chosen them as they are typical weapons used by
gangsters in hand to hand combat. As the props
fit the narrative it does in a way fit the alternative
rock genre of music videos.

14. • In Gives You Hell the props used are
amplifiers, megaphones, hoses, lawnmowers, mic
rophones and instruments. This connotes to the
audience that the band is a typical alternative
rock band. This is because they have instruments
and random props to go with the narrative of the
music video. The director would have chosen
these to make the video generic to the
alternative rock genre. With the directors choice
of the props used within the video, they have
made the video fit to the alternative rock genre.

15. Body Language and Movement

16. • In Fluorescent Adolescent the body language and performance
used within the video connotes to the audience that the band
itself is very random as their performance does not fit the
alternative rock genre typically. The director may have chosen
this because it fits with the more random, unconventional side
of the alternative rock genre that the artists seem to represent.
As it is unconventional to the genre, it doesn’t fit the genre
conventionally, but does still fit the genre unconventionally.
Different audiences would interpret the style of the music video
as bad as it does not fit the expectations of the typical audience
for the alternative rock genre, others would however deem this
as correct as it is expected for the artist to be unconventional.
The artist does not move differently to everyone else.

17. • In Gives You Hell the body language and movement
would connote to the audience that the artists are a
typical alternative rock band as the style is
conventional to the genre. The director would have
chosen this because the artists are renowned for this
style of music video and wants to portray the same
image. This therefore fits to the alternative rock genre.
Different audiences might interpret this as conveying to
the mainstream policies of alternative rock and
therefore lacking originality. The artist moves
differently to everyone else to show that he’s the front
man. This creates the effect that he’s the most
important member of the band.

18. Performance

19. • In Fluorescent Adolescent the artists are of
little importance as anyone could have been
used as there were no scenes of the band
playing or singing. The performance of the
artists however adds to the narrative of the
video.

20. • In Gives You Hell the artists are of importance
as they are acting in the narrative while also
showing themselves as a bad. Their
performance adds to the effect that they are a
generic alternative rock band.

21. Narrative

22. • In Fluorescent Adolescent there is a narrative.
The artists take part in the narrative as actors.
The narrative however doesn’t link with the
lyrics of the song whatsoever. The narrative
only adds to the music video to show how
random the artists are.

23. • In Gives You Hell there is a narrative. The
artists all take part in the narrative. The
narrative slightly links with the lyrics of the
song but instead of talking about a
woman, they are talking about their annoying
next door neighbour whom he has a rivalry
with. The narrative adds slightly to the music
video to show them as a generic alternative
rock band.