1. According to Goodwin’s Techniques
Music Video Research
By Hanan Mohamed 13KMH
LITTLE LION MAN
- MUMFORD & SONS
2. Genre Characteristics
Although unlike the other
videos I have analysed
this is a group and not a
single artist, the
convention of them
performing alone in a
room still stands as does
Marling in ‘New
Romantic’.
Their floppy long hair and
stubble correlate to Iron
& Wine’s Samuel Beam
and the actor in Marling’s
Rambling Man, showing
facial hair on men to be a
common folk rock
characteristic.
3. Relationship between Lyrics and
Visuals & Intertextuality
This entire music video is a
performance video and so
there are no moments that
are explicitly referenced to
the lyrics – apart from the
moment when the artists
are lip syncing the words.
There is no intertextuality
within this video, which has
the advantage of causing
the audience to focus solely
on the audience and
establishing their image in
their minds firmly before
dissolving the band identity
in anything else with a
previously established
strong identity e.g. A well
branded film.
4. Relationship between Music and
Visuals
At the same time the bass
drum was hit hard, a band
member stamped on the
ground – actually acting
out, visuals directly
correlated to the sound.
Then the actual bass drum
was shown as the pedal hit
the skin, and a band
member strumming a
guitar
Throughout as this is a
performance video as the
music plays the band is
shown directly on the
screen with close ups of
them playing their
instruments.
5. Demands of the Record Label
To sell the band as artists they
develop a strong persona – they’re in
suits looking suave, and although
they do not have the typical long
beard they have not forgone facial
hair together and instead have
rather manly stubble. Their hair is
still fairly long, floppy although not
shoulder length. This hints at
wildness, letting things grow in their
natural way in the theme of nature
with folk rock music as well as
emphasising their traditional
masculinity. There are also constant
close ups of each member’s face so
that the audience can familiarise
themselves with each individual of
the band.
6. Notions of Looking
Voyeuristic Treatment
of the Female Body
There are no females
present within this
video, the males are all
fully clothes so even
they are not treated in a
voyeuristic fashion.
None of them look
directly into the camera
so there does not seem
to be any notions of
looking referenced here
as they are all more or
less performing to an
empty room, albeit with
all their equipment and
full lighting on.