music video analysis

1. Everybody’s Fool
-Evanescence

2. Basic structure
The whole music video is narrative as the lead singer is the main
character within the story. Each scene where lyrics are mimed are
within the darker elements of the narrative (the real life scenes).
There are many different settings within the music video as we are
shown many different commercials throughout.
The narrative has no conclusion or end to the story, the situation hasn’t
changed, however it is displayed on a bigger scale.

3. The music video begins with a bright setting displaying a
‘corny’ TV commercial. We are then shown the filming
studio filming the commercial and the actress practicing
fake smiles. It then cuts to another much darker setting,
the same woman but in her ‘real life’. This contrasts
drastically to the beginning of the video and introduces
the narrative.

4. Narrative
The narrative is based around an actress and we are shown many
different commercials where she partakes. However, when shown her
real life situation the music video takes a darker turn. The idea of false
identities and having your face plastered around in a way that doesn’t
display your true self. The video includes drastic scenes such as self
violence and attempt suicide, again contrasting to the false smiles and
bright colours we see within every commercial. This will be emotive to
those watching the music video as it and the lyrics in the song hold
deeper meaning.

5. In the real life scenes it has a much darker and discoloured filter,
creating more of a dreary look for the sections we are shown the
negative, more emotive scenes.
In certain shots we can see lots of bottles and glasses and what
seems to be a hotel room, giving us an idea of how
destructive/depressive this character really is and how they must be
struggling. Overall not a pleasant insight. Shots I especially liked
however were the mirror shots and window shots where you can
only see the silhouette. Additionally these shots are filmed with a
hand held camera which I feel adds to her unstable looking character
and environment.

6. The music video constantly flicks between reality and the
commercials/modelling. Some where she is in similar poses to really make you
compare the two personas. As in one you’d think she lived a fairly
good/glamourous lifestyle but in the other we are shown that is not the case,
drastically the opposite.

7. There are sections where the two realities merge together as she sees
images of herself in magazines, however scribbling out the faces adds
more to the despair and emotive feeling the video gives off.

8. Here is another example of the two worlds merging and now the main character
is comparing herself to a character she played, not just the people watching the
video. So much so, putting on a wig to look like that character again.

9. As the music video progresses, the despair rises in the main character
and some darker scenes are shown. A dialogue section is also added
where she has been recognised by two other women, where they
laugh in her face in a bullying manner. In this scene it is as if we are
just another person in the elevator, observing.

10. Each commercial has the word ‘lie’ or ‘lies’ directly sending a message that
these are false identities and not who the character really is. It is used as
the name/brand of a product, and in the last commercial she is the product
(a doll). She herself is living a ‘lie’ as she sees it.

11. A touch I liked also was the messages added into each commercial, not just
the word ‘lies’ but phrases or words she could be telling herself or feeling.
Things like ‘ugly’ and ‘worthless’ to destroy her self esteem or worse text
reading ‘use me.’

13. At the end of the music video, there is no conclusion to the story other
than a giant photograph outside her hotel room, again with the word
‘lies’ like the others. However it is on a much bigger scale and we are
shown lots of reaction shots from the singer breaking down into tears.
Here she is at the peak of despair, however we are not shown any more
of the narrative as the music video ends, we are left to our imagination
and are made to think about the message behind the video and lyrics.