Final Music Video Analysis.

This music video is for the R&B band Jodeci. It is a purely performance type music video and is very conventional of both the R&B genre as well as the individual music video genre. It is mainly conventional because it features a large number of close ups of the band members to promote image as well as the band members being dressed up fashionably for the time.
Starting with the mis-en-scene it is immediately conventional of a music video from this genre of music. The clothes worn by the singers connote a sense of success and wealth as well as being fashionable and good looking towards the opposite gender. There are frequent shots showing the band members sunglasses, chains and hats up close.
The camera work used throughout mainly consists of close up shots of the band members, again meeting the conventions of a music video as well as Goodwins theory that record labels will demand lots of close ups of the band. This is to promote band image by showing many close ups of them either on their own or the whole group looking good, fashionable and iconic. The majority of the other shots are mainly mid shots of the crowds surrounding the band while they perform. There are also frequent close ups used to show happy members of the audience. This is because the common theme throughout the video is enjoyment and happiness.
The setting can also be considered conventional of the R&B genre. Showing the band performing live on the streets and in neighbourhoods for their audience. What could be considered unconventional is the fact that the location never really changes during the video. Most performance element music videos will consist of multiple locations where the band performs. However in this video the band only performs in the same city, changing streets and neighbourhoods a few times as the bus drives slowly along with the crowds that follow.
An interesting element used in the editing process was that the whole video was changed to being in black and white. This is quite unconventional of the music video genre. There could be a number of reasons why this effect was chosen some to do with the overall theme of the video. Black and white film can connote something is classic and that is what the band members may have considered themselves. Each shot changes by a quick, simple straight cut to keep the pace of the video and also a feeling of reality.
There is no artificial lighting use in the filming stage however in the editing phases the brightness may of been increased. However the filming date has been specifically chosen on a bright, sunny day to match the feeling and tone of the song. This is because the song is deemed as a happy song this is evident when looking at the message the music video sends. The lighting used during the daytime scenes connotes that it is summer time which also matches the feeling of the song as it is often the season people are at their most happiest. When day switches to night towards the end of the video, their is extra light placed on the band by flood lights. This is so they are the most visible thing in shot and once again the main focus of the audience during the video.
There are no artificial symbolic elements used in the video. Instead there are people used as symbolic elements. During the video there are close ups of all different varieties of people to connote that everyone is getting along and represent a feeling of equality and happiness. There are shots of children, teenages, adults and elderly people. Shots of people from all different ethnicities as well as all different sizes of people. This is to keep with the theme of the video and match the lyrics of the song which again matches goodwins theory.
The overall theme of the video is that music is something that can bring everyone together no matter what differences they may have.