Textual Analysis - The Hills

To appropriately analyse The Weeknd’s “The Hills” music video, I will be discussing the technical aspects of the moving image.

Mise-en-scene

This can be used in a number of ways, showing a bands competence through live performance and by creating a connection to film/TV that the music video will adopt for its narrative. There is also a sexual aspect in most of videos which is achieved through costume, setting and sometimes even lighting can impact this.

Instantly Mise-en-scene is apparent, the video begins to set the tone; it is dark and mysterious. At this point the main character is represented as a rich person who has turned down the wrong path in some way; this is communicated through the visuals, an overturned car in a modern/posh neighbourhood evidences this. The destruction of the car in a upmarket neighbourhood plays into Levi Strauss’ theory of binary opposites because this kind of disruption you would not associate with upper class people. As the main character advances out of the car, we see two woman that also emerge from the wreckage which reinforces the social status of the character as being rich since he is portrayed as having an extravagant lifestyle. The main character appears to be injured which is further evidencing how damaging his current lifestyle is. The whole style of the video follows Neale’s theory of repetition and difference because the whole tone and mood given off throughout the video is sad but still managing to display how luxurious his life may look from the outside looking in.

Genre

I find that most of The Weeknd’s songs do not conform to typical R&B conventions because his genre is defined as a hybrid between R&B and Soul. With that being said, a sad tone is often stereotypically used within the R&B genre; usually circling around love. Moreover, the use of jewellery in the video adds to the conventional aspects of the genre whilst also conveying how rich and desirable the main character is.

Cinematography

“How the camera is used will have a significant impact on meaning. Camera movement, angle and shot distance all need to be considered for analysis. Camera movement often reflects the movement of the artiste and is often used to add a sense of dynamism or mood. Close ups, for example, can give the audience an intimacy or showcase a particular feature.”

The camera positioning and movement also helps construct how representation is presented. “The Hills” starts with a tracking shot displaying the overturned car to help establish a narrative and tell the audience what is going on. Tracking then continues as the character moves out of the car and onto the road; this is then followed by two women getting out of the car as well; these two women could signify the exotic life he has been leading. The camera stays fixed on him throughout as he is the main character; giving him prevalence, through this, we get the impression that all the unfolding events in the video are caused by him or affect him in some way.

Sound

Sound is a key component to a music video…. obviously. Not only is the actual song important; the sound effects used are as well because they help to convey tone and create an atmosphere. The lyrics of the song talk about needing unhealthy substances such as drugs and alcohol which further indicates that the main character’s life is getting worse. The sound within the clip is also parallel to the visuals, making the images have a more emphasised meaning as they match the lyrics thus conveying a stronger message to the audience. The beat is consistent and slow with the use of sound bridges.

Editing

Throughout the video, editing within the clip helps create a stronger representation and is the architect in deciding the tempo of the video. The video conforms to the rules of continuity because they video has a very professional and seamless look to it. This is mostly down to the fact the video is one whole continuous tracking shot with a few cuts in-between. Overall the editing in the clip helps to create the slow tempo.