How do directors use media language in performance videos?

Song- The foo fighters- The pretender

The music video for this song uses typical media elements of its genre conventions following common stereotypes. The video also provides a sellable image for the band.

To begin with, the foo fighters have chosen a red black and white colour palette for the music video which is a rather classic yet powerful combination. The white shiny floor seems very clean and pure and opens up the space making the set look bigger than it is, later when it gets covered in red stuff it’s as if the space is being removed. In addition, the lack of a lot of colours reinforces the bands alternative rock genre. In addition, the close ups on the lead singer emphasise the aggressive elements in the song creating a claustrophobic atmosphere making the shot more intense. Alternatively, it could be argued that the close ups are due to the fact he has the most sellable face out of the band members and the many shots of him are for the audience.

Moving on, the video is mainly based around its live performance style which gives the audience an idea of what the band would be like if they went to see them. In this instance, around halfway through, the whole set becomes absolutely covered in what seems to be crushed red fruit that flies from every angle. This demonstrates the wild elements of the band provoking excitement. It also seems rather taboo as the band continues to perform as if nothing’s happening making it seem like they’re used to things like this which gets audiences talking increasing views.

Often, the camera work pans to the side allowing movement making the video seem very dynamic, it also compensates for the lack of movement from the band members.