N-Dubz – Love for my Slum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGMIIKmAU90I have chosen this video to analyse as it is one of Dappys’ earliest works, and provides a stark contrast in quality with that of his debut single ‘No Regrets’. In regards to the style of video this is excessively performance based, even including clips from live shows, whereas ‘No Regrets’ provides a narrative parallel to Dappys performance. The camerawork within this video seems extremely amateur compared with most music videos, shaky camera angles seem to convey that the camera is being hand held rather than using a tripod or mount, which was a general convention of early UK hip hop videos due to a lack of funding available. This shakiness is extremely evident in a scene of a police arrest where the low pan is almost too quick to incorporate the whole scene and quickly fades to an opposing shot. The video has been shot in urban locations across London showing the groups working class background, and playing upon the iconography that the genre is for ‘urban youths’. The editing of the video is also minimalistic in that the only transition used throughout is fades in and out of shots, which could show a lack of software used for editing. The only main convention of modern-day music videos noticeable is the usage of multiple locations for shots. There is an extreme emphasis on the youth culture associated with the genre, and a heavy presence of large groups of youths is used to play upon the stereotypes the song is addressing.
Tinchy Stryder feat. N-Dubz – Number 1
I have chosen this video as it shows progression in technical quality, whilst still being extremely simplistic and studio based, most likely to be due to label budgets being low. This also provides a stark contrast with Dappys latest video in that there are no location based shots; it has been completely shot within a studio setting, whilst also being a performance video without the presence of a narrative. There is a heavy emphasis on lighting between shots, keeping the schemes black and dark and placing the performers within a prevalent mid-shot light, keeping the focus on the performance. The camerawork in this video is evidently more advanced than the ‘Love for My Slums’ visual as there is a consistence between edits and camera angles show continuity. As with most hip hop videos, the clothing is the main associative iconography, the use of baggy clothes and Dappy in tracksuits and hats keeps in touch with the genre.
Tinchy Stryder feat. Dappy – Spaceship
I have chosen this video as it is the closest to Dappys’ new video, most likely to be due to new label backing and a large increase in financial support. The presence of a lakeside hotel and Lamborghini and Ferrari cars shows a stark contrast between the ‘Love For My Slum’ video where the car Dappy is visible in is a Volkswagen Golf and the location is the base of high rise tower blocks, showing the opposite ends of the wealth spectrum, and the size of his progression, both in terms of wealth and within the music world. The camerawork within this video is extremely structured, and the continuity between the use of pans and zooms is precise, showing that, in contrast with the first video I chose, the equipment being used is more technically advanced. The editing of this video is also extremely much more complex and technical, although using mostly cuts, the speed from which some shots to others varies adds extra dimension to the scenes. The main iconography evident with the genre is the clothing worn, baggy trousers, hats and chains keep in touch with the roots of the genre, despite the video showing extreme affluence.
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