Case Study Rihanna Work

Synopsis 
Performance and narrative video of Rihanna and Drake singing for their problematic relationship with each other.

Themes
 One theme presented in this video is love " You took my heart on my sleeve for decoration You mistaken my love I brought for you for foundation" Even though it isn't really obvious in the video as the video overshadows the lyrics, it is evident through the lyrics that is about love.

 .There is also a cultural theme in this video as it predominantly consists of Bajan cultural norms such as smoking marijuana , provocative dancing between other people, partying late hours of the night. 

.There is also a feeling of patriotism within the video as Rihanna decided to focus on her heritage as the very center of this piece in which she looks like she's in her comfort zone as she also incorporates Caribbean lexis "When u ah guh Learn learn learn learn learn learn Mi nuh cyar if him" to suit well with no only her theme but her choice of fashion.

 .Like in 'Papi' there is also a theme of unrequited love evident in the first verse where Rihanna tells the story of falling for someone who takes advantage of her vulnerability and gives her nothing in return, " I believed all of your dreams, adoration You took my heart and my keys and my patience You took my heart on my sleeve for decoration You mistaken my love I brought for you for foundation All that I wanted from you was to give me something that I never had"

. Towards the end of Drakes verse he finishes off by saying that talking "face to face"would clear up a lot of issues in the relationship while patience is important ,"We just need to slow the motion " , so is communication meaning both must work in tandem so things can work. ("Work work")

  mise en scene
 To begin with, the colours really added to the environment. The dress Rihanna was wearing was divided into Rastafarian colours, which we usually associate with the likes of Bob Marley. Then, there was the lighting and wall colours, which had the same theme of yellow, green, and red. While subtle, it added to the overall ambiance of the video, and really made it clear that this video was a cultural celebration. Then, there's the fact that almost all of the dances that the partygoers were seen doing in the music video were actually dances that are commonly done at parties across the Caribbean. The food that was being prepared in one shot was jerk chicken, a Caribbean delicacy. On top of that, all of the people in the video were people of colour, people of the culture.

Ideas for my own music video
For my music video i will draw inspiration from the party scenes where the camera goes in slow motion which captures the essence and the vibes throughout the party. The slow motion effect is also effective as it highlights and marks keys moments which adds to the concept of the video as a whole. The slow motion could also be implied as an imitation of when someone has been drinking and the environment around them seems to be going at a slower rate. I am very fond about using this idea for my music video as it brings an element of fun and engagement for the audience. I also like the lighting used for this video as its quite dim but not too dim where artists faces are unidentifiable. the lighting , for me, adds a sense of intimacy because everyone is crowded next to each other .