Wednesday, 20 March 2013

Context of Practice: Video Comparison


When looking at the two videos Tony Kaye's Tested for the Unexpected (1993) and Anton Corbijn's Atmosphere by Joy Division (1988), they couldn't be seen as more different. On one hand there is the first video by Tony Kay which is advertising Dunlop Tires, and uses a very psychedelic and almost funky soundtrack that is very strange to watch and listen to. Then on the other hand, there is the music video for Atmosphere by Joy Division directed by Anton Cobijn which is very calming and uses a lot of still images to create a very subdued mood. 
 
When looking at them both together the differences in the two videos becomes even more apparent due to how different they actually are. Tony Kaye's video uses a lot of vibrant colours that are very bright and bold and really stand out when watching it and these colours also work extremely well with the soundtrack to go with it. When first watching the advert it isn't actually clear what the advert is for and it is only about half way in that a car is introduced into the shots; suggesting that the advert will have something to do with cars. In comparison Anton Corbijn's video is almost black and white stills as in places there is little to no movement; a huge contrast against the fast pace moving images in the first.

Another feature that can be looked at in them both is the mood created by both of the videos. When watching the first video the initial thoughts are quite mixed in a way that when the video begins it appears to be a happy video that is going to be uplifting and exciting but as the music starts and mixes together with the video and shots it becomes a very strange thing to watch. The music appears to be noises combined together in a almost calming and soothing way but when watched with the video it becomes quite creepy and almost weird. Summarily in the second video this strange and creepy music is continued by the Joy Division. When watching the second video the same kind of emotion is produced due to the fact that again the video is very creepy and atmospheric, however where this video differs from the first is how the music and video have been put together. Unlike the first video where creepy music is combined with bright and vibrant colours; in this second video the eerie music is combined with a very dark and mysterious video. 

In Anton Corbijn's video there seems to be a divide between the two characters involved and this could also be linked into symbolism in the way that the two different black and white characters could be interpreted as the divide between different races, or cultures or even just differences in people; whereas there is no obvious symbolism in the first video.

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