TEXTUAL ANALYSIS Beck - Where it's at

Beck - Where It’s At

The music video to Beck’s song ‘Where It’s At’ serves as a good example for a video that uses techniques designed to make it seem more dated and amateurish, something that we will be using to some degree in our own music video. The effect is done through the use of specific camera shots, as well as Mis en Scene and lighting. The video is also a good example of one that defies Goodwin’s theory of music videos, since the video itself does not seem to actually follow a narrative that relates to the song itself.

The video manages to feel low - budget through the use of showing the audience things that they might relate to a down - market and ‘backcountry’ environment. The tacky editing between shots such as circle wipes gives the audience the feeling that the video was cheap, making the overall tone of the video more low brow. Similarly, the use of a dynamic camera in places where you would expect a static camera, such as the use of extreme zooms and shaky handheld camera shots, makes the video appear as if it was produced by an amateur.

The Mis En Scene throughout the entire video seems random, with no particular relation between any of the shots. Beck is seen wearing a heavy woolen coat with a hook on his hand, before the camera cuts to an infomercial - like shot of a happy family. The randomness of the video’s elements helps to make the audience feel disconcerted or confused, as if they are watching a joke that they aren’t in on. Whilst it also seems amateurish, the use of extreme close ups and wide shots also helps to create an uncomfortable atmosphere, that changes quickly between feeling claustrophobic to isolated.


Luke