The chosen video I decided to analyse was “The Promise” by Girls Aloud, before I began to analyse the video I had a think about the conventions I expected to see in the video, I could do this because certain conventions are used throughout all the videos they have produced. This allows people to link Girls Aloud with certain things, allowing Girls Aloud to create a motif.
So before watching the video I decided that I would expect all 5 of the girls to be very glamorous looking with lots of make-up, nice hair and a few costume changes. I thought this because in every video they are never shown with no make-up, but portrayed as very glamorous sexy women. I also expected all 5 of them to wear similar things just with small difference for each girl, this is done throughout all there videos when the only difference may be the colour of the dress.
After watching the video I realised that the conventions for the band had been continued to yet another song, there hair was big and they did have similar outfits to one another with lots of make-up on, however I also saw them go against one of there biggest conventions I associate with Girls Aloud. Usually I believe they are portrayed as vulnerable needy women in the majority of there videos however I believe in this 1960's themed video they go against this and become quite independent. Following the 60's theme and the typical girl band conventions they do have big hair and make-up but following the 60's theme.
The video itself at the outdoor cinema and the fair ground rides continues to follow the 1960's theme, then like most of there videos there is a performance, this performance is when we see Girls Aloud become The Supremes. The big hair and tight fitting gold dresses has been related to a performance The Supremes did in very similar outfits. At the start of the video we see the band perform the song up on stage whilst the girls then watch, up on stage there is the band in the background however there faces aren't seen giving more emphasis on the girls whilst there singing. The quick change between the performance to the narrative depends on who is singing, whilst Sarah Harding is performing the video then cuts to the narrative of what she is doing allowing the audience see each individual person of the band perform as well the there narrative character.
Throughout the performance the dresses are shimmering which allows the video to jump from the performance to the narrative emulating the films of that time era. Similarly to all girl bands there is a dance to go along with the performance this is done by all 5 girls when the group are singing together however when someone starts to sing alone they don't perform the dance, this allows the audience to focus on either the singer or the rest of the girls depending on what they wanted to do, to link into making the singer stand out the focus on the 4 girls who are dancing and not singing becomes less obvious and instead focuses on the singer, the outlines of the other 4 dresses can be seen but there faces can't.
This all changes when Sarah Harding starts to sing her part and it shows her narrative character getting up and walking in front of the screen and standing and singing like the band are, after listening to the words and watching the video, I decided that “the promise” they made had something to do with men, the men in the car next to them are constantly flirting and being friendly and as the song goes on they start to realise that maybe they aren't that bad as it “starts to fade.”
By doing a video like they have, Girls Aloud have proven that they can come out of there comfort zone and perform a song that maybe doesn't follow there pop genre which has a video the exact same, this therefore should show that they can be different and sometimes it does work for bands to be different.
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