Reviewing and Analysing 'Numbers' by Daughter

Whilst researching and planning my own video, Daughter, the band behind the song of my choice released two music video. Previously to that, their last video was released well over two years ago.One of the videos if for the song 'Numbers' which is a single from their upcoming album 'Not to Disappear.' As it is a recent video I decided to analysis it so I could see if there is any change in their motifs, symbols and ideas.

The video starts with a black screen displaying the band's name and the song title. Both pieces of text used the same font that Daughter use for all their advertising and products. It creates a strong association between the band and the music video. A key aspect is that the band title is bigger than the song title. It emphasises the importance of the band.

The first shot is an establishing shot showing the motel environment and the tone. There is a heavy use of coloured lights, quickly imply a few key points. The colours flash and switch between blue and pink imply themes such as masculinity and femininity or danger and safety. These two colours are reoccurring throughout the entire video, emphasising these themes.

At 0:17 there is a mid shot showing the side profile of the woman. It highlights her blank expression, hinting at her cold personality. At one point the pink and blue colours blur perhaps suggesting a contrast in themes. There is also the use of low-key lighting to foreshadow a darker theme to the video.

At 0:27 a high angled mid shot is used to highlight the importance of one of the key props. The women closes a brown folder with two pictures clipped to it. It is quickly recognisable as a profile that a collection of information about the two men that are later shown in the video. The theme of the video is immediately confirmed.

The shot is immediately followed by a close up which pans across the two photos clipped to the front of the paper folder. It lingers across the faces so the audience is aware that these two men are important later on.

During the same scene, a mid shot is used to show another key prop. As the woman moves across the screen the dress is reveal. The use of low-key lighting creates a contrast between the dark background and red dress. The colour red pops out, which highlights it as an important feature.

At 1:01 the beat kicks in and the mood changes as the scene changes. There is a close up tracking shot which shows the woman's side profile. As she walks, she walks to the beat creating emphasis on the rhythm.

It is followed by an establishing shot at 1:12. In continues to use low-key lighting, which implies that the city shown in the shot is sketchy or dark. It is supported by the prop within the shot such as a the two women who are dressed in a suggestive way as well as the neon lighting implying places such as casinos or betting shops.

Between 1:22 - 1:25, there is a pan between two preachers dressed in darkened clothes and the woman who stands out in her red dress. There is a strong contrast between these people. One idea I picked up on is that the woman appears to be superior to the men. She disregards what they are saying an lights up a instead.

At 1:39 a mid shot is used to show the woman as well as her surroundings. In this shot the use of low-key lighting creates a dark atmosphere as well as creating a silhouette of the women. It creates the image that she is a dark individual as well as implying that she is shady.

The first shot of warm colour is at 2:00. There is a mid/ establishing shot of a cafe with smiling faces and a sense of warmth. It contrasts with the way the woman has been displayed, emphasising her character.

Soon afterwards there is a cut away to a previous clip. The fast-paced cut away creates a sense of tension as it emphasises the beat. It reminds the audience of what has previously happened in the video as well as creating a connection between the two scenes.

At 2:28, colour comes into use again. There is a blue tone throughout this scene creating a sense of calm before the storm. The colour is also used in the performance aspect at 3:02 where the band are shrouded in a neon blue. It shows that they are the neutral feature of the video.

Red lighting is also used in this scene. At 2:57 there is an over-the-shoulder shot of a man in the background and the woman in the foreground. The red light can be seen in the background in the form of the pink lampshade and the red lights of casino machines. The woman's red dress as plays it's part as a signifier. It hints towards the danger that is about to come.

Soon after this shot there is a close up of the man. It allows us to see closely that there is now blood dripping out of his mouth, confirming the danger that was foreshadowed in the previous shot.

At 3:41 there is a close up of the woman looking into the mirror. It is an over-the-shoulder shot so we can see what she sees, in this case, herself in the mirror. It shows her is warm yellow lighting for a change, perhaps suggesting she is more human now.

The video ends with a close up of elevator gates as the close and begin their descent. It starts at the top where there is a lot of yellow warm light. As it descends the light becomes white and sterile before descending into total darkness.