The Video That Made Me Want to Write This Blog

I have loved music videos for a long, long time. I always thought they gave life to the visuals and movements I had seen in my head for songs I loved. Frequently, I loved a song more after seeing its music video. Instead of thinking they are superficial or cheap, I see the potential for music videos to add an experience to the music. When done well, they give artists another canvas to express whatever they intended to do with their song. Plus, they always look like so much fun to film! On a side note, I have always wanted to dance in a music video. Maybe some day!

Today we have "Elastic Heart" by Sia

This music video really pushed me forward to write this blog. I'd been thinking I should do a blog on music videos, but this video in particular sold me on it. Let's analyze:

Elements we see

• Two people within a cage, sometimes violent and sometimes tender towards each other but always reacting to one another.
• An empty room.
• The cage constricts the people but not the space, in fact one is able to leave.
• Both seem as if they've been trapped for a long time, especially because of their unkempt aspect.
• It seems more important to engage the other person than to attempt to escape the cage.

Elements we interpret

• The age and gender of the people really does not seem to matter. The relationship between the two people isn't romantic, or family oriented. In fact, are they really people at all?
• Because the girl is able to escape the cage, we can ascertain the cage is not for her. This isn't really her fight, or her story. The man is the one who is trapped. But because she's connected to him, his situation leaves her trapped in the end as well.
• The girl may actually represent something, like freedom, or success, or validation. Or maybe she's just a part of the man, a part that he wishes to reconcile with but it eludes him. Or a part that he wishes to tame, a wild part of his mind.
• There is no conclusion or solving of the problem in the end. We are left thinking the man is still trapped, albeit less energetic about fighting it.

Further thoughts

• Needles to say, the dancing is pretty great. I always like dancing in music videos cause, well, they are music videos.
• I really like that they go for the weird facial expressions and do things that look and feel weird. Modern art in action! But it makes sense. It's not pointless modern art.
• Apparently, Sia had a lot to do with directing, which is really neat.

See you next time for another video analysis!