Lily Allen - Smile

Aspects of performance/mode of address

There are both direct and indirect modes of address. For the direct mode, this is were she is in the bedroom singing to the audience, the indirect modes are the parts which the narrative takes place. The music video is narrative based with no dance routines. Lily Allen plays the main character.


Narrative

The narrative is non Linear as at the beginning of the video, it changes from them being happy together to arguing and angry with each other. At the beginning of the video, she was being cheated on, in the middle she sets up bad things to happen to her ex-boyfriend, at the end of the video, we are shown that he is 'Dependant' on her.


How does the video create an image for the star/artist/band?

This video creates the image that the artist is a normal person because of the setting and costume, they are normal places and typical clothing. The artist is also shown as a young independent woman.


How do the visual elements relate to the song - illustration/amplification/disjuncture?

Amplification is used because she has been cheating on but she is doing something about it, she is making him cry.


Mise-en-scene

The settings are in normal places, a cafe, a flat, a street. The main character wears trademark clothing, this is also in her other videos. The lighting is brighter for the main character while it is gloomier for her ex boyfriend, this shows that she is the more important one.


Use of camera

Tracking is used to show her walking down the street, a mid shot is used as well to show the surrounding street, this is a normal setting. Panning is used to show the audience the mess that the men have made to the ex-boyfriend's flat. Zoom ins and outs are used to show the main characters depression or excitement. A close us is used on the main character which shows that she is tired of being treated like that. A hand held camera is used when the ex-boyfriend is getting beaten up, this adds realism to the music video.


Editing

There is fast pase editing which fits with the song well. Jump cuts are used to cut out bits of the shot, this is used when the men are messing up the ex-boyfriend's room. Eyeline matches are used so the audience can see what she sees, getting them more involved.


Representation

The audience are shown that Lily Allen is a normal girl, she is also a strong woman for doing something about it. Young people are sterotypically shown in a negative way because of the violence. The Cafe is used to show working class people, these are 'normal' places for 'normal' people.

Special effects

It is possible that there might have been a blue screen in use towards the end of the video when she is walking down the street


Genre

Pop.


Audience

Young people, teenage girls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WxDrVUrSvI