Moments of Life

1980's

CONTEXT: “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman was released 1988. The video was directed by Matt Mahurin and was nominated for Best Female Video in 1989. The song was received two Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the year. When the song and video was produced Tracy was signed to the Elektra label. The label is owned by Warner Music Group.

CONTENT: The video is composed of darker shadowy framed shots of Tracy singing with her head down as if she is bearing to much pain from the past to look up. The video will the switch scenes to either a still or moving camera angle of something that goes along with the story that Tracy is signing about. A few times she glances at the camera and you can see the pain behind her eyes. Tracy says that she didn’t really understand the entire reason why she wrote the song but she says it was about her parents and the struggle of trying to make it in the world together at a young age.

FORM: The late 1980’s video is grainier than the 1990’s photo which is obvious a repercussion of camera quality back then compared to current day. Another thing to notice is the artist appears in the video as the main character and the other actors are just supporting her story telling. The only consistent camera shots and side to side moving shots of Tracy sitting and singing. 

OBSERVATIONS:

The opening scene is Tracy with a darker colder color scheme that sets the stage for a more serious and personal like setting. If you notice her head down, this where she spends most of her time looking when the camera is on her.  

In this scene you can see a person gripping a bottle. Tracy’s song talks about a father who loved the bottle and how that affected his life and those around him. The way that this man grips the bottle is seems that he wishes he could put it down but can’t. 

Leaving and going into the city to create a life of her own. This is what Tracy Chapman is referring to. She wanted to pack her things and move on. This camera is a brief shot that is mostly dark but for a moment light is shown on the suitcase which in this scenario expresses freedom with her leaving

Two images are displayed, one of an apartment complex and the other a home. Tracy sings about while she in the car that speed felt so fast that she felt drunk, and that while his arm was wrapped around her shoulder she felt like she could be someone. These are the progression that happen while she is with the one she loves.  At first the two moved out and started in a smaller apartment complex working as hard as they could but weren’t making much. Next time the chorus plays they are in the city making more money and enough to own a house. It’s the progression of the two in their life together and the moments that helped them make it to where they are now. 

the only thought that comes to mind when seeing this is the “what if”. What if they never leave, will they be stuck and trapped where they are forever? It gives off the image that the person is gripping the fence and seeing the greener grass on the other side. The 1980’s in America was a time of baby boomers with college education moving into cities with the goal of making money. This is the goal of the couple in Tracy Chapman's song

As the song comes to an end a road and the bottom of a tire are flashed across the screen with limited light. The struggle of the couple in the song is still real but the road and the fast car offer a new hope. 

The end of the music video as come and it's still dark and Tracy is silhouette is the only thing that can be seen by the viewer. Did the couple in the song make it to where they wanted to go? Were they dissatisfied with what they got if they did make it?  We may never know but the array of colors project a struggle that may still be felt by Tracy Chapman for whom over she wrote the song about.

1990's

CONTEXT: “Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G. was produced by Poke of Trackmasters & Sean “Puffy” Cuffy and signed to the label Bad Boy Entertainment. I was unable to locate the music video director as that exact information is either unknown or lost.

CONTENT: This video represents the humble beginnings of The Notorious B.I.G. and how he entered into a lavish lifestyle through music that wasn’t expected. The video opens to The Notorious B.I.G. who is also known as Biggie Smalls standing on the doorsteps of a townhome or apartment complex. The video quickly escalates to men being chased on street corners either by police or someone with a gun. Then it pans out to Biggie Smalls on the roof of his lavish mansion with a reporter recording what he has to say. It’s a success story about someone who started with nothing and was overlooked by society but beat the odds and became an international artist that listeners connect with. Biggie begins by calling out his teachers who said he would amount to nothing and the people who lived above him who called the cops on him when he was just trying to feed his daughter. Misunderstood as a man trying to provide for his family, Biggie reflects on his dreams and all the moments that made him who he is today. At the time those moments in his life may have been the worst for Notorious B.I.G. but without them to shape who he is, he may not be the rapper he is remembered as today. The video than switches between his new lavish lifestyle and his old life in Brooklyn just trying to make it by. Throughout it all he remains the same Brooklyn kid he is.

FORM: The camera is an older 90’s camera with grainy footage. The camera is moving and panning in or out on Biggie. The angle breaks the 4^th wall as Biggie is telling his life story to you the listener. This gives the listener the feeling that they are given a special look into who Biggie is. 

OBSERVATIONS:

The humble beginnings where Biggie grew up on the corner of streets trying to make a buck.

This was common on the streets of Brooklyn at the time, selling rocks for some money just to eat.

Biggie was arrested 7 times throughout his life.

This is Notorious B.I.G at the footsteps of his humble beginnings and reminiscing on the moments of his earlier life. 

This is when he blew up and is now at mansion with what seems to be a reporter.

Now that Biggie Smalls made it, he wanted to show that he never flaked on his friends and was true to them even through success. 

Biggie Smalls is kissing his mom's cheek which shows that he cherishes the time he gets to spend with his family and times like these aren’t lost through success. These were the moments that were special to Biggie. 

2000's

CONTEXT: OK Go “The One Moment” music video was Directed by Damian Kulash, who is also their lead vocalist, and released on November 23, 2016. At the time the Ok Go was signed with the label BMG.

CONTENT: The music video quickly runs through the entire video in about 4 seconds, then replays in slow motion. It gives the viewer a perspective on a moment. At the beginning of the video while it was sped up, everything seemed chaotic with organized explosions and vibrant color splattered everywhere. The song is an anthem for how fast life moves and if you blink you could miss all the beauty of the small moments of beauty.  So at first it is quick and chaotic, but on second play through in slow motion simple beauties are brought to life and the certain moments are enjoyed. That was the goal of the composer, Damian wanted people to realize time is fleeting and we only have a few moments of life before its all gone so enjoy and embrace the important ones.

FORM: It appears that the entire video was taken in one frame. Thanks to modern day cameras the video’s speed was then increased into about 4 seconds. The video was then replayed in slow enough motion that it not only matched the song but was the same time length. 

OBSERVATIONS:

You see the whole video in 4.2 seconds.

Then again slowed down.

Here you see the video slowed down and moments of splendor and intense colors that represent ecstasy. The plain white background complimented with these colors represent the special moments in life worth slowing down. 

This is towards the end of the video and probably my favorite. The lead singer Damain is walking towards the camera and looking at the viewer with all his friends and bandmates jumping around him. While this is happening happily colored paint is gushing over him like an overpass. This shows the enjoyment you get from community and people who you spend most your time with. Finally, while he walks by himself the video ends and he is covered in the paint and smiling. This could be seen as the end of one’s life, splattered with beautiful memories with the ones you love.

IN  CONCLUSION: 

While these artists and videos all came from different decade they all share a theme about life’s moments. OK GO focusses slowing down the specific great moments in life and looking at their simple colorful beauty. Biggie Smalls talks about his how moments in his life shaped who he became good or bad. Tracy Chapman sang of the moments of struggle in a couple’s life as they tried to get out and make something of themselves and as long as they were together that dream wasn’t going to be stripped from them. The videos of the songs choose unique perspectives to express the ideas.