Evaluation of Janelle Monáe - Tightrope [feat. Big Boi] (Video)

The genre is Funk/ Soul, the video is typical of its genre, the actions are in tune to the music and the video is upbeat like the emotions and lyrics of the song.

 It is a performance based video; there is lots of dancing throughout. The singer/lip syncer is dancing and singing in an asylum, this shows although people (commentators) are trying to criticize her she isn’t allowing them to oppress her and tell her what to do.

 There is a verse/chorus structure throughout the video, faceless characters are present in the first scene and the nurses seem alarmed at the ‘patients’ dancing and celebrating. At the end of the video the performer is in a bedroom in the ‘asylum’. The music video has common motifs:

·         Ritual celebrations

-Black artists are usually featured being happy (especially gospel and jazz genres)

·         Other features
Cross cutting from narrative to lip syncing.

The ‘outfits’ that the characters are wearing is a waitressing/maid outfit. This contrasts the video as it has nothing to do with the mise-en-scene or the lyrics.

Close ups, long shots, medium close up, tracking, crabbing, panning, zooms, editing transition (2 scenes over each other) are used throughout the video- wide variety of shots.

Locations used:
·         A hall (decorated to look like a private asylum- mental asylum)

·         A few empty rooms

·         Corridors

·         Forest

Editing: The shots of the dancing are in time with the song, the lip syncing is in sync to the music. Lip syncing is used throughout the video.