Shot By Shot Analysis Assignment

1. Shot-by-Shot Analysis of a Music Video or Short Film
Due: Friday September 18, 2009
Choose a music video or short film that may inspire you or give you guidance when
approaching your own video. This video should be similar in genre, narrative,
representation and target audience.
Describe each shot by stating:
- Camera angle/distance
- Length
- What is happening
- Lyrics
Then use this data to pull out meaning. What are some the connotations and
ideologies being expressed in this video, describe them scene-by-scene.
IMPORTANT NOTE*
Make sure you do this all digitally as you will have to hand in all your research and
planning in an organized digital format. SO SAVE ALL YOUR WORK TWICE
AND DO NOT LOSE IT!!!
Example:
Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake
Shot Description Lyrics Length
1 Wide shot of Swimming pool at
night in the rain.
Intro music, 3sec
2 Wide shot, interior of the house
looking out at the pool.
Intro music 1sec
3 Long shot looking at door of house
in pouring rain.
Intro music 1 sec
4 Wide shot of the interior of a
garage.
Intro music 1 sec
5 Close-up of bumper of a car
license plate.
Intro music .5 sec
6 Close-up of headlight turning on. Intro music .5 sec
7 Close-up of side mirror of a car
with the reflection of the house
door in it.
Intro music 2 sec
8 Extreme Close-up of rain beading
on the hood of the car.
Intro music 2 sec
9 Extreme Close-up that is shaking
of side mirror of car with the
Intro music 1 sec

2. reflection of the house door.
10 Close-up of side mirror of car with
the reflection of the house door
open and a man and woman
walking out the door
Intro music 2 sec
11 Long shot of man and woman
approaching doors on either side
of the car and going to open them.
Intro music 3 sec

Scene 1: This scene was meant to set the scene for the whole music video. It
introduces a sad yet haunting scene. It seems as though we are being shown the
outcome of something that seems empty due to the lack of life being shown; the
empty pool, the rain, the empty house and garage; it all seems so dark and cold. It is
as though there was something there and we are now mourning the loss of it. The
rain was a great tool to express the sadness and longing this song is trying to
express. It is also important to note that a lot of the colour has been removed in
post-production editing, leaving a lot of black, white, yellow and blue tones (cool
colours). This could symbolize that whatever fire was there is now almost put out
and is non-existent. This intro scene also gives the viewer a sense of the
autobiographical nature of the song, as the set is very upscale; nice pool, nice house,
expensive car, and very modern look. All things associated with young American
celebrities. As this song is thought of as being a response to the breakup between
Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.