Taylor Swift - Style: Analysis
- 1. Taylor Swift - Style First 30 seconds analysis BY OLIVIA SEYMOUR
- 2. SHOT 1 The video begins with a close up shot of the side of Taylor Swift’s head and neck; close ups help to create a star image and lets the audience know instantly that she is the important one in the video. The background is quite plain and dark but gets lighter around Taylor which almost makes her look like she is glowing, portraying her as almost angelic. This again, helps to portray the star image.
- 3. SHOT 2 There is a fade into this shot. Where Taylor’s brain would be is an image of a man on a beach which indicates that he is who she is thinking about and that this is a memory of happier times. The blue sky and scenic setting of the beach contrasts with the grey background around Taylor’s head which draws the audiences attention to the man.
- 4. SHOT 3 Taylor’s head then fades away and the grey surrounding is replaced by a cave on the beach. This setting is quite typical of a romantic/girly genre music video as you can associate the beach with happiness and summer romance.
- 5. SHOT 4 The video then cuts to a closer shot of the man – although we cannot see his face. This makes him seem mysterious and even lost. The fact that Taylor was framed alone and now this man is framed alone indicates that the lyrics and the narrative are based around these two characters. This helps to create the diegesis of the video.
- 6. SHOT 5 There is then an extreme close up of Taylor’s nose and eyes, although it is blurred. She also only takes up half the frame and it appears as if someone else is in the background. It makes it seem like she is trying to ignore the fact that he is there but she cannot get rid of the memory of him completely.
- 7. SHOT 6 Before this point, the song has not started which means the background of the story has built up. As the music starts, this shot of grass moving in front of a lake/river appears with a purple/pink filter which creates a romantic feel. The sun is shining on the water which suggests happiness as opposed to upset and hurt.
- 8. SHOT 7 We then see Taylor again but further away. The lighting makes it seem as if this is a memory. She is looking back at the camera but perhaps we are supposed to be looking at her through the man’s eyes. She is dressed in white clothing which suggests purity and may represent the new innocent romance.
- 9. SHOT 8 The video then cuts to the man on the beach. These two people in the video have still not been framed together but it highlights how they are both reminiscing of the time they spent together. Although the man is dark in this shot, the background is light which maybe suggests that things can be fixed.
- 10. SHOT 9 Taylor is seen holding a necklace which the camera focusses on. This necklace is clearly of some significance to their relationship and the way that she is holding it instead of wearing it suggests that their relationship is on the rocks/over.
- 11. SHOT 10 This shot is another close-up of Taylor. We have not yet seen a close up of the man and although he is obviously of great significance to the story, the fact that we have seen Taylor’s face a few times before we see the man’s shows how she is the most important. The background of this is light. It almost suggests that her and the man are making things more complicated than they need to be.
- 12. SHOT 11 This is the first close-up of the man’s face in which he looks sad and alone. It is similar to the first shot of Taylor in which she is facing the other way. The purple background highlights how things may not be as bad as he thinks they are and how there still may be hope.
- 13. SHOT 12 This shot of Taylor’s feet makes it seem like she is trying to get away from something, perhaps her feelings for this male character. The fact that she is bare foot highlights how she isn’t serious about leaving for good though as she wouldn’t be able to get far without shoes.
- 14. SHOT 13 This woodland setting compared with the beach setting makes it look as if the two characters are worlds apart but still thinking about each other. She is not facing the camera which shows how she is trying to hide from the truth.
- 15. SHOT 14 This shot is again just of Taylor. We have not seen the male character in the past few shots which could show how she has managed to rid herself of him temporarily. Although her facial expressions suggest she is still not best pleased. She is wearing this white dress again which almost looks like a wedding dress. She looks as if she is holding on to something, perhaps this shows how she is holding on to hope.
- 16. SHOT 15 This shot is not clear. It seems as if she has let him back into her mind again as the next few shots are very quick and the pace of the video speeds up. She looks confused and the background is not clear.
- 17. SHOT 16 This is the first shot of the man for a while and he appears to be in the same place, although looks more sad. This could highlight the differences between how the two are grieving; Taylor is trying to run from the problems whilst he is trying to deal with them.
- 18. SHOT 17 In this shot, Taylor is wearing the white dress again standing in the woodland setting with the sun shining and blocking out most of the background – the focus is on here. She appears to be waiting for someone/something.
- 19. SHOT 18 This close up of the man shows him looking like he is more willing to get up and do something about his problems. The fact that his back is turned shows how this could be hard for him. The light on his face could link to the light from the previous shot and how he knows that this girl is the only option for his happiness.
- 20. SHOT 19 This shot is similar to the first shot of the music video although in this one she is looking at the camera with no real expression on her face. This shot fades into another woodland shot. This highlights how time has passed (as she has a different hairstyle) but she is still thinking the same and reminiscing.