Redundant and Entropic features of music videos

Redundancy is the result of high predictability.
Entropy is unpredictability.

This image of a puppy is redundant as it is what we would expect a puppy to look like. The image is predictable because it is cute and fluffy.

This image however is entropic as it goes against the stereotypical image of a puppy. The dog is wearing human clothes and has human hair which isn't what we expect a dog to look like.














Redundant and Entropic features of  4 music videos.
Foxes-Glorious





Redundant Features 

• Live performance to the camera to make the audience feel involved with the song which is a generic convention of indie music videos.
• There are a lot of medium close ups, close ups and long shots which is another key feature of Indie music videos.
• The cuts between shots are quick which in most indie videos I have looked at this is stereotypical.
• Tracking and zoom camera movements are used throughout the video which is similar to other indie videos I have looked at such as Taylor swift '22' and 'Dog days are over' by Florence and the Machine.
• The location is outdoors in a simplistic location which is a key feature of Indie music videos. An outdoors location was redundant in the majority of music videos that I looked at to find out conventions of Indie videos. 
• The video mainly focuses on Foxes again this is redundant for Indie videos.
• The clothing Foxes is wearing is simplistic and her make up is subtle
• High key lighting throughout the music video
• Synaesthesia 'Just before they hit the ground' (0:43)
• There are bright colours within the video shown through mise en scene, such as the pink flowers and clothing worn by other people besides Foxes which is a convention of indie videos.
• The video is slow paced which is what we would expect.
• Repetitive footage
• Lip sinking
  
  
   

Entropic Features 

• There are a large amount of people featuring in the video even though the main focus is on Foxes which is unusual for an Indie music video as we would expect to see a limited amount of people so that the audience don't focus all their attention on others in the video, 
• There is no narrative in the 'Glorious' Video which we usually see in Indie videos however this ensures that most of the focus is on Foxes to connote importance.
• Even though the location is outdoors it is located at a house with a swimming pool which is unusual as we would expect to see a forest or the countryside or a place of nature. 

Of Monsters and Men- Little Talks



Redundant Features

• The video is slow paced which is expected
• In some parts of the video bright colours are used for example the womens clothing and make up is very bright which makes her stand out therefore being redundant as it is expected. 

• Although the location isn't actually a real place it is still outdoors

• Synaesthesia is used in the video as there are some scenes in the video where the lyrics and visuals match. For example 'This old and empty house' where a house is then shown and the video is in black and white so therefore connotes oldness. 
• There are a range of shots within the video ranging from close ups to extreme long shots. 

• The video is narrative as it is telling a story which is a generic convention of Indie music videos. 
• The video is upbeat and occasionally the beat matches the footsteps of the cartoons which relates back to Goodwins theory. 

Entropic Features

• The singers are rarely shown in the video which is very entropic as a key generic convention of Indie videos is that the main focus is on the singers.
• The animals in the video mouth the word 'Hey' which is unexpected as animals can't talk for example at 1:51 in the video.

• The whole video is in black and white which is therefore entropic as the majority of indie videos are bright.
• When real people are shown they are in the scene with the cartoon people which is very expected.

• The use of fantasy animals is also entropic because if an animal is used in music videos we expect them to be real such as a dog or a horse. 

•  The whole video involves cartoon people which is therefore entropic as all the indie videos I have researched contained real people the whole way through the video. 

Birdy-Shelter 


Redundant Features

• The location is outdoors in a woods which is a generic convention of Indie videos. 
• There are medium close ups, close ups, long shots and  Extreme long shots which are expected.

•  The Mise-en-scene such as clothing and make up is very simplistic. 

• Tracking shots are used throughout the video which is stereotypical of Indie videos.
• Birdy is the only one who stars in the video therefore focusing all the attention on her and from my research into other music videos of the same genre, this is redundant. 
• The video is a performance one which again for indie music videos this is stereotypical as they are usually contain aspects of both narrative and performance. 
• Slow paced video
• The tone and atmosphere of the video reflects that of the music as the song connotes sadness and this is amplified through Birdy's facial expressions and the seriousness in her voice as she sings which relates back to Andrew Goodwins theory.
• Repetitive footage

Entropic Features

• The lighting is low key the whole way through the video which is unusual however for Birdy this tends to create her brand identity for her dark videos. 
•  The colours within the video are dark which is unusual as the audience for Indie music would expect some aspects of brightness through Mise-en-scene.
• There is no narrative within the video which we would expect of the Indie genre. 
• Throughout the video the locations are mainly blurred out which is entropic so therefore the video uses shallow focus a lot which furthers the attention on the artist.

Nina Nesbitt- Way In The World

Redundant features

• The location is outdoors as it is at the beach which is a key feature of Indie music videos. 

• The guitar is stereotypical of the indie genre and it is what we would expect to see in an indie music video, 

• Nina's clothing is very casual as she is wearing a plain jumper and shorts and she also has simplistic hair and makeup.
• Repetitive footage
• The main focus is on Nina which connotes importance which is a redundant feature of Indie videos. 

• There are a lot of medium close ups, close ups and long shots and extreme long shots which is another key feature of Indie music videos.
• Live performance to the camera to make the audience feel involved with the song
• High and low key lighting used throughout with high key lighting being used the most. 
• Aspects of Synaethesia 'at the front of the bus' (1:51) as it shows a broken down yellow bus. 

• Slow paced 

Entropic features

• The cuts between scenes are slow which is unusual for indie videos however it does fit with the slow paced song. 
• There is a lack of narrative within the video as its mainly performance.
• Unusual location of an arcade in an indie video. It would be expected more in pop music videos.

• Although there is aspects of synaethesia there isn't much of it as 0:09 Nina says 'Im working at a retail store' when she in fact standing on a beach. 
• Extreme close ups are entropic of the genre