Mumford and Sons- Little Lion Man

Analysis of Generic Conventions

 

 

This video is set in only one place with the artists playing the song on a theatre stage. This demonstrates immediately that the band is all about the performance and the music. Nevertheless, extreme close-ups of their faces are still included in the video (which is more typical of a Pop video) to establish the relationship between the audience and the artists so that the audience feels intimate with the band themselves. These close-up's include chiaroscuro lighting which adds an element of mystery to the band but also is created by simple small light bulbs scattered around the set which creates that DIY feel that is typical of an Indie-Pop video. The emotions shown on the faces of the artists creates a connection between the mood of the song (gloomy and sad undertones) and the audience (who should be feeling sad).

Instruments play a vital part in the video, making the band come across as serious musicians who make their own music (as opposed to pop stars having it done for them). Extreme close-up's of the multiple instruments used by the band, including more obscure instuments such as a banjo, allows the band to come across as multi-talented and much more Indie than Pop.

It is interesting that this video is also set in a social environment however there is no audience watching them. This reflects the song's theme of lonliness and upset. It also creates an intimate feel with the audience watching the video at home who may have felt more detatched from the band if there had been a second audience in the video. 

There is a little bit of synaesthesia present that establishes the difference between the first verse and chorus (but less so in the later chorus). During this chorus, there is a long shot of all four of the artists on the stage and throughout this, the camera tracks forward slowly until the end of the chorus in which the shot changes. This shot is effective because it simply shows all of the artists singing together in harmony as opposed to many shots of the artists together which would create a fast pace which does not go with the slow tone of the song.