Analysing my music video

audience along with Linkin

Parks Numb
By Thomas Cutmore

Background on Linkin Park

Linkin Parkis an Americannu-metal/post alternative
rockband fromAgoura Hills, California in 1996. They
achieved first big success in their debut album The
Hybrid Theory (2000) as it reached Diamond rating.
The band consist of 6 members; - Chester Bennington
(vocals), Mike Shinoda (backing vocals, piano and
guitar), Brad Delson (lead guitar), Dave Farrell (bass),
Joe Hahn (turntables/samples) and Rob Bourdon
(drums). The band Billboardranked Linkin Park No.19
on the Best Artists of the Decade chart.The band was
recently voted as the greatest artist of '00s in a Bracket
Madness poll on VH1.In 2014, the band was declared as
the Biggest Rock Band in the World Right

The audience of Numb

Linkin Parks music video Numb (directed by their turntable member Joe Hahn) shows an
important yet powerful sociological message which is how society is seen to be fragmented due
to the different subcultures, but however is seen to be over ruled by this mainstream class
ideology (i.e. the main, big group which is seen to share the biggest interests).
The audience which would best fit into the music video would mostly be associated with white
working class teenagers/young adults as the music video portrays and uses that demographic.
Some of the mise en scene used such as the school also holds a group of various other
individuals with different identities who are in the same age group of 16 18.
The music video also uses an alternative dress code, like in our own, where the actress in the
music video is easily recognised as she is going against the mainstream clothing brands, or so
her surroundings, i.e. the other students who are seen to be wearing more colourful, immediately
showing a barrier between the girl and the surroundings she is in. This could appeal to those of
the more alternative, yet darker dress code which would help them establish their
subculture/Neo Tribe against the rest of society through these features (Michel Mafessoli),
also giving them a sense of belonging with that group, and also sympathise and connect with the
character in the music video as she shares the same style.
The music video also highlights social issues evolving around depression and social isolation. This
is shown through the feeling of alienation between the girl and society, which the audience also
feels as it is shown through the girl seeing the world rush around her. This could link to the real
social issues that some teenagers could be experiencing due to their personal emotions and/or
the feeling of their subculture cutting them off from the mainstream society, and therefore being
treated as inferior for being that way

The audience appeal.

I see the music video reaching out for the attention of 16 18 year olds who feel
this social isolation due to their attire, passions, social interactions and traits. The
reason to why I thought this is because of how the music video bases the social
situation around a older teen who is still in her high school years, who also is seen
to be wearing a more alternative attire such as the fishnets, the black choker and
the oversized baggy trench coat, which could refer to the social isolation due to
belonging to a certain subculture, which could also be linked to Dick Hebdiges
point on how style distinguishes the individual and their subculture within society.
The music video could finally appeal to those who are fond of art. In the music
video, the girl is seen to be taking art passionately due to the amount of time and
detail she puts into her artwork, putting off what is seen to be more important
such as school work. People who are passionate about art could tap into this
music video and feel like this music video goes out to them as they too could put
the same time and dedication into their art, prioritising it over other social
activities and being penalised for it.

Screenshots of how the audience

could tap into the music video
The use of fashion
distinguishes the
individuals traits
in society; - the
fishnets, choker
and the artists
jacket help bring
this around in the
music video

The use of art

which could
relate to
passionate
artists who are
in the same age
group.

Screenshots of how the audience

could tap into the music video
(continued)
This use of the
world feeling like
an illusion to the
girl could portray
how some of the
audience that
watch the music
video also feel in
society itself

The audience in our production of

We, The Broken
The audience we aimed for was also in the age group of 16 18 year old
who were also a working class and white as we used these three aspects
in our music video. The music video was also aimed at the alternative
individuals in society who were experiencing the same psychological
issues that were shown in Linkin Parks Numb, which teenagers of that
age group could be experiencing, such as the social isolation, the
psychological issues of conforming themselves to who they are such as
depression and holding in their feelings from the rest of the world.
We also unintentionally aimed at those who find comfort in activities
such as art as in our music video we showed street art portraying
powerful messages such as Stay Strong and No Hope, No Glory. This
could bring around those fond of art as it could create an interest in the
powerful messages that art/street art can bring out to society.

The audience of our production We,

The Broken
Our music video production also uses similar aspects which could link to Linkin
Parks Numb in terms of social isolation and illusion as in Linkin Parks music
video the individual is finding it hard to keep up with reality as the world is
rushing around her, causing dizziness and confusion of the individual and also
the audience watching, which could help relate to their real issues. Our music
video however also uses a similar technique of creating the same feeling as we
use reflections of the main character walking away from himself, and also the
inner self judging himself. We did this to relate to issues that the audience in
our age group could be having issues with which is how they could feel like
they are losing themselves and how they cannot cope with society because
they feel lost and alienated for being who they are. We also used a double fade
among the same main character when he was encountered with his inner
self. This was used to also help emphasise the psychological confusion of the
individual in terms of them feeling like they are losing themselves to someone
they used to know, or the feeling of being inferior in society.

Screenshots of how the audience

could tap into our music video
The alternative style in
establishing the
individuals traits in terms
of traits, possibly
establishing the
subculture that they
belong to

Screenshots of how the audience

could tap into our music video

The use of art giving out

powerful messages to
individuals who could be
in doubt in society. This
could also bring around
the attention artists in
the same age group.

The use of the inner self in showing how people could

feel as if they were looking back at themselves and
feeling inferior because of how they think about
themselves. The use of gradual fading also indicates the
issues of the individual feeling lost, which could be linked
to how audience members could possibly feel.

Audience feedback
When the music video was completed I asked other students of the same ethnic
minority and also in the 16 18 age group and of both genders to evaluate my
music video. The questionnaire I handed to these students consisted of
questions of enjoyment, how well the music video was to understand, the
technicality of camera work and editing. The score of the music video in terms of
story line and how well it was to understand, all participants put on this question
asking if the music video was difficult to understand as a no; - indicating
that the age group of my audience understands and can see how the issues of
social isolation, and possibly have felt this way themselves, enabling them to
tap into the story line and the emotions shown in the music video.
Some of the audiences reviews, especially among females also positively
commented on the appropriate clothing to promote the music video in its genre.
This could show how females can/do link clothing to music in terms of fashion
sense more than males because fashion is seen as a necessity in contemporary
society, which females could possibly follow more than males.