Analysis from genre #1

Avicii vs Nicky Romero - I Could Be The One

Sound

In this video for 'I Could Be The One', both diegetic and non-diegetic sound is used to help portray and make the narrative more readable. Firstly, the non-diegetic sound is that of the music itself. This is overlaid above the video, and speech within the video. The diegetic sound used in this piece is that of the main character speaking to both her colleagues, and her psychiatrist. She is saying how she hates her life, her job and that she is not satisfied with her current position. The video shows how she remedies this; by taking a vacation to a paradisaical location.  

Narrative

This video promotes the idea of a middle aged female being severely unsatisfied with her current life. The video begins with her having a conversation with a colleague, to which her colleague announces she believes the main character is putting on weight. This is one of the main reasons she is unsatisfied. Additionally, she believes she has a dead-end job. She then goes home, and goes to bed. She then has a dream of this paradisiacal place, to which she is extremely happy with. However, she then wakes up. She returns to her daily routine, to which we see is so miserable, she then snaps, and books a holiday identical to the one she dreamt.

Settings 

There are several settings in this video. We firstly see the characters at the workplace. This is where the main characters' discomfort lies, as she is surrounded by colleagues she doesn't like, and is doing a job she does not enjoy doing. This is the basis of her discomfort, and therefore one of the fundamental settings in this video. Additionally, we see her in her bed at her home. This is another key setting, as this is where her alarm clock is. This alarm clock is what awakes her from her reoccurring dream of being in her dream place. Finally, we see her in this paradisiacal location that makes the character happy, and remedies her depression and discomfort.

Representation

The representation of this video is a negative light on middle aged individuals. By this, I mean that it suggests that middle aged people working in jobs they don't like are usually miserable and unsatisfied with their life, due to them being surrounded by young and motivated individuals, as well as rude and ignorant people. Therefore, the only way to escape this unsatisfactory life is to transfer to a utopia of their liking.

Links to theories
Todorov's theory
 

 1. A state of equilibrium (All is as it should be.)

This stage of the theory is very briefly met at the beginning of the video, whereby she is eating lunch with her colleague. This is all as it should be, until the colleague announces she believes the main character is gaining weight.

 

 2. A disruption of that order by an event.

The disruption in this video is met when she is consistently given work that isn't hers, and the additional factors that make her life unbearable. This is what leads to the disruption, and leads on the third stage of the theory.

 

 3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.

This stage is met by the main character noticing how undesirable her life is. This initially occurs after her dream of her paradise - when she wakes up. She then compares her real life to the dream, and decides to take action.

 

 4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

The main character takes action to repair the disruption by booking a holiday to her paradise location, and quitting her job (in style) by offending her colleagues as she departs.

 

 5. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium.

This final stage of the theory, however, is barely met - arguably not met at all. This is due to the main character running out of her workplace, only to be run over. This would suggest the equilibrium is not met. Despite this, we may assume that she died, and is in a happier place - ergo a new equilibrium as it is far away from the dissatisfaction and disruption.

Conclusion
In this video for 'I Could Be The One', the narrative meets the main idea of the song; the idea of being set free from everyday life. This is because everyday working life is seen as a drag, and unsatisfactory for the average person. The lyrics relate in a way that suggests there is a higher power that can 'set you free', and has done so in this video by transported to a paradisiacal island that has remedied her miserable lifestyle.