Analysing Read My Mind by The Killers

Style	Tick Box
Romantic
Socially Conscious
Nihilist
Classical
Post-Modern
Parody
Film Tie-in
Performance
In-Concert

Explain your choice of Styles/s

I choose the Post Modern style for the song because the whole video from beginning to the end includes a random array of things, like the riding of weird shaped bicycles and a green stuffed teddy like to brushings its teeth.

I also choose the Performance style because the music video has short scenes where the band is playing instruments like the electric guitar and drums. The music video has a pop-rock feel to it.

What is the purpose?

The purpose of the music video is to promote the band's latest single and the latest album 'Sam's Town'. It also shows that band are seemingly having a good time in Tokyo (where it was filmed), and doing activities relating to the freedom of youth.

Identify and explain the conventions used

Interpret the lyrics: In the opening sequence while the background music ids playing; there are three different landscape/city shots of the mountain and buildings of Tokyo. It then moves on to Brandon's face (the front man), before it shows him singing with his hands clasped as if in prayer, as he starts singing: 

On the corner of main street

Just tryin' to keep it in line
You say you wanna move on, and
You say I'm falling behind

Can you read my mind

This sounds as if the song is about a couple who were in a relationship but soon realize that they have grown apart. The beginning of the lyrics sounds as if they are talking about the streets but I think it has been used metaphorically to highlight that a street has different turns and intersections like their relationship. It then says 'You say you wanna move on, and You say I'm falling behind'. It then says 'Can you read my mind', inclining that he was thinking the same thing. In another verse he is talking about how he never gave up to break 'out of his two-star town' and there is a 'green light' this means that he has seen his chance to change 'I'm gonna turn this thing around', to get out of town and start a new life.

Implied meaning: Freedom of youth, changing ways.

Links to other artists: None, although there has been a Pet Shop Boys remix and the Like Rebel Diamonds remix and the song 'Paradise' by Coldplay, have similar randomness (like the stuffed toys) and similar use of the sunset scene shots of them dancing.

Generic Conventions: This music video does reflect the rock-pop song that is set in an eccentric and busy city (Tokyo) the typical rock band outfits worn smarter of black leather jackets, tight black skinny jeans and pointy black shoes, Brandon Flowers however wears a white shirt, black buttoned waistcoat, a black blazer and black trousers. The music video doesn't look like any music video or artists that I know or seen.

Identify and explain the techniques used

Camera Shots/Movements: The Mid length shot is used mainly in the scenes that Brandon is singing, this is to show the emotions of the lyrics. The full length shots are used more on the parts where the band where doing random things like blowing balloons and teaching some Tokyo school children how to dance.

Lighting: The lighting of the music changes throughout the video. In the beginning scenes of the landscape/city shots, and then in the middle scene of the Elvis look-a-like, it was growing dark, showing shades of a greenish tinge, these moments have a slight laid back appeal to it as if everyone is about to rest. In the middle of the song, when the band is teaching the school children how to dance, it is set in a sunset. This orangey colour highlights the happy moments between the children and the band. In the day, where the weather is bright but with a white sky, the band do most of their random actions here and you get to see the busy  and vibrant city. This is also the parts where you see Brandon singing to the camera.

Editing: 

There are quick cuts at the beginning when the video shows the landscapes. This shows us that the city is still asleep but gradually waking up from the quiet scenery. It then moves on tho show Brandon's face, who looks up to the sky. You can tell that the actions will start because everyone's woken up. Because the video is very random, you can tell that all the scenes have been put together. I've also noticed that the camera shots look hand held, there are a lot of shakes but it brings a strength to the scene actions, making it more raw.

Effects:  There are a lot of fading scenes in the video mostly at the parts of Brandon singing, these parts excludes everything else and focuses on the lyrics sung, it's like he is in his own little world, trying to figure out what to do. I've noticed that they also zoom in on some of the characters faces in certain parts of the video, like the one near the beginning were the teddy like green toy peeps from the corner and blinks its eyes. This is like the green toy is showing the audience that it's here.

Miming/Lip-sync: Yes, because of the way that the video is shown, it has so many random moments to make it hard for Brandon to be shown consistently singing live. There are some scenes that show him singing and it looks real. If they didn't mime, then the video wouldn't be as funny or random.