MusicVid Analysis: AC/DC "Heatseeker"

ACT: AC/DC
TRACK: Heatseeker
YEAR: 1988
DIRECTOR: David Mallet
GENRE: Hard rock
MAIN AUDIENCE: M 18-35
LYRICS

The track opens with the group's huge logo projected onto what looks like a TV screen; the track title also featuring at the bottom in perspective.

The main guitar riff kicks in which is a cue for the guitarist to come bursting through the screen, which has been set up with practical effects to explode.

He is dressed in a mock school uniform and throws his cap onto a lever which pulls it down; this set is deliberately cartoon-like and comical with over sized levers and a daft notice.

After various stock footage shots of missile silos, turning keys etc. we see the missile being launched. This is then cut together with more performance footage from the band.

Most of the performance footage shows the band from a low angle to signify their importance and musical skills.

In the foreground of these scenes are the ever-present fans, whose waving arms sometimes blocks the camera's view of the group.

Yet more stock footage of planes launching etc. this ties in with the song's lyrics.

An extremely wide shot showing the group and the stage in all its glory. We can see more of the crowd as well as the massive AC/DC screen and the rotating set dressing.

More footage to demonstrate the missile's journey around well known landmarks such as the pyramids.

The missile travels past skyscrapers.

The missile reaches its destination, the Sydney Opera House. This has been appropriately chosen as the group itself hails from the area, and it is where they are performing within the narrative of the video.

The missile bursts through the back wall in a large practical stunt similar to the one at the very beginning of the video.

The hatch at the front opens and the guitarist flies out and onto the stage, performing a solo.

He performs on a walkway that allows him to be surrounded by the crowd. These shots are filmed from low and mid angles.

The final shots reverse the damage done by the missile and it backs out of the stage, allowing for wide shot finale, before a fade to white finishes the video.

ClassVid: Winning Pitch Summary

ClassVid Pitch

The original video has now been watched a staggering 1.6bn times, and this number continues to climb. I think that's about 1/4 of the population of the entire planet - although obviously some of the views will be from the same people. It's also the most watched video on YouTube by quite a long way. The number of remakes, parodies, ads, celebrity versions is also impressive - so perhaps 'Gangnam Style' is just the world's most successful example of viral marketing.

Anyhow, the reason I chose to pitch this is largely to do with its memetic status and worldwide popularity.

Music Vid Analysis 2

ACT: Urban Hype
TRACK: Trip to Trumpton
YEAR: 1992 
DIRECTOR:
GENRE: Techno/Acid house 
MAIN AUDIENCE: M 20-35

Trip to Trumpton is a dance track released by the group Urban Hype in the early 1990's. It followed a short lived trend of basing dance tracks upon audio sampling from various TV shows of the previous few decades; other examples of this included the tracks Sesames Treet by Smart E's. In this case, the track features audio snippets from late 60's children's show Trumpton, and the video also makes several visual references to this show.

The track's lyrics consist solely of quotes lifted directly from the show that inspired it. The video opens with music taken from the show before becoming more traditionally dance based.

The fast paced editing is common for such a fast, upbeat track, and their are visual links with elements of 60's culture and style. The video includes performance footage, notably mixed with deliberately surreal clips