AIM: To be able to demonstrate an ability to analyse magazines.

KNOW:

The purpose and background of the Big Issue
The methodology used to analyse media language and media representations
Theory and stereotypes linked to the representation of the working class poor/underclass

The Big Issue is a niche magazine outside the commercial mainstream that learners may not normally engage with and provides a contrasting example of how the elements of the theoretical framework for media language can be used to construct alternative representations that appeal to particular audiences, including a consideration of the influence of the social, cultural and political contexts.

The Big Issue magazine is a fortnightly, independent magazine that's sold on the streets by homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people.

The Big Issue is a not-for-profit organisation
Dismantling poverty i.e. fundraising
financially independent
buy for £1.25 sell for £2.50

The Big Issue magazine was launched in 1991 with the aim of transforming the lives of London's homeless through it’s mantra “a hand up not a hand out”

The magazine is often referred to as a street newspaper. It supports the homeless and those seeking to escape poverty. Vendors buy the magazine for £1.25 and sell it for £2.50. The Big Issue has helped over 100,000 people since it began.

The Big Issue reader is likely to be:

University Educated
Be interested in politics and popular and high culture
Have a limited disposable income
Want to help make a difference to the society we live in
The front covers, and content must attract this type of reader (Audience). The use of media language and representations it constructs must also appeal to the reader in order to insure that the street vendors can sell each issue and make money.

Magazine Examples:

From these magazine covers i can deduct that the magazine covers certain social issues; in the papers above the issue is civil rights and War. in the first magazine it prompts the question: What happened to the American dream? this question is rhetorical as it has a subheading mentioning street living, suggesting the American dream never happened. The use of the picture of Martin Luther King brings more power to the statement because of his role in the civil rights movement and his speech "I had A Dream" where he spoke about an equal society in America.

The use of red is also a dramatic colour that gains a lot of attention alongside the grey image of Martin Luther King and the bold white writing of the magazine title. the american flag also adds emphasis to the question but the fact that it is dulled underneath the red could be symbolic.

Masthead: this is usually at the top of the page and is the placement for the name of the magazine. it is naturally recognisable to the audience as a brand image.

Tag line: a tag line is a catchy phrase that represents the brand.

slogan: a slogan is a catchy phrase that helps the product stands out against rival products.

date line: the line used for the date of the magazine

feature article: the main feature or story, usually the largest font size and possibly in a different colour to stand out

central image: the main image on the magazine, it is usually connected to the feature article and appeals to the audience

cover lines:

Crisis UK states that

People become homeless for lots of different reasons. There are social causes of homelessness, such as a lack of affordable housing, poverty and unemployment; and life events which cause individuals to become homeless.
People can become homeless when they leave prison, care or the army with no home to go to. Many homeless women have escaped a violent relationship.
Many people become homeless because they can no longer afford the rent.
And for many, life events like a relationship breaking down, losing a job, mental or physical health problems, or substance misuse can be the trigger. Being homeless can, in turn, make many of these problems even harder to resolve.

The two magazines both have very different views on the poor. the daily mail presents them as scroungers who will do anything for money and who claim benefits they don't deserve. the bog issue takes a different approach and attempt to understand the state of mind someone poorer class is likely to develop in a means to better understand the issue they are combating. while they try to understand the general mindset they don't stereotype unlike the daily mail. the daily mail has used one bad example of a poor working class benefit claimer and have then generalised the entire benefit claimants. they then presented the negative image to the public. the big issue has a more scientific approach.

Representation refers to the representation of an issue, event, social group or person from the particular point of view of the person who constructs the representation.

Common representations in the magazine industry tend to support the dominant social group, as they are usually the media owners and producers. This means that the media representations often serve to reinforce the social status quo, so that those considered to be in minority or subordinate groups remain stuck in those social roles

This links to Gramsci’s theory of hegemony and consequently the poor are often marginalized since they have little agency (power) over the middle class and elites who are the dominant voice in society.

Hamilton is a symbol of immigrant inclusiveness, egalitarianism and meritocracy: historically it’s a stretch, but theatrically it’s genius. Hamilton was a founding father of America but was an immigrant himself and even his own heritage challenges the political ideals of anti-immigration circulating America currently.

Trumps position on immigrants and immigration is one of distaste and racism.

Impact of industry

The media industry can be defined as a varied collection of organisations that share the production, publication and distribution of media texts. Examples of media organisations include:

BBC
Disney
News Corp
Nintendo
Marvel
The Guardian

Media texts can be used to inform, entertain, or promote ideas or products.

Audiences can consume media texts in many different formats on a range of platforms.

‘Traditional media’ or ‘old media’ are the names given to the industries that existed before the internet, like radio, print and television.

values differ culturally in different countries so American and England have different media and would view things differently.

Big Issue Viewpoints and ideology

The political bias of the magazine isn’t direct, as this could affect sales of the magazine for the vendor, but the magazine has a clear social agenda with features covering:

Social welfare
Current affairs
Politics
Culture
The environment
Finance
Health
Sport
food

The Big Issue agenda can be seen to be counter to right wing politics, which do not value progressive social welfare policies but instead value individual and financial profit from business above access to social provision and equality for all social groups. Their stance on Trump also gives some insight on their viewpoints as by looking at people they oppose generally lets me understand what they stand for.

Although the owners of the Big Issue are members of the dominant social group in that they are predominantly white, male, middle class and middle aged , ideologically their alternative viewpoint is bound in creating opportunities to support social welfare and values. This is achieved in the following ways: through use of satire, the representation of events, issues and social groups and individuals can be critiqued without there being an overtly political message.

The interesting and creative use of media language helps to communicate the magazines ideological values that we should care about all social groups and the society we live in, not just those with political, social and cultural power. This helps to position the audience from the point of view of the producer, inviting the reader to question the meanings constructed on the front cover and in turn question mainstream ideological values (such as capitalism/ racism/nationalism/consumerism).

Typical conventions used in The Bid Issue:

Masthead

Tag Line

Date line

Feature article

Central image

Puff

Colour palette

Composition and layout

Typography

Mode of address and language

Camera shot types and angles

Cover lines

Typical conventions not used:

Bar code

Conventions used, but differently to mainstream magazines:

Central image

use of illustrations rather than a photograph

Composition and layout

changes with every front cover rather than having a standard layout that is recognised as part od the magazines brand

Mode of address and Language

often these will incorporate inter textual references to other media products or cultural traditions

Puffs

the shapes used to help to reinforce the theme of the issue and create coherence with the main image

cover lines

these aren't always used and when they are they are usually integrated into the main image in some way.

Audience interpretation of meaning

Through use of the media language elements, the producers of the Big issue are able to satirise political and cultural figures, issues and events.

The media conventions used and the meanings constructed by the producer as a result are intended to communicate a preferred meaning to the reader. However this relies on a number of issues about the Big Issue Audience.

Developing the magazine genre

Although the Big issue looks different to mainstream magazine genres, The Big Issue still uses conventional elements of print media language. However it uses them in slightly different ways. This helps to identify the Big Issue as different to other niche and mainstream magazines.

Representation refers to the representation of an issue, event, social group or person from the particular point of view of the person who constructs the representation. Common representations in the magazine industry tend to support the dominant social group, as they are usually the media owners and producers. This means that the media representations often serve to reinforce the social status quo, so that those considered to be in minority or subordinate groups remain stuck in those social roles. This links to Gramsci’s theory of hegemony and consequently the poor are often marginalised since they have little agency (power) over the middle class and elites who are the dominant voice in society

The Big Issue is a charity that, through the magazine aims to help those who are marginalised in society and subsequently misrepresented or under represented in the mainstream media. It aims to provide a platform for social issues that are of national and global importance. However the magazine owners (hegemony) and target audience can be seen to fall into this dominant group in that they are white,, male, middle class and middle aged. This suggests that the Big Issue is likely to offer complex representations that possibly both challenge and support those seen in mainstream magazines

The tagline “The Doctor Doesn’t leave you” could mean that David Tennant will always be identified as his role as Doctor Who. The Tenth Doctor has been extremely popular amongst the Doctor Who fandom. He received critical acclaim for his complexity and humanity and is considered one of the greatest incarnations of the character. The BBC went as far as to consider ending the show in 2010, thinking it would fail without Tennant. In 2006, readers of Doctor Who Magazine voted Tennant's Doctor "Best Doctor" over perennial favourite Tom Baker. He also won the National Television Awards award for Most Popular Actor in 2006 and 2007, and the award for Outstanding Drama Performance in 2008 and 2010. In a poll conducted by Radio Times in March 2007, Tennant's Doctor was named the "coolest character on television". IGN ranked the Tenth Doctor the best Doctor in 2011. In 2013, IGN again ranked Tennant as the best Doctor, along with the Daily Mail and Radio Times, with Billie Piper also being voted as best companion. Users of Plusnet also voted David Tennant as the best Doctor in 2013. Users of DoctorWhoTV also voted Tennant as 'Ultimate Doctor' in 2013. Voters on Digital Spy also rated Tennant as the greatest Doctor in 2013 with 50.05% of the votes, and again in 2015. A poll in November 2013 revealed that Tennant was considered the greatest Doctor with 33% of the vote, a clear 10% lead over 2nd place, Tom Baker. Readers of The Telegraph voted Tennant as the greatest actor to play the Doctor in 2014.

The ideologies of the magazine are are linked to a social agenda where society/communities take care of the welfare of one another.

Social welfare

Politics

Culture

"Social wellbeing is the extent to which you feel a sense of belonging and social inclusion; a connected person is a supported person in society. Lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs are all important to our social well being and quality of life."

Music Video

the music video of this is america addresses very controversial issues within the state in a very unconventional way. Whenever the phrase 'this is america' is said Childish Gambino shoots someone in the music video, however, they don't make this the main focus of the video and instead ensure that the focus always remains on Childish Gambino and his smiling and dancing disposition and serves as a distraction to the crimes he just committed as well as the chaos ensuing in the background of the video. To me this is essentially calling out america and main stream media. america has long had social justice issues with racism and brutality towards black people and i think the music video talks about this. childish Gambino is what main stream media wants the focus to be on, they don't want to show all the wrong going on in the background and are basically sweeping the issues under the rug with a distraction.

Calvin The Second played the father of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager shot to death in Florida in 2012 by George Zimmerman.

“This Is America” is set entirely in a drab warehouse, which can be interpreted as the country’s foundation, built on systemic white supremacy and oppression.

Each time Childish Gambino fires a gun in “This Is America,” he hands it off to someone who whisks it away in a red cloth. These scenes are a reference to Americans’ willingness to protect gun rights over people, despite the country’s alarmingly high rates of gun violence.

One of the most disturbing scenes in “This Is America” features an all-black church choir getting shot up with an assault-style rifle. The massacre appears to be a reference to the 2015 mass shooting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, in which a white gunman killed nine black churchgoers.

In one scene, black teenagers use their phones to record the chaos unfolding below, as their mouths appear to be covered by a white material. This could be a reference to the rise of viral videos of police brutality and racist encounters to overcome the metaphorical muzzling of black people in a white supremacist system. Kids are seen recording everything on their phones, referencing the use of live streams in police shootings as a means of documenting and sharing the truth. Gambino’s lyrics state, ‘this is a celly, that’s a tool.’

Toward the end of the video, Childish Gambino dances atop a red car surrounded by other decades-old cars with their hazard lights flashing and doors open. there is a connection to the black men routinely killed by police during traffic stops, including Philando Castile in Minnesota in 2016.there is some economic symbolism within the sea of beat-up cars, a reference to the stalled socioeconomic and political mobility of Black people in America.

Summery

the music video addresses social issues and main stream media in America. Gun violence, mass shootings, police brutality and all things of that nature are shown in the video and are easy to find for those who look for it.

Music video

A music video can be defined as a filmed and edited performance of a recorded song.The main purpose of a music video is to promote the single, the album the single is from and the artist to a wide an audience as possible. To do this the album has to:

Sell the sing in a way that helps the audience remember it from the video
Provide the viewer with a better understanding of the song so that they can engage with it visually and audibly
Entertain the viewer by highlighting the talents of the artists – dancing, singing performing and their physical appearance.

Music Videos tend to be categorised in terms of musical genre is for, for example, indie rock, pop or country. Each genre will follow slightly different conventions.Task guess the conventions associated with the following genres:

ROCK

Acid Rock

Afro Punk

Death Metal

Hard Rock

Metal

Post Punk

Rock & Roll

Examples:

Marilyn Manson, KISS, QUEEN, AC/DC, led zeppelin, pink floyd, the rolling stones

HIP HOP

Examples:

Kanye,ice cube, Ray j, Travis Scott, A$AP ROCKY, Cardi B, Nikki Minaj

Rap

clout, flex, money, sex, drugs, violence

close ups, mid shots, preformative

dance music, more popular nowadays

examples:

lady gaga, ariana grande, jessi J, Beyonce,

Another way of categorising music videos is in terms of the way they look and how we see the artist.

Performance: this is where we hear the song and see the artist performing in a number of locations and settings.The video will cut between locations at different points in the song but we always seethe artist singing. Locations, settings, camera angles and edits are key to this type of video.

Story line: The lyrics and/or feeling of the song are used to help create a story.The artist may or may not feature in the music video.These are sometimes known as narrative music videos and may look like a short film with the song in the background

Experimental: These can be story line and or performance music videos but may not be related to the lyrics or feature the artist.They may not make sense, but they create a mood, tone or comment that drives the video. This type of music video is also known as conceptual.

Music Video Analysis

Emily Sande – Heaven

feature their respective artist(s) and are a mixture of performance and narrative, and raise a number of similar representational issues surrounding ‘street life’.

Radiohead - Burn The Witch

does not feature the artist(s) but celebrates the power of narrative and signification and a postmodern emphasis on intertextuality. The video contrasts clearly with the representations featured in Heaven

Codes and conventions of music videos

The media language conventions of music videos can be broken down into the technical elements of:

Camera
Editing
Mise en scene
Sound

One Direction - History

Pop

- upbeat

- youthful

- happy

tells the story of one direction and how they got from the winners of X factor to where they were at the release date of the music video.

- black and white editing to add to the nostalgic feel the song is trying to present

- performative: there are clips of them singing to different crowds

Adele - Hello

Pop

- sad

- heartbreak

- like a ballad

opposite oh History by 1D even though it is the same genre

- storyline

My Chemical Romance – Welcome To The Black Parade

Rock

-storyline

- the messages Of losing a Parent (more specifically your father.) Of Mourning and how even though you might feel like the world is over because someone important to you died, you will get through it. Which then can be taken into any context of how you can get through any major problem in life.

- When I was a young boy
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band
He said, "Son, when you grow up
Would you be the savior of the broken
The beaten, and the damned?"
He said, "Will you defeat them
Your demons and all the non-believers?
The plans that they have made?
Because one day, I'll leave you
A phantom to lead you in the summer
To join the black parade

- day of the dead

Emily Sande – Heaven

Emeli Sande’s ‘heaven’, stands as a solid representative for those in society who intend to make positive contributions. However, although they may ‘wake’ with good intentions, profound issues in society allow their faith, compassion and positive endeavour to diminish. Life becomes a game of survival within a battle of pain, despair, poverty, illness and injustice. As a consequence individuals lose sight of their true purpose and their real dreams. The lyrics in ‘Heaven’ open doors to the existence of many interpretations. The artist strikes an audience with the repetition of the lyrics ‘oh heaven, oh heaven’. It is as if the artist is crying out in an audacious plea for acceptance, strength, guidance and forgiveness. Heaven may represent the good life in which many strive to achieve, through hard labour and sacrifice. However many face many obstacles in achieving the good life. The idea of crying out to heaven also influences ideas of faith and belief in God and an afterlife. So in this sense the song also stands as one that acknowledges ungodly sins within today’s society. The video can also be perceived to question whether those who face struggles in will be identified and sympathised with by society and perhaps by God also. These ideas have resulted in the music video for ‘Heaven’ having a presence of heavily, religiously influenced connotations and visual aspects. It is also palpable that the title of the song has also largely encouraged the themes and angelic visuals within the music video. The video can also be perceived to question whether those who face struggles in society ,will be identified and sympathised with by society and by God also.

Editing

In concern to the editing, it is apparent that a colour filter has been used to create a colourful effect that creates a retro, vintage atmosphere. This allows the footage of the music video to resemble and appear as being seemingly old. This vintage effect also enables the music video to appreciate the 90's inspired instrumental. The editing is cut to the beat and demonstrates Montage editing. This style of music video creates a non-centred experience of jumping from performance aspects to abstract images and locations without any narrative continuity. This conveys the artist’s ability to detach herself from her own lyrics and relate them to examples of those in different locations who ‘wake with good intentions’ but experience pain in different forms. This gives insight to the many possible situational interpretations of the lyrics. A light raised effect can also be identified in such shots where there are stained glass windows and bright sunny skies. This increase of light intensity can be perceived as having religious connotations, particularly signifying ‘Heaven’. This could also represent messages within the lyrics which may portray a desire to be brought to the light, which in religious terms represents goodness.

Camerawork

A high angle shot frames the shot of a woman walking in a red dress. An audience is likely to presume that she is a prostitute. This high angle shot therefore indicates that she is heading out into a world where she is highly vulnerable as she is surrounded by the risk of danger and death(which are also connotations of the colour red). Close up shots are used to capture despair among a diverse range of people, again relating to the effect the lows of society has had on them. Close up shots also stress that they close their eyes in pain. There is also an extreme close up shot of the stars eyes in time with the lyrics, ‘will you recognise me’. This adds importance to the eyes, especially as people are generally most recognisable by their eyes. Therefore this extreme close up signifies a plea of an individual to be recognised and considered as being just as valuable as the worthiest human. This is also perhaps a call for the soul to be evaluated and filled with goodness as eyes can be considered ‘windows to the soul’. Emeli Sande’s face is framed close up from a slightly low angle.

Intertextuality:

In Emeli Sande's Heaven music video the audience doesn't immediately notice intertextuality at first like people did with Radiohead's Burn The Witch video yet there are some implicit signs of intertextuality. Throughout the heaven music video, there are frequent religious references. God is repeatedly referred to as well as the obvious reference to 'Heaven' becasue of the song title. Heaven represents that Emeli is trying to be good and show the good in the world by uniting many or even everyone. Sande herself doesn't actually follow and particular religion however she does believe that god and heaven do exist and that people are always able to do everything with integrity, following your own ideologies, beliefs and values. In addition, the video also inadvertently mentions the use of drugs and the effect they can have on not just people taking drugs but the people around them. The lyric "Will you recognise me" is possibly suggesting the atmosphere of unease that surrounds drugs and the uncertainty people are forced to face. This is especially because not everyone in our society feels completley comfortable when talking about many social issues such as drugs.

Denotation/ Connotation

Faces that are obscure: this hints that some faces within a community will soon be irrecognisable due to illness caused by diseases. This amplifies the lyrics ‘will you recognise me when I lose another friend’.

Young Children: children are presented upon the lyrics ‘will you recognise me when I’m stealing from a car?’. Children connote innocence. This highlights an extreme difference between a thief and the innocent. The theme of innocence links back to the title of the song ‘heaven’ as innocence is associated with being a heavenly character of goodness. This stresses how big of a concept and sin it is to steal from the poor, whether it is in a literal or allegorical way.

Emeli Sande’s Black Dress: Wearing black in a video with religious themes is not coincidental. Black can connote seriousness and reservation. Emeli is serious in the messages which she conveys. Her black dress allows her to be covered up and may remind an audience of the nuns who dress in black and are very covered. This may relate to ideas of those who experience issues e.g. homeless people, (also portrayed in the video) ,being reserved and separated from wider communities.

Birds flying in the sky: we see birds soaring against a bright blue sky. Such visuals have connotations with liberation. In relation to the lyrics this could signify the act of letting go of burdens in order to become a better, less sinful person. Flying birds can also be seen to represent free spirits; this again links back to the title of the song ‘heaven’ and its religious imagery. This can be linked as spirits are and important topic in religion as good spirits are said to undoubtedly go to heaven.

Stone Figures of Christ & Mary: this adds to the religious imagery within the music video.

Mise en Scene

Props are implemented within the video to indicate religious meaning and symbolism. A Swinging Cross on rosary beads can be identified. This could denote that within the hearts and minds of many people today there is unstable belief, hope and faith in God and Christ. Feet within society are not firmly planted on the foundation of God, which is why many disregard God when committing sins. However many people give up on their religious beliefs and are ‘then gone’, meaning that daily hardships have allowed their faith to dwindle rather than stand firm. As many now believe in scientific explanations of life and creation they may see struggles in life simply as a natural cycle ,which is without possible intervention from a high almighty. These beliefs may be held due to an inability to find ‘heaven’ and peace within life.

A hooded figure can be seen carrying a body sized wooden plank which is in the shape of a cross. The figure is non identifiable especially as we only see the back of the person. Such imagery again influences religious ideas and connotations. It encourages an audience to believe that this figure represents those in our society who have a Christ-like nature. Such Christ-like people make sacrifices in order to succeed in this world and provide a better life for their loved ones. This can be understood to amplify the lyrics ‘but the day, it always lasts too long’. Many of those in the lower hierarchy sacrifice their days working multiple jobs in order to survive or provide. Such visuals reinforce this. The hidden identity of the figure also relates the fact that we don’t know exactly what Christ really looks like; there is no proof of him. Furthermore this signifies the strong faith and belief that followers must have in Christ. As an audience we also witness an apparently poor, weak, elderly man hobbling behind this mysterious figure. The poor man may require healing, which is why he follows the cross. Perhaps the poor man will be lead to a blessing as God works in mysterious ways. The idea of wanting to be healed again links back to the idea of waiting and wanting to find ’Heaven’.

Costume hair and makeup is a large part in the music video as the appearance of multiple different characters is constantly taking place all throughout the video. Most importantly, the main character being the singer Emeli Sande, her appearance constructs a rather significant message as she’s dressed in all black this is important to the video as all throughout the video she is portrayed as an angel however the fact that she’s dressed in all black in a way contradicts to her angelic portray and juxtaposes her imagery. Another aspect of Emeli’s appearance that contradicts to her pure and innocent portrayal is her hair which is coloured to be seen as platinum blonde (almost white) and it’s also styled in a very specific way, which contributes to the lyrics of the video as her hair is styled upwards (facing the sky). Emeli’s makeup is done professionally, unlike all the other people presented in the music video, suggesting that she’s more important than all the other people and giving her a sense of superiority. As mentioned previously all the other people shown in the video look less dramatic and more plain both makeup wise and outfit wise. Their extensively simple appearance may be done in order to present them as ordinary people and convey a clear contrast between the artist and the ‘ordinary’ people.

Right from the beginning of the music video Emeli seems to portray a sad emotion as she’s looking away from the camera, down to the floor. This can also suggest that she’s in deep thought or simply in some sort of distress. Not much changes when the rest of the characters come into the shot as their facial expressions show very limited signs of happiness or excitement instead they all seem as emotional people seeking for some sort of guidance in life since none of the characters look directly into the camera for a long amount of time. However, a lot of extreme close- up shots are used especially on Emeli while she’s singing. This can be done in order to emphasise on her strong feelings towards the subject she’s trying to deliver in her song. The close- ups which show just Emile’s eyes are most effective at portraying her deep emotions as she’s directly looking at the camera, meaning she’s attempting to look at the audience and relate to them on a more personal level. Despite facial expressions, body language is largely important. Even though there aren’t as many wide shots as all the close up/ medium shots, body language is still extensively presented in the music video. Emeli’s body language is very opened and confident as she tends to lift her head up to the sky most of the time.

The overall lighting of the video is quite dark and moody. This effect is created through the use of video filters and shadows, which all play a huge role in the video. Even when the clip is located outside the use of a dark filter sets a mellow and a rather morbid mood. A good example is when Emeli was standing by the window at the beginning of the video, half of her face was completely darkened down, while the other half was lit up since it’s facing the window. This type of lighting effect is also known as three- point lighting technique where the fill light was clearly not used as Emeli had a lot of shadows over her face to create a more dramatic effect. As far as colours go, the use of blue, purple and red tones tend to appear quite a lot, either in the setting or the outfits of people involved. These tones may have been created through the use of the filter but also it is known that purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. While the three colours all have their own unique association, put together they represent loyalty, stability, power and strength, which are all important factors that play a significant role in facing tough, everyday life decisions which this music video conveys. The slight appearance of the colour white also plays a role as Emeli’s hair is white and other minor details in the background of the music video, this may be done in order to denote the idea of ‘heaven’ which is the title of the music video.

The way the characters are placed throughout the video is essential as it demonstrates their importance and state of mind. For example, Emeli is usually positioned right in the centre of the frame, showing her importance in the music video as she’s the star image (a person promoting themselves) the fact that Emeli is a star image is made clear through the use of many close- up shots of her. The central type of positioning is demonstrated all throughout the video apart from the beginning when Emeli is positioned using the rule of third method a she’s standing on the left side of the frame giving enough space for the setting, in this case the setting was the window. This can suggest a slight and subtle build up to when Emeli is mostly positioned directly in the centre. As for the other characters who play a limited role in the video compared to Emeli, they are also placed towards the centre of the frame even though their importance isn’t that significant, however, this may be done in order to make the audience pay as much attention to the characters and their feelings as possible since they are only given a few seconds on the screen therefore placing them in the centre makes the characters more memorable for the viewer.

‘Fear is your only god’, is written on a dirty, cloudy, stained window. Therefore this implies that people should not fear the consequences of hardships. God has the power to change everything so only he should be worshipped and depended on. Such a statement also hints of acts of sin ,in the form of worshipped idols and material things which relates back to the theme of sin within the lyrics.

An audience also witnesses a man sitting down on a grass field. He has a tattoo of un-spread angel wings. This adds to the angelic theme which runs throughout the music video. This can be seen to signify the idea that many people suffer greatly, so are waiting to spread their wings and fly in ‘heaven’. Such people find it hard to fulfil their purpose in life as they fall victim to despair. This relates to the theme of adversity within the lyrics.

At a few points within the music video we are brought to a scene whereby Emeli Sande observes someone standing at the end of a tunnel. Tunnels have connotations with death and are symbolically understood to be the pathway to an afterlife. Many report of seeing tunnels in near death experiences. The figure at the end of the tunnel connotes those wait to seek paradise on earth and only obtain this deserving death. A question of whether God will forgive and accept the sinful is also raised through the idea of a figure patiently waiting at the end of the tunnel. This may also be interpreted as imagery which stresses that many people in society are judged and wait to be accepted. At the end of the music video, Emeli Sande walks away from the tunnel illustrating the lyrics ‘then i’m gone’.

Storyline

The intro includes no lyrics just the background music. While this is happening certain characters such as an elderly man, a homeless man, a young man and a young girl as well as Emeli Sande are shown. Once Emeli begins lip syncing the lyrics the camera only focuses on her showing her in 2 different locations: in a building and on top of a building. This introduces Emeli as the artist to the audience. As the video continues, and the tempo of the music increases, Emeli is shown on a street and more locations and characters are presented. This is done too increase the momentum as the chorus is approaching. Once the chorus begins Emeli is shown in a more colourful location. Overall, the beginning sets the scene and theme of the video.

Beginning

The middle section of the music video follows the lyrics at one point. As the Emeli sings "will you recognise me?" a dark tunnel is shown with Emeli at one end and a dark, unrecognisable figure at the other. This presents the emotion to of losing someone you used to know, which the audience can relate to. Also, at this section of the video the use of special effects begins. These special effects are used in the build up to and during the chorus. As the song becomes more dramatic the video does the same.

Middle

Towards the end of the video previous characters and shots are repeated in a crescendo effect. As a result the ending almost sums up the whole video as the song climaxes. This allows the audience to feel the emotion presented in each part of the video all at once to leave a lasting effect once the video has finished.

Ending

Emeli Sande's relates to a wide range of people. Her personality and background make her a relatable person allowing her to create a large following.

Audience

Being in the pop music industry there is a wide range of listeners and therefore with this video Emeli includes characters from a wide range of ages in order to not create a narrow target audience. However, this videos main age range it is trying to target would be 25-40, young adults. This is shown through the subtle use of special effects and the simplicity of the video therefore making it easy to watch. However, this video would not attract a young audience due to its simplicity.

Representation

The characters are depicted in both black and lighter settings and some contrasts their identity for example in one particular shot there is a child that is sat at the bottom of the stairs in mid- key lighting. It can also be suggested that the outcast people do not look at her, they are usually turned away as if it can be a metaphor for turning away from the light and the hope which is Emile. Also, the urban setting shows her background and upbringing which makes it more personal resulting to the audience to connect more with the song. There are aspects of social realism in the music video such as in one scene we are able to see a chicken shop in the background this promotes an urban environment furthermore the video is predominantly set in a working class area of London this promotes social realism due to the fact that it contains real people.

The video represents diversity and urban life, particularly ‘street life’ and issues of poverty, class and race/ethnicity. This is evident by the repetitive inclusion of homeless people, children in poverty, ‘urban’ streets which appear to have had less money invested in them, teenagers in the park smoking and other people generally looking worn out/tired/run down/unhappy.

Goodwins Theory

Goodwins theory states that each music video will contain at least 3 of his points. In this music video I have noticed there isn't actually much of his theory involved like as if specific points have actually been avoided for example, the emphasis on 'looking' theory which is about looking at the camera doesn't take place with the artist in the music video because she doesn't look at the camera at all. Points that have been used are the relationship between the lyrics and visuals, the song is about heaven and there are constant shots of the sky and Emeli Sande looking up.

There are quite a few close ups of the artist in the clip as well as close ups on other people as well. This could relate to people being equal to the artist as she is just a person like everyone else and has no power over others.The whole music video contains narrative and performance and in terms of technical aspects, the shots are cut to the beat of the music, match the pace of it, and contain editing like time lapses, overlays and transitions. I believe these points were used specifically because they work well alongside the narrative which is an important aspect to this music video as well as also keeping the star image of the artist in mind.

Demographics

8.8 million people live in London, which is a 16% increase over the last decade, and makes up 13% of the UK population. This growth has been largest in Inner East and South London. There are more than 4 times as many BME people in London (41%) than in the Rest of England (10%).

London also has far higher proportion of residents aged between 25-34, especially in Inner London where they make up 24% of the population. Net migration into London was almost 60,000 in 2014/2015 (including both international and domestic migration) – the highest figure in four years. This data will not reflect any changes in migration, if any, which have resulted from the Brexit referendum.

To determine cultural capital, questions were asked about leisure activities and interests; taste in music; how media was consumed; and taste in food in a manner similar to that used in the Cultural Capital and Social Exclusion survey. Two cultural scores were developed, one for "high brow" culture, preference for interests such as classical music, historic architecture, museums, art galleries, jazz, theatre and French restaurants; and the other for "emergent culture," appreciation and participation in such activities as video games, social networking, sports, hanging out with friends, working out at the gym, and rap or rock concerts. Social capital was measured using the position generator originated by Nan Lin, an American sociologist, in 2001 which measures the range of social connections. People were asked if they knew anyone in several dozen occupations. Social capital scores were computed using the mean of the status scores of contacts on the Cambridge Social Interaction and Stratification (CAMSIS) scale. Economic capital was determined by asking about household income, amount and type of savings, and ownership of property. Questions were included about composition of households, amount and type of education, social mobility, and political attitude.

The survey was offered to visitors to the BBC Lab UK website between January 2011 and July 2011; however, the 160,000 responses received were from the sort of skewed demographic that might be expected from a BBC audience and over-represented more prosperous and well-educated people and under-represented all types of manual workers. A representative survey by GfK of about 1,000 people was commissioned to supplement the original survey. It was used to correct the portion of distinguishable groups in the total population.

Analysis of the survey revealed seven classes: a wealthy "elite"; a prosperous salaried "middle class" consisting of professionals and managers; a class of technical experts; a class of ‘new affluent’ workers, and at the lower levels of the class structure, in addition to an ageing traditional working class, a ‘precariat' characterised by very low levels of capital and lasting precarious economic security, and a group of emergent service workers. The fracturing of the middle sectors of the social structure into distinguishable factions separated by generational, economic, cultural, and social characteristics was considered notable by the authors of the research.

Elite

Members of the elite class are the top 6% of British society with very high economic capital (particularly savings), high social capital, and very high highbrow cultural capital. Occupations such as chief executive officers, IT and telecommunications directors, marketing and sales directors; functional managers and directors, judges, lawyers (barristers and solicitors), accountants, financial managers, doctors, dentists, professors and advertising and public relations directors were strongly represented.

Average household income of elite households in 2011 was £89,000; average house price was £325,000. Few are ethnic minorities; many are graduates, and over half come from families who were also in the elite class. Graduates of elite universities are over-represented, in particular from Oxford, Cambridge, King's College London, University College London, the London School of Economics, Durham University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Bristol, Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, City University of London and Birkbeck University of London. The survey also indicated graduates from London South Bank University, not usually considered an elite university, were over represented, in part due to its location. Trinity College Dublin, The University of Edinburgh, St. Andrews and Durham are the only universities located outside the south of England. Elite households are primarily located within London and the Home Counties.

Established middle class

Members of the established middle class, about 25% of British society, reported high economic capital, high status of mean social contacts, and both highbrow and high emerging cultural capital. Well-represented occupations included electrical engineers, occupational therapists, midwives, environmental professionals, police constables, quality assurance and regulatory professionals, town-planning officials, and special-needs teaching professionals.

As of 2011 the established middle class had an average household income of £47,000 a year and owned a home worth an average of £177,000 with average savings of £26,000. Many were graduates, and a majority of their members work in the professions or management. Many originated from professional and managerial families. There are some ethnic minorities. They engage in a wide variety of occupations but many are professionals in public service or hold managerial jobs. They live throughout Britain, many outside large towns or conurbations. They can be fairly described as "comfortably off, secure, and established."

Technical middle class

The technical middle class, about 6% of British society, shows high economic capital, very high status of social contacts, but relatively few contacts reported, and moderate cultural capital. Occupations represented include medical radiographers, aircraft pilots, pharmacists, natural and social science professionals and physical scientists, senior professionals in education establishments, and business, research, and administrative positions.

The technical middle class is relatively well to do, with an average household incomes of £38,000, average savings of £66,000 and houses worth an average of £163,000. Members of the class report the lowest number of social contacts of any of the classes, though these do tend to be high status, probably mostly other professional experts. It is relatively culturally disengaged with both highbrow and emerging culture. Women comprise about 59% of this class. Many of technical middle class do research or scientific and technical work; a portion of the graduates are from established and prestigious universities with strong reputations for science, such as University of Warwick, University of Cambridge, University College London, University of Southampton, and Imperial College London with degrees in science and technology. Many of the technical middle class live in South East England where scientific and technical jobs are to be found. If they live in an urban area they live in the suburbs. Many of them have middle-class origins but are less engaged socially and culturally with the arts and humanities.

New affluent workers

New affluent workers, about 15% of British society, show moderately good economic capital, relatively poor status of social contacts, though highly varied, and moderate highbrow but good emerging cultural capital. Occupations include electricians and electrical fitters; postal workers; retail cashiers and checkout operatives; plumbers and heating and ventilation engineers; sales and retail assistants; housing officers; kitchen and catering assistants; quality assurance technicians.

New affluent workers score high on 'emerging' cultural capital, but low on highbrow cultural capital. Established forms of cultural capital seem to be shunned. Average household income is moderate; average savings is small with average house value of £129,000 as of 2011. It is economically secure without being very well off. Members have many social contacts, though the status scores tend to be moderate. Overall, this class scores moderately well on all three capitals, with a particular penchant for emerging cultural capital. They are socially and culturally active and relatively prosperous. They tend to come from non-middle-class families, and few have been to university. 57% are men. Those who are graduates attended schools such as Liverpool Hope, University of Bolton, or the University of West England. Many are young people in white collar and blue collar jobs in the private sector and in customer facing occupations. They live throughout Britain, many in old manufacturing centres.

Traditional working class

The traditional working class, about 14%of British society, shows relatively poor economic capital, but some housing assets, few social contacts, and low highbrow and emerging cultural capital. Typical occupations include electrical and electronics technicians; care workers; cleaners; van drivers; electricians; residential, day, and domiciliary care.

The traditional working class with a mean household income of only £13,000. However, many own their homes, with an average value in 2011 of £127,000, but only modest savings. Social contacts are low and the status of contacts are moderate. Scores on highbrow cultural capital are moderate, and scores on emerging cultural capital are particularly low. The traditional working class scores low on nearly every measure of capital. Few are graduates, many filling traditional working-class occupations such as lorry drivers, cleaners, electrician and menial white collar occupations. Many are women. Those who seek higher education tend to seek it in institutions which recruit mature or part-time students such as Birkbeck and the Open University. Many live in old industrial areas of England outside South East England and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They often represent an older generation and earlier historical period.

Emergent service sector

The emergent service sector, about 19% of British society, shows relatively poor economic capital, but reasonable household income, moderate social contacts, high emerging (but low highbrow) cultural capital. Typical occupations include bar staff, chefs, nursing auxiliaries and assistants, assemblers and routine operatives, care workers, elementary storage occupations, customer service occupations, musicians.

The emergent service sector as of 2011 had an average household income of £21,000. It has little savings and is likely to rent. They have a significant number of social contacts, who tend to have moderate social status. The emerging cultural capital is higher for this class than for any other class, indicating a high degree of cultural engagement in youthful musical, sporting and internet activities, but highbrow cultural capital is low. Despite being marginal in terms of its economic capital, its social and cultural capital is high. Emergent service sector workers are relatively young with an average age of 34. Many are ethnic minorities. Few are graduates or come from middle-class families but are culturally engaged with emerging cultural capital. Typical occupations are bar work, chef, customer service occupations and call centre workers. They fill a wide variety of low-paid service sector slots. Some are graduates, some of whom have engaged in work in the arts and humanities at universities such as Goldsmiths, University of York, Birkbeck and SOAS. Many live in inexpensive urban neighborhoods including the centre of London and in university towns such as Aberystwyth or York.

Precariat

The precariat, about 15% of British society, shows poor economic capital, and the lowest scores on every other criterion. Typical occupations include cleaners, van drivers, care workers, carpenters and joiners, caretakers, leisure and travel service occupations, shopkeepers and proprietors, and retail cashiers.

The precariat is the poorest class with an average household income of £8,000, negligible savings, who usually rent. Their social contacts are few and of low status. Interest in either highbrow or emerging cultural capital is low. They often live in old industrial areas but away from large urban areas; Stoke-on-Trent is a typical location. Few have attended university. Precariat is a term used by the British economist Guy Standing who has analysed the precariat as a new emerging social class in work done for the think tank Policy Network and in his subsequent book Precariat: The New Dangerous Class and as a reflection on the existence of a significant group characterised by high amounts of insecurity on all of measures of capital.

Burn The Witch - Radiohead

the video depicts mob rule in a rural community. During the video, an inspector is greeted by a town mayor and invited to see a series of unsettling sights, culminating in the unveiling of a wicker man. The mayor urges the inspector to climb into the wicker man, whereupon he is locked inside as a human sacrifice and the wicker man is set on fire. As the flames gather, the townspeople turn their backs and wave goodbye to the camera. After the song ends, the inspector escapes among the trees.

Plot of the music video focuses on a mysterious village, its inhabitants and strange activities performed there. In the beginning, we see a person in a car approaching the destination, and the gathering of people listening to a eccentrically-dressed man, probably the leader of the community. Then the video presents an inspector, the newcomer from the vehicle, being shown several places in the village by its leader. Activities performed by people there are found quite shocking and surprising by the newcomer, but apart from him everybody seem to act like everything is fine and normal. The video ends with community gathering together, and presentation of huge wooden figure. The inspector is being encouraged to climb the ladder and go into it. When he does, he gets locked up and the colossus is set on fire. The video ends with people waving enthusiastically towards the supposed audience of the video. Fortunately it is revealed that the inspector managed to escape his fate, as we see him getting away through the woods with relief on his face.

The video may be interpreted as a critique of mass media, that create false images and supply their audiences with unreliable and horrific information, contributing to sense of alienation and indifference in the society. It also condemns conformity. It is reflected by both the visuals and the lyrics of the piece.

When the inspector comes out of the car, the leader approaches to greet him and reaches out to greet the newcomer, but his guest ignores the fact and starts writing in his notepad instead. It may represent lack of manners and indifference to human kindness. Colourful settings of the video masks the eerie occurrences happening around, just like in reality we are constantly occupied with many distractions to make us ignore horrible things happening in the world and focus on trivial and unimportant ones. The trip undertaken by the nameless inspector consists of the presentation of a Model Village. The scene is highly ambiguous to the audience. On the one hand, we can see literal model of the very village that the characters of the video explore. On the other hand, it is a metaphor and a lie: although everything looks perfect and people pretend to be nice, in reality there is death and evil. Children swinging on dunking device also symbolise indifference. They ignore the fact that they play on a thing used to hurt people as long as they are having fun.

The final scene in the video starts with the image of the wooden figure packed in red paper and looking a little bit like a present. It is later on revealed what is underneath. This is yet another metaphor of hiding eerie and terrible things and trying to pretend they are actually something pleasant and good.

Political themes
Pitchfork interpreted "Burn the Witch" as a criticism of authority and a warning against groupthink, expressing a "deep sense of dread and skepticism". The Guardian felt it addressed mass surveillance or the threat to open discussion posed by the self-policing users of social media. Pitchfork writer Marc Hogan suggested that the use of the Trumpton Trilogy style in the video, which portrays an idyllic, crime-free rural Britain, reflects the rhetoric of family values used by right-wing politicians such as Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, and members of the UK Independence Party. Animator Virpi Kettu, who worked on the music video, interpreted the song as a comment on the European migrant crisis and scapegoating of Muslims. The visual style of the video was deliberately lighter in tone than the song, as Radiohead "wanted the video to contrast with what they're playing and to wake people up a bit." After the election of US President Donald Trump on 8 November 2016,he video depicts mob rule in a rural community. During the video, an inspector is greeted by a town mayor and invited to see a series of unsettling sights, culminating in the unveiling of a wicker man. The mayor urges the inspector to climb into the wicker man, whereupon he is locked inside as a human sacrifice and the wicker man is set on fire. As the flames gather, the townspeople turn their backs and wave goodbye to the camera. After the song ends, the inspector escapes among the trees.

Pitchfork interpreted "Burn the Witch" as a criticism of authority and a warning against groupthink, expressing a "deep sense of dread and skepticism". The Guardian felt it addressed mass surveillance or the threat to open discussion posed by the self-policing users of social media. Pitchfork writer Marc Hogan suggested that the use of the Trumpton Trilogy style in the video, which portrays an idyllic, crime-free rural Britain, reflects the rhetoric of family values used by right-wing politicians such as Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, and members of the UK Independence Party. Animator Virpi Kettu, who worked on the music video, interpreted the song as a comment on the European migrant crisis and scapegoating of Muslims. The visual style of the video was deliberately lighter in tone than the song, as Radiohead "wanted the video to contrast with what they're playing and to wake people up a bit." After the election of US President Donald Trump on 8 November 2016, Yorke tweeted lyrics from the song and linked to its music video, interpreted as a criticism of Trump's rightwing policies.

The Wicker Man (1973)

The music video takes inspiration from a classic horror movie The Wicker man (1973) which centers on the visit of Police Sergeant Neil Howie to the isolated island of Summerisle, in search of a missing girl. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island have abandoned Christianity and now practice a form of Celtic paganism. Paul Giovanni composed the film score. This therefore creates intertextuality.

The Wicker Man is a 1973 British mystery horror film directed by Robin Hardy. It stars Edward Woodward, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Christopher Lee. The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, inspired by David Pinner's 1967 novel Ritual, centres on the visit of Police Sergeant Neil Howie to the isolated island of Summer isle, in search of a missing girl. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island have abandoned Christianity and now practise a form of Celtic paganism. Paul Giovanni composed the film score.

In “The Wicker Man”, the sergeant was put into the wooden prison by force, but in the music video he is actually encouraged to do so politely, and he does follow the instruction. It is an another attempt to pretend things are normal and nice when they are not. Curiosity killed the cat- the inspector goes inside the wicker man, even if he clearly suspects that something is odd and wrong here. He ultimately escapes, but the price to pay could have been deadly.

The Trumptonshire Trilogy (1966 - 1969)

We can also see adaptations of different forms of intertextuality here, for example: the music video takes inspiration from The Trumptonshire Trilogy (1966 - 1969) Trumpton is a stop-motion children's television series from the producer Gordon Murray. First shown on the BBC from January to March 1967, it was the second series in the Trumptonshire trilogy, which comprised Camberwick Green, Trumpton and Chigley. Trumptonshire was created using stop motion animation and actual 3D scaled down models.

The similarity the music video has with Trumpton casts a juxtaposition because the town appears like the typical sun-urban town with picket fence houses and an everyone knows everyone neighbourhood, however the themes within the music video oppose this. this reminds me of the saying "even killers have neighbours".

In verses in parts of the song: “Abandon all reason”, “Do not react”. “Avoid eye contact” reinforces the idea of not connecting with people, not trying to know them or understand them. crowd mentality is fought against in the lyrics but the music video shows themes of conformity and compliance to avoid the same fate the inspector underwent.

“Burn the Witch” is a song sung by an English rock band Radiohead that was released in 2016 and it is part of the Dawn Chorus album. This song uses stop-motion animation for their video and within it holds a huge amount of intertextuality and cultural references in the time of publishing the video.

As far as intertexuality in the video is concerned, there are several aspects of it, including the climactic final scene with the wooden figure, that reference 1973 film “The Wicker Man“. The main plot of the video is strongly influenced and based on the horror movie. The original work depicted story of a detective, Sergeant Howie, who comes to an island, “Summerisle”, to investigate the disappearance of a girl, Rowan Morrison. He witnesses pagan practices there that utterly shock him as a devout Christian.

The use of intertextuality, postmodern representations in list B videos to transfer the quality of the video itself to the image of the artists, e.g. the interweaving of referencing of The Wicker Man and Trumpton with contemporary issues of xenophobia in the Radiohead video.

At the start of the video, the audience is shown a bird chirping on a tree branch. This connotes to the audience that the song is going to be peaceful and harmless to them however, this idea digresses later as the song continues. After that scene, they are greeted to the inspector on his way to review a town then there was a match cut to the town where the mayor instructs his people to get ready for the inspector and for them to do their jobs. The style of the video is reflected from the Trumptonshire trilogy because of the fact that the video is stop motion and that the models of the characters are very similar. This trilogy was made in the 1960's so there was no such thing as computer-generated animations that are seen in the modern world. If the audience knew what this trilogy is, they will immediately suspect that the music video is going to be calming and peaceful with no conflict (as it is a children’s show) however, again, this idea changes in the next scene of the video. Tom Yorke, Radiohead’s front man, was born in 1968, so he grew up in a world of Trumpton on children’s TV, therefore, it can be argued that he brought this aspect into the music video.

As the first bridge is being sung “This is a low flying panic attack”, the first strange thing is being shown to the audience, with a man marking a red cross on a wooden door. This lyric “Red crosses on wooden doors” is later sung in the video. This is a cultural reference to one of the many medieval practices that are shown in the song, as people during 1665 and 1666 were forced to mark red crosses on their house doors if they had the plague so that people around them to know to not walk near them as it is highly contagious. The next cultural reference is a girl being seesawed into a puddle. This relates to the witch dunking that happened during the 16th and 17th centuries as women are dunked into the river while being strapped onto a chair and if they floated, they were seen as witches. Then, in the next shot, there are people (supposed men) have surrounded a woman that has been tied onto a tree and they’re dancing around her performing a ritual. Furthermore, there is a shot where the mayor brings the inspector to a woman that shows him medieval cuisine which includes a cow that has been made into a pie and its blood dripping from it onto the ground causing a puddle of blood. Last medieval cultural reference is the inspector being shown to a hanging rope in which people are executed by it as a form of punishment. This is shown to the audience that society during the medieval times was very gruesome and horrible however, the fact that the town is showcasing this in a positive limelight, it really gets juxtaposed by the whole set which consists of a clean town with small houses, shops and trees with a clear blue sky and all of these aspects portray positivity.

Additionally, there is an intertextual reference to a movie named “The Wicker Man”. The audience is shown to this idea when the mayor brings the inspector to a garden where many people were picking tomatoes from the branches on the ground. In front of the garden, there are creates labelled “Jobe’s” and some of them were full of fruit whereas some of them were not. This is a reference to the film, where the crates were filled with tomatoes in crates called “Summerisle Fruit” in the Wicker Man. Furthermore, when the second chorus of the song is being sung, they vocalist repeats the title of the song “Burn the Witch” as the inspector crawls into the effigy and the residents of the town burn it by using wood from a “Jobe’s” crate. Permission was granted by the mayor to do so. This is also a reference to the film, in which a detective who went to an island to investigate a disappearance which was full of pagans and they used the detective as a sacrifice which is part of a ritual so that the “Summerisle Fruit” business can keep on succeeding. This idea was given by Lord Summerisle who indoctrinated the pagans into performing the rituals. The differences are that in the song, the inspector voluntarily went into the effigy and he manages to escape it while it was burning whereas the detective was forced to go into the effigy and he, unfortunately, dies in the film. When the effigy was burning, the residents and the mayor waves their hands to the audience, which is intertextual to the trumptonshire trilogy because of its innocence as it is a children’s programme however this shot gets juxtaposed to the fact that they allegedly murdered a man that’s doing his job in a burning statue.

The song was released a month before the EU referendum, in May 2016. It seems to be critiquing some of the propaganda put out by the “Leave” campaign and representing some of the moral panics generated by the media around immigration. For example, there is a poster that displays people from the middle east queuing to enter the UK and the cover line is “Breaking Point The EU has failed us all” insinuating that they will take all jobs, houses etc essentially their race will be overpopulated and will overrun societies. Europe was in the midst of a refugee crisis, Islamophobia continued, and the “Leave ”campaign captured this, therefore, residents in the UK were persuaded to vote for the leave campaign so that it can be prevented. The reason why the design of the characters of the song was identical to the trumptonshire trilogy because in the USA, at the same time as the “Leave” campaign, Trump was campaigning for the presidency. Much of the ideology around his campaign mirrored the messages in the UK as he also wants to keep society traditional therefore refusing immigrants to be allowed into the country.

To conclude, Burn the Witch holds a huge amount of both cultural and intertextual references from the world and other media programs. This song is a direct response to the refugee crisis that happening in the UK and it portrays how they can possibly get executed through the demonstrations that was illustrated in the music video for example getting burned in an effigy, getting witch dumped, possessing the plague or committing suicide by hanging themselves because of the discrimination that they have experienced and Radiohead has managed to do this by referring to different media programs such as Trumpton and The Wicker Man.

Ideologies

Xenophobia - they show a dislike of the inspector as he is an outsider.

Authoritarianism - the villagers show a complete obedience to the mayor and display complete conformety in fear of being prosecuted.

The Band

Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Formed in 1985, the band have been together 32 years. The band consists of Thom Yorke (lead vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards), Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments), Ed O'Brien (guitar, backing vocals), Colin Greenwood (bass), and Phil Selway (drums, percussion, backing vocals). They have worked with producer Nigel Godrich and cover artist Stanley Donwood since 1994.

After signing to EMI in 1991, Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992. The song became a worldwide hit after the release of their debut album, Pablo Honey (1993). Their popularity rose in the United Kingdom with the release of their second album called The Bends (1995). Radiohead's third album, OK Computer (1997), caused them to become famous worldwide. It is noted for its complex production and themes of modern alienation, acclaiming it as a landmark record of the 1990's and one of the best albums in popular music. Their music may be considered as alternative.

The band wanted to raise awareness about Europe’s refugee crisis and the “blaming of different people…the blaming of Muslims and the negativity

This keeps in theme with the ideology of xenophobia; a dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.

The use of messages and viewpoints in the videos that aim to bolster the image of the artist and chime with those of positioned audience, e.g. the representation of a dark undercurrent beneath the apparent cohesion of a tight-knit community contributes to the image of Radiohead and their fans as politcally committed, knowing and pessimistic.

For more context i looked at the new that was circulating at the time and the issues in the news was Theresa May was campaigning to become Priminister, Tump was running to be President, celebrities died such as Prince, Alan Rickman, Terry Wogan and George Michel. There was the attack on Brussels, the queen tuned 90 and the zika outbreak hit 75 countries.

A Moon Shaped Pool is Radiohead's ninth studio album, released digitally on 8 May 2016. Radiohead recorded A Moon Shaped Pool in southern France with their producer Nigel Godrich. Many of the songs featured on the album were written years earlier, for example "True Love Waits" dates to at least 1995, "Burn the Witch" to 2000 and "Present Tense" to 2008. The album features strings and choral vocals arranged by Jonny Greenwood and performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Radiohead promoted A Moon Shaped Pool a week before its release with the singles "Burn the Witch" and "Daydreaming", both accompanied by music videos. A Moon Shaped Pool has been described as an art rock album. It combines electronic elements such as drum machines and synthesisers with acoustic timbres such as guitar, piano, and Greenwood's string and choral arrangements.

Radiohead Burn The Witch Lyrics

Stay in the shadows
Cheer at the gallows
This is a roundup
This is a low flying panic attack
Sing the song on the jukebox that goes

Burn the witch
Burn the witch
We know where you live

Red crosses on wooden doors
If you float you’ll burn
Loose tongue around tables
Abandon all reason

Avoid all eye contact
Do no react
Shoot the messengers
This is a low flying panic attack
Sing a song of sixpence that goes

Burn the witch
Burn the witch
We know where you live
We know where you live

“Stay in the shadows” – may be considered as an order not to criticise what you see, but keep quiet and politely accept what is going on in the world you live in. The general message of the lyric is: do not think. It is also reflected in another verses in later parts of the song: “Abandon all reason”, “Do not react”. “Avoid eye contact” is another example of that, along with reinforcing idea of not connecting with people, not trying to know them or understand them. While “shadows” are often associated with unsavoury activities, the authority figure that lends its voice to the song actually wishes its subjects to remain anonymous, to steer clear of any potentially revolutionary limelight. It also prefers them to be unenlightened, trapped in Plato’s cave and staring at shadows on walls instead of seeing the “light.“ Meanwhile, it urges the people to cheer on the punishment of disobedient peers who have been "rounded up,” thereby ensuring conformity.

“Cheer at the gallows” – refers to device used to hang people and it has its visual representation in the video, when the inspector sees a device nicely dressed in flowers only to find out it is actually a gallow.

“Low Flying Panic Attack” – a term coined from two others: “low flying attack” and “panic attack”, the first being connected to military operation and the latter as a certain mental state. Seems to be a reference to the popular saying: “Flying under the radar”, meaning “untraceable” or “invisible”. The people are severely panicking (so much that it is a “panic attack”) but they don’t even know it.Low-flying attacks were historically carried out by bombers, flying low to avoid radar. This is a play on words; instead of a bombing attack it’s a a panic attack, one that the sufferer is not aware of until it’s upon him. Could refer to use of drones by law enforcement, and/or technologies sometimes believed to induce panic in the subject without their being aware of the source, such as infra sound/ultrasound and microwave radiation, used for crowd control. This is more conspiracy theory than fact, but still, it’d certainly fit into the theme of enforced conformity.

“Loose talk around tables” – a reference to “Loose lips sink ships”. It originated as a propaganda slogan in World War II and encouraged people to be careful with what they say, as the information may be used by the enemy.

These two verses may be seen as a war and violence critique.

"Sing a song on the jukebox that goes" – The authority figure popularises the act of burning, such that it becomes something like a song on a jukebox that viscerally unites the people against the witch, directing attention away from the regime. The use of “jukebox,” a relatively modern invention, contrasts sharply with the 18th century “song of sixpence,” insinuating that the beast of fear-mongering and scapegoating has lasted and will last throughout the ages.
Additionally, while a jukebox offers users options, those options are limited by the person who owns the jukebox. It gives the user the “illusion” of choice.

"Burn the witch"– A witch-hunt historically meant “a search for and subsequent persecution of a supposed witch”; Thom Yorke has used related imagery on songs like “Up On The Ladder” and “Cut-Tooth.” Yet the definition of “witch-hunt” has expanded in modern times: it now can mean “a campaign directed against a person or group holding unorthodox or unpopular views.”

This proves particularly salient here, as the speaker appears to be an authority figure forcing the people to turn on a dissident. It provokes this violence by reminding its subjects of their vulnerable and subservient state (“We know where you live”); if they fail to obey, they may come into danger. By “burning” insubordinate citizens, the authority figure deters any rebellious thoughts and ensures that its people will continue leading calm, unremarkable lives.

“Burn the Witch” talks about discrimination in our society making a parallel with the witch-hunts that used to happen in early ages. Shawn James sings by the perspective of a person considered by the Estate as a witch, but it’s a false accusation. The metaphor can be seen on “What they don’t understand, they condemn” and “What they can’t comprehend must meet its end” as some people tend to discriminate what they don’t want to see as they don’t understand.

Red crosses on wooden doors – Dating back to the 17th century, a red or black cross was painted on the front of a door to signify that the resident had been afflicted by a plague, and served as a warning to others. Lyrically, this imagery adds to the song’s overall description of the actions of a society being driven by superstition and paranoia:
anyone deemed “sick” is marked by a plague cross, and anyone suspected of witchcraft is burned

Throughout the video are crates of tomatoes, a reference to the empty crates of Summerisle Fruit in The Wicker Man. Here, those crates are full to bursting and are plastered with “Jobe’s”. One of these is also used to light the effigy at the end of the clip. someone has pointed out a possible connection to a company that makes organic fertiliser for tomatoes. That might explain why the fruit has grown in this version of the Wicker Man tale but it’s a bit of a stretch.

Another reaction has been the comparison to Job, the pious man punished by god as a test in various Abrahamic religions but as may be obvious, that isn’t spelt Jobe.

Narrative Theory

Narrative theory is currently enjoying a major burgeoning of interest in North America and throughout the world, with especially strong activity in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, Scandinavia, Belgium, Israel, and China. Narrative theory starts from the assumption that narrative is a basic human strategy for coming to terms with fundamental elements of our experience, such as time, process, and change, and it proceeds from this assumption to study the distinctive nature of narrative and its various structures, elements, uses, and effects.

More specifically, narrative theorists study what is distinctive about narrative (how it is different from other kinds of discourse, such as lyric poems, arguments, lists, descriptions, statistical analyses, and so on), and how accounts of what happened to particular people in particular circumstances with particular consequences can be at once so common and so powerful. Thus a key concern is whether narrative as a way of thinking about or explaining human experience contrasts with scientific modes of explanation that characterise phenomena as instances of general covering laws. Narrative theorists, in short, study how stories help people make sense of the world, while also studying how people make sense of stories.

To this end, narrative theorists draw not only on literary studies but also on ideas from such fields as rhetoric, (socio)linguistics, philosophical ethics, cognitive science (including cognitive and social psychology), folklore, and gender theory to explore how narratives work both as kinds of texts and as strategies for navigating experience. Narratives of all kinds are relevant to the field: literary fictions and nonfiction's, film narratives, comics and graphic novels, hypertext's and other computer-mediated narratives, oral narratives occurring during the give and take of everyday conversation, as well as narratives told in courtrooms, doctors' offices, business conference rooms—indeed, anywhere. Because of the pervasiveness of narrative in our culture and the diversity of the texts, media, and communicative situations narrative theory examines, narrative theory constitutes an exciting new frontier of English Studies, one that promises to bring English Department faculty and students into closer contact with their counterparts in a variety of social-scientific, humanistic, and other disciplines.