Mallory Knox- Beggars Analysis

Mallory Knox: Beggars music video is an amplification music video that follows a narrative of a beggar running away from a gang who is unknowingly trying to protect him. It is a circular narrative that begins with the beggar crouched on the floor and loosing his blanket when he gets up, and it concluded with the beggar crouched on the floor in an underpass and Mallory Knox returning the blanket to him. For the most part the video is linear and chronological, however there are cuts to the band performing in the underpass, which disrupts the continuity of the narrative and breaks up the timeline. The music video follows Todorov's theory of narrative, firstly starting with an equilibrium. Mallory Knox are walking along the pier and the beggar is crouched against the fence with his blanket. A disruption then ensues as the beggar begins to run from Mallory Knox and loses his blanket. The realisation of the issue occurs when the beggar is attacked by the gang and Mallory Knox scares them off before chasing the beggar. There is a restoration of order when Mallory Knox catch up to the beggar and return the blanket to him, this then returns the narrative to the previous state of equilibrium. By using Todorov's theory of narrative the video follows a conventional plot line that the audience can easily understand.

Sound (Music)

The music that Mallory Knox produce is of the rock/alternative genre which includes elements such as rock guitars, heavy drums and coarse vocals. The lyrics of Mallory Knox's songs generally have deeper meaning than the average song, this is typical of the rock/alternative genre which tends to focus on more emotional subjects such as depression, death and anger. The music itself is very fast paced with a consistent and loud beat, this is another defining area of the rock/alternative genre.

Mise-en-scene (CLAMPS)

The mise-en-scene in this video has direct intertextual links to "Clockwork Orange" which is a 1971 crime film. The costume that Mallory Knox is wearing, the all white trousers, shirts, shoes and the black hats is exactly the same costume that is worn in "Clockwork Orange". In this shot the members of Mallory Knox don't have bats which diverts from the intertexuality. The location that Mallory Knox have used is almost identical to that of "Clockwork Orange" which shows a dilapidated pier in what appears to be rough area of town. The lighting is quite dim and murky, which adheres to the typical dark and mysterious theme of the rock genre. The mixture of the dark lighting and distressed location makes the whole scene look edgy and unnerving. The band are standing behind a frontman, the lead singer as if he was a leader of a grad and they are following him. It's clearly a hierarchy system in place and is designed around the narrative to suggest gang culture. The band are wearing little to no make up and their hair is as they would normally wear it, the only thing that is visible is some dirt on their faces and clothes, this has probably been done so that they look more edgy.

Editing

Editing in this music video is extremely simple, and the only type of editing that has been used is invisible, with the exception of a small montage that is displayed when the beggar stands up. Most of the shots, including the montage are synchronised to the best, cutting when the music does. This helps to make the editing more seamless and integrates the narrative into the music better.

Camerawork

Camerawork in this video comprises mainly of mid shots and close up shots. The angles are generally at eye level but there are a few low angles and high angles when looking at Mallory Knox and the beggar. Close ups have been used so that the audience can see the band in more detail and see the emotion on the singer's face. This allows the audience to connect with the band and music on a more personal level.