Emeli Sande Heaven (2011)

Meaning: someone is trying hard to be good to go to heaven but they just keep making the wrong choices/decisions. 


Techniques

Mise en scene
  • High and low key lighting- close up of her face- 2 sides to her- good and bad, 2 sides to life- rich and poor etc. Red lighting on the girls face suggests she is either in love or in a dangerous situation- as this is about making mistakes it is more likely to be the latter. High key lighting - bright sun when she is outside dras attention to her (typical of mainstream to focus on artist).
  • Colours- black clothing, white hair- mix of emotions which are opposite, good and bad. Dull, bleak colours- not really any bright colours- could show life on the streets, poverty. Woman in a red dress contrast to dull colours of people in poverty- possibly rich. 
  • Proxemics- off the left side of the frame- she is not the centre of attention- it is about the other people too. Religious cross necklace hanging in the middle- central theme/idea- linked to lyrics 'Heaven'. Poor people in the middle of the frame- poverty is an important issue.
  • Costume/hair/makeup- glamorous makeup of Emeli- contrast to no makeup of the people in poverty. Black dress- doesn't want to stand out- everybody is human- not special compared to others- shouldn't be treated differently.
  • Facial expressions and body language- hands out- asking for help but also portrays strength and power. Celebrating survival- man smiles. Looking up to heaven- praying for help from God in difficult situations. 
  • Setting and props- religious imagery- black wings painted on wall and back- angel- mary statue, cross necklace. Streets- show poverty.

Camerawork 
  • Shots- close up on her face e.g. right at the beginning when she is singing- what she is saying is important, people need to be heard. Establishing shot of man sitting in the street- homeless- see the conditions he is in- evoke emotions. Close up of the cross shows religious importance in the narrative/performance and reflects the title of the song. Close upland extreme close ups of the people in poverty- problem cannot be ignored. Extreme close up on her eyes and lips- significant lyrics- looking at and talking to the audience. Over the shoulder shot of the man in hoody walking in a dark street (silhouette) from behind Emeli- need to rally behind her, see what she is seeing or we are hiding behind others. Establishing shots of the setting- feel as if we are there seeing everything.
  • Movement- handheld- shaky- make it feel more realistic like anyone could be filming and seeing this- could feel shaky just looking at it- could also reflect how the person in the lyrics is feeling as they constantly keep making the wrong choices. Tracking up her body from the praying clasped hands to her face- link between her and heaven- that is where she wants to go- could be a religious necklace that we see in this movement (this happens twice).
  • Angles- low angles of her when she is singing- represent the power of a voice and speaking about your problems. High angle of the girl walking down the stairs in a red dress- start and end (cyclical)- weakness, vulnerable- could be the person that the lyrics are about. Canted angle of Emeli's face (if she is representing the person in the lyrics) suggests instability of the person- how they are struggling to be good. High angles of different children- vulnerability in poverty and street life. Low angle of the sky- power of God and heaven. 

Editing 
  • Fast paced cuts when she sings 'Then I'm Gone' makes it more dramatic and intense- shows how significant it is to make a mistake. 
  • Montage of different situations- shows how many people are affected by poverty or feel the way that the person in the lyrics does.
  • Match on action of singing in different locations- message needs to be spread everywhere or people are affected all over the place.
  • Cuts from a girl in a white dress- short shot duration- reflects how quickly the innocence, good and purity goes away for this person, they make mistakes and it all disappears.

Intertextuality
  • Background of the homeless, elderly ad urban city in Massive Attack's Unfinished Sympathy and singing in the street by the female artists.

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