Music video structure

1. Music Video – Analysis of Structure
0:05 - During the short instrumental, there is a quick
panning shot of the empire state building, establishing
where the video is set.
The Fray -You Found Me Lyrics 0:05 – 0:30 – As soon as the verbal part of the song starts,
there is a close up of the singer, miming the words to the song.
[Instrumental] There are also more panning shots of the city, a panning shot of
the rest of the band, standing but not playing their instruments
I found God on the corner of 1st and Amistad and a close up of the singer playing the piano.
Where the West was all but won All alone, smoking his last
0:30 – 0:56 – The tempo increases and now all band members play their
cigarette I said, "Where you been?" He said, "Ask anything"
instruments. There are more shots of the other band members as the
song has now kicked in. A young boy is seen looking up at the building,
Where were you when everything was falling where a man is standing at the top. This could be one of the band
apart? All my days were spent by the telephone members. Bird’s eye view of the boy, which could suggest the man on
that never rang and all I needed was a call that top of the building, is looking down on him. This could be the start of a
never came To the corner of 1st and Amistad narrative.
0:56 – 1:27 – A whole change of scene. We see someone on the
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me floor, who looked like they had fallen. An ambulance takes her
Lying on the floor surrounded, surrounded away whilst a crowd watches. As this is the chorus, there are more
Why’d you have to wait? Where were you? shots and close ups of the band playing their instruments and of
Where were you? Just a little late, you found the singer, miming the words. The words of the song such as ‘lying
me, you found me on the floor, surrounded’, could relate to the woman as this is
what is happening on screen.
But in the end everyone ends up alone Losing 1:27 – 1:53 – The tempo of the song decreases and we now see
her, the only one who's ever known Who I am, the band members on a train. There are also quick shots of them
who I'm not and who I wanna be No way to playing on the bridge and also have the artist singing. There is a
know how long she will be next to me close up of the man whom was standing on the building, and we
now realize it is the main singer of the band. There is a bird’s eye
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me view of the women getting carried into the ambulance, as if he
Lying on the floor surrounded, surrounded was watching her.
Why’d you have to wait? Where were you? 1:53 – 2:24 – The chorus comes on again, and there is a mid-shot
Where were you? Just a little late, you found of the band playing again. We then see a mid-shot of all four-band
me, you found me! members standing on a building. There is then a bird’s eye view of
the whole city, which could represent the band looking over the
The early morning, the city break And I've been calling for The video goes back to the ambulance scene, showing close
city.
years and years ups of people who are ‘surrounding’ the woman, again referring
back to the lyrics.
and years and years And you never left me no messages You
never sent me no letters You got some kind of nerve taking all – The sky changes to daylight – referring back to
2:24-2:57
I want! lyrics. The band gets off the train and are all wearing black,
which could represent sadness or death. There is a close up of
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me the main artist singing. The viewers can now get the idea that
Lying on the floor, where were you? Where there was a relationship between the woman and the main
artist.
were you?
2:57:3:10 – Tempo slows down, and now there is only a
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me panning shot of the main singer, of him playing the piano.
Lying on the floor surrounded, surrounded
Why’d you have to wait? Where were you?
3:10-3:59 – The chorus comes on for the last time, shots of the band
Where were you? Just a little late, you found playing. The band is sitting on a train when little objects start to float. The
me, you found me! Why'd you have to wait to little boy in the beginning of the video and his mum also rise up into mid-
find me, to find me? air. We sit a shot of the main singer in the hospital with the girl and there
is an extreme close up of one of her eyes opening. It then finishes with a
close up of the main singer, miming the lyrics, looking into the camera.