Analysing Beyoncé - Halo Video .. R&B Ballad

Today I am going to be analysing my second music video. Beyonce - Halo. This song is from the album 'I AM Sasha Fierce' which was released in 2008. The lyrics to Halo by Beyonce explain how much of an impact a man has made on her life. She has been hurt by being in love before, and she has built up walls around her and made up rules to prevent her from experiencing pain again. However she met a person that quickly broke down the walls and let himself in, and she is realising that she needed to protect herself from letting the wrong man in. The right person would not cause her much pain. This man is her 'saving Grace', and she is referring to him as her Angel. She is able to feel his presence by his 'Halo', and she is hoping that he is not too good to be true. He is allowed her to break free from her own insecurities and she now knows that her life will defy even gravity. He has given a new chance at life, and she 'feels like I've been awakened', and she is willing to take the risk of never shutting him out. The light from his 'Halo' follows her, and everywhere she is, she is 'surrounded by' his 'embrace'
The video contains many elements of performances with a base of narrative. Love.
There are many factors that hint to the audience what genre the music belongs to. We as the audience can gather that 'Halo' by Beyonce is an R&B song, this is due to the slow paced rhythm  and yet the visuals of the video, fade very frequently into one an other, we can identify this as an projection of soulful atmosphere. These characteristics minimally supports genres like rock, pop, rap etc...

The music video was directed by Philip Andelman.





In this music video, Beyonce's image, gives an impression of an innocent and vulnerable young woman. The image of innocence is achieved with high key lighting, accompanied with her white garment, also the natural make up. Her hair is also tied back, revealing her neck, which also emphasises her vulnerability in the video. More over the high key lighting can also be used to represent the 'Halo' emerging from the innocence of the new entrant into her life, this is a connection between the lyrics and the video, she sings 'I'm surrounded by your embrace'. The visual effects, creates an Angelic scene to represent the innocence of the man, and Beyonce.
Beyonce has a wide fan base ranging from as young as 2 to 89years old both males and females. However I believe that this particular music video mainly aims to target young women (including teenagers) who have suffered broken hearts, and are afraid of allowing men into their lives. Beyonce is trying to share her real life situation in love to this particular audience (women). I believe that she successfully achieves this with the lyrics, and her changing moods (sad to happy) throughout the video suggesting that there is hope for all.
We are presented frequently with close up shots of Beyonce, this successfully captures her grace and elegance. This aspect of the video allows the audience to connect, relate and build a 'close' relationship with Beyonce, as they build up her positive celebrity image. Also there are various close ups used to present the man, accompanied by bright positive light, 'I've got my angel now' implies she 'Halo' reassures her that she has found the right man; the audience can now gather that there is a connection between the lyrics of the song and the video.

In this close up shot the closeness of Beyonce and the actor (man) suggests suggests a close and intimate relationship between the both of them, the depth of field, allows the audience to focus intensively on them both

There is a man standing in the foreground looking down on Beyonce from a window and there is natural light coming from the window behind Beyonce. The lighting is yet dull this suggests  when the 'man' is not close to her, she feels like she is in 'darkness' she is addicted to his light. Which is suggested in the lyrics of the song



To conclude the entire atmosphere in the music video is very calm, soulful, and brings about hope. The video closely focuses entirely on Beyonce, and additionally her partner, they were the only 2 features throughout the entire video, which implies the importance of the actor and the Beyonce, and it also has a direct connection with the song 'Halo' .

Theories:
Godwin's points out the artist mode of address. Beyonce's song Halo can be seen as a story whilst Beyonce is the storyteller in the video making the video a two communication device; Beyonce telling us the story and us listening. Moreover Beyonce is acting as the narrator and her 'partner' helps to increase the authenticity, however lip sync and other mimed actions remains the heart of the music video. It helps increase realism to the audience.
Beyonce is dressed quite sexy and revealing, for example where she is in her black leotard suit, according to Andrew Godwin this is a voyeuristic treatment of the female body, towards the male audience.

Forms and conventions of R&B Video
I have watched various R&B music videos, and mentally assessed the forms and conventions.
These are the conventions I have gathered
- It is either Performance based OR Telling a story from past experience in the video
- Closely focuses on the physical appearance of the artists or the relationship between the artists and others
- Big focus on flaunting the artists material possessions such as expensive jewellery or designer clothes etc....
- Mainly consists of African Americans (as they are the founders of the genre)
- Some sort of dancing
(The ones in pink are the conventions Beyonce has followed)

I do believe that Beyonce has followed the usual conventions of a 'typical' r&b music video, however she rejected some conventions, such as ' Flaunting material possessions'.