What immediately stands out from this music video, is the support of the theory from Pop music theorist Andrew Goodwin's book Dancing in the Distraction Factory, of song lyrics creating a sense of subject matter. In this case, the lyrics, and title of the song, 'Paint Your Target'. provide the inspiration for the narrative in the video, children pretending to shoot each other in a school play ground, so 'painting' each other as 'targets'. This is also one of the reasons I chose to analyse this music video.
It is shot very simply, with two main focuses. The band performing, and the children playing. However, they have cleverly added bullet effects and explosions with special effects. This is very simple, but transforms the video entirely. It is extremely clever, and a fascinating and original idea, and I think this supports Keith Negus' theory of organic ideology. This is because Fightstar are a band who have had there entire style and image not changed, or created, but nurtured by the record company, into something new, and original, and their raw musical talent is used to sell their records. The simple, but original and interesting video reflects this originality and individuality of the band, but because the video is not the dominant factor, it still allows the band to showcase that their appeal comes across not in their image, but dominantly through their music.
The performance of the band in the video is an example of Dyer's theory of stardom. The bands performance showcases their talent, something which Dyer states as a common value of music stardom. This is because their talent becomes a desirable quality that is attractive of the band. The same can be said for the aggression that the band display in their performance. For some audiences, Dyer sees this aggression as a value of music stardom, as it provides character and stage presence, and the fury in which lead singer Charlie scream, sings, and thrashes his guitar about, demonstrates this immensely.
Dyers paradoxes that the star(s) must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary and simultaneously absent but present are also both present in the video. The lighting seems to cast a god like, halo type outline around the band at points creating the extraordinary image of them, but they wear such normal clothes, and are in such a normal location, a school, that that ordinary image is still present. The band are also quite obviously present in the video, but at the same time, seem absent, as the children pay them no notice as they play around them.
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