TB: Technical analysis

This is a shot by shot analysis of the music video for the song 'Breezeblocks' by Alt-J. It shows the length of each shot, the type of shot and what is going on in th mise-en-scene during the shot.

Shot length	Type of shot	Mise-en-scene
1.       0-7 seconds	Mid shot	Features a woman, dead in a bath held down by a breezeblock. The lighting is dim which creates a sinister atmosphere. There is a slow zoom.
2.       7-12 seconds	Medium close-up.	A slow zoom in towards a man with his hands on his head in despair.
3.       12-13 seconds	Close-up	The shot shows the man’s ring to show that he is married as this important to the narrative.
4.       13-16 seconds	Close-up	Close-up of a running tap. It is the first indication that the video is in reverse.
5.       24-26 seconds	Mid shot	The woman is in the bath, the water is moving violently. It reflects the melody as the music becomes more dramatic and fast paced.
6.       29-32 seconds	Mid shot	Again like every shot so far, there is a slow paced zoom throughout the shot. It shows the first sign of a struggle between the man and the woman in the bath and shows that he killed her.
7.       35-44 seconds	Mid shot	Shows the reverse struggle that goes on through the hall. The colour is saturated which makes it feel intense and sinister. It is hard to see in detail and there are several objects in the way which gives the viewer a sense of claustrophobia.
8.       52-1.02	Close-up	The music reflects the visuals as there is a view of a blank white wall as the music almost completely stops and slows down.
9.       1.10-1.15	Medium close-up	This is the shot that shows where the man got the breeze block from.
10.   1.17-1.20	Mid shot	White wall, grey light. A bottle being smashed but in reverse so bottle reconnecting together.
11.   1.21-1.23	Close-up	Close up of the same shot, the camera stays on the wall for a split-second after the bottle has gone out of shot.
12.   1.36-1.43	Medium close-up	Woman’s leg as she climbs out of the bed in reverse.
13.   1.43-1.55	Medium close-up	Lots of action and movement. The couple fighting. Heavy use of shadow. Visuals reflect melody at 1.53 when the man places his head on ground.
14.   1.56-1.58	Mid shot	Strange backward non-verbal language. Striking and balletic.
15.   2.07-2.08	Close-up	Two plastic cups, simple and clear, in juxtaposition with the action of the struggle.

16.   2.16-2.17	Close-up	Books/magazines falling off bookshelf. Dark, use of shadow.
17.   2.20-2.23	close-up	Women’s face. New character looks very distressed and possibly angry.
18.   2.23-2.25	Close-up	Shows just a knife on a table. It moves at the end of the shot.
19.   2.29-2.31	Close-up	Same framing of the knife but it moves more violently and flies into the air.
20.   2.42-2.47	Medium close-up	Shows the man crouching down to women in closet. There is a focus pull between the knife in the woman’s hand then to man’s face.