Research: Music video (Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa - One Kiss) and Codes and Conventions

One Kiss
https://youtu.be/DkeiKbqa02g

The video firstly starts with a VHS cam recorder style of video, flickering to different landscape textures such as the sky, sand and palm trees. It then cuts to two quick shots of Dua and Calvin with very bright backgrounds. This sets the tone of the visual style relating the dance genre music to 80s synth-style music videos. There is then a medium length shot of Dua Lipa wearing a long blue modern dress which suits her start image, she is in front of a green screen which breaks the fourth wall for the audience as we can now tell all the imagery going forward is fake. The green screen then turns into the inputted background as the camera zooms into her face as the music starts.

The video then cuts to Dua Lipa dancing in highly fashionable outfits that change with the scenery. The whole look of the music video is supposed to make the audience feel like they are on holiday or somewhere relaxing in the sun with all the tropical colours and sunsets implying this throughout the video. There are lots of shots used here too to make it interesting for the audience to watch the video including medium length, long, birdseye, and close up shots.

Dua then sings into the camera with this noticeable studio background set up which instantly adds a vintage look to the video. This convention is done with long and medium close up shots to include the background dancers as well as to promote Dua Lipa's star image. The lighting is very high in contrast, however, this isn't a bad thing as it accentuates the vintage atmosphere of the video. 

The background image then moves to further add a 'fake' atmosphere as well as to create interesting visual effects that could be considered dream-like. 

There are then lots of layering shots of the different 'locations' which add to the dramatic dream-like style. The layering also helps as a transition to the next location and allows the video to flow in a semi-natural way. The dancers also are a big convention of dance genre music videos and help to familiarise the audience with the genre. Their clothes are again very reminiscent of the 80s which again add to the vintage style. 

Calvin Harris only wears one outfit in the entire video compared to Dua Lipa as he is the behind the scenes DJ who doesn't have such a big star image as Dua Lipa. His tuxedo also implies that he is a butler serving Dua Lipa a drink in a holiday destination suggesting that Dua Lipa is the star of the music video and that he doesn't want to take any of the limelight away from her. However, this is contrasted nicely with how Dua Lipa is dressed in a suit further suggesting that she feels that they are both equals and that this song and music video was as much his doing as hers. The hotel poolside location also links into the imagery of a holiday destination for the audience so when they listen to this song they think of summer.

The video then ends the way it started with the background cutting to the green screen behind Dua Lipa as the camera pans down to the camera mans feet. This is a very nice way to end the dream-like visuals pulling the audience back into reality. This could imply how they want the audience to feel when they listen to the song as when they listen to it they are transported to an unreal holiday destination and as the song ends they are pulled back into reality.