TEXTUAL ANALYSIS -COLDPLAY-THE SCIENTIST
DIRECTOR-Jamie Thraves
RELEASE DATE-2002
CONCEPT BASED and NARRATIVE BASED MUSIC VIDEO


The scientist by Coldplay is a concept based music video as it is played backwards. By going back in time we find out that the narrative of the story is about a character (lead singer in Coldplay, Chris Martin) in the music video was in a car accident that killed the girl in the passenger seat (possibly girlfriend or friend) who ends up dead on the floor of a forest.
The music video begins with an Extreme Close Up of a face (Chris Martin) and becomes a pulling out shot. From this it dissolves into a High Angle, Medium Shot of him on a matress on the street to a Long Shot of that. Whilst this technique is happening he says 'Tell you I'm Sorry, You don't know how are lovely you are' which creates the mood of being upset and him thinking about something which informs the audience that he has done something bad to someone which we might find out as the music video progresses. The use of a High Angle shot connotes his vunerability and weakness; possibly his lack of control over the situation he is in.
The mise-en-scene within the beginning gives us different messages. It is obvious that Chris Martin is an ordinary guy. This is evident through his costume as he wears a simple long sleeve white top and black trousers. There is natural lighting used outside aswell which creates realism. The use of the matress (prop) informs us abit more about Chris Martin. The fact that he is lying on a matress in the street connotes that he is not thinking properly or he is depressed. This is further reinforced when there is a Long Shot of him on the matress which dissolves to a Medium Close Up tracking shot that pulls out allowing us to see the location more clearly. There is graffiti on the brownish cream buildings and they 'run down' which in itself looks depressing and reflects Chris Martin's state of mind.
From this it cuts to an Extreme Close up of Chris Martin. There is a guy in the background riding a BMX bike that goes backwards. This conforms that the video is played on rewind and also informs us about the location; as it may be near or a skate park. During this shot Chris Martin is position to the left of the frame with is arm crossed over on the other. This connotes his lack of significance (maybe he feels he isn't important) through his position in the frame and his posture signifies him being troubled and sorrowful. From this it cuts to a Low Angle, Medium 360 degree Pan (panorama) shot; starting from behind Chris Martin. The use of the 360 Pan Shot shows his mindstate; probably confusion about the situation that he was pondering about earlier. There is a cut to a Medium Shot of A boy on a BMX bike which connotes the area he is in; either near or in a skate park.
From this there are more scenes that conforms to the audience that the music video is played backwards. For instance when there is a Long Shot of him jumping over a brick wall to a dissolve of him walking down the street.
As he walks down the street it dissolves to an Extreme Long Shot of him jumping over a little wall and going in a tunnel. As he does this he says 'Take me back to the start' which tells the audeince that we will soon find out what happened.
From this it cuts to a Medium Shot of men playing basketball which he walks through. This scene shows other people having fun which contrasts Chris Martin's mood and advises us that the situation that happened mainly effects him rather than effecting many therefore elimating possible incidents that the we (audience) could have thought had happened. For example, a fire or robbery.
Chris Martin continues to walk down the street and then it cuts to a Medium Close of him in front of train tracks then he walks across them. In the background, there is lots of trees and there are grey clouds in the sky reflecting his mood. The fact that he is by himself shows he is lonely and walking on the track tracks shows that the situation has effected his thinking and he is withdrawn as it is a dangerous thing to do. Later there is an Extreme Close-Up of his feet walking on the train tracks confirming he is actually walking on it.
It fades out from a Medium Close Up of Chris Martin walking through the train tracks to a fade in of an Extreme Long Shot of forestry. This is used to show a new location and new part of the story. Within the forest he puts on a jacket and he continues walking. It eventually goes to a Medium Close Up of Chris Martin walking backwards and we can make out a body lying on the floor in the background. At this point different suggestions come to mind which gratifies the audience as they start to guess what had happened. Then it cuts to a Medium Shot of the girl on the floor which confirms that she is dead. It then cuts and he gradually gets into the car saying that he is 'going back to the start' which tells us that we are about to find out what happened which satisifies audiences. There is a Extreme Long Shot of the car tumbling up the hill and then a Medium Shot of the front of the cae reversing into the road with the wood fence mending which shows that they had skidded of the road which caused the girl to die. As it continues to reverse down the road there is a Close Up Point of View Shot Chris Martin driving. This allows audeinces to be in his perspective while he was driving. During the car ride, he has conversations with the girl and he smiles which signifies that he was happy before and the incident altered his mood; until then he was happy.
The music video ends with a fade out.
This video uses different techniques to gratify audiences. The fact that it uses different editing techniques like dissolves and fades besides just using the usual straight cuts retains the audiences interest. The music still subtly conforms to conventions of the rock as there is abit of performance when Chris Martin is walking down the street singing which gratify audiences through familarity. I feel that audiences who watch this music video are gratified through the diversion theory. This is where audiences are provided with a form of escapism from their own lives whilst thinking about others through what is portrayed in the media text. The fact that this music video has such a tragic storyline it makes audiences put their own problems into perspective and maybe feel that at least their life isn't as bad as the character in the music video.
In conclusion, after analysing this music video I feel it is successful in promoting emotion and the diversion theory. The combination of both concept and narrative work well in this music video and make it that more interesting especially as it isn't common.