Case Study 3: Chris Brown ft. Keri Hilson - Superhuman

Artist: Chris Brown & Keri Hilson
Producer: Unknown
Date Released (On youtube): 25/10/09

This music video is about how two people (Chris Brown and Keri Hilson) were feeling very low and weak before they met each other. There is an unclear reason as to why but it leaves the audience guessing through the lyrics. Once they'd met however, they're lives completely changed and they both felt much stronger, much like a superhuman.

This video is narrative and conceptual based. This is because the music video matches the lyrics in the song, creating a story. Also, the concept behind it is that love makes you stronger and makes you feel as though you have super powers. This concept is expressed throughout both the song and the video.

Right at the start of the video, there is a high angled shot which sets the scene, showing the audience where they are based. There are tall buildings around suggesting it is in the city. It then cuts to a wide shot of Chris walking down the street lip syncing, cutting back and forth from a close up to a wide shot. This is done to further help set the scene as he walks down the street. This is done to suggest that he lives a normal life, walking down the street like any other person. It then cuts to Keri also walking down the street lip syncing, as she entices the audience with her seductiveness by wearing a low cut top and lipgloss.

There is a part in the video where there is a close up on Chris's shoes, walking through paper blowing in the wind. It then cuts and you see the same thing, except you see Keri's leather heels. This suggests that they're in the same place at the same time, prompting the audience that they're going to meet at any point. You then see a medium shot of them both bumping into each other at which point, Keri drops her phone. There is an extreme close up on the phone hitting the ground. This emphasises the phone, which is the cause of both of them meeting.

There is a cut where Chris is on top of some sort of platform dancing with a distinct blue light above him. It then cuts to show Keri on a balcony wearing a tight fitted leather dress, again looking seductive. It then cuts back to Chris where a special effect is used to show he has some sort of magical powers as you see a gush of power come from behind him as he bends down. This relates to the song title and lyrics - 'superhuman'. It then cuts back to when Chris and Keri are together and he saves her from a car hitting her. This further plays on the word 'superhuman', suggesting now that Chris has developed some sort of magical power, he is like a hero who can save her. As he picks her up and spins her, it is done in slow motion, emphasising to the audience that he is saving her, as well as slowing down the speed of things to further exaggerate how fast it all was happening.

Special effects are further used to show the car go on fire as it turns over. There is a wide shot of them both meeting in a dark lit scene where the car is in flames behind them. The car symbolises the love that they have gained for each other, as close up shots further show the intimacy between them both, whilst singing to each other. The dark lighting makes them shadow, highlighting the car on fire in the back. There are cuts showing extreme close ups of them as well as long shots.

As the song ends, there is a panoramic shot of them both staring at each other and singing, that slowly fades them out to the music.

The target audience age group would be around 16 - 24 for this song.

From this video, I have had an insight into how special effects are used and can be used effectively, as well as different camera angles and editing techniques to create contrast between each shot.