https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlh-dzB2U4Y&list=PLFgquLnL59alCl_2TQvOiD5Vgm1hCaGSI&index=7
Loyalty music video by Kendrick Lamar ft. Rihanna
This music video was released in late July of 2017. The piece comes from Kendrick Lamar’s album titled DAMN.
This music video sticks with dark tones throughout the entire video. In nearly every scene, the lighting is very dim and gives the impression that it is nighttime. The only time black was not the primary color would be in one scene where red was used as the main hue and can be seen on Kendrick’s outfit and the lighting.
Red is used throughout the video however, just not as a primary color. Red can be seen on various pieces of clothing, on signs, and as small accessories.
While black is the main color throughout the video, white is used sparingly. The first instance is when Rihanna first appears. She is wearing an all-white outfit- contrasting the dark scenery around her.
Kendrick also wears a white shirt in one scene of the video. Towards the middle-to-end of the video, a man is wearing a white tuxedo jacket, which once again is a stark contrast to the rest of the characters and scenery in the video. This helps differentiate him as the antagonist in the video.
The dark tones of the video help create an eerie feel. During the video, Rihanna kills a man for Kendrick, and the dark tones help set the stage for this. If other, lighter colors were used here, it would feel awkward and out of place, or give a sense of irony. These dark colors were deliberately used here to help deliver the message of the video.
The video also uses a variety of camera angles. There are shots from that are both wide and close-up. The close-up shots are mostly of Rihanna singing.
The help to emphasize her parts of the song and the importance of ‘loyalty.’ High angles are also used throughout the video. These shots allow for everything to fit on the scene and create depth when Kendrick is holding onto Rihanna as she is hanging off the top of the building.
However, for the majority of the video, the camera is at eye level. This helps create the sense that the viewer is a part of the scenes.
It also makes it seem like the characters from the video are speaking directly to the viewer, further bringing them into their world. Furthermore, the video also uses low angles. These angles are used to make it look as if the characters are looking down at the viewer – giving them a sense of power. This could also be used to make Kendrick appear taller than he actually is.
Overall, the variety of angles and the deliberate use of dark colors provided for a very engaging video. These colors and angles help tell the story of the music video and provide context for the lyrics. The colors also help with the flow of the video, since it quickly switches between different scenes, but with the consistent color scheme, the video is easy to follow.
Visual Literacy Blog 