The typical viewer of any form of media generally only focuses on the final draft of all creative projects. However, those with a gifted creative mind look behind the lens of what was dispersed to find a deeper meaning in all deliverables.
As a creative, going behind the lens means reconditioning your mind to be more heightened to artistic elements, social constructs, history, and other forms of storytelling that may be embedded within an asset. In layman's terms… this is really just “reading in between the lines.” As a “creative” of course there has to be an intricate explanation to everything we say.
Certain elements that many use to give deeper context to an idea - aside from the direct obvious plot- are color theory, color grading, wardrobe selection, camera shots, and angles, setting, sound design, light design, and a host of other things.
Question:*Ok…. Sooo how can we go behind the lens????*
Answer: Let’s go behind the lens of Asake’s Lonely At The Top music video below *cue The Magic School Bus theme song*
In Afrobeats artist Asake’s recent music video Lonely At The Top (captured by Blank Square Productions), prominent elements that can allude to the underlying message are wardrobe selection, color grading, historical sentiment, and video scenes.
The first thing one may notice as the video begins is that there is a dull blue cast to the video(color grading). The color blue signifies melancholy, solemness, isolation, and coldness while simultaneously representing spirituality, tranquility, and calmness which are all components of the overarching message.
Throughout the video, Asake seemingly moves about the social event completely disconnected from those around him as if he is in a separate dimension. This element emphasizes the reality of how a person can still feel seemingly alone even in a room full of people.
The primary outfit Asake is captured in is an all-white garment that is -or is inspired by a Nigerian Sutana- a garment worn within Nigerian white garment churches. This ties in with the spiritual theme of the video. Asake is wearing this garment while at a party -where everyone else is dressed regularly- to further signify his feeling of isolation due to his success but also his spirituality. He has transcended past his peers and through his spirituality and career success which is why he appears to be disconnected from the social event.
As Asake enters the bathroom and walks toward the sink, he looks in the mirror and he has no reflection. In common folklore and within the entertainment industry, it is said that spirits or ghosts do not have a reflection because they do not possess a physical body. Within this shot, Asake does not have a reflection thus insinuating that he is in a spiritual form which also explains why others did not interact with him inside of the party and he appeared to be disconnected from reality. Another common idea that has been popularized by both society and the media is the caricature depiction of how ghosts appear. Oftentimes, ghosts are shown as a person wearing a sheet over their body with holes cut out for eyes or more commonly seen as the animated ghost character Casper- who is all white and slightly translucent. Asake is dressed in all white and also does not have a mirrored reflection signifying the spiritual supernatural element within the music video.
One of the most prominent scenes captured within this video is Asake standing centered on the glass table. In this shot, Asake is again dressed in his white garment where there is food and drinks overturned on the table and he stands by himself. This scene asserts historical and religious sentiment as it makes a direct reference to Jesus’s Last Supper depiction. In the depiction of the Last Supper Jesus is centered in the middle of the table surrounded by the disciples as they quite literally enjoy the Last Supper with Jesus. While Asake is not referring to himself as Jesus by any means, the shot does allude that there is a similar plight between both Jesus and Asake in reference to the personal sacrifices that they have and will make.
Going being the lens does not always have to be this intricate, but as the mind is trained to be receptive to certain underlying themes naturally present themself. One thing to also note is that there is almost always an underlying message in media assets, even if the project was just for fun.
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