Explain how representations in music videos are chosen to promote the artists. Refer to one of the music videos you have studied to support your answer (10 marks)

The artists responsible for the creation of 'Unfinished Sympathy' are the band Massive Attack, a Bristol based group of likeminded individuals all from working class backgrounds. Previously relatively unknown in the music industry, the song 'Unfinished Sympathy' provided the band with their break into the industry, with the song even being voted the 10th greatest song of all time by the guardian alongside being applauded for being the first music video to be shot in one continuous shot. The aim of this song was to present the band as creative people willing to make an alternative type of music, which is presented well through the music video as instead of flaunting their wealth or performing exaggerated dances like most trip-hop videos at the time, it is what could be described as beautifully simple. 

At first glance, the music video seems simple and humble, much like the artists themselves, consisting of a woman (Shara Nelson) walking through LA streets seemingly unaware of her surrounding as she is immersed in the music. Despite this, the video was actually very technically difficult to film and required the use of a single stedicam to shoot continuous footage. Much like the song which initially seems simple with its use of strings (which was actually recorded using a full orchestra rather than synthesised strings) the music video is actually surprisingly more complex than it first seems.

The music video is also representative of the bands socialist and minimalist views, depicting a sense of social equality alongside a seriousness about both the music they create and social issues society was faced with at the time. Due to the gulf war happening at the time the song was published in 1991 the band even had to drop the word 'attack' from their name due to fears that the song wouldn't be played on the radio because of the violent language. Massive Attack are supporters of the Labour Party, and even recently endorsed Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 General Election, their views are well represented through their music. 

This can also be said for the content of the music video itself, which features Shara Nelson, the vocalist on the track, walking through bustling streets filled with diversity, which despite being part of a set seems naturalistic, perhaps due to the fact that some of the people featured in the background are not extras but in fact people who 'couldn't be f***ed to get off the street'. People of all backgrounds are shown in the video, and obvious stereotypes are avoided, for example a man and his son are pictured to be shopping while a disabled man on a skateboard is shown to be interactive with society rather than passive. Although the videos focus is on Nelson, the activity going on around her shows a cornucopia of lives; despite the sad tone on the music life goes on.

As for the music itself, it presents a message of loss, hurt and incompleteness, which is emphasised by Nelsons performance which is shown using medium shots from the front and occasional medium close ups to show Nelsons facial expressions during emotional points in the song. With this music, the band almost created their own sound, aiming to make 'dance music for the head instead of the feet'. The use of strings and sampling from other songs alongside the meaningful music creates an emotional piece of music that is still catchy and gripping for listeners. This tone of music is represented through the mis-en-scene of the video; the use of golden lighting at sunset in a fairly ordinary, working class street in LA filled by ordinary people from all walks of life all add to the gentle complexity of the music. Despite originating from Bristol, the band used a low income California street to debunk stereotypes about American life and show everyday reality for people from all over the world, not just their home town, again creating a sense of social realism. 

 Despite Nelson being female, there is a lack of male gaze focus on her, instead attention is drawn to her performance as she is so immersed in her music. Nelson is not glamourised or sexualised, instead she is shown to be wearing a long black dress, perhaps representative of the grief and loss expressed in the lyrics, again representing the bands sense of social equality for everyone. Much like Nelson, the band members are featured in the video and do not stand out, easily blending into the street. This could be a link back to the bands working class roots and again creates a sense of equality, the members of the band are no better than any other person in that street, showing them to be humble despite their fame.