Fun. We Are Young ft. Janelle Monae

The Video 'We are Young' by Fun, focuses around the idea that although young people can have fun and freedom, there is always a consequence for their actions and that you need someone to rely on. Some of the song also infers a confrontation between the writer of the song and his girlfriend, and blames it on the fact of his age. The video takes place in a bar full of people having fun which escalates into a full blown fight which seems to the audience almost surreal. The band are also present on the stage in the bar, and as they sing the song the story is told through the lyrics and in the video, almost like the music is personifying his emotions into other people. My favourite thing about this music video is that most of it is shown is slow motion, and there is a lot of emphasis on things getting broken in the room. The video consists of a lot of close up shots at slightly tilted angles, emphasising the speed of the fight going on in the room. The styling and mise-en-scene, unusually, dont fit in with the context of the video. Considering the video is off a bar fight, all the of the characters and the band in particular are dressed very smartly. The lead singer has his hair combed back and a suite on, and the bar looks classy and modern. The contrast in the context of the song and the way it is portrayed is unusual but works well. The writer is almost trying to show the immaturity of the 'young people' in the song, who cant express themselves through speech but show it in there actions instead, which also links to the way the lead singer is dressed. The man is almost trying to show that although his friends do drugs and he drinks which leads to arguments and violence when they are out, he can provide security for her and 'carry her home' at the end of the night. This is also backed up with at the beginning of the video, when the jealous man hits the girl in the head with the bottle in anger. I overall enjoy the music video because in the unique way the story is told, that the band are present in the room and part of the story, and that the video is presented in slow motion.