Analysing - Monster by Professor Green

Professor Green's 'Monster' is a illustrative video as several stories are told through hand gestures and more importantly, mini-scenes in the video. The first evidence we see of the song being illustrative is, as the character boards a ghost train, the chorus is playing. The chorus says 'and I'll find a way to turn you into a monster'. The fact this song is called 'Monster' and uses the location of a ghost train means the song is quite literal.



In this clip we see a clear, literal illustrative relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. As Professor Green raps 'saw a chick walking with a big behind' we see him alongside a girl with a large bottom. Then we hear the lyrics 'she turned and screamed', accompanied by Professor Green twirling his finger (to illustrate turning; another example of hand gestures in a rap video) and the girl turning and screaming. In the next clip (see below), we see a similar relationship between the lyrics and visuals. The lyrics 'to relax with a glass of milk, apparently Pixie drinks lots' and matched with Professor Green sat in a chair with a glass of milk, and then a woman (meant to be Pixie Lott) being held back by a man, whilst holding a bottle of milk.






The music and the visuals also have an relationship, as is shown in the build-up to the last chorus, and the chorus itself. The beat slows and the music slowly builds up intensity, accompanied by the lyrics 'Monster, Monster, Monster....'. As this happenes, there are shots of the characters previously seen in the ghost train (ie, Pixie Lott, the nun in lingerie, the vampire and the midget) in shots that fade in and out again in co-ordinance with the music; as the music speeds up and gets louder, the cuts become a lot sharper and shorter. This is followed by the last chorus, which is louder and more climactic than the other choruses; this is emphasised by the madness shown in the visuals as sharp cuts and quick camera movements show the characters of the ghost train chasing the rider and the cameraman. In this section of the video, the music and visuals work together to create a better climax for the song.




Whilst not specifically close up shots, there are a lot of shots showing performance by the artist. However, this is done in an original style, as the cuts are made to look seemless - like a continuous shot. Professor Green is shot as a 'narrator' in mini-scenes in the ghost train, each one taking up a shot. Because of this, the shots are drawn out; this is unexpected for such a fast paced song as most pacey songs are matched with equally fast cuts. Also, only Professor Green is shown performing. Example (the singer of the chorus) is not shown at all perfoming (possibly giving the song a perpetual feel - as though Example is a higher being, looking down on the ghost train. This is further reinforced by the surreal effect put on his voice for the chorus - it is spooky and not human-like which fits in with atmosphere given by the song).




'Monster' has a lot of examples of voyeurism and sexualisation in the video. For example, in this clip there are pole dancers. The pole dancers are dressed in 'kinky' lingerie and have what the media portrays as 'perfect bodies'. This would be appealing especially to a straight male audience. Inbetween glimpses of these pole dancers, we see the rider of the ghost train looking unapprovingly at the dancers. However, the looks the rider gives to the camera infer she has a darker, more suggestive side. They are suggestive looks, especially the shaking head. This is keeping with the message of the song in a sexual sense (ie, 'I'll give you everything you'll ever need, and I'll find a way to turn you into a monster' and 'introduce to anyone decent, I'll find evil in them'). A lot of the song is sexually suggestive.

There are several intertextual references in 'Monster'. These include Jekyll and Hyde, the Sugababes, Pixie Lott, Peter Andre and Frankenstein. The references of modern celebrities are used as a mockery of popular culture, and are effective as they are popular celebrities mentioned.

From analysing 'Monster' I have learnt of an original method of cinematography - cut's can be made to look like a continuous shot by rotating the camera quickly at the end of one shot, and at the start of the next, to make it look like both shots are actually the same shot. This is something we could try to emulate in our own music video quite simply.
Another thing I have learnt is the importance of the location when matching visuals to song. Like in 'Monster', the location can bear some relevance to the song (illustration), or on the other hand, it could have no relation to the song (disjuncture). This is something we shall address in our own music video - we shall make sure, depending on the category of video, that the location is in fitting with the criteria for that category.