How important are characters/performers in a music video?Characters are a pivotal aspect to a music video within many ways. One way in which characters are used is as a symbol for particular messages aiming to be portrayed throughout. These can either be a long-standing message, or a temporary message/meaning that is based on a particularly sensitive area, such as politics or drugs. In addition to this, characters also play a primary role within the clarity of the  linear narrative. By having a protagonist character, it can be used as a emotional attachment for the audience, thus keeping them engaged within the music video. This allows the song to become latched onto and more memorable by the audience, thus boosting the popularity of the song. Overall, having a character alongside a linear narrative can act as an interesting engagement and microcosm for subtle meaning, alas alongside a sufficient enough song, it should produce an emotionally effective and successful music video.

Character profiles in music videos:
1. ALEX TURNER (lead singer in Arctic Monkeys and main character in Why'd you only call me when you're high):

I have chosen this character/performer as he is very similar to the idea that we have gathered so far. In the music video, Turner portrays a character infantilised by his addiction to soft drugs and the consequences of paranoia that it portrays. Turners performance within one of the most highest watched YouTube music videos is memorable as because it portrays such a sensitive subject area, the performance must be of an accurate manner and a vast amount of pressure was placed on him to make sure this scene was correct and realistic- he duly obliged. Leading to one of the most successful music videos from a worldwide band within this decade.

Do they add appeal to the narrative? How engaged with the character do the audiences get?

Without this protagonist character, there would frankly be no appeal to the music video, alongside this there would be an extremely distorted narrative portrayed to the audience, thus leading to no engagement or involvement from the viewers at all. With another crucial aspect to this video being the point of view camera angles alongside a range of second person shots, it is able to connect the audience directly into the music video. With the excellent editing techniques added on top of this, the audience can directly get a characters perspective via the protagonist, thus enhancing the fore fronted message set out by the music video to the engaged audience by the effects of drugs. It ultimately does not establish an emotional connection between character and audience to an extent; yet it still establishes an underlying connection between character an audience without the use of emotion.

2. SIMON NEIL ( lead singer in Biffy Clyro and main character in Biblical):



This performance by the lead singer in a band of our genre is in some ways not too dissimilar to the choice above. However this time as an audience watching this unique music video, you feel more obliged to establish an emotional connection between yourself and the character. The most iconic/memorable part played by this character is the double switch in emotions that link back together within the music video. effectively with two bipolar clips brought in together to one, they are both able to fit perfectly into a song video which can portray many underlying meaning throughout.

Do they add appeal to the narrative? How engaged with the audience does the character get?

Very similarly to the character above, this character adds significant appeal to the narrative as once again the music video is constructed both emotionally and chronologically around the protagonist character. Without this protagonist character, a gaping hole would be left between the engagement of the audience and the music video itself. Even though no point of view shots are used within and are mainly compromised of third person medium shots, as an audience you feel more obliged to engage with both aspects of these character's emotions, thus establishing a double  bipolar emotional attachment that many of the audience would have felt like within daily life. With these emotional attachments, you are more likely to be emotionally grasped by the music video and with the linear narrative alongside the protagonist character as it is, it creates a short film just as memorable as the song would be to the audience.

3. DAVE GROHL (lead singer of Foo Fighters and main character in walk):

This performance is once again led by the protagonist singer of the band for its linear narrative. Yet with the linear narrative again, you are entitled to feel sympathetic for the protagonist character. The most memorable aspect via these varying emotions is the change in emotions- not too dissimilar to Neil in the music video for biblical.. Thus allowing the audience to clearly relate to these emotions.

Do they add appeal to the narrative? How engaged with the audience does the character get?

These music videos all link together closely within the narrative aspect. Even though this music would be able to work without the protagonist character, the lead singer definitely plays an important role in this music video about bringing a sense of common theme to the audience. The linear narrative is very much relatable with the engagement of the character as a common dilemma everyone can be within that situation, such as the frustration of the traffic jam. This breaks the bridged barrier between the factor of a famous musician who can be fully engaging in a disguise that would be common to the audience. This runs as a common theme throughout the music videos created by the Foo Fighters.