Textual analysis of MV2 - Let You Go by Chase and Status

The music video I am analyzing is 'Let you go' by Chase and Status, a dance/pop/electronic genre which was directed by ThirtyTwo's Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern. The genre's typical characteristics are that it has a really upbeat and fast camera movements and also depending on the beat of the music the pace changes with it.

Shows that Patrick Chase is being
watched "Wherever he goes"

Throughout the whole music video there are a lot of lyrics that relate to the visuals, also we can deduce the meaning behind these lyrics that relate to the character and there are lyrics that contradict the character of this video. "There's no where to run, no place you can go, nowhere you can hide" is a reference to Patrick Chase's life. The visuals show a close up of the camera and showing the screen of the camera recording people's lives. This implies that Patrick is always being watched, or suggesting he can't run away from his lifestyle. "Wherever you are, I will track you down" it cuts to an editing room of the Patrick Chase show, slowly zooming out from a large shot, it's a mixture of both exhibitionism and voyeurism as he knows he is being watched by an audience but also not in a way he is being watched by his actions by other cameras.

Low angle - High key lighting makes
him look as if he's "Good

"There's no place on earth, where you could lay low" this lyric is also another direct link to the visuals, as soon as these lyrics are said, it cuts to "The Patrick Chase show" title. This implies that Patrick Chase uses this show to hide his true persona, he acts like a good samaritan and says things that contradict himself, one of his quotes "Uses drugs in front of his children, You are disgusting and pathetic human being", in reality he does what he tells people that is wrong. 1:30 into the video, it shows him from a low angle and a bright light above him, looking similarily to a halo. This shows the fake persona he is showing these people, and since he is shown in this angle and positioned from high up, this shows the superiority and power he has inside the show. Near at the end of the music video the lyrics "Can't go on this way" and "Things have got to change" are said. Patrick is seen miserable looking, showing him from different angles, being 'fixed-up' by make up, again to hide his fake persona once again. It cuts to a picture of his family for a few seconds, zooming in slowly. This could probably mean that the reason why he acts the way he does is because he lost a family. To further back this up, 14 seconds into the video, the camera shows a portrait again, of his family whilst the lyrics "When you're gone" are said. The lighting is dark suggesting they are deceased
 or gone.

The shutter speed of the camera becomes fast - which reflects
on the lifestyle Patrick Chase is living.

 The video is associated with a lot of fast pace editing with slow camera movements, making it easier for the audience to engage and understand what's happening but also appeal to the fact that it's dance/techno genre, everything is hectic or fast. It also relates to the lifestyle of Patrick Chase, seemingly acting like a role model but in reality is a hypocrite. The beginning of the music video, the drone (beat) of the music is rather slow, and so is the camera movement. When the beat drops at 3:04 the beat comes fast and is in sync with Patrick having intercourse with a female. From there till 3:20, it's montage editing to represent the frenzy and chaotic lifestyle of Patrick, his car then crashes onto a lamppost implying that his life is wrecked becoming a direct link to the visuals/lyrics.

Patrick Chase living in a frenzy, miserable
lifestyle.

It's unsure if the character of this video is seen as a sexual display as he doesn't have the stereotypical characteristics of a sexual display (i.e. physically strong, attractive) although he is seen doing having a sexual intercourse with two females, one during 1:57 and 3:04, shows him half naked. The mise-en-scene is pretty dark and ragged along with his make up, he seems De-saturated and worn off. The only light source is coming from the television and a lamp from behind, it doesn't give off the romantic feel, but a rather miserable, fake and dirty atmosphere. There are a lot of exhibitionism in this video. The most recent ones are seen during the beginning of the video when there are multiple zoom ins and close ups of cameras and editing rooms and also at 3:02 when there's a shot of a TV showing the 'Patrick Chase' show, implying he is watching himself or by other people.

Inter-textual reference to the
Jeremy Kyle Show

The only inter-textual reference the video has is that the Patrick Chase show is an exact replica of the Jeremy Kyle show which is a morning talk show about people's troubles. The music video is more of a narrative base as it tells us a linear story of a life about the character in this music video, they used this throughout the whole video, so it helps the audience engage and understand the story more, and makes it a lot easier since the lyrics are direct links with the visuals. The genre of the music doesn't really have any close-ups of the artist or star image motifs since dance music is a really niche genre.

The music video and genre is very niche, so it's only aimed for a certain age group, preferably at the age between 20-30 years. It's dance music so I'm assuming the story of how people are like in society nowadays, a reflection of how life is like in a party. Although it teaches the audience some sort of morale or lesson. That we shouldn't live in a way it would become miserable because we would be like Patrick Chase in the end.

By Julius Conmigo