Compare and Contrast the two videos: Stop where you are & Titanium

Compare and Contrast the two videos: Stop where you are & Titanium

  The video for Titanium contrasts with general conventions of Pop music videos, whereas they usually are centred around bragging about the rich, celebrity, lifestyle. This is evident because of the singer, Sia, who has apparently struggled with depression, drugs and alcohol showing, this shows in the lyrics and the general message of the song. This is comparable to Corrine Bailey’s ‘Stop where you are’. This is because the song has a similar message and tone, it evident that the singer also, like ‘Sia’ has potentially had issues in the past as it reflects in both of their music. The message of Titanium is showcasing how people are perceived so quickly by society, we see a young boy who is obviously troubled/suffering and he is instantly targeted by the armed police showing how quick society is as a whole to target those in need. We see a similar situation portrayed in Stop where you are, where we can see how we as society instantly judge people on how they fit stereotypes yet the video shows the audience they can be wrong and nothing is black & white.

  Titanium starts off with the boy curled up on the floor clearly distraught. As he looks and gathers his surroundings the audience are able to recognise a situation similar looking to that of Columbine. Since the video’s set in American it could be a representation of that situation. This point is highly likely within the video as well as the fact that both shooters on the day of Columbine both suffered from severe mental disorders. Dylan Klebold, one of the shooters had suffered from severe depressions and bullying from classmates which contributed to his ‘flip’. The other shooter, Eric Harris had suffered from anti-social personality disorder as well as inhabited sadistic behaviour. The boy who is clearly suffering and has done something to the school can be compared to the columbine culprits because both were ‘pushed to the edge’ by society. In Stop where you are, it starts off with the singer in a dark room and then switches to another shot with her expensive looking shoes in front of what appears to be a rundown estate in England, but the message is still similar; just because society sees something like her and then in a bad environment we assume she’s done something wrong and maybe even stolen the clothes showing that we shouldn’t judge people only on what we see.

  Within a short while on both videos we can see glaring lights from somewhere higher than the character. Often in media bright lights represent heaven/a higher power, this could be symbolising that the signer/character is heavenly and special. Within Stop where you are, we see Corrine Bailey portrayed as being special, we also see the boy in Titanium with many glaring lights surrounding him showing that he is also special and maybe if different but God doesn’t/won’t judge either of them. We see throughout the video of Titanium, the lighting plays a big part of the story showing the character’s moods and emotions throughout the video, it starts of bright showing the stressful situation and also when breaking out of his house and at the end with the police flashlights etc. these are points of distress showing when he needs help/support; maybe from god? This is also shown is Stop Where You Are when we see the different side to the people in the video we can see ‘pure’?

    Titanium follows Todorov’s equilibrium theory that everything will remain the same and will return to how it was in the beginning, many films follow this theory as does this story based music video, it starts with the boy in a state of anger and despair, this is also how it ends showing that nothing has changed for anyone. This is different from Stop Where You Are as it doesn’t follow a set, linear story but is more random encounters/scenario’s. This gives the actual video starts a confusing and mysterious atmosphere yet ends with all the problems being resolved and everyone being happy.

How do the representations promote the artiste?

  The artiste, in Stop Where You Are, is represented as begin very kind and caring, being portrayed in a rather ‘Hippie’ way. This would appeal to a modern ‘left-wing’ audience who would rather identify with how the singer is presented, it gives her a positive outlook from her fans as