Analysis on Music Videos #3 : Blank Space by Taylor Swift

Song : Blank Space

Artist : Taylor Space

Director : Joseph Kahn

Genre Characteristics:

It follows the stereotype of the type of relationships that Taylor Swift presumably has. We see a male character that she falls for and has a relationship with and various scenes are shown with them together i.e. riding a bicycle and horses, painting, eating dinner, carving their names on a tree and kissing. But one scene, where he isn’t concentrating on his phone only she gets annoyed and does crazy things such as fighting with him, throwing his phone away, cutting and burning his clothes and slashing his paintings. Eventually after either hitting his expensive car with a golf club (or somehow killing him), he leaves and we see a new guys which she is assumed to date again.

What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals? :

After each few words where the music picks up the visuals change. Key lyrics are portrayed in the music video such as ‘look at that face’ and the shot changes to his face, ‘breathless’ is shown as they are running, ‘name’ is shown by craving their names on a tree, ‘screaming, crying’ is shown as fighting, ‘torture’ is shown by the way she holds the apple.

What is the relationship between music and visuals? :

After every one or two drum beats at the start, the shot changes. As said before after each few words where the music picks up the visuals change. When it gets to about 2:40 then it is after every beat that shot changes

Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs :

There are close ups of the artist when it starts at around 0:27 as the relationship actually starts. The star image motif here is that the individual goes out with guys and they or she breaks up with them soon after. Then dates another guy.

Is there reference to the notion of looking? :

None

Are there intertextual references? :

There are no intertextual references.

Is it performance-based, narrative-based, concept-based? How much for each?

It is narrative based mainly with a bit of performance as we see the story that she goes out with him and they break up but meanwhile she sings in most of the music video.