Colour Palette Analysis

Within my music video that I will create, I would like to include a colour palette throughout. This is because it allows me to create moods and tones subtly, appealing to the indie genre audience who enjoy complex narratives and deeper meanings. Also, it allows me to use connotations of colours to help show progression of feelings throughout the video, backing up the lyrics. To help me see how colour palettes are included in narratives, I have decided to analyse Halseys 'Colours'.

Throughout ‘Colours’, the colour palate is used as representation for a relationship. This conforms to Barthes’ theory that there is symbolic meaning within music videos. 

In the establishing shot of the music video, Halsey is shown through a low angle long shot to be stood holding the prop of a polaroid camera. Within the shot, the colour palette has been chosen to be white and high key. This is consistent with her costume and in the next shot, shown through a cut. The white can be used to connote innocence and purity. The fact that when the male character (the princess in terms of props character theory, challenging gender roles) is shown to be wearing a white costume is significant. The fact she initially was surrounded by white and is seen to be watching the male who is also wearing white, suggests it is his she wishes to surround herself with. However, the lyrics at this stage don’t suggest anything to the viewer in terms of there being a romantic connection, so the white can also be suggesting neutral ground/emotions. 

 Although the colour palette throughout the beginning of the music video continues to be white, blue begins to be incorporated gradually. This is in relation to the lyrics as she sings ‘and it's blue’. The fact the blue is becoming more prominent within the frame can show that the focus of the singer is becoming the male character and is taking over the neutral feelings she had towards him in the beginning. The blue becomes the representation of Halsey herself.  This also conforms to Goodwin’s theory that there is a relationship between the visuals and lyrics. 

As well as the blue and white colour palette there is also a grey colour palette introduced through the use of a filter. Although this was used the whole way through the video, the filter becomes more noticeable when Halsey begins to sing ‘everything is grey’. This is because the props and other colours within the frame have been specifically chosen so they don’t contrast the grey tones as much. This makes everything appear darker. For example, in the head and shoulder shot of Halsey ,again holding the polaroid, the low key lighting, the use of a black background and Halsey taking up a small proportion of the frame all creates dark tone making the grey filter more prominent. The use of the grey has symbolic meaning of clouded vision or an unclear area. This can suggest that Halsey doesn’t understand her feelings for the male or if she isn’t sure if the feelings are reciprocated or not. This could also be a reflection of the viewer’s thoughts towards the narrative.

As the narrative progresses and the blue continues to become more prominent in the frame, the lyrics again create a relationship with the visuals. As Halsey begins to sing ‘you were red’. The colour palette begins to change again to create a more lilac tone. This can represent her creating a connection and fusing with the male character she described as ‘red’. When you mix red and blue you create purple. However, the fact the red is never seen within the narrative can suggest the selfish emotions she is having. This is consistent with the narrative twist that takes place in the very end of the video when the audience are shown that the person she was in love with was the father of the boy the whole time. The red therefore, that she describes him as, is used to suggest he is the dangerous decision. It also explains why the red is never seen in the palette as the audience are hidden from the true meaning and identity of the red.

How has this helped me?

After analysing the colour palette in this music video, I understand that the colours can be used to represent emotions and feelings. They can also be used to assist a narrative and create a deeper, meaning. This creates a more complex narrative which is part of the target audience we are trying to appeal to. I also realise how aesthetically pleasing a colour palette can make your music video appear. Therefore, I would like to practise creating a colour palette as I could potentially use it in my video.