Critical Response- The Plasticines- 'Bitch' (2011)

Having mutually agreed on the idea of an edgy/ rock girl band we began researching other singers and bands in this genre. I have chosen to critically evaluate The Plasticines 'Bitch'.

What is effective about this video?

I think the styling of the band is great, they all look amazing and fashionable too. I love the shots of them drumming the floor and play fighting with the glow sticks as they are laughing and smiling and you get the impression they are a lot of fun and don't take themselves too seriously. They all have their hair down and they shake it around a lot which creates a really interesting texture as well as head banging being a convention of the rock genre. I really like the idea of the band drawing the name of the song on places and people and think we could incorporate this into our own music video. I also really like how some of it is shot in black and white, juxtaposed by colourful shots. The lighting is low key and I love the shots of them in the shadows dancing together. The cinematography is cool and quirky and all the colours and high contrast give the video a really modern, edgy feel. I particularly love the beginning shot with the searchlight-style lighting and the fencing as it makes them look like criminals so the audience wonders what they have done and adds to the rebellious rock and roll nature. 

What doesn’t work? What could be done differently?

I personally think there is a little too much going on so the narrative becomes a little bit unclear. I think they could have just had them running havoc around the town cross cut with the black and white shots but instead there is also the glowstick parts and the shots of them getting ready in mirrors to the point where it all becomes a bit too overwhelming. Some shots seem rather random and almost gratuitous like the one of them eating and the eyeshadow being applied and this seems to detract away from the focal point of the narrative: that they are cheekily brandishing their song in chalk on the streets. I think it could be simplified to create a better sense of the bands personality and image rather than just the aesthetics.