Take me to church by Hozier ten frames

Take me to church
By Hozier
Music video analysis
Ten frames

This music video is protesting against homophobia, violence and abuse.


The opening shot of this music video is of a bonfire, it is a wide shot and is very short but the video keeps jumping back to it suggesting that there is some significance towards it. The bonfire could be foreshadowing the dark event that will occur in the video this is because fire connotes to danger.

The next shot is very rushed creating a sense of panic, this is also developed by the worried facial expression on the mans face, it only lasts two seconds and consists of a man running from one side of the frame to the other.













The next shot is of another male figure riding a bike. It is a backward tracking shot and there is no one in the street or any cars on the road suggesting that he is an isolated figure within society.













Then the video refers back to the bonfire but as an extreme close up shot therefore emphasising its potential importance within the music video.


In the next two shots there are extreme close up shots of a box being wrapped in chains, this could be representing the secrecy burdened upon homosexuals and how they have been bullied into believing they don't fit into society especially by churches. These shots are developing the panic in the music video as the man seems scared, the camera isn't still and the shots are only a couple of seconds long.

Then it flashes back to the man on the bike but as a mid tracking shot. So far the shots within the music video don't fit together as its showing two different men and the shot transitions aren't very smooth, they have done this to create confusion in order to express to the viewer how they must be feeling.

The next shot is of one of the men digging a hole this is a long shot in order to show his surroundings to the viewer and therefore show that he is alone which develops the sense of isolation and loneliness. This shots also gives the impression that he is being watched which suggests that he's being watched/judged by the community. The man is also in the centre of the shot which suggests his importance in the music video.












Then there is another extreme close up of the box wrapped with chains followed by him burying it.

Then there is another extreme close up of the bonfire. All this repetition at the beginning of the music video could be showing the viewer that homosexuals are the same as everyone else.

Then there is a mid shot which is putting emphasis on the bike, this could be a reference to Steven Spielberg as used bikes to represent childhood therefore the use of the bike could be suggesting that he was deprived of his childhood because he was different.












The next shot is shot through a fence to represent how the community especially the church can think of being homosexual as a crime therefore the fence could be a metaphor for prison bars. This is criticizing society as they are condemning them for being who they are.












Then there is an establishing shot of a flock of birds. This is representing the freedom that birds have, whereas the two main characters in the music video are stuck in the world of judgement and discrimination. This juxtaposition causes the viewers to sympathise for the two characters.













Mise-en-scene
This music video is made in black and white to represent the night which has connotations with sinister occurrences which is fitting with the music video and it's message. This also helps establish the tone of the music video and set the tone and atmosphere of the song therefore from the beginning it has an ominous feel.
Most of the music video is shot during the daylight however toward the end it transitions to the night time which is symbolic of the dark turn to the story. This is also being used to show the passage of time.
The dark lighting is reflective of the theme of secrecy within the music video; society makes homosexuals feel isolated therefore they feel the need to hide their identity.


This music video is narrative which features a narrative based on the Catholic churches discrimination against homosexuality. This is also translated within the lyrics of the song "take me to church". It is not a performative piece as it does not include any elements of a performative music video such as lip synching.