10 FRAME ANALYSIS - BREATHE

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 The first frame shows the camera moving in over a museum scene (The Natural History Museum in London), well-lit and empty with the focus on the large skeleton hanging from the ceiling. In the center of the screen, aligned with a statue behind her is one of the dancers Shala Sarah Haruko Iwasko, standing out in a bright yellow coat among the neutral tones that the museum presents. The camera angle gives the viewer a sense of being the onlooker to the scene. 

This frame presents a direct close up of Iwaskow, who acts as if waking up in a robotic manner and then moves to reveal dancer Shaadow Sefiroth on the stairs behind her, who didn't appear to be there in the previous frame. He and the background are blurred out, keeping the focus on Iwaskow and her facial expression. Both dancers are wearing warmer toned colours that fit with the themed colours of the museum in the background but are also bright so they stand out on their own. Shala is of Japanese decent, and Shaadow Ethiopian-French, diversifying the representation of the couple of dancers in the video. 

The duration of this shot is very short, with the editing becoming quicker as the dancing starts. Both dancers slowly and simultaneously start their dance as Shaadow comes into focus on the stairs. The camera has the same focus as the previous shot, but is further out, showing the dancers in their full height. The frame focuses on the symmetry of the shot as well as how they have the Natural History Museum all to themselves. Shaadow begins dancing as the male voice starts singing in 'Breathe', making the dance tie in with the song.

The camera in this frame is more to Shala's side, moving in the direction of her spinning movement. It also loses focus on the dancers faces, showing more of their clothes and movements. Yellow and orange are typically 'happy' colours, suiting the upbeat song. Being in a public location yet it being empty gives it a dream-like feel, as if the two characters are dancing as a metaphor for their relationship that is open to interpretation rather than deciding to dance in a public space. The pace is quick and the colours reflect the energetic nature of the dance.

This frame moves to the opposite angle, facing away from the stairs and from Shaadow's side compared to Shala's from the previous shot, linking the dancers together as a pair. The angle is lower, moving from an onlooking view to lower than the dancer's eye level. The camera is positioned again to avoid capturing the dancers' faces, but their movements as they dance, and the focus of the shot is on Shaadow's red 'Supreme' bag, adding to their warm yellow and orange attire and their fashionable streetwear. As Shaadow moves, there is a small flash of light from the entrance that catches the camera, adding to the warmth of the lit up museum.

This frame returns to a similar angle to the third frame, showing both dancers in their full height, with Shaadow still by the stairs. Both are doing their own, very different dances that fit together with the song. Neither dancer appears to be the main 'protagonist' of the dance, so it could be from either perspective, which fits considering that the song has a male and female singer. The dancing becomes more complex at this point, though still paced and slow.

Shala is the only dancer present in this frame, crouched down as the camera pans from one side of the staircase to the other. Her dancing follows the song, mainly using arm movements, and from this shot we can see that her character is wearing comfortable dance-appropriate clothes- joggers and trainers, which subverts what women are usually seen wearing in mainstream music video- revealing clothes such as swimwear or heels.

Frame 8 also follows Shala, with Shaadow out of focus and hardly shown in the background. It continues her movement from the previous shot, yet she is now upright, and her hand movement highlights the lyric 'skin' as it is sung. The camera is constantly moving, moving around and in on her facial expression and then out again. This frame is very short again, picking up the pace of the music video alongside the music.

Facing the stairs again, this frame links the two dancers together, as their dance moves start to co-ordinate with one another. The shot again focuses on symmetry, with each dancer either side of the staircase, and the warm orange-yellow lights of the museum. The dancing in this frame and frame 10 suggests Shaadow's character being able to control Shala, with empathsis on the lyric 'hooked' as the frame transitions into the next.

This frame is very short, concentrating almost completely on Shala's action of being 'reeled' in by Shaadow, and their dance to act out this lyric. The dancing clearly follows the lyrics of the song, helping the narrative of the music video.