Music Video Analysis - Eminem Love the way you lie feat. Rihanna (2010)

Eminem - Love the way you lie feat. Rihanna (2010)
Directed by Joseph Kahn

The video begins with a CU of Rihanna the background is out of focus, the CU shows the emotion from her face with the fire burning in the background. This is already a powerful image with expectations of more to come. With the artist performing we know it has conventions of a Performance video. It also as the a Narrative interwoven with the performance. The LS of the actress sets the scene and the tone of the story,

the LS allows us see the setting and the effect of the fire links the image with the artist's performance, and the lyrics, "watch me burn". It cuts between the performance and the narrative maybe the lyrics and the story are personal to Rihanna and that the actress in the story is her in our own life.

As the song quickens pace it cuts to a L/A shot of Eminem, the framing of the shot makes us feel as though we are in the grass, the grass then goes out of focus as it cuts to MS the setting looks brighter and more natural. There is a sunburst effect around the artist which contrasts with the burning image of Rihanna. The shots of the artist's face means we can see him singing/rapping, as the narrative continues to be shown through the performance.

The female realises her boyfriend as been with other girls by the phone number on his hand we assume their relationship through the mise en scene and the placement of the actors; they are sharing a bed and holding hands has she angrily pushes him away and leaves. It cuts to a quick pan to Eminem back in the field, there are sun spots on the screen, its looks like dawn this could convey with the storyline that she is waking up to the truth. As the action in the storyline heats up so does the pace of the editing it cuts between various shots of Eminem who performs to the camera, the ES where he looks tiny in comparison in the shot shows he is all alone, this could mimic the feelings of the actress that she feels isolated in her relationship. There are various shots of the two beginning a violent

argument the framing of shots feel as though we are looking from the front of the house, the lighting is dark and the only light is the natural light coming through the curtains, which contrasts with unnatural violent situation. As he pins her down the high angle of the shot shows his power and dominance. It cuts back to different angles of

Eminem and the sunbursts are 
still present making it look like early morning. As the narrative continues to unravel the female starts to leave, as the lyrics say "I'm leaving you" and "no you ain't" the actors mouth them as to be included into their dialogue. This makes it appear more realistic. As the

story continues the shots of Eminem are interwoven with the ES it uses a tilt, showing the landscape and the different shots this makes it more interesting and visually appealing. 

The narrative links with the song lyrics, on the word "snap" she reacts and kicks off. It then again starts getting brutal as he pushes her against a wall the lyrics seem to be his thoughts in his head when he goes to hit her he is ashamed.

MC of the shot lets us see the whole picture of what is going on and the power from his punch as he smashes through the wall, we can also see the frightened look on the female. The lighting gives the shots lots of shadows - shadows of his personality.

As the chorus starts again we then go back to Rihanna singing with the fiery background, the different locations make it visually more interesting, and the repetition of the CU of Rihanna keeps the continuity. The setting for both Eminem and Rihanna are complete juxtaposition, this could show the Jekyll and Hyde personality of the two in the story.

Which then becomes very apparent, when they start kissing and then suddenly changes to fighting back to being passionate with each other. This happens for a couple of various shots of the opposing image this highlights how confusing their relationship is, and goes back to the one lyric "one minute its good and the next minute being awful". The shots are very emotive to the audience due to how passionate the actors are in the scenes. The CU of Rihanna is slotted in between as she acts about what she is singing with her facial expressions and hand movements. LS of Eminem in the field edited in too whilst Rihanna still sings, showing the opposing locations, as the couple continue switching from good to bad. 

We are then shown the male actor alone with his head in his hands, zoom in to his face shows the regret and the emotion. It then cuts to a different location with the man at the bar, the MS allows us to see that he is upset. It then cuts from him at the bar looking at his bottle to him back sat on the sofa alone. The video then shows the female also sat the bar smiling and flirting, this may show images from when they first got together, yet interweaves the story now with her sat in a hallway upset and crying and cuts back to her happy in the bar. The MCU as he angrily leaves lets us see the anger in face. 
A CU of the female in the hallway is an emotive image as we can see her pain and how upset she is.

Although as the next shot seems to be back in time,




we have the female in the foreground whilst the male is walking behind her and steals a bottle off the shelf and hides it under his jacket. So the image of her crying may refer to that she had it coming all along as he was a bad character from the start.

It goes back to the male on the sofa, the next shot is very powerful I think as he appears to be screaming this shows his passion and his upset. Its provokes emotion to the audience, although we can't hear the scream due to the music it is still a very powerful shot. They are both out being a happy couple drinking the bottle of drink he just stole, the framing as it pans across the two kissing shows its the same bottle as its placed in the corner. It carries on switching between them out together and Eminem's performance still in the field.

It shoots back to her in the hallway as he comes to apologize for what he as done with a rose and a bear. It then shows Eminem's performance he is closer to the camera than before. As the chorus starts again it becomes a MS of Rihanna maybe the story is coming to a climax, yet interwoven the story is still very complicated it goes back to the male being violent in the bar, him sitting alone, and then the couple being close again. When Rihanna is shot this time Eminem is in the background, as the violence in the narrative peaks he smashes a mirror, the overshot angle shows the female stood behind him in the broken mirror with the foreground now out of focus. Connotations of a broken mirror insinuate an unlucky man, which as been present through the narrative and a broken life, the pieces of the mirror represent that his life is falling to pieces. As the artists performs they appear to be in the same location before it

 cuts back to Eminem in the field. The ELS shows both performers and the burning house in the background which we now believe is the house of the couple, the fire implies a fiery temper which the male in the story definitely has.

The field shots to quick paced pans from left to right and then from right to left, makes it visually more interesting and shows the spin and confusion of the couples relationship. It cuts between Eminem at the house and the field before it shows a shot reversed shot of the couple with a CU it shows him apologizing and the worry in the females eyes if she takes him back. As she doesn't accept his apology and walks away like the song

lyrics say. The camera tracks along the house as though the front is missing, his anger gradually increasing again as she barricades herself in the bathroom.

We then see the inside of the house in flames, and gives the video a serious tone, as the couple begin fighting with the burning house in the background. It cuts back to the first image of her with the fire in her hands, as though she had his temper under control the CU of her face as she looks up to the camera. The performance of the artist jumps from a LS to MCU they are both together again.

It then shows a visual editing technique as the characters begin to burn yet by the facial expressions no pain is shown more of a relief. Eminem also starts to burn alive too maybe this video was also personal to him with his fiery temper.

Rihanna's performance becomes more dramatic as Eminem wanders in the background. It then shows the couple kissing outside the burning house as Rihanna gets more emotional in her performance, both Eminem and Rihanna turn round to look at the burning house a ELS is used so we can see everything as though we are stood behind them. It then cuts silent and we go back to the begin of the story with the two asleep in bed, this could convey that her life is repetitive nightmare and she relives the fear each day.