Analysis of music video 1: Mirror

Mirror is a song by the American rapper Lil Wayne featuring the American pop singer Bruno Mars from the deluxe edition of his ninth studio album, Tha Carter IV which was produced by Ramon Reo Owen of the Soundkillers and directed by Antoine Fuqua. This music video consists if different genres such as Alternative Hip Hop, Soul, and R&B. Alternative Rap refers to hip hop groups that refuse to conform to any of the traditional stereotypes of rap, such as gangsta, bass, hardcore, and party rap. Instead, they blur genres - drawing equally from funk and rock, as well as jazz, soul, reggae, and even folk. Soul characteristics are a call and response between the soloist and the chorus, and an especially tense vocal sound. The genre also occasionally uses improvisational additions, twirls and auxiliary sounds.
The concept-based video startes off with a panning shot of the artist's eyes shut where you immeadiately get the impression that the artist his hiding something shameless from the audience as he is not able to look at us directly which is supported by the tatoo 'Fear God'. From there the camera then panns around his body showing the rest of his tatoos. One could say that there is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals which is what Goodwin suggested: 

'I see the scars that remain'
He is comparing all his tatoos to scars which to a certain extent sympathise for the artist. He sees his past and the choices he has made that are now scars which will be with him forever. In addition, a mirror shows scars; when you break a mirror, it can be put back together, but you can still see the cracks. He is saying that maybe he tried to fix his past, but the problems never were totally eliminated and the constant reminder of his mistakes is portrayed through his tatoos. Another example would be when he says:

' Mirror on the wall, here we are again'
Looking into the mirror, he is trying to figure himself out. Saying that he is in front of the “mirrror again”  suggests that he is constantly dealing with himself, trying to know and understand himself. So, it shouldn’t be an isolated action, but a constant feedback on ourselves. The only person that has always been there for him through good and bad times is himself, trusting no one. What Goodwin suggested allows the audience to visually see what the artist is trying to establish which gets you involved a lot more as you not only hear how the singer feels, but also see it for yourself making it easier to understand what the artist has gone through.The colour scheme of this music video is predominantly black and red which signifys evil, death, danger, silence and warning. It seems as if the artist himself is trying to warn the audience not to make the same mistakes he did not only symbolically with the use of colour but also visually with some of his tatoos such as, 'Understood', 'Fear God', 'Loyalty', etc. The fact that his hands are covered with these two colours conveys the mistakes or even crimes he has commited and when putting them together shows that he is in a position of confessing his crimes and revealing the dark truth. The fact that most of the cut aways is shown to be the black and red paint is like a constant reminder to himeself and audience of what he has done. Contrasting with these colours, we see the artist throwing white paint on the wall on top of the red and black. This could symbolise the artist trying to start a new beginning hence the reason why he is covering the dark colours with white which exemplifys that he is getting rid of his previous mistakes as white symbolises peace. While the white paint was thrown, you can hear a chime like sound; this is a clear example of the relationship between the music and the visuals which was also suggested by Goodwin. Through out the music video, the video cuts to the beat which symbolises how a lot has happened in his life and the fact that the editing is fast pace shows how quickly it has gone.
The demands of the record label includes the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work. In this music video, there are a number of close-ups which allows us as the audience to connect with the artist which is what is common in his other videos along side with his trademark tatoos and teeth. Other videos include, 'Bed Rock', 'She Will', 'How To Love', '6 Foot 7 Foot' and more.
There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc), for example, both artists look into the mirror. One could say that this has been chosen because the audience is meant to be the mirror and that they are looking directly at us confessing their mistakes. 
Throughout the video, you get the impression that he is on sexual display to a certain extent as you see him with out a top throughout. Also, in the beginning of the video, the audience is shown close-ups of the artist's body including his abs which implies the sexual display through the use of the camera work.
There is intertextual reference when the rapper alone in an art studio is painting an image of himself hanging on a cross with a microphone in his hand which relates to Jesus on a cross with blood dripping from hands (nail through hand).