I have chosen to analyse Love the way you lie, released June 8^th 2010, by recording artists Rihanna and Eminem, the collaboration of artists is successful as both have personal connections to the issue of domestic violence at hand. Rihanna herself was a victim of domestic violence by her former ex boyfriend Chris Brown, and Eminem had a violent and abusive relationship with his ex wife Kim. The personal issues which both have with the connections of the lyrics and brutality of the video allow the audience to develop an understanding of the narrative. The music video was released by labels Shady records, Aftermath and Interscope and the genre is contemporary RnB with slight indications to hip hop genre. Love the way you lie illustrates collaboration between performance and narrative, a strong convention formalised within music videos. The narrative repeatedly changes from the narrative footage of the couple arguing and then back to the performance of the actual artists themselves. The performance isn’t entirely broken up from the narrative itself, this is evidenced from the establishing shot of the house. Rihanna and Eminem perform outside of the house, which is the main location for the narrative of Megan Fox and Dominic Monagham. The lyrics and visualisations of narrative strongly attack the matter at hand; it substantially tackles domestic violence and abuse however not formally correctly. Unfortunately the narrative fails to illustrate direct verisimilitude; it doesn’t convey the correct conventions of domestic violence, advantageously it does portray that physiological hold within violent relationships however the video itself glamorises and sexualises domestic violence, illustrating that inflicting pain is pleasure. Having an actress as beautiful as Megan Fox to convey such a serious matter only demoralises the subject at hand, the repeat interplay of sexual violence and passion completely demoralises domestic violence. It subtracts the seriousness from the matter, and conveys how individuals feed of another’s rage. However something I feel must be applauded within the narrative itself, is the extended metaphorical use of both in the relationship are within the wrong. The directors have challenged that typical stereotype that it is men who are the main causes of domestic violence when in fact, both in the relationship are wrong, and that both parties convey stylistics of domestic violence. In fact the first scene of domestic violence is portrayed by the woman (Megan Fox) again completely challenging that stereotype. The narrative itself glamorises love hate relationships evidenced by the brutality of the lyrics “I like the way it hurts”, why would anybody like the way it hurts? Why would somebody like to be lied to? It completely disrespects the matter and again demoralises it. Within the narrative we foresee the couple repeatedly breaking up, showing diverse domestic violence and then making up illustrating sexual pleasures, portraying that couples in domestic violence consistently brake up and make up, break up and make up again. What example does this set for teenagers or people within abusive relationships? It shows that running back to another person who beats, or hits or shouts, is ok, people on the television are doing it? Celebrities are doing it; I feel it sets a poor example and was brutally surprised by the narrative of the video. Especially as Rihanna did leave her ex boyfriend, and did break free from the abusive relationship. No where within the narrative does the couple brake up officially, they threaten to, but never do, again emphasising on that physiological hold within violent relationships “I love you too much to walk away now”. The vicious lyrics have substantially affected the music video itself, a strong convention is having the lyrics and visuals interplaying one another, Love the way you lie does this beautifully, the harsh brutality and the vicious lyrics are illustrated within the visualisation of the footage.

Another factor I find highly demoralising is how Rihanna is portrayed to the audience. She is portrayed wearing small leather biker shorts and a tight leather jacket, illustrating a sexy persona. The subject at hand is supposed to be based around domestic violence not sex. I believe that the repeat of the leather within the outfit illustrates sexual conventions of S&M and bondage like qualities, emphasising on woman being portrayed as sex symbols, again glamorising abusive relationships. The mise en scene of Rihannas costume is disrespectful, especially for a woman who has suffered through an ordeal of abusive behaviour. Rihanna is conveyed as an extremely glamorous woman, she is wearing lip gloss emphasising on the shape and plumpness of her lips, the close up is illustrated to show raw emotion however Rihanna repeatedly sneers towards the camera, challenging the conventions of emotion. The repeat of red within mise en scene illustrates a range of qualities, her red hair and matching nails conveys glamorous representations of woman. To me the red immediately conveys a direct indication to sex and lust, and as I have already mentioned glamorising abusive relationships and behaviour. However in juxtaposition the red could be a significant sign of danger, as the following clips convey brutal domestic violence. A burning house is portrayed behind Rihanna was she is performing; the flames are slightly out of focus allowing Rihanna to stand tall and be the ideal focus within the performance. I believe that the burning house signifies the tearing down and breaking of a relationship. The burning house also creates a visualisation for the lyrics “tie her to the bed and set this house on fire” and “and watch me burn, but that’s alright because I like the way it hurts”. Rihanna is only present for the chorus itself conveying her importance, Eminem however is the dominant party portraying male dominance. Still cinematography and slow editing is present throughout Rihannas chorus.

Eminems lyrics attempt to justify the behaviour of domestic and abusive violence again referencing that physiological hold, which is present within abusive relationships. The lyrics manipulate what is formally present within a relationship, making a parody of the loving somebody too much, to physically have the strength to leave them motive. Eminems lyrics create a strong verisimilitude as they are strong and powerful, and do heavily relate to the subject at hand “Now I know we said things, did things, that we didn't mean, and we fall back into the same patterns, same routine”. Eminem also uses a play on words within his lyrics rapping about the window pane but metaphorically meaning pain. He is dressed within a tank vest stereotypically something “wife beaters” wear, the mise en scene of his costume connects with the visualisation of the lyrics and emphasises on the stereotype of men being the actual cause of domestic violence. The visuals and lyrics connect with one another and strengthen each of the characteristics. His lyrics convey a strength of truth which I feel connects to a specific audience as they respect his lyrics and the honestly. I feel that the actual song itself connects to any age genre that have been involved or know somebody involved within a violent relationship, I feel that the song relates to a mass audience of male and females aged 18 to 25. Eminems rapping solos consists of speeded pan movements and fast paced editing emphasising on the seriousness of the song and the consistency and speed of the lyrics and upbeat tempo. The cinematography switches regularly from extreme close ups, close ups and extreme wide shots, this enables the audience to see the mise en scene located behind Eminem. Unlike Rihannas solo chorus the background of Eminems mise en scene is within focus, emphasising on the need for the background of corn fields and faded skies. I believe that naturalistic mise en scene has been used to create a sense of freedom and truth, the large space inhibits freedom like qualities. Where as in contrast the faded almost grey skies inhibit that its getting dark and almost over therefore must go home and face the abuse. The footage of Eminem is still therefore not hand held, which I feel challenges the conventions of an upbeat and fast based tempo. The editing used is extremely fast as is the violence within the relationship.

Within the narrative of the video the audience repeatedly watch the relationship break down within several occasions and build itself up with the intensity of sexual pleasures, both within the relationship are viewed as the antagonist and protagonist as we watch each feed of insecurities and each others rage, illustrating the greatest metaphor within, that both parties within the relationship are in the wrong, challenging that stereotype of the male being the antagonist. The performance of the video of Eminem and Rihanna is filmed mostly still imagery on a tripod however when the narrative is filmed and the couple are together the shots are mostly hand held, illustrating the confusion within the relationship. Hand held shots are purposely used to create effect, to establish to the audience the verisimilitude and to make the audience feel that they are actually there themselves to create an emotional relationship between the visuals, lyrics and audience. The hand held cinematography illustrates the tension within their relationship and its shaky status. Dominic is portrayed within a wife beater tank vest; the vest conveys his tattoos to the audience which stereotypically conveys a rebellious character, this is reinstated as he steals alcohol whilst shopping. His bald head and unshaven face conveys a rough and rugged character which could be seen as a sexual advantage as the term “rough and rugged” is usually associated with a sexy bad boy image, which illustrates a strong sex appeal. Megan is a beautiful young actress and is extremely popular within the media text of film; within Love the way you lie she is portrayed as Dominic’s girlfriend, and within an abusive relationship. Chained bracelets are wrapped around her wrists illustrating that she is within chains and cannot break free from the relationship, she is chained to the relationship. Her hair juxtaposes from her typical image of being extremely groomed and beautiful, her hair is rugged and messed up, illustrating that she and her partner have been within a fight, the messy hair could also be a metaphor of their messed up relationship together. Within most narrative scenes the couple are portrayed within the house, the first scene of the couple together are lied within their bed suggesting that they live together. Each scene however of them two together is illustrated within darkness, emphasising on entrapment, and prison like qualities. The imagery of the music video portrays that the only relative of light is from the window pane, conveying that within the house and within their relationship is utter darkness, outside of the house and of the relationship is brightness and freedom.