Analysis of Keri Hilson ft Kanye West & Neyo- Knock You Down

This video was released on the 7^th of April 2009 and this was off Keri Hilson’s debut studio album called “In a Perfect World”. Keri is signed to Universal Music Group, and was directed by Chris Robinson. This song generates from the Hip-Hop/ R’n’B genre and has a narrative based story line, putting across the message of being able to make the right decision when it comes to love and who’s right for you.

Throughout the video the representation being made is about the main artist trying to make her decision on who she loves more. This is showed through a range of close ups, medium shots and long shots. There’s a close up of Keri Hilson and Kanye West, him behind her showing the intimacy between them both, symbolising their happiness, that is then followed by a long shot of her facing away him with her back towards him, whilst he is falling back, this could represent her rejecting his love and then he crumbles into pieces signifying the end to their relationship.

It then goes into a straight cut of Neyo doing his solo part which suggests he’s the new man in her life; we then see a close up of both Keri and Neyo, with him behind her showing that she’s happy and content.

Soon after the screen is then spilt into two, whilst Kanye is doing his solo- on the other side we see an array of moving images which match his words, speaking of the good times he shared with Keri, but all these images are in black and white representing it being in the past, and at the end both sides are engulfed within grey smoke signifying all emotions coming to an end. 

We then move into a medium shot of all three artists, with Keri in the middle of both men, it suggests that she is indecisive of who she actually wants, this links back to the representation of being able to make your choice when it comes down to the person you love, she struggles with this and runs away, displaying that she may not be ready to commit to her reasonability. Both men are left staring at each other, whilst a close up is soon then followed of her portrait, reinforcing the idea of it all being down to her.  

The last moving image is another split screen of Keri with both men, one on each side, her holding their faces, it creates the idea of her being satisfied with them both, but we see an image of her falling onto a white bed, which could symbolise her finding comfort within herself rather than the men- showing maybe she didn’t want either of them. It could also symbolise her falling back into reality, because the same image is shown at the beginning, so it could represent her being within a dream.

Overall I think the cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing and representation portray the idea of Keri Hilson being indecisive about her choices. This video would appeal to an audience of all ages because, anyone will be able to relate to this song if they’ve been in a situation like this, and it enables the audience to understand all three artists’ points of view, because we get an insight into how they feel and it allows the audience to understand the song.