Shot
Time
Mise En Scene
Cinematography
Editing
Sound
The shot fades
from a black
screen allowing it
to emerge from
the darkness in
order to give it a
clear beginning
while also playing
as an establishing
shot.
Employing
disjunctive editing
throughout the
majority of the
music video, the
scene cuts hard to
Rihanna’s
silhouette.
Within this scene,
the artist utilizes
silence as it casts a
rather serious mood
for the upcoming
scene.
Using diegetic
sound Rihanna
speaks about a
past lover, which
furthermore, implies
who the man in the
bathtub, is. Through
also utilizing soft
piano strokes, the
video exhibits nondiegetic sound.
See shot 3
(seconds)
1
2
The video begins with a shot of
two buildings that foreshadow
the setting linked to the
beginning of the video.
Furthermore, the buildings seem
united monotonously, and the
sky consists of a bleak color.
The low angle of the
camera causes the
building to overlook the
viewer, and to appear
massive in comparison
to the viewer. The
movement of the shot
remains rather still.
2
2
The shot transitions to Rihanna’s
dark silhouette with a
background consisting of the
same buildings exhibited in the
first shot. This parallelism of the
buildings leads the viewer to
believe that she is in one of the
structures. Equally important,
this shot exemplifies the contrast
between her inner darkness and
the outer world’s vibrant light.
The shot utilizes a
medium close-up with
soft focus. The shot
seems still but
occasionally realigns
through movement.
3
1.5
The camera displays a young
man’s face. He seems to be
staring at something not within
the camera’s view. He sits in a
bathtub as water drips down his
face.
The shot utilizes a close
up of the young man. It
is shot from a low angle.
The video makes a
hard cut to his
face. Through the
Kuleshov Effect,
the viewer can
infer that the man
is in one of the
buildings shown in
the first two shots.
4
1.5
This shot reveals Rihanna in the
bathtub. Her appearance in this
scene also reveals her misery.
For example, her facial
expression exposes her anguish
of the situation. Also, her make
up is smeared, and her clothes
and hair are soaked.
This shot also utilizes a
close up. It is shot from
a fairly low angle.
5
1
The shot exemplifies a distant
memory of Rihanna and her
lover. They appear to be
smoking cigarettes as Rihanna
lays against the man in an
affectionate manner. The scene
appears to only be lit by street
lamps, as they almost blend into
the darkness.
The shot uses a medium
close up from a higher
angle.
The video makes a
hard cut to expose
Rihanna’s face.
This scene also
uses eye line
match because it
explains that the
man was staring at
Rihanna in the
previous shot.
The director
crosscuts between
the bathtub scene
and a vague
memory in which
Rihanna and her
lover display
affection towards
each other.
The artist speaks by
the use of diegetic
sound. This dialogue
serves significance
to the overall
meaning of the
video.
See shot 3
Shot
Time
Mise En Scene
Cinematography
Editing
Sound
The director
crosscuts from the
memory to the
bathtub scene,
but this time the
camera employs a
different
perspective
through using
match on action.
The director
disjunctively cuts
to this scene
See shot 3
Rihanna and her lover
appear to be spinning
as the room falls into
blurriness. Even so, the
camera follows the
couple closely and
shoots a close up from
a 180-degree angle.
Equally important, the
speed of the video is
slowed for effect.
The camera is angled
at a high degree in
order to make him
appear weak. Creating
a close up, the camera
magnifies his facial
expression.
The director
crosscuts to
another memory
of the lovers.
Utilizing only nondiegetic sound,
Rihanna does not
speak during this
shot, and piano
acts as the
significant sound in
this scene.
In construction of
a new scene, The
camera cuts hard
to the young man.
See shot 8
The camera
motionlessly shoots her
from a 180-degree
angle.
In contrast to the
previous scene,
the camera cuts
to an intensely
bright scene
See shot 3
See shot 10
The camera
makes a hard cut
and reveals the
location of the
previous scene.
See shot 8
(seconds)
6
3
This shot exposes Rihanna lying
in the bathtub with the young
man. They both appear
disjointed. Their clothes are
soaked with water, as their
facial expressions appear
somber.
The camera shoots this
scene from a low angle
perhaps, implying codominance between
the couple.
7
2.5
The camera shoots the
scene from a 180degree angle while also
employing a close-up.
8
5
This scene contains another
dark silhouette of Rihanna, and
again there are buildings in the
background. She moves slowly
as she gloomily looks to her side.
This scene uses a flashback and
presents the couple very
intimately. As they intensely kiss,
they appear to be spinning,
and the world fades away. The
camera focuses on Rihanna
and her lover in order to signify
the importance of their
relationship within the video.
9
1.5
10
1
11
1.5
The screen shows the young
man sitting in the present. He
seems ashamed as he looks out
the bright window. Also, the use
of natural light from the window
and lack of light in the
apartment covertly display his
face. His facial expressions imply
that he is despondent. Also the
manner in which the light is
displayed creates a contrasting
effect. Also there is a drum set in
the distance in order to create
an atmospheric reality.
The image quickly shows
Rihanna alone surrounded by
bright light. Her skin illuminates
beautifully which contrasts to
her glooming facial expression.
The viewer does not know
where she is in this scene until
the later shots
The young man stands alone in
a bright field with his jacket’s
hood covering his head. His
clothing and his body language
also imply that his thoughts are
troubled as he looks at
something in the distance. Also,
this shot reveals where Rihanna
was in the previous shot.
See shot 3
Shot
Time
Mise En Scene
Cinematography
Editing
Sound
(seconds)
12
1
The shot displays Rihanna in the
same brightly lit field as the two
previous scenes. She falls to her
knees in spite of her
hopelessness.
The camera stays still at
a far distance causing
her to appear small in
comparison to the
world around her
The scene cuts
disjointedly.
13
2.5
See shot 5
See shot 5
14
1
The camera shot is
blurry and stays
motionless. It is shot from
a 180-degree angle.
15
2.5
Rihanna seems disturbed by the
way she is unable to find
comfort in the bed. The room
appears rather dark, and is only
lit by some decorative
Christmas lights that are taped
to the wall. Also, she looks as
though she is dressed in lingerie.
See shot 4
The scene
crosscuts and
reverts back to the
scene in which the
couple is
affectionately
smoking together.
The previous scene
makes a hard cut
to Rihanna laying
in a bed
16
1.5
The camera focuses on the
young man’s face that contains
a serious expression.
17
3.5
18
3.5
Rihanna and her lover are in the
bathtub again except now, she
lays on top of her lover in an
affectionate manner.
See shot 5
The director utilizes an
extreme close up and
focuses only on the
young man’s eyes as he
looks directly at the
camera. Also the
camera moves slightly
and intentionally in this
shot.
See shot 6
19
2.5
The view shows a silhouette of
the couple kissing. The light
streams in from the window
causing the couple to appear
dark.
20
3
Lightning appears in the view of
the scene. Suddenly, the shot
transitions into room in which
Rihanna stands and lighting is
projected onto her.
Furthermore, the symbolism of
lighting is used to exemplify the
shift in emotional content.
See shot 4
The non-diegetic
sound of a blast
aligns with the
moment that
Rihanna falls on her
knees.
See shot 3
See shot 3.
The director
crosscuts back to
the bathtub
scene.
The director cuts
hard to the man’s
face.
See shot 3
See shot 6
See shot 3
In this particular shot,
the camera shoots from
a higher angle and is
located to side of the
lovers.
The camera shoots
motionlessly from a 180degree angle.
See shot 13
See shot 3
Camera makes a
hard cut to the
couple’s
silhouette.
See shot 19
Camera makes a
hard cut to the
scene, although in
this particular shot,
it transitions
continuously to
Rihanna.
See shot 3
Note: what Rihanna
says at this point in
the video indicates
that a shift is about
to occur.
The sound of a
thunderstorm erupts
the scene and
signifies the shift in
emotion within the
video.
See shot 8
Shot
Time
Mise En Scene
Cinematography
Editing
Sound
(seconds)
21
1
The scene displays a slot
machine, and this acts as a
symbol of the shift to happiness.
The camera utilizes a
180-degree angle shot
The director makes
a hard cut
The music begins
and it also
implicates the shift
because of its
lightheartedness.
Within the music video “We Found Love”, Rihanna utilizes Mise En Scene as well as particular
sounds, in order to create a sad emotional context that later shifts to a flashback of a more
cheerful phase of the couple’s love.