#which gives u the strength to go with the flow and try and adapt to the possible future in which u r the target of a hatecrime

[miiiwu]

that taoist necromancer bitch from touhou is the only thing keeping me going rn ngl

[tipsycad147]

Sigils: A How to Guide

By Penelope Hughes

What are Sigils

A Sigil is a type of symbol used in ritual magic. The term Sigil usually has referred to a kind of pictorial mark or symbol that has magic power associated with it and is a representation of the creator's desired outcome.

Sigils have been around since the dawn of time. The first humans created Sigils in caves, and many different religions have some form of a symbol that represents the religion and its power.

Sigils used to be mainly associated with the summoning of Angels and Demons. Today Sigils are created to accomplish the practitioner's intent or will.  

The current use of Sigils was discovered by Austin Osman Spare, an English artist, and occultist. He accomplished this in the early 19th century.

ample of Sigils created by Austin Osman Spare

Today's Sigils are extremely powerful and should be a cornerstone of any magic practitioners' spells. They are relatively easy to cast and have the flexibility to be used in many different situations.

How to Make Sigils

You will need a piece of paper, something to write with, and a statement of intent. Making Sigils is one of the least ingredient-heavy forms of magic you will encounter. This is one of the many reasons why Sigils are so beginner witch friendly.

The first step you will need to take to create a Sigil is to make a Statement of Intent. A Statement of Intent means what do you hope or want this spell to do.

Let's say we are writing a statement of intent for a Protection Sigil for our safety in our home. We could write something like this "It is my will to be safe and secure in my home."  When you write a statement of intent, it is best to use statement phrases that begin with "I wish" or "It is my will."

Another example of a statement of intent could be, "I wish John Smith and his energy to never come near me, my home, or my school again, so mote it be." In this example, we made a statement of intent for a Banishing Sigil.

Once you know what you want your spell to accomplish, write out your statement of intent, the next step is to cross out all of the repeating letters. Let's practice with the first statement of intent example, "It is my will to be safe and secure in my home."

Now that you crossed off all of the repeating letters, you should have W, B, F, D, C, U, and R, left.  We will now be rearranging of how our letters look to design our Sigil. You want your Sigil disguised, no one should be able to figure out what your statement of intent is, or it will lose its magic.

Here is an example of how you could change the U and R and how you can draw them together.

As you can see, I have taken apart points of the letters. You can do this, and you can also curve lines and change shapes. Do what feels right. Allow your subconscious to take over when you are disguising your Sigil. If it is obvious what the letters are, redo it until you no longer know what letters you used to create your Sigil with.

Now you know what you want your Sigil to accomplish, and you have written out your statement of intent. You have crossed out all of the repeating letters and designed your Sigil. Now what? You want to charge your Sigil to give it power.

How to Activate Sigils

There are many different ways to activate a Sigil, and everyone has a preference. Some witches will use the same method over and over again. I recommend against this. Depending on the intent of the Sigil will usually determine how I will charge it. I will admit my preferred method is to use personal energy. I find this to be the most effective for many of my spells.

Here are some methods of how you can charge your Sigil and which way might work best for the spell. The first four examples will be of the elements.

Activate your Sigil with the Fire element:

Draw it on paper (or something safe to burn) and burn it. Collect the ashes and take them to an open field. Toss the ashes into the air and let them blow away.

Carve it into a candle, light it, and let the sigil melt away. Collect the wax after letting the candle burn down and bury the remaining wax into the earth.

Charging with the Fire element might work best with these intentions: passion, desire, love, romance, protection, banishing, energy, inspiration, motivation, competition, athleticism, strength, empowerment, success, leadership, courage, bravery, anger, power, destruction, and purification.

Activate your Sigil with the Water element:

Draw it on something soluble and dissolve it in water.

Draw it on a rock (or something non-soluble) and place it in running water.

Charging with the Water element might work best with these intentions: change, adaptability, intuition, maturity, rebirth, renewal, mental health, emotions, dreams, sleep, psychic powers, travel, cleansing, beauty, appearance, and healing.

Activate your Sigil with the Air element:

Draw it on wind chimes and hang them up.

Draw it on a balloon, blow the balloon up, and release it.

Charging with the Air element might work best with these intentions: speech, eloquence, communication, intellect, memory, knowledge, information, education, school, song, music, mental power, divination, spirituality, and happiness.

Activate your Sigil with the Earth element

Draw it on something biodegradable and bury it.

Draw it in the dirt somewhere that the weather will wear away the Sigil.

Charging with the Earth element might work best with these intentions: grounding, centering, nature, growth, birth, fertility, health, the physical body, prosperity, money, savings, career, job, employment, business, protection, home, family, trust, stability, reliability, practicality, and strength.

Activate your Sigil with the Personal Energy method:

(Touch) Imagine your energy flowing through your body like blood. Imagine that energy starting to flow and gather in your hand. Touch the Sigil, keep the intent in your mind, and imagine all of that energy flowing through your hand into the Sigil. Let go of the Sigil to cut off the energy flow.

(Breathe) Take deep, purposeful breathes. With each inhale, imagine energy flowing into your lungs with the air. Each breath gathers more and more energy, pooling in your lungs. When you feel ready, take one last deep breath and hold it. Bring the intent of the Sigil to the forefront of your mind and exhale that pool of energy onto the Sigil.

Charging with the Personal Energy method might work best with these intentions: confidence, anti-anxiety, self-love, personal characteristics, anything intimate.

How to Use Sigils

The great thing about Sigils is you can use them in so many different situations. If you can develop the right statement of intent for that particular situation, you can use a Sigil.

Once you have charged your Sigil to use, it will depend on the purpose of the Sigil to determine what you do next—going back to our example Sigil that was for protection in our home. We would need to draw the Sigil somewhere in the house, away from where people may see it.

Here are some examples of how you can use your Sigil.

If the Sigil is to protect yourself, you can draw the Sigil on your shoes' sole. You can carve it into a piece of jewelry or a watch.

If the Sigil is for safe travels, you could draw the Sigil on paper and put it in your glove box, under your seat, or in the trunk of your car. Suppose the paper is too fragile for your liking. Another option would be to carve it on a piece of wood.

If your Sigil protects against nightmares, or maybe it's for adequate rest, try placing it somewhere in your bedroom or near your bed. You can use a marker and draw the Sigil on the tag of your pillow (make sure to keep an eye on it, so it doesn't fade away).

https://www.mysticalstudies.com/post/sigils

[f-nodragonart]

t Shy anon with the designs! Thanks, I’ll keep this anonymus cause it could help others out too. I’ll post the original first and then the mutated versions I have finished. Excuse the poor quality please, my phone camera is bad. If they’re hard to see I can try outlining them.

So this is the original, the night wyvern. They aren’t considered true wyverns (two wings two hind legs) but were mistaken for one and the name just stuck. I might make the wings a bit larger to accomadate the rest of it but not too much. They have hallow bones but those bones are extremely strong due to being reinforced by the substance that makes magic possible in this world. I’ll add the full affects, pros and cons at the bottom though.

Never got a pic of the full final doodle but I’m only missing the limbs on the other side. This is a mutated version of the night wyvern called the shadow wyvern. Their wings are replaced by arms which they can use to help them climb, grab prey, or swing and hang off of things. The spines along their bodies have a stretchy webbing between them that helps them pick up on feint sounds through vibration or smells.

I had more photos but the quality is so poor on them that i can barely see the drawing so I’m gonna leave you with these.

Anyway, the premise of this world is basically that it’s overflowing with magic and everything in the world is affected by it to some degree. The thing that makes magic possible is called “essence” and it has many side effects whennit mutates creatures.

Pros: Magic, enhanced strength and reinforced bone structures, better adaptability (supposedly increased intelligence but that ones just a theory).

Cons: Mutations, risk of corruption(permanently altered genetic structures for further generations. Corruption only happens to mutated creatures who’s biological structure is already changed), higher risk of being infected by the Err (a brutal Essence that attaches itself to other things with magic. In short it turns living things into something like a mix between a zombie and a rabid animal, pushing it to find and consume new sources of magic to keep the Err “fed”. Eventually the creature will die, only for the Err to mutate its body and revive it.)

Not sure if I listed all of them, I don’t have my papers in front of me right now and its a mess so I don’t know where to start looking.

so I just did a flat side-view instead of the slightly angled perspective of the body u originally drew, b/c it was a little easier for me to get a handle on the body structure, hope that’s alright

I also referenced raptors for most of the body structure, with T. rex influence to bulk it up a bit more to match ur original design. I also wasn’t 100% sure what hip structure u were goin for, so I just went for ornisthischian b/c it leaves room for a keel and lends more directly to flight. I also drew the pubis a bit deeper to give more mass/weight to the hips (making the torso more bottom-heavy) and help balance out the body. the base of the tail looked a little thin on the original, esp on the topside, so I gave it a lil’ more mass and a smoother transition into the hips

the shoulder area of the front limbs looked a bit shrink-wrapped, so I smoothed that out a bit. in a structure like this, the round of the shoulder prolly isn’t going to be so visible, but rather hidden under muscle and flesh, as I drew

I wasn’t totally sure what was goin on w/ the throat in front of the front limbs? it might just be that the chest stuck out a bit too far? the chest certainly sticks out a bit on raptors, but not quite so far in front of the shoulders as u had

the wing shoulder needs a lot more mass, and it needs to be shifted farther back behind the front limbs so that both sets of limbs have room to move independently. a keel is also necessary to provide a strong, stable base to the thick muscles of the wing shoulders. I didn’t redraw this so it wouldn’t block the view of the body, but the wing fingers are a bit straight/stiff. look into bat wings and see how the knobby knuckles and curvature of the bones give the fingers much more interesting shapes and flow~

now the legs were kinda interesting. what u originally had were what looked like semi-digitigrade legs much like an elephant, w/ very short foot sections. this would be fine for a more vertically-oriented biped like a humanoid, but these kinda legs aren’t very conducive to the horizontal torso arrangement of a raptor. so I lengthened the foot section (but not too much-- the foot section shouldn’t be longer than either the upper or lower leg)

this isn’t very apparent in my flat side-view, but I also pointed the legs straight forward instead of splayed out as u had them originally. not a lot of animals besides squat creatures like crocs and lizards have splayed legs. prehistoric raptors in particular didn’t have very much range of motion in that direction-- their legs were built to mostly stride forward and back for a strong sprint, as far as I’ve been told. that doesn’t necessarily mean ur dragon can’t have a wider range of motion, but a splayed stance prolly isn’t gonna be their comfortable resting position

for the face, I p much just referenced a T. rex, but I’m not totally sure if that’s the look u were goin for, in which case I can redo the redline. also I think u were goin for a decorative stick-out chin? but it was a little inconsistent, so I wasn’t sure. either way, I slapped a chin on there too haha

in general I’d recommend studying skulls some more and familiarizing urself w/ their shapes and basic structures. in particular, take note of the curves of the upper and lower jaws, and how they interlock when closed. also note how the bottom jaw shouldn’t change curvature when it opens. in ur original, there seemed to be too many teeth pressed too close together for the jaws to actually close, so I roughly drew out the tooth arrangement of a T. rex skull. unless ur dragon has multiple rows of teeth, in which case ur dragon prolly wouldn’t have room for much of a tongue

I also shifted the eyes a bit lower in the cranium b/c they looked a bit too close to the top of the skull

now I don’t want to comment on the mutated forms too much b/c I think my commentary above p much covers them. I will say that some of their mutations are rly interesting! their sensory spines look like fungal growth of some sort, like a parasite-- I rly like it!

anyways, hope this helps!

-Mod Spiral

[seokjins]

I’m not the original anon but I loved reading that so much, please do their strengths! It’s really interesting to hear about this stuff from people who know what they’re talking about

I’m a different anon but I’d be interested in reading what you think their strengths are if you feel like sharing. 

AAAAA wow thank you so much !!! i will try to do my best, but it’s very hard to talk about this kind of stuff because, as i mentioned in my first post, i’m not there for the rehearsal process. 

this affects my ability to talk about their strengths bc im not able to see them build a piece from the ground up. one of the things i admire the most + dancers hold to high regard is the ability to pick up choreography, how fast they can adapt to the style, and how quickly they reach a performance-ready image. additionally there’s rehearsal attitudes, how focused one can be, and how willing a dancer is to accept corrections + self correct + work w the choreographer 

this said .. !

jin

his work ethic. it’s no secret that even from AHL and pre-debut days, jin has always been one of the hardest workers in terms of his dancing ability compared to the other members. to come from a NON DANCING background for the majority of his life (it gets harder to start picking things up the older you get due to habits and posture that ur body becomes used to) and to be able to pull off any single one of bts’ dances WITHOUT standing out and looking like a true professional is something that i greatly admire. with all my dance experience, albeit in ballet, i can’t dance the way he did in NMD even now. many many many idols and dancers will never reach his level of proficiency/energy/attitude in that piece as well. 

currently i would say his greatest strength is probably his upper body movement. the only other member that rivals his loose flow is hoseok (re: mic drop dance break w the body rolls), as well as his incredible ballon. he has this ability to seem suspended when he’s doing certain dances … !!! 

he also has incredible stamina. he is stable when he sings and dances, and often isn’t pitchy or sounding super out of breath. compared to 99% of the population, this is a talent and skill that many don’t have LOL this can only come from his natural altheticism and his work ethic due to hours and hours of practice ! he also always appears at ease when he dances (unless the song is an “edgy” or “angry” song), which is difficult to accomplish TT 

yoongi

his strength as an overall dancer! he’s not just a one-trick pony. he doesn’t have any tricks (except for the recent double endehans that we saw in tokyo “so what”??????omg) but he excels in every single bts dance . there is always a point/move that he does better than his members. for a non dancer, he has such innate ability to move and feel the music, something that is rare for people just breaking into the dancing scene like he was pre-debut.

his footwork in dope is unparalleled. his stylistic choices in fake love r so fitting and unique and fjalsdhgalkhg i can’t praise him enough for opening himself up mentally (because dance is also greatly taxing on ur BRAIN) and getting to a place where it seems judgement has decreased on his OG dance abilities. this allows him more freedom in molding to new pieces and making sure he excels in them !!!!! 

namjoon

wowowowowow namjoon also has unbelievable work ethic. i cannot imagine have a stiff, non-dancer’s body (pre-debut) shape itself into the Dancing Machine it is now. there are people who are born to dance, have movement sewn into their bones, but namjoon wasn’t given all of that and yet he continued to work until he found his own rhythm. 

YES he is tall, and YES that means he has to move his body faster than everyone else in order to stay on the music, and YES that means when the group cleans a piece he has to bend lower than the others just to be on their same level – a task that can build exhaustion when it’s done over and over the course of a song – but YES he manages to pull it off EVERY TIME. 

i cannot believe the amount of growth i’ve seen from him in all different styles. i could never imagine the hard hitting NMD dancer being able to do spring day or, an even better example, FAKE LOVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he is light in the chorus section (so less resistance compared to JM or JK) but then he contrasts that immediately after w bound-flow, showing innate understanding that dance cannot all be one energy level; you need to have contrast in order to give impact to important parts & keep the audience engaged. otherwise if U attack a piece w the same energy the whole time, it will actually end up looking flat and boring, like all the movements are the same since they will read the same way to the crowd 

hoseok

i cannot cannot cannot talk about hoseok enough. for me his greatest strength is his performance quality. ignoring everything else he does so well, i’m gonna cut straight to the chase and say he’s the best dance performer in bts. when he dances – between rehearsal and the stage – there is a clear difference; he’s engaged in both, but there’s a level of freedom that he allows himself which demonstrates his connection to the audience. 

he’s very focused on what he looks like in the mirror during practice, but like all great performers, he throws the mindset of “fix technique fix technique fix technique” away once there is an audience and actively invites them to join in on his joy. he has pure passion in his heart for his craft, and it’s never been more clear. the love he has for his art is breathtaking. his fearlessness in switching styles; he’s an absolute chameleon. from spring day to NMD to seo taiji, i’ve never seen him falter before, and all topped off w the most electric connection to the crowd 

like WOW is that breathtaking. being confident in choreography is one thing, but going above and beyond by pushing himself to be in performance mode (a whole beast and a half on its own) as much as possible requires more space within himself that i’m lacking from the other members. YES he is an idol, and he is very aware of this business of tricks, but he never forgets that dance speaks it own language, that it has its own rules, that it possesses his body and governs his movements the minute he sets foot on that stage. i can’t even explain the sheer talent thats in him when it comes to this aspect 

jimin

oh jimin TT his greatest strength is style. i know i talk a lot about how he doesn’t let go enough of it to really excel in all sorts of genres, but what he’s built from a background in classical-esque styles is incredibly admirable. i’m not sure i would be able to do what he did, coming off of 14 yrs of ballet and not much else. to establish himself pre-debut/debut as a member of dance line in a COMPLETELY different style is so unbelievable to me. he knows his body and he knows how to push his body to get the results he wants

i mean . obviously bts are overworking themselves but to have the mental strength to push thru and continuously crank out all these different pieces w a touch that’s uniquely Jimin™ is smth you can’t deny !!! homeboy knows what lines look good on him, and he adapts the choreography to best suit his body 

he also is a great camera fiend. this is more of an industry dancer situation (since great dancers ≠ industry dancers) where his idol status comes into play, but there is a good reason why his fancams get so many views on music shows ! he knows what the camera wants ! he knows how to be sexy ! he knows how to change his image ! he knows how to work with what he’s given and make a whole new meal out of that and its just ! wow ! fuckn yum ! 

taehyung

ok so let’s talk tae’s upper body. let’s talk . tae’s upper body .

he has such control and awareness over his movements, especially his body rolls. he knows how to make his torso fluid, which is something a lot of the members actively struggle with today. he has such ?? nuanced articulation thru his chest that is typically absent from male dancers , so it’s always a treat to watch him perform 

additionally he has great confidence and performance aura. as u can tell from singularity or stigma stages, he also (like jimin) knows how to work a camera well. but this also translates to his dancing. while he can’t catch all the footwork that others may, he understands that facials and his upper body will make up for the deficit. 

i’ve said this before but if you want to see how good of a technician a dancer is, you look at their legs and feet. if you want to see how good of a performer they are, you look at their upper body (arms too) . he knows how to make an impact w the way he moves & it’s so clear in the division of his energy thru his body (more towards his chest since) so ! 

jungkook

for me JK’s strength is how solid he is as a dancer. while he doesn’t excel at a particular style or have a Thing™ which sets him apart from the group, he does exactly what he’s given and he does it well. he works hard. he’s undeniably clean. there’s never a moment where his limbs are flopping around for no reason, and his energy is always portioned exactly where it needs to be. this innate cleanness and confidence in his ability is what allows him to move quickly and look like it’s not costing him much energy 

he also has incredible stamina TT i can’t even begin to explain ???begin????him singing it live???WITH THAT FOOTWORK?????? god 

his footwork is so strong. i would argue the strongest in bts ... the speed and the sharpness of what i’ve seen him do . while singing. is unbelievable. he is able to keep his wits about himself when the choreography is fast shows just how relaxed he is when he dances. he doesn’t feel the need to rush because he knows he’s just . gonna do everything right LOL (at least that’s the impression i’m getting)

again it’s just so hard to say what his tru strength it without seeing him in rehearsal. this is becoz the level of dancing ability in bts is so high already TT so the basis of my comments are a little redundant since i’m comparing members to members instead of members to regular people lmaoo

[ecotone99]

(RF) New Short

Hi all. It's been a couple of years since I wrote anything new, and would really appreciate any thoughts or feedback about this. It's just the start of something, not entirely sure where it's going yet but I've recently started micro-dosing and this kind of just flowed out of me! Thanks!

A Morning in Hemel Hampstead.

“My water just broke”.

Billy let out a soft gasp. He was stranded 20 miles away in Hemel Hampstead, about to walk into an important meeting with the legal counsel of a large pharmaceutical firm and hadn’t expected to hear about breaking waters when he answered his ex-girlfriend Laura's call.

“But you’re only 7 months, aren’t you? Isn’t that a bit, you know, early?”

There was a word for giving birth early. Billy couldn’t think of it. He had a decent enough vocabulary; he just often forgot the specific word for a particular situation. It was one of the things Laura disliked about him, his inability to accurately communicate his feelings without resorting to grunting or downplaying events by using the incorrect term and making them seem unimportant. It wasn’t necessarily his fault, but it was a source of constant irritation.

“Yes Billy, it is a bit early, is this an inconvenient time for you?”

Laura was passive-aggressive. It came from childhood, her mother could never discipline her in a conventional way, she would usually just apply a barbed comment or sarcastic aside even if her children didn’t have the capacity to understand what she was trying to say. It was this niggling, nagging behaviour that would eventually lead Billy to snap, and put in motion the demise of the relationship.

“Where are you? I’m probably an hour away from wherever you are, I’ll get a cab back to the station now.”

“Billy I’m scared.”

​

A Good Start.

Billy and Laura met at a folk music festival out west. Having shared acquaintances, they’d ended up in neighbouring tents and had quickly established a flirty harmony. The drugs flowed pretty freely in those days, long before the relentless grind of adulthood took hold and reduced them to squabbling over washing up and late nights in the office. The first 6 months were blissful, living separately in their own flats on opposite sides of London, they’d spend evenings watching bands in dingy, dirty pubs or collapsed on sofas in a fragrant cannabis fug. They rarely argued, made love every time they saw each other and never, ever discussed the future. At 24 years old, with a strong bone structure, who needed the future.

Billy didn’t really have a career, more just a string of meaningless restaurant jobs that kept him in sandwiches and weed. Laura, on the other hand, was really starting to make waves in the marketing department of the software company that employed her. Social media had revolutionised how companies spoke to their customers and Laura had a good handle on it. She has a quirky online presence and a knack for getting a message across in 144 characters that was both witty and informative.

Billy gave up his squalid Bethnal Green bedroom after a year or so, packed up his minimal belongings in a large backpack and moved into Laura’s feminine, clean 2 Bedroom apartment in Shepherds Bush. It was a natural progression, he spent most of his time there anyway because the walls in his place were starting to get damp. The less time he spent there, the less he’d have to clean. By that logic, if he didn’t live there at all he’d never have to clean again. Laura was a nurturer, and she nurtured Billy. She saw his potential, knew he was more intelligent than he gave himself credit for, and pushed him to find a more suitable job for a man of his age.

Laura bought Billy a new suit to interview in. It was the nicest thing he’d ever owned, a well-tailored Dark Grey two-piece with purple lining. He felt like an executive, it gave him a sense of importance and clout they’d he’d never felt before. It was liberating, and he was incredibly grateful to Laura. It didn’t stop him failing at his first 3 interviews, his smart appearance not masking his thorough ineptitude when it came to him speaking about himself or talking up his strengths, of which he had a few. Laura remained patient with him throughout, supporting him both emotionally and financially, picking him up when he came home despondent at another rejection. Laura was patient, empathetic, and loved him so purely that it was the easiest thing in the world to lift his spirits.

In the summer, after a number of false starts, Billy finally got full-time employment as a sales rep for a company that licensed new medications from the US and sold them at an exorbitant profit. Ethically, it didn’t really sit well with either of them or their liberal mindsets, but the money was decent, and it felt very much like a victory. They celebrated in the pub surrounded by friends. Laura spoke of her pride. Billy drank too much tequila and finished the night by vomiting into a bin on Fulham high street.

Neither Billy nor Laura anticipated how quickly Billy would adapt to company life, or how completely it would alter their peaceful dynamic.

​

A Cab Journey.

The train was the fastest route back to Hammersmith hospital, but Billy was still stuck in no man’s land between a Hemel industrial park and the station. The local taxi firm had a terrible reputation, and Billy was exactly the type of person to let someone else’s opinion influence his experience.

“Is this the quickest way to the station mate? This isn’t the way I got here?”

Billy was in a state of anxiety, as you would expect from a man who has just heard his child has decided to make an expeditious entry into the world.

“Roadworks on the St Albans road, we’ll be stuck there for ages if we go that way.”

“Isn’t that the way I got here in the first place?”

“I didn’t drive you pal, how am I supposed to know?”

Billy wasn’t a violent person, but as he watched the little red numbers increase on the counter in front of him, and the time tick over, he felt his heart beating faster and started playing out a fierce argument in his head.

“Just hurry up please.”

Billy picked up his phone. Laura was still the top of his list of favourite numbers, despite the fact they had been separated for nearly 6 months and had barely been on speaking terms.

“My train goes in fifteen minutes, I’m in a taxi now and if this driver stops being a clown, I should make it.”

“Ok. Come straight to the pregnancy unit. Mum will be here by the time you get here.”

Anne had never cared much for Billy. The feeling was mutual. He thought she was controlling, she thought he was lazy. They were both right.

“Can you tell her to behave herself.”

“You behave yourself Billy.”

Billy had no intention of starting an argument but would rarely back down if one was forced upon him.

The taxi trundled along, stopping at every red light as if the gods had pre-determined them to change from green as they approached, halting his progress and infuriating him further.

“Are we nearly there?”

The driver, having heard Billy’s earlier comment about him being a clown, decided against responding and continued to face forward.

“Excuse me, I’m talking to you.”

The driver pulled over to the side of the road.

“Twenty quid and you can piss off out of my car.”

“What? I don’t know where I am. Take me to the station.”

The doors were locked. The driver was a broad man, with a substantial neck. In a combat situation, Billy was unlikely to prevail.

The driver repeated his previous demand. Billy, all the while panicking about making the train in time, refused to be cowed.

“I’ll pay you when you drop me off at my destination. Are you stupid?”

The driver, having been university educated, didn’t take kindly to being called stupid, and reverted to the type his large frame signified. He unlocked the doors, climbed out of his seat and pulled Billy out of the back by the scruff of his neck. A brief grapple ensued, and Billy felt the sharp end of the driver's elbow in his eye socket. On his knees, with his left hand clutching his face, Billy looked up as the taxi sputtered back off down the road, taking with it any hope of him making the 11 o’clock from Hemel.

“Laura I’m a bit delayed…”

submitted by /u/lamalamalam [link] [comments] via Blogger https://ift.tt/2uTAl5M

[epmedia-blog1]

Analysing Music Videos

#2 NCT 127 - 無限的我 (무한적아;Limitless)’ Rough Ver.

NCT 127 are a sub-unit for the performance and vocals based NCT. Formed by SM Entertainment, there are 9 members in this group (18 in total). The song Limitless is heavily R&B, hip-hop and electro pop. There were 2 music videos promoting the release of the title track Limitless, #1 being a performance version and #2 being a rough version. 

NCT promises themselves to be a powerful performance, vocal and visual group that allows their units to be incredibly fluid, always switching up the members. However, NCT 127 is a the original group that stands to represent their Korean unit, since NCT 127 has the longitude coodinates of Seoul, Korea. These units also include NCT Dream (composed of younger members aged 18 and below) and NCT U (a fluid unit). SM Entertainment have also included their expanse of NCT that will include a Japanese unit, Chinese unit, Thai unit and Indonesian unit.

Their name stands for the Hallyu localisation project Neo Culture Technology, which represents the group to have unlimited members in their units. Before analysing their music video, it is important to consider the routes of their name in order to get an idea on the image they want to represent themselves as. Since the term Hallyu litterally translates to Korean Wave, Neo Culture Technology are representing themselves to aid the flow of Korea that started with K-pop and K-dramas in the 1990s. This small regional feature soon became to be a global phenomenon. The growth of social media has helped K-pop blend into a huge deal - with it being a great feature of tourism that grows South Korea’s bustling economy.

With this knowledge, it appears that NCT 127 want to represent themselves to be limitless as it is a key feature and representation of their combined group. Their morals don’t mirror other groups as NCT is always adapting and growing. Also, their blend in different cultures - some members from America, Japan, China, Thailand and Korea - aids them to also be limitless as they aren’t just K-pop but more like a global expanse of it. “Cultural contents” is a term in the Korean Wave that the CEO of NCT’s entertainment company uses to expand the Korean Wave. NCT are a perfect representation of this intention. This rotational group includes endless possibilities and after reading into the groups values of being Limitless. 

0:00 - The video commences with a wide shot of a chandelier that fills the screen. We are led to believe that this is yet another a sophisticated video by SM Entertainment as the connotations of the chandelier would suggest so. It would represent sophistication, high class and wealth or wellbeing. The track is yet to begin so the viewer would be unaware about what could happen which would keep them interested.

0:03 - The rolling screen of flickering patterns is used as a transition. Almost like a glitch that is going against the previous clean frame.

0:05 - However, the clean HD shot of the chandelier is juxtaposed with a mid-shot of an older school ratio in a lower resolution. This raw footage would suggest why this version of the MV is called Rough Ver. as it is unrefined and holds a lot of raw footage. They use intertextuality to show that with SM Entertainment’s high quality MVs, NCT 127 don’t conform to their usual style, making them appear incredibly different and intriguing to the audience. Despite the low quality shot, mise-en-scene of the warning tape, posters and miscellaneous props in the background would imply that this is a rough video. Also with the mise-en-scene of items that you may find in a warehouse, it upholds the company’s professionalism because of how authentic and effective it is.
There are more medium-shot cuts of other members that start the video off as an introduction to the group. Furthermore, they are introduced in street style clothing (such as the leopard fur coat, retro bomber jacket etc.) seen in various warehouse locations which gives the viewer an idea on the prominent setting of the video. Their clothing in red speaks loudly and could connote how they are a danger/hazard, or something important. Goodwin’s Theory comes into play here with the idea of a ‘star image’. The members of NCT 127 are representing themselves as quite a trendy yet a unique group by their dress code. Intertextually, viewers could make references to their choice of fashion to be very 90s hip-hop and old school which matches the mood given off of the visuals.


0:14 - Finally, the viewer is shown some choreography for the dance music. According to Goodwin’s Theory, there are 5 main stages to a music video such as the relationship between music matching the videos. This cut begins as the bass kicks in which shows that the edits are in sync with the music. However, this shot begins as a long shot of the whole group in the frame which then progresses to the current singer moving towards the camera, making it a close-up shot. For the audience, this would make them feel connected to the group as he is giving the viewer direct address.


0:18 - There are a few more cuts of other members, a mix of longshots and medium close-up shots so the viewer can get a feel for the group. In all these they are doing nothing at all which contrasts the powerful performances shots. This could be a way that the members are representing how they don’t need to be doing anything in the video and similarly they don’t feel they need a high quality music video because - as the name would suggest - they are Limitless and powerful. 


0:20 - These consecutive shots all have the members giving direct mode of address which is used to engage the viewer. This close-up shot appears to have one member positioned in the right third of the frame, with another member within the background. The prop he uses - a torch - would have connotations such as finding or discovering something. However, I believe the use of the torch is representing how ironic it is that they are searching for something because (as the title suggests) they are already limitless. On the other hand, Goodwin’s theory again comes into light here as there are direct links with the torch prop and the lyrics ‘following the light that pulled me, I’m in a maze. There, I discovered another passage’. This link is one of Goodwin’s ideas of the 5 main features of music videos. The light flickers over the screen before cutting to the next performance shot at 0:21.

0:21 - This medium shot follows the member singing before cutting to a new performance shot at 0:23. This time it is a long shot which lets the viewer see the whole formation of the choreography. Additionally, we get to see the variety of costumes and setting within the warehouse.


0:24 - Another member stood sideways then pulls up into a medium close-up shot, with the background being a plain concrete wall.


0:25 - There is an incredibly short shot of two members in the frame. One, only has his torso in the frame and the other is seen looking up briefly from his phone. It’s almost as if they aren’t aware that they are being filmed. The use of the smoke in the background would represent elements of mystery to this music video.

0:26 - It gets a little complex here. As the snares begin to quicken the pace the beat drops, the music video displays very dynamic cuts that are mostly pictures creating a quick animation. Direct cuts often startle the viewer by moving abruptly in time or space or by rapid cutting within a scene. In this case, it does just that to make the viewer more aware of what’s going on.

0:29 - A close-up shot of a members torso showing the denim jacket with fur and excessive chains reinforces the idea that their dress code is very stereotypically 90s hip-hop. Chains and jewelry would connote the members wealth with the use of mise-en-scene as it’s on their neck. It would also contrast with the very grimy setting. Nevertheless, viewers consuming this music video probably wouldn’t daring enough to wear such outfits on a day to day basis which sets NCT 127 away from the normal and the expected. They almost exceed expectations without necessarily trying to.

0:30 - The punching bag and gloves is a signifier of the power and strength that NCT 127 have. The fact that in this medium long shot a member is once again, not moving.

0:31 - Close-up shot zooms in on one of the NCT 127 members before the sun expands across the screen and acts as a smooth transition to the next medium close-up shot at 0:32 where a member is pulling a transparent material over him. One key convention of a hip-hip music video are the close-up shots as it gives the members status since it implies they’re important enough to take up the whole frame. This is also indicated by the low budget props within the background of the shots.

0:32 - There is a two shot of members using playing cards as props. Goodwin’s theory states that they don’t have to conform or do anything to act powerful. The props around them and how they don’t utilise them are big signifiers of this 

0:35 - Another two shot of members playing video games this time.

0:37 - By mixing it up to a performance shot, the viewer is always going to be intrigued with the contrasting shots of barely any movement of the members, to a completely choreographed routine. In this medium shot, the camera slowly pans and zooms with the dancing. Small shots of the performance would make viewers and fans curious as to what the whole dance routine has in store.

0:39 - The ratio of the screen changes which makes the close-up shot to appear to be filmed on a camcorder. Furthermore, the member appears as a silhouette which represents a sense of mystery which further interests the viewer about NCT 127. It’s important to note that the camera work of this close-up shot is a low angle shot because this particular shot is a key convention within hip-hip dance music videos. It gives them dominance and superiority as they are looking down at the audience and we are looking up at them and their power. Implying that they’re powerful further shows the vibe they want to represent as a group to the audience. Kissing the camera with his hands would be a gesture that would represent...

0:41 - Medium shot of one member using a turntable with headphones would represent the mood of the song with the heavy bass and shows perhaps how they are involved in making their music as well as performing it.

0:43 - Varying the ratio again shows that this clip was filmed on a camcorder, adding the retro effect again to make the film seem old and stereotypically seen in the 1980s and 1990s. With this in mind, alongside postmodernism, it appears that they are recycling art and music from that time frame to make it their own.  The long shot to medium shot of leader, Taeyong, is fits the aesthetic of the music video - with the low quality shots and once again with the 1990s hip-hop vibes.

0:48 - Following this, we have the first wide shot of all of NCT 127. However, the viewer still doesn’t get to see the members as they are all facing in a formation away from the camera. Being stronger in numbers would represent how they are not all social outcasts. On the other hand, facing away would signify mystery and rebellion that they don’t conform to the expected. There is an irrelevant cut of cat breaking up the clip of NCT 127 facing away from the camera, then to them turning to face the camera. The use of this breaks up the shot and prolongs NCT 127 revealing themselves to the viewer. Moreover, this is known as an intellectual/thematic montage because this type of editing through juxtaposition generates ideas in the viewers mind that have more meaning than the shots itself. NCT 127 contrasting with the shot of the cat generates the idea that NCT 127 are stray to the viewer.

0:50 - A TV glitch is used as a transition between the pre-chorus and chorus. The malfunction follows the beat of the song links to Goodwin’s theory of the stages of music video where Goodwin believed that music videos can be promoted through the links between the music and the visuals.

0:53 - There is then a bust performance shot that pans to the left. Given this, it allows the audience to see the detailed dance moves.

0:55 - More close up shots and cuts to medium shots for variation to keep and interest with the viewer.

1:01 - A medium shot of a member holding a spray can as a prop would have associations with the youth representing NCT 127 as young and current themselves. Furthermore, this shot could also be read by looking into the connotations of the spray can and the graffiti on the wall. It is important to consider that graffiti in the 1980s and 1990s were linked massively within hip hop culture. Seeing the intertextuality of the graffiti during this time and in the music video, it is evident that they are trying to represent themselves with a heavy hip hop influence.

1:04 - Dismemberment of a member’s body in a medium shot shows a sense of secrecy to the viewer. In addition, props in the shot consist of an iMac and a camcorder.

1:09 - An angled performance long shot with a lense flare with the editing effect of chroma key to overlap another shot. However, it muted in saturation oppose to the shot in the background. This would contrast and not blend the two together for the viewer to see.

1:14 -  A recognisable way to connect with the audience in music videos is by lip syncing. This technique is used to connect with the viewer.

1:16 - TV glitch once again acts as a transition through to the next part of the chorus. The camerawork of the shots varies from steady medium shots to slightly shaky close up shots. This adds variety and therefore more interest for the viewer. Moreover, these shots mirror the use of the VCR and the HD camcorder they use within the MV which represents a more realist approach.

1:22 - Setting apart from previous performance shots, this close up shot follows the movement of the dance move, from the members face all the way along his arms and hands. The viewers can get a lengthy idea on the dance performance because shot is a part of a performance sequence in the music video. At 1:23 it cuts to a medium shot with a different ratio. This medium shot pans from one member performing across to another member watching. Slightly intimidating role...

1:25 - Another lense flare takes up the majority of the screen. Being intentional, the lense flare removes the high production that would conform to other SM Entertainment music videos. This factor also outlines that this video is relatively raw with the various cuts and the viewer gets to consume the media with NCT 127 being represented as they are naturally rather than being presented as a more perfect stereotype in society.

1:28 - Through this medium shot revealing all the members of NCT 127, the tracking camera movement to follow the choreography focus from member to member. With this shot it also makes the viewer seem they are in choreography for a split second.

1:33 - Slightly in this long shot the camera movement zooms out slightly. The use of camera work heavily following the movement of the choreography would involve the viewer as they are a part of the movement too. 

1:35 - More consecutive cuts of the members around and in the location of the music video to keep a running theme. It is important to note their constant use of lense flares and varied ratios of the frame because it further represents the rawness of their group that they want to present to the audience. Also in these single and group close-up and medium shots, NCT 127 constantly go from looking away from the camera to then using direct mode of address. This technique in music videos draws the consumers attention to them.

1:41 - Short medium shot following the member singing within the choreography once again. This repetition gives a sense of familiarity to the viewers so they can get to know and understand the way NCT 127 are being represented through the MV. Its set a part with more random cuts before going back to the performance at 1:46.

1:47 - Following the same theme as previous shots, this medium shot of one member zooms out to reveal more members around him. You could argue that their body language is intimidating regarding their stationary formation around one another as they stare at the camera. However, the hands in the pockets connote and represent how laid back and relaxed they are. At 1:48 static is suddenly used as a transition to again a different ratio like a camcorder of the same shot.

1:49 - Medium shot of a member at a lower angle represents the member as more powerful than the viewer since we look up to him. Often, this features within hip-hop music videos to represent the dominance that the artist would have over the viewer. In addition, it would aid previous shots regarding how intimidating they look. Following shots make this a sequence shot as the viewer sees a member take off his rings; then a close-up shot of the rings rolling on the floor at 1:50; a close-up of the member punching the punching bag and finally, another close-up of the chains zooming out of the punching bag.

1:52 - Medium shot of the performance that pans across the member so the its put more simply for the viewer because they don’t have to concentrate following them themselves.

1:55 - Wide shot of a member dropping a pebble in the water.

1:57 - There is a close-up shot of a member of NCT 127 followed by the camera moving shakily to reinforce realism that fits the mood so the shot. Like previous performance shots, it makes the viewer feel involved.

1:58 - Extreme close-up shot with the altered ratio of a member ruffling his hair. With the lens flare, it becomes incredibly difficult to see what is happening for the viewer. For some of these shots you don’t necessarily need to know what’s going on as the MV doesn’t have a storyline to it. On the one hand, I think the lack of professionalism contrasts their polished dance routine. These low quality shots, shaky camera, altered ratio etc would represent the whole MV as being very unskilled but it heightens the polarity between the what is being filmed and how it’s being represented through cinematography and editing.

2:00 - Long shot of one member alone indicates the viewer of the location he's in. The area surrounding him is weeded and the concrete wall looks worn down. This represents the rough environment they’re filming in.

2:01 - Once more, the viewer is shown a medium performance shot angled like the group members in the shot. His dread locks,,,,,

2:02 - We are shown a medium shot of a member holding a SONY camcorder. The way he holds it up to his eyes and slowly looks in to another camera represents how perhaps NCT 127 have filmed clips of this MV remembering that many shots appeared to be filmed with a camcorder. Regardless whether they actually did or not, it's fooling the viewer that they have themselves, showing that NCT have a massive input themselves in the filming of the video. Furthermore, this would represent the raw quality of the video that has little professionalism.

2:03 - There is an irrelevant wide shot of a member sitting down, surrounded by a gold statue of a gorilla, worn chairs and a table with a box of doughnuts on. Reading between the lines, one could suggest that some props in shots blur the line between the odd and what is considered a normality.

2:05- Medium shot of the performance. Unlike previous seen, the majority of the lighting is coming through the background, highlighting the members as an important feature. Following the movements, the camera moves down. Considering Goodwin's theory of the 5 main features, the edited sequence fits the beat of the song which reinforces Goodwin's idea that the music is linked to the visuals, brining together elements of the MV for the viewer. Before the beat increases there is a matched cut of the performance. The joining of these two shots where the compositional elements match help establish continuity of the shot and also appears seamless to a viewer. Following the music, these two shots alternate representing the sequence as a glitch.

2:07 - The Previous shot is cut with a dim, blurring long shots of the members using sparklers. At 2:12 the low key lighting creating a dingy, dark feel then contrasts with a sky shot with much brighter natural lighting to create a more uplifting feel. The use of the cinematographic effect free camera is where stable-image techniques are purposely dispensed with. Here, it represents the video to be a very unrehearsed filming of reality.

2:13 - It then cuts to a medium close-up shot that is incredibly dim. The lack of lighting represents a sense of mystery to the viewer. A fade with the lighting is used as a transition to reveal another member in the dim light. Mystery is reinforced when these two members, Johnny and Doyoung, have debuted with this song. Therefore, the audience are yet to know these members given that they just debuted with NCT 127s Limitless comeback.

2:15 - Identical to 1:09, a chroma key is utilised to overlap two shots. It begins with a wide shot of all NCT 127 members with a soft warm lighting which is then overlapped with a cool toned outside long shot shakily panning across the staircase. Whilst the shot in the background remains the same, the shots simultaneously move. At 2:19 the central shot cuts to a medium shot panning across with a lens flare, then a close-up shot of skating and various other random shots as seen previously.

2:27 - Chroma key effect disappears because the viewer gets to see one member become central in their formation before the beginning of the chorus. Just before the chorus commences, chroma key is used again to overlap close-up shots of members which would follow Goodwin’s idea that the music links to the visuals that the viewer can see.

2:30 - Warm tone shot is juxtaposed with a cool tone performance medium shot following the performance. In this shot, the use of background lighting makes the frame dim with harsh lighting. This further reinforces the unpolished aura of the video.

2:32 - Medium shot of members uses the camera technique of zooming out. In sync they peer at the camera - direct mode of address.

2:34 - Another medium close-up two shot the two newly debuting members. Once more, the previous cool toned shot contrasts with this warm toned shot. They are lip syncing which is recognised as a key convention of music videos.

2:37 - Hand-held shot following a member shakily, again with the altered ratio that represents the clip being filmed on a camcorder.

2:42 - This shot of a train tunnel adds sudden movement oppose to the various shots prior with much more subtle movements. At 2:43 it then cuts to a long shot of all the members around the warehouse simply staring at the camera.

2:46 - A performance long shot zooms in on a hand-held camera towards the centre of the formation in NCT 127 as a medium close-up shot.

2:47 - Spray paint shot, promotion/synergy with the supreme,, The genre of this music is represented by the mise-en-scene of the spray can and graffiti. It reinforces the hip-hop/R&B stereotype represented in this video by the rough editing techniques and cinematography being used.

2:50 - With the frame ratio altered again, there are a series of medium shots following the members lip syncing,,,

3:06 - Close up shot of two members doing a secret handshake or as it’s culturally known ‘bro hug’ is intertextually recognised as being close to someone else. This gesture connotes the close proximity between the members of NCT 127 which reflects to the audience a cheery and friendly side to the group. As for the cinematography, the camera zooms in and out following the movement of the handshake to heighten his meaning.

3:09 - We returned to a long shot at 2:43 however, this time in the similar shot the members hands are covering their face. Symbolically, this could represent,,,

3:11 - There is then a medium shot of the central member moving forward alongside other members of NCT 127. By their body language in this shot, it is evident that they appear to be intimidating as they walk. Their demeanour appears incredibly natural. Nevertheless, they are representing another side to themselves that is appearing to be tough. A trope of hip-hop dance music videos would be this threatening demeanour and NCT 127 further conform to that by appearing to the audience as a group, or arguably, a gang. Their closeness in style and previous shots give off the impression that to the viewer they are representing themselves as one which makes them more powerful. Additionally, this sets back to the name of the track Limitless where they are all representing themselves in unison as being limitless.

3:13 - This behind medium shot is a match cut from the previous shot but in a different angle to show variation to the consumer. The lighting in this shot has a soft focus since it is relatively dim. With the mise-en-scene of the lights in the warehouse, it creates a lense flare that creates a lightness before cutting to the next shot at 3:14. Being outside with the sky taking up the majority of the frame it is quite harsh to the viewer from the sudden brightness. A low angle shot it used here. From this, it films from a lower point and shoots up at the members of NCT 127, making them appear larger,  conveying them as heroic, dominant or intimidating.

3:15 - A long shot of three members enables the audience to see their whole outfits. The mise-en-scene of the red boxes makes the frame appear less empty and much more messy and unpolished. Editing effects in this shot include slow motion as they jump. It’s debatable, but I thought that this shot in particular, with the slow motion, pulled the whole fast paced video to a small hault. This is placed right before the final chorus of the song.

3:17 - As the last chorus begins there is a close-up shot of a member surrounded in confetti. It then cuts to a long shot of the whole group at 3:19. The mise-en-scene of the confetti flowing everywhere would connote a celebration. This alters the intimidating stereotype of NCT 127 that was represented previously, and shows a lighter side to them. Moreover, even though Limitless has no distinct narrative, the use of the confetti represents this part of the video almost as a finale. Confetti towards the end of the video would stereotypically (to the viewer) represent what you’d see at a live performance; varying from concerts, theatre and musicals. Additionally, you’d often see confetti at birthdays, weddings and throwing hats at university graduations in the air would all symbolise festivities. Celebrating together would also represent the unity that NCT 127 have. Regarding this, they are being represented as their song title suggests once more; Limitless. 

This shot is an example of how the lyrics are used and linked to the visuals that the audience are seeing. ‘Can you hear? We have become one.’ This is shown by the unison of all members of NCT 127, constantly seen imitation one another and being together in the video. The metaphorical loudness of the confetti could also be reinforcing this lyric.

3:20 - This close-up shot of two members conforms to key tropes of music videos as there is the element of lip syncing. The notion of looking can include many techniques and is something that is present in almost every music video. The most common use of it is through direct or indirect address. Here, two members of NCT directly look into the camera so they are singing to the audience.

3:22 - Editing is utilized here to create a patchwork collage of all the members of NCT 127. Each medium close-up still include similar effects, such as the smoke around them. Also the red lighting shining on them and the contrasting white backlight. This lighting technique would highlight the members importance and their frame and add a huge sense of mystery. It is an unusual way to edit the clips together since it seems very messy. However, it is a good way to show all the members singing in unison.

3:24 - There is a close up shot of one member which is purposefully out of focus which makes the video appear unpolished and unrevealed.

3:25 - It then cuts to another member in a medium shot leaning against railing outside. His casual demeanour reinforces the idea that this video is incredibly laid back. 

3:27 - Long shot of the members of NCT 127 is presenting with panning camera work over their performance. Including shots like this promotes both the perfection of the dance performance for NCT and also the entertainment company. Goodwin’s theory applies to this because the reputation of NCT 127 are important to SM Entertainment to help grow the company. The movement panning across the members not only gets you to see their performance but the mise-en-scene of the set in the background. It appears very run down which contrasts the perfected performance from NCT 127.

3:31 - We then see one singular member in the same shot of the frame collage that can be achieved using after effects at 3:22. There are several of these cuts with various members where the background lighting appears really harsh which creates lense flares as a transition to the next cut. Aided with constant ratio change, it makes these shots appear rough clips of NCT 127. In some shots, the lighting is harsh in the dim background, or sparklers are used as the lighting. Either way, they are both very unprofessional which represents the vibe of the video.

3:41 - From 3:31 multiple cuts of red lighting are using. At this close up shot of a member, the red lighting is an incredibly warm colour that is used successfully to create a harsh effect. In the close-up shot, Taeyong (leader of NCT), almost appears

3:42 - Close-up shot follows another member lip syncing giving direct address to the audience represents him singing towards the viewers. The camera movement follows him slightly as he moves which is a technique that makes it easier for the viewer to follow along.

3:46 - It does back to several shots following the same theme as 3:31 which brings back a sense of familiarity to the viewer.

3:50 - Their glassy stares in this medium shot heightens their emotionless state in this cut. I think it is important to not how one member has covered their hand over another members mouth (who is the leader, Taeyong). When I saw this shot, I concluded that it looks as if they can’t speak anymore. They’re representing that without one another they don’t have a voice.

3:51 - A bright lense flare is used as a transition to uncover the next performance shot. Blending performance shots with other cuts adds variation to the audience so they are not bored during the music video. The lense flare effect is used over this angled long shot of the members.

3:54 - A hand here is used as another transition which covers the screen until everything in the frame is back.

3:58 - The lense flare is obviously a popular technique used as a transition that represents the raw footage gathered in the music video. The performance shot is like 3:51 where it is angled with multiple lense flares. Frames of members interrupt the lense flare which then becomes a harsh backlighting.

4:01 - Medium close-up shot of four members looking back at the audience in synchronization.

4:02 - More close-up and medium shots of members with alter ratio is used. The sparklers flare in the camera, creating streaks of lighting. They include; red lighting, lense flares, backlighting, fast paced movements and direct address.

4:11 - Finally the audience get to see the logo alongside the promotions of the track Limitless. Having a logo adds more recognition and promotion for NCT 127. The font is quite minimalistic yet hip - mirroring the aesthetic of the whole video and how the members were represented to look like. There is a swipe, revealing NCT 127′s logo before the video finishes.

By analysing this music video I have concluded that some clips hold a lot of  irony and irrelevance representing NCT 127 to not necessarily need a music video to promote their track. 

Taking note of the mise-en-scene within the shots; hip-hop costumes, warehouse location and props (varying from camcorders, came consoles, spray cans and more) all give an indication that reminds the viewer of the 1990s. Perhaps this is what they wanted to represent themselves as since the Korean Wave begun then, giving NCT 127 a reminiscent time to be a part of. With them representing the Korean Wave, they are also representing their group as forever growing since they have shown and represented Limitless as the era beginning of K-pop.

w o r d s : 5 ‘ 7 2 6