'Precious Possessions' is a song by Anna Wise released in 2017. The song is from the so soundtrack of the TV show 'Dear White People'. Anna Wise is labeled as 'The Bride' in the video. The video is about equality between races and suggests that the two lovers in the video are not allowed to be together.
The video opens as the main character (The Bride) is looking in the mirror at her self as though she was getting ready. The frame then goes to beck and this shot comes up. The female is dominating the frame and you can see the male character asleep in the background. The frame is covered in light colours and bright natural light. This all contrasts with the mans skin colour, which immediately sets a contrast between black and white. This is what the video is based off, which becomes clear as the video continues.
The next shot is from the outside of what seems to be a cabin in the middle of the woods. This is a very secluded area which again suggests that the couple have to hide their time together. The shot itself is through the glass of the cabin and shows the woman looking out into the forest. She seems to be sat on the side of the bed and the male is not in the shot. The music has not yet started however there is a gentle hollow noise in the background, warming up to the song beginning.
The music begins properly with a high angled, birds eye view of 'The Bride' lying in bed. She wears red lipstick and the colours around her are very light but full of colour. She takes up the majority of the frame, along with the pillows which are floral. However, you can see the the arm of someone in the corner of the frame. He is also dressed in white which goes along with the style and the colouring of the rest of the frame and video in general.
As the second character is introduced, the room goes from the light colours and lighting of the day time to the dark, but warm, lighting of the night. The males face is never really shown and it remains very focused on the 'bride'. The shot itself is a close up to medium shot of the two hugging as the male has just entered. The woman seems to be very into the hug, where as the man isn't really hugging her back. this is a theme throughout the video, in that the love seems more one way. He dresses in dark colours and she dresses in light, reinforcing their differences.
The scene then begins to get more intimate and the two are seen with less clothes on and in a very sexual position. The man is seen kissing the woman's chest. The idea that the he is not as in love as she is, contrasts with this shot. However, it could be suggesting that the relationship is only sexual for him; not emotionally involved. The scenes constantly flip between day and night. The lights and the darks again highlights the differences in their races. The shot is a medium shot of the top half of the bodies.
It then continues into the scene becoming more intimate. The camera tracks the males had as it moves up the leg of the 'bride'. She wears white lingerie and the shot is highly sexualised. The woman seems to sit and allow him to touch her. This reinforces the suggested idea that the male is only interested in the sexual side of the relationship and she wants more. The lighting the the shot is very warm, which is a good lighting for a sexual scene.
The shot is then interrupted by a daytime shot of the two lying in bed. The 'bride' is the main focus in the frame, just like throughout the video. However, this is one of the first scenes where she hasn't got eye contact with the camera. She lay on the males chest and he shows no affection towards her. She stares out the window as though something was wrong or that she was thinking about something. Her hair is also tied back which is not seen in the video before this. The shot is high angled, like a birds eye view shot, down onto the bed.
She then is seen sat up looking out the window. the male is asleep. The fact that her hair is down suggests that it is another day to the shot before. It could be said that the male comes over at night, sleeps with her, showing her no affection and then leaves. This could be why in all of the daytime shots she is seen with a black face, looking quite sad and as though she is in deep thought. The shot itself is a close up shot of the 'bride' through the window. The fact that its through the window, makes her looked trapped and could suggest that she is trapped in this lifestyle/love.


After the scene being interrupted by another scene of the intimate scene of the two, it then goes onto an over the shoulder shot of the 'bride' looking in a mirror at herself. This looks like it leads on from the previous shot of her looking out the window. The expression on her face as she looks in the mirror isnt happy. She looks quite disturbed. This suggests that she is unhappy with herself.
The next shot is of the two sat on the sofa. The 'bride' is lying across the lap of the male. This act is almost like she is trying to get his attention. The shot itself is a close up of the womans face. Her hair is all pulled back and she looks quite innocent. He now wears a blue shirt which is different to what he has been wearing. When he first came into the scenes, he wore dark colours, but as he's stayed they become lighter. Perhaps fitting in with her. Which could suggest a further meaning in that he could be changing/controlling him.
It then is interrupted again by the night time intimate shots. The woman is shown with the back of her completely unclothed now. The lighting is very warm. The man is not in shot. The shot is a low medium shot of the woman, who looks very intriguing and beautiful in this shot. This is the most skin shown in the whole video.
There is then an establishing shot of where the cabin they are staying in is. It is in the middle of the woods and very excluded from other people. The 'bride' sits on the outside of the house without the man in shot. It could be that the man is no longer there. She looks powerful with her long dress, high up on a balcony; almost queen like. This contrasts with her looking sad and vulnerable throughout the video previously. The lighting is cold in this shot which contrasts the rest of the video, which again could mean that he has gone.
The 'bride' is then shown inside on the bed that the two had previously been in. Her dress is spread over the bed and she looks like royalty again; very powerful. The male is not in shot at all when this side of her is shown. This could mean that the love she has for him makes her week. The lighting here is still quite cold, highlighting his absence. It is an establishing/long shot of the woman.
The scene is interrupted by shots of the couple being intimate at night again. The lighting is dark and warm like the rest of the video, but also in contrast with the previous shot. She always is seen above the man. This could reinforce the idea of her power. The shot itself is a medium shot of the two together. This scene links back to how they are at the beginning of the video.
I think that this shot is one of the most powerful throughout the video. The couple show no affection towards each other and sit with their backs to each other. This could be because they have had a falling out or to follow the idea of their being little to know affection from the man to the woman. The shot is an establishing of the two in the room, on the bed. The lighting remains cold and the colours light.
In conclusion to my analysis on 'Precious Possessions' by Anna Wise, I have learnt and discovered things used in this video which i plan to use in my project. The first being the vintage feel to the video. There was a vintage theme in the clothing, makeup and general dress up of the video. This is something I would like to use in my video. I also liked the idea of the narrative. It followed a forbidden love plot, which is something I think is intriguing. I would like to do something similar in my video. The whole video is very representative of, as said before, a forbidden love, but also what seems to be a one sided love. The woman seems to be a lot more involved in the relationship. This is represented through the woman's body language towards the male. This also contrasts with the males body language towards her. His doesn't seem to be adoring of her, like she is to him.













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