Textual analysis

The black background seems to absorb the word “Heartless” which could connote the destruction of love. Kanye doesn't break the forth wall by looking directly at the camera this could connote that we are the heartless ones that he cannot physically look at. The way the song is sung is like he is directly talking to the audience. So we feel his emotions. However the females look directly at the camera which may me that we are like them.

The video is conventionally targeted at 20-37 year olds in which it is thought may have experienced a minor or major degree of heartbreak throughout their life time. However the fact that the video is animated could resemble a young target audience, early teens. The music video would be watched at home on TV or online on the internet via computers, phones etc. The song has a mass international audience as kanye is a well known artist of his genre.

The mise-en-scene is used in a conventional way, the location is set in the streets of a city, Kanye walks through the city in distress there are no other people in the background apart from buildings this represents he loneliness in the world. The sunglasses conventionally represents wealth and status. But in this case it resembles his insecurity, he is hiding is facial emotions by wearing the glasses at night. There is a close up shot of his jacket which is phat farm an American designer brand which shows his wealth. There is a long shot of a clothes box which is lui vuitton a highly perishable designer product this again shows his wealth.

The end presents kanye walking around in circles smoking. The intended thought of the audience is what is he going to do? Next there is a mid shot of a seductive looking woman walking towards the camera looking to trap the audience, followed by that is a shot of a female looking at the camera walking away she looks back twice and the slams the door this is very ionic as this can be seen to resemble Kanye’s personal life as his fiancé who was in a long term relationship left him it could be said that the whole song is directed at her but he is not vulgar enough to give specifics of his own life.