"ill manors" analysis

Analysing the music video for "ill Manors" by Plan B

"This isn't a song that glorifies violence, riots and looting. Rather, it is an attempt to satirise the views of those with greater means when they judge the less fortunate. Although it appears to promote a self-fulfilling prophecy of anti-social behaviour, it is using media assumptions of the current political and economic situation as a lampoon. All in all a very well written song."-YouTube comments

The music video starts with the sound of an old dirty truck with it's engine running before the music starts to set the mood and atmosphere the kind of pace they are in, while presenting an exponential shot of the area.






The close up shot of Ben here makes him seem more aggresive and threatening towards the audience which carries his idea of being from a council house and violent. Plan-B is best when he writes about social alienation. This song rails against how a whole swath of society has been cornered by prejudice, depending on from where they are and what they wear which is why he chose to let the people wear what they would normally wear (hoodies, etc.).




Ben's use of clips from the news as a form of intertextuality works well to prove his point that people like him are shown in such a bad light, and all of these important people treat them like they do here and no one seems to have anything against it.




The red flare in the video could also have some significance, the flare is usually a sign for help and attention, so it could signify that they actually want help from the society and that they are the way they are because they want to get noticed. However, the red colour of the flare has the connotations of anger and the warning to stop, which could possibly be aimed at the society.