
Three of the most important visual elements in Billy Joel’s Piano Man are close ups, establishing shots, and medium shots.  By using these elements, Billy Joel and the video producers can really create a setting as well as draw focus to certain things. We as viewers of the work use the different visual elements to create meaning and to develop our thoughts in the work.

First, at the beginning of the video, starting at the 0:10 mark, the camera pans across the bar. It is showing the energy and excitement of the people. This establishing shot is very important as it creates the setting for the viewer. We are able to see how large the crowd is and how much they are all clamoring for attention. By using this, Joel is also showing us how this song is for the common man. Throughout, he sings of people in everyday professions. These people are his first sign of connecting us as viewers to the song. This establishing shot does an excellent job of beginning to illustrate Joel’s message throughout the song. 

Next, beginning at 0:28 we get our first close up of Joel. These close ups of him repeat throughout the song and are important for showing the emotion of each different verse of the song. However, there are more important uses of close ups than the ones that only focus on Joel sitting at the piano.

At the 0:49 mark, we see our first medium shot. This scene is almost and establishing shot, as it develops the theme of loneliness and isolation that has already been going on in the song. Joel and the producers create an almost barrel like shot to focus on the lonely man at the bar. This medium shot with a very dark hue do an excellent job of framing in the man to create the feelings of the scene. This image can really play to our emotion of trying to overcome our own personal loneliness. Although we see this man as lonely, we must remember to think that their might be more to the story than we. What Joel is saying might be different from the producer and director’s interpretation. This could create an image that is not exactly the way Joel imagined.

Then, the use of establishing shot on the neon signs at the 1:23 time stamp, are helpful for giving the viewer a sense of the time period as well as what is going on in that part of the city. By continuing to use establishing shots throughout the music video, Joel and the producers can really create the setting and develop the feelings or emotions conveyed in the song. Establishing shots can used for more than the opening. Especially in Piano Man, they are used to set up what will be coming up in the next verse of the song.

At 1:43 another establishing shot pans over the crowd. During this scene the camera passes over the crowd. It gives a somewhat birds-eye view angle. The way that this music video has been put together is important for developing the message. By using different camera angles and styles they are able to pass on so many different feelings. This shot also brings in the assumption that lots of these people do not know each other, and are only looking for a way to escape their real lives. Throughout this video and most visual pieces, there are always assumptions that have to be made, whether about the location, people, or actions taking place in the shot.

At the 1:57 mark, we see our next close-up, John at the bar. This close-up is also somewhat of a establishing shot, as it creates John’s personality and shows what he is actually doing. By matching up the words to what John is actually doing, the meaning of the song is developed more. 

Next, the 2:45 time stamp begins an over the shoulder shot that leads into a close up. The over the shoulder creates the setting that leads into the close up. As the song begins to talk about David who is still in the Navy, the camera pans first to his face and then to the tattoo on his forearm. The raw emotion on his face is important for developing the passion in the song. It also brings out our feelings of what it is like to have someone to talk to even if we don’t know them. This really brings it back to the viewer because two very different people, David who is still in the Navy and Paul who is a real estate novelist, have found common ground to talk about. 

At 3:10, we see both a medium shot and a point of view shot. In this scene, Joel and the producers are using these shots to first establish the shot, and then show the differences between the waitress and the businessmen. One of the main themes in this song is the coming together of all types of people in a common location where they can all let go of their struggles and be free for a short time. This really relates to everyone, because we are always looking for ways to escape the real world and live outside of ourselves, even if it is for a short time.

Next, at 3:47 the camera switches to a shot of different people playing the piano. In these short scenes there are a wide variety of ways that people are dressed. It can be assumed that all of these piano players are performing in different social society settings. This brings us back to the idea that in the long run we are all the same, and that we all truly enjoy and the appreciate the same things. For example, the people in tuxedos through to the casually dressed people in the bar are all singing Piano Man. This really shows that we are all the same no matter what we do, how much money we have, who we spend time with, or what we do for fun.

At 4:08 we see another long shot that forms into a medium shot. This is also somewhat of an establishing shot, as it brings us as a viewer into the scene with the manager and waitress. Joel uses lots of establishing shots, as each scene is different and requires a setting to be shown and developed so that the viewer can know what is going on. 

Lastly, to develop the theme of human commonality, Joel uses words like “us” and we’re”, instead of “me” and “I’m”. It can be assumed that Joel intentionally left these words out in order to show that we are one human race instead of a seven billion individuals.

Throughout Piano Man, Joel and his producers use many different styles of shots to create an atmosphere of unity. This really develops his theme of oneness and he really pulls out the human emotion side of loneliness to make us think about how we combat or isolation.