2. I really like this Greenday video, even though it only includes a narrative style. The video consists of an on-
going chain of people spying and watching each other, whilst between this happening the band Greenday walk
around the dark lit city. The lighting of the video used goes with the overall feel of the song perfectly. Andrew
Goodwin states that the music follows the visuals. This statement makes perfect sense with this video, as
throughout there is a mellow city glow, illuminating them as they walk round. This suits the video/music
perfectly, and it goes with the calm rocky tempo.
This camera movement called a ‘Tracking Shot’ is used throughout the
whole video while Greenday walk around the empty street lit city.
The boys are dressed in rebellious punk clothing, sporting
chains, piercings, coloured jeans, skater style etc. This makes them stand out to
the audience. Mainly as the audience will be able to relate to them. As this is
speaking out to the youth.
3. As you can see this is the first person who is glancing on someone through a window, this shot is
taken as a medium shot, allowing us to see what there wearing, there facial expressions etc.
As you can see he is glancing down at this lady, it looks like he is looing in lust, almost
as if he's spying on something he cannot have. They use a long shot with every
person being watched/spied on. This women is well off, well dressed and in a smart
apartment. This narration is so clever, making it a personal favourite of mine. Mainly
due to the fact that the story is on going, a chain of people watching each other.
4. Now the woman who was being watched by the man has caught her attention across to 2 children
playing dress up in another apartment. Almost with a disapproving manner on her face. The way
she’s dressed and the bright colors suggest she is wealthy and looking down on the kids as if they
aren't worthy of her time.
Here a young boy is aiding what seems to be his baby sister in dressing up like a princess.
They also look wealthy, as there clothes are also of high class, but however they look a lot
more old fashioned. This is a key feature in the video that has attracted me, all the age
groups, and all the different styled people. This is a very strong feature within a narrative
video. Helps to tell the story in a much clearer way.
5. Here the young girl dressed up is now surveying a suspicious man in the parking lot. This
continues the chain of people watching each other. In my opinion this create suspense, as
you never know who’s will be next, or how it will end.
Here the man is being watched, as you can see there is very low light, probably just a dank
street light illuminating him, allowing more contrast to be included in the darkness. The man
is in the center of a telescope lens view, making the shot more effective, as it looks more as if
he is being watched or spied upon.
6. Here you see the dully lit man gazing at what appears to be a young teenage couple kissing
passionately on a car bonnet. He watches them in longing, almost as if he’s jealous. This
suggests to me that maybe each character watching each person, is jealous of the person, or
has a sense of longing for what they have over what they have achieved.
Here as mentioned is the young couple kissing. They again are very dully lit, and subtly
illuminated by a street lamp, I like this effect, as it makes it look a lot more like night
time, but also allows us to see clearly what is happening. It then creates suspense in
narrative hook of the music video, as you wonder who they will watch and stare in awe at.
7. Here the couple have walked into a dark lit building, again keeping with the night city scene. This time
however the story changes and there's a twist in the narration of the video. They don’t look like they are
jealous or in awe. They look fearful, and slightly intimidated. They are watching an elderly man, again lit
by a pin prick of light travelling from his apartment. The lighting in this music video is simply
phenomenal. Its so subtle and so cleverly used.
Here is the shot of the old man they are watching in his wheelchair. You can instantly tell why they
are slightly intimidated, he looks eerie and slightly perverse, staring at the youths as if showing his
disapproval through his body language and expression. This is a clever twist in the story within the
video.
8. We then switch to a shot of the elderly man in his wheelchair staring longingly almost in teasing way at a young ballet
class rehearsing across the street from his apparent. This tweaks the story ever so slightly as he isn't jealous or
intimidated. He is looking in a sad longing way, as if he wants to date or be with one of the young fit slender women, in
comparison to himself, as he clearly cannot walk, and is ageing at a fast rate. This creates sympathy within the video
and allows us to feel for the man. Another key aspect of this shot is the lighting, he dimly lit by a side lamp allowing us
to see his small apartment and himself in the wheelchair. Again another example of simple subtle lighting.
Here is the shot of the young girls rehearsing in
front of a mirror for what seems to be ballet. Its
unclear who is the main focus point and who will
then continue the chain and watch the next
person, thus carrying on the narrative side of the
music video. This becomes clear when a young girls
breaks away from the group and nervously looks up
at a window. She looks slightly apprehensive, but
also slightly confused, as to why the person is
watching her.
9. This last shot of her looking then ends the video, as it ends suddenly, and in a very
sudden way, but the way it is done allows us to see the chain that is never ending. It
turns out that she is watching the man who was originally staring at the wealthy women
in red at the beginning. This shows us that the chain is never ending, and that they have
all been surveying each other without realizing.
Here is the shot of the eerie man staring at her
through the window. He looks identical to how
he did when watched the wealthy women
dressed in red but that is the key aspect of the
video. The confusion of all the people who have
been watching each other. Again the lighting in
this shot is simple and subtle, it illuminates him
in the darkness and makes him the main focus
point. This is used throughout the video in a
very key effective way. Making it my favorite
narrative video of anything I have surveyed or
studied.
10. The video then ends with again a dark shot, slightly illuminated by pinpricks of windows where people have
been watching each other, This establishing shot allows us to see the whole scene in which where people have
been watching each other. This is a very interesting, but very good shot to end with, mainly as it allows us to
see an overview of everything.
One key thing that I haven't mentioned throughout my analysis, is that the lyrics and meaning
of the song have nothing to do with the video. The video is just creative genius in my
opinion, and although random and not in keeping with the style of the song or with the lyrics, I
feel that the music video which is a narrative according to Goodwin's theory, is simply incredibly
made, and a personal favorite of mine.
