Media Studies Video analysis

1. Video Analysis
Green Day - Basket Case
Directed by: Mark Kohr
Album: Dookie

2. Basket Case
• The picture to the right shows
the convention of the genre, for
example live music,
instruments.
• Also the setting seems to be in
a psychiatric hospital relating to
the title 'Basket Case' which
refers to insanity, the picture
shows the nurses on the ward
having to help the band
conventionalise , this also
playing to the narrative of them
being 'Basket Case's'.

3. Basket Case
• The picture to the right shows
the ‘mise en scene’ within the
set. The bright colours on the
set conflict with the bands
stereotypical punk rock, dark
clothing.
• This creates the feeling that the
video is unsettled, which is
typical for the punk rock genre.

4. Basket Case
• The lyrics ‘Am I just paranoid, or am I just
stoned?’ link well with this part of the video
(shown to the right) as it shows the bands
front man Billie Joe to be hallucinating
which fits with paranoia, which also links
with the song title Basket case as it refers to
insanity.
• The colours which appear on the screen in
the hallucinations are very bright, this
represents the conflict in the front mans
mind and challenges the convention of
punk rock in that the thoughts in his head
are dark and miserable whereas the things
he is seeing in his hallucinations are bright
and colourful.

5. Basket Case
• This picture shows a pan shot
of the band playing in the
psychiatric hospital, this is
used to emphasize the insanity
which they’re trying portray
within themselves.
• To also play along with the
narrative the nurses are
wearing strange masks which
can add to the fact the the
band are hallucinating and can
also be linked with the lyrics
‘Am I just paranoid, or am I just
stoned?’.

6. Basket Case
• In this picture we can see a
shot of the front man, Billie Joe,
in a white room which again
links back to the concept of
insanity as the white room
represents that of which would
be found within a psychiatric
hospital.
• The high shot of the front man
is used to make him look
vulnerable which again links to
insanity as people who are
‘insane’ are typically thought to
be vulnerable.

7. Basket Case
• This high angle shot of the front
man relates to the lyric ‘Am I
just paranoid’ as it shows him
looking around and being
skeptical of what is around him,
(being paranoid).
• This shot again shows the
vulnerability of the front man as
it’s as if the viewers are looking
down at him, demonstrating his
vulnerability and insanity.

8. Basket Caseffff
‘I think i’m cracking up’ these
lyrics imply that the front man is
coming to terms with his
insanity, and the elliptical edit
shown to the right, gives us the
feeling that he is ‘cracking up’ as
the quick interchange of clips
represents the thoughts in his
head and he can see him
growing more uncomfortable.

9. Basket Case
The picture to the right shows
the bands drummer, Tré Cool,
taking pills given to him by the
nurses on the ward. This again
links with the narrative of the
band being basket case’s.
Green day are known for being
an ‘Anti government’ band and
this can be seen as the band
having a dig at the government,
suggesting that the medication
isn’t necessary as they are in
fact ‘normal’.

10. Basket Case
In this image we can see the
bands bassist dressed in a
typical orange jump suit often
associated with convicts.
This again can be seen as the
band having a dig at the
government as nowadays,
psychiatrics hospitals are
known for treating their
patients poorly, often making
them feel imprisoned.