music video analysis

1. Musicvideoanalysis
Blink182-BoredToDeath

2. The current ideas about music videos come from Andrew Goodwin ‘Dancing in the distraction factory’. He proposes that there are 7 ‘rules’ for
music videos-
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
2. There will be a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals
3. There will be a relationship between the music and the visuals
4. The demands of the record label include the need for lots of close ups of the artist. This may develop motifs which recur, giving them a
visual style
5. There are frequent references to the notion of looking and the voyeuristic treatment of the female body (male gaze)
6. There will often be intertextual references
7. There must be technical aspects such as mise en scene, camerawork and editing
Blink 182 - bored to death
The establishing shot of the video is a school hallway; this shows the viewer where the video is going to be set and sets a tone for the video
as it could suggest that it is aimed at a younger audience. It is a long shot which begins to zoom in; this then leads to a cut to a different
scene in a classroom when the music begins. The introduction views the students passing around a note; the mise en scene plays a key role
in this scene as there is a lot of high key lighting and most of the students are wearing brightly colured clothes. The camera then focuses on
one particular row in the classroom where it tracks across, to give the illusion that someone is walking down this row. The shot also has a
rack focus effect as everything in the shot is out of focus apart from one male character who is sat with a vacant and ‘bored’ expression; the
focus being on him shows that he is the main character for the narrative of the video. He is wearing black which creates a big contrast to the
location and the people surrounding him.
The colour black also suggests negativity, the unknown and mystery and gives the
impression that he is an individual who is unique and prefers not to follow general trends
which matches the style of the music as the genre is rock/punk which is associated with
being alternative and different. This draws on point 1, 3 and 7 of Andrew Goodwin’s ideas
on music videos as this shows a link between the visuals and music and it shows
characteristics of the genre. There is then a jump cut once the lyrics begin; the video
changes from narrative to live performance. immediately , there is a close up of the lead
singer in the band. This links to point 4 of Andrew Goodwin’s ideas. The close ups show
the importance of a frontman in a band and they also create an intimate feel to the video
as the audience gets to see the band on a more direct and personal level.

3. There are other close ups showing the same character but from a different angle. This gives the audience different perspectives to look at. This
type of music is based upon heavy guitars and drums which is why there are close ups of the drummer.This gives emphasis on the use of the
instrument and the ability to play it, implying that the band has good experience. The close ups are frequently used throughout the video and
they are generally evenly divided between the members of the band. The shots do favour the lead, however, it focuses on the other band
members more than other videos would,showing equality, companionship and closeness among the band.
The close ups of the band show that they are quite heavily tattooed which is one of the conventions of the genre, linking to Andrew Goodwin’s
first point about music videos featuring genre characteristics. Tattoos are a convention of the rock/punk genre as they are an ostentatious
show of rebellion and not caring about not fitting into the social norms of society. Traditionally, people with tattoos were sailors or criminals,
both groups of people who are generally outcast characters; this relates to the style of music as rock music is different to the typical genre that
most people listen to and the tattoos are a way of showing that you are different as they represent self expression and non-conformity.
The cutting pace is fast and generally fits with the beat of the music which creates a visually appealing look as it creates continuity between the
music and the video. There is a close up of the protagonist’s hand, defacing a table with scissors. This expresses his boredom and defiance
against the rules, which links to the theme of rebellion.
When the song kicks in and becomes more upbeat, the visuals match this. Andrew Goodwin states that there will be a relationship between
the music and the visuals and this is displayed here. There are multiple shots throughout the video of the band playing however, it is a long
shot which shows the crowd also. This is an important feature as it shows that they are playing on a small stage which suggests that they are
not overstated despite their success and they are staying true to who they are as unique artists and not following the typical route that most
bands go down in the industry after success. This also shows that the gig they are playing is quite intimate, demonstrating that they have a
close relationship with fans and want them to be involved in their music as much as possible. The crowd are seen to be very lively and clearly

4. enjoying the music which gives the audience a good impression as the band appears to be
extremely popular. The popularity of the band contributes to their reputation as it shows that
their music is well liked among consumers. The movement within the shots begins to speed
up also when the song kicks in, making the video seem more chaotic and fun to represent the
teen’s reckless behaviour. Other characters are introduced in the video such as a young girl
who the audience may perceive to be a romantic interest of the main character’s. This
suggests that the video is trying to relay the message of being young, audacious and in love.
There is a scene in which the couple go to a record store. This adds a retro element to the
video as records are quite old fashioned, however, recently they have grown in popularity
and have become stylish. The pair listen to music in the shop and are seen to be letting
themselves go and having a good time, dancing and laughing etc. The style of music that
Blink 182 plays is alternative rock which, as I have mentioned previously, is not the typical
style which means that fans are usually hardcore and dedicated. This element of the video
presents the pair as music lovers who are genuinely interested and involved which the
audience can relate to. Other characters also include a group of friends; following on from my
earlier point, the group are all wearing black clothing which portrays their alternative style and
how they are not prepared to fit into society’s norms, also matching the style of the music.
The group of friends are seen doing a range of different activities such as going to a
skatepark, the beach, and sneaking into a pool to swimming in someone’s back garden. All of
these things relate to the songs lyrics as they are fun ways to enjoy and be thrilled by life
while you’re young. The lyrics read ‘life is too short to last long’; the music video relates to
this as it emphasises the fact that you should enjoy life while you’re young, having fun with no
regrets and generally appreciating life and being happy without being too serious. This also
links to Andrew Goodwin’s idea that there will be a relationship between the lyrics and the
visuals.
A long shot of a staircase is shown and the couple are seen ascending at a low angle making
them seem bigger. This suggests their superiority; this may be a result of them being rich in
happiness. At this point, the narrative and the live performance merge as the couple go to the
gig that Blink 182 are performing. There are lots of close ups of the crowd and people among
the crowd, showing pure enjoyment, again, revealing the popularity of the band and their

5. There are mid close ups of the couple kissing whilst the crowd are still active around them. This adds an element of romanticism and suggests
that they are completely lost in the moment, continuing the theme of enjoying life to the fullest.
The main feature of the outro of the song is the drums; the shots use special effects and the whole video rewinds. The audience sees the video,
but backwards, as if it is going back in time, whilst periodically interjecting a shot of the drummer to focus on this. The video ends with a close up
of the desk which the male character had earlier been defacing. The words ‘bored to death’ are scratched into the surface, clearly showing his
attitude and feelings, whilst relating to the song title. The band end the video with this close up to create continuity between the beginning and the
end of the video so it all links together and also the viewer is reminded of the name of the song making them aware of it and they are left with this
image, making it stick in their head.