This video is slightly harder than the rest to analyse because it is very open to the interpretation, the thing that is both an issue but brilliant about Biffy Clyro music video's is that it doesn't make much clear, it gives ideas but makes it very much up to the person to make up their minds about what happened or what it means, this is an issue for deconstructing because nothing I say can be for certain, but I think it's brilliant because it's exactly what I want my music video to be like, I want to create something where the audience really have to think or where it leaves them wondering, forcing them to make up their own minds about how it ends, this means that they kind of get the ending they want, it's a great way to please a wide variety of people because surely they can't be dissapointed by an ending they create in their own head. I also like the idea of the frustration from the ambigious ending. But the reason that this video is harder than most is because I can't tell if it's doing a 'cult' story line to almost make fun of overly religious people or whether they do agree with it and personally I have no religious beliefs so this makes it a difficult decision for me. But I think I have come to the decision that it is saying their fans are like a cult.
It starts off with an almost establishing shot in a confusing manner, it doesn't actually show you where it is or what's happening but it gives a bit of an idea, there is mist or smoke and it is a very orange glow which indicates that there is a fire. It then goes straight to the lead singer posing in a 'Jesus on the cross' kind of position as a silhouette which then fades into the sun/fire shining through some spaces which then fades into his fingers on the guitar. This then pans up and fades into an image of two hands holding a light, signifying god and the sun?
It then stats focusing in on faces of the people in the cirle of this 'cult' and they all look sad or stern. Which means they have had some recent saddening experiences or something to be angry about, this fits with the lyrics 'It's not right, no it's not fair' which could imply something unfair has happened to these people and they want revenge or he is showing them how to feel better so they are following him. While this happenes, the lead singer, Simon, is still singing but looking quite menacing like he's hiding something or something is about to happen. There are flashes almost of either what's happened or what is about to come, they tend to be of Simon looking Christ-like and of a building burning, this could even be showing the 'cult's thoughts of how they see him and what they want to happen.
The first time that the song appears to build up it has close ups of individual people with a light in the background and them all closing their eyes one by one, this happens quite fast. It then goes back to the circle of people when the build up stops but then the song really does build up and it does the close ups of the individuals again, this time they are all opening their eyes. Once it finishes the build up, there are two people running across a field but we do not know why, it could be them running from the 'cult' or authorities or something symbolic, running from their thoughts etc.
The biggest sign to me that it is saying their fans are like a cult was what is seen in between clips of the couple running there's all of the people who were in the circle now in a room, some blindfolded, with the lead singer touching them on their shoulders, like what happens at some religious seminars, they then all flop forwards and back up again(like a head bang or dance) and then they start falling to the floor and having what looks like seizures, once again like in religious seminars, others are bouncing about, but they do look like they are dancing to the music, head banging and jumping about, this is subtle but still quite clearly there.
This continues, the running, burning houses, dancing etc until the couple end up back in the room from the beginning with just the lead singer, this still leaves the audience wondering what happened, but it's up to the interpretation, it could be that they were running from the cult and ended up back there or that they were running for the cult and were coming back to show what they have done etc. All in all I think that the whole video is trying to show their gratification of their fans and audience, this fits with the lyrics very well, for example; "I can only make you see the moon,
You can touch it but that's up to you
This is happening because of you
Stay special brother you stay true" I think that this is trying to say that their music could help you see things but really it's all you, it's all what you do, not them, people worship them but really it's just in the person themself. This fits very well with the video as although he may be the 'leader' they are all choosing to do what they do because they feel it helps them etc.
What I want to take from this is the individuals opening or closing their eyes, that shot is very interesting and I think it's very effective, obviously I'd do it differently to fit my video, I may just use it once at the end where my main character may be surrounded by everyone who hurt her and then it's just a clip of her, close up, opening her eyes then walking away.
I also want to use the mish mash of clips, giving idea's as to what's happening, just flashes of things happening. I probably will also start with images that have something to do with what will happen and an establishing shot.
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