Although we have chosen to do the indie pop genre; to fully understand the conventions of the genre I wanted to analyse an indie rock video to compare the two genres which are very different but have similarities too.
The Killers have been quoted as ‘the biggest rock band of the 21st century’, selling 22 million albums worldwide. Formed in Nevarda in 2001 they have shot to global success achieving awards, topping both British and American charts and preforming in over 50 countries. Mr Brightside was released in 2003 but after not achieving immediate success was rereleased in 2004 as their debut single. Its popularity grew uncontrollably and to this day on YouTube it has over 175,348,947 views. Their success has lead them to become a well-known name and has created the representation that they are your stereotypical hard, metallic, modern rock band.
Although with the representation aside back in 2004 there songs seem to show a softer, more emotional side to their steel exterior. Mr Brightside is all about the insecurities and jealously with relationships creates, according to an interview with Q magazine in March 2009 the song is based on Brandon Flowers (lead singer) Ex-girlfriend who cheated on him. The lyrics all the way through suggest that his heart was broken. ‘I just can't look its killing me’ emphasises how distraught, upset and furious he felt towards what she did. the music video itself follows the theories that Rock bands choose to do performance video’s to showcase their talent to the audience.
The camerawork within the video is both usual and typical of a rock bands representation. Performance videos are mainly used to try and get the musical talent of the artist across, conventionally close up shots are used to put emphasis on the separate parts of the artist; for example commonly a close up shot of a band member playing guitar is used to put prominence on their contributed to what the audience are seeing/hearing. The Killers have applied this convention all the way through Mr. Brightside. Majority of the way through there are close up cuts of the lead singer Brandon Flowers; some shots long in duration some are quick cuts. These close ups are key to showing us his emotional connection to the lyrics; he looks irritated, on edge, anxious and uptight all the way through. “I just can’t look its killing me” is a metaphorical reference to his emotions; physically he’s fine but her actions are killing him emotionally. This is different to the representation that The Killers have currently. The close ups are portraying male vulnerability; changing the representation that all Rock bands are full of head strong, stone hearted men.
In editing terms they have used conventions from the indie rock genre; they have also put their stamp on the ordinary techniques used. The theorist Gledhill 1985 expressed that “genre…. Are not discrete systems, consisting of a fixed number of listable items”. With Mr. Brightside I agree with this theory as I believe indie rock means rock music with a twist, with something new and different; difference can’t be listed as it limits creativity, limiting development. With that said Mr. Brightside stayed very close to outlined conventions. The use of CGI with the fireworks when they were kissing help suggest again emotions running the Brandons body when he is with the girl. When the fireworks are on the lyrics take a pause giving the audience time to process his feelings towards her and the way in which the situation has made him feel. There is also use of fast paced editing; especially at heated moments. As we build up to the first chorus the cuts become shorter in duration and its focused on three main characters suggesting that the tension and bitterness we can see on Brandon’s face is related to those characters. These editing techniques create the representation that The Killers are similar to other indie rock bands like 1975,Oasis and Kaiser Chiefs as they show metaphorical and literal emotion in their songs; it shows difference to normal rock bands like The Rolling Stones and Metallica as they are stone heart and rarely show there emotional side to the audience.
There is very little post production sound and no diegetic or non-diegetic sound in Mr. Brightside. As it’s a performance video there is very little need for dialogue or add sound. There is a crescendo in the score at the beginning of the video as the tension is building the beat of the score is getting faster and the beat of the drum is becoming more dominate. This along with the increase in shot speed gives the impression that the representation of the artists is getting going. A crescendo is very unusual to have in a rock indie song; normally a sharp start of the song will attract the audience but the crescendo that The Killer have used here works with both the lyrics and the narrative of the storyline.
Lastly The killers Mis En Scene represented them as quirky artist. The costumes of the girls were very extravagant and also sexualised. Laura Mulvey male gaze theory applies here; all the way through the women are seen to be flirting and trying to seduce the men. They are seen as sexual objects there to please the men which they have been ‘allocated’ The women are being suggested to be prostitute/burlesque girls trying to gain attention of what is indicated as rich men who are well dressed, smart looking and what appears to be well educated. The costumes of The Killers themselves are in-between both the rich men and the sexualised women. They are in suits like the men because that’s their sexuality and men are expected within society to act like men but they are also dressed like the women; odd coloured ties and waist jackets represents that they respect those women unlucky the other men in the shot. To the audience this makes them look like ‘good men’ who don’t take advantage of women. The lighting is low key and helps make the extravagant and dated set look realistic. The setting is a big, grand hall where balls would normally take place (hence why the blocking of The Killers is on a little stage; just like it would be in the 1920s). The blocking of The Killers also helps represent them as not condemning the actions of the women and men, they are away from what could be seen by the audience as ‘inappropriate behaviour’.
