The All-American Rejects are an American Pop Punk/Pop Rock band who formed in 1999 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The band consists of Tyson Ritter (Bassist and Vocalist), Nick Wheeler (Lead Guitarist and Vocalist), Mike Kennerty (Rhythm Guitarist and Vocalist) and Chris Gaylor (Drummer). They released their first 'self titled' studio album called 'The All-American Rejects' in 2003 which was certified Platinum in America through the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). This album was released on the independent label 'DreamWorks Records' which was originally a subsidiary of the film production label 'DreamWorks SKG Pictures', but was later sold to the conglomerate known as 'Universal' in 2003. In 2005, the band released their second studio album called 'Move Along' which was certified 2x Platinum, again by the RIAA. This album was released on the major record label known as 'Interscope Geffen A&M Records' which is a subsidiary of the conglomerate 'Universal'. In 2008, the band then released their third studio album called 'When The World Comes Down' which was certified Gold by the RIAA - this album was also released on the subsidiary and major label known as 'Interscope Geffen A&M Records'. Their latest album known as 'Kids In The Street' was released in 2012 which debuted at number 18 on the US Billboard 200 charts and was again released on the same record label as used for the last two previous albums. The band have sold over 10 million albums worldwide and are currently working on an EP which is scheduled to be released in 2017.
'It Ends Tonight' was written by Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler and was produced by Howard Benson - it was released on the 19th September 2006 through the major and subsidiary label known as 'Interscope Geffen A&M Records'. This song was the bands third and final single from their second studio album 'Move Along' and it peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 which makes this song the bands second highest charting song in the US and Australia. The single also includes another song which is a live version of their song 'Dirty Little Secret' which is also on the 'Move Along' album. 'It Ends Tonight' carries on for 4:04 minutes and is about a failed relationship with a friend - they both try to figure out what is wrong so they can fix it, but it is too late as it has been carrying on for too long and it is probably best to end the relationship to stop the pain and to be left alone, hence the name 'It Ends Tonight'. This music video has been used to present the singers feelings, as throughout the video it is dark, but he is finding ways to make it light and by the end of the video it is brighter which may represent the fact that the singer is finding ways to make himself happier about this relationship and he no longer wants to be hidden in the dark anymore, so finds ways to get to the light which expresses freedom and contentment.
Mise-en-scene is essential in creating emotion and understanding of this music video. Firstly, the locations that have been help reinforce the singer feelings, as at the beginning we can see he is isolated in a desert which complements the meaning of the lyrics because the denotation states 'Your subtleties, they strangle me' and 'Maybe it's best you leave me alone' which connote that Tyson can now longer carry on with this relationship as it is too much for him and would rather be alone, or the benefit of this location could also imply that Tyson feels alone even when with his friend because they don't make him feel like he is worth anything - but by the end of the video he is surrounded by friends and people in this same location to highlight that he has other people that will actually care about him and the future is now looking positive for him. On top of that, part of this video is filmed in a firework shop which can be seen through the use of an establishing shot - this in a way tells the audience that there is 'light at the end of the tunnel' as fireworks produce light and Tyson is finding ways to make himself feel better, which he is able to do by discovering the light in the relationship (finding the light in a shop, which are the fireworks). The lighting in this music video is extremely important and complements the lyrics of the song because he sings 'When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight' which highlights that when the darkness goes away, the relationship will end. Throughout the video it is dark which expresses Tyson's misery, but he goes to retrieve fireworks which will brighten up his life and help him escape from the wrecked relationship. After the bridge of the song the fireworks are seen going into the air and it quickly goes from night to morning which demonstrates that Tyson has overcome the relationship issue and has ended it.
The props used are imperative because they have been used to help reinforce the meaning of the lyrics. First and most importantly, the fireworks have been used which as previously said, connote how the singer is going to stop the relationship as he is finding ways to get over it and is doing this by looking for the the light (fireworks) - at the end of the video, the audience can see all of the band members lighting up fireworks through the use of a close ups and this may express that they are all finally letting their feelings go and are allowing them to explode to get ride of the pain that has been caused. Moreover, near the beginning of the video, the audience can see one of the band members hitting a plastic toy dinosaur off of a pile of magazine - this is done in synchronization with the first time the lyrics 'It ends tonight' are mentioned and this expresses that the toy may represent the singers friend and is being knocked over because the singer is going to leave the friend, so the friend will be the one falling and left broken. There are also a range of different instruments that have been used in the video which reinforces the fact that this is a Pop Punk band because it is stereotypical for them to play their own instruments which also means that it is a common convention of this genre. Nearer the end of the video you also see the band performing together and this was slowly built up to, as before, the audience will have seen a range of close ups on amplifiers and the instruments going to be used. Furthermore, there are an array of smaller props that can be seen in the background of the video, but this have just been used to make the locations seem more realistic for the audience to make it all seem believable and more meaningful. The clothes that have been worn in this music video are quite casual, but this works well with the video because it highlights that they are just normal people and they have the same feelings and emotions as any other normal person who may not be famous. However, you can see that the clothes worn by the majority of the people shown in the video are dark which demonstrates that everyone may feel this kind of pain at some point in their life and everyone is the same and can be heartbroken because of this issue.
Cinematography has helped express a range of different emotions in this music video, but has also been used to show the audience what is going on. Throughout the video a great deal of close ups have been used because we all know it is a sad song and the singer is going to have a lot of emotions on their face, so the director will want the audience to see their faces closely to help them acknowledge the singers feelings and pain. At the beginning of the video a close up of the singers hands are seen on the piano to present the synchronous sound, but it then begins to zoom out to show the audience the location of where the singer is sat and this will create a stronger meaning and emotion because he is alone in the middle of nowhere. These type of zooms are frequently used because they allow the audience to see the emotion on the singers face and they are also soon able to recognize where the singer is located which helps express how he is feeling. At one point Tyson is looking at the camera and singing 'It ends tonight' which expresses that he is directly addressing the audience and telling them what is going to occur, but he may also be directly addressing the friend he is going to end the relationship with so they know that what they had is now over - this can mainly be seen nearer the end of the video as we know that Tyson is certain that he wants to end the relationship. Quite a few establishing shots have also been used - for example, at the end of the video, when the whole band are playing their instruments. the audience are able to see people sitting around them as it turns to day and this implies that the singer now has people who will actually care about him and he doesn't need to worry about the one friend he has just lost because by finding the light, he has found his true friends and the people that will actually stay with him and treat him the way he should be treated.
Following on from that, a birds eye view has been used at the beginning of the bridge in the song and the audience will see Tyson struggling to push a trolley on the sand which highlights that he is vulnerable especially when he says the lyrics 'Now i'm on my own side' which expresses that he is now alone because he has ended the relationship and the use of the trolley as a prop implies that he will struggle to get through it, but in the end he will get past it and the audience later see that he has other people waiting for him as they are people that appreciate him more as a friend. Also, you later see Tyson pushing over the trolley and at the same time you can hear the non-diegetic sound 'all these thoughts locked inside' which may express that he is now suddenly letting all of his feelings and thoughts out like the way he is pushing over the trolley in anger. Moreover, a lot of low angles have been used, but mainly nearer the end of the video to show the singers power and that he is more confident and dominant now that he is able to take control of the relationship. This angle can also be seen when the singer is entering the fireworks shop and at this exact point the drums also kick in - this angle has been used to present to the audience that Tyson has an idea and is about to do something that will make him take control of the relationship and end all of the complications he is having. A pull focus is frequently used throughout the video, especially when we see Tyson singing and this has been used because it highlights that Tyson is confused about the relationship and it is all a blur to him, but he is soon going to figure out a way to stop the pain and end the relationship because it is not working out for them, which is when the camera then becomes clearer. A wide range of different angles have also been used to represent emotions and to show the audience what the band members might be doing. Some of these extra camera angles and movements are; tilts, pans, wide shots, long shots, hand held cameras. high angles and low angles.
This video does not acquire a large amount of editing, but the editing that has been added does help when presenting the feeling and meanings of the music video and also how the video will be portrayed toward the audience. We can see that he cuts are relatively quick when the song begins to speed up and this highlights that there is a lot going on and Tyson may be feeling a collection of different emotions and he is continuously confused because he doesn't know what to do and may be changing his mind about if he really wants to end the relationship or not. On top of that, a time lapse has been used near the end of the video, where it quickly turns from the night to day and this expresses to the audience that the singer has overcome his problem with his friend and is now looking at the positive side of things - the idea of this time lapse demonstrates how quickly something can change and how someone can change their mind and feelings no matter how they feel about someone they care or cared about. At the end of the video, slow motion has been used when the audience see the band members walking off into the distance - the use of this wide shot shows that they all have each other and don't need to think about the past anymore, but this shot is in slow motion because it presents that people will always be able to walk away from their problems even if it does take a while and you have to get away from the issues slowly. The colour of the video has also been edited as it has been made to look darker and gloomier to create more of a saddened feel to it to help the audience understand the darkness and pain that Tyson may be feeling because of his friend. Also, it sets more of a mood for the audience as when they see the beginning of the music video they will know that it is going to be about something sad or dark, but also when the sky has lit up and it is daytime there is still a moderately darkened effect that has been used and this reinforces the fact that this is a Pop Punk song which are usually often bleak and gloomy.
Lastly, there are a few different types of sound that have been used in this music video - the most obvious one is the use of the non-diegetic song that is playing on top of the video, as the song is the main reason the video has been created. However, there is a lot of synchronous sound throughout this music video because the audience will frequently be able to see Tyson playing the piano or one of the other band members playing their instruments and this may be used to either make the video seem more dramatic because the use of the music will have a stronger meaning and feel when the audience can see the instruments being played at the same time, or it may be just for the simple reason that it is a performance and the audience would like the see the band, which beneficial for them as it is not only promoting their song, but also themselves.
I have created a video to present what both the narrative and performance are like in this music video (each slide was only allowed to play for a maximum of 20 seconds, so you may need to pause the video if the slide changes too quickly). Here is my video:
Below is a presentation I have created which includes a LIIAR analysis for this music video. Here is my presentation:
Mise-en-scene is essential in creating emotion and understanding of this music video. Firstly, the locations that have been help reinforce the singer feelings, as at the beginning we can see he is isolated in a desert which complements the meaning of the lyrics because the denotation states 'Your subtleties, they strangle me' and 'Maybe it's best you leave me alone' which connote that Tyson can now longer carry on with this relationship as it is too much for him and would rather be alone, or the benefit of this location could also imply that Tyson feels alone even when with his friend because they don't make him feel like he is worth anything - but by the end of the video he is surrounded by friends and people in this same location to highlight that he has other people that will actually care about him and the future is now looking positive for him. On top of that, part of this video is filmed in a firework shop which can be seen through the use of an establishing shot - this in a way tells the audience that there is 'light at the end of the tunnel' as fireworks produce light and Tyson is finding ways to make himself feel better, which he is able to do by discovering the light in the relationship (finding the light in a shop, which are the fireworks). The lighting in this music video is extremely important and complements the lyrics of the song because he sings 'When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight' which highlights that when the darkness goes away, the relationship will end. Throughout the video it is dark which expresses Tyson's misery, but he goes to retrieve fireworks which will brighten up his life and help him escape from the wrecked relationship. After the bridge of the song the fireworks are seen going into the air and it quickly goes from night to morning which demonstrates that Tyson has overcome the relationship issue and has ended it. 
The props used are imperative because they have been used to help reinforce the meaning of the lyrics. First and most importantly, the fireworks have been used which as previously said, connote how the singer is going to stop the relationship as he is finding ways to get over it and is doing this by looking for the the light (fireworks) - at the end of the video, the audience can see all of the band members lighting up fireworks through the use of a close ups and this may express that they are all finally letting their feelings go and are allowing them to explode to get ride of the pain that has been caused. Moreover, near the beginning of the video, the audience can see one of the band members hitting a plastic toy dinosaur off of a pile of magazine - this is done in synchronization with the first time the lyrics 'It ends tonight' are mentioned and this expresses that the toy may represent the singers friend and is being knocked over because the singer is going to leave the friend, so the friend will be the one falling and left broken. There are also a range of different instruments that have been used in the video which reinforces the fact that this is a Pop Punk band because it is stereotypical for them to play their own instruments which also means that it is a common convention of this genre. Nearer the end of the video you also see the band performing together and this was slowly built up to, as before, the audience will have seen a range of close ups on amplifiers and the instruments going to be used. Furthermore, there are an array of smaller props that can be seen in the background of the video, but this have just been used to make the locations seem more realistic for the audience to make it all seem believable and more meaningful. The clothes that have been worn in this music video are quite casual, but this works well with the video because it highlights that they are just normal people and they have the same feelings and emotions as any other normal person who may not be famous. However, you can see that the clothes worn by the majority of the people shown in the video are dark which demonstrates that everyone may feel this kind of pain at some point in their life and everyone is the same and can be heartbroken because of this issue.
Following on from that, a birds eye view has been used at the beginning of the bridge in the song and the audience will see Tyson struggling to push a trolley on the sand which highlights that he is vulnerable especially when he says the lyrics 'Now i'm on my own side' which expresses that he is now alone because he has ended the relationship and the use of the trolley as a prop implies that he will struggle to get through it, but in the end he will get past it and the audience later see that he has other people waiting for him as they are people that appreciate him more as a friend. Also, you later see Tyson pushing over the trolley and at the same time you can hear the non-diegetic sound 'all these thoughts locked inside' which may express that he is now suddenly letting all of his feelings and thoughts out like the way he is pushing over the trolley in anger. Moreover, a lot of low angles have been used, but mainly nearer the end of the video to show the singers power and that he is more confident and dominant now that he is able to take control of the relationship. This angle can also be seen when the singer is entering the fireworks shop and at this exact point the drums also kick in - this angle has been used to present to the audience that Tyson has an idea and is about to do something that will make him take control of the relationship and end all of the complications he is having. A pull focus is frequently used throughout the video, especially when we see Tyson singing and this has been used because it highlights that Tyson is confused about the relationship and it is all a blur to him, but he is soon going to figure out a way to stop the pain and end the relationship because it is not working out for them, which is when the camera then becomes clearer. A wide range of different angles have also been used to represent emotions and to show the audience what the band members might be doing. Some of these extra camera angles and movements are; tilts, pans, wide shots, long shots, hand held cameras. high angles and low angles.
No comments:
Post a Comment