Sum 41 - In Too Deep

Sum 41 – In Too Deep

Whilst Sum 41 tends to walk the border between rock/metal/punk, they carry the same conventions as to that of a rock music video. It shows the basic examples of performance, narrative, focus (close up) shots and synced editing for rock music videos; whilst at the same time, the music video explores a few non-conventional avenues, such as the bands main point of being in the narrative as well as performance.

Immediately, the audience are plunged into the appearance of the band Sum 41 be showing an establishing shot of the four boys, panning left 180 degrees to demonstrate the shift between performance and narrative – props are influential at this point where the beginning of the shot shows the band with their instruments and van, to the ‘diving centre’ (establishing the setting of the narrative), to the establishing shot of the band walking away in ‘Sum 41’ bath robes: initially suggesting the shift between performance and narrative and the bands role between the two.

00:13

Immediately, we’re brought to one of the main conventions of any music video – a close up or ‘focus’ shot of the lead singer of the band (or the artist) from the direct switch of narrative. This shot shows the instant urge to establish the lead singer as the icon of the band Sum 41. More so, whilst this shot’s centre frame is focused on the lead singer, there are other elements of this shot to suggest other conventions. Following through until the cut at 00:19, there is constant motion through the shot as it reverse side dolly’s, moving out to gain frame of the whole band (more so, the lead singer is constantly looking at the camera, creating that sense of engagement with the audience in both video and soundtrack) – these are typical conventions of any music video, however what is most dominate and effective in this shot is the presence of teenagers or young adults, sitting/standing on the other rim of an empty swimming pool.

The presence of the pool relates rather literally with the music video, as though the expression ‘in too deep’ is for the effect of swimming or being in trouble – more so an effective draw on words when in a competition, illustrating the effect as though ‘being head over heel’ or ‘biting off more than you can chew’, it follows that sense of atmosphere in the piece, yet with a playful triumphant effect.

This is an extreme convention of rock music videos, as it involves the presence of the audience (reflecting the teenage grunge group) as a part of the music and its influence, furthermore, it engages more with the audience’s age group and class. The setting of a drained swimming pool – resembling a much similar look to a typical ‘skater scene’ seen in other rock music videos for performance – follows the conventions further to express a sense of ‘skater/punk’ atmosphere; whilst this follows the norm of rock/punk music videos, it in the same score establishes the band and the link between the video and the audience.

00:18

The same shot, tracking out from 00:13 expands frame focus to the entire band, setting, props and establishments before cutting back to narrative. This still from the later shot shows the diversity of movement within the performance segments, and how camera movement is essential for performance shots.

00:19

The normal convention of editing in a rock/punk music video is often fast to maintain pace with the music video, more so due to the music genre’s natural fast pace; performance and narrative conventionally do not last more than 10 seconds, and to this point of 00:19 the jump cuts or transitions between the two has occurred 4 times. The editing is taken advantage of naturally in these rock music videos for the sense of motion, atmosphere and pace of the piece.

Even within the narrative, the immediate presence of an audience (this time as the diving competition audience, supporting sum 41) continues the conventions of producing atmosphere and audience relation.

00:32

From this clear shot on the band, it presents the non-conventional involvement of the band in the narrative as well as the performance. Normally in rock/punk music videos, the band is normally shown in performance shots and character/other actors are used for the narrative (that is if conventionally the music video features narrative).

00:45

After returning between performance and narrative shots and following already established conventions from the first few seconds, the camerawork is taken further into action. At 00:45 the shots begin to focus further onto the members of sum 41, the back-up singer is in shot for a few seconds to widen the establishment of the band as well as maintain the conventions of presenting the current vocalist to the audience – noticeably, the shot at this still is only a mid-shot whereas the shots on the sum 41 lead singer are close ups to create a clear definition between the two to the audience. However, whilst these quick-cut shots or occasional jump shots to the band, they are brief, lasting only several seconds, to define the band – or icon of sum 41 – to the audience.

These conventions are followed through into 00:46 where a mid-shot of the drummer is cut to quickly – the editing conventions remain fast paced as to follow the style of the music, but also allow for such conventions to remain in the clip such as the changes between narrative and performance, pool setting (linking to the narrative of ‘diving’ and again literally to the lyrics) and the rink side audience of relating age and culture group.

00:58

This long shot of the band illustrates the conventions that occur during the performance section of the rock/punk music video. In this shot, the camera pans left to right, creating further motion as the band members begin to ‘bounce’, a motion typically able to apply to the genre style of music – this aids to the conventions of creating power, speed or motion in the piece and involves the audience further, particularly as the camera is panning left to right, to further increase this intensity of engaging with the band and the atmosphere of the music. More so, the conventions of their ‘live audience’ are still being further applied in mise-en-scene, as the audience here can clearly see the altitude of the ‘crowd’ appearance of rock followers; here, in this shot, there is a clearer view of the set, clearly indicating the ‘dip’ at the back of the drained pool, adding further convention and atmosphere to the ‘suburban’ idea.

01:15

During the performance, In too Deep continues the convention of focusing in-depth on the lead singer to further connect with the audience/viewer to create a sense of real ‘viewing authenticity’. What is particularly influential of this shot is the clear mise-en-scene of the amps occupying a great majority of the shot, further suggesting the ideal of live performance.

01:16

Here the audience has a clear indication of the narrative as throughout it appears to be a ‘diving competition’, this three shot illustrates the magnitude and commitment to further presenting not only the atmosphere but the mock illustration. The use of mise-en-scene is clearly displayed in conventional formats; the three characters, men in suits, suggests the ‘anti’ of the music genre of punk, individualism and the ‘niche’ outside of normal; the blue screen behind them shows the ‘diving centre’ logo, further imply the scene of the narrative; in the background can be seen the conventional use of ‘performance audience’, making the video further more appealing and able to connect to the audience.

01:22

At this point in the music video, mise-en-scene is demonstrated on one of its greatest tests to involve the culture of the music genre into the audience and therefore atmosphere of the video. Panning left to right over the crowd (still conventionally maintain that sense of motion and speed throughout the music video) the camera comes to focus primarily on the ‘no jocks’ sign; whilst this appeal is typically as un-effective as it is outside of the USA, its situations of ‘the pretty people’ –illustrated by the other diving team- to be the juxtaposing social group to that of the rock audience. Due to the style of music, typically being the outsider or the ‘punk’ symbol of normality, the music and video combine together to relate to the audience as the alternative or enemy of ‘jocks’.

(A particularly noticeable feature of this piece is the red haired girl, showing the individualism that is reflected – or alternatively expected – from the audience, hoping to further appeal to the viewers).

01:57

This shot is extremely unconventional; clearly, the director of this piece has decided to blur or dangerously (yet effectively) tight-walk the line between live performance and narrative. Clearly, this shot is within the narrative due to the pool (mise-en-scene) setting and the crowds behind (remaining somewhat conventional as the two cross between each other). From this long shot, the guitarist rises from the pool, plays the solo and sinks back down – close ups on the hands become apparent to the camera focus as the audience is captivated (somewhat, forgetting the unconventional cross-over of narrative and performance) by the extreme engagement of lead guitarist and seemingly ‘live’ appearance of ‘fans’ stragitically placed behind to engage further with the narrative of ‘in too deep’ as a somewhat literal manner.

If one notices closely, the ‘diving competition’ judges are placed in the left hand side, again instigating towards the anti and for that is present in this video.

02:25

Often in music punk/rock music videos, the clear audience is the young teenage to young adult, considered as the punk group, it’s unconventional, yet openly wide to audiences as the piece shows a mid-shot of an elderly man, obviously supporting the band (the use of mise-en-scene in this piece allows the audience to further engage between what’s on screen and what they here). This is slightly un-conventional, though isn’t completely original as elderly have been used in this genre’s music videos before – such as Good Charlotte’s ‘Boys like Girls’. This shot illustrates the ability to expand past the niche audience and begin slowly to expand to a mass audience.

02:32

This shot demonstrates the extreme convention of rock/punk music videos – still focusing on the lead singer, the wide-group shot focuses immensely as the crowd from the outline start pouring in, joining in as the band play. Whilst this is a conventional reaction of the music genre, continuously engaging with the audience in live performances, this follows through in the same typical method – more so towards the end of the song which reflects the previous ‘bounce’ shot as energy is created in the video after the solo to create that grand finally effect.

Overall, the editing is used effectively in this piece; slow motion shows are the particular point of motion, contrasting the style of the song and the typical conventions, however within the punk/rock music videos, slow motion has been adopted as a chorus break up, to further focus on the band (or in other cases) iconography. As shown within the piece, all slow motion shots were either close-ups or mid shots, meaning that the video deploys that sense of iconography and once again, immensity with the audience. Editing keeps in pace9 with the song, overall lasting no more than a few seconds before jump cutting between the performance or narrative, or cutting along further into it.