The Damned Things - We've Got A Situation Here

The Damned Things – We’ve Got A Situation Here

Whilst The Damned Things has a dedication to alternative rock, their most famous (for a slightly unknown band) music video We’ve Got A Situation Here, examples some conventions of an alternative rock music video, yet is an outrageous example to the power of rock at the same time. The music video works perfectly well due to its unique nature, however when looking closely at it there is very little in terms of traditional conventions apart from the narrative; in some sense however, the convention of a music video exampling a fantasy of the lyrics, this music video does this to a good extreme. In some sense, the piece does feature the amuteristic over power of visual effects however it is this flavour in the piece that makes it work so well.

00:00 – 00:03

This opening shot shows the immediate unique and artistic quality that the band goes out to create iconography – it’s done in a strange way, but really ties in with that sort of culture surrounded by alternative rock; it also gives that immediate feature of effects and heavy tone editing in the piece and more so with the image background of a class room table really enables that sense of a true story. It’s conventional in the terms that the iconography shots are normally real-time, individual, beginning with the lead singer, whereas the iconography shot is of them being super heroes, which in an essence really creates that sense further of their magnitude, their greatness so whilst it isn’t conventional, it works extremely well.

00:10

Moving out of the intro and into the actual live performance, the comic gradually hollow transcends between the comic and into live performance really effectively – rather spot on actually – so whilst it shows the difference between narrative and live performance, once more it still has this odd unconventional manner about it though due to the quality and artistic atmosphere that’s giving off, I feel like the audience wouldn’t really care; it in the long run has all of the conventions that an alternative rock music video needs, music, the band and some form of narrative, but does it in this crazily outrageous way that it really reflects the true nature of the song. It is pretty obvious however how this comic is done – filming would have been done first and then an artist would have used that footage to render an image that was in same proportions so that the piece could transcend between the two.

Though in some respect, there is some conventional links coming out here. Dead on the transition the actual music begins, brining it in on a rocket – though again this is later flipped on its head to example the band as boring until they learn the power of rock.

00:19

What’s really stark here in this shot is the fact that it’s still being held from the previous; it has a unconventional and conventional nature about it, in one respect its held for too long, in the other it pans (left to right – following one of the guitarists) creating that sense of motion that’s needed in the music video. Although the pace is moderately slow, it reflects their boring nature before discovering the power of rock. Though the lead singer is pretty stark in this short, creating an odd sense of iconography due to the nature of the shot and the underwhelming live performance.

00:29

This long shot establishes the whole of the band, The Damned Things, but at the same time examples the underwhelming power of how they rock before they learn the power of rock – that’s what the whole narrative is based upon. Whilst it links narrative and live performance together, it is in some sense also departed in the same manner and over all allows different areas of the band to be identified in the conditions of their sound. At the same time, because they are part of the narrative, the audience becomes established through them with their personalities during ‘rock training’ and saving the world. The simplicity of mise-en-scene here is basic lighting and the mise en scene of instruments and composition of the artists, otherwise the dull black background to this also ignites a further sense of what they’re trying to achieve.

00:36

Once breaching the chorus, the lead guitarist discovers the power of rock by engaging more – basically the look and engagement with the soundtrack (much like when artists bounce or head bang in live performances of music videos) and discovers it as a lazar power. Special effects are slightly unconventional, lighting or colour might be altered, but the likes of something that could require after effects for example, is scares in the alternative music video work. Though one could suppose this ‘power’ that they discover and the effects used in the music video, really brings out the independent flavour of this piece; more so it works on the build-up of the song as the guitar becomes heavier and the song more paced. The effects are also pretty simplistic, with strobe lighting and particular light (for example, light to highlight certain areas to be edited upon later) during the initial shoot, in adobe after effects in editing, all would be needed is to create a coloured stream – it’s so simplistic, but effective.

00:39

This group shot during the ‘power of rock’ really ignites the sense of iconography here – it overall makes the band looking stunningly cool despite the fact their gaping idiotically, it just brings out this fun, cool nature that the band has in a totally different convention to other alternative rock bands.

00:51

This little sequence is particularly effective during the lyrics ‘this situation is out of my hands’ and literally, in terms of the music video, it was in reality when the lead guitarist discovers the power of rock, in this little sequence of three different shots explaining what had happened and how to do it, it has a comedic effect to the music video – it alter egos the idea of having a problem and gives a light hearted approach, making it fun. What’s conventionally effective here is the demonstration of how to rock, where they begin to heavy strum, it really brings that effective, the engagement, back to live performance.

00:58

Like the iconography engagement before, this group shot of the band discovering the power of rock really emphasis on the fun approach they try to bring out.

01:14

The narrative progresses to the point that they enter ‘rock basic training’ and their objective to rock the streets clean with their new found power. Once again, the light effects are used to physically embody this power of rock and once more bring forth an amazement and humorous quality to the piece as well as the band. Whilst special effects are more or less unconventional in the alternative rock music video genre this shot demonstrates the link between narrative and fantasy of lyrics, where a situation is thereby placed in this music video and is obviously fantasy.

01:19

To keep some convention rolling in the piece, the shots are tendency pan shots to create the motion to reflect the tempo of the song, particularly seeing as editing is rather slow pieced in situation. Once more, the camera work really enforces focus on editing and special effects to really demonstrate that idea of fantasy more than narrative.

01:27

The mise-en-scene here is used to further subscribe that comedic effect further – it isn’t quite conventional or unconventional, in some music videos mise-en-scene is used to carry such an effective and in the long run in this mid shot, it demonstrates the idea of ‘rock training’ further. What is conventional however is sheer focus on the lead singer for the first time, though it isn’t quite creating iconography, the nature of the shot and the movement within it all combine to reach the fundamental basics of an alternative rock music video.

01:32 – 01:33

This range of close up shots of the band members assembling instruments establishes a sense of iconography for the band as well as the idea or the narrative that they are training how to rock; mores o, it gives a new face of the instruments to the audience, giving a more extreme close up and ultimately understanding in some sense of an instrument.

01:36 – 01:39

Once more with the mid shots of the artists and their instruments in this small left to right pan over their assemble training, it identifies that conventional sense of iconography between the band members and their instruments – fundamentally their role within the band and the sound that they produce; instead of just focusing on the lead singer, its mostly (more so unconventionally) distributed across the band. Though, in light of the humorous style this piece has, it isn’t long until the audience is shown the failure or the ‘situation’ – basically, the hopelessness – of these band members with using the power of rock; this motion is continued throughout the rest of the music video.

01:48 – 01:51

The narrative is really continued further with the sense of rock training, more like a boot camp, the music video hardly keeps any conventions in terms of shots or live performance – yet it’s outrageous nature works well as it engages with the viewer constantly as there is always a band member within the shot, always maintaining this sense of iconography. What is important in terms of composition however is the immediate attention of the live singer in the shots, as in the first he is the central focus of the camera. The second preparation of the jogging scene, further creates that humour sense of iconography with the lead guitarist stood to the side drinking – once more, creating that sense of the failure, the foreshadowing that’s to come.

02:05

Once more the editing becomes slightly unconventional – it’s something that links closely to what Cake did with the different shots cropped onto one frame, the only difference in reality is the daring composition and shape as well as white outlines. It creates that sense of comic styled narrative into the live action and continues that fantasy further on, more so as the power of rock develops to the point that they become super heroes which is shown in the cut-away mise-en-scene shots.

02:08

Once more, this form of editing is slightly unconventional, but works effectively, more so as it adds something conventional into it as the shots pan up to see the ‘masking’ of there now hero forms.

02:10

Firstly, this shot identify immediately with that of the band in the comic sequence at the beginning, however it also creates a massive sense of individual iconography with the viewer – it’s absolutely bonkers to the extreme that it’s so hugely unique that anything in this similar style would instantly be identified with The Damned Things, more so as the whole piece does work effectively, despite the unconventional visual effects and lack of live performance. The visual background – done through editing – creates a further sense of power to be linked to the band, like an icon. Conventionally on the other hand though, this shot comes dead on in synchronisation of the music, drums particularly, to the pause before the bridge.

02:12 – 02:23

Whilst the video is effective it does come back to some conventional methods during the bridge to the solo and climax of the song – this whole little scene is fast paced editing, lasting no longer than a few seconds each and with the mise-en-scene and movement around a city landscape, the piece gives the appearance of the idea that the band can save people with the power of rock. The jeep shot particularly where the head lights turn on in the misty intimidation of the black vehicle, with mise-en-scene connotation a sense of power that the band possess as super heroes; the lights turning on gives that appeal that they ‘mean business’.

02:44

This quick zoom shot onto the thug trying to steal from the woman is really effective due to the appearance of the lead guitarist as he supposedly ‘comes to save the day’, it creates a sense of drama that the piece needs in light of the comedy that is powerfully effective throughout and emphasises further on the failure that is doomed in on the piece.

02:45

As suggested earlier, this is the failure of the lead guitarist’s inability to actually save the day as he fiddles around with the zip on his guitar case. In terms of shot technicalities, the mid shot really creates a sense of iconography with the viewer, more so as he is the central focus of the frame; however at the same time, with this stylised type of shot, it really brings home the spoofy-like tone this video has. It combines rudimental conventions with unconventional methods like basic ingredients and a unique style.

03:09

As foreshadowed, the lead guitarist has ultimately messed up, killing the woman who he was trying to save with the power of rock, allowing the thug to live and gain what he was after in the first place. This type of mise-en-scene is rather unconventional with ties of the visual effects that’s going on, particularly as this is real time effects; the blood and gore really emphasis how much of a failure, although cool, this band is. It’s so spoofy and unconventional, that it’s fun to watch in terms of the lyrics about there being a situation and the narrative and fantasy brings forth the convention of the music video.

03:18

Apart from the opening sequence before The Damned Things discover the power of rock this is the only other instance of live performance – this time, everything’s glammed up to the extremes that you would expect from a stage view. The light is stark, the bands moving about, the camera’s tracking and it has all of those engaging elements that are found within live performance with music videos. It’s at this point where all the conventions are realised and reached and the unconventional methods work well to bring the narrative and performance to this point that the band have progressed, despite the comedic hiccups – then again, all of the unconventional methods that are taken up in this music video work extremely well as its enjoyable and is really unique.

03:20 – 03:21

Between live performance and narrative, the two begin to inter exchange, exampling a massive amount of iconography. The mid shot of the drummer playing quickly cuts to him ‘rocking wall street’ with the power of rock, showing the synchronisation to the soundtrack and power that he has as a rocker, doing things that are outrageous.

The same is contained with one of the guitarists, first having a mid-shot of live performance before cutting to him ‘rocking congress’ – once more, holding the same types of conventions as the previous shots, its continued on to create iconography between live performance and the narrative to example what the band believes is awesome about rock – the power of it – in a totally ridiculous way.

03:31

Personally I found this shot to be the best to example the ‘spoof’ that this video is really under taking with the darth vader costume as his super hero.

03:40 – 03:47

These pose shots are immensely unconventional and conventional in the same thing; at one stage, the mise-en-scene and the bands involvement as well as the special effects that continue on are hugely unconventional as the viewer becomes aware of the ‘spoof’ like style of the video, yet due to its quality, find it humorous and explorative to the point that its enjoyable; an immense atmosphere of iconography is continued further as the band members, as super heroes, identify themselves with the power of rock in each individual shot throughout this sequence – this is further explored with a different colour for each member.

04:00

This terrorist shot really gives the atmosphere of real problems that this band face within their culture, the fact that they’re making a humours resolution to it with dressed girls really enlightens the fantasises of male audiences and the male population of the band – its humour here is huge whilst it has that conventional appeal in a music video of having ‘something to look at’.

04:05 – 04:17

Once more, the cropped, frame styled of editing is used to demonstrate a great deal of iconography shots, performance shots, narrative shots in one frame to explore different things that are going on simultaneously, its really explores the alternative to cut after cut after cut and instead gives an unconventional stylised resolution of how to tackle showing more than one thing at once – it creates another depth to the video all at the same time.

04:22

As foreshadowed and literally going out with a big bang to the climax at the end of the song, the band accidently destroy the world in one stroke, taking the humour of the video to huge extremes. All in all, there is so much that is unconventional about this piece that its amazing how effective it actually is – although its style is in the form of a spoof, its strangely at a good quality in term of editing and visual effects that the viewer has to appreciate the unconventional with the iconography of the band and the unique ability of this band and appreciate the main conventional ingredients of the piece even more.