A2 Music Video: Music Video Deconstructions

Greenday . Know Your Enemy



Number of Shots:
Watching the entire video I counted a number on average of 113 shots. There was on average of about 15 shots per 10 seconds. Again, I think this is because of the fast paced music, also, although there are a lot of cuts and shots, I have noticed the same images are repeated in other areas of the video. (The basketball players to the singer then back and fourth again.)

Camera movement:
The first 17 seconds I could only count three shots where the camera movement was static and these were images of the band and close ups of the singer. The shots appear to be static all the way through because of the shortness of them but in reality the movements range from shakiness, to pans across the various images. One example of this is at 4 seconds with a close up of the guitar playing, although it is just a guitar and hand in shot, the camera is moving in a shaky way. Similarly, the shot after this is a pan from left to right of a basketball team.
Overall, there are 14 shots with static camera movement whereas the rest are dynamic.


Number of locations:
This music video is shot over two main locations, one appears to be near some train tracks within a fence (maybe an outdoor basketball court, however it also slightly resembles a prison with the types of fences). This location is used for shots of the band and is the only place the band is seen throughout this song. The other location is an indoors basketball court where a match is taking place. There is also the use of a small room used at the beginning to show the basketball players. In relation to the lyrics, there is a link between the “know your enemy” line and the fact that there is a basketball match with two rival teams.

Length of each shot:
Most shots last just over 1 second, if that, whereas the longest shots are with a basketball player falling into the camera and the final shot of the band. But even these are still very short. I feel this is because of the quick drum beats in the song. They are very quick and short.

Composition of shots:
The majority of the shot compositions are close ups of the band members individually, their instruments and wide shots of the entire band. Within these shots, the band is always the focal point of the shot wherever they are placed. These usually range from being in the centre or on top of the stage. They are the only moving objects within the compositions. The basketball match is usually filmed from the nets on each end of the court. And there are again. Close ups of each players faces and playing techniques etc…

I counted 19 extreme close ups which were mostly of the band and their instruments and of peoples facial expressions and a mascot. The only wide shots used were with the band and when introducing the two basket ball teams. Medium shots were used to show the basketball game and the full length of a band member and the rest were close ups which were used similarly to the extreme close ups.

Narrative
There is not an obvious story as such, but there is the rivalry between the two basketball teams. Both teams seem to be happy at the end of the video but I’m not sure what message this is attempting to portray. The band is just playing being themselves and there is a basketball match.

Post Production
There are photography camera flashes that look as though they were added after filming but most of the other effects seem to be lighting and other elements capable of being done during filming. However, there are various shots that are tinted different colours which I assume would have been done in post production. The small visual affects make the video seem a little more fun and exciting which I guess, is how the band want the song to seem. The fast cuts add to this idea.