MVA Brand New - 'The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows'

In order to create a music video in the style of and influenced by our chosen subject Brand New I have analysed a music video by Brand New.
‘The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows’ is the fifth track taken from ‘Deja Entendu’ Brand New’s second album.

From the word go this video is dark and gloomy this is achieved through the use of dim lighting and an upsetting narrative creating a dingy and almost depressing tone.
The video’s narrative displays scenes of a road accident creating opportunities to film on location at a hospital, the interior of an ambulance, on the road side to name but a few. Thus the videos narrative element is thrilling and exciting to watch.

The first ten seconds sets the scene and we see Jesse (vocalist) driving a car/truck-like vehicle with a female passenger on his right. The two characters share moments of laughter as they plough on down an unlit road in the jet black night deep in conversation.

There is a fade to black and the band appears in a large dimly lit room. The room looks like an empty conference room or meeting room, which would normally contain cubicles and desks or a large boardroom style table, however it has had its contents removed in order for the band to perform in it.

The camera cuts frequently between this performance and the narrative now revealing scenes of an ambulance being loaded with a body, what appear to be forensic scientists observing the incident, medics and the ambulance in motion with its lights flashing. (The ambulance lights pulsate in time with the music and beat, this is something to consider when making our own video).

A medium shot sees a female medic close the rear doors of the ambulance which like the pulsating lights fits in time with the music.

At this point the performance based shots are very quick and occur in great succession. The shots are predominantly close ups and shot from obscure and canted angles creating a frantic air which reflects the upbeat tempo of the song.

When the lyrics kick in after about 38 seconds of the song the video cuts to the interior of the ambulance which is in motion. The lead singer Jesse is sat in the rear of the vehicle alongside a medic who is checking and monitoring the female character who is lying on a stretcher bed in the back of the ambulance. Jesse is singing the lyrics at this point.

Close up shots of the female are actually point of view shots as if the male medic is looking at her.

Further performance shots whilst maintaining the intimate closeness to the subject(s) see the camera pedestal and pan in different directions creating more franticness and intensity.

A shot worth pointing out occurs in and around the 1 minute 25 second mark where the female patient is being wheeled through the hospital corridors. We see a close up of her face and then the ceiling as she advances through the corridors, this is a point of view shot. Jesse’s face comes in to view and alternates with that of a male surgeon who unlike Jesse who is singing the lyrics when in view, is actually talking to the female as if to comfort her.

At the 2.20 mark we see a long shot displaying a waiting room in which a few people are seated in positions suggesting they are anxious, fed up and/or tired. A series of superimpositions occur to create an affect of waiting and time passing. The shots overlap each other slightly and fade slowly as the following shots come up beneath them. This superimposition make the characters in the waiting room appear to be bored and wrestles as they slowly fade and reappear in different seats of the waiting room.

A further theme of religion is incorporated as we see Jesse lighting candles and what I am assuming is praying as the lyrics “I lie for, only you” are sung. This creates a relationship with the character, you begin to sympathise with Jesse’s character as it shows he really cares and is upset.

In and around the 3 minute and the 3 minute 10 mark there is a series of extremely fast cuts displaying many different images which fit in time with the drum fill. This is a great piece and from using video editing software, something that is very time consuming, yet greatly effective if correctly achieved.

Overall the video follows a narrative which comes to a sad closure. However at least it comes to a closure and does not leave the audience confused or hanging. The intense performance shots create an upbeat frantic atmosphere which is echoed throughout and weaved cleverly between the gripping narrative.

A variety of shots and angles are used to brilliant affect, I have mentioned the ‘killer shots’. Edit transitions have been successfully incorporated creating an enjoyable piece to observe and also to relate to when creating my own work.