MVA Brand New - 'Sic Transit Gloria Glory Fades'

Brand New’s Sic Transit Gloria Glory Fades is taken from their second album 'Deja Entendu'. This song is very much about relationships and more to the point sex. However the video avoids direct reference to sexual implication and focuses more on the act of sex and that everyone does it which is echoed through out due to the notion of unison incorporated through puppet style movements. The idea that sex is becoming less of a romantic act to look forward to and more of a frequent recurrence is evident. (Nothing that he tells her is really having an effect, he whispers that he loves her but she’s probably only looking for… So much more than you could ever give, a life full of lies and a meaningful relationship)

In the first frame a low-angle shot provides us with a sight of a backstreet/alleyway. A sewer lid/cap is a matter of inches distance in the shot before the camera. This positioning of the camera helps set the scene and inform the viewers of their surroundings. After 2 seconds pass a footstep hits the ground before the camera, this is the music queue, setting the beat and starting point; Jesse (vocalist) runs away from the camera perfectly in unison with the music and beat of the song. As Jesse gets further away from the camera we jump to mid-tracking shot which follows Jesse from the side as he races on through the alleyway. Further excellent camera work, a low-angle tracking shot sees Jesse from the waist down hurtling round a corner. This emphasizes the notion of running and it’s relevance at this point whilst taking an alternate angle to interest the audience and add an air of professionalism and eloquence to the piece.

Further on in the clip Jesse appears to have come to a stop outside of a fire exit or rear entrance to a bar. The word ‘Sic’ transcribed as graffiti on the wall behind Jesse (subject) in a mid-shot relate to the song title. After passing through the door, it comes to a close and a close-up displays a stencil like shape of a lamb on the back of the door. The only reference I can think of relating to the lamb crop up in the penultimate verse of the song “He is the lamb, she is the slaughter. She’s moving way too fast and all he wanted was to hold her”.

As Jesse proceeds to the bar in a mid-shot we see a booth table with a mirror above it in the background. There is obviously another mirror opposite as Jesse’s reflection is mirrored repeatedly in an infinite pattern. This concept of repetition is revisited in the video through the notion of unison incorporated through puppet style movements which I mentioned earlier.

Jesse sits at the bar adjusting his seated position as we get a glimpse of the bar tender in an over-the-shoulder-shot. (Jesse’s shoulder foreground, bar tender background). The next few shots, a series of mid-shots, point of view shots (both characters looking at one an other) and close-ups begin this talked about ‘notion of unison through puppetry’. It seems what ever gesture or movement Jesse portrays, the bar tender mirrors. For instance at 43 seconds we see Jesse stroking his chin, we return to an over-shoulder-shot and the bar tender is also stroking his chin. It is when Jesse runs his fingers through his hair that we as viewers and Jesse’s character come to realise he is being copied, as the bar tender has no hair, he is completely bald, thus the act of running his fingers through his hair seems a little bizarre.

A mid-shot sees Jesse swivel 180° on his bar stool as if fed up with the bar tender’s clowning around; at this point he is unaware he has control over everybody. However the other customers sat at the bar all spin 180° (because Jesse has) and it is now that he begins to realise he is puppet master if you like. At 58 secs we see the line of males at the bar with their right arms raised before them creating a lineal pattern, lead by Jesse.

Further choral work is provided as Jesse leads his puppets into violent leans over the bar screaming the lyrics “die young and save yourself” which are some what shouted in the song which is a contrast to the rest of the lyrics which are sang in a mellow calm manner.

We jump to a shot of Jesse’s foot on his stool. Jesse taps his foot repeatedly in time with the music. A canted, low angled mid shot sees a line of booth seating areas and their occupant’s legs. Their feet too, are tapping in time with the music.

The next act to come is the most impressive in the video. Jesse controls the puppets to slide their drinks towards the edge of the tables they are sat at. He pauses for a brief moment (in time with the music) when the music starts up again they push their drinks off of the table which fall to the floor and smash. A close up of a glass smashing is seen around the 1.36 mark. Not only does this shot look epic with the fine detail of the glass smashing and flying everywhere, but the timing was executed brilliantly, especially with the crashing of the symbols on the drums.

Further on in the video Jesse sits at a booth and places his hands on the table. As you may have guessed the other characters do the same. As the music picks up and builds up to the chorus Jesse stands and flips the table over. The rest of the characters do the same. The lineal affect created through the camera’s canted position create a brilliant perspective for the viewers.

Towards the end of the song a sequence of over-shoulder-shots reveal Jesse’s encounter with a female character. She is wearing a black vest top, upon it is a white stencil like shape of a lamb, like that from the bar door we saw earlier.

Still in control of the surrounding people Jesse uses his power to undress the female. Well he attempts to do so anyway… Abruptly Jesse’s hand raises before him after successfully removing one of the females shoulder straps.

Jesse and the audience are shocked by this as he has been in control the whole time. The camera pans left and reverse zooms as Jesse turns around. An over shoulder shot sees a mysterious figure standing before Jesse. A mere silhouette we do not see any facial features. The silhouetted man folds his fingers into a loose fist before releasing them again. Jesse does the same, standing breathless in ore in a mid-shot. The silhouetted man runs his fingers across his neck, as if to signal cutting his throat in a mid-shot. This is the final image.

Ambiguous. This is a word which comes to mind when describing the video for Sic Transit Gloria Glory Fades. From the word go there is a lot of unclear happenings left down to the audience to create back story for. For instance Jesse is running away from someone or something at the opening of the video, where is he running from, who is he running from?, the Lamb on the door and the girls’ t-shirt. What is the significance of the lamb, what does it mean?, the concept of puppetry and the idea of controlling one another what is the motive for that? The silhouetted man at the end of the video, who is he, why is he superior? Is he the reason Jesse was running at the beginning of the video? I thoroughly enjoyed the tension created through the video and the vague unclearness which meant the audience have to try and interpret it themselves.
I also enjoyed the lack of performance in the video. The video was 100% narrative which worked well as the story involved kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time. The camera work was brilliant creating a professional screenplay like feel to the piece incorporating good se of edits and transitions. The use of blur on close-ups and over the shoulder shots were also used well.