music video research - stay together for the kids ~ blink182

song/ artist:- stay together for the kids ~ blink 182



visual style/ mise-en-scene:-
the camera is uses alot of closeups of different individuals aswell as the band members, tom, mark and travis. this is used so in relation to the song the outpour of  emotion and anger is displayed, the camera is held static throughout these shots however when the chorus approaches and the wrecking ball strikes the building, the camera trebles and shakes to make the idea of the wrecking ball sending a shudder through the building have a more realistic effect on the audience. The editing used on this video includes the resolution and composition of the visual imagery, the composition of the video is made purposely darker and more grey, to reflect the sadness and problematic state of the story the song is based on, this makes the audience more reflective on the meaning and emotion of the song.
also as the song is based on broken relationships and their effect, at the beginning of the video text is displayed reading, '50 percent of all american households are destroyed by divorce.' intoducing the theme and message of the video.
narrative/ including techniques used:-
The song evolves around divorce and the severity of broken relationships and the effects on everyone else around them, particularly children. the song originated from lead singer Tom's experience of when his parents divorced and the impact it had on him. this is where the wrecking ball comes into play, it signifies the harsh and devastating impact it has on people. the video displays the band in a derelict building, supposedly signifying tom and the wrecking ball signifies his parents divorce and how it is gradually beating him down and holding harsh effects upon him, as it slowly falls apart. it also displays other young individuals inside the building who have obviously been through the smae situation, it shows how they are facing it like tom did.
this is why i think that this video is important and unique as the video includes other individuals aswell as the band members, and although many other videos include persons other than the band, this connects those individuals with tom aswell as the song, it also uses the setting as a visual metaphor for tom, help explaining him and the song which i have never seen in any other music video before.