Existing Music Video AnalysisThe Maine - Misery

Using Goodwin’s Conventions

A common genre characteristic of rock videos is dark colours and a monochrome filter. All of the important and key objects in this video have been brightened during postproduction in order for them to stand out. Examples of this are the gasoline canister, John and the fire. Concerning colour schemes, this video does follow the conventions of the rock genre. Apart from that, this video challenges the stereotypical features.

There is no live or as live performance aspect in this music video which is extremely unusual for a rock video. This is because rock music is heavily focused on the instruments they use but none appear in this video. Instead, the video is heavily focused on the narrative and meaning behind the song.

Typically, music videos of the rock genre have videos that loosely relate to the music and lyrics but the director took quite a literal approach to this video.

Also, in this genre there is always at least one shot of the band all together but this does not occur in this music video. The band are divided throughout but it could be argued that this could have been done intentionally by the director as the song is titled ‘Misery’.

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (The Maine - Misery)

2. There is a relationship between lyrics, music and visuals (The Maine - Misery)

This is the first shot we as the audience see of the female character.

I’ll say this once againYou people, you are my friendsThe devil, he can’t come inTonight, that’s right

Looking for misery, but she found meLying naked on the floorI was headed insane, the devil told me his nameBut he’s not welcome here, anymore

Tell me what do you see(What do you see?)When you’re looking at me?(When you look at me)This sense of responsibility is killing me inside, yeah

Looking for misery, but she found meLying naked on the floor(Stay away, sweet misery)I was headed insane, the devil told me his nameBut he’s not welcome there, anymore

Stay away, sweet miseryStay away, sweet misery

The pressure’s building with timeI made it up in my mindI’ve got excuses for all these things that I tried in my life

Looking for misery, but she found meLying naked on the floor(Stay away, sweet misery)I was headed insane, the devil told me his nameBut he’s not welcome there (he’s not welcome) anymoreStay away, sweet miseryNot welcome anymoreStay away, sweet misery

The lyric “killing me” is played over the shot of the high heel which foreshadows the outcome of the video.

Video is in slow motion for this line and the lyrics have been taken literally.

John falls with the chair and the video speeds back up to normal pace. His head hits the ground in time with the beat.

Throughout the song the devil is mentioned many times.

There is a medium close up shot of John at eyelevel to the audience. This is once again a literal visual representation of the lyrics

In The Maine’s music video for “Misery” there is an obvious relationship between the music and visuals.

The director has clearly worked around the music to make the video. On a few occasions, an action has been performed on the beat of the music. For example, when the woman slams the door there is a very low strum of the bass guitar. This also occurs when her heel stomps the ground leaving a small burst of dust.By the time the song has reached

the second chorus, the cutting pace increases and the video takes a darker turn. During the shot of the gasoline canister, the music gets louder and has a more rock edge to it than previously. Initially the music is soft and mellow, which is reflected in the long shots and slow cutting rhythm. As the gasoline is being poured over him however, there is a lack of vocals and only a guitar solo which is used emphasise the scene

The end scene which is of John, the lead singer, sees him strapped to the chair set alight with fire. As he is in obvious pain, the vocals of the song get higher and he screams.

3. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artists and develop motifs (The Maine - Misery)

As John is the lead singer and the band’s frontman, he is also the lead in the music video narrative. During the entire video, the camera is nearly always on John including a great majority of close ups of different parts of his body. The only shot of the rest of the band is them sat in a car watching the scene.

The director, Daniel Gomes, used the technique of chiaroscuro where part of the face is in darkness to portray a split personality or a confliction of emotions. This example is one of the band members watching the scene enrol, as he cannot escape he sits there watching.

Throughout the video there are many close ups of John in restraints. The rope becomes a motif representing his restrained passion and desire or the joys he keeps bound within unable to experience or release. He does this by screaming which are shot as close ups.

The only female in the music video is the antagonist. She is presented in an extremely negative manner - often referred to as the ‘devil’. The first shot of the woman is of her foot. Her footwear is a high heel which is a very feminine choice. Heels in the media tend to represent power but also sexuality. In this context, both of these apply.

4. There is frequently reference to notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body (The Maine - Misery)

The rest of the woman’s clothing is black and tightly fitting. The dark colours conform to the rock genres conventions, most noticeably her leather clothing. The leather could also be representing her dominating personality and again her power and control over John. This becomes clearer as the video progresses to where she is physically overpowering him as he is left vulnerable towards her as he is tied down to the chair unable to escape from her.

The woman in the video has a veil covering her face. This is the opposite to the typical clothing women wear in music videos of most genres, rock included. In the context, the black veil is used to represent a veil of secrecy. Perhaps, John does not know why she is doing this to him.

This shot in particular is a low angle shot, looking up at the woman giving the impression to the audience that she is a high authority figure who we are forced to look up to. In contrast, other rock music videos contain high angle shots of women where they are looked down at as they are seen as less important.