Analysis of a rock video- Asking Alexandria The Final Episode

The first 25 seconds of the video begins with an out of focus shot following a long track on the floor leading up to a microphone laying messily in the middle of the floor. The low key lighting gives off this representation of a somewhat depressing song or dark song and how the it represents the band itself as being very bold and mysterious. Immediately fast paced editing comes in on each shot before the song even begins. A voiceover of a girl answering a phone call with no one answering gives off this scary feel and the fear in her voice makes the audience feel like the band aren't generally happy people. Extreme close ups and track outs are used on certain strange everyday objects such as light-bulbs and teacups which may suggest that the band are normal and don't want to be represented as 'evil' by their dark video. Slow motion and focus pulls are used to show the band setting up their performance by picking up guitars and the main lead grabbing the microphone off the floor. This could represent their messy lifestyle and maybe how they've left their performance space after a rehearsal. Just before the drummer makes the first beat, there are mid shots and slow motion of them jumping up and down showing the audience that they are ready to perform.



In the second clip when the music fully starts and the main singer begins to sing or 'scream' the audience are thrown out of the quiet gentle slow motion beginning and thrown into the fast edited extreme close ups and long shots of the band performing. Throughout this clip there are extreme close ups of dust flying off of the drums which could connote that they haven't performed in a while and this is the first time they are doing it, or could represent that because they are 'rockstars' they shouldn't care about the mess they make. This also shown through the splashing of the teacup and how the music is making the coffee literally bounce out of the cup and the band almost wants the audience to do the same. There are continuous close ups and mid shots of the band performing and 'rocking out' to their song, this represents them as what the audience want them to be and how they want to see them. Their are slow motion shots of them flicking their hair in time to the music and jumping up and down, almost enjoying their performance



In the third clip, it shows that pretty much throughout the whole music video it repeats itself with the same extreme close ups of the flashing light bulbs which connotes that their music controls the electricity and their music is so powerful it can create anything. Their fully black costumes almost make them look invisible with the low key lighting and dark walls, also because their hair is black it makes it harder for the audience to see their face so this gives off this mysterious look about them and also the colour black represents darkness and an almost empty feeling which the band members give off. The location looks as if they are in an old garage or an old performance space implying that they have no where else to perform or they feel like they relate to dark empty spaces. There is no particular narrative in this music video, the lyrics follow a story about how the girl he loves doesn't love him back but this isn't shown in the music video. It's more of a performance than a story.



In the last clip, it differs from all the other 3 clips because this time he actually sings up close and gives direct address toward the camera. The shots change from extreme close ups to long shots of him miming with the others still performing in the background. This time, the audience can clearly see his face and with the others hidden in the background it makes him stand out the most. When the props of the teacup and light bulbs fall and smash it represents how their life is smashing around them because their lifestyle and stereotypes of a rock band makes them face challenges in their life.