Music Video Analysis 2

The name of the song and we are analysing is called Hero and it is by the band Skillet, who are Christian Metal band. It belongs to the album Awake, this album was released in 2009 and the song Hero was released in 2010. The director of the Hero music video is called “Erwin Brothers”. Who also directed the song Monster; this is another song by Skillet and it was released after Hero. Hero is about the human race being in need of a hero, this hero being Jesus Christ. As it says in these lyrics from the song:

“I’m gonna fight for whats right
Today I’m speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
I will be ready to die”

These lyrics represent how Jesus fought for humanity, how Jesus willingly accepted his death so that we could live. As the lyrics say, ‘I will be ready to die’.

The music video does not really contain a plot, but it matches the lyrics well. The in the music video it shows us the band members playing. But then, it goes to show us some modern day hero’s, it shows us:

• A Fire Fighter
  
• A Nurse
• A Nurse

It is an Amplification music video, because there is a direct link to the lyric, but rather and show a narrative, it just shows us simple scenes of modern hero’s to let us try to make the connection ourselves. There is a wide range for the target audience in this video because it is a simple video, but to understand and appreciate the video I think it is more than likely aimed at 15 year olds and upwards who are into the Rock/Metal music genre. In addition, because it is Christian Metal I recon it may probably be aimed at Christians as well, even if there not into this genre of music.

The way Skillet bring across that it is for this specific audience, is first how they are dressed. They are wearing a lot of black so people stereotypically associate this with being Hard Rock or Gothic. Next is the hairstyles, how they are not standard ones, the female drummer/vocalist has blond hair with black streaks in hers which is out of the ordinary somewhat. The video shows the whole band playing all the instruments individually and with the whole band in view, they are acting as if they are very powerful and it represents in their playing. It also does fast tracking and whipping around of the camera, this fits in with the pace of the song ideally to show how the music is very “fast paced” so the cutting must be fast as well.

The camera is hardly ever idle; it moves from each band member in turn and shows a variety of shots for each member. We are frequently drawing back to the man vocalist and the female backing vocalist/drummer, when they are singing we get a lot of close ups so we can recognise who they are. When instrument is more prominent than the other is, we get a close up of the band member playing the instrument; again, this is helping us recognise whom they all are. Then we get long shots of the whole band with the large pyrotechnics behind them, shooting massive flames from behind the drums and behind the big amps, so we see the band as a whole and this becomes their image.

This music video shows each member in turn, but it comes back much more to the main vocalist and backing vocalist/drummer. They get a lot of close ups on their face and of them playing their instruments. There is an atmosphere of awareness in this video I think, it is using fast cutting and playing to get your attention, then it is adding fire, which gives a sense of danger. Then following this, it starts to show little clips of modern day hero’s. It does this so that we then start to make the connection of Fire-Fighters and marines to the title of the track which Hero.

It links with videos of its same genre because; many Rock/Metal videos have the whole band playing whilst showing them individually on their instruments. Many other bands have also worn all black as an image and every Rock/Metal band has unique hairstyles, clothes attire, and music video.