I have done a video analysis of the music video Nightmare, produced by the artist Avenge Sevenfold. This music video is portrayed in a mental asylum where you view the artist performing both narrative and performance.
As the music video begins, the opening scene flourishes images of a heavily tattooed arm. This straight away informs the viewer what type of genre the music video is going to be; in this occasion, the video music was heavy metal. As the arm is being shown, a pair of hands are introduced, attaching what looks like straps to the opposing persons wrists. As the pair of hands are wearing white plastic hands, this indicates that the person being strapped down is being kept within a type of hospital/asylum. Forms of non diegetic sound are used in this scene, to increase the realism of the scene. The sound develops a spooky and uncomfortable atmosphere, as it produces a form of 'la-la-by' sound, which enhances on the unknown and scary atmosphere.
As the second scene commences, a masked man is introduced, in which the camera pans up the body, and focuses for a few seconds on the male's face. The camera is only focused on the male's eyes though, as this is the only part of the male's body which becomes clear to the viewers eye. This is to show the concentration on the male's face, to hint to the audience, that he is about to do something, which take's a lot of concentration to do. Not only this, but as the camera focuses in to the eyes, you realise that the surgeon has bloodshot eyes. This may be frightening to the audience, but it relates to the genre of the music, and portrays the scary atmosphere towards it. This enhances on the idea that the patient is in a hospital/asylum even more, as he looks both professional but frightening, as if he was once in the asylum himself. A slight blur when focusing in is then taken, in which the camera then blurs out, to jump to a different scene.
Several images are then taken with the camera, which flourish threatening symbols of an asylum. As the camera pans around, you notice that there is blood spread all over the walls. Straight away this informed me as a viewer, that the patient wasn't in a hospital, but he was in an asylum instead. This is because, if it was to be a hospital, the surroundings would be clean, however, as there is blood on the walls, and bloody hand prints surrounding the patients bed, this informs me that he is in an asylum. Images of saws are shown, which portray the idea of the patient being cut up. Several images of what look like organs are also captured and shown, to help relate to the genre of the music, and to also relate to the title of the song which is Nightmare.
To relate to Goodwin's theory, there are many shots of the star image taken. As the music video portrays both narrative and performance, there are many shots taken which flourish the band performing on their instruments. Not only this, but the main singer also plays the part of the patient within the mental asylum. Not only does this music video relate to Goodwin's theory just for the star image, but it also relates to his theory, by the relationship between the music and the visuals. This means, that the music video visuals by either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music. This is done successfully as the patient within the asylum links well to the music, as it portrays the "Nightmare" which they are illustrating in both the music and the visuals.
There is a particular scene in this video, which disturbed me.This was the scene where two small children are shown playing with a ball smothered in blood. They also have blood all over them, which became disturbing to me, as children are more vulnerable to the bigger world. Non diegetic sound is used here, to add in the sound of the children laughing, which portrays the children as innocent. I believe that the producers of this music video have used these children, to add to the disturbed atmosphere, and to also make their music video become more vulnerable, to match the music with their visuals; the nightmare.
Throughout the music video, there is a huge use of hard light used, to enhance on the shadows. This creates a harsh amount of light being reflected normally onto one person, to make them stand out more and to also give an unnatural effect towards the video. A back light is also used for the same reasons, and sometimes to increase the amount of light added to the person, to create more shadows. The producers of this music video may of done this, to give the feeling that "you are never alone" and there is always someone or something lurking behind you; your shadow.
During the narrative parts of the video, a green filter is used. This is to enhance on the atmosphere within the asylum to create the sickness feeling toward it. This is used sufficiently as it drags the audience within the music video, to make them feel as if they are a part of the video, and they're in the asylum themselves.
The use of leading lines is used frequently throughout this music video. Especially with the use of the corridors, to show where the surgeons are leading the patient. This is achieved by the correct camera position to the side, instead of filming from the front view of the bed being wheeled forward.
Overall, the narrative matched well with the music, creating a pace which worked well, focusing on the rhythmic editing.
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