Analysing Rock Music

Poets of the Fall Carnival of Rust

Description: video begins with a bright cartoon-like moon surrounded by

clouds, all of the surroundings are computer animated.

Angle: moves from flat angle to low angle looking up at the moon. Shot: long shot that focuses on the moon, then swoops down on the town below. Symbolism: cartoon-like moon represents old fashion theatre, and symbolizes
fantasy/exaggeration of effects. This can lead the audience to assume that the rest of the music video will be big, bold and exaggerated like the moon itself. Phantasmagoria? Victoriana?

Average Shot Duration (ASD): 16 seconds long, drawn out introduction.

Description: the camera then rapidly swoops down in and zooms in toward an
enormous gate, and beyond revealing a live carnival happening behind it.

Angle: The camera sways dramatically in a dreamy-style toward the gate,

beginning with a high angled shot, then to a flat angle.

Shot: Establishing shot, to reveal the full atmosphere of the town, as well as the
threatening size of the gate and the live carnival.

Symbolism: The gate symbolizes that of a graveyard gate, which connoted the
darkness and surreal/unnatural theme of the video. Nightmare fairground.

ASD: part of the 16 second long introduction

Description: a figure is shown standing in front of a automaton, the scene, like

the ones before is dark and unsettling.

Angle: flat angle. Shot: mid-shot that pans round them in a circular form. Symbolism: the automaton symbolizes coming to life, which relates to the
theme of the vide0 death, destruction, afterlife, hell and so on.

ASD: 3 second long shot, quick, snappy in contrast to the introduction. This shot
leads you straight onto the next without hesitation, but allows enough time for mystery to occur to the audience.

Description: the figure then is shown putting a dime into the machine, to
power it.

Angle:

slightly high angle, which makes their hand seem small and somewhat vulnerable/innocent compared to the dark rusty machine also in shot.

Shot: extreme close up, draws the audience into the characters intention, and
whether or not the machine will work.

Symbolism: the insertion or the dime can be a visual metaphor for the
powering of this song also in of which, the song will come alive also. The representation of a game can symbolize a childish and nave aspect of the video, which links to the fake/cartoon-like moon in the beginning.

ASD: 3 second long shot makes the shot quick and snappy, to add to the
spontaneity of the action shown.

Description: The device automatically comes to life, despite its

ragged/damaged condition. The man inside begins to sing.

Angle: the angle remains flat. Shot: the mid shot zooms in slightly to focus on the man inside the machine. Symbolism: As the man comes to life and begins singing, the track plays,
connoting that the song itself has come to life also, which adds to the surreal nature of the video.

ASD: again, 2 second shot to make it quick and snappy. Description: the man inside the machine begins singing, his face painted, but
in some areas peeling to show damage and raggedness.

Angle: flat angle gives the man neutrality. Shot: mid shot to focus on his performance/features. Symbolism: the peeling of his face and damaged clothes add to the title
Carnival of Rust as well as the damaged/ old motif within the video.

ASD: surprisingly, the shot is only 2/3 seconds long, however, this could be just to
establish his role in the music video, as the singer/main person.

Description: The man inside the automaton is still singing, but the identity of the girl
is left unknown, which causes suspicion.

Angle: flat angle, neither person is given higher/lower status than the other they
remain equal/neutral. We assume from this that these characters are perhaps the only neutral ones in the music video.

Shot: Mid shot, as before to restore familiarity with the audience in that the girl is
unafraid, and has not moved since.

Symbolism: the same symbols as previously shown. ASD: 3 seconds long, quirky shots becoming more common to fasten the pace. Description: This then jumps to the next shot of a tilted angled advertisement
board, which says The Star which then audience will automatically assume it was the name of a ride/amusement within the carnival. The name itself is very representative of the fairytale/imaginary aspect of the music video.

Angle: low angle shot, makes the board look like its towering over the audience,
threateningly, it also dramatically increases its importance and meaning.

Shot:

zooms in gradually. Im assuming mid shot to long shot, as not all of the board is in the shot (but that could be because of the tilted angle) this makes the shot seem bizarre and stick out from the rest the tilt and shot enacts the madness of the video itself.

Symbolism: the dramatically lit board symbolizes a Hollywood showbiz theme that
represents perhaps what the carnival used to be like, but like the lights and liveliness of the board, the carnival itself is alive also.

ASD:

4 seconds long, slightly longer than the rest to draw more attention to this shot which heightens its importance.

Description: The identity (to an extent) of the girl is exposed, she is wearing a gas
mask, wearing a black frilly dress and holding a bright red swirly lollipop, the camera zooms in on her. The girl remains emotionless.

Angle: flat angle, neutral status connotes innocence. Shot: mid shot, zooming in and blurred background, fixes the girl in center focus. Symbolism: the gas mask symbolizes safety/protection, whilst the contextual
symbolism is of war which relates to the theme of this video. The red lollipop connotes childishness and naivety which causes juxtaposition.