JP: Deconstruction of Music Video 1

 
Limp Bizkit - 'My Generation'


Institution and Audience

• This video would most probably be consumed through ambient viewing due to its predominantly performance based content and other imagery for pure visual entertainment / visceral pleasure rather than narrative development. Also, due to the censorship, it may feature on specific music video channels (such as MTV).
• Considering the institutional context, the record label would likely play a role in the industrial production of the video as a means of promotion due to the (at the time) intrigue into the famous live shows the band put on and the costumes of Wes Borland (the lead guitarist); which both feature in the footage of the music video itself.

Genre and Narrative

Using Archer Goodwin's theories (from "Dancing in the Distraction Factory"), you can see clear conventions of performance based music videos as a whole such as:

• The demonstration of genre (nu-metal) characteristics including the singer having forward non-verbal language towards the audience, footage of intense live performances and no narrative (such as at the shot at the start with an LS to MS shot of the singer walking towards the camera).
• An amplified relationship between lyrics and visuals (such as on the lyrics "Do you think we can fly? Well I do." as the singer acts out the lyrics with hand motions in his MCU).
• An illustrative relationship between music and visuals (with the entriety of the performance demonstrating this; basically the entire video).
• A variety of close-ups on performers (including the development of the visual motif held by the guitarist, Wes Borland, in his costumes and Fred Durst's red cap).
• Frequent reference to the notion of looking (predominantly to do with the singer, Fred Durst's gaze).
• Intertextual references to another music video (Staind - 'Mudshovel') in which that band played on the exact same stage.

Media Language

• The purpose of the video is to both portray the message of the song which is highlighting the social injustice towards young people and to convey the band image to be synonymous with this message as rebellious and anti-establishment.
• The purpose is achieved through the techniques used such as the vast variety of camera angles connoting non-conformity, the inclusion of archive footage showing intense live shows and fans breaking objects, the words on Fred Durst's costume being censored suggesting 'offensive' language, and the overal fast cutting rate to convey the aggression and intensity of the music / band.
• There's an intertextual reference to the fellow nu-metal band Staind through the set being the same stage used in the music video for 'Mudshovel'.

Representation

Using Richard Dyer's theories (from "Stars" and "Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society"), you can see the conventions of stars and stardom being explored through the band such as:

• Star qualities including youthfulness, rebellion, an anti-authoritarian attitude, talent, aggression / anger, and a disregard to social values being shown.

These are evident across all of the band's music videos which conforms to their meta-narrative and helps sell the image of the band and the constructed stars within it (each having their own iconic features).

This video's ideological discourse is that which conforms to the values of the metal genre but reinforces emergent ideologies within society as a whole. Furthermore, it challenges the belief of preservation in institutions such as the police.