Rock

Up In The Air - 30 Seconds To Mars

'Up In The Air' by 30 Seconds to Mars is a combination video with an uplifting narrative and a rock 'n' roll performance. The narrative is constructed in a way that it is almost like a short film. This music video is mostly unconventional for the rock genre but it also conforms in various ways.

This slow spinning Cyr Wheel may represent the never ending cycle of life.

The video starts very ominiously (both visually and audioly), with single objects usually in the center third of the frame surrounded by vast emptiness. This creates a mysterious feel to the video. The music at this time is not the original track but instead extremely long sustained noted played by an orchestra.

This long establishing shot of the warehouse is quite conforming to the music genre because like many other rock bands they like to film in empty warehouses, rooms etc...

The drum kit is an obvious symbol of rock music, therefore this low key lighting shot enables us to already have a subconcious understanding that this video is for the rock genre.

Reoccuring themes

The writer and director of the music video Jared Leto (AKA Bartholemew Cubbins) likes to have reocurring themes in their music videos. He also likes to refference other stories!

This is a single from 30 Seconds to Mars's album 'Love,Lust, Dreams and Faith' and these themes are shown throughout the whole of the music video. Love being represented by women, the pink bull and most significantly the gymnast and her dedication and love for her sport.

Lust is represented by the many close ups of the female body, a sharp knife, and interesting dance moves. 'Dreams' has similar images to 'love'. The gymnast, the cyr wheel dancer and the image of revolution! Faith is very important theme for the menbers of the band because they take their music very seriously and especially Jared who came to Los Angeles to pursue his dream with only faith, no money, no connections. Also most of their fans take their music as a religion.

This music video also has subtextual meaning. All the round motions and circles could be in the representation of the Orobus (pictured above) which is a druid belief that life goes on and that everything is endless therefore the dragon eating it's own tail demostrates that!

This links with the lyrics of the music track since it repeats 'Take no more' at the end of the video the cry wheel falls, and that alone signifies the end of the cycle of torture we ut ourselfs through to fit in to society or to get something perfect to please others.

This first image is a well known logo for '30 Seconds to Mars' and therefore stablishes the video!

Conventional?!

Common conventions of Rock music videos

Performance is also a large aspect of Rock music videos. Rockers focus more on musicianship and live performances. This means that there are many close- and pans to move from instrument to singer to upsother instrument.

Lighting is rock music video's best friend! Directors use many lights to create eerie effects or to cast long shadows over the band.

Light movement also helps create tesnsion or anticipation where needed and this just becomes another technique to remain with the audience's attention.

Location is bizare aspect of music videos. Usually set in a dark baseman or empty warehouse it creates the 'badass' image rockers want to put across to their fans.

Rock music videos usually fit in with many Andrew Goodwin theories. From exploring the voyeristic view of the female body to lyrical and visual links and reocuring motifs.

Rock music is often fast paced, so for the video to fit the genre the editing is also usually significantly fast paced too. This encourages fans to danceand headbang along to the upbeat tracks.