RM - Killswitch Engage - My Curse Deconstruction

Artist: Killswitch Engage
Song: My Curse
Genre: Metalcore
Audience: 15 - 24
Year Released: 2006

Killswitch Engage’s “My Curse” is a hybrid music video. This music video contains both performance and narrative. The performance aspect is featured in a flick-book format with the pages being scrolled through and that being the only way the band members move. The narrative aspect is featured in a number ways and locations. One way is how the performance aspect is done the other is through two different locations, one being the countryside the other being a library room.

As mentioned previously the performance aspect is only featured through books which are being quickly flicked through, during this sequences this is only way the band members move. The common convention of focusing on the lead vocalist is used throughout these sequences but there is also times were the focus is on the other band members. However due to the process used for the performance element it has had an effect on the shot variation. For example there are only two shots used to see the vocalist front on and side on, with the remaining band members only having front on shots. These shots are repeated throughout the video.

The narrative aspect of the music video features Propp’s theory of a hero trying to obtain his prize, whom is in a wedding dress. Thus signifies that the two are due to get married. During this sequence two different locations are used one in a library, the other in the countryside with only a bookcase to join them. Throughout the music video there is also a wide shot variety, which the shots changing every couple of seconds. To add to this special effects are used to bridge the gap between each part of the narrative, a prime example of this is when the focus changes from the male protagonist to the female prize there is, in the majority of cases, a fade in and out transition. This is also used sometimes to link the narrative into the performance. The narrative aspect is also a binary opposite of the performance because the performance is just filmed in black and white whereas the narrative is in colour.