30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill

The music video for “The Kill” is based on the film “The Shining” so events that allow the narrative to move forward is intertextuality to the film. This is evident through the cuts of the shots, the mise en scene and the narrative. The music video has decided to copy the outline of “The Shining” as the narratives are similar but have different purposes. In the film, the narrative is about a man who is a caretaker for the hotel during the winter, where he also tries to write his own book. This makes him go mad and goes on a killing spree on his wife and child. Similarly, the music video copies the films, as the band are there to write a song and perform, staying at the hotel for a few days, which makes them go weird and mad.
The opening shot of the video is similar to the film as there is non – diegetic music that is featured during the film to progress the narrative. The use of white on black writing with the same font is conventional of the film (below) and is therefore used in the music video. The use of these shots happens during the video of each day the band is there. Therefore, due to these shots carrying the narrative of the video to the climax, this is conventional of a music video.

There is an establishing shot of the building that the band will be staying in for a few days, which is similar to the hotel in the film, linking to the intertextuality, as it is large and historical linking to the genre of indie which portrays a gothic feel. This is a typical convention of a music video as establishing shots allow the narrative to commence and notify the audience what the narrative is about.

Many of the shots used in the music video are extremely similar to the film, due to the intertextuality. An example of this is the singer positioned similar to the film (below) through the use of a close up shot that focuses on the singers face which is very gothic. This video may be intertextuality very similar to the film, but it still keeps the conventions, which is the focusing on the band.

The pace of the cuts are also similar to the film. We hear a diegetic sound of a thud. The sound is in sync with the cuts of the shots from the notes to the typewriter to the singer bouncing the ball linking to the syncing of the beats to the cuts. This is once again intertextuality from the film, as the character does exactly the same to the film "The Shining" as a means of carrying the narrative.

There is the typical convention of a music video is also featured in the video of the artist performing on a stage. The low angle medium shot gives the impression to the audience that they are a part of the audience and the narrative. This is typical because the artist wants the focus to be around them and not so much the narrative. As Vernallis says "Low angle shots are used more extensively in music videos, partly because they reproduce relations among the audience, performer and stage” which supports that idea. Also, there are a number of close up shots of the different members of the band. This is a typical convention of a music video as it allows the band to show off their musicality toward their audience.

Also, at the beginning of the video, we see the use of low angle shot looking up the at the band in the car shows their power and control over the audience as Vernallis says "Such shots confer authority upon performers". This is typical of a music video as the artist wants to stay in control over the audience and to show their power.

The video is also very Gothic and this links to the film once again such as the naked woman that comes out of the shower in the film. Intertextuality is once again featured in the video, as the similar woman coming out of the shower comes out of the shower and is embraced by a member of the band. Also the cuts flash to other cuts of the Gothic woman covered in blood asVernallis says "Quick cutting on the beat”.

Also, the images and mise en scene that the music video is repeating and implementing from the film allows the music video to portray the Gothic and sinister feeling that is from the film. This is placed into the music video to get this Gothic impression also. It is made even more sinister when the member of the band sees his dark side, portraying their stages of madness. The idea of the video being Gothic due to the indie genre and the intertextuality is also seen through the flashing images of the naked woman, that through the flashes we see draped in blood. This is intertextuality to the film once again.

The audience is made aware of the editing process due to the different rules being broken throughout the video. An example of this is the 30 degree rule which is broken throughout the video. This is shown when the lead singer is walking up to the typewriter, but we see him get closer to the typewriter through quick cuts but are below 30 degrees which is not a typical convention of a music video, but is frequently broken often. These jump cuts are also in sync with the beat of the music as Vernallis says "Quick cutting on the beat”

The 180 degree rule is also broken in the music video which is not a typical convention of a music video. This can be seen when the singer of the band tries to follow his impersonator through the hotel and we see him from back and then we see him walk and then he is walking toward us as a match on action shot. The way that the rules are broken allows the Gothic theme to be successfully portrayed as the audience is disorientated as the audience is not sure which is the real band member and the confusing chash.

There is also the close up shot note at the beginning of the video that the band read, the note tells the band not to go into room 6277 which is reference how the characters are warned in the film about not going into room 237, once again intertextuality. The use of this shot is to move the narrative along and too also explain it to the audience, which a typical convention of a music video to keep the video moving.

There is also an aerial shot of the twins in the hall dancing and allows the audience to see a very clear view of the people in the room. It also gives the impression of the audience being involved in the narrative which is a typical convention of a music video.

At the end of the music video, where the narrative climaxes, the editing process is made aware to the audience. This is shown through the way the screen splits at the end, giving a double and disorientating image to the audience, which is typical in a indie genre music video. This also makes the audience aware that the end of the video and pulls them out of the narrative.

The mise en scene is evidently very similar to the film as the setting of the hotel is similar to the one in the film. Also, the costume of the band at the beginning reflects their image and the genre of music that they play as they wear black, jeans and have distinctive hair styles.

There is also the use of slow swipes at the end of the video which links to the slow beat of the music in the video. These use of the slow swipes as an edit to the next shot, gives a sinister feel toward the audience as the shots cut from the close up of a band and then to the other twins in the room. This links to the idea of the lyrics linking to the images as the lyrics say "What if i wanted to break" which gives the idea that the band want to break away with their twin linking to the cuts to the other twins in the room.

However, from that costume, when we see the duplicates of the band, they are dressed in a smart dinner suits. Conclusively, at the end of the video, we see the band performing in the dinner suits whilst the band also walk into the hall. This shows their change and how they have merged the two worlds and their impersonators, linking to the of the other twins in the place.