Narrative structure in

Seethers Rise Above

This
By Thomas Cutmore

First about the band

Seether is a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria. The
band was originally formed under the name "Saron Gas" until
renaming it to "Seether" in 2002. The band consists of 3 members; 1. Shaun Welgemoed (Morgan American name replacement)
Guitar/vocals
2. Dale Stewart Bass/backing vocals
3. John Humphery Drums/backing vocals
Their song Rise Above This was released as a single in 2008, which
was also featured in Seethers Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces
which was released in the late 2007/early 2008.

The basic story of the song

The songs original purpose is a tribute to Shauns brother Eugene
Welgemoed which was first written to help him out of depression, but
as the band was on tour, Eugene jumped from the 8th floor of the
hotel and took his own life.
The band represent this through performance and give a strong
meaning of unity through out the video in the way every family
member, including Shaun himself witness what Eugene is witnessing.

The lyrics
Take the light, and darken everything around me
Call the clowns and listen closely, I'm lost without you
Call your name every day when I feel so helpless
I'm fallin' down but I'll rise above this, rise above this
Hate the mind, regrets are better left unspoken
For all we know, this void will grow and
Everything's in vain, distressing you though it leaves me open
Feels so right, but I'll end this all before it gets me
Call your name every day, when I feel so helpless
I'm fallin' down, but I'll rise above this, rise above this
Call your name every day, when I seem so helpless
I'm fallin' down, but I'll rise above this, rise above this doubt
I'll mend myself before it gets me
(I'll mend myself before it gets me)
I'll mend myself before it gets me
(I'll mend myself before it gets me)
Call your name every day, when I feel so helpless
I'm fallin' down, but I'll rise above this, rise above this
Forty eight ways to say that I'm feelin' helpless
I'm fallin' down, fallin down', but I'll rise above this, rise above this, rise above this, rise above this doubt

Open or closed narrative?

The music video holds a very closed narrative as it emphasises the meaning of
the song, the idea of helping and fighting depression and the unity of the family
around the person who is suffering.
This is shown by the performance by both the actors and actresses, and also
Shaun himself who feel and replicate what the actor playing as Eugene is doing,
i.e. when Eugene feels the wind against him, so does everyone else of his family.
Another way it enforces this closed narrative is when Eugene falls, the family fall
the same way. This emphasises the devastating impact of Eugenes suicide on the
family and how the family were there to help him.
However so it also holds an open narrative as Bathes would describe the music
video can also hold an interpretation for the audience to make, for example the
suicide illusionary could also lead the audience to a fantasy, despair or link it to
their own personal experiences.

Screenshots of closed narrative

examples
Wind blows into Eugenes face and at the
same time all of his family (except Shaun as
he isnt shown in the photograph when
Eugene selects them) stops and feels the
same wind shows unity

Screenshots of closed narrative

examples (continued)
When Eugene suddenly falls, the
whole family who are in the
photograph fall with him

Continuity Editing
The music video is edited smoothly and well with continuity editing as
the music video keeps jumping from shot to shot of different
locations and people, which yet is mixed as it moves from the band
performing, to the actor playing Eugene on the ledge, to the family
members, and then back to either Eugene or the band. This has been
edited well to create a constant montage of clips which build up the
story, showing the different areas and people who are affected by the
suicide.

Mise-en-scene alteration (replacing

flashbacks)
The convention of colour alteration or blurred effects have not be
used to indicate a flashback to provide the back story. But this is not
required because of the differences within mise-en-scene between
performance and storytelling, for example the different locations
where the actors and the band themselves are the band are in a
empty hotel room/studio, where the rest of the actors and actresses
are in their everyday lives, apart from Eugene.
The performance with the use of these different mise-en-scenes
enforce the song title Rise Above This as the story progresses and
reaches the end, the actor playing Eugene is still alive as if he was
resurrected by the song.

Screenshots of mise-en-scene alteration

It cuts back and forth
to the band, then
Eugene, and then to a
family member, and
then directly back to
the band again this
replaces the use of
flashbacks and instead
creates a story
through different
locations

Applying Goodwins theory to the music

video

The type of music video

The music video is both a storyline and a performance of the band. Both the
storyline and the performance however are closely and strongly linked as the
bands performance is controlling the storyline, and yet the storyline also has an
effect on the bands performance. In describing this; - as the band perform, the
lyrics Shaun sings are closely linked to what is happening in the story. While this is
happening, as the story progresses and reaches a certain point (when Eugene
falls off the building) the same effect that has happened to the actors and
actresses (them falling along with Eugene) interrupts the performance of the
band as Shaun was in the photograph that Eugene drops, applying the same
sadness and feeling that the other family members feel with Shaun.
There is also reverse editing included in the music video where as the song
progresses, it reaches a middle point where Eugene falls bringing the rest of the
family down with him. This is then edited backwards as if the band performing is
giving Eugene a strength to rise again and carry on, showing strength and unity of
the family.

Screenshots of performance and

storyline
The link of Shaun falling in the photograph with
Storyline

Eugene and the family, and him actually falling

where he is, - which is performing with the rest
of the band

Performance

Link between visuals and lyrics

The narrative structure of this music video helps emphasise the lyrics of the song as the
audience can tap into both the storyline which is visibly shown (the music video itself)
and also the lyrics which both combine with eachother.
The visuals amplify the lyrics through out the music video, an example of this would be
where; in the song Shaun sings Call your name every day, when I feel so helpless Im
fallin' down at this point the actor Eugene has fallen backwards off the building and so
does the rest of the family. This reinforces the lyrics as where it says Call your name as
Eugene falls, the falling off the building symbolises Eugene trying to call out to his family,
but being unable to, so the act of him falling from the building symbolises his lost call
out to his family in need of help.
Also at the end of the video where Eugene appears back up to the top of the building
using reverse editing, the lyrics read I'm fallin' down, fallin down', but I'll rise above this,
rise above this, rise above this, rise above this doubt. This link between the visuals and
the lyrics give a strong ending to the music video as the music fades off, the actor is left
standing on the edge of the building again as if it was a second chance, and that is what
Shaun needed to save his brother.

Screenshots of the link between visuals

and lyrics

Call your name every

day, when I feel so
helpless Im fallin' down

Reversed editing

I'm fallin' down,

fallin down', but I'll
rise above this, rise
above this, rise
above this, rise
above this doubt

Use of close ups

The music video contains a lot of close ups of the lead singer Shaun
when singing on the microphone. This could enforce the idea of the
singer trying to show his true feelings to the crisis.
It could also show how he is personally singing this message, and by
that the close up blanks out the rest of the band to just him, giving
the a sense of isolation of the singer even though the band are still
there. In the close ups he constantly looks at the camera within the
close ups, which also backs up the idea of him personally singing
for/to Eugene as if he was there watching.

Screenshots of close ups