Blog #6

From the very beginning of this video it is quite apparent that the setting is a wedding. They begin by showing the guest book and then the altar where the priest, bride and groom are standing. It appears to be a normal wedding until you get a glimpse of the guests that are attending this event. The structural logos established through the use of characters is very strong in this video. Although the guests sitting on the bride’s side are dressed normally, their faces are painted on to make them look like dolls. This seems confusing and brings about the question of why are they making the characters appear in this way? Porcelain dolls are thought of as fragile, used for looks rather than play. It almost seems like the artists are trying to indicate there may be a situation going on that is near the breaking point. The fact that all these guests are her in support of the brides indicates that maybe she has something to do with it.
The second set of characters are introduced when Brenden Urie, Panic! At the Disco’s lead singer, bursts through the door interrupting the wedding. Dressed in a ringmaster’s attire, he is fallowed in by an assortment of men and women wearing flashy circus act costumes. This also evokes some questioning and it becomes obvious that this is no ordinary wedding. Why exactly are the groom’s guests dressed in this manner? It appears that they do not take the wedding seriously at all and are attending more so in the goal to ruin it rather than celebrate with the couple.
The two different types of guests form a sort of visual hierarchy by the use of contrast that makes an interesting statement. On one side you have a group representing tradition and elegancy. Terms you would use to describe a normal wedding. You can also look at porcelain dolls as appearing to be something you’re not. When you think of a doll you think of something you can play with. On the other, there is a group you normally associate with entertainment and fun. Both of these connections you make by thinking about the characters are brought together at the end when the bride is caught cheating with another man who was attending the wedding. She then becomes the center of attention when it is made obvious that she was certainly not what her husband to be thought she was.
I think the argument the artists are trying to make is if you are hiding a secret, you shouldn’t be so obvious about it. There signs throughout the whole video indicating that something fishy is going on: whispering in the crowd, the second set of characters bursting through the door as if in objection and the gaze of the other man. In the end, the bride’s actions also coincide with the lyrics of the song. When she runs out of the church she leaves the door open, inviting anyone to come witness her unfaithful actions.

Blog #5: Rhetorical Strategies-Pathos

There are many examples of the rhetorical strategy of pathos in Panic! At the Disco’s “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” music videos. Compose Design Advocate defines pathos as, “how your audience feels about what you are doing.” (81) The first images in the video begin to evoke emotion right away. The video begins with an image of a guest book at a wedding and moves on to the priest and the bride and groom. Weddings bring the feelings of happiness, love and bliss. It returns back to the bride and groom shortly after this first scene where they are shown mouthing the words “I love you” to each other. This further brings forth these emotions. It reminds you of a story with a fairytale ending. This can also stir some background emotions, perhaps a reminder of their own wedding.
As the video progresses, the wedding slowly begins to fall apart. You can tell by the emotion expressed on the bride’s face that she is getting extremely frustrated as the late arriving guests burst through the door, causing the room to go into disorder. This scene is more effective on woman I would say rather than men. Most girls can relate to how they would feel if the day they had be planning and visioning was being ruined. This continues to be developed as she storms out of the church.
The last example from this video that I feel stirs the most emotion is at the end when the bride is discovered with her secret lover outside on the porch. The look on the groom’s face is of shock and betrayal. Anyone who has been cheated on can especially relate to the emotions that result from a situation like this. Even if you haven’t been cheated on, there are emotions that most people associate with cheating such as disappointment, fury, confusion. In some rare occasions there could be feelings of relief or even joy to now have a reason to be done with their partner. This almost seems to be what the artists are trying to suggest at the end of the video when the groom is revealed to be the magician and seems to have an appearance about him that leads the audience to believe that he may have known all along.