Peter Gabriel-Don't Give up

Cover Artwork

Video

Check here and there for the test correction

PETER GABRIEL'S LYRICS

"Don't Give Up"

In this proud land we grew up strong
We were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail

No fight left or so it seems
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
I've changed my face, I've changed my name
But no one wants you when you lose

Don't give up
'cos you have friends
Don't give up
You're not beaten yet
Don't give up
I know you can make it good

Though I saw it all around
Never thought I could be affected
Thought that we'd be the last to go
It is so strange the way things turn

Drove the night toward my home
The place that I was born, on the lakeside
As daylight broke, I saw the earth
The trees had burned down to the ground

Don't give up
You still have us
Don't give up
We don't need much of anything
Don't give up
'cause somewhere there's a place
Where we belong

Rest your head
You worry too much
It's going to be alright
When times get rough
You can fall back on us
Don't give up
Please don't give up

Got to walk out of here
I can't take anymore
Gonna stand on that bridge
Keep my eyes down below
Whatever may come
And whatever may go
That river's flowing
That river's flowing

Moved on to another town
Tried hard to settle down
For every job, so many men
So many men no-one needs

Don't give up
'cause you have friends
Don't give up
You're not the only one
Don't give up
No reason to be ashamed
Don't give up
You still have us
Don't give up now
We're proud of who you are
Don't give up
You know it's never been easy
Don't give up
'cause I believe there's a place
There's a place where we belong

 

CREATIVE WRITING

Shooting Script  for Peter Gabriel's 'Don't Give Up' Video                  31/01/2013

 

OVER BLACK:

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

The first notes of the song sound.

FADE IN:

1. EXT. FACTORY IN  THE OUTSKIRTS OF A BIG CITY (DETROIT) - MORNING

 

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Verse 1

 

PAN SHOT of a busy street, followed by TILT UP toward the top of high-rise towers (skyscrapers) and TILT DOWN to ZOOM FORWARD on factory workers noisily walking out of their work in an automobile plant.

They seem tired but full of pride and energy despite their night shift.

Then, CLOSE UP on the face of one man in the crowd. He looks young and enthusiastic.

ZOOM BACKWARD to show  the man walking on, now framed in a FULL SHOT.

Then, TRACKING SHOT, following the man who is walking away at a brisk pace, waving goodbye to his workmates with a broad smile on his face These people obviously stick together.

He is now seen in a LONG SHOT.

 

DISSOLVE TO BLACK & WHITE

 

2. INT. APARTMENT - MORNING

 

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Verse 2

 

FULL SHOT of a man who is sitting at home, sipping a cup of coffee. He is the same man as the one viewed earlier but he looks older and depressed.

CLOSE UP on the man's gloomy face.

PAN TO THE RIGHT: A song is playing on an old radio transistor.

CUT TO COLOR

 

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Chorus

3. EXT. STREET - SUNNY DAY

The man is seen in a FULL SHOT talking to friends. The conversation is lively and the group (both men and women) walk into a bar.

DISSOLVE TO BLACK & WHITE

 

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Verse 3

 

4. EXT. EMPTY STREET - RAINY DAY

LONG SHOT of a group of men lining up in front of what looks like a job center. ZOOM FORWARD to focus on the face of the same man standing in line. He looks ashamed and despondent.

 

CUT TO:

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Verse 4

5. EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

The man is driving at night. He is about to reach his destination,  a house on the lakeside barely visible in the distance.

 

 

 

CUT TO:

6: INT. CAR - EARLY MORNING

The man is looking at something outside. He looks stunned. EXTREME CLOSE UP on the man's eyes.

Then REVERSE SHOT: he was staring at the scorched earth which seems to have replaced a little wood which stood near the house and where he used to play as a kid. The house looks shabby, rundown, maybe even abandoned. There is nothing left of his roots.

 

CUT TO COLOR

 

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Chorus

 

7. INT. APARTMENT - AFTERNOON

MEDIUM SHOT of the man and his wife at home. The woman is talking. She seems to be comforting her husband, stroking his hair.

CLOSE SHOT of the man who rests his head against her, as if he needed a shoulder to cry on.

Then, PAN SHOT TO THE RIGHT as two kids run into the drawing room to kiss and  hug their parents (SLOW MOTION).

LOW-ANGLE SHOT of the man who suddenly picks up a newspaper and sighs deeply.

He stands up and says 'OK'.

He then turns his back on his family and walks out of the room.

DISSOLVE TO BLACK & WHITE

 

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Verse 5

8..EXT. STREET -  EVENING

FULL SHOT of the man as he walks down the street, then strolls along a river.

CLOSE UP on the man's face, followed by ZOOM OUT to show the man now standing on a bridge, looking down at the river.  

P.O.V. SHOT: the man is staring intently at the black foam-flecked water below, as if he was about to jump and commit suicide.

HIGH-ANGLE SHOT + TRACKING IN of the man walking across the bridge  while the river keeps flowing.

 

 

CUT TO:

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Verse 6

 

9 .INT. SMALL TOWN - DAYS LATER

MEDIUM-CLOSE SHOT of the man standing at a counter, begging to be hired but the employer shakes his head.

PAN SHOT of the man as he walks out of the place.

 

 

CUT TO:

10. EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER

LONG SHOT of the man trying his luck in yet another job agency we see him walking into but he soon walks out, his head bent.

 

CUT TO COLOR

MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

Chorus

11. INT. APARTMENT - MORNING

FULL SHOT of a group of people, among whom the man's wife and kids.

They seem to be celebrating someone's birthday. The atmosphere is joyful and the man seems to be having fun.

EXTREME CLOSE UP on his eyes in which there is a glimmer of hope at last.

He now seems seem more cheerful than ever before and kisses his wife before hugging his two kids.

                                                                                                                                                                         

 

FADE OUT

FILMMAKING TECHNIQUE

Barton Fink is a 1991 American film, written, directed, and produced by the Coen brothers. Set in 1941, it stars John Turturro in the title role as a young New York City playwright who is hired to write scripts for a movie studio in Hollywood, and John Goodman as Charlie, the insurance salesman who lives next door at the run-down Hotel Earle.

Joel David Coen (born November 29, 1954) and Ethan Jesse Coen^[ (born September 21, 1957) known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers. Their films include Blood Simple, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, No Country for Old Men, and True Grit. The brothers write, direct and produce their films jointly, although until recently Joel received sole credit for directing and Ethan for producing. They often alternate top billing for their screenplays while sharing film credits for editor under the alias Roderick Jaynes.

John Michael Turturro (born February 28, 1957) is an Italian-American actor, writer and director known for his roles in the films Do the Right Thing(1989), Miller's Crossing (1990), Barton Fink (1991), Quiz Show (1994), The Big Lebowski (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) and the Transformers film series. He has appeared in over sixty films, and has worked frequently with the Coen brothers, Adam Sandler and Spike Lee.

John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne (1988–1997) for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for providing the voice of Sully in Monsters, Inc. As a film actor, he has frequently collaborated with the Coen Brothers, including in Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?.

R.E.M Everyday is yours to win

Cover Artwork 

Contrasting Reviews

 1) For me, this was one of the albums of 2011 and such a shame that this was their last. I believe R.E.M only ever realeased one bad/mediocre album (Around the Sun) so every time they released an album of late, they risked their legacy. With this record they put a bit of added sheen on that legacy. Great that the band finished on a creative high. It does fade a little in the 3rd quarter of the album but the first half and finish is as strong as any REM record. It really is a pity we won't ever have another R.E.M record but what a back catalogue we have to remember them by.

2)What a pleasant surprise this album was! Accelerate was nice nod to R.E.M.'s glory days but Collapse into Now is far superior in that the melodies are catchier and the weirdness of the last three tracks of their previous album isn't as apparent here. I'd even go as far to say that this album edges out New Adventures in Hi-Fi for their best album post Automatic for the People. The uptempo rockers are solid especially the single "Mine Smell Like Honey" I'd almost put that release on their next release of greatest hits not to represent the latter stages of their career but becasue it actually belongs on such a list. "Allligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter" is a guilty pleasure that has a horrible catchy vocal melody which mitigates the ridiculous lyrics. 

Even the slower paced tracks are up to par with some of the bands' best work. The worst comment I can muster about these tracks is that they sound a little like reworkings of their previous classics but I don't usually complain about a band going back to what it does best. I suppose the big difference between this album and Accelerate (near identical rating) is that I can see myself eagerly returning to this album some time in the future. This album also makes more upset that they've decided to hang it up just as they were getting their chops back. I wasn't a big R.E.M. fan when they were in their electrnoic era but I'm sure the 2005 version of myself would have begged the band to hang it up. Now I'm not so sure. 

Biography

R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's unclear vocals. R.E.M. released its first single, "Radio Free Europe", in 1981 on the independent record label Hib-Tone. The single was followed by the Chronic Town EP in 1982, the band's first release on I.R.S. Records. In 1983, the group released its critically acclaimed debut album, Murmur, and built its reputation over the next few years through subsequent releases, constant touring, and the support of college radio. Following years of underground success, R.E.M. achieved a mainstream hit in 1987 with the single "The One I Love". The group signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1988, and began to espouse political and environmental concerns while playing large arenas worldwide.
By the early 1990s, when alternative rock began to experience broad mainstream success, R.E.M. was viewed by subsequent acts such as Nirvana and Pavement as a pioneer of the genre and released its two most commercially successful albums, Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), which veered from the band's established sound. R.E.M.'s 1994 release, Monster, was a return to a more rock-oriented sound. The band began its first tour in six years to support the album; the tour was marred by medical emergencies suffered by three band members. In 1996, R.E.M. re-signed with Warner Bros. for a reported US$80 million, at the time the most expensive recording contract in history. The following year, Bill Berry left the band, while Buck, Mills, and Stipe continued the group as a trio. Through some changes in musical style, the band continued its career into the next decade with mixed critical and commercial success. In 2007, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. R.E.M. disbanded in September 2011, announcing the split on its website.

Opinion

This song in my opinion is a bit too simple. If you see the lirics are very simple, most of the song is the same rithm, the chords and the riff of the guitar, the same slow drums and bass, and a lot of electronic noises. I don't know, if this is the R.E.M they want to sold us, i wont even listen to it. I have seen better songs written by Ringo Starr and with better drums, I can prove it. I really dont like music of today, maybe thats the reason that i don't like this song, but I thought that a song by an old group like R.E.M won't be that simple. Actually most of the new songs that you listen today are always the same, I would compare this song to any song of coldplay, I think maybe the sound is most similar to them. Well in general, I don't like this song, a good message in the middle of the song, actually you can put a good message in any song, it's not quite hard. If at least there was a good instrumental, I would have give a point to this song, the only interesting thing is the video, and I don't listen a video... Quite a shame for this group

Tecnologies in our life

Here we have an example of how new technologies impact our daily life. I chose this video from the creators of the iRack parody. This video is a parody of new tecnologies, and how they impact or envolvement in childs of today. Here, this "twelve year old kid", Lorenz is a good example, this kid, as you see (even if it's a parody) is addicted to video games. This one, only by enter in the house of his friend max, need, as soon as he sees video console,he needs to play with it. In the moment he starts to play with the video game, you can see Lorenz's face look like brainless, he get cross-eyed and his tongue sticks his mouth(funny but sad at the same time).If he can't play, he need to lie to Max parent's to continue playing this game.

This kid, or the parody of this kid represents how dangerous and addictive are video games or new technologies to kids or the impact on children today. This parody could have been the same if you change the Xbox for a Blackberry or an Iphone or any of this new technologies. Nowadays kids are very sensitive to this kind of stuff, and they are changing every year. Companies create new games or consoles year after year only to extend this addiction, actually they earn a lot of money with it. Every year we see the new Iphone for example, last december, Apple made the Iphone 4 S, the only things that they changed was the camera, but people still buy it. Another example is, the Call of duty franchise, which created the new Call of duty modern warfare 3, the only thing that they changed, weapons, but kid's will buy it and it costs 70 euros. Those companies use their addiction for their products and to earn more and more money cause we get like Lorenz, braineless when we use them. They incite us to consume their products with "new" things every year. New technologies like this only make us silly. I'm not against progress, but this kind of progress makes me sick, we need to keep our culture and knowledge, but this kind of stuff won't help us, we need to fight against them, or avoid to buy their products.

irack

Commentary

MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series that stopped being aired in 2009 in the USA.

Much of its comedy parodies popular television shows, movies, and music, and covers topical, political, and pop cultural humor.

As usual with MADtv, this particular sketch was taped in front of a live audience.

In fact, this video entitled ‘iRack’ pits an aggressive man against a hostile audience.

Actually, the man embodies two people at the same time (the CEO and founder of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs and former US President George W. Bush) while the audience also represents two groups of people: Apple Computer shareholders and investors and American citizens as a whole.

At first, the man is proud to present Apple’s products which include well-known high-tech products like the iPod or iPad but also a few (fake) novelty products like the ‘iVacuum-cleaner’, the ‘iMicro-wave’ or the ‘iLamp’!

Therefore, right from the start, this sketch ridicules Apple’s propensity to always innovate even if the previous product still sells on the world market.

Then, the man unveils a brand new product called the ‘iRack’.

From this point onward, that man is no longer Steve Jobs but George W. Bush and the new product stands for the country called Irak (also spelt Iraq), which was invaded by the US and British armies in March 2003.

We could call this substitution of one man/thing for another one an extended metaphor that runs through the whole video.

At the beginning, the audience applauds and cheers the man because he is Steve Jobs but then they turn into US citizens and start being puzzled and keep protesting against George W. Bush’s foreign policy, more particularly his handling of the Irak war.

For instance, a woman remarks that the product/country looks unstable while another man claims that (the) ‘iRack/Irak’ looks like something America shouldn’t be involved with. Another spectator says that the ‘iRack/Irak’ looks so shaky that it needs to be fixed.

The US president replies to these three comments with a kind of self-confidence , even self-assertiveness whch borders on arrogance, for example when he says ‘Mission Accomplished’, a phrase that makes reference to a famous speech President Bush delivered in 2003.

Bush stated at the time that this was the end to major combat operations in Iraq. While this statement did coincide with an end to the conventional phase of the war, Bush's assertion became controversial after guerilla warfare in Iraq increased and the vast majority of casualties, both military and civilian, have occurred since the speech.

Then, the man starts putting more and more iproducts into the iRack, symbolizing all along the large number of US military troops sent to Irak to fight in the war against the counter insurgency (local fighters and Al Qaeda terrorists infiltrated in Irak).

A woman is clever enough to remark that the iRack doesn’t even want all those things in there, which is an indirect way of saying that American troops were not welcomed in Irak. As a matter of fact, it is a well-known fact that they were invaders.

Two people in the room suggest that he should take things out of the iRack  instead of putting in more things, which is yet another implicit criticism signifying to President Bush that he should pull back American troops.

Of course, he entirely disagrees and keeps putting more things/sending more soldiers in there.

Next, a man clearly says that the iproducts don’t seem to be getting along in the iRack, which symbolizes the fact that American soldiers and Iraki civilians did not get on well and even hated each other.

All of a sudden, the iRack starts to smoke but President Bush claims that this is the beginning of synergy, i.e. cooperative interaction among groups. In order to help the process along, he starts throwing more money into the iRack, which is a metaphorical way of showing the huge cost of this war for the USA.

At this point, one of the spectators speaks out and says that they do not support him in this but Bush answers that he doesn’t care, as if he no longer cared whether American citizens supported him or not, which is what must have happened in real life as George W. Bush could not run for a third term in office anyway.

Of course, Barack Obama was the one who won the 2088 presidential election against the Republican candidate.

Finally, everybody gets panicky and scared because the fire is engulfing the entire room, just as the Irak war could have spread to other countries in the Middle East.

In this desperate situation, Bush only says that there is no exit strategy, another reference to a famous speech after which the real George W. Bush could not walk out of the conference room because all the doors were locked!

As a conclusion, Bush/Jobs invite the audience to focus on Apple’s newest product called the iRan.

This is the final twist in this video and it is really well thought-out as Irak’s neighboring country, Iran, might well be the next target of an American military invasion due to the nuclear threat it is supposed to represent as Iran’s government is intent on building a nuclear bomb that would make their country a potential threat for Israel and the USA, among others.

I must admit that the mix of satire, humor, and political criticism found in this video is truly ‘explosive’.

Besides, it points out various locations and forms of power, whether economic (Apple corporation’s worldwide domination  over high-technology products) or political and military (the US government’s  tendency to rule the world according to American interests).

That’s why this video is a perfect illustration of one of the four notions studied this year, namely ‘Locations and Forms of Power’.