Artist: The Prodigy
Year: 1996
Audience: 15-24
Audience: 15-24
"Firestarter" is a song by the English band The Prodigy, released on 18 March 1996. It was the first single from their third album The Fat of the Land, and their tenth single. It was also the group's first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, staying on top for three weeks. It was The Prodigy's first big national and international hit, also reaching number one in Finland and Norway. It featured Flint's punky vocals which showcased him as the group's frontman. The title and lyrics were subject of controversy in the UK because of their violent nature. The music video further boosted these controversies. The songwriting credits—among Liam Howlett and Keith Flint—include Kim Deal of alt-rock group The Breeders. The looped wah-wah guitar riff in "Firestarter" was sampled from The Breeders' track "S.O.S." from the album Last Splash. Because of the use of a sample from a 1984 single "Close (to the Edit)" songwriting credits also list Art of Noise's then-members: Anne Dudley, Trevor Horn, J.J. Jeczalik, Gary Langan and Paul Morley. The "Empirion Mix," which does not include these samples, is credited solely to Howlett and Flint. Howlett has also revealed that a version with additional "oomph" will feature in their set at the Warriors' Dance festival organised by The Prodigy. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Prodigy's Firestarter is a mixture of both a performance based and a concept based music video. The performance element features Keith Flint lip-syncing the lyrics to the song. The majority of the music video is a performance based idea but the concept based ideas consist of people running through an abandoned London Underground tunnel at Aldwych.The music video was directed by Walter Stern and Keith Flint's appearance and the video's stark black and white also instigated controversies about being too scary for children watching it. Some television channels even refused to show the video until after the watershed. What tells us that it is not a narrative music video and it is a concept idea is that there is no storyline. The music video and the lyrics do not fit in with what the actors are doing. It is a completely random idea that they have though of and the lyrics and the dancing do not link with each other.
This is the opening shot of the music video and it shows us the setting the video is set. It is set in Aldwych which is a closed London Underground station in the City of Westminster, originally opened as Strand in 1907. Disused parts of the station and the running tunnels were used during both World Wars to shelter artworks from London's public galleries and museums from the threat of bombing. The station has long been popular as a filming location and has appeared as itself and as other London Underground stations in a variety of films. In recognition of its historical significance, the station is a Grade II listed building.
Throughout the whole video there are hundreds of shots of Keith Flint, lip-syncing the lyrics to the song. However these shots are very different to all the other performance elements i have seen i all the other music videos i have deconstructed. Usually there are shots of the band playing their instruments but mainly of the frontman lip-syncing. Usually there shots of the drummer and bassist for example. These are all examples of what you would expect to see in the performance elements of the music video. However for this music video there are just shots of Keith Flint, lip-syncing the lyrics to the song in quite a scary fashion. There is alot of shot variety for these sections. The music video was directed by Walter Stern and Keith Flint's appearance and the video's stark black and white effect also instigated controversies about being too scary for children watching it. Some television channels even refused to show the video until after the watershed. Fast paced editing is a common code and convention in music videos and this is the case in The Prodigy's song Firestarter. This is because the performance music video takes alot of shots to keep it interesting. You can't just have an interesting setting and effects. To keep with the fast electronic dance feel to the actual song and the vast amount of shots, fast paced editing is a must to compliment both of these things. 
It's not all about Keith Flint lip-syncing the lyrics to the song. I belive the other band members make an appearence in this music video. I cannot be 100% certain about this but i assume that is the other two band memberw sho are in this music video. The darknes and black and white effect makes it hard to make out clearly peoples faces. Keith Palmer and Liam Howlett can also be seen throughout the music video. Keith Andrew Palmer was born on 21 March 1967 in Peterborough, England. However he is better known by his stage name which Maxim Reality or simply Maxim. He is an English singer-songwriter and MC, famous for his work with electronica band The Prodigy. Gareth Paris Howlett was born on 21 August 1971 and is also a member of the English band The Prodigy. He is better known as simply Liam Howlett and is an occasional DJ, and a music producer.
There are several cut shots away from the performance sections of the music video. They are not just of band members as well, as i have already talked about. These cut shots are of some random people who are with Keith Flint in the abandoned London Underground tunnel at Aldwych. The are running towards the camera and then we see them with saws cutting up the old track that used to be used in this abandoned London Underground tunnel. Just all the other sequence of shots it is in black and white and it is a tense sort of atmosphere. Keith Flint is quite sacry in this music video and these shots add to the threatening atmosphere created in the music video. I have previously talked about this but the video's stark black and white effect instigated controversies about being too scary for children watching it. Some television channels even refused to show the video until after the watershed.
Here is the music video Firestarter by The Prodigy
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