Nightwish – The Islander

Music Video Commentary

Shot: EstablishingAngle: FlatASD: 14Description: Steam Punk style airships flying through the airMeaning: Takes the idea of the ships and changes them from standard boats to something different

Shot: Establishing shot (moving)Angle: Low angle to flatASD: 4Description: The camera passes over the stones

Shot: High angle to flat (moving)Angle: camera moves forward towardsASD: 9Description: towards the band as we first see the intense flames. This provides a very big contrast between the bluish hue of the stones and the flames

Shot: Close up panningAngle: FlatASD: 2Description: Pans round the flame. Behind the flames we can see the band members.

Shot: Birds eye viewAngle: Birds eyeASD: 3Description: The band sit in a ring of fire. The ring of fire can be interpreted as warm protection in contrast to the rest of the video which connotes the cold.

Shot: WideAngle: FlatASD: 5Description: the islander is standing there, the camera moves in on him as his ship raises up in the air.

Shot: Mid shotAngle: flatASD: 5Description: the islander begins to moor his airship to stop it from travelling awayMeaning: This is something that people do with boats when stopping them from floating away, this maintains the similarity between the boats and the airships in the music video

Shot: mid shotAngle: flatASD: 4Description: This is the first shot where we see the band properly playing their music, showing Marco holding a particularly classical Celtic looking guitar fitting with the Celtic/folk sound of the song.