You me at six – bite my tongue

YOU ME AT SIX – BITE MY TONGUE

Documentary analysis

ANALYSIS…

The documentary “Bite my Tongue” focuses on the

British rock band ‘You me at Six’ and the recording

of their 3rd album ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ and

documents there struggles as a band up to that

point.

ANALYSIS

The documentary has no narration and the entire thing is documented

via interviews with all the band members and people related to the band.

The documentary starts with all the bands members recalling how they

met each other and what there relationships were like.

It then documents there struggles with getting noticed, touring and

personal issues with each other.

It then ends the documentary with the band excited about what is to

come for them and then a montage of them recording their song ‘Bite my

Tongue’

THEMES

The major themes of the documentary are the

music industry and how it can effect personal lives

within a band and how draining it is. Also

demonstrates the importance of friendship.

CAMERA WORK

The interviews are done in various different techniques, opting

not to stick to one particular frame in order to keep it interesting.

This is well done here in particular as there is no narration and

the interviews themselves tell the story.

The interviews are done mainly in mid shots showing the bands

sat down from the waist up, however, during particuly emotional

times a close up shot is used to show the emotion on the bands

faces and allow the audience to connect with them on a personal

level.

MISE EN SCENE

The band members are interviewed in the setting

of the recording studio, with various instruments and

equipment behind them depending on their role in

the band, for example, the guitarist Chris is

positioned in front of a rack of guitars, this allows

the audience to gain a better understanding of the

person role in the band and maintains the theme of

the music industry.

SOUND

Sound is very important throughout the course of this documentary,

with both diegetic and no diegetic sound being employed,

The diegetic sound is the interviews with the band, which narrate

the story of their journey so far and how they record their new album.

The non diegetic sound used is that of the bands own music, which

is interestingly used. Depending on the context of the interview, the

pace of the music changes, for example in a happy bit, a happy up

beat song will be played to accompany it, but in a more serious part, a

song with a more serious underlying tone will be used.

EDITING

The documentary uses quick cut editing

throughout, with normal cuts being used the most

frequently

One of the most note able techniques used in

editing here is that the entire documentary is

produced in black and white, with no colour at all.

This could be done to anchor meaning to the

struggles they were having as a band and as friends,

or to just keep it visually pleasing.

ARCHIVE MATERIAL

A lot of archive material is used, showcasing the

band in the recording studio, recording their 3rd

album, tis keeps with the theme of the music

industry and music as a whole.

Also footage of the band performing is also used as

evidence to back up what they are saying. This is

presented in small screens in the shot, which is

unusual but effective.