Welcome to a brand new feature for The Phoenix Remix – as you may know, I am a Video Editor – and one of the things (probably the main thing) that actually inspired me to work in television post production was actually music videos.

Music videos are one of my favourite things in the world and I spent hours and I MEAN literally hours when I was growing up watching them. I never had freeview or satellite and whenever i went somewhere that did my eyes were glued to the music channel. I had a VHS from Smash Hits that I watched on repeat none stop of music videos, I even had DVDs by certain bands where I would watch their videos on repeat – so as you can see they are an addiction. Even now in the modern world, I can find myself getting lost on YouTube watching music videos for hours.

So, this website is all about writing about my passions and this year I wanted to welcome you to my world and why I love certain music videos so much. Every month we will look at particular bands videos that I love and reasons why. To start this feature off, there was only one band that I wanted to choose because apart from being the inspiration of learning the guitar, I think they had a huge impact on my video editing career as well as they way I edit.

Blink-182 – Dammit

Why did you choose this particular video?

I came across this video for the first time on the DVD The Uretha Chronicles and from the first watch, I was so addicted to this video and I think this is one of the staple videos that have lead to me wanting to add comedy into as many edits as I can.

This music video to me summed up so much of the American style of comedy film that was available in the Nineties and I think that is why I fell in love with it. To me growing up America was always sort of was sold in films and television as this amazing place to live and videos like this always made it look bigger, better and just a fun place to live and the media industry look magical.

The characters are super defined and even though it is a music video the silent comedy work by Mark, Tom and Scott (even the enthusiastic bar man) was phenomenal that it really had an impact on me I think both editing wise and with my comedy now.

So, what is the narrative?

Mark and his friends go to the cinema only to have his ex-girlfriend show up with her new boyfriend and sit right in front of them, the two guys have a fight and she goes off with the guy who works in the shop. Super simple narrative, super effective in a silent context.

Favourite parts of the video?

For me, Mark Hoppus steals the limelight in this video because of his comedy acting skills. Whilst it is so crazy, it is so effective, the dramatic throwing of the popcorn is one of my favourite parts of any Blink-182 music video as it is so funny. I can watch this video over and over again and find new reasons to laugh at this particular section.

I think another thing that really heightens Marks comedy factor is just how well Tom Delonge (with an eyebrow piercing ) can play the straight man in a comedy scene. The way that he hardly reacts to anything that Mark does is so hilarious and is the makings of a great comedy scene. The skit part of this music video could easily of been a sketch on SNL or even in improv.

Reading into the music video and apparently there were sections that were improvised and you can totally see this in the video throughout and that is probably why it is so naturally funny.