POMPEII
ASL
MUSIC
VIDEO
GUIDE
Madonna University
Sign Language Studies
Featuring:
Stephanie Mayack
Meggan Balanger
Iris Haynes
Hope Williams
POMPEII ASL MUSIC VIDEO GUIDE
For our ASL music video we were assigned the song Pompeii by Bastille.
When we were first assigned this song it was difficult for us to come up
with a concept and story line. The beat of the music is every vibrant and
happy sounding but the lyrics are very sad and dark. After many
discussions and throwing around different storyline ideas we realized this
song was about the tragedy of Pompeii. Pompeii was a heartbreaking
natural disaster that happened in 79 A.D. We chose to keep our storyline
simple and matching to events like Pompeii so it only made sense to
continue following the storyline of natural disasters. Every year so many
disasters happen and continue happening that effect many people all over
the world.
You might notice that this video is not a word for word translation because
it is not an English translation. We chose to stick with our storyline and
concept so this is an American Sign Language translation and has ASL
features. Parts of ASL Poetry are also incorporated like the repetitive of
signs. The song lyrics are very repetitive so it was difficult at times on
deciding when to keep the sign choices the same and when to change them
a little bit. The use of these techniques and features help make this video
unique, artistic, and not like the other videos of this song.
We recorded in a few locations to help relate the storyline. The beginning
of our video was taken place in a classroom to show us learning about
Pompeii and current natural disasters. The second location was taken
place at a destroyed building in Detroit. The look of broken windows and
fallen walls set up the scene of the aftermath of a disaster. The third
location was at the university’s recording studio. This location was very
simple and intimate which helps make a connection between the signers
and betraying the story. The three locations in the end really connected to
each other through our sign choices.
POMPEII ASL MUSIC VIDEO GUIDE
POMPEII ASL MUSIC VIDEO GUIDE
TIME
ENGLISH LYRICS
ASL GLOSS
EXPLANATIONS/ ASL
FEATURES
:00-:17
Eh-eh-o-eh-o x6
Tapping foot, hand
on water bottle, and
pen
Show the beat of the music.
One foot tapping is the main
beat of the music and the
other foot is tapping to Eh-eho. The fingers and pen
tapping is to the Eh-eh-o beat.
:17-:24
I was left to my own
devices
I DECIDE, SELF,
EMOTION UPSET
We wanted to set up from the
beginning of upsetting
emotions.
:24-:31
Many days fell away
with nothing to show
EVERYDAY, END,
WORTHLESS
Squinted eyes and lips to
show the multiple days
passing by.
:31-:39
And the walls kept
tumbling down
In the city that we love
DISASTER +, BLOCK
TOWARDS BODY +,
PRESSURE, INCREASE
To set up our storyline of
disasters we wanted to set up
the signing being done twice.
Also it was repeated to
represent past and current
disasters.
:39-:46
Great clouds roll over the
hills
Bringing darkness from
above
PRESSURE MOVE TO
SHOULDER, ALL
AROUND,
INFLUENCE,
DEPRESSED
The pressure shows the stress
of the disasters that people
are put through and how it
personally can affect a
person’s emotions.
:46-:50
But if you close your eyes
EYES, CLOSE, THEN
OPEN
We closed our eyes in the
classroom and reopen in a
damaged building in Detroit
to show us learning about
these disasters happening and
showing the destroyed areas.
:50-:55
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
FEEL, UP UNTIL NOW,
SAME
The sign “up until now” is
hesitate and like a struggle to
show the struggle that the
disasters put people through.
POMPEII ASL MUSIC VIDEO GUIDE
:55-:58
And if you close your
eyes
LOOK BACK
We didn’t want to use all the
same signs for the repetition
so we chose the sign “look
back”, to represent looking
back at past disasters.
:58-1:04
Does it almost feel like
You've been here before
FEEL (GUT),
EXPERIENCE+,
FINISH+
We repeated the signs for
emphasis. It is also an ASL
poetry technique.
1:04-1:12
How am I gonna be an
optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an
optimist about this?
THINK, POSITIVE,
FOR NOW ON
FORWARD, HOW?
NMS is to emphasis asking a
question. Hands are held out
at the end because the
questions were open ended.
1:12-1:18
We were caught up and
lost in all of our vices
AWFUL +, HAPPEN +
The signs are repeated to
represent the current and past
disasters. Also, shown for
emphasis.
1:18-1:26
In your pose as the dust
settled around us
ME, OBSESSED +,
EMURSED
The pictures that are being
added to the background are
pictures of past and current
natural disasters.
1:26-1:34
And the walls kept
tumbling down
In the city that we love
OVERWHELM,
PATIENCE ++
The pictures started to fall
because we wanted to
represent the lyrics “walls kept
tumbling down” but not divert
from our storyline.
1:34-1:40
Great clouds roll over the
hills
Bringing darkness from
above
RECEIVE +,
NEGATIVE +,
To continue emphasis the
effects of the disasters we
continued to repeat the signs.
Because natural disasters are
so devastating we chose the
signs touching our heart and
scarred forehead because
people don’t forget the
effects of the disasters.
(DRUMMING)
pictures
1:40-1:42
THINK, POSITIVE,
FOR NOW ON
FORWARD, HOW?
TOUCH HEART,
SCARRED,
FOREHEAD SCARRED
The pictures are in black and
white to show past natural
disasters. Since there are no
lyrics the pictures follow the
POMPEII ASL MUSIC VIDEO GUIDE
beat of the drums.
1:42-1:45
But if you close your eyes
EYES, CLOSE
Since there were pictures of
the disasters, we felt that
having a background that was
destroyed matched well.
1:45-1:51
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
FEEL, UPTIL NOW,
SAME
Her hands were held out to
show the scenery.
1:51-1:53
And if you close your
eyes
LOOK BACK
Looking back over the skyline
is a creative and unique shot.
1:53-1:58
Does it almost feel like
You've been here before
FEEL (GUT),
EXPERIENCE +,
FINISH +
We repeated the signs for
emphasis. It is also an ASL
poetry technique.
1:58-2:06
How am I gonna be an
optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an
optimist about this?
SCARS REMOVE
FROM FOREHEAD,
IMPOSSIBLE.
The sign we used as scarring
our heart and forehead was
to show emphasis of not
forgetting the disasters. For
this part of the chorus we
chose to pick those signs to
match and because it is hard
to forget the events of
disasters.
2:06-2:13
Eh-eh-o eh-o x4
pictures
We took clips of our tapping
foot, hand, and pen to show
the beat of the music. We
also added a few pictures
from the location we filmed at.
2:13-2:17
Oh where do we begin?
I START, MOVE ON
The beat of the music slowed
down and felt that having a
simple background was a
good match.
2:17-2:20
The rubble or our sins?
PICK UP OPTIONS,
RIGHT SIDE
The pictures that represent the
rubble and sin is a picture of
a past disaster and a more
recent picture.
2:20-2:24
Oh oh where do we
begin?
PICK UP OPTION,
LEFT SIDE, WEIGH
OPTIONS
This was done to show why
does this keep happening?
2:24-2:27
The rubble or our sins?
I DO DO?
This is to show what should we
SCARS REMOVE
FROM FOREHEAD,
IMPOSSIBLE.
POMPEII ASL MUSIC VIDEO GUIDE
do with all these disasters that
keep happening?
2:27-2:35
And the walls kept
tumbling down,
DAMAGE, DAMAGE,
LIFE, CHERISH,
Damage was the only
repeated sign because it was
to show past and present
disasters.
In the city that we love
2:35-2:42
Great clouds roll over the
hills,
Bringing darkness from
above
ALL AROUND,
INFLUENCE,
DEPRESSED
NMS and head tilt was to
show the emotion of
depressed and sad.
2:42-2:44
(DRUMMING)
pictures
The pictures show the beat of
the drums that is the same
beat as time 1:40-1:42.
These pictures were in color to
show more recent disasters.
2:44-2:47
But if you close your eyes
EYES, CLOSE
We are back in the classroom
to show what we learned and
experienced of natural
disasters.
2:47-2:52
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
FEEL, UPTIL NOW,
SAME
This was a unison part
because we all were learning
about the disasters.
2:52-2:54
And if you close your
eyes,
LOOK BACK,
Being on top of the building is
a creative technique of
overlooking the city.
2:54-3:00
Does it almost feel like
FEEL (GUT),
You've been here before? EXPERIENCE +,
FINISH +
She was showing a suffering
emotion because disasters
continue to happen.
3:00-3:07
How am I gonna be an
optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an
optimist about this?
THINK, POSITIVE,
FOR NOW ON
FORWARD, HOW?
We chose to pick the same
signs as we signed it during
the first chorus.
THINK, POSITIVE,
FOR NOW ON
FORWARD, HOW?
She was looking around
because it was like asking
“with all this happening how
can you be positive”.
If you close your eyes
EYES, CLOSE
The flow between scenes
matched well.
3:07-3:10
POMPEII ASL MUSIC VIDEO GUIDE
3:10-3:16
Does it almost feel like
nothing changed at all?
FEEL, UPTIL NOW,
SAME
Since we started the video all
together in the classroom and
signing the first chorus
together, it felt appropriate to
finish signing the last verses
together.
We chose to look to the side
as if looking forward to
something positive happening.
3:16-3:32
Eh-eh-o eh-o x8
(pictures/videos
fading in and out)
The lyrics were finished but
the beat of the music was
continuing so the clips of us
looking off camera were
added. It was as if looking
forward to a change to
happen.
GUIDE KEY:
+ = To represent the sign being repeated.
NMS= Non-Manual features. It represents our facial expressions with our sign choices
Special Thanks To:
Angela Keller- Broadcast and Cinema Arts Student
Dan McDougall- SLS Department Chair
Sue Boyd- Broadcast and Cinema Arts Chair
Daniel Durant- ASL Coach