Released on 31st January 2009, “Please Don`t Leave Me” is taken from Pink`s third album, Funhouse. This quirky, unusual video was directed by David Meyers and the song managed to make it into the Top 20, gaining a 17 spot.
First of all the audience are introduced to a series of location shots which seem to be of wealthy connotations. Different parts of the household are introduced by dissolves to smoothly introduce the shots which I believe is not typical of generic rock-pop conventions of grungy, confined spaces. Also for fans of Pink like myself this wealthy location does not seem usual for Pink`s rebellious, care free attitude often seen within the rock-pop genre.
However, Pink`s feisty personality is soon introduced when as the main rhythm starts the camera moves to see a wide shot of Pink and who appears to be her boyfriend figure fighting over his possessions. A series of close-ups and wide shots then communicate and show to the audience the distress which Pink is feeling and showing expressively towards the idea of her boyfriend packing his stuff and leaving her. It is through these first few shots that the audience establish that the song is going to be about the departure of Pink`s boyfriend and the series of emotions she will face due to this. I believe this highlights the idea that Pink is part of the rock-pop genre due to her expression of emotions through the song she sings and the fact the song is based around a typical, common theme of the rock-pop genre – heartbreak.
Pink`s desperation for her lover continues as he walks out the room with his possessions which is clearly established through a wide shot of him turning around and giving a look to almost say “leave me alone” or “I hope she is not following me” which is then followed by a shot of Pink running out of the room after him which is amplified through a pan showing her movement at the top of the stairs towards her boyfriend figure which in turn implies to the audience that this location of the stair way seems to be very important in terms of the rest of the video and the emotion caused by the actions which take place.
The action on the stairs way continues by a series of close-ups/ reaction shots in which the audience see Pink pose an aggressive face as she pulls her boyfriend towards her and says “I can cut you into pieces” followed by facial expressions of innocence when saying “when my heart is…broken”. As the scene continues the emotion of the argument and fast pace of this argument is captured through jumps from wide shots showing the couple at the top of the stairs to closer, more intimate close-ups of their faces I believe in order to really make the audience feel like they are present at the argument taking place and therefore become more engaged and focused in the actions as it unfolds. I believe this is a typical convention of rock-pop genre, engaging the audience through focusing upon attention to detail of emotions in order to connect with the audience through their own emotions and possibly experiences they may be able to relate to.
The action and the emotion felt towards this argument ultimately comes to its climax when the audience see the boyfriend figure step back on to some beads/marbles laid on the floor which a close-up clearly shows he slips on and falls down the stairs. The almost high shot of the boyfriend catapulting down the stairs and Pink`s almost unconvincing, shocked reaction to this event emphasises the repetitive lyrics being sung, “please don`t leave me, please don’t leave me” and for me made the thought spring to mind, “did Pink set this up so he wouldn’t leave her?”. The mixture of aggressive but then innocent facial expressions earlier on suggest so, which again help to represent the rock-pop genre as emotions and in particular the emotions felt within relationships are amplified, a typical convention of the genre.
The typical two-sided representation of Pink often seen with the punk genre is continued through the use of shots which present the boyfriend figure as the vulnerable one laid on the floor, giving him a low positioning while the shot towards Pink is of a low angle making her appear higher than the casualty and the dominant character. This dominance continues as Pink rushes towards her boyfriend but with a sense of innocence and his reaction towards this is captured by close-ups of his face while Pink leans towards him which is amplified through blurred shots of which slightly come into to focus I believe to communicate to the audience the boyfriend`s point of view – a state of confusion and disorientation.
The shot becomes blurred again to then lead into the next scene in which the audience see a blurred shot of Pink wearing an unusual nurses outfit, confirming her quirky, unique rock-pop style. As the production continues the audience begin to see an almost split personality to Pink`s character – a loving girlfriend but torturing her boyfriend to stay and almost forcing him to stay within the household.
Through this representation more of the rock-pop genre is presented through a variety of emotions and actions – the audience see the continuation of Pink`s desperation for her loved one to stay, while the “victim” of this emotion (her boyfriend) is desperate to escape this psychotic relationship.
One element as mentioned earlier which I believe shows Pink`s development in her desperation is the choice of clothing used. This seems to be very typical of the rock-pop genre: top hat, extremely detailed dresses and bold make-up etc. but towards the end of the video does resort back to a more casual look but still with bold eyeliner etc. Was this the producers’ way of trying to communicate to the audience that Pink is about to face the realisation of her insanity? That is questionable. However, towards the end of the video Pink faces the consequences of her torture towards her boyfriend and as the audience saw at the beginning Pink, like her boyfriend slips on some beads/marbles and flips down the stairs landing in the hallway beneath her which is highlighted through a high shot. Therefore, I believe this narrative technique of linking the beginning to the end, very typical of the rock-pop genre is to reinforce to the audience the relation between the two characters and the emotions they both withhold towards their relationship but also to emphasise a feeling of Pink becoming a “victim” of her own desperation and insanity – do the beads/marbles used give connotations of Pink going “losing her marbles?” Maybe.
Overall, I think this video is effective in the way it represents two sides of a relationship (love and desperation) but also two sides of a person (Pink). I believe this is communicated through the various capturing of emotional reactions and the way in which the producer has decided to present Pink as singing the lyrics to the camera, “playing to the camera” as if she is singing them to her lover which can be seen as a typical generic convention of the rock-pop genre. I particularly like the choice of mise-en-scene such as the extravagant costumes and use of props such as the dolls and beads/marbles to amplify Pink`s fragile state of mind throughout the production which in turn emphasises to the audience the rock-pop genre, as I believe only this genre would be “daring” and alternative enough to represent such a theme of a psychotic, fragile state of mind which also amplifies Pink`s well known quirkiness.
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