All I Want - Video Analysis

Kodaline - All I Want

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtf7hC17IBM

The opening shot establishes the location of the first sequence. The interior of the office setting creates the idea of normality, and everyday circumstance. It creates a more obvious difference between the protagonist  and the the other characters situated in the video. It portrays the ordinariness of the protagonist despite his aesthetic abnormality, and how he strives to be accepted as a regular human being.

from the next shot we can understand how the look of the protagonist creates a reaction from the public, we as an audience gain insight into the daily issues he faces, this will conjure up sympathy towards the character. Creating a like-ability will ensure that the audience will route for him throughout the narrative. He is portrayed as the typical underdog character.

From this shot of the protagonist gazing at the female  character we can enquire as to whether there will be a developing relationship between the two throughout the video. The context of the song is love and how it is a primal desire, if we connect the visual narrative to the lyrics of the song it reinforces the concept that there will be a romantic connection.

In this particular shot we are introduced to the compressed 'villain' character, he mocks the protagonist by implying he is a 'zombie'. The stock character of the villain, may be representative of how certain people in society reject abnormality. The idea that this person is in fact the villain is shown through mis-en-scene. There is the binary opposition of colours featured in the protagonists (white) and the villain (black) these colours are usually symbolic of pure vs corruption.

The next series of shots show different characters in the workspace glaring at the protagonist. It projects the feeling of constantly being an object of curiosity due to aesthetic difference. The camera is acting as a subjective source, placing the audience into the position of the protagonist.

This shot shows the character looking at his reflection, evaluating himself. It illustrates the characters disdain for his own image and how through other peoples taunts, he is subjected to his own judgemental mentality. On a wider context, the shot implies that society can mould a persons self respect.

The composition of this shot, cleverly places the female character adjacent to the protagonist. This creates an contrast between what is accepted as 'conventional' beauty and the untraditional looks of the central character. It is reminiscent of the concept of beauty and the beast, a forbidden love that blossoms in extraordinary circumstances.

 When the character returns, he is welcomed by his loving dog. The use of animals and nature is to show that they are incapable of judgement unlike humans, the character has been accepted by his dog; which is what he craves.
Both the characters in frame are shadowed over, creating a silhouette effect. This emphasises that through the eyes of an animal, they are no different from eachother. Animals being portrayed as the neutral and innocent characters is featured once more, when the character is running through the quiet setting of the forest, he is at home with the uninterrupted ideals of nature. The motif of running appears to be representative of when the character feels most free, it is repeated later in the narrative.

This shot shows the character small, it makes him seem insignificant in comparison to the vast world around him. This could illustrate his solitary battle with society, and his isolation.

When the character returns to work the next day, his mug has been defiled and labelled 'world's greatest freak'. This action condenses the hostility that is projected towards him by his colleagues. They define his entire identity based upon his appearance, this highlights the superficiality that is present in modern culture.

When the day is over, we see the female character being degraded by the 'villain' character and his friends. The female character falls into the convention of the 'damsel in distress' she is shown stereotypically dependant on someone to rescue her, suggesting that she is physically weak in comparison to her male rescuer.

When the protagonist engages in his battle against the villain character and his thugs, it is his personal triumph. He overcomes adversity, and the objectives that cause him trouble. By defending her, he also gains the trust of the female character. It features conventions that are typically seen in classic fairy-tales, reinforcing the personification of these two characters and 'beauty and the beast'.

After successfully gaining the female characters number, the protagonist runs down the street in rejoice, he has fulfilled the aim of the song (to feel wanted and loved) the motif of running is supported here and is symbolic of him feeling free.