Music Video Visual Review

When this music video was released 11 years ago in 2010, my brother and I would never fail to watch it at least once a week on the family computer. We loved the song but more importantly, the Rube Goldberg machine that the video focused on. It was fascinating (and still is) how with just the singular push of a toy car the entire machine springs into action.

Throughout the entire video, the camera movement is essential to tell the story and showcase the machine and the band members. The camera is always moving; it only stops moving at the end when the machine reaches its final action. Additionally, the camera moves with the pace of the song and the action of the machine. At the beginning of the song, there is not a lot happening. The small metal balls are falling through the track and then moving through the wood. The camera pans, pivots, and rises to capture this motion, but it does not do so incredibly fast as the music is at a slow tempo. As the song progresses, the camera moves faster. Throughout the entire video, we see a combination of dolly, pivot, pedestal, and panning movements. When we reach the most amplified moment of the song when the globes are moving, the man crashes against a wall of boxes, and umbrellas fall from the ceiling, the camera is moving much faster. This speed of camera movement allows us to feel the progressive energy and momentum of the song.

The movement of the objects in the video is also important. They typically correspond to the beat of the song, such as in the very beginning when the small metal balls move as the new rhythm is played. The camera also moves most of the time to focus on not only what part of the machine is moving, but also who is singing. This inclusion allows for the band members to become a part of the machine itself.

The use of color is also vital in this video. Each band member is designated and wears a specific color. In the end, the machine ends by shooting paint of the same color at each person. This use of color allows viewers to identify each different singer throughout the complex machine.

The scene of the video is both incredibly complicated yet mundane. The actual building this video appears to be shot in is just a warehouse with white walls and floors. Yet this simple backdrop allows the machine and singers to stand out, which is what should be emphasized in this video. By having a clean background, we are not distracted and instead are able to focus on the song and machine. The machine is also a crucial part of the set; it is the focal point. The machine is the props and scene for the entire video. Without it, the video would not be interesting unless the machine was replaced by something else.

After studying this video and looking at it through a much different lens than I did when I was a kid, it was incredibly interesting to see how much artistry and thought goes into making a music video. The camera movement itself was a part that truly fascinated me as it was something I had never thought of before but now see how essential it is to create a visually captivating video. All the parts added together to produce something incredibly engrossing and unforgettable.