One thing I like so much about this video is that it has a non-linear narrative. It begins with Jason and his girlfriend moving boxes into their new home, when the girl goes out to get the final box, a texting driver doesn't notice and is about to hit her. We see Jason running towards her in slow-motion, just before she is about to get hit, time stops. During this, we see a clock ticking slowly in seconds, and just after time stops, it begins ticking in an anti-clockwise motion, as time rewinds and the song begins.
This is very effective and works so well, the ticking noise emphasises the importance of one's timing - if the girl was 2 seconds earlier in getting to the boxes, she wouldn't have been hit. Already, the meaning of the song is significant to the music video "what if", what if Jason went to get the box instead?
When the clock starts ticking backwards, there is a close up shot of it, following everything rewinding. We see Jason back in his house, and the clock rewinding faster and faster, we see memories the couple have made together for example celebrating birthdays, with a champagne bottle opening in reverse, right up to the point they both meet when they're sat on the bench. We are then taken to the time the couple met, and time starts moving forward again. Jason is aware of what will happen to the girl in a few years if he says hello and makes the first move and so, decides to walk away. If he was to say hi to her, some time in the future she would be in danger, the only way to keep her safe and alive is to have never met her in the first place, and so he carries on, and we see the girl getting wiped from his memory.
I thoroughly enjoy watching this music video due to its complexity and meaning, it is romantic yet sad, but it shows Jasons priorities in the girls safety which is endearing, fitting perfectly in a romantic music video.
The only dialogue is at the beginning, before the 'almost-tragedy', it's the last time they'll speak. There are only a few points where Jason is lipsyncing, and this takes place as he stands in a crowd of people moving in reverse. There are 3 key characters; Jason and his girlfriend, this is perfect as it narrows the focus of the video - no one else is important except for the third character, the texting driver, as if the girl wasn't going to be hit by this driver, there would be no video or narrative.
The most important location, tying the narrative and meaning together, is the park where the two first meet, however there are many other locations; the new bedroom, the street where the girl is about to get hit, and everywhere else the couple make memories, for example a kitchen eating desert and the bathroom, washing their dog. There are no credits.
Overall, I really love this music video, from the way its been made and the idea behind it to the story. The only thing I would change is to include more arty shots with more close ups and reaction shots, however I will take inspiration from this for my own music video in terms of meaning, and maybe even including some parts in reverse, as I really like the concept.
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