Spike Jonze Music Video

This is the video for California by WAX. I chose it because it interested me as a video. It is very unlike most of his videos, but has an edge to it that I quite enjoyed.

The video basically consists of a man running down the street on fire. Yes, that's it. The video starts by just showing his lower legs and he runs. It is all in very slow motion. The flame is clear and makes for powerful imagery. The strangeness and willingness to find out more about this curious burning man keeps the viewer watching.

The camera shot in itself is brilliant. It tracks perfectly to the running feet as they run on what looks like pavement.

After a while the camera pans back to slowly reveal the rest of the man, who is actually completely on fire. This is quite shocking to see but is an amazingly vivid scene. He begins to run past people who all seem to be completely undisturbed by his presence.

The camera tracks the man to the end of the block where he turns right and runs away behind a bus, still in slow motion, by this time the song is almost over and the audience is left with a feeling of wishing they knew what the video was about.

The camera then pans back to reveal a girl sitting in a car. It is possible that everything seen was supposed to be from her perspective which leaves the viewer wondering what the video was about.

The main point of this is to state to myself that vivid imagery is good. Create an image that sticks in the viewers mind.