In the first quiet moments of the video, the shots are neatly framed and
cleanly cut, defining the stark setting with wide shots. The camera dollies in slowly in each setting, drawing the
audience into the world of the video. The
barren rooms are suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a girl. The bright window of the preceding shot acts
as a graphic match for the doorframe she perches in, and the contrast between
the two images, in addition to her blank stare, is startling. Once she
drops from the doorframe (on the word “down”) the familiar subject distance and
duration of the shots is disrupted.
Towards the beginning of the first verse, a variety of camera
angles and shot sizes are used, almost as though the viewer is investigating the girl. Cuts are obvious; some accent musical beats,
others occur at seemingly random moments, giving the piece an unpredictability
that matches its subject. As the music
builds to the chorus, cuts become more fluid and shots duration increases,
usually tracking the girl from a close range as she dances. She is rarely centered and it feels like the
camera is trying to keep up with her movement.
Occasionally, the shot returns to the first frame size, with the girl centered,
as though the onlooker is trying to remain objective and not get caught up in the dance. This attempt at objectivity is emphasized by the motivic use of
framing devices for many of the long shots showing her full body (doorways, windowframes, hallways etc). Inevitably the viewer becomes mesmerized by
the dance and the camera cannot stay so removed, thus, the entire final chorus
is one continuous shot. The rack focus
finish suits the instability underlying the whole piece.
