Character Ideas & Inspirations

In the planning for our music video we needed to put alot of thought into creating fitting 3- dimensional characters that carry the narrative and ideas about location, costume and props that are responsible for the semiotics that contribute to the mise-en-scene. For each of the characters we had a number of initial ideas, drawing insiration from existing material as we brainstormed the character traits individually and looked at them in relation to each other.

"The Child": On the surface she is a picture of youth and innocence but beneath that dollface-facade lies a confused young girl full of questions, which is what leads her to take her mother's pills...the ones that looked just like candy. She is a dreamer strangled by overbearing parents. It reminded me of Kirsten Dunst's character in The Virgin Suicides. A free-spirit in a cage of expectations. The challenge is finding the middle point between avoiding making a 2-dimensional cardboard cut out or a far-too complex Freud example. There's an element of "Blair Waldorf" to her... i.e. a pretty girl dressed in pretty clothes to cover up her insecurities.

"The Girl": The teenage incanation of the Child. The girl is a teenage runaway. Sad, lonely, scared and incapable of trusting anyone. We didn't want to make her the typical emotional rebelious teen. When me & Suela were discussing the character, I thought of characters such as Pippa Lee from various movies. She'll be the one who doesn't quite know where she's going among all the people heading in different directions, getting on with their lives. It's fitting to the lyric, "Slow down, you crazy child". If the girl's worried or concerned then she'll find her sanctuary by the end of the video.

"Billy": He's the narrator, the performer and the protective sheild of the Girl. People such as James Dean and Bob Dylan inspired this character. Soulful and serious and concerned for her safety. The lyrics in the song call for a male vocal and it ties in with the possibility of a love story that could emerge. Towards the end the Girl will notice him and they will meet on the beach. He will represent her "Vienna"...i.e. her sanctuary. Even though it's her story, he will be the one telling it so in a way he is our protagonist.