Isohel

7 days

just me

Isohel is a music video created as a passion project. It tells the story of a boy leaving someone and then doubting whether he did the right thing.

It was imagined and created within 2 weeks with the help of 2 friends joining in to act out the story.

Overall it was a really fun project and I loved working on it.

Responsibilities

I produced this video on my own, meaning my responsibilities included everything from the script to the camerawork and the editing.

For the plot I was inspired by Reddit user u/LegitGoat and their interpretation of the song.

Breakdown

Chronologicity.
Time is distributed in such a way that the story splits into 2 parallel chronological timelines, only one takes place before the breakup, while the other takes place after the breakup.

The result is a constant back-and-forth between the boy's actions and their consequences. This creates a strong contrast and mirrors the thoughts of the boy who is stuck thinking about the past.

By withholding parts of the story, questions on the boy's motives and feelings arise. Initially it might even seem like the girl was the one to leave the boy, while later it becomes apparent it was in fact the other way round.

More and more answers fall in place as the two timelines slowly get closer and finally connect after the 5th scene. The final 2 minutes of the video then play out in in chronological order.

Symbolism.
Throughout the video an old film burn effect is used which compliments the analog nature of the polaroid camera. It also hints at the campfire found at the end of the video.

The way the boy clings to the polaroid further enforces how he lingers in the past.

Script

Reflection

If I were to redo this project I would pay more attention to the lighting. Many of the darker scenes lack clarity and contrast because they were shot in an underexposed setting.

I think the video could also benefit from more clarity in the storytelling. For example in scene 6 when the boy goes back to the wilderness, I would clarify the fact that he's on his own by showing the empty passenger seat beside him. I would also pick a more memorable landmark for the boy to take the polaroid picture and travel back to.

For the chaotic scene 4 I would go a bit bolder with creative camera angles and no longer limit the shot to just his room to make it more interesting and impactful.

Credits

Music
@iameden

Acting
@jobcanoy
@fennetroost

Story
For the story I was inspired by Reddit user u/LegitGoat and
 their interpretation of the song.