Music, Lyrics and imagery work in synergy:
Regina Spektor's acting matches the emotion in the song, with the monochromatic colour scheme also matching the fact she used to contain her feelings, with the burst of colour helping to symbolise her new freedom. Also some of the shots reflect the lyrics, such as the shot of her with 'one foot on the ground'.
Regina Spektor is in every shot, and is the only actress in the video, with the emotions she is displaying through her acting engaging the audience.
Artist lip-synchs believably throughout:
Yes, although not during the coloured powder scenes.
Sometimes she sings while directly addressing the camera, with her voice continuing over the narrative clips of her struggling to connect with her boyfriend, such as when she looks sadly downwards while stirring her tea.
Singing/Dancing/Playing Instruments:
Regina sings and plays the piano, indicating that she writes her own songs.
Conform to expectations of genre/artist:
This was Regina Spektor's first big hit, establishing her as quirky and interesting, with the coloured powder establishing her as fun loving and different, with the video not quite fitting the conventions of typical pop videos, as she plays a piano and oozes a vibe of sophistication.
Artist Performance is engaging/impactful/visually striking:
Her acting is good, and by directly addressing the camera she draws the audience into the story, with her brown hair also providing the only relief from the monochromatic background, and towards the end of the video her hair and make up grow more striking.
Highly Stylised costume/hair/make up/background/effects:Her monochromatic costume mathces the mise en scene of the scene, with both featuring stripes and strong patterns, and her plain make up and hair becomes quirkier in the powder bit, matching the quirkiness and fun of the multicoloured powder which also contrasts with the monochromatic nature of the mise en scene. Also the heart necklace is symbolic of her letting her lover in.
Strong Sense of Development is expected:
The video begins with her alone in a monochromatic environment, with a hollow figure appearing who only becomes a real man once the necklace breaks, the coloured powder is released, and Regina Spektor is free to let her emotions show.
Strong sense of artist identity and aspirational to artist's fans:
It creates a sense of quirkiness, fun and prettiness around her and establishes her as creative and someone to keep an eye on. Also the fact that she has a boyfriend who she is able to open up to is aspirational, with the emotional journey of the video being reflected in some fans own relationships.
Beauty/Money Shots:
There are lots of CUs of her face, with high key lighting enhancing her features, and her hair and make up both making her look nice and creating a quirky feel.
Extreme juxtapositions and binary oppositions:
There are cuts from LSs to Cus, but the juxtaposition of the highly stylised monochromatic backdrop, costumes and props and the multicoloured bright powder is the biggest contrast, with the hollow boyfriend also contrasting with the actor who eventually appears whilst Regina Spektor's hair and make up becomes more crazy, contrasting with its early sophistication. The early half of the video contrasts with the later half, with static framing giving way to shakycam tracks and pans.
Discontinious editing:
There is a mix of different scenes but it is edited in chronological order.
Polysemic:
The black and white mise en scene could connote her boredom, and her inability to feel emotions and let her lover in, also could signify a sense of entrapment, and a need to break free from her restrictive life. The fact that her boyfriend is represented by a hollow man initially could connote her inability to connect with him, or that he is absent from her little shut off world. The video either presents love as a freeing force, or as a scary thing, that requires you to open up.
When the heart bursts the audience rejoices with the artist, with the powder also appealing to them, as well as the sweetness of the love story.
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