Kodaline - High Hopes

I really liked Kodaline's video for 'High Hopes' as it has a very clear, and emotional, narrative. The story starts with a runaway bride interrupting a man's suicide attempt. Throughout the video their relationship is seen growing. Towards the end, the woman's previous fiancé is shown shooting the couple. The audience is then lead to believe that the woman has died, this is due to a close-up shot of her bloodied body and a shot of an empty hospital bed. However, at the very end it is revealed that she is alive.

I like this idea of a plot twist as it makes the audience more excited, particularly as this video is very emotional so the viewer forms a deeper connection with the characters, this makes the events of the video more impactful.

I like the simplicity of the music video and think that it is an excellent example of a well-executed narrative video. The video has the very clear overall message of love and hope, shown by the couple's strong relationship, and enforced by the lyric 'high hopes'. The idea of 'beating death', such as the man's failed suicide attempt and the couple's recovery from the shooting, also adds to the 'hopeful' atmosphere.

This video has been very inspirational and will help my group when we come to storyboard our music video in order to create a clear narrative.