The opening shot of this music video begins with a blank white screen. The camera slowly begins to pan out to reveal that the initial white shot was the space between the ladder which is the focal prop and the main visual aspect of this video. The interesting part is the way the camera is cutting off this immense ladder and the awkwardness of some shots. The way the camera cuts it off puts the viewer in a place where they lose direction or there “placement” in this overwhelming space.
Billie is seen climbing into the frame as the camera pans out, and this allows the audience to have a reference in terms of the size of this ladder. Billie’s monochrome electric blue outfit contrasts very strongly against the plain white background ang steel outlined ladder. Once Billie has climbed her way into the frame, the camera begins to zoom back in. There is a play with symmetry as the placement of two large speakers opposing each other, one on each side of the ladder is highlighted by the framing of the clip.
In a kind of balancing act Billie places herself to one side as she makes her way around the prop, sitting on the ledge, leaning onto the steps, standing while dangling half her body off of the ledge. The camera work involved much shorter clips and much more complex camera placements, as close-ups, under shots, and focus shifting shots were all used as the pace and beat of the music sped up. Unconventionally, the frames were crooked, and it was very interesting to see how the camera work was able powerful symmetry of the ladder and focus on Billie.
The set and backdrop are so powerful, clean, and minimalistic. For some reason, I felt uneasy watching this music video as there were scenes wher Billie is seen hanging on the edge, kneeeling of the ladder, and really creating shapes with her body that would be risky on any ladder, or in this case, what appears to be an insanely large ladder thousands of feet off the ground. She never really fully falls off the ladder which conveys a very suspenseful tone as the viewer waits to see what will happen.
The ending shot, after the sort of compilation of zoomed in shots, is a pan out shot that is tilted and where most of the ladder is shown. The sizing and scale of the ladder juxtaposed with Billies contrasting smaller size is highlighted.
Ghida Dalloul 