the scientist

The Scientist:
The music video for "The Scientist’ by Coldplay is an experiment in reverse narrative. For the video Chris Martin had to learn to sing the song backwards.
The video was filmed at various locations, including London and the Bourne Woods, Surrey. It was directed by Jamie Thraves and depicts Martin walking in reverse through a city, out into the suburbs and eventually the woods, picking up various pieces of a suit as he goes. Upon arriving at his car, he 'gets in' and passes out as his girlfriend, laying on the ground in front of the car, is shown reversely flying out of the car. The car backs out of the woods and through a broken barrier, which mends itself upon the car's passing. As the video closes, they are shown driving back up the road.

Essentially this is a performance based narrative video. Chris Martin plays a man, powerless in the face of love and needing to apologise. This apology is revealed in the first lines of the song:
Come up to meet you, Tell you I'm sorry, You don't know how lovely you are.

The genre is alternative rock, the broad characteristics of which are a focus on the band members or lead singer, often in a ‘mood’ piece, often featuring wide-open country, roads, and trucks.
Without the visuals the song might have a different meaning, depending on who is listening. What the visual does is draw you into the narrative. At the point you begin to question why everything on the film is in reverse the narrative begins to unfold. The first part of the film features an urban landscape with graffiti, BMX biker, street basketball and a discarded mattress on which Martin is lying. There are several close ups of the ‘star’ but this is not overtly about Martin’s iconography. As the lyrics repeat the narrator’s need to go ‘back to the start, the camera travels with him on his journey and the narrative is revealed.

Throughout the video the sequences seem bled of colour, leaving only neutral tones, reflecting the depressed character and situation. Chris Martin is central in the majority of frames.

Neither the music nor the video change pace particularly after the opening sequences where the rest of the band join the piano as the reverse narrative really begins. The video is not dissimilar to previous Coldplay videos which largely feature Martin singing to the camera in a range of melancholy backdrops.

This is a good example of experimental video in that the visual experience promotes critical thinking, encourages thoughtful prediction and stimulates curiosity.
It draws you in – you want to watch the video and listen to the song, thus doing the job of promoting the artist.
Experimental videos that encourage more interaction from the audience are becoming more common as record companies seek new ways to interest a wider audience in their artists.