Gah. I have ideas churning in my head now for a music video, but I don't have the software or technical experience to do it right!
The song is Goo Goo Dolls' new single,
Better Days. Here's what I'm envisioning, more or less ... some images are in my mind more clearly than others. Assume all dialogue has been taken out of the images in question, unless otherwise noted.
BETTER DAYS
(slow opening chords on piano, 4 measures)
<First measure, fade in with a panning shot of a Christmas tree or something similarly holiday-oriented. Second, third, and fourth measures, fade in turn to
Tedd,
Nanase and
Ellen each lying awake, looking sad, lost, or disconnected.>
And you ask me what I want this year
<Dan next to his
Christmas tree, 2nd panel>
And I'll try to make this kind and clear
<
Nioi holding Dan, 2nd panel>
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
<Tedd & Grace holding each other, Hurricane Katrina filler>
'Cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
<Grace
unwrapping present, three consecutive shots>
And desire and love and empty things
<Ellen and Nanase
in the car after Painted Black>
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
<
Nanase holding Ellen, last panel>
So take these words
<
"yoink!", panel 5>
and sing out loud
<
Elliot screaming, panel 4>
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
<Nanase
taking Ellen's hand, last panel>
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
<
Ellen asleep, fades to
Kid Ellen on the bus>
And it's someplace simple where we could live
<first day of school,
panel one>
And something only you can give
<Magic
nose beepage>
And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
<
pan across panel 2 with Susan, Justin, Nanase, and Ellen>
And the one poor child who saved this world
<baby Grace>
And there's ten million more who probably could
<Montage of Kid Ellen, Kaoli, Kid Tedd>
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them
<
panels 5 and 6, followed by Ellen
holding Teddin panel 4>
So take these words
<Mr. Verres
gesturing at graph>
and sing out loud
<"
Eureka" principal>
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
<Grace
confronting her lespuko side, then hugging it, then it
changing out of battle form and looking at her>
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
<fade back to Grace
sitting on the hilltop at the beginning of her dream>
(instrumental)
<Montage from Nanase's dream -- drowning, kissed by Ellen, transformed into mermaid>
I wish everyone was loved tonight
<
Silhouettesof Ellen and Nanase, then Ell and Nan
facing each other, then each of them [urlhttp://www.elgoonishshive.com/egsnp/d/20040529.html]alone [/url]in
bed>
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
<[urlhttp://www.egscomics.com/d/20040512.html]explosion[/url], followed by
fading smoke clearing to show Nioi holding Grace inside her force field>
So take these words and sing out loud
<not sure what to do for this one; maybe something with a Vlad-to-Vladia transition>
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
<Grace's family in
group hug>
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
<montage,
panels 2-4, as the heroes come home>
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
<
last four panelsof Tedd, then Sarah, embracing Elliot and Grace>
<fade to white>
<Text, cursive script: "Merry Christmas from El Goonish Shive">
<credits>
---------
Like I said, I don't have the equipment to do this, so if anybody wants to take this idea and run with it, be my guest...
"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant."