Take a look at the commercial below. This is a television advertisement for the anti-depressant Cymbalta that can be found on youtube.
Initially the video is shot from a second person point of view. The viewer is supposed to feel as if they are viewing life passing them by on a television screen. This is evident by the television lines that are present and the soft glow around the shot as if to simulate a TV screen in the dark. Also written indicators on the screen of "Record" and the date along with the universally indicated red "recording" dot simulate the viewing of a home movie. The use of this particular point of view coupled with the music that is playing in a minor key all give the viewer a sense of separation and sadness. They are apart from these people that are so obviously enjoying life and cannot "break through" into that world which they are separate from.
The ad then cuts to a series of shots that are designed to invoke this same feeling of being alone and separate. The first is of a man leaning against a shelving unit in what appears to be a closet. The actors performance fills the space, by leaning backward and looking up, as if in a state of helplessness. The space seems to be confining which is detailed by the way the shelving unit stretches behind the man and the tiny opening that is the doorway. This gives the viewer the sense that options for leaving the room are limited. The invisible "forth wall" is blocked by the viewer themselves and is also accentuated by the windows in the background. That grayish cast is designed to convey a sense of feeling downtrodden.
What do you see in the second and third cuts of the commercial that keep this same sense of "depression" alive for the viewer? What changes occur within the music once the name of the product is mentioned? What changes do you see after the product is introduced? Specifically what is different about the lighting, pacing, music etc.? Discuss in the comments below
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