Daniel Powter 'Bad day' story

This video tells the message of how love is the most important thing in the world. It is filmed almost entirely in split-screen and shows the lives of a woman and a man who have never met but lead very similar and sometimes connected lives. The two are very ordinary and are easy to relate to for the common viewer.

Both are dissatisfied with their jobs and the use of camera angles amplify their disappointment with their jobs and the frustration they feel when their alarm wakes them at 7'O Clock to go to their jobs. As they wake, a bird’s eye shot is used to demean them and convey them as helpless. It also allows the viewer to see the gap in the double bed where another person would be positioned if they were in love. It constantly cuts back to clips of the artist performing in a business area of Manhattan. The artist is dressed in everyday clothes wearing a hat and shirt and jeans with a jacket. He too is unshaven which represents the theme of song which is; one is worthless without love. The video goes on to show the two getting ready to leave for work and splits the screen in three twice showing the woman applying make-up and the man shaving and always progressing towards going to work again.

 This video is parallel to Andrew Goodwin’s ideology of pop videos consisting of dance routines or stories whereas rock videos show performances. The man then spots an old couple on the train in mid shot showing they are content which is then followed by a calendar to show passing of time whilst wide shots allow us to see that both are friendless and lonely and comfort eating donuts and hot dogs.

 It then comes to a POV shot where the male protagonist sees the girl opposite him in her office and it zooms to demonstrate he is taking notice of her. The two then begin to interact through drawing on a board in the train station and they appear happier each day. The video ends with the woman standing in the rain waiting for a taxi and the man comes over and holds an umbrella over her to keep her dry, which shows affection. This is more significant because the drawings they had been communicating had consisted of a woman in the rain and a man whom shields her from the splashing of a taxi with a red umbrella. The woman realises and as the song comes to an end, the two stand looking at each other and smiling. This video magnifies the message of the song because the song is saying that a bad day should be left behind and forgotten, wipe a clean slate and start again the next day.