Life

Project statement

“Life” is a music video that explores the contrasts between connectedness and separation in the the life of an individual. It can be interpreted in two ways. First, the viewer can easily discern that the video is about a firefly. In this sense, the music video tells a story of a firefly that is struggling to live in a modern cityscape at the conjunction between nature and a manmade environment: a park. Even though the park’s environmental quality and size are substantial, the “life” of the firefly and its existence are unavoidably affected by ambient light from nearby buildings and roads. Light pollution directly affects the existence of fireflies, as they are very sensitive to light. Many firefly species rely on the bioluminescent light they produce for mating rituals and protection from predators.

From the music video director’s perspective, the light that the fireflies cast into the vast of darkness of night is a metaphor for the existence of any life in this world. This interpretation lends a second layer of meaning to the music video. The animator likens the life of a firefly to human life in the era of globalization, as modern human life grows ever more complicated and disconnected from the past. The video metaphorically portrays the life of an urban-dwelling individual, a living soul that struggles to find a balance in the cityscape. Technology and globalization affect not only fireflies and other animals, but humans themselves. It’s undeniable that the development of technology constantly shapes our society and culture. This music video aims to remind us that in spite of their obvious differences, humans and fireflies are both important parts of the vast thing we call nature. The key to a more peaceful life might be to find a middle ground between nature and technology.