Research and Planning: Deconstruction Gotye Somebody That I useds to Know (feat. Kimbra)

Gotye Somebody that I used to know (feat.Kimbra)

The vide begins with a close up tilting across Gotye’s body, the camera then stays fixed on a medium close up of his face as he begins the song, the shot then changes to a close up showing an abstract picture being painted on the white wall behind him, to begin it is unclear as to why the wall is being painted and what relevance this has to the song and the narrative.

The video continues with faster cuts to between the painting and him, and then the painting begins to occur on his body, the pictures seem fragmented to make it seem as if the painting occurred quickly this continues until the painting is finished and then you realize that he is painted so that every part of him camouflages in to the wall.

The shot then widens to reveal a female singer who is also painted in to the wall, she is replying to what his comments and then it appears as if she is asking him for forgiveness and he is refusing what she is saying, and the audience have the urge to side with him as it appears that the woman broke his heart, as the words “now you’re just somebody that I used to know” make it seem as though he once believed that there was something special about her but after her actions it is clear that this is no longer the case.

She returns to her original spot and starts to become unpainted, as he continues to sing and the shot angles change between the angles on his face and to watch her no longer blend in to the wall in the way that he does. His facial expressions suggest that he is sadden by this but the lyrics still suggest that he has made his decision and will stick by it.

At the end the narrative of the video can be seen in many different ways, one interpretation is that she has been unpainted as this abstract world is what separates him from society and that she was once part of that and now he has cut her off, she can no longer be part of this mad world. Or it can be seen that she has trapped him in this world and in betraying him he will forever be trapped.