1. Music Video Script
1
Music Video
Avicii – Wake Me Up
Daniel Hopkins

2. Music Video Script
2
Video Title:
VIDEO AUDIO
LYRICS / NARRATION / MUSIC / FX
1. 0:00 – 0:30 – Low angle of tree
tops, with moonlight seeping
through the branches. The camera
then lowers, while doing a 360
degree, twining shot of the woods.
The camera finishes with a LS of
the character lying on the ground,
with his arms supporting his head.
There is a beam of moonlight
focused on him, making him the
focal point of the scene. The
camera slowly moves towards him
before cutting to a CU pan shot of
his body from bottom to top. He
opens his eyes.
There is a MS of the character,
getting up and CU’s of him
stretching his arms, cracking his
neck and exhaling slowly. He looks
around his environment (MS) before
there is an over the shoulder shot
of him walking off into the dark
forest.
Distant sounds of cars and trees
blowing in the wind. This is to
show that while it seems he is
in the middle of nowhere, he is
not too far away from people.
This also adds more character to
the scene.
Music intro plays
Feeling my way through the
darkness, Guided by a beating
heart.
I can’t tell where the journey
will end, but I know where to
start.
Throughout this scene the
character will look shocked and
scared, to show that he is lost
and confused with his situation.

3. Music Video Script
3
VIDEO AUDIO
LYRICS / NARRATION / MUSIC / FX
2. 0:30 – 1:00 – Mid shot of the
character walking towards the
camera before resting against a
tree. The camera pans from a CU of
his hand to an ECU of his face
looking above him.
There is then a panning shot of
branches above him. This is
followed by various shots of the
forest. These include shots
of the surrounding greenery e.g.
Trees, the ground, the sky through
the tree tops or small animals and
insects.
A small animal such as a squirrel
or rabbit will stand on its hind
legs and watch him from distance
perched on a mound. It will then
turn around to run away, revealing
it has a mysterious triangle symbol
on its chest.
The character will not see this, as
after he has finished taking in the
surrounding area, he will carry on
with his journey. The character
will be seen in the background
during the small animal’s brief
appearance.
They tell me I’m too young to
understand, They say I’m caught
up in a dream. – At this point
in the video, the character will
blink heavily
Well life will pass me by if I
don’t open my eyes, Well that’s
fine by me.
The shots of trees and the
forest environment will be
mostly close ups, to capture
some of nature’s beauty.
There will be generic forest
sounds of a forest during these
shots, including insects
whirring, animals scuttling
around and the wind brushing
against the trees.

4. Music Video Script
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VIDEO AUDIO
LYRICS / NARRATION / MUSIC / FX
3. 1:00 – 1:30 – As the character is
walking through the forest, he
passes numerous symbols
representing Avicii (a triangle on
top of an upside down triangle).
These are in the form of carvings
on trees and abstract ornaments
hanging from branches.
As the character is walking through
the trees and bushes, he trips in a
large crevice and falls hard onto
the muddy ground. Close up shots
will see his face in the dirt and
him using his arms to lift himself
up.
A wide shot is then focused on him
getting up and wiping the dirt off
his hands and his clothes down.
This is followed by a CU of him
wiping some mud from his face and
flicking it off with a shake of his
hand (MS). This is followed by an
over the shoulder shot of him
walking through the forest.
As he is about to pass between two
trees he runs his hand over an
engraving of one the symbols on one
of the trees (MS). This is followed
by a CU of him rubbing freshly cut
bark between his fingers. He then
disappears into the darkness.
So wake me up when it’s all
over, when I’m wiser and older.
All this time I was finding
myself, and I didn’t know I was
lost. (2x)
The ornaments will be made from
things such as scrap metal to
add a primitive element to the
video, while also fitting in
with the natural, raw
surroundings.
The ornaments will also make
slight rattling noises, as if
they were wind chimes.
I tried carrying the weight of
the world, but I only have two
hands.
Hope I get the chance to travel
the world, but I don’t have any
plans.

5. Music Video Script
5
VIDEO AUDIO
LYRICS / NARRATION / MUSIC / FX
4. 1:30 – 2:00 – A wide shot is used
to show him emerging from the
darkness, running through the
shadows. The moonlight passing
through the trees illuminates the
path ahead of him.
He will then athletically clear
obstacles in front of him, such as
jumping over fallen trees, swamp-
like waters (LS’s) and eventually
running down a straight, narrow
path.
The camera will cut quickly between
shots of him running, from the
side, back and from various angles
such as bird’s eye, low and high.
Eventually, he will run up to the
camera (LS to ECU) and his chest
will engulf the entire camera
frame, plunging it into darkness.
Wish I could stay forever this
young, not afraid to close my
eyes.
The editing should be fast for
the cuts between the angles of
him running, to fit the pace of
the scene.
When the character is running up
to the camera, he will not make
eye contact, but will stare
ahead with a look of
determination on his face.

6. Music Video Script
6
VIDEO AUDIO
LYRICS / NARRATION / MUSIC / FX
5. 2:00 – 2:30 – Eventually the
character will stop running and
will have reached a very small
cliff, which overhangs onto a field
with many, sparsely distributed
trees. He will rest briefly on a
large rock before standing up again
(MS).He will stand on top of the
cliff (WS) and overlook the beauty
in front of him.
The camera will then pan as if from
his P.O.V and show the last barrier
he has to overcome. In the distance
there will be a small orange
illumination, with small shards of
it flicking off into the night sky.
The character cups a hand over his
eyes and smiles (CU). He then runs
back away from the cliff edge into
the forest from which he has just
come (LS).
The character will then reappear
from the forest running at a highly
fast speed. He will jump off the
field and will linger in the air
for a few moments. There will be a
MS of him running, followed by a WS
of him in the air and finally a CU
of his delighted face.
Life’s a game made for everyone
and love is the prize.
So wake me up when it’s all
over, when I’m wiser and older.
All this time I was finding
myself, and I didn’t know I was
lost.
A piece of equipment such as a
tripod will be required to
capture a scene of him while in
the air, or perhaps some form of
camera lifting equipment that
could get on level with his mid-
air body.
For when he is in mid-air, the
scene will be slowed down and
capture him mid-jump. This can
be done in Adobe After Effects.
6. 2:30 – 3:00 – He lands and does a
makeshift commando roll to ease the
blow of his landing (CU). He then
stands up and puts his hand on his
neck, realizing he has a triangle
symbol on it (ECU). He then begins
to run.
The camera follows him from behind
weaving in and out of the trees and
passing more ornaments and tree
carvings along the way.
There is a CU of his face looking
extremely determined, while sweat
is running down his face. The fire
gets closer and closer and he hears
the sound of people talking, fire
crackling and laughter.
So wake me up when it’s all
over, when I’m wiser and older.
All this time I was finding
myself, and I didn’t know I was
lost. (Repeated).
The triangle will be bold and
appear like a slightly raised
tattoo. Its colour will be a
dark blue and may have to be put
in using After Effects. The
sounds may also have to be put
in post-production.

7. Music Video Script
7
VIDEO AUDIO
LYRICS / NARRATION / MUSIC / FX
7. 3:00 – 3:30 – The character appears
through the trees and the camera
will zoom up to his face, which has
an expression of exhaustion and
relief. A man will walk up to him
and put his hand on the characters
shoulder, revealing a symbol on his
hand identical of the characters
neck (CU).
They walk over to the fire where he
is greeted by more people, each
with identical symbols on different
parts of their body (ECU’s). The
shots will then pass between all of
the characters partying together,
drinking and laughing. One
character will have a removed shirt
to reveal a body full of triangle
symbols, all while he dances
crazily around the fire.
The main character will feature
regularly during the scene laughing
with his friends at the antic going
on during the party. The majority
of these shots will be close ups to
focus on his happiness.
Eventually, the party dies down and
there is a LS of the sun slowly
rising from trees in the distance.
There is a final pan shot of
everyone asleep on the ground. The
camera goes up to the main
characters face (CU) who opens his
eyes and smiles.
Didn’t know I was lost, I didn’t
know I was lost; I didn’t know I
was lost. I didn’t know (didn’t
know, didn’t know).
Music fades out.