I have had this general idea for the JAD video in my head for a while now (and now, I think it is pretty much complete). I know that Carrie's team won't use my idea, but I would still like to share it with everyone else. Some people will probably think my video is too risky. Personally, I think my video fits, and since I am not in charge of the actual video, it really doesn't matter
(I would like honest opinions on my video, however). I was going to wait until a little later to post this, but since we now have news about the video shoot which will occur on Monday, I want to go ahead and post my idea before we get any info on the actual video (yes, it is definitely possible this video is not for JAD, but I think the chances are in JAD's favor).
Anyways, for my original idea, I was going to let Carrie be the narrator (with another girl being the main character), but now that I've read the info about the video shoot, I have given Carrie two different identities in my video. I'll explain. Anyway, here's my video idea:
The video starts with a flashback of Carrie talking to her military boyfriend. He surprises her by getting on one knee and asking her to marry him. She is overjoyed and screams, "yes!" They embrace. He says they will plan a wedding when he returns. His last words to her are "I'll be home soon." (unfortunately for her, it's not the same "home" she thought it would be).
Then, the song actually starts with Carrie in the car on the way to the funeral. As the song says, she is wearing a white wedding gown. While she's driving, she has a blank look on her face, so you really can't tell how she's feeling. I'll refer to this Carrie as "Character Carrie". This is where the second Carrie comes in. The second Carrie is standing outside the church at the graveyard (with no one else around at this time), and she is wearing the same outfit that she was wearing when she last saw her fiancee in the flashback (use your imagination for the outfit). This Carrie serves as the narrator (and "Character Carrie's" guardian angel), so I'll refer to this Carrie as "Narrator Carrie."
When "Character Carrie" arrives at the church, the church doors open, and she sees some military men carry the casket of her lover out to the place where he is going to be buried. This is when she loses control ("the flowers fell out of her hands"), her dress turns from white to black (to signify the fact that this is a funeral), and she runs towards the woods right when the first chorus begins. At the end of this chorus, she finds a spot behind a tree, with her head in her lap, crying (nobody has seen her at this point).
Then, before the second verse begins, another talking scene occurs at the graveyard (shorter than the first talking scene), introducing the mother of the military guy who was killed (perhaps where some random woman tells her that he was a great man, and the mother tearfully says, "Yes, he was a great man, as well as a great son, and I'll always be proud of him."). Then, the second verse begins, and "Character Carrie" watches all the events in this verse occur as she watches from behind the tree. "Narrator Carrie" is now surrounded by the crowd, but she's invisible to everyone since she's an angel.
The military men hand the "folded up flag" to the mother (instead of the girlfriend which most people probably picture happening). Then, the guns are fired, and "Character Carrie" loses control again and runs off deeper into the woods ("It felt like a bullet in her heart").
Then, during this chorus (the second chorus), "Narrator Carrie" finds the mother and makes herself visible to her, which surprises the mother since she hadn't seen Carrie the entire time. The mother mouths, "When did you get here?!" Without responding, "Narrator Carrie" points towards the woods at "Character Carrie" who is running off. The mother (and we, the viewers) catches a glimpse of a figure of a woman in black running, but she can't tell who the figure is. When the mother turns back around to ask "Narrator Carrie" who it was, "Narrator Carrie" had vanished. Even though the mother was right in the middle of her son's funeral, she decides to find that figure.
Then, towards the end of that chorus, the video switches over to "Character Carrie" who is still running in the woods. At the "This is just a dream!" part which leads to the bridge, "Character Carrie" (who is now bawling) stops at a huge cliff. She mouths the words "now I'll never know" when that part in the song comes up, and she edges closer and closer to the edge, looking over (she's thinking about suicide).
Then, as soon as the final chorus begins, the mother finds "Character Carrie", and you can read the mother's lips screaming "Stop!". This final chorus is the climax and what the song has been building up to, with the mother trying to stop "Character Carrie" from killing herself. "Character Carrie" mouths the part "This can't be happening to me!" right before the huge climax of the song (with the two power notes at the very end). At the first "This is just a dream!" power note, the video only shows "Narrator Carrie" singing this part at the graveyard, who is now bawling as well.
On the second "Ohhh this is just a dream!" power note, the video flips back and forth between "Character Carrie" and "Narrator Carrie" during the long note ("Narrator Carrie" holding the note, with tears streaming down her face, and "Character Carrie" and the mother at the cliff, with tears also streaming down "Character Carrie's" face, and the mother with a look of fright on her face). This is the moment where everyone wonders what will happen. Will "Character Carrie" jump off to kill herself?
At the end of the final power note, "Character Carrie" backs away from the cliff and runs into the arms of the mother, and they both stand there, embracing each other, crying. As soon as the song is over and only the ending music is playing, the video shows "Narrator Carrie" out in the graveyeard with the crowd thinning (the funeral had ended). For the last few seconds of the video, another flashback occurs (no talking this time) with Carrie watching her fiancee riding off. She has a very concerned look on her face, like she feels that something bad is going to happen (and it does).
That's it. If you are confused about something, let me know (I may have made a mistake since I am very tired right now, and this is very long). If you read all of this, congratulations lol, and thanks!
