Jenny Death When: The Best Video

Contrary to popular belief, non-profit videos can be entertaining and powerful, just like commercials often are.  This is especially true for "Yes, that's my father.".  The video is for the United States Holocaust Museum, the video manages to convey the importance of the museum as well as its cause all the while maintaining a connection with the people in the video.

The tone of the video was somber but of a more removed sense, that it was not overwhelming but more of a defining feature, as both of the people have dealt with the tragedy for a long time, and is  defining part of them as well.  It then moves into a sort of empathy, sympathy, and sad joy into the end, when we see the father see a picture of his father for the first time since the war.  This ending was helped along by the portrayal of a journey in the video, as we go from initial feelings of sadness and guilt, to relieving some guilt via contact from the museum, which 1)exhibits the power of the  museum early on in the video and 2) sets up the logical progression of the museum a picture and allowing the father in the video to see a picture of his father for the first time since the war.  All of this is certainly appropriate, as the subject matter matches the tone and the audience gets the material and emotional message and purpose of the museum.

To do this, the video had to be edited a certain way, which is clearly was: music that related a solemn mood, with a wind like synth and simple piano notes strung out as the background music, which is not too earnest to set the mood unlike the ASPCA ads that we all know.  Simple fades and pictures over the subject's memories or thoughts keep the tone and add to the message of the video (of how life was permanently affected by the Holocaust and the museum's effect).  The white text on black was used as a graceful transition piece, and was done sparingly, which helps with the message of transition.  

In my own video, I would use the combination and switching between talking and talking over a picture.  The background music needs to be just like this video's, where it sets the tone but does it subtly.