I see it as: before the camera starts widening all you can see is the white wall and the perfectly symmetrical lights. The shot looks very clean and organized. Then once the camera starts widening you can start to see some of the mess in the room and it reminds you that even though someone’s life may look perfect on social media, there are lots of messy parts that they don’t show you.
That’s a really great take away. When I watched it I saw it as like, the screen is in the shape of a square (Instagram post) while the song is funny , but when he gets to the really important part about her parents having passed away, the aspect ratio opens and leaves him in a wide shot, making him look more vulnerable. Then it closes again and the song goes back to being funny- it’s a really effective use of editing to hammer home that distinction between what people post and what they are actually going through
@@KidDreamingBig 100% this except, rather than just going from funny to serious to funny, I see it as going from performative to authentic back to performative.
@@damiencletheroe4603 It goes to show that when you're living your life with an audience, everything is some mix of performative and authentic that's very hard to differentiate. It's a concept that Bo comes back to multiple times in every special.
my favorite details is that as she opens up to her mom, the frame is widening, but then part way through the caption, it transitions into 'look at how great I'm doing my life is so awesome', and right as he does that, the frame starts reverting back, which is doubling up the meaning: the first part opens up and makes you realize there's more to her than the shallow cheap cliche'd instagram posts, which is really important, but even something like grieving your dead mother can (often unintentionally) still be twisted by social media to be presented as 'perfectly' as possible. There's still much, much more than just the shallow instagram photos, but it can also be difficult to truly see or connect with that for more than a tiny glimpse because social media pressures us to be perfect and awesome and 'on' all the time.
I agree with this and it's a visual representation of what she's doing - she gets very candid and real about her grief but then reels it back in and switches back to talking about herself.
If you look at the details in this song you can interpret even more about the character Bo Burnham is trying to paint. Like the "27" baloons - is that her age? Cause in that case she lost her mom and possibly her dad at the age of 17 ("it's been a decade since you've been gone), which makes it even more heartbreaking. I don't think Bo is throwing any shade at all, and I only think the song appears mockiingly on the surface. I actually think it's just a vessel for him to talk about how we live our lives always performing, and it's easy to box people in, but just as in real life there's often more to people than we first assume.
Or early on there’s the couple holding hands line, then she tells her mom about moving in with her boyfriend, then there’s the ring on her finger so they got engaged
This is the most insightful comment I've seen about this song so far. I didn't even think about the fact that being 27 puts this "character" at 17 when her mother passed away. Great insight.
Agreed. Love your take. When you say the stuff about performing it harkens me back to when bo said "If you can live your life without an audience, you should do it" whether it's good for us or not we still need to be aware of it. that burns even deeper (for me personally) with Inside. Thank you for your comment!❤
I take the position that he uses the bars retreating to show the girl is just being real when she tries to communicates what she is going through. My mother passed when I was 14 and this is all too relatable, the difficulty of trying to just be real about one's circumstances without it looking like a call for pity and attention.
The interesting thing is that while these kind of photos are mocked or regarded as cringey, they’re also really artistic and take work, which bo burnham also shows.
Honestly i think it's more so a cliché than cringe necessarily, it's just everyone's doing it, it kinda loses it's artistry and just becomes insincere.
@@omega1231 That's totally fair, like it doesn't take a bunch of creativity if you're copying. I still feel like even if you're not creative with these photos though, they take a good amount of work to stage and some photography/editing skills.
I agree. I also think they are harmless, which is probably why this is one of Bo's gentlest songs. He is poking fun, but it's so ambiguous what he is poking fun at. Inpersonal curated social media fronts? People who don't let women just enjoy things? Both? I am guessing he spent the most time on this song - you're right, all of those shots would take a lot of work.
@@omega1231 Sounds logic to me. Seems like everyone wants to show of their individuality and their feelings to everyone. Which in the end, like you said, makes everyone seem insincere because everyone is generally doing the same thing.
I think he’s celebrating that moment of authenticity. So much of Instagram is so heavily curated that it can come off as merely branding, rather than a view of a person’s real life. However, every once in a while, something truly genuine gets posted and breaks out of the 1:1 aspect ratio. It’s a good reminder to keep things genuine.
I think this is about right, but not quite. To me, the "genuine" moment is still meant to sound curated and unoriginal. I think we are meant to see that "curated and unoriginal" doesn't mean that it isn't genuine. This white woman has been through some serious shit, but even that serious shit seems a little attention grabby and melodramatic if you're putting it in the context of the rest of her feed. Sure, Bo wants us to see this is a real person, but being a real person doesn't mean being original. We can make fun of Instagram profiles being so similar, but we are gonna have to stop acting like that is some way different from real life. Everyone is contrived and unoriginal, but that doesn't mean they are faking it. Our emotions aren't original or unique, but that doesn't take away from them. That's what I got out of it.
@@AmbushTricks yeah I agree here. Yes its a moment of genuine emotion, but she still put it on Instagram to broadcast to the world at the end of the day. It's a comment on that I feel.
@@AmbushTricks Before and after the widening, the aspect ratio is 1:1, the same as is used for instagram portrait pictures. The aspect ratio widens to full 16:9 when the character is talking about losing her parents and what is going on in her life, the aspect ratio of widescreen television and film and the rest of Inside, which is presented as an unfiltered and truthful look into Bo's life. I wouldn't make sense to have it mean something different just for this specific instance in Inside.
I like how you mention branding as that was the bit right before this and authenticity as the bit after is Bo reviewing the video with the white board up front.
I cant possibly imagine no burnham using his music to shame a young woman who lost both of her parents as a teenager for the way she chooses to grieve online. Your lady said it perfect “the more to you than what we see in this little box”
Personally, I think with the serious intermission, he's trying to tell everyone, that people are never just what's on their instagram. I think this is empathized by the widening shot, as if they're "pulling back the curtains" and allowing us a peek into their life
So apparently there are a lot of women hating this song and being offended that he is mocking women or saying that he's making a valid point (ie. the real person behind the instagram feed) but that a man shouldn't be making that point. IDK, I think it's a wonderful song, funny and gut punching at the same time.
I'm not a woman, so it's not my place to decide whether this is offensive or not, but I've never been offended by a female comedian making fun of men for something so trivial such as leaving dishes on the counter or posting certain types of content on whatever platform. He's not sexualizing anything, he's not making anything political, he's not really attacking anyone, he's just saying that white women, in his experience, often post content like this. It's definitely meant to be lighthearted, and we could even look at it through a different lens and say he's commenting on the fact that we're all pressured to follow trends on social media, to play the game they want us to play, in order to get impressions and be able to show the world our authentic self once in a while. People just find a reason to be offended with anything and everything. If that's what they're looking for, they should go listen to "Problematic".
I dont think his intention is to mock women. What I got from the song is that the culture of Instagram Is very toxic and leads to people posting a false version of their lives and being very unhappy. Which in my opinion is a very fair take for him to make. White Women on Instagram was the best target since everyone knows exactly what the stereotypes are so he doesn't have to over explain anything.
I'm a woman and I don't feel that it is mocking or offensive toward women. I feel like the song is showing the toxic nature of social media and how it puts pressure on people to present a perfect version of their lives. And like all aspects of life, that pressure is placed on women much harder than it is men.
no, pay attention to the song, it's a wedding and the words are "yes I do" followed by a couple of doves and a ring on her finger from the person that she loves
I figured if we're putting it with "a ring on her finger from the person that she loves"; that makes me think "engagement ring" and "the three little words" that one would post with that photo on IG are "I said yes!"
@@pookeywan I never considered that all of those were meant to be from the same instagram post. I interpreted it like the rest of the song where he names different individual things that were posted. That's interesting.
Am I the only one who gets major chills when Bo does the part of the song about the woman talking to her deceased mother? The voice and video editing is just incredible
i love how at 7:36 you can see her getting hit in the feels because it's her first experience while Brad just smiles and appreciates the creative genius behind the whole performance
i definitely think people find Bo to be a lot more mean spirited than he is, he’s always shown that he’s incredibly empathetic behind the bravado of a sardonic comedian
I agree with you that in the serious section he’s pointing out that behind that well-curated Instagram persona is a real person with real struggles. She’s 27 and lost her mom a decade ago (at 17), and her dad is also gone, as evidenced by her telling her deceased mom to “give a hug and kiss to dad.” I lost my parents before I met my spouse, and there’s always a little sadness that they couldn’t know one another, and definitely weren’t there to witness any of my successes in life that they contributed to and would have celebrated. Bo himself has a long-term partner with an Instagram whose father passed in 2009, 4 years before they started dating. She also has a substantial career of her own, having written, directed, and/or produced several well-known movies (and put out an album of original songs). The entire special is dedicated to her. So, maybe he’s engaged in a gentle ribbing of her Instagram persona while acknowledging that there’s a complex person behind it.
The way I've always taken it is close to what everyone else has been saying, but I feel like a lot of people gloss over something. Yes, the middle section is reminding us that these are real people, and that they might be using social media to cope, and we shouldn't admonish them for that. But also, the song is definitely making fun of these "basic" or "derivative" posts. It's just that they hit differently after you are gut punched by the middle section. At the beginning of the song, I was looking down on the people who post things like that, but by the end I realized the song was making an effort to tell me it was poking fun at the posts, and not the person making them. Because truthfully, the posts are silly, and a little dumb, and it's okay to recognize that, as long as you don't extend that judgment to the person. There's a thematic through-line that extends to Problematic too, urging people to be able to separate content from creator, to a certain degree. Anyway, just my two cents.
@@thatonepunkguy Though someone isn't going to take lightly to anyone insulting their hard work on things that they enjoy, so you should just leave them alone and not insult the things random people on the internet enjoy. As Bo Burnham himself said, everything all the time is happening on the internet, so do something else instead of possibly making a person's day worse.
She really needs to watch the whole special. I've been trying to get everyone to watch it, just because it is so freaking creative. One of the best pieces of media (art) that I have seen in forever
I don't get how anybody can see this song as an attack on people. If anything, Bo setting up all these shots and going through all these experiences feels more like sympathizing with these people and showing his understanding.
I'm with the second half. The aspect ratio widens when the woman shows the part of her that exists outside of Instagram. The brief glimpse at the real person. Then it goes back to the IG feed aspect ratio when he goes back into the contrived internet version of her.
Just watched your all eyes on me reaction. I think you should do “can’t handle this” next. It has a lot of voice altering and auto tune which seems to be right up your alley. Looking forward to your videos!
Given how compassionate Bo seems to be, I doubt very much that the bridge is supposed to be an attack on the way some people grieve. It's very much his way of showing that behind all the cliché nonsense (okay, maybe "nonsense" is a bit strong, but you know what I mean), there's a real person dealing with real, human problems. It's his way of saying, "Yeah, I'm calling you out 'cause you're being kinda silly, but I also see you as more than this."
I saw one guy get to the widening frame part and just go; "yeah, that's literally the whole caption..." Like WTF! You weren't even paying attention to this were you? I love reactions like yours cause you actually get it. Thanks, guys 😊
100% agree with brad on his analysis on the mom part. also for some reason i cant watch that part without tearing up a bit lol. Her reaction is great would love to see her do more stuff from Inside on here!!!
Emily is never going to be able to take a selfie by the window again without Brad singing "goat cheese salaaad" at her. I'd recommend checking out "One Like Equals" by the rapper Token, it's got a very similar theme to this.
I feel like you are the best reviewers of Inside so far on youtube. You're both very perceptive and intelligent and I appreciate your interpretations. So many other review channels completely miss the mark but i really enjoy your videos. Keep it up!
My input: The entire music video is shot on the aspect ratio of a smartphone. All of the different poses, gimmicks and staged photos are just that - staged, fake and for the digital world. The only time throughout the whole music video that he's honest, real and authentic - the aspect ratio opens up and we see the real person and how they feel. Within seconds, he's back to having a boyfriend, apartment and job (the things we're judged by on social media) so the aspect ratio immediately returns to phone level. It's all about the front people put up online when all they want to do is express themselves, grieve or whatever they REALLY need to feel better. My two cents. Love the reaction!
I really like Bo’s comedy; it embodies the happy and tragic mask faces you see in classic dramas that’s suppose to represent comedy. Art giving a short burst of happiness but also reflecting the current events.
The whole behavior of awkwardly laughing over Bo getting serious is exactly what he calls out in Can't Handle This: Look at them, they're just staring at me Like come and watch the skinny kid With a steadily declining mental health And laugh as he attempts to give you what he cannot give himself ... You can tell them anything if You just make it funny Make it rhyme And if they still don't understand you Then you Run it one more time
i hadn't even considered the other perspective until you guys brought it up! :O i always just assumed what he meant to say was that there's a person behind every account, someone who genuinely likes all those little silly (but lovely) things that ppl post on instagram. love the song and love your videow
Considering how Bo has songs about how both sides of his brain works and esposing how he sees and feels about the audiance he performs for, I dont think he'd be the one accusing anyone over oversharing. I dont think I've ever seen any performer overshare but play it off with comedy more than him.
My interpretation is that it's a genuine reflection of their emotions. However, people have gotten so used to communicating through social media, that for many, it's the only way they can truly communicate their feelings to other humans.
In interviews, Bo has talked about some of his favorite videos on TH-cam are where people share their real lives and show their genuine selves and give a glimpse into their lives. I would imagine the latter interpretation would be the most reasonable in light of that.
I think what he’s trying to say with the juxtaposition of the memorial to her mother with the goat cheese salad is maybe we should all let her have her goat cheese salad
The widening of the camera shot is showing "the bigger picture" by literally showing the picture in the camera shot bigger, if that makes sense. It's a metaphorical use of the camera and framing.
I agree it is more of the second part. I appreciate the song because it does show that there's more to people than just what is seen on social media or even in person. Honestly just look at my profile picture here. There is a big personal story behind it that no one would guess. I have it as a reminder and inspiration. Every time I see it I am encouraged to speak my truth no matter how hard someone tries to silence me.
I think the widening represents authenticity breaking through, when he’s describing grief it widens, as soon as he starts talking about the job and the new apartment it becomes performative again and the frame returns to an Instagram square
I think it's also a commentary on how social media has taken over everything. We can't do anything without sharing it. Even something as personal as grieving for someone. &/or he's commenting on how everything on social media is filtered & unreal. I think the aspect ratio change is showing the transition from the polished instagram life to the realism of loss, and then back to the fluff.
It's weird to me that there are people who think this song is about oversharing on the internet. The fictional young woman basically said: 'My mom is dead (& my dad too) and I'm still sad about it'. Like, how is that oversharing? It's just sharing. Are you not allowed to have feelings online? You're shallow if you only post happy stuff, but you're an attention-seeker if you share some real feelings, apparently. Okay. I don't believe for a second that THAT is Bo Burnham's message. Thankfully, you guys don't either.
I really don't see how people can interpret this as mocking and being about oversharing. I think it's gently making fun of these cliché things, but it's really just about how were all just people living our lives, doing things we like to maybe cope and distract or maybe just because we like doing them. And maybe some of them are a little cringy and overused, but ultimately harmless and well-meaning. And honestly, if you don't like it, keep it moving, it's not for you in that case.
Bo Burnham is extremely smart and talented, but he has expressed that the only thing he knows about to an expert level is performing. Once you start viewing all of his songs through the lens of 'what does this say about performance', the meanings become a little clearer. For example, the frame shows instances of white women 'performing' on Instagram. When the frame widens, he is showing that this is a moment when they are allowing the performance to melt away and they are no longer performing. The key detail is, the frame doesn't instantly cut back to a square when he starts 'Goat cheese salad'. The frame starts closing back in when he sings 'Mama I got a job I love and my own apartment...' because she is starting to perform for her instagram audience again. Another aspect of this song that relates to performance is performative activism and also the use of cultural appropriation. There is an important reason that the woman he is roasting is white. The dreamcatcher, Buddha, the feathers in his hair, the writing on his face, Martin Luther King and I'm sure im forgetting more, are examples of white women using other cultures on Instagram, either as a 'quirky' costume or decor, or to look like a progressive activist in a performative way without actually having to be an actual activist. I feel like Bo is making a subtle comment that white women get to check out of their activism whenever they put their phones down, but women from the global majority don't have that opportunity so they shouldn't be disrespected by white women via cultural appropriation. When you start relating Bo Burnham's work to the nature of 'performance', they gain such a depth where so much randomness seemed to be.
i believe that the middle portion of the song is about how some post on Instagram are genuine emotion that people are opening up and being vulnerable, which is illustrated by the frame opening up to convey them opening up about themselves, however when she begins to brag about her successes in life like the job and appartment, the frame begins to shrink because she begins to close up again and thus begins to make it about herself and not about how she feels about missing her mother.
This song is amazing. It definitely can be seen deeper and deeper. I’ve always taken the more than on social media take since my first watch I don’t feel like he’d critique a way of grieving.
The middle of the clip, where he pans back and the framing shifts from the Instagram format where the subject starts talking about her loss is humanizing her, it's part satire, but it is also rather poignant in that there is a real person there behind the Instagram projection. And it has a happy ending, with wedding bells, "a ring on her finger from the person that she loves." As with the rest of the program, it is a brilliant piece of art.
When I see you two together it melts my heart. I love your reactions. Almira 4th Impact did a new cover of "You light up my life" but we don't have permission to release it. I hope she does soon. Keep up doing your great work both reacting and singing. By the way, Emily is the wind beneath your wings.
Your interpretations are great! I love Bo and how multifaceted (or multi-layered) he writes and produces; it seams the songs, and especially performances, always have more to offer, they never get old. I am likely totally misinformed, and rather than digging deeper and investigating, I'm just going to give a part of my interpretation of his performances in general: while he puts on a 'character' I think it quite likely a lot of his true self shines through his work. Like, I have the impression that he's estranged from his parents (?) (Specifically his father, and for the record, no, I'm not sure of this... but, if so, ) you can also read a lot of 'gems' of messages or 'conversations' he has with him/them in many of his songs/performances/ albums... Anyway, not the best organized comment, but just a thought.
I interpreted that all the common posts you see on Instagram of people that are trying to be artistic even tho it’s unoriginal however when the 27 year old girl opens up about her mom and practically spits her emotions out on a Instagram post the shot widens which indicates to me that is the real unique art everyone is so desperately trying to forcefully force out with every post actually lies within your individual life and experiences which seems to be overlooked by the user/owner of the Instagram account. Anyways hit either way!! Your life is beautiful! :)
The image expands as it shows the person behind the posts, her life and pain. It's literally broadening the view from little perfect insta-posts to the whole imperfect story, and then back to the narrow window of social media. The story that is...and then the story we tell. He's telling us to remember there are real people behind these selected images they choose to share. People who struggle and suffer. That's my take, anyway :)
The image expands as soon as she starts to open up in a real life way about losing her mom. Then it starts to close again when she starts making it about herself. "Momma I got a job, my own apartment, a boyfriend" etc. She takes a real moment that sounds genuine and we zoom out. Then she starts to make it about herself and we zoom in again.
You're take is almost definitely correct. Half the people that Brad mentioned that think in that part that Bo is criticizing people who overshare are just wrong, based simply on the fact that the shot is expanding for that bit.
Definitely a commentary but not a judgment. Yes, there can be a lot that is edited and performative about Instagram. But there are also random raw expressions of emotion that come through on occasion. I agree that there isn't a wrong way to grieve. As long as you are being sensitive to the people most directly impacted.
I reckon you should check out the video "Bo Burnham - Inside: In Context" given how many interviews they used to analyse Inside. He reckons that 'social media' is now the real world, and it's one big performance. It really shows the nuance of something like this, as well as the rest of the special. I really doubt he's criticising how people grieve, but I think he is showing it as both part of the performance AND valid.
definitely in the latter camp. To me, removing the aspect ratio black bars is moving beyond the version of themselves that they present online and gets to the human behind the posts. It may still be a post, it may still be curated to strike an intentional reaction, but theres still a bunch more depth there and a reminder that they are still human
100% in the serious part it leaves the aspect ratio of like an Instagram and comes back to reality, but then it goes back to it after it is over. People have real lives behind all these photos and you can't judge and lump all these into one category based on social media posts.
i love the last verse. the lines about her marriage after the post where she tells her mom about that boyfriend, it shows her real life again but still through the lens of instagram. i love it so much
I always interpreted it as the song starts to take its serious turn, the frame widens from the vertical phone/social media format, you see its a real person with real struggles and pain behind the perfectly manicured pictures, their life and room is messy outside of that formatted frame, and as soon as the frame zooms back in we are back talking about the silly manicured photo's that generate likes on every woman's instagram.
More harmonious singing needed. Please! The entire video was incredible - insightful, vulnerable, truthful, legitimate…. so the fact that you two singing together so beautifully at the beginning still comes to the forefront of my mind must mean something. Right?
The show and song is about performance. The narrow frame is instagram, the way you present yourself. The part where the frame widens is the real world, letting the artifice fall away and speaking honestly for a moment, your true self and your true feelings, before you immediatly go back to performing. Its not a mockery of the grief or saying you shouldnt grieve like that. Its to show that even within performance, you can find truth and honesty and vulnerability, as you can in all art, including his specials.
8:45 I'm definitely on the "real people" camp. I've never met Bo Burnham. I know nothing he's not shown me on purpose. However, I agree with her: he doesn't seem the sort to tell someone how to grieve. The filmic language from the widening of the frame dictates a better view of someone's environment. We get to see how much is just off frame, their real-life they try to hide from their audience. I hope the rest of your videos are as engaging for I have just become a new subscriber.
8:35 What? People overshare on social media? No way...[she says, voice dripping with sarcasm]...😂😂😂 12:00 Speaking of anxiety, Emily, you gotta stop biting those nails. 😂😉 13:05 If they are posting content because it brings them joy, then why worry about what others have to say about it. Actually, why DO people give a f*ck what other people think about them. Their opinion of you is none of your business...that's their problem, not yours.
Absolutely not about over sharing. You two are exactly right, I think, the frame expands when the character talks about her mum because that’s the one time that she’s being authentic.
Yall are reading too much into it, he's incredibly intelligent but he knows that some of his fans aren't very deep. Because of this he literally zooms out for "the bigger picture". Also, it goes hand in hand with "welcome to the internet" where he says "your inside is out" referencing peoples tendency to overshare.
A big part of it when it widens and narrows is to show how even something genuine. Like. Grieving your dead mother. Can still be performative. The moment she stops talking about her dead mom and starts gloating about how amazing she and her life are. It narrows. It's hijacking a real human connection, to be performative so you hit "Like"
So what's TRULY genius about this song is that both sides of that discussion are correct: The whole special is about social media and the way that the digital age has changed the ways we communicate and view ourselves, and how existentially horrifying that can be. Notice that the frame starts widening slowly as she opens up about how much she misses her mother and how difficult it's been without her. As many people have pointed out, the wider frame reveals mess and clutter that were carefully cropped out of view before, communicating that the instagram feed we've been seeing up until now is very performative, and this is a glimpse into the real, messy, complicated life that has been hidden until now. Then, the frame reaches the edge and *instantly* reverses direction, closing back in to the 1:1 instagram ratio, and that specifically happens the second the lyrics shift from 'I miss you' to 'I'm doing really well'. Talking to a deceased loved one as though they are still there, assuring them that you're doing okay and they don't need to worry about you, is a completely normal and healthy way to grieve. There is nothing wrong with those lyrics or what they imply. Telling your mother about your amazing boyfriend and how much you love your job is a beautiful and heartwarming thing to do on the tenth anniversary of her death. But the rest of the Instagram feed so far has been so performative, so focused on making her life look perfect, that it's unclear whether she's doing this to genuinely remember her mother, or if she's trying to use her grief to farm clout and sympathy. Maybe she's doing both. That's the problem. Genuine emotional catharsis and connection happens on the internet. Real meaningful relationships, expressions of emotion, works of art, and genuine connection occurs on social media all the time. Fake, performative bullshit for the sake of getting attention also happens on the internet all the time. Sometimes both of those things happen at the same time. Being constantly online, being permanently in these spaces that encourage you to turn every single aspect of your life into a performance breaks down the borders between what you're doing for the sake of an audience vs. what you're doing for yourself personally. The fact that this debate happens, the fact that people are so divided on whether she's doing it for clout or whether it's genuine mourning, is the true, deeply unsettling thing that sticks with me from this song. Something as deeply personal and intimate as remembering your mother's death, and we can't tell whether it's real or fake. It's entirely possible the author of the post doesn't know if it's real or fake. Social media has made it so that what's a performance and what's your personal life have become so blurred that they're indistinguishable. Everything genuine is a performance, and everything you perform is deeply personal. We will never know if that girl was genuinely grieving her mother, or if she was just trying to get attention and sympathy points, and that is utterly horrifying to me.
As an awkward laugher...it's a coping mechanism. Something that is too serious is uncomfortable. And many people, like me, use laughter as a way to break up that uncomfortable feeling. For example, I laughed/giggled through my entire wedding ceremony. I couldn't help it. It's how I process super serious situations/nerves. The Cognitive Dissonance between the super happy/funny parts right before and right after create this awkwardness when he gets serious. You know it's supposed to be a funny song but all the sudden there's this super serious part and you aren't sure how to react. It activates your fight or flight response and everybody deals with that awkward situation response differently.
The brilliant part is the 1k by 1k square for IG. Then talking about RL on the bridge it slowly expands back to full screen. Then snap back to the IG square for the chorus. Brilliant.
8:15 it's a LITERAL "pulling back the curtain" the whole video is shot in a square ratio- IG posts are 1080px by 1080px, that's why whenever he's singing about the silly weird pictures it's done in the 1:1 ratio. then, when she posts something serious and reveals something about herself that's true and real and emotional and not curated like the rest of the pictures on her social media, it widens up to outside of the realm of an instagram post. you're supposed to connect with the person there. you're supposed to be reminded that behind all the quirky silly obviously set up pictures, there's a real person with feelings and imperfections behind the account.
Ok. I've thought about this, and I can only tell you what I think about the serious bit, tho I'm a strange one. The experience of losing parents isn't unique, it doesn't make a person special. It's as formulaic and predictable as anything else on your instagram, you're an NPC (sorry for being blunt). Break the ape brain programming, or at least recognise it in yourself, there is a small piece of enlightenment here. It's humbling, a teaching moment for you to step out of yourself. It isn't an attack on your artistic hobbies, it's just a splash of cold water so to speak.
Widening: "there's a lot more to people than what they put on Instagram" Tightening: "but it's still all going on Instagram" The woman in that hypothetical is addressing her dead mom via social media. It's for clicks. It's for herself. It's for others. It's all of that. It's as valid, or as vapid, as any of the pics he's lampooning.
I guess I'm pretty late to this, but did you pick up the earlier setup with the 27 birthday balloons in the video prior to the bridge? Meaning this character of "white woman" would've been about 17 when her mom passed, with the "it's been a decade" part, and then at the end with the "give a hug and kiss to dad" part, meaning both her parents would be gone... Heavy stuff! But Bo also set up a wedding later, with the ring you guys noticed, and the bells in the song. Pretty good story telling throughout the song!
The widening is when they are breaking the "character" and it's not what they show on Instagram. It's only when they start talking about things happening to them rather than how they feel.
8:30 How can anyone thing the first? That's dumb. It's Bo's way of saying don't be an asshole when criticising people, remember they're real people. The widening frame broadens the song out of narrow-minded criticism of aesthetics and slaps you in the face with the real humanity behind the person posting these things, reminding the listener not to be cruel in their criticism and remember this is kind-hearted satire, then we go back to the narrow frame of shallow satire. It's like a roast where comedians take a break and give a sincere compliment to the roastee.
Going from the resolution of a phone camera and panning out definitely symbolizes moving away from the stereotypical basic white girl instagram profile, as Bo shares something more personal and personable, then as the resolution narrows to the instagram/phone mode, back to the Instagram superficial posts again. As you guys put it, very "Bo Burnham" like to do, adding something serious into a silly song, and the video effect ontop is just a stroke of genius on his part :)
A lot of people (me) like to criticize instagram photos for being formulaic/cliche, but I wonder how many people got genuinely interested in photography because they had something they could emulate. Nobody gives musicians shit for playing covers to learn.
Oh there are tons of people reacting to Bo Burnham and not paying any attention at all to the lyrics. They're just "oh I heard he's a comedy guy" then proceed to chuckle through the whole song. It's obvious they're not interesting in providing a genuine "reaction" to the content, rather than just something to serve as easy click views. I've seen "reactors" laughing at the breakdown section of "All Eyes on Me", like, are you serious?.....
I also think switching from the serious subject back to the funny song is because it's like scrolling through an IG feed, you have all these silly pictures, then a serious post, then back to the silliness.
Like most of the people here, I want to share my interpretation of the intermission. I do believe that it isn't just one side or the other, I think it's both. I'll try to explain myself. Bo it's showing how a "tipical white woman's" instagram looks, and that too means that you'll always find an emotional or deep instagram post showing how they really are, so there I agree that he's showing that real people is behind all the other posts. But, like in the song, it ends up getting lost in the others publications, transforming itself in one post more of a typical instagram user. So, for me, he's talking about how we are real people who shares to much to unknow people just to find ourselves accepted, or maybe, we are real people getting real in instagram because nowadays only online life seems the real one. Hopefully I wrote everything fine, this isn't my first language 👀
Even if the pictures are samey, I think there's something to be said about execution. It's like paint-by-numbers. You're using a template, but you're still putting in the work. Like, I tried to take a dumb instagram picture as a joke but it didn't turn out that well because I haven't honed the craft.
I'm in the camp that the grieving part of this song is showing that the perception of these shallow "white women instagrams" contain the deepness that exists in us all.
The frame starts shrinking along time before the salad. It starts shrinking when they trun their dead mom into something performitive by using it as a chance to brag. Your take isn't untrue. It widen up because they are having a human moment...... but halfwY though it 100% starts to close because it becomes performitive... it's for an audience at that point
I don't think Bo is really mocking these kinds of instagram posts. I think we're mocking them ourselves through the medium of Bo's sketch, and he's simply pointing out that behind the facade of what we mock as cringe or basic or "normie shit" are real people that filter their curated side - and how easy it is to dehumanize people in that kind of space.
“A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”-Martin Luther King Jr.
Correct
Small correction: MLK was recast in the final release of the film
I always imagined it was:
“Fly, you fools!”
-MLK
Not all who wander are lost. - Martin Luther King Jr.
"Hey MLK does the barrel of this gun smell funny to you" - FBI
I see it as: before the camera starts widening all you can see is the white wall and the perfectly symmetrical lights. The shot looks very clean and organized. Then once the camera starts widening you can start to see some of the mess in the room and it reminds you that even though someone’s life may look perfect on social media, there are lots of messy parts that they don’t show you.
That’s a really great take away. When I watched it I saw it as like, the screen is in the shape of a square (Instagram post) while the song is funny , but when he gets to the really important part about her parents having passed away, the aspect ratio opens and leaves him in a wide shot, making him look more vulnerable. Then it closes again and the song goes back to being funny- it’s a really effective use of editing to hammer home that distinction between what people post and what they are actually going through
@@KidDreamingBig 100% this except, rather than just going from funny to serious to funny, I see it as going from performative to authentic back to performative.
@@damiencletheroe4603 It goes to show that when you're living your life with an audience, everything is some mix of performative and authentic that's very hard to differentiate. It's a concept that Bo comes back to multiple times in every special.
my favorite details is that as she opens up to her mom, the frame is widening, but then part way through the caption, it transitions into 'look at how great I'm doing my life is so awesome', and right as he does that, the frame starts reverting back, which is doubling up the meaning: the first part opens up and makes you realize there's more to her than the shallow cheap cliche'd instagram posts, which is really important, but even something like grieving your dead mother can (often unintentionally) still be twisted by social media to be presented as 'perfectly' as possible.
There's still much, much more than just the shallow instagram photos, but it can also be difficult to truly see or connect with that for more than a tiny glimpse because social media pressures us to be perfect and awesome and 'on' all the time.
I agree with this and it's a visual representation of what she's doing - she gets very candid and real about her grief but then reels it back in and switches back to talking about herself.
If you look at the details in this song you can interpret even more about the character Bo Burnham is trying to paint. Like the "27" baloons - is that her age? Cause in that case she lost her mom and possibly her dad at the age of 17 ("it's been a decade since you've been gone), which makes it even more heartbreaking. I don't think Bo is throwing any shade at all, and I only think the song appears mockiingly on the surface. I actually think it's just a vessel for him to talk about how we live our lives always performing, and it's easy to box people in, but just as in real life there's often more to people than we first assume.
Or early on there’s the couple holding hands line, then she tells her mom about moving in with her boyfriend, then there’s the ring on her finger so they got engaged
This is the most insightful comment I've seen about this song so far. I didn't even think about the fact that being 27 puts this "character" at 17 when her mother passed away. Great insight.
Great input, would never have thought of this myself. Thank you for being smart🤓
Agreed. Love your take. When you say the stuff about performing it harkens me back to when bo said "If you can live your life without an audience, you should do it" whether it's good for us or not we still need to be aware of it. that burns even deeper (for me personally) with Inside. Thank you for your comment!❤
I take the position that he uses the bars retreating to show the girl is just being real when she tries to communicates what she is going through. My mother passed when I was 14 and this is all too relatable, the difficulty of trying to just be real about one's circumstances without it looking like a call for pity and attention.
The interesting thing is that while these kind of photos are mocked or regarded as cringey, they’re also really artistic and take work, which bo burnham also shows.
That's true. They're cool photos but as you said they are very cringe if they are taken so seriously
Honestly i think it's more so a cliché than cringe necessarily, it's just everyone's doing it, it kinda loses it's artistry and just becomes insincere.
@@omega1231 That's totally fair, like it doesn't take a bunch of creativity if you're copying. I still feel like even if you're not creative with these photos though, they take a good amount of work to stage and some photography/editing skills.
I agree. I also think they are harmless, which is probably why this is one of Bo's gentlest songs. He is poking fun, but it's so ambiguous what he is poking fun at. Inpersonal curated social media fronts? People who don't let women just enjoy things? Both? I am guessing he spent the most time on this song - you're right, all of those shots would take a lot of work.
@@omega1231 Sounds logic to me. Seems like everyone wants to show of their individuality and their feelings to everyone. Which in the end, like you said, makes everyone seem insincere because everyone is generally doing the same thing.
I think he’s celebrating that moment of authenticity.
So much of Instagram is so heavily curated that it can come off as merely branding, rather than a view of a person’s real life.
However, every once in a while, something truly genuine gets posted and breaks out of the 1:1 aspect ratio.
It’s a good reminder to keep things genuine.
I think this is about right, but not quite. To me, the "genuine" moment is still meant to sound curated and unoriginal. I think we are meant to see that "curated and unoriginal" doesn't mean that it isn't genuine. This white woman has been through some serious shit, but even that serious shit seems a little attention grabby and melodramatic if you're putting it in the context of the rest of her feed. Sure, Bo wants us to see this is a real person, but being a real person doesn't mean being original. We can make fun of Instagram profiles being so similar, but we are gonna have to stop acting like that is some way different from real life. Everyone is contrived and unoriginal, but that doesn't mean they are faking it. Our emotions aren't original or unique, but that doesn't take away from them. That's what I got out of it.
@@AmbushTricks yeah I agree here. Yes its a moment of genuine emotion, but she still put it on Instagram to broadcast to the world at the end of the day. It's a comment on that I feel.
@@AmbushTricks Before and after the widening, the aspect ratio is 1:1, the same as is used for instagram portrait pictures. The aspect ratio widens to full 16:9 when the character is talking about losing her parents and what is going on in her life, the aspect ratio of widescreen television and film and the rest of Inside, which is presented as an unfiltered and truthful look into Bo's life. I wouldn't make sense to have it mean something different just for this specific instance in Inside.
I like how you mention branding as that was the bit right before this and authenticity as the bit after is Bo reviewing the video with the white board up front.
I think you opted to come up with that explanation purely to try to be different.
;)
I cant possibly imagine no burnham using his music to shame a young woman who lost both of her parents as a teenager for the way she chooses to grieve online. Your lady said it perfect “the more to you than what we see in this little box”
Personally, I think with the serious intermission, he's trying to tell everyone, that people are never just what's on their instagram. I think this is empathized by the widening shot, as if they're "pulling back the curtains" and allowing us a peek into their life
yes, i agree completely.
So apparently there are a lot of women hating this song and being offended that he is mocking women or saying that he's making a valid point (ie. the real person behind the instagram feed) but that a man shouldn't be making that point. IDK, I think it's a wonderful song, funny and gut punching at the same time.
I'm not a woman, so it's not my place to decide whether this is offensive or not, but I've never been offended by a female comedian making fun of men for something so trivial such as leaving dishes on the counter or posting certain types of content on whatever platform.
He's not sexualizing anything, he's not making anything political, he's not really attacking anyone, he's just saying that white women, in his experience, often post content like this. It's definitely meant to be lighthearted, and we could even look at it through a different lens and say he's commenting on the fact that we're all pressured to follow trends on social media, to play the game they want us to play, in order to get impressions and be able to show the world our authentic self once in a while.
People just find a reason to be offended with anything and everything. If that's what they're looking for, they should go listen to "Problematic".
Oh waaah waaah men aren't allowed to say anything anymore are they 😂 how dare we joke about the opposite gender
I think he was very gentle in this song. I don't see how anyone could genuinely be offended by it.
I dont think his intention is to mock women. What I got from the song is that the culture of Instagram Is very toxic and leads to people posting a false version of their lives and being very unhappy. Which in my opinion is a very fair take for him to make. White Women on Instagram was the best target since everyone knows exactly what the stereotypes are so he doesn't have to over explain anything.
I'm a woman and I don't feel that it is mocking or offensive toward women. I feel like the song is showing the toxic nature of social media and how it puts pressure on people to present a perfect version of their lives. And like all aspects of life, that pressure is placed on women much harder than it is men.
When Bo says "Three little words" the words that comes to my mind that he's talking about is "Live. Laugh. Love.". LOL
no, pay attention to the song, it's a wedding and the words are "yes I do" followed by a couple of doves and a ring on her finger from the person that she loves
@@DamianS78 Ah, that makes since. I imagined, "I love you"
I figured if we're putting it with "a ring on her finger from the person that she loves"; that makes me think "engagement ring" and "the three little words" that one would post with that photo on IG are "I said yes!"
@@pookeywan I never considered that all of those were meant to be from the same instagram post. I interpreted it like the rest of the song where he names different individual things that were posted. That's interesting.
I thought he meant “I love you” haha
Am I the only one who gets major chills when Bo does the part of the song about the woman talking to her deceased mother? The voice and video editing is just incredible
i love how at 7:36 you can see her getting hit in the feels because it's her first experience while Brad just smiles and appreciates the creative genius behind the whole performance
i definitely think people find Bo to be a lot more mean spirited than he is, he’s always shown that he’s incredibly empathetic behind the bravado of a sardonic comedian
I agree with you that in the serious section he’s pointing out that behind that well-curated Instagram persona is a real person with real struggles. She’s 27 and lost her mom a decade ago (at 17), and her dad is also gone, as evidenced by her telling her deceased mom to “give a hug and kiss to dad.” I lost my parents before I met my spouse, and there’s always a little sadness that they couldn’t know one another, and definitely weren’t there to witness any of my successes in life that they contributed to and would have celebrated. Bo himself has a long-term partner with an Instagram whose father passed in 2009, 4 years before they started dating. She also has a substantial career of her own, having written, directed, and/or produced several well-known movies (and put out an album of original songs). The entire special is dedicated to her. So, maybe he’s engaged in a gentle ribbing of her Instagram persona while acknowledging that there’s a complex person behind it.
The way I've always taken it is close to what everyone else has been saying, but I feel like a lot of people gloss over something.
Yes, the middle section is reminding us that these are real people, and that they might be using social media to cope, and we shouldn't admonish them for that. But also, the song is definitely making fun of these "basic" or "derivative" posts. It's just that they hit differently after you are gut punched by the middle section.
At the beginning of the song, I was looking down on the people who post things like that, but by the end I realized the song was making an effort to tell me it was poking fun at the posts, and not the person making them. Because truthfully, the posts are silly, and a little dumb, and it's okay to recognize that, as long as you don't extend that judgment to the person.
There's a thematic through-line that extends to Problematic too, urging people to be able to separate content from creator, to a certain degree.
Anyway, just my two cents.
yes yes yes! i love the way you worded this, making light of the posts, not the person!
@@thatonepunkguy Though someone isn't going to take lightly to anyone insulting their hard work on things that they enjoy, so you should just leave them alone and not insult the things random people on the internet enjoy. As Bo Burnham himself said, everything all the time is happening on the internet, so do something else instead of possibly making a person's day worse.
She really needs to watch the whole special. I've been trying to get everyone to watch it, just because it is so freaking creative. One of the best pieces of media (art) that I have seen in forever
He lures you in with comedy and punches you right in the gut wtf 😭
I don't get how anybody can see this song as an attack on people. If anything, Bo setting up all these shots and going through all these experiences feels more like sympathizing with these people and showing his understanding.
I'm with the second half. The aspect ratio widens when the woman shows the part of her that exists outside of Instagram. The brief glimpse at the real person. Then it goes back to the IG feed aspect ratio when he goes back into the contrived internet version of her.
yooooo this song is on my list to check out!!!!! so I gotta come back here after I hear the song on my own!!!
Recommend to watch the whole movie! It's a masterpiece and I'm sure you won't regret it
Just watched your all eyes on me reaction. I think you should do “can’t handle this” next. It has a lot of voice altering and auto tune which seems to be right up your alley. Looking forward to your videos!
Given how compassionate Bo seems to be, I doubt very much that the bridge is supposed to be an attack on the way some people grieve. It's very much his way of showing that behind all the cliché nonsense (okay, maybe "nonsense" is a bit strong, but you know what I mean), there's a real person dealing with real, human problems. It's his way of saying, "Yeah, I'm calling you out 'cause you're being kinda silly, but I also see you as more than this."
I saw one guy get to the widening frame part and just go; "yeah, that's literally the whole caption..." Like WTF! You weren't even paying attention to this were you? I love reactions like yours cause you actually get it. Thanks, guys 😊
100% agree with brad on his analysis on the mom part. also for some reason i cant watch that part without tearing up a bit lol. Her reaction is great would love to see her do more stuff from Inside on here!!!
Emily is never going to be able to take a selfie by the window again without Brad singing "goat cheese salaaad" at her.
I'd recommend checking out "One Like Equals" by the rapper Token, it's got a very similar theme to this.
I feel like you are the best reviewers of Inside so far on youtube. You're both very perceptive and intelligent and I appreciate your interpretations. So many other review channels completely miss the mark but i really enjoy your videos. Keep it up!
My input: The entire music video is shot on the aspect ratio of a smartphone. All of the different poses, gimmicks and staged photos are just that - staged, fake and for the digital world. The only time throughout the whole music video that he's honest, real and authentic - the aspect ratio opens up and we see the real person and how they feel. Within seconds, he's back to having a boyfriend, apartment and job (the things we're judged by on social media) so the aspect ratio immediately returns to phone level. It's all about the front people put up online when all they want to do is express themselves, grieve or whatever they REALLY need to feel better. My two cents. Love the reaction!
I really like Bo’s comedy; it embodies the happy and tragic mask faces you see in classic dramas that’s suppose to represent comedy. Art giving a short burst of happiness but also reflecting the current events.
Okay but the harmonies go hard af
The whole behavior of awkwardly laughing over Bo getting serious is exactly what he calls out in Can't Handle This:
Look at them, they're just staring at me
Like come and watch the skinny kid
With a steadily declining mental health
And laugh as he attempts to give you what he cannot give himself
...
You can tell them anything if
You just make it funny
Make it rhyme
And if they still don't understand you
Then you
Run it one more time
"There is only one way to properly eat a brace of coneys. What we need are some taters" - Martin Luther King JR
The lyric is “is this heaven?” She created a way to to stay in contact with the memory of lost loved ones.... or is it just Instagram?
I feel this.
i hadn't even considered the other perspective until you guys brought it up! :O i always just assumed what he meant to say was that there's a person behind every account, someone who genuinely likes all those little silly (but lovely) things that ppl post on instagram. love the song and love your videow
Considering how Bo has songs about how both sides of his brain works and esposing how he sees and feels about the audiance he performs for, I dont think he'd be the one accusing anyone over oversharing. I dont think I've ever seen any performer overshare but play it off with comedy more than him.
My interpretation is that it's a genuine reflection of their emotions.
However, people have gotten so used to communicating through social media, that for many, it's the only way they can truly communicate their feelings to other humans.
In interviews, Bo has talked about some of his favorite videos on TH-cam are where people share their real lives and show their genuine selves and give a glimpse into their lives. I would imagine the latter interpretation would be the most reasonable in light of that.
I think what he’s trying to say with the juxtaposition of the memorial to her mother with the goat cheese salad is maybe we should all let her have her goat cheese salad
"You should be worried about something... worried about what?" Everything. Absolutely everything.
One might even say “A little bit of everything, all of the time.”
Also, you should check out the Council of Ians on facebook
The widening of the camera shot is showing "the bigger picture" by literally showing the picture in the camera shot bigger, if that makes sense. It's a metaphorical use of the camera and framing.
I agree it is more of the second part. I appreciate the song because it does show that there's more to people than just what is seen on social media or even in person. Honestly just look at my profile picture here. There is a big personal story behind it that no one would guess. I have it as a reminder and inspiration. Every time I see it I am encouraged to speak my truth no matter how hard someone tries to silence me.
I think the widening represents authenticity breaking through, when he’s describing grief it widens, as soon as he starts talking about the job and the new apartment it becomes performative again and the frame returns to an Instagram square
Your guys voices compliment each other so well. Congratulations on your engagement!!
I think it's also a commentary on how social media has taken over everything. We can't do anything without sharing it. Even something as personal as grieving for someone. &/or he's commenting on how everything on social media is filtered & unreal. I think the aspect ratio change is showing the transition from the polished instagram life to the realism of loss, and then back to the fluff.
It's weird to me that there are people who think this song is about oversharing on the internet. The fictional young woman basically said: 'My mom is dead (& my dad too) and I'm still sad about it'. Like, how is that oversharing? It's just sharing. Are you not allowed to have feelings online? You're shallow if you only post happy stuff, but you're an attention-seeker if you share some real feelings, apparently. Okay. I don't believe for a second that THAT is Bo Burnham's message. Thankfully, you guys don't either.
I really don't see how people can interpret this as mocking and being about oversharing. I think it's gently making fun of these cliché things, but it's really just about how were all just people living our lives, doing things we like to maybe cope and distract or maybe just because we like doing them. And maybe some of them are a little cringy and overused, but ultimately harmless and well-meaning. And honestly, if you don't like it, keep it moving, it's not for you in that case.
Bo Burnham is extremely smart and talented, but he has expressed that the only thing he knows about to an expert level is performing. Once you start viewing all of his songs through the lens of 'what does this say about performance', the meanings become a little clearer. For example, the frame shows instances of white women 'performing' on Instagram. When the frame widens, he is showing that this is a moment when they are allowing the performance to melt away and they are no longer performing. The key detail is, the frame doesn't instantly cut back to a square when he starts 'Goat cheese salad'. The frame starts closing back in when he sings 'Mama I got a job I love and my own apartment...' because she is starting to perform for her instagram audience again.
Another aspect of this song that relates to performance is performative activism and also the use of cultural appropriation. There is an important reason that the woman he is roasting is white. The dreamcatcher, Buddha, the feathers in his hair, the writing on his face, Martin Luther King and I'm sure im forgetting more, are examples of white women using other cultures on Instagram, either as a 'quirky' costume or decor, or to look like a progressive activist in a performative way without actually having to be an actual activist. I feel like Bo is making a subtle comment that white women get to check out of their activism whenever they put their phones down, but women from the global majority don't have that opportunity so they shouldn't be disrespected by white women via cultural appropriation.
When you start relating Bo Burnham's work to the nature of 'performance', they gain such a depth where so much randomness seemed to be.
If you haven't done so do welcome to the internet That's another great one to react to
Great to see you again, Em! Always fun to watch Bo!
i believe that the middle portion of the song is about how some post on Instagram are genuine emotion that people are opening up and being vulnerable, which is illustrated by the frame opening up to convey them opening up about themselves, however when she begins to brag about her successes in life like the job and appartment, the frame begins to shrink because she begins to close up again and thus begins to make it about herself and not about how she feels about missing her mother.
i think it actually goes beyond instagram
it talks about an actual human psychology and how they may be really sad inside
this is a masterpiece
You and your fiancé are lovely, I think that the framed shots are to mimic instagrams 1080pixel framing maybe
The widening is her opening up and being more than just the Instagram model. And when it shrinks it’s her closing that deeper part of her up.
This song is amazing. It definitely can be seen deeper and deeper. I’ve always taken the more than on social media take since my first watch I don’t feel like he’d critique a way of grieving.
The middle of the clip, where he pans back and the framing shifts from the Instagram format where the subject starts talking about her loss is humanizing her, it's part satire, but it is also rather poignant in that there is a real person there behind the Instagram projection. And it has a happy ending, with wedding bells, "a ring on her finger from the person that she loves." As with the rest of the program, it is a brilliant piece of art.
I was probably one of the people in your other video who was arguing about the middle section. I’m glad y’all agree with me. Lol.
When I see you two together it melts my heart. I love your reactions. Almira 4th Impact did a new cover of "You light up my life" but we don't have permission to release it. I hope she does soon. Keep up doing your great work both reacting and singing. By the way, Emily is the wind beneath your wings.
Your interpretations are great! I love Bo and how multifaceted (or multi-layered) he writes and produces; it seams the songs, and especially performances, always have more to offer, they never get old.
I am likely totally misinformed, and rather than digging deeper and investigating, I'm just going to give a part of my interpretation of his performances in general: while he puts on a 'character' I think it quite likely a lot of his true self shines through his work.
Like, I have the impression that he's estranged from his parents (?) (Specifically his father, and for the record, no, I'm not sure of this... but, if so, ) you can also read a lot of 'gems' of messages or 'conversations' he has with him/them in many of his songs/performances/ albums...
Anyway, not the best organized comment, but just a thought.
The screen expands because he is literally giving us "the bigger picture".
I interpreted that all the common posts you see on Instagram of people that are trying to be artistic even tho it’s unoriginal however when the 27 year old girl opens up about her mom and practically spits her emotions out on a Instagram post the shot widens which indicates to me that is the real unique art everyone is so desperately trying to forcefully force out with every post actually lies within your individual life and experiences which seems to be overlooked by the user/owner of the Instagram account. Anyways hit either way!! Your life is beautiful! :)
The image expands as it shows the person behind the posts, her life and pain. It's literally broadening the view from little perfect insta-posts to the whole imperfect story, and then back to the narrow window of social media. The story that is...and then the story we tell. He's telling us to remember there are real people behind these selected images they choose to share. People who struggle and suffer. That's my take, anyway :)
The image expands as soon as she starts to open up in a real life way about losing her mom. Then it starts to close again when she starts making it about herself. "Momma I got a job, my own apartment, a boyfriend" etc. She takes a real moment that sounds genuine and we zoom out. Then she starts to make it about herself and we zoom in again.
You're take is almost definitely correct. Half the people that Brad mentioned that think in that part that Bo is criticizing people who overshare are just wrong, based simply on the fact that the shot is expanding for that bit.
Definitely a commentary but not a judgment. Yes, there can be a lot that is edited and performative about Instagram. But there are also random raw expressions of emotion that come through on occasion. I agree that there isn't a wrong way to grieve. As long as you are being sensitive to the people most directly impacted.
Love this perspective!
Lol when she busted out the mirror pose...legit
Answer me this “give a hug and kiss to dad”, does that mean they’ve both passed or that they’re still alive?
All interpretations I had heard before I saw this video were that the mom is still alive and it’s a twisting of words for attention
@@SirBiscuitOfSwanly thank you a ton of people don’t seem to get it so thanks👍
Not even past the Intro and I subbed-
Amazing voices!
I'm an Atlanta Falcons fan so the Julio shirt stung a little bit 😅
That double look at the camera just after holding each other's hands was just perfection.
I reckon you should check out the video "Bo Burnham - Inside: In Context" given how many interviews they used to analyse Inside. He reckons that 'social media' is now the real world, and it's one big performance. It really shows the nuance of something like this, as well as the rest of the special. I really doubt he's criticising how people grieve, but I think he is showing it as both part of the performance AND valid.
Subbed for the singing at the start
definitely in the latter camp. To me, removing the aspect ratio black bars is moving beyond the version of themselves that they present online and gets to the human behind the posts. It may still be a post, it may still be curated to strike an intentional reaction, but theres still a bunch more depth there and a reminder that they are still human
100% in the serious part it leaves the aspect ratio of like an Instagram and comes back to reality, but then it goes back to it after it is over. People have real lives behind all these photos and you can't judge and lump all these into one category based on social media posts.
This is the first time ever watching ur videos and that little clip at the beginning… holy shit dude amazing harmonies I love it
i love the last verse. the lines about her marriage after the post where she tells her mom about that boyfriend, it shows her real life again but still through the lens of instagram. i love it so much
I always interpreted it as the song starts to take its serious turn, the frame widens from the vertical phone/social media format, you see its a real person with real struggles and pain behind the perfectly manicured pictures, their life and room is messy outside of that formatted frame, and as soon as the frame zooms back in we are back talking about the silly manicured photo's that generate likes on every woman's instagram.
More harmonious singing needed. Please!
The entire video was incredible - insightful, vulnerable, truthful, legitimate…. so the fact that you two singing together so beautifully at the beginning still comes to the forefront of my mind must mean something.
Right?
The show and song is about performance. The narrow frame is instagram, the way you present yourself. The part where the frame widens is the real world, letting the artifice fall away and speaking honestly for a moment, your true self and your true feelings, before you immediatly go back to performing. Its not a mockery of the grief or saying you shouldnt grieve like that. Its to show that even within performance, you can find truth and honesty and vulnerability, as you can in all art, including his specials.
8:45 I'm definitely on the "real people" camp. I've never met Bo Burnham. I know nothing he's not shown me on purpose. However, I agree with her: he doesn't seem the sort to tell someone how to grieve.
The filmic language from the widening of the frame dictates a better view of someone's environment. We get to see how much is just off frame, their real-life they try to hide from their audience.
I hope the rest of your videos are as engaging for I have just become a new subscriber.
8:35 What? People overshare on social media? No way...[she says, voice dripping with sarcasm]...😂😂😂
12:00 Speaking of anxiety, Emily, you gotta stop biting those nails. 😂😉
13:05 If they are posting content because it brings them joy, then why worry about what others have to say about it. Actually, why DO people give a f*ck what other people think about them. Their opinion of you is none of your business...that's their problem, not yours.
Hey can you react to Phineas and Ferb songs "Summer belongs to you!", "Hey Ferb", and "Rollercoaster"?
Absolutely not about over sharing. You two are exactly right, I think, the frame expands when the character talks about her mum because that’s the one time that she’s being authentic.
Yall are reading too much into it, he's incredibly intelligent but he knows that some of his fans aren't very deep.
Because of this he literally zooms out for "the bigger picture".
Also, it goes hand in hand with "welcome to the internet" where he says "your inside is out" referencing peoples tendency to overshare.
A big part of it when it widens and narrows is to show how even something genuine. Like. Grieving your dead mother. Can still be performative. The moment she stops talking about her dead mom and starts gloating about how amazing she and her life are. It narrows. It's hijacking a real human connection, to be performative so you hit "Like"
So what's TRULY genius about this song is that both sides of that discussion are correct:
The whole special is about social media and the way that the digital age has changed the ways we communicate and view ourselves, and how existentially horrifying that can be. Notice that the frame starts widening slowly as she opens up about how much she misses her mother and how difficult it's been without her. As many people have pointed out, the wider frame reveals mess and clutter that were carefully cropped out of view before, communicating that the instagram feed we've been seeing up until now is very performative, and this is a glimpse into the real, messy, complicated life that has been hidden until now. Then, the frame reaches the edge and *instantly* reverses direction, closing back in to the 1:1 instagram ratio, and that specifically happens the second the lyrics shift from 'I miss you' to 'I'm doing really well'.
Talking to a deceased loved one as though they are still there, assuring them that you're doing okay and they don't need to worry about you, is a completely normal and healthy way to grieve. There is nothing wrong with those lyrics or what they imply. Telling your mother about your amazing boyfriend and how much you love your job is a beautiful and heartwarming thing to do on the tenth anniversary of her death.
But the rest of the Instagram feed so far has been so performative, so focused on making her life look perfect, that it's unclear whether she's doing this to genuinely remember her mother, or if she's trying to use her grief to farm clout and sympathy. Maybe she's doing both. That's the problem.
Genuine emotional catharsis and connection happens on the internet. Real meaningful relationships, expressions of emotion, works of art, and genuine connection occurs on social media all the time. Fake, performative bullshit for the sake of getting attention also happens on the internet all the time. Sometimes both of those things happen at the same time. Being constantly online, being permanently in these spaces that encourage you to turn every single aspect of your life into a performance breaks down the borders between what you're doing for the sake of an audience vs. what you're doing for yourself personally.
The fact that this debate happens, the fact that people are so divided on whether she's doing it for clout or whether it's genuine mourning, is the true, deeply unsettling thing that sticks with me from this song. Something as deeply personal and intimate as remembering your mother's death, and we can't tell whether it's real or fake. It's entirely possible the author of the post doesn't know if it's real or fake. Social media has made it so that what's a performance and what's your personal life have become so blurred that they're indistinguishable. Everything genuine is a performance, and everything you perform is deeply personal.
We will never know if that girl was genuinely grieving her mother, or if she was just trying to get attention and sympathy points, and that is utterly horrifying to me.
As an awkward laugher...it's a coping mechanism. Something that is too serious is uncomfortable. And many people, like me, use laughter as a way to break up that uncomfortable feeling. For example, I laughed/giggled through my entire wedding ceremony. I couldn't help it. It's how I process super serious situations/nerves.
The Cognitive Dissonance between the super happy/funny parts right before and right after create this awkwardness when he gets serious. You know it's supposed to be a funny song but all the sudden there's this super serious part and you aren't sure how to react. It activates your fight or flight response and everybody deals with that awkward situation response differently.
The brilliant part is the 1k by 1k square for IG. Then talking about RL on the bridge it slowly expands back to full screen. Then snap back to the IG square for the chorus.
Brilliant.
8:15 it's a LITERAL "pulling back the curtain"
the whole video is shot in a square ratio- IG posts are 1080px by 1080px, that's why whenever he's singing about the silly weird pictures it's done in the 1:1 ratio. then, when she posts something serious and reveals something about herself that's true and real and emotional and not curated like the rest of the pictures on her social media, it widens up to outside of the realm of an instagram post. you're supposed to connect with the person there. you're supposed to be reminded that behind all the quirky silly obviously set up pictures, there's a real person with feelings and imperfections behind the account.
"I think";
"I see like that:";
"Actually he means".
For all this coments and anything like those.
U're wrong.
Ok. I've thought about this, and I can only tell you what I think about the serious bit, tho I'm a strange one. The experience of losing parents isn't unique, it doesn't make a person special. It's as formulaic and predictable as anything else on your instagram, you're an NPC (sorry for being blunt). Break the ape brain programming, or at least recognise it in yourself, there is a small piece of enlightenment here.
It's humbling, a teaching moment for you to step out of yourself. It isn't an attack on your artistic hobbies, it's just a splash of cold water so to speak.
Widening: "there's a lot more to people than what they put on Instagram"
Tightening: "but it's still all going on Instagram"
The woman in that hypothetical is addressing her dead mom via social media. It's for clicks. It's for herself. It's for others. It's all of that. It's as valid, or as vapid, as any of the pics he's lampooning.
I guess I'm pretty late to this, but did you pick up the earlier setup with the 27 birthday balloons in the video prior to the bridge? Meaning this character of "white woman" would've been about 17 when her mom passed, with the "it's been a decade" part, and then at the end with the "give a hug and kiss to dad" part, meaning both her parents would be gone... Heavy stuff! But Bo also set up a wedding later, with the ring you guys noticed, and the bells in the song.
Pretty good story telling throughout the song!
When the picture widens, you can see all the junk and stuff on the sides of the screen that were hidden when it was a square.
The widening is when they are breaking the "character" and it's not what they show on Instagram. It's only when they start talking about things happening to them rather than how they feel.
8:30 How can anyone thing the first? That's dumb. It's Bo's way of saying don't be an asshole when criticising people, remember they're real people. The widening frame broadens the song out of narrow-minded criticism of aesthetics and slaps you in the face with the real humanity behind the person posting these things, reminding the listener not to be cruel in their criticism and remember this is kind-hearted satire, then we go back to the narrow frame of shallow satire. It's like a roast where comedians take a break and give a sincere compliment to the roastee.
Going from the resolution of a phone camera and panning out definitely symbolizes moving away from the stereotypical basic white girl instagram profile, as Bo shares something more personal and personable, then as the resolution narrows to the instagram/phone mode, back to the Instagram superficial posts again. As you guys put it, very "Bo Burnham" like to do, adding something serious into a silly song, and the video effect ontop is just a stroke of genius on his part :)
A lot of people (me) like to criticize instagram photos for being formulaic/cliche, but I wonder how many people got genuinely interested in photography because they had something they could emulate. Nobody gives musicians shit for playing covers to learn.
Oh there are tons of people reacting to Bo Burnham and not paying any attention at all to the lyrics. They're just "oh I heard he's a comedy guy" then proceed to chuckle through the whole song. It's obvious they're not interesting in providing a genuine "reaction" to the content, rather than just something to serve as easy click views.
I've seen "reactors" laughing at the breakdown section of "All Eyes on Me", like, are you serious?.....
I also think switching from the serious subject back to the funny song is because it's like scrolling through an IG feed, you have all these silly pictures, then a serious post, then back to the silliness.
Like most of the people here, I want to share my interpretation of the intermission. I do believe that it isn't just one side or the other, I think it's both. I'll try to explain myself.
Bo it's showing how a "tipical white woman's" instagram looks, and that too means that you'll always find an emotional or deep instagram post showing how they really are, so there I agree that he's showing that real people is behind all the other posts. But, like in the song, it ends up getting lost in the others publications, transforming itself in one post more of a typical instagram user.
So, for me, he's talking about how we are real people who shares to much to unknow people just to find ourselves accepted, or maybe, we are real people getting real in instagram because nowadays only online life seems the real one.
Hopefully I wrote everything fine, this isn't my first language 👀
Even if the pictures are samey, I think there's something to be said about execution. It's like paint-by-numbers. You're using a template, but you're still putting in the work. Like, I tried to take a dumb instagram picture as a joke but it didn't turn out that well because I haven't honed the craft.
I'm in the camp that the grieving part of this song is showing that the perception of these shallow "white women instagrams" contain the deepness that exists in us all.
The frame starts shrinking along time before the salad. It starts shrinking when they trun their dead mom into something performitive by using it as a chance to brag.
Your take isn't untrue. It widen up because they are having a human moment...... but halfwY though it 100% starts to close because it becomes performitive... it's for an audience at that point
In my interpretation of this song, he's not so much making fun of the woman, he's poking fun at the platform and how it makes us fake while using it.
I don't think Bo is really mocking these kinds of instagram posts. I think we're mocking them ourselves through the medium of Bo's sketch, and he's simply pointing out that behind the facade of what we mock as cringe or basic or "normie shit" are real people that filter their curated side - and how easy it is to dehumanize people in that kind of space.