Topic: Brickfilm of the Week: Cognizance (April 17, 2015)
This week’s Brickfilm of the Week is Cognizance by Michael J. Green.
Cognizance is a music video set to the Coldplay song “Don’t Panic” and tells the story of an assassin who is reassessing his career and life choices. Unlike some music videos in the future, this music video is purely a fan creation, and not sponsored by Coldplay. It was made in 2005 by Michael J. Green for his high school senior project, where it was chosen was one of the top three projects. Cognizance was also nominated for four awards in the 2005 Brickfilms Achievement in Motion Pictures Awards (a precursor to the Bricks in Motion Awards), including Best Overall Film. Michael J. Green, typically known as Cometgreen, was a well-known member of Brickfilms.com and was also a notable moderator. He made a few other films, including returning in 2011 to release another music video (LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends), but Cognizance is his most-known brickfilm by far.
SPOILERY DISCUSSION BELOW!
Brickfilm music videos have existed for as long as brickfilming has, and generally fall into two categories. The first type of music video brickfilm contains the barest of plot, or not plot at all, usually relying on certain imagery from the lyrics of the song to drive the video, like the Fell in Love with a Girl music video. The second kind of music video tells a story beyond the music and the lyrics. Cognizance is this type of music video, that tells a story that fits the mood, but maybe not the exact lyrics of “Don’t Panic.” Through a slow pace and simple imagery, Cognizance is able to convey its story without interrupting the flow of the music, and it’s ambiguous ending leaves the whole story up to interpretation.
What are your thoughts on Cognizance? What did you like about it? How do you think the use of the music changes the way the story is told? Did you have a favorite moment?