Reciprocity: Joystick vs. Television

Reciprocity is a video concept for Low vs. Diamond's "Don't Forget Sister." The initial setting for Reciprocity is middle America, the late 1980s.

Brother and Sister, ages 11-13, walk home from school on a typical day. Brother challenges Sister to a race. The first one home "controls the TV." Sister responds by taking off and running.

The music begins.

Sister reaches the front door before Brother, who is on the sidewalk, in front of their house, holding his knees trying to catch his breath. Simultaneously, two of their classmates, the Boys, ride by on their fancy skateboards. Brother is tempted and decideds to run after the Boys, leaving his Sister on the porch.

Brother arrives at one of the Boys' homes and joins them on the couch. The Boys are playing, 80s games, Pac Man and Donkey Kong, on the Atari 2600. There are only 2 joysticks, so he is left out. He notices a ViewMaster (that old school red toy that has a circular film "story" accompanying it) on the floor and picks it up.

He looks into the ViewMaster, along with the audience who will see the '"story" through the eyes of Brother, at this point, and watches. Each time he clicks the blue lever, he sees a small scene of his future. The first scene is of him rolling up the the university on his bike and the Boys pulling up in a fancy car.

In between each scene, the band appears and sings to him. The band represents Brother's subconscious mind. They are reminding him, "Don't Forget Sister."

We see a series of scenes that follow:
Sister at home throwing brother an 18th Bday party with Dad, in a wheelchair, at the table. (Sister has stayed home to care for their Dad.)

The band sings.

Brother is playing Lacrosse with the Boys who trip him on the field. (These shots are tight. A crowd is not needed.)

The band is singing.

Sister is at home with Dad and takes him to the park.

The band is singing.

Brother is at a Father/Son event and is emabarrassed that he doesn't have his father there.

The band is singing.

SIster is pushing Dad through the park in his wheelchair.

The band is singing.

Brother is being initiated and the Boys are pouring liquor into him while he is on his knees.

The band is singing.

Brother takes one of the Boys' cars and heads home.

The band is singing.

Sister is driving Dad home from their day out.

The band is singing.

Brother crashes into Sister near their home.

The band is singing.

Sister's headstone is visible in the cemetary.

Brother (and the audience) are no longer looking out the ViewMaster. Brother throws the ViewMaster (camera flip) and is back in the 80s reality. He grabs his backpack and runs home.

He finds Sister on the porch crying. Brother and Sister meet eyes and Sister smiles at Brother and he returns the sentiment.

The video ends.

The subplot is that Sister is bi-racial. This may lend itself to giving a hint of multiculturalism to this song and its reach. This also is a subtle way to show that Brother must defy taunts, and norms and be his own man. He must embrace his sister.

The look of the video is nastalgic. More specifically, late 1980s vibe. The clothing and location would help determine that. This song has a huge reach and it would be represented nicely in the video if the sister is biracial and add some edge to it.