Torn

On the surface, while this video might seem to be able to brighten up anyone's bad day (including mine :), there are certain communication concepts which can be applied here as well, namely perception and interpretation.

A quick synposis - this video showcases the performer Johann Lippowitz (real name David Armand) miming to popstar Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn". While most mimers we know do not really come up with actions in accordance to songs, Lippowitz here seems to have done it, and personally this four-minute video is genius.

Perception only covers a small part of this short video. As stated, "Perception is the process by which we make sense of the world around us." In other words, perception is looking at things and/or issues, finding a logical explaination, then moving on with life. If our explaination is logical and reasonable, we usually would not revise the issue again. As such, if we only use perception in the process of viewing this, then we will find that the only source of entertainment which can be derived from this are Lippowitz funny actions and facial expressions. To further explain, this means that we are taking all of this only at face value.

However, we all know that there (or usually) is a deeper analysis to everything, even for a video such as this. After all, looking at things just on the surface is not going to make us productive human beings. Hence we interpret, and interpretation refers to how we attach meaning to what we select and organize. This is the more important concept as compared to perception as the former will require us to look at verbal (singer Natalia Imbruglia) and non-verbal (Lippowitz's mime) communication to understand and enjoy the entertainment value brought to us in thie video.

Since we have to rely on verbal and non-verbal communication to completely understand and appreciate Lippowitz's performance, interpretation is thus very crucial. If we do not pay attention to either one of these, distortions and misunderstandings can occur. The following examples and explainations in relation to the video will further accentuate my point.

1. There is a line in the first verse that goes, "... what your heart is for". Here, Lippowitz carries out a series of actions - a shrug, points to the audience and then to his heart, then shows the number "four" with his fingers. He has replaced the word "for" with "four".

2. In the chorus, "... into something real". In this case, he seems to have caught a fish, and is reeling it in."Real" is pronounced almost the same way as "reel".

3. Second verse, "I don't miss it all that much". The mimer does a bow-and-arrow at the word "miss", when it actually means the singer does not really care about losing out on something.

So as you can see, sometimes what Natalie sings (lyrics) does not match Lippowitz's actions, or even takes on an entirely different meaning. This goes to show that if one wishes to interpret accurately while interacting or communicating with another party, verbal and non-verbal cues are vital to look out for. We must always keep in mind that at times, people can say one thing and mean another. Hence, to ease the process of communication and avoid miscalculation, interpretation must be grasped in the most effective way possible.

PS: A huge thank-you to all who have commented so far! So do you think that perception or interpretation plays a more dominant role here? Looking forward to all your responses! :D