Video Research 1 | Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

This video features two key points:

• The Story, often ballads tell stories, which is no exception with this one, which is about the inevitable loss of a loved one and living the life together with them to the full.
• The Movie Tie-In, with numerous clips being used I estimate that around half the video was from Armageddon, and 1 scene being used, totaling about 10-20 shots unique to the video being done.

Here we see the Armageddon
Asteroid, from the opening.



This power ballad was released as a tie in with the movie Armageddon. This means that it features various clips from the movie and also features an overview of the movie's plot.




The first image of the band/singer



The guitarist

Look at these sliders!

The video is featured at the launch site of the rocket that takes Bruce Willis up to the asteroid in the movie. This however is not clear in the opening to the video, where they appear to be outside at night (based on the fly down form space, and the blue moonlight). This seems to be something of a recording studio, as shown by the sound desk (which also somehow features DMX control for the lights too!). However, as the lights come on (at the first chorus), we seem to be in something like the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), on closer inspection of what appears to be the metallic walls, they are clearly large curtains. Areosmith's performance in this space are intersperce with shots from the control room and the astronauts lesure room with areosmith performing on the TVs and monitors.  Most of the shots of Areosmith are MS-(E)CUs. This is done, as it is a ballad, to show the viewers the powerful emotions that can only be displaied by pained faces and somewhat sad grimmaces from a rocking guitarist. 

The VAB like room

The full room

Falling Curtain

The Orchestra

Broadcast worldwide.

Straight from the movie

As we enter the second chorus, we see the astonauts say goodbye to their loved ones, and the curtains are cued to fall, revealing the grand 52-piece orchestra and the rocket behind them. This serves to reinforce the emotion of the track, and also the movie tie in. Each orchestra member serves only as a silhouette, enforcing the focus upon the band. The epic tale that the ballad tells is enforced by the slowed down shots of people looking nervous and/or cheering (taken from the film) and speedy sweeping Long Shots of the main characters. 

Rocket Launch

Engulfed by the steam.

Still playing the guitar.

As we enter the 3rd chorus, we see many shots of the various commanders nodding, pointing and pushing buttons, leading to the rocket launch as the chorus begins. The entire colour and atmosphere changes from blue to red, showing that the rocket launch is, in fact, taking place. This is also combined with wind machines (also known as fans) blowing them from behind and smoke pummeling in form behind too. 

Sad Aerosmith on the TV

The points after this chorus feature some 'overpowered-by-my-own-emotion-so-I'll-scream' like performance. While one could put this down to having been pelted with high speed and hot water vapour from the rocket taking off from such close quarters (how the violins survived, let alone Aerosmith, is beyond me...). Realism aside, this point is clearly tied to the parts of the film where there occurs a problem that prevents Bruce's nuke from getting to the asteroid, as indicated by the high density of clips from that point. Our final, and poetic image, is one of a distraught Liv Tyler (who is on earth, while her beloved Bruce is in space) losing contact with Aerosmith.

Lost touch.