When conceptualizing The Love of a Time Traveler music video, I had a very distinct visual and emotional direction in mind. The narrative, rooted in love, loss, and the metaphysical possibility of time travel, demanded a deeply evocative visual language—one that would move audiences as much as the lyrics and melody do.
The story begins with the male protagonist—an everyman figure—deliberately styled in a plain grey t-shirt to reflect the emotional void and numbness he carries after losing the love of his life in a tragic car accident. I intentionally designed someone with average looks to make him more relatable, a vessel for empathy. In contrast, the female lead needed to possess striking, almost ethereal beauty. Her appearance needed to linger in the audience’s mind, just as she does in the protagonist’s memories—unchanged and unforgettable through time.
The opening sequence was carefully storyboarded to establish an immediate tone, featuring rolling clouds drifting across a sunset sky—symbolizing the passage of time and the continuity of life. The narrative then shifts seamlessly to a sudden accident scene, marking a stark change in mood. Depending on the version of the video—Lyric or Official—you’ll notice a difference. The Lyric Video used an earlier version of the scene, rich in visual elements like numerous firefighters, which I later felt detracted from the emotional core. The Official Music Video, therefore, uses a more focused, poignant image to better serve the narrative.
In the scenes featuring the angel, I drew upon classical depictions: long, golden hair, a calm and compassionate presence. While angels are often said to transcend gender, I leaned into the iconography I grew up with. One key image—where the angel places a hand on the grieving protagonist’s shoulder—was designed to symbolize grace, solace, and a spiritual bond, underscoring the benevolence of this otherworldly guide.
Given the time travel premise, it was crucial to incorporate visuals that conveyed temporal dislocation. I chose a dynamic wormhole sequence—fast-paced and slightly disorienting, capturing the emotional rush of traversing time. To ground the concept more literally, I added a clock with its hands turning backward—a straightforward but effective symbol of the central theme.
The moment when the two characters first “meet” again was crucial. I made the creative decision for both to be dressed in black, a visual cue that this encounter exists in a space outside of ordinary time—a moment uniquely their own. Here, I leaned heavily on facial expressions to convey the arc of emotion: joy at the suggestion of a night out, sorrow as disappointment surfaces, and heartbreak as she walks away. The recurring oak tree, featured prominently, serves as both a visual anchor and a homage to A Promise Kept, which remains my most recognized work to date.
One particularly emotional moment is when the male lead mouths the words “I love you.” Initially, I planned a close-up of just his lips, but the raw pain in his eyes ultimately conveyed a far deeper emotional truth—one that I felt needed to be seen.
Some have interpreted the scene where he wakes up as a dream sequence rather than literal time travel. While I acknowledge that interpretation, I remain committed to the time-travel narrative. His tears in this scene have also raised questions, and I always explain them as tears of joy— he’s realized she’s alive again.
The song’s chorus begins with “I collapsed and thanked the Lord,” which, to me, is the emotional zenith. To visually represent this, I chose an image of the protagonist on his knees, head bowed, overwhelmed. When asked why this scene is so emotionally charged, I often respond with a rhetorical question: “How would you feel if the person you love most no longer remembered you?” The realization that her memory of him is gone—despite his journey across time—is a devastating emotional cost. While he could try to meet her again, doing so could put her life at risk, especially if one believes in the inevitability of fate and destiny, as suggested by the original accident that tore them apart.
The final two stanzas of the poem were later additions, meant to provide narrative closure. The café scene depicts him seeing her again—happy, alive, and with someone new. It’s a quiet, devastating resolution. She has found peace and happiness, which, ironically, means there is no place left for him in her world. In many ways, this is the most honest and final form of closure.
I hope this behind-the-scenes look has given you deeper insight into the heart and craft behind The Love of a Time Traveler. Stay tuned for more explorations of my creative process in future projects.
