0:00-0:03
Nicely framed pictures are panned in what seems to be a family home. Two pictures of a smiling little boy are shown. In one, he is wearing something casual, making it seem like a candid that the family treasures. The other is more posed, he is wearing something formal in front of a blue background; the family most likely got it done professionally. A third picture is a wedding photo, most likely belonging to the parents of the little boy. The bride and groom are mid-dance, embracing and smiling. They seem to be a very happy family. Each picture is nicely framed and appear to be on a wooden stand, indicating comfortable financial standing.
0:04-0:07
The camera moves to the wall beside stairs in the home, and a shadow is seen. It moves as the camera does, indicating that the person who owns it may be pacing, possibly in anger. The shadow appears male, it is tall and lacks a female figure, so it is most likely the father. Is he talking to the mother? Is he angry at her?
0:08-0:11
A little boy, the one from the pictures, is seen sitting on the aforementioned steps. He is maybe four or five years old. He sits with his yellow toy truck, possibly as a security measure. Some kids have blankets, maybe he has a truck. He is wearing a white patterned onesie as pajamas, indicating his young age. He looks up from his truck, a bit startled, and is watching what is transpiring in the room below the stairs. He is not smiling; he seems concerned for what is happening.
0:12-0:13
The shadow is seen a second time. The boy’s brown head of hair is seen from behind, and the wall next to him shows the shadow of what is most likely his father. A hand is shown, it looks as if it is pointing in authority to its counterpart, or possibly threatening to strike. The head moves with the hand, indicating an emotion so strong it takes over the body.
0:14-0:23
The boy’s face is shown in close-up. He is trying to ignore what is happening, and begins to play with his toy truck, indicated by him looking down and his arms moving back and forth. Then he is startled out of his play, he jumps as he looks at the room below, frightened. His shoulders rise and fall with heavy breathing as his eyebrows rise in surprise. He looks forlornly at what has happened, he does not want it to be this way, but it is.
0:24-0:26
White, all capital text reads “Children have to sit by and watch. What’s your excuse?” What was he watching? It is an ad for domestic violence prevention, so the odds point to the fact that his father has hit his mother. Maybe for the first time, due to his surprise, or maybe it happens all the time and this is just the first time he has seen it.
0:27-0:30
A multitude of logos appear. A blue and black logo outlined by white has text inside it that reads “There’s NO excuse.” Text below it in italics reads “for Domestic Violence.” Under that, a phone number for victims and bystanders to call reads “1-800-END-ABUSE.” An Ad Council logo is seen in the bottom left corner, and text in the bottom right reads “Family Violence Prevention Fund.” These are probably the producers of the PSA. The logos fade, and one is left with a sense that they have to do something to help this little boy and those like him. The ad has hopefully done its job to inspire action.
Rowan Counterintuitive 