This week, Jordan Orme didn’t just review the Stray Kids music video for “Run It.” He took a masterclass from it. The professional film editor posted a breakdown on YouTube. He dissected how the group uses high-level post-production to tell their story.
Light and Dark
Orme suggests the video centers on the group’s growth. It focuses on how they rose from humble origins to secure their global fame.
The visual architecture relies heavily on contrasting light and dark. Figures in white represent the group fighting adversity. Figures in black represent the hardships.
Jason seemed very impressed – YouTube
Orme notes a prominent white tiger graphic stems from Korean mythology. He explains the creature “signals transformation through suffering.” That perfectly mirrors the song’s lyrics about overcoming trials.
Technical Craft
The technical structure really made Orme sit up and take notes. Samson, a legendary K-pop director, helmed the production. It features complex camera work and rapid post-production transitions.
Orme highlights a seamless sequence. The camera slowly reveals a white tiger’s face. A subtle lighting cue precedes the animal’s leap. The editor praises the immediate transition.
He says, “when the tiger jumps at the camera we cut to a shot where dirt is thrown towards the camera. Those two actions match beautifully.”
Time Tricks
He also breaks down several editing tricks. The video uses speed ramps to alter the choreography’s pace fluidly. It also features a “time stack technique” during a sequence with frozen birds in a 3D environment.
Orme traces this style back to 1880s science photography. He specifically references French scientist Étienne-Jules Marey. Marey invented the chronophotographic gun to capture multiple movement frames in a single image.
Orme believes the music video uses this effect as a metaphor. It lets the audience “visualize it right here with one image where there’s a snapshot of every single stage of the bird’s journey.”
Hidden Symbols
Even the floor has a hidden message. The members perform on top of scattered symbols. Orme points out these shapes are Hangul Jamo. They are the foundational elements of the Korean alphabet before they form words.
The alphabet symbols – Via Jason Orme – YouTube
He suggests these letters symbolize the band’s narrative. They represent how the group started from “something small and unfinished like just little building blocks.” Then they constructed a massive career. Stray Kids have certainly built something big.
A Few Flaws
Not every detail is flawless to the editor’s eye. He spots a brief moment where a dancer’s arm awkwardly snaps positions between cuts. He also notes a visible transition where the editors “chose just to make a cut.” They didn’t blend it with a specialized morph effect.
Yet the project’s sheer energy wins him over. He emphasizes that the rapid editing during the rap verses captures the track’s frantic nature perfectly.
Stray Kids have crafted a massive production here. Maybe they’ll shoot their next video on the moon. Who knows.
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