Synopsis

Inspired by 1980s teen movies, the video follows several young Californians dealing with humiliation, pressure, and personal setbacks. A student trapped inside a school mascot costume is bullied, a teenager flees from the police, and a young boxer struggles through a punishing match. Other disaffected teens confront the social hierarchy around them. Their stories are intercut with Foster the People performing on a brightly lit stage, turning private frustrations into a shared, defiant release.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was built around the song's nostalgic 1980s atmosphere. The band and label emphasized making the performance scenes feel "iconic" and "timeless."

• The live-action shoot was completed in Los Angeles over three days.

• The production was filmed on 16mm, giving the footage a grainier, more tactile look than a typical polished digital pop video.

• Casting involved approximately 200 auditions and 50 callbacks.

• The young actor playing the mascot character, Leaf, was 14 during production. His participation nearly fell through because the necessary paperwork was not initially in place.

• The casting process also turned up a notable cameo: the girl sitting on the couch is Sean Penn's daughter.

• The boxing storyline was Mark Foster's favorite part of the finished video because it reminded him of the 1976 film "Rocky."

• BRTHR initially tried working with an outside editor, but the directors ultimately scrapped that version and edited the project themselves.

• A separate promotional video premiered on January 13, 2014. It used time-lapse footage of artists painting a seven-story mural based on the "Supermodel" album cover, while the narrative video arrived on February 6, 2014.