Synopsis

A convenience-store cashier finds himself trapped in a bizarre time loop, reliving the same mundane customer encounter over and over. As the repetition becomes increasingly maddening, another version of him appears and seems to offer a way out. The escalating situation turns the ordinary store into a surreal battleground, with multiple versions of the cashier colliding as he tries to break free. The video gives visual form to the song's themes of rejecting routine, conformity, and an outdated version of oneself.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Free (The Editorial Me)" was released as the first single from Darwin Deez's second album, "Songs For Imaginative People," which followed his 2010 debut.

• Darwin Deez said the video developed from his idea to "rip off" the 1993 film "Groundhog Day." The time-loop premise is therefore a deliberate starting point rather than an accidental resemblance.

• The official video premiered online on November 26, 2012, alongside the single's rollout. It was also presented as the first major preview of the forthcoming album.

• The video's escalating repetition depends heavily on carefully coordinated performances and editing, allowing several versions of the cashier to occupy the same convenience-store space.

• Michelle "Mash" Dorrance appears opposite Deez as the customer whose repeated encounter helps trigger the cashier's breakdown.

• The production was made with Pulse Films. Listed crew members included producer Sloane Hayes Skala, cinematographer Andrew Wheeler, production designer Emily Taylor, and colorist Dan Moran.

• The video became a Vimeo Staff Pick.

• At the 2013 UK Music Video Awards, it won Best Rock/Indie Video in the UK category.