Synopsis

Taylor Swift runs through a shifting nightmare landscape as animate vines pull her into a forest and wolves pursue her through snow, water, mud, fire, mountains and barren terrain. Each new environment reflects another stage of emotional turmoil, with the singer repeatedly struggling against forces that threaten to overwhelm her. After surviving the chaos, she reaches a quiet beach and encounters another version of herself. The video closes with the message: "She lost him, but she found herself, and somehow that was everything."

Factoids & Trivia

• The video premiered on December 31, 2015, during ABC's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," more than a year after "1989" was released.

• Much of the outdoor footage was filmed in New Zealand, including Bethells Beach near Auckland and mountainous locations around Queenstown. A severe storm reportedly delayed the production by about a week.

• The production combined practical location work with extensive visual effects. The vines were built from filmed practical elements and computer-generated additions, while the wolves, growing ice and avalanche were digitally created.

• Seashells were used as tracking markers in the beach scenes, and small LED lights helped the visual-effects team track movement in the forest.

• Swift used a body double for some shots, including difficult sequences involving the elements and rapidly changing environments.

• The closing sentence is taken from a hidden message in the liner notes for "1989," giving the video's final image a direct connection to the album's packaging.

• The New Zealand shoot attracted criticism from conservationists, who claimed that the production had endangered rare shorebirds at Bethells Beach. Swift's production team denied the allegation.