Synopsis

Bright Eyes' "Bowl Of Oranges" uses handmade animation and fiber-art puppets to turn the song into a bittersweet fable. A girl tries to win the affection of a boy who is rooted in the ground like a tree, creating a story about love that cannot be forced. The deliberately tactile visuals combine crafted figures, textured scenery and live-action counterparts, giving the video a gentle, homemade quality that mirrors the song's warmth and melancholy.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made using two-dimensional fiber-art puppets and scenery, with animated dolls appearing alongside their real-life counterparts.

• The story's tree-like boy gives the video a literal visual interpretation of emotional distance and unattainable love.

• "Bowl Of Oranges" appeared on Bright Eyes' 2002 album *Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground*.

• The song's central doctor character is also reflected in the video-related interpretation of the song: Conor Oberst has described the doctor as someone who is himself ill and finds relief through simple human contact.

• Cat Solen later collaborated with Bright Eyes on the video for "At The Bottom Of Everything," extending the handmade, storybook sensibility associated with this clip.