The music video for the song “Adventure of a lifetime” by Coldplay uses very strong visual motifs many different visual techniques in order to convey a very simplistic message of unity amongst a people. These techniques allow the audience to experience the journey of this group of monkeys as they evolve and become a community. If we take a deeper look at the music video, we can see that Coldplay uses a group of monkeys to represent a group of people being brought together by music. In this video the idea of evolution is key in understanding the motifs behind using monkeys. In addition to the community of monkeys evolving during the video, the visual aspects of the video also evolve. Throughout the video we see the sense of unity grow stronger between the monkeys as they evolve and begin to play the music themselves. 

In the beginning of the music video the first time we see the monkeys, the angle of the camera emphasizes their aloneness but then quickly begins to show the possibility of civilization. In the foreground of the shot there is nothing but empty space but in the background we can see the light over the valley where there appears to be some sort of civilization. As soon as the music begins and the monkey picks up the speaker, another monkey runs over to join him, and immediately the community is growing. In this shot of the two monkeys listening to the music, the camera is at a close up distance, at this distance the viewer can see the expressions on the Monkeys face and note that they are beginning to smile and act cheerful whereas in the beginning of the video they were just sitting on the ground looking very bored. As well as the use of different camera angles, the director of the video also uses colors and scenery to show the monkeys coming together. In the first scene with the two monkeys discovering the speaker, in the background we see the sun rising and the jungle is very calm, but as the video progresses, the sun rises and as more monkeys hear the music the jungle begins to seem much more alive. As the brightness of the scenery changes, the picture becomes brighter, allowing the colors of the jungle to become more vibrant. This emphasized brightness makes the jungle seem more alive, and as this happens the monkeys become more happy and excited causing many more monkeys to join the others in singing the song and dancing with the band. 

As the video progresses, the monkeys begin to find more instruments which gives them the tools they need to create music and begin to draw more monkeys to their gathering. As this happens more monkeys emerge from the jungle and join the others in singing and dancing. By this point, the scenery and setting has completely changed from the opening scene, the time of day is now closer to mid-day, given the brightness of the sun. In addition to a change of lighting, the space the monkeys are in now is much more open and allows for many more monkeys to join in with the others. Along with visual changes with the scenery, the distance of the camera in relation to the monkeys is much further away than in the beginning. By using a long distance shot, the video can emphasize the number of monkeys that have come to join the band. 

Throughout the video, there are many times where the camera chooses to zoom in on the facial expressions of the monkeys. Once they hear the music they jump in line and begin to dance and smile. The significance of using this close up view is to show how the monkeys faces are so resembling of the human faces of the band members. This strategy goes hand in hand with the idea of evolution caused by music. In the very beginning of the video, the monkeys look very natural and animalistic, whereas after they find and listen to the music, their faces gradually become more like the faces of the band members. This is not only true with the members of the band but is also true of the rest of the monkeys. In the opening scene, the leader finds the speaker, causing him to begin his evolution in to a more humanistic figure. As he walks through the jungle and tells the other monkeys to join in, their faces also become more like that of a human, signifying that they have achieved a civilized and advanced relationship amongst one another. 

As well as the changes in their faces, the way in which they move is also a big factor in their evolution throughout the video.  In the beginning of the video all four of the band members are on all fours sitting in a semi-circle, but once the music is discovered the leader begins to stand up more like a human would. This is true for all the monkeys once they hear the music. As the video progresses not only do they start standing on two legs, they begin to dance and sing which causes them to evolve into their most evolved state. 

The video begins with just a few monkeys sitting together who discover a source of music. By the end of the video the scene is drastically different from the beginning. As the video progresses the monkeys slowly begin to join together and form a large community. Along with the change in the scenery, the movements of the monkeys can also point to the aspect of evolution throughout the video. The monkeys begin in a very natural, animalistic state by walking around on all fours and moving in a primitive way. After the music is discovered, the moneys evolve into a more humanlike being, becoming closer to the viewer, and more relatable.  Visual effect and video content go hand in hand in this video in the way that as the monkeys evolve into a more social and unified group the scenery and camera techniques also evolve. These evolutions point to the message the director wanted to convey and that message is that music brings people together and even simple beings such as monkeys can be moved by music. The director of this video uses the many different camera techniques listed above in order to emphasize this message and make it easy for the viewer to derive this meaning while watching the video. Music has been around almost as long as people have been and has evolved with the human race itself. Music is a key part of the lifespan of humans because it brings us together and creates a community that is unified. 