Humans have continued to negatively impact the environment despite continued research and education on the long term effects. Though deforestation and the disappearance of countless species will most likely severely impact us in the future, it seems that all humans can think of is the short term profit. Many people have chosen to ignore the media when it speaks of faraway jungles that have disappeared or they turn their heads as local forests are taken out to make room for more suburban neighborhoods. But while this is possible now, will it continue to be so when our grandchildren grow up and have kids of their own? Research has shown that it might not even take that long for us to start feeling the repercussions of our actions. Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” music video brings attention to Planet Earth’s plight. The video depicts two incredibly different versions of a forest, one before a human has touched it and the other after. Jackson uses light, color, and the presence of animals to highlight the differences between these images. By doing so he successfully illustrates the negative impacts humans have had on the environment. 

Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” music video opens with an establishing shot of a forest. This shot is used to show where the video will take place and the swooping of the camera makes the viewer feel like they are flying over the location which also helps to set a mood. Because of the sweeping motion of the camera the viewer gets a glimpse sunlight filtering through the trees. The camera pauses thirteen seconds in allowing the viewer to appreciate the brightness of the shot which adds to the liveliness of the image. The animals bask in the sunlight and the leaves are illuminated. This combination leads to a feeling of peace and quiet energy. However, the next scene is a jarring departure from the opening image. Because of the establishing shot it is understood that this is the same forest from the beginning. Despite its shared location this scene is completely different. Forty-two seconds in, it features Michael Jackson in a long shot standing among a dim, barren wasteland. The only source of light is from the smoldering fires that burn at the base of the destroyed trees. The resulting smoke efficiently blocks all sunlight from entering the shot. There is no longer any natural light, only light from the fires which were caused by humans. The overall darkness of this shot illustrates the bleak future humans have ahead of them if they continue down this destructive path. 

Another photographic tool that Jackson chose to utilize was color. The light in the establishing shot only succeeds in highlighting the vibrant and lively colors present in the forest. The viewer's gaze is first drawn to the dense, verdant foliage, which acts as the primary symbol for life. The bark of the tree is an earthy, healthy looking brown, unlike the charred, black stumps that are shown in the later image. These stumps are an ugly reminder of what the humans have ruined. Additionally, in the first shot, perched among the trees is a toucan, its festive colors adding to the overall magic and beauty of the image. In contrast, Michael Jackson is the only sign of life amid the destruction of the “after” shot, and he is donned in black and red. As this scene comes into view Jackson questions “Did you ever stop to notice all the blood we've shed before? Did you ever stop to notice this crying Earth, these weeping shores?”(Jackson). He is asking if people have considered the damage they are causing. These colors serve to symbolize the blood that humans have spilled as they destroy the homes of countless species and the death they bring. The absence of leaves also drives this point home. 

An interesting, less obvious element that Jackson included was the presence of animals. The first image depicts a healthy, animated forest with a few scattered animals living in the trees, including a toucan and a pair of monkeys. On the other hand, the next scene is an empty wasteland, seemingly devoid of all animal life with only Jackson standing amidst the scorched remains. However, it is important to remember that humans are in fact animals. This is relevant because it signifies that when other animals are present in forests, there is no destruction. However, once a human violates the scene it becomes a skeleton of what it used to be. 

In his music video for “Earth Song” Michael Jackson choose to focus on light, color and the presence of animals to create two contrasting images. In doing so he successfully exposes the destruction humans have had on the environment. Stopping the destruction of the environment was clearly an important cause that Michael Jackson supported. He was a driving force in the production of this video and it is evident that he put a considerable amount of thought into the visual half of his music video. By using two different versions of the same forest Jackson illustrates what human interference has done to the environment. Jackson's music video would not have been as powerful if had not included the first scene because a before and after shot is more effective as it shows you the true extent of the damage. The sight of the ember and smoke filled wasteland brings the viewer back to reality and makes a point that no matter what the short term benefit, our world will suffer in the future if we do not put a stop to this appalling massacre of Planet Earth. In the middle of his song Jackson pauses to ask the camera “What have we done to the world? Look what we've done. What about all the peace that you pledge your only son?” (Jackson). If a parent wants whats best for their children they should not stand idly by. Michael Jackson created this music video not only as a piece of entertainment, but as a call to action and this is not something we should ignore. 
