0:00pouring liquids into glasses Five identical clear glass tumblers are arranged in a straight line on a polished dark wooden surface. The background is a solid, bright blue. Initially, the glasses are empty. A person's light-skinned hand, seen from the wrist down, holds a clear glass pitcher filled with clear liquid. The hand proceeds to pour the clear liquid into each glass, which magically changes to a distinct vibrant color (red, green, blue, yellow, red) as it fills, signifying different costs. The lighting is bright and even, casting minimal shadows. The color palette is vibrant with the blue background contrasting with the bright colored liquids. White text 'attn:' appears at the top left corner, and larger white text 'These glasses of water prove why people can't afford to live on the minimum wage.' is overlaid in the upper left quadrant. The camera is static and at eye-level with the glasses.
0:04movie poster text The scene shows a close-up, slightly tilted and moving view of a large, dark blue movie poster, likely for "Avatar," featuring a prominent, detailed close-up of a blue-skinned character's eye and part of their face. The poster's title 'AVATAR' is visible in a stylized white font. The camera rapidly pans or tracks across the poster, creating a dynamic, slightly disorienting feel. The lighting is artificial and low, suggesting a movie theater lobby or outdoor advertisement at night. The predominant color is dark blue. A small white Amazon logo appears in the top left corner. A blue text overlay is prominently displayed, reading: 'Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25/hour.' This text appears over the poster.
0:06falling coins minimum wage text A close-up shot of numerous US coins (quarters, dimes, pennies, nickels) scattered on a warm-toned, polished wooden surface. Many of the coins are resting flat, while others are tilted or partially stacked. More coins are actively falling from the top of the frame, landing and bouncing among the existing coins, creating a sense of movement and accumulation. The lighting is soft and even, highlighting the metallic sheen of the coins and the grain of the wood. The background is intentionally blurred, focusing all attention on the coins in the foreground. The color palette is dominated by the warm browns of the wood and the metallic grays, silvers, and coppers of the various coins. A white Amazon logo appears in the top left corner. A blue text overlay reads: 'Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25/hour.' The dollar amount '$7.25/hour' is highlighted in a slightly darker blue.
0:11marking calendar paycheck A tight close-up shot focuses on a white paper calendar, specifically on the large, bold black number '8'. A light-skinned human hand, positioned in the upper right portion of the frame, holds a black marker with a distinct red cap. The hand is seen circling the number '8' with bright red ink, creating a clear, vibrant red circle. Other numbers (like '1', '2', '7', '9') and the faint outlines of days of the week are visible on the calendar, indicating its context. The lighting is bright and even, casting subtle shadows that define the texture of the paper and the marker. The background is a soft blur of the rest of the calendar. The color palette is primarily white, black, and red, creating a clean and focused visual. White text 'attn:' is present at the top left corner. A blue text overlay reads: 'A two-week paycheck [on minimum wage]' at the bottom of the frame.
0:13pitcher of water paycheck amount A person's light-skinned human hand firmly holds the handle of a clear glass pitcher that is approximately half-filled with clear, sparkling water. The pitcher is positioned against a solid, vibrant blue background, which provides a stark contrast. The hand slightly tilts the pitcher, suggesting a gentle movement or preparation for pouring. The lighting is bright and even, creating a clean, crisp image and highlighting the transparency and reflections within the glass and water. The color palette is dominated by the bright blue background and the clear, reflective qualities of the glass and water. White text 'attn:' is present at the top left. A blue text overlay reads 'is around $527 after taxes.' with the dollar amount '$527' highlighted in a slightly darker blue. A smaller white text disclaimer appears at the bottom: '*MEDIAN OF FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE STATES, MARRIED, 3 DEPENDENTS USING SMARTASSET PAYCHECK CALCULATOR.'
0:16vintage family dinner This scene features black and white archival footage depicting a seemingly idyllic 1950s-era family dinner. A woman, dressed in a light-colored dress and a crisp white apron, stands at the head of a dining table, actively serving food from a platter to the rest of the family. Seated around the table are a man in a plaid shirt and two young children, a boy and a girl, all looking towards the food with anticipation. The room features patterned curtains in the background, a wooden hutch filled with various decorative items, and a potted plant, all contributing to a classic mid-century home aesthetic. The lighting is soft and natural, characteristic of older films. The monochromatic color palette emphasizes the vintage feel. A small white Amazon logo is visible in the top left corner. A blue text overlay reads: 'So, here's what it's like for a family of four' at the bottom of the frame.
0:19working parent child playing A modern-day scene captures a woman in the foreground, seated at a table, intensely focused on working on a silver laptop. She is dressed in a professional white button-up shirt and a dark blazer, and she is holding a phone to her ear, suggesting a business call. In the blurred background, a young child, possibly her son or daughter, is seen hanging upside down from a monkey bar or similar play equipment, actively playing. The setting appears to be a bright, airy home with natural light streaming in through a large window, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The lighting is bright, likely natural daylight. A small white Amazon logo is visible in the top left corner. A blue text overlay reads: '—one parent working, the other raising kids' at the bottom of the frame.
0:21using calculator bills A close-up shot focuses intently on a person's light-skinned hand, specifically the fingers, as they actively press the square-shaped buttons on a grey electronic calculator. The calculator itself is detailed, featuring a digital display (though its content is not fully visible) and numerous beige, tactile buttons arranged in a grid. The background is softly blurred, providing just enough context to suggest an office desk or home environment, with faint outlines of papers and other items. The lighting is soft and ambient, carefully illuminating the textures of the calculator's keys and the skin of the hand. The color palette is muted, dominated by shades of grey and beige from the calculator, contrasted with warmer, indistinct tones in the background. A small white Amazon logo is visible in the top left corner. A blue text overlay reads: 'to pay the monthly bills on the minimum wage.' at the bottom of the frame.
0:24first job costs glasses Five identical clear glass tumblers are arranged in a precise straight line on a polished dark wooden surface, set against a solid, bright blue background. A person's light-skinned hand, holding a clear glass pitcher filled with clear liquid, systematically pours the liquid into each glass. As the liquid enters each glass, it transforms into a distinct vibrant color: red for the first, yellow for the second, blue for the third, green for the fourth, and red again for the fifth. Each glass fills up to approximately half or two-thirds full, visually representing different categories of expenses like food, medical costs, housing, transportation, and miscellaneous costs. The lighting is bright and even, creating a clean and well-defined visual. White text 'attn:' appears at the top left. A large blue text overlay reads 'FIRST JOB' in the center. At the bottom, a smaller white text overlay says: 'So, let's pay for food, medical costs, housing, transportation, and miscellaneous other costs.' A white text box at the very bottom provides attribution: 'GLASMEIER, AMY K. LIVING WAGE CALCULATOR, 2020. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. LIVINGWAGE.MIT.EDU.'
A tight close-up shot captures three strips of bacon sizzling and cooking on a black griddle or pan. The bacon strips display distinct layers of raw pink meat and white fat, which are gradually transforming as they cook, becoming crispy and golden brown. Small, active bubbles of rendering fat are visible on the surface, indicating the cooking process. Subtly rising steam and faint wisps of smoke add to the sensory experience. The lighting is warm and somewhat dim, creating a focused highlight on the bacon and emphasizing its texture and the cooking transformation. The background is blurred into an indistinct darker tone, ensuring all visual attention is on the bacon. The color palette is dominated by the evolving pinks, whites, and browns of the bacon against the matte black of the griddle. A small white Amazon logo appears in the top left corner.
0:34second job costs glasses Five identical clear glass tumblers, now visibly partially filled with various vibrant colored liquids (red, yellow, blue, green, red) from previous pours, are arranged in a straight line on a polished dark wooden surface against a bright blue background. A person's light-skinned hand, holding a clear glass pitcher filled with clear liquid, proceeds to pour more liquid into each glass, causing the levels to rise further. The existing liquids retain their distinct colors, but now occupy more volume in each glass, indicating increased burden. The lighting is bright and even, maintaining a clean and consistent visual aesthetic. A small white Amazon logo appears in the top left corner. A large blue text overlay reads 'SECOND JOB' in the center. At the bottom, a smaller white text overlay says: 'Time for a second job.' A white text box at the very bottom provides attribution: 'GLASMEIER, AMY K. LIVING WAGE CALCULATOR, 2020. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. LIVINGWAGE.MIT.EDU.'
0:37third job costs glasses Five identical clear glass tumblers, now significantly filled with various vibrant colored liquids (red, yellow, blue, green, red) from previous pours, are arranged in a precise straight line on a polished dark wooden surface against a bright blue background. A person's light-skinned hand, holding a clear glass pitcher filled with clear liquid, continues to pour more liquid into each glass. The liquid levels rise even higher, nearing the brim of each glass, emphasizing the escalating effort and mounting burden. The action visually underscores the increasing number of jobs needed to meet expenses. The lighting is bright and even, ensuring clarity of the visual metaphor. White text 'attn:' appears at the top left. A large blue text overlay reads 'THIRD JOB' in the center. At the bottom, a smaller white text overlay says: 'And a third? Ok, this is absurd, it will take more than'. A white text box at the very bottom provides attribution: 'GLASMEIER, AMY K. LIVING WAGE CALCULATOR, 2020. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. LIVINGWAGE.MIT.EDU.'
0:40fourth job costs glasses overflow Five identical clear glass tumblers, now completely filled to the brim with various vibrant colored liquids (red, yellow, blue, green, red) from previous pours, are arranged in a straight line on a polished dark wooden surface against a bright blue background. A person's light-skinned hand, holding a clear glass pitcher filled with clear liquid, continues to pour the liquid into each glass. This time, the liquid overflows from the glasses and spills onto the wooden surface, creating small puddles. This overflow dramatically emphasizes the impossibility of accommodating more expenses or jobs with the given minimum wage. The lighting is bright and even, highlighting the liquid's movement and the spill. A small white Amazon logo appears in the top left corner. A large blue text overlay reads 'FOURTH JOB' in the center. At the bottom, a smaller white text overlay says: 'four and half jobs to feed this family of four on the minimum wage.' A white text box at the very bottom provides attribution: 'GLASMEIER, AMY K. LIVING WAGE CALCULATOR, 2020. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. LIVINGWAGE.MIT.EDU.'
0:46vintage surprised woman This scene features black and white archival footage, possibly extracted from a silent film, presenting a woman with a dramatically surprised or shocked expression. She is captured in a close-up, revealing wide, expressive eyes and a slightly open mouth that conveys a strong sense of astonishment or disbelief. She is adorned with an elaborate, possibly period-specific, helmet-like headpiece that has spherical ornaments or details, adding to her unique appearance. The background is softly blurred, showing other indistinct figures or elements that suggest a busy, historical setting, but without distracting from her reaction. The lighting is dramatic, characteristic of early cinema, enhancing her facial features and expression. The monochromatic color palette adds to the vintage, dramatic feel. A small white Amazon logo is visible in the top left corner. A blue text overlay reads: 'That's literally impossible.'
0:48call to action share video Five clear glass tumblers, now mostly full with various vibrant colored liquids (dark red/brown, yellow, blue, green, red), are lined up neatly on a dark wooden surface. The background behind the glasses is split vertically, with the left side a deep, rich blue and the right side a lighter, brighter blue, creating a distinct visual division. The glasses are evenly lit, showcasing the different liquid levels and colors. Large white text 'SHARE THIS VIDEO' is prominently displayed at the top right of the frame, serving as a direct call to action. Below it, in smaller white text, is the motivational message: 'if you think full-time workers should make enough to live.' A white horizontal line separates this text from 'SOURCES' and then 'GETTY IMAGES' in white text, followed by a long list of detailed video and image credits scrolling vertically at the bottom right. The overall color palette is vibrant with the blue background and colored liquids. White text 'attn:' is present at the top left corner.
Five clear glass tumblers, mostly full with various vibrant colored liquids (dark red/brown, yellow, blue, green, red), are lined up neatly on a dark wooden surface. The background behind the glasses is split vertically, with the left side a deep, rich blue and the right side a lighter, brighter blue, creating a distinct visual division. The glasses are evenly lit, showcasing the different liquid levels and colors. Large white text 'ENTERTAINMENT THAT INFORMS' is displayed prominently at the top right of the frame. Below it, in smaller white text, are the video's production credits: 'Produced By: Stan Okumura', 'Edited By: Jacob Iritani', 'Shot by: Jacob Iritani', and 'Executive Producer: Clare Stein'. This list of credits remains static throughout the scene. The overall color palette is vibrant with the blue background and colored liquids. White text 'attn:' is present at the top left corner.
0:55end card amazon sponsored The scene features a stark black screen with white text appearing and dissolving dynamically. First, the phrase 'It's time to raise the federal minimum wage.' appears centrally. Shortly after, 'We've seen the benefits of a $15/hr starting wage since 2018.' appears below the first line of text. Finally, 'SPONSORED BY' appears, followed by the distinctive white Amazon logo, positioned centrally at the bottom of the screen. The text and logo are clearly legible against the dark background, emphasizing the message and sponsorship. The lighting is minimal, purely functional to illuminate the white elements against the black. The color palette is a stark black and white, creating a powerful and direct message. There are no visual characters, only text and a logo.
