The Stolen Scream is the compelling story of Noam Galai, an Israeli AOL executive whose expressionist selfie became a worldwide phenomenon. Galai shares with the audience the purpose behind his photograph and how photography pirating lost him opportunities to sell the photo or receive royalties. The video comprises a story with visual symmetry—giving viewers an opportunity to learn about Galai and his plight.
The video begins with Galai narrating how the photograph came about. It uses a single-frame shot which draws focus on the subject. Galai appears in a photography studio and positioned in front of a gray backdrop. This stance gives the video authenticity—allowing viewers to personalize their watching experience.
Each frame works in time with the instrumental electric guitar riff. The video switches between Galai, still shots, and video clips of his photograph or people using it to their own advantage. Galai narrates the video the entire time which allows users to get involved with his storytelling. His voice, tone, and diction are impeccable, in spite of his accent—which adds charm to the video.
The video shows how Galai’s photograph has been recreated in various mediums. For example, around the 6-minute mark of the video, Galai tells the story of a website that was selling a recreation of his image. As Galai narrates the story, the frame turns into a split screen showing viewers the website in real-time.
The same split screen format is applied towards the end of the video. On the left side of the screen, the video reveals a translucent background video with scrolling credits. The right side of the screen has a top and bottom panel with the top panel revealing a time-lapse video of a mural. On the bottom is a silent background video of a press conference. During this split screen, Galai ends his narration of the short film.
Overall, The Stolen Scream is a fantastic video that gives the audience insight into the struggles of artists’ rights. Galai shares his story, however, he’s lighthearted and likeable which keeps viewers interested in the context of the video.
The Stolen Scream is an compelling demo video.
