Music Video: "Corrine" Black Honey

Effective Ways to present and evaluate research methods

Before I began work on my music video, I thought it were best to learn as much as I can about the structure of music videos, by educating myself on different codes and conventions that they posses. I began by taking notes from a powerpoint that was designed to brief us on some of these codes and conventions. We where then introduced to two theorists, Carol Vernallis and Andrew Goodwin, whom specialise in film theory and understand what it is that makes a music video what it is.
They both had written books on their individual theory's, which I was able to utilise and make my own music video the best it could be. I primarily gathered information from the Goodwin's book, "Dacing in the Distraction Factory" as well as articles that he had written for major newspapers such as the Guardian.
I have never myself analysed a music video before, despite being an avid music video watcher myself. After reading material from both of these theorists I was able to expand my knowledge on how to derive the directors intention behind different music videos. It also allowed me to fully appreciate the different genres in which music videos had been placed in, which would later prove useful when planning my own music video.

I decided to analyse 3 different music videos and pick out their genre, codes and conventions. Due to the research that i had conducted previously which broadened my understanding of the different structures of music videos,  I was able to efficiently identify different codes and conventions without too much trouble. This also helped me pick out what genre my own music video would belong to. When choosing the song for my music video, I thought it were best to conduct primary research amongst my own HNC classmates. I played two example tracks and out of the both, the majority preferred the song "Corrine" by Black Honey and therefore I chose this track. This benefitted me extremely as I wanted to produce a narrative based video and this song, which contains familiar themes is extremely adaptable for just that.

I also produced a questionnaire which the public could fill out in order to get a better understanding on what people prefer to see in their music videos.I included questions such as:

What is your preferred format of music video? 

-Live performance (stage)
-liver performance (studio)
- narrative 
- experimental 
- non linear 
- conceptual 

What engages you the most in a music Video?

- Riveting narative 
- Relatable themes 
-Interesting visuals 
- Controversial themes 

The results of this survey helped me choose what kind of format and genre I would make my music video as well as what themes it would contain.

A

As you can see the majority of my audience  preferred the music video to contain a narrative which helped me make the decision to include a narrative which explores the themes that are presented in the lyrical content of the song.
In the end this genre music video was achieved and i was able to stay true to the primary research that I conducted.

The other question i asked was what engages you most in a music video? The top answer appeared to be "relatable themes" and therefore I decided to explore the themes of love and relationships in my music video considering the song itself is also a love song.

Conclusion:

Overall i felt that quantitive data gathering and research methods worked in my favour as it allowed me to make easy decisions regarding the format and genre of my music video. It also helped me come up with the themes in which i wanted to explore which ended up driving the narrative to what it is now. However my research methods didn't exactly give me a solid idea of what I wanted to do with the video as a whole. The information i gathered was fairly vague and didn't apply to every aspect of the video. This is because of the lack in questions that were put to the public in the questionnaire, if I were to have written more and more precise questions I may have gotten a better idea of where Wanted to take the video from the start. Instead I spent a lot of time storyboarding and visualising different shots when listening to the song itself. The research did in fact make it easier to choose how the video was going to look and what themes it was going to explore.
I also felt that qualitative research collecting such as the focus group with my class was also incredibly useful as a research method as it allowed me to talk directly to my audience and gather their opinions down which would further benefit the final outcome of my music video. The people involved with the focus groups were able to bounce ideas of off each other which proved extremely useful when brainstorming concepts.
What further expanded my understanding of the structure of music videos was researching the two film theorists Carol Vernallis and Andrew Goodwin by applying their theory to different existing music videos as well as my own. I searched online for different interpretations as well as additional notes on these theorists and their theories which helped broaden my understanding of their specialty. However I had to ensure these we sources were correct by reviewing the references section just in case.

Improvements:
To ensure that I gained as much qualitative data as possible I could have set up a camera and microphone during the focus group. This would have allowed me to revisit the footage and apply any opinions or information i could have taken fro the individuals involved.

- I should have also included more questions in my questionnaire to cover a wider spectrum of aspects which could have further improved my music video.

- I could have also staged a focus group with a higher amount of participants to ensure that a wide range of opinions could have been collected.

psychoanalytical Film -Evaluation

I intended to reflect the issues presented in such example films as Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man. The idea of someone perceiving themselves to be something that they are not to such an extreme length fascinated me in several different ways.
I wanted to present an individual who had fallen victim to his Id, and his natural instincts had taken over his rational behaviour. I shot this in the format of a fake documentary to amplify the bizarre nature of the subject. This includes interviews with himself and loved ones as well as any candid shots.

I shot this primarily with hand held camera movement to give the film a much more realistic feel, as if it were an actual documentary.
I tried to make the shoot as spontaneous looking with less cinematic angles and more of simply following the subject round with the camera.
I also included footage of the camera being set up before the actual shoot itself which furthered the scene of realism in this short film.

The takes I chose to use in the final film were especially long. This was again to further distance myself from the cinematic filming techniques and shots that would not be present in a documentary.
In cinema, filmmakers would be more inclined to use quick cuts and different angles to maintain the interest of the audience, however I chose instead to have the main focus pointed on the subjects of the film, especially during the interview scenes.

To stay true to the documentary format I also chose to not colour correct or stabilise any clips, and just present raw footage as it was filmed. 

As there was going to have to be a fair bit of dialogue to convincingly play this off as a documentary, I had to write a script. This meant organising events into different scenes. I was able to use this structure of the script to organise different clips into different folders during the editing process. This helped to structure the film more easily as I knew which folder to refer to when I was searching for a specific clip. 

Editing Tutorial Video Essay - Reflection

To easily grasp the concept of continuity editing techniques, I decided to provide cinematic examples of the different techniques whilst providing the definition of the technique to accompany it. This was also further presented with our own self shot examples of different editing techniques. I felt this was the easiest and most direct way to coherently present different editing techniques.

Looking back on the final product I could have defiantly provided a lot more detail when it came to the definitions of the different techniques. There are also some examples of the cinematic clips where the editing technique isn't immediately apparent and may require a second viewing as they can be quite easy to miss.

Un-intentially, I did not prepare a self shot example of the 180 degree rule. I therefore had to recycle the clip I shot to demonstrate the shot reverse shot technique. Luckily these two techniques coincide and therefore was able to use the footage to represent both the shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule. If i were to revisit this project i would have double checked that every technique had been covered and that they all had examples to accompany them.

The match on action shoot was particularly difficult as we had to ensure that the timing was perfect when it came to editing to convincingly and accurately portray this specific editing technique. If the timing was off then the clip would have been irrelevant.

Overall the most challenging aspect of the video was coming up with seemingness transitions between different editing techniques. I believe in doing so it has further improved my editing, as well as my practical and camera skills.

The conversation (Four hour film challenge) - Reflection

This task was designed to explore our skills when it comes to working on a group project, as well as time management, practical and organisational skills. The most apparent issue that first came up was the time limit which had been set for the whole film to be complete. It did not help however, when we took an unnecessary amount of time to plan the narrative of the video. To make up for lost time, we decided on a vague plot and began to shoot. It was decided, to achieve the best possible look for our film to shoot the majority of the video outside. This meant we had natural light to work with and therefore would avoid film grain which would lower the quality of the picture.

As soon as the exposure had been calibrated we began the shoot at a variety of sense in many different locations. As time was running out, one of us volunteered to begin editing the footage that we had already shot whilst the rest simultaneously shot the remaining footage that was needed to complete the film. This saved a lot of time when it came to the editing process.

What I felt we achieved particularly successfully was the fact we were able to manage time efficiently that we had time left to experiment with different shot transitions during the editing process, such as fades and different text graphics as apposed to the simple cut.

What did lack however that could defiantly have been improved was the lack of experimentation with different shot types which made the film look a bit uninteresting and plain. I would defiantly be more inclined to use a larger variety of lenses with different aperture settings in the future. The different aperture settings offered by different lenses would have given us more freedom to explore different shot types.

What also lacked in this film was a cohesive narrative. I felt like the concept was rushed and therefore not fleshed out to its full potential which left it as an unorganised and cohesive plot structure. What we took away from this was that the concept of the video is just as important as the visuals in order to overcome this issue and not make the same mistake again.

Shot List/Edit Decision List - Promotional Video Planning

Initial Draft - Promotional Video

I decided it would be a good idea to come up with an initial draft of my promotional video. This would help me work out the structure in which the clips will be placed as well as a rough idea on how to intertwine the interview clips with the rehearsal footage.
I also used this as an opportunity to get a variety of different opinions on each aspect of the video, such as the structure, soundtrack, levels etc.
I was advised that the same setting through the entire video may run the risk of loosing the interest of the audience. Because of this I decided to request additional stock footage from my client, of past shows that he had previously produced. As the audience would be able to see the finish product of the shows, it further legitimises them as a more successful company, than how it was preciously conveyed in my initial draft.
I was also advised that the soundtrack that I had originally selected wasn't as professional as you would expect to hear in a promotional video that you would like to take seriously. Therefore I replaced it with a sleek soundtrack with a slower beat that I was able to cut to in a more fluid manner.
It became apparent through feedback that it was essential to include an interview in the video in order to present an explanation of who these individuals are and their role in the company, as well as the foundations of the company itself.
This will then be edited around the footage of the rehearsal so the audience are able to focus on the chemistry of the actors and acting ability of those involved in the company.

As I filming 3 hours worth of usable rehearsal footage including images and certain scenes, whilst recording audio on a separate device, I organised my different video and audio files into different folders so that I could access them when I wanted to with ease. 

Music Video Analysis (3)

What is most significant in this music video is that the members of the band use the ribbons to amplify certain beats of the song. At the beginning of the song only one band member can be seen dancing, however more instrumentalists join in as the song progresses. This too both amplifies and represents how the song builds and builds as it goes further into its duration as more instruments are being introduced to build the sound.

The visuals however have no obvious relations with the lyrics themselves, it is only the rhythm of the song that is being represented visually in this instance.

The star image is of course maintained as all four members of the band appear in the video.
The genre of the video is purely conceptual however there is a very loose/brief narrative that could be interpreted as well.

The movement of the dance routine accompanied by the ribbon certainly enhances the songs structure and is a very inventive way of showing that.

Music Video Analysis (2)

The music Video Presents a very rugged hand made quality. This appears to be a device used to reflect how the artist feels about his music, being self produced and self released. This in itself can be viewed as an expression of star image.

The video uses a base track to refer back to which involves the artist singing to himself in front of a DIY background. This says to the audience that he's a un-superficial character and that he's letting us as an audience take a peek into his personal life through personal home recorded candid footage, as well as through the the lyrics of the song.

There is no particular cohesive narrative that can be followed, only returning to and fro certain clips that the artist himself recorded and decided to include into the video. The lyrics are amplified as the artist gives a very true performance of the song in a karaoke kind of style.The song itself gives off a very positive vibe which is amplified by visuals of the artist hanging out and having a good time with friends and fellow band members rehearsing. The cutting order seems to be very random and doesn't necessarily cut in tike with the song which gives the video a very rustic feel. 

Goodwin would suggest that this is a somewhat studio performance which includes different amplification elements which enhance certain aspects of the song. 

Music Video - Contextual Research

Carol Vernallis - "The Kindest Cut" : Functions and meanings of music editing.

Vernallis suggested that music videos rarely follow a cohesive continual structure as you would expect to find in most mainstream movies. This may be because it is often found that there is usually an underline "base shot" that is constantly referred back to,  that is present in most music videos, primarily in performance based music videos. This base track creates a foundation for which the structure of the music video can be based around. Because of this, the camera has more freedom to move around and capture different angles of the performance, following no particular order. Jump cuts are commonly used to speed up the events in order to edit it down to a 2-4 minute gap whist still remaining cohesive.

Because the continuity is not focused on, this may allow the audience to be able to focus more on the song itself, which can be seen as much more important than the video itself, which itself can be seen as just an accompaniment to the song. This explains the reasoning behind loose narrative structures which are very common amongst music videos.
The types of shots themselves, extreme close up, tracking etc are used to enhance different sections and elements of the music. Close ups are used as a focus point of the video which is commonly seen as the front member of the band. It is common for the front man/woman to make eye contact with the camera, (breaking the fourth wall) as the artist then makes an instant connection with the audience and the artist is no longer seen as the object of the video.

There are many different functions of editing a music video. Certain cuts are made on certain beats of the song in order to amplify that aspect. This also creates a nice rhythmic/ smooth feel to the transitional editing. Other common examples include, reflecting star image and illustrating the lyrics.
It is thought that what we hear in the song determine how we see the images whist watching a music video, but on the other hand, what we see and perceive in the music video will affect the way we hear the song that is playing. Therefore a harmony is created both the elements compliment each other.


References - Vernallis 2001, The kindest Cut: functions and meanings of music video editing. Oxford Press. 

Music Video - Shot List

Location: Sheepy Park

Shot 1 - Mid Shot (slow manual zoom outwards) - Deanna standing in the middle of a park with a bouquet of flowers and a dampened expression on her face.

Shot 2 - Shot from a low angle, Deanna's legs visible on the far right of the frame, the bouquet drops as a male figure out of focus walks into the distance away fro Deanna, 

Shot 3 - Mid shot, Deanna turns around as sam is still walking away out of focus and deanna starts to mouth the lyrics.
shot 4 - deanna pics up a baseball bat
shot 5 - picks up items/ paintings/ momentos
shot 6 - Deanna walks out of the front door
shot 7 - slow motion baseball bat flies through the item that's being struck
shot 8 -montage of Deanna swinging a baseball bat at these items in slow motion
shot 9 - animalistic expression on her face as she prepares to strike
shot 10 - deanna lying on the grass amongst the bits of broken items mouthing the lyrics (birds eye view)
shot 11 -deanna spray painting corrine come back to me on a wall
shot 12 - extreem close up of of barbie and ken " we're only playing make believe"
shot 13 - deanna pulls the head off of ken
shot 14 - gets out a box that contains a camera from underneath her bed
shot 15 - shot of her looking at the camera
shot 16 - video footage of them looking like a couple
shot 17 - swings
shot 18 - round about
19 - deanna stalking sam in her car to his house
20 - sam gets a note through the door
21 - he reads " i think that you should know that I'm sorry"
22 - sam sees the letter box close
23 - sam opens the door deanna is peeking through the letter box

music cuts to diegetic sound

24 - deanna running away from the scene
25 - returns to her bedroom
26 - gathers rope duct tape and a sack
27 - deanna follows sam down an alleyway
28 - point of view shot of sam turning around, deanna hides around the corner
he continues to walk turns around again, sees deanna and a bag is placed over the camera
29 - shots of sam and deanna on swings/ roundabout with sam bound and gagged being forced against his will
30 - sam manages to slip out of his bound an makes a break for it
31 - backwards tracking of sam running away
32 - deanna runs after him hysterical
33 - she find herself in the middle of a field and lifts her arms in the air yelling the chorus
34 - birds eye view of deanna shouting the chorus
35 - rob comes in dressed as a policeman and takes her away out of the drama

Music Video Planning

The style of video I have chosen to do, is a narrative, based on the research conducted earlier. This will allow me to explore the themes brought up in the song in a blatantly abstract way, in order for it to stick out from other music videos which have been created in the same sort of manner.
I have decided to take a lot of inspiration from this clip of the film "Submarine":



I plan to utilise the sentimentality displayed in this clip to create a sentimental feel between the two characters that will feature in my music video.
I'm planning to use filters that can be placed over clips, in order to make them look candid and grainy.
I believe this will make the music video stand out even more and hopefully therefore audiences will be more forgiving as it will feature familiar themes.

This candid portrayal of a relationship between two people, seems to make it appear more organic and less forced, which I hope will make a great contrast to the darker these that I'm going to explore later on in the video, even though it will be done i a tongue and cheek fashion.
I also feel change in formats during the middle of a music video will generate more interest amongst the audience, as apposed to sticking to the same thing.

Music Video Research

Before I could begin to brainstorm the concept of my music video, I conducted some research which would give me a better understanding of the commonly preferred music video styles/concepts in order to make this project as successful and well received as possible.
I thought the best place to begin was to analyse existing music videos, especially the more commercially successful ones. Whilst analysing these music videos I applied the theory of both Andrew Goodwin and Carol Vernallis.
In doing this, I further understood and appreciated the different methods and styles of preparing a music video which would ultimately have a greater effect on the audience. This also provided me with a great foundation on which to base the structure of my own music video, having learnt what it is that constructs previously analysed examples.

As opposed to limiting myself to just one genre of music video, I analysed a wide selection which gave me a broader understanding of what was possible with this format. These included stop motion music videos, and how exactly they differed from fluid motion videos.

I reached out to the public to fill out a questionnaire that I composed to gather data on which different types of music video they prefer. This would give me a good understanding on which format/style would be more preferred/popular and therefore more successful in terms of audience reaction.

I included questions such as:

What is your preferred format of music video? 

-Live performance (stage)
-liver performance (studio)
- narrative 
- experimental 
- non linear 
- conceptual 

What engages you the most in a music Video?

- Riveting narative 
- Relatable themes 
-Interesting visuals 
- Controversial themes 

The feedback I got from the questionnaire supplied me with enough information to guide me in the direction that I'm going to go in with the video in terms of the format, content etc... 

On top of this I played two possible songs to a focus group. There was a clear preference for "Corrine" by Black Honey and so that is the song I ultimately chose to make a narrative music video to. 

Music Video - Shooting Plan

Considering there is a vast oncoming deadline for this project, I decided it would be useful to plan out where and when I was going to shoot the footage. If I am to complete it in time I will have to devise a shot list, which tells me which specific shots I need in order to complete the video. I am also able to tick off each shot as I go along to remind myself what there is and what there isn't left to do. Before initial shooting and as I planned out the shot list, I visualised and noted down the locations I thought would best fit the actions and environments required to shoot what I need. I visited each location before hand to be absolutely sure it was appropriate for its designated scene.

I took into account how congested the area was as I needed to make sure it was hard for us to be in anyones way. If we were to get in peoples way, we would be forced to stop filming which then would ultimately delay the shooting schedule.

I took influence from different existing music videos, most notably this one:



I admired the use of the filters which added more grain, which i thought gave the video a very sentimental look. I decided to adopt the idea and include segments of the film which displays a "super 8" film effect which added grain and film burns to the image.

I wanted to include imagery that was relevant to the song. The song is an indie/rock song that is made out to be about a lost love that she wants to reclaim. Therefore I thought an appropriate theme was a boy girl relationship that turns sour.
Another method of reflecting the lyrics is having the character lip sync them. I made sure this was only done at certain times so that it  did not detract away from the narrative of the video. I thought it could also be used as an effective device which amplifies the feeling of loss and loneliness felt by the main character.

Music Video - Shot List

Music Video Evaluation

Before filming could commence, I ensured that I ran a health and safety evaluation of every shoot that was to take place. This including taking into account all the possible dangers or hazards that could cause harm to the crew as well as other people we may come into contact with whilst filming. For example we used a step ladder as a prop for the video, so therefore we ensured that the ladder was perfectly stable on the ground that it was placed on before any member of the crew attempted to use it. We also made sure it was explicitly clear where everyone will be postponed during the shoot. This was done to ensure that no one could come into contact with any of the equipment, such as cameras on tripods which would subsequently result in it being knocked over and broken. On top of this, as we shot in a public place for the majority of this video, it was also made explicitly clear that everyone had to be mindful of their surroundings which would hopefully prevent anyone disturbing members of the public, such as accidentally walking in their way whilst filming.

During the scene in which the model pig was destroyed with a baseball bat, it became clear that the shards that resulted of this had the potential to either damage the equipment and the crew. Mindful of this, I used a telescopic lens which I could use to shoot a close up of the ornament at a far and safe distance.

In order to ensure I obtained more than enough footage than I needed when it came to the editing process, I took at least 5 or six takes of each shot. This also meant that I had more of a variety of different shots to choose from to make the final cut.

However there were issues we came across during the filming process. The main issue, as there were quite a few people involved in the making of this video, was organising a time in which we knew everyone was free. This was made apparent as the shoot stretched on past a week, due to everyones busy scheduals. In order to overcome this issue we scheduled a meeting so that we could all agree on a time that we were all free and available to film. This made the whole process much mire organised and simpler. What also helped was establishing an online group chat which allowed each other to be in close contact.

Another issue we encountered was the ever-changing weather patterns. As the majority of the shoot was outdoors, the weather would have to also be taken into account as it had a tendency to fluctuate during this particular season in which this video was made. If it were to all of a sudden rain, then the camera equipment would have been damaged/destroyed. Therefore we made sure we brought a protective canvas to put over the camera if it were to start raining.

Because we shot the footage in many different locations, inside and outside, it was essential that I brought a variety of lenses to shoot with which would be best adaptable for the surroundings. I brought a lens which allowed for a low aperture when shooting indoors, especially when the lighting was becoming more low key as the day went on.

I realised as the weather changed I had to adjust the settings of the camera so that the image won't be over exposed or under exposed. If the environment changed so that there was more sunlight  would have to lower the aperture, and visa versa.

As the editing process began, I organised different clips in categories of different locations (i.e where each individual clip was shot. This gave me a more vivid view of the structure of the video in which it will be edited as well as a greater scenes of cohesion. I could easily identify which clip belonged to which scene based on the location on which it was shot.

Also during the editing I used  the colour corrector which is available in premiere pro. As the weather tended to change, certain shots were not consistent with the tone of the previous shots.

Therefore this tool was used in order to make the colour tone consistent throughout the entire video which gives it more of a fluid feel. 

In the editing process I used genre specific cuts. When editing a music video, jump cuts are often very common as they are a effective way of portraying events to the audience in the small space of time that we are permitted (the duration of the song). I also cut the footage in time to the beat, which is a technique I learnt when we did the "editing footage to music" exercise. This amplifies certain beats of the song which supplies a greater impact to the audience. 

What I would have done differently is create a shot list which not only displays what shot needs to be done but also where and when it would have been shot. Because I didn't conjure up a shooting schedule, the planning of the shoot was all over the place which led to continuity errors and late work. 

Recommendations: 

-Next time i'm going to storyboard excessively to ensure that no blatant continuity errors are able to occur.

- I am also going to create a shooting schedule where my actors can refer to to ensure that the shoot is tightly planned and everyone knows where they are going to be and where. 

- I am going to plan every scene in advance so that no time is wasted in looking for appropriate locations to shoot. 

Editing Tutorial Video Essay

Mic Test Clips

Promotional Video - Client Feedback: Questionnaire

Create your own user feedback survey

During production of the video I have been in constant back and forth communication with my client.  I showed my client initial drafts of the video and discussed certain changes that could be made to the video.
To make this process even easier, I created an online survey for my client to fill out which would give me a rough idea on my clients opinion on the video and certain ways it could be improved to make he final product the best it could possibly be.
The questions included in the survey are relevant to the subject matter, such as multiple choice client satisfaction questions as well as some open comment answers where my client can fill out what changes he wants made to the video as it is.

Promotional Video - Client Feedback

After completing the final video, I sent it off to my client to await further feedback. I eventually heard back from my client to find that the promotional video had been received very well. There was no mention of any changes that he wanted to be made and seemed pleased with the final product overall.

He has since offered me payed work for additional promotional videos for the company. For example the Sudden Impulse are taking a few plays up to the Edinburgh fringe festival which he requires a promotional video for. He has also requested that I provide some in-play footage that would be displayed to an audience as the actors in the production interact with it.

Health and Safety forms

Promotional Video - Evaluation

After completing the promotional video I felt that the criteria was met to the standard that was expected by my client. This was achieved my initially mapping out the structure of the video as well as planning precisely when and where I was going to shoot the promotional video material. Due to the fact that I had close personal ties to the company for whom I created the video, it made the process much less formal and therefore simpler to conduct. This also meant I did not have to conduct as much research for this particular project as I was able to discuss potential ideas with the client fairly casually. I have a reasonable knowledge on past plays and understand my clients working methods when it comes to rehearsing and putting on shows which helped me plan the filming elements around their busy schedule as they tend to work on multiple productions simultaneously.

In terms of the background music I wanted to use something that would come across as uplifting and inspiring to the audience. As the company would potentially benefit financially  from the promo video, I was legally obliged to include a royalty free soundtrack. I searched royalty free music websites until I found the song who I thought would match both the structure and and the ascetic of the promo video.

The structure of the promotional video changed through time however. My initial draft presented a completely different layout to the existing final draft. For purpose of safety I filmed excess footage that I didn't particularly need which meant I had extra footage to browse through to find the clips that I definitely wanted to include. However the chosen footage was excessive and was in need of cutting down. I included a lot of footage of the rehearsal process which was unnecessary and didn't say much to the audience. It was after I cut this down I realised this structure was in less danger of being dragged out or boring.
In retrospect I should have planned roughly how long the promo video would be. This would make the whole editing process much more simpler as the footage would be much more easier to assemble.
During the editing process I also realised that the setting for the video was all too similar. Every shot took place in the rehearsal space that is used by the company which can be seen as very uninteresting.
Therefore I contacted my client and requested for any stock footage that he may have available.
He was able to give me footage of past shows which I could incorporate into my video when the actors refer to the plays during the interviews. This helps to change up the setting of the video as well as presenting to the audience the finish product of the the companies' efforts.
Amongst the stock footage that was provided to me, was a still shot of the cast and crew assembling a set for one of their past shows. I was able to utilise this footage and create a time lapse shot of the set being constructed.

The majority of the promotional video's structure is made up of the interviews featuring my client as well as a select few actors who appeared in past productions and whom are also appearing in future productions as-well. I told the story of the the company through the interviewee's answers, from the foundation of the company to future productions. This was done by planning in advance what questions I was going to ask so that I would get a specific outcome. The questions that were asked ensured that the audience would receive the required information regarding the company such as what they do as a company, what play they're working on currently, what plays they're putting on in the future, as well as simply getting to know the people involved and how they contribute.

I created short montages of rehearsal footage to break up the interviews into sections so that it would appear less drawn out from  the perspective of the audience. This footage also on occasion distracts away from the interview whilst the interviewee is speaking. This is done to reflect what the interviewee is saying which visually assists the audience in understanding what they're saying.

I was keen to include footage of current plays that were being performed that was shot by myself as opposed to using stock footage which consists of a single shot on a tripod throughout. However the performance of the play was far beyond the deadline for the promotional video and therefore I was unable to do so. This would have given the video a much more diverse feel and added more ascetic interest for the audience. If I planned further ahead I may have been able to shoot plays that were being performed before I planned out the video. The footage I would have obtained would have proven useful to have.

There were not a lot of obstacles that I faced during the production of the video. However the main obstacle I faced was organising when to shoot the rehearsal footage. As these rehearsals were extremely valuable and the show day was drawing ever closer, It was important not to distract the actors by filming up close and personal and getting in the way of the rehearsal space. My client would have been very unappreciative if I were to hold up the process just to get the shots I want off of my shot list. Therefore before shooting I arrived early and planned out where I was going to shoot from. I also brought along additional lenses which were capable of shooting at a greater distance so that it seems that I'm shooting from close up where in reality I was well out the way of the rehearsal space. By doing this, it meant that I achieved the shots I wanted whilst remaining un-distracting from the actors as well as my client.

When editing my video I found that the levels of audio tended to peak, especially during the rehearsal footage which contained a lot of raised voices and emotion when portraying a scene. Therefore I had to lower the levels during those particular scenes so that the audio would not come across as too harsh or overwhelming. On the other hand, during the interview scenes, the levels were a little to low, to the point where the music overwhelmed the speech which made the words very difficult to make out. This meant i had to lower the levels of the music and raise the levels of the interview audio in order to ensure that the audience can understand clearly what is being said. Having the music to edit to from the beginning of the editing process made it much easier to structure. I decided to cut most of the cuts to the rhythm of the music in order to make the video flow better as well as making it appear more ascetically pleasing. I also created certain folders for different sections of footage so that I can select footage at ease whilst editing.

Music Video Preparation

Promotional Video Gantt Chart

During the preparation/shooting and editing processes I used a Gantt chart to keep track of my progress. This proved useful to keep track of what I had/haven't already achieved towards the completion of the video.

Music Video Planning

I have decided upon creating a music video for the Black Honey song "Corrine".



I have decided upon this song due to many reasons, one of the primary reasons being the rhythm of the song. The song possess's a reasonably slow rhythmic feel during the verses which would compliment the style of music video I wish to achieve.
The themes represented in this song are also very relatable which was a favourable theme according to the research that was conducted through the questionnaire. The lyrics are few and simple and i feel that I could create an effective music video based off of them. Considering the small amount of tim that I have to plan and shoot this video, short and sweet songs such as this will work well in my favour.
The subject of the song seems to be very deep, sentimental and personal to the band member(s) and therefore i have decided to focus on the one person in the narrative of this video. I will also explore the themes of loneliness and the longing for someone who has been lost which are the themes the lyrics in this song seem to convey.

Promotional Video Planning - Audio

I regards to the soundtrack of the promotional video, I was in need of a track that was appropriate for a video of this type which would also be royalty-free, which would avoid infringing any copyright laws. My client gave me complete created freedom to direct the video as I saw appropriate. I found a royalty-free music sharing service and chose a track which i get was quite uplifting and inspiring which suit the mood I wished to convey in this video. I wanted the piece to engage and excite the audience as they were watching. I searched through every track the website had to offer to ensure I had made the best possible choice of background music.

All that was required was that I credited the composers website in the description of the video which I ensured myself to do. If this video were to be produced to a professional standard, I would have to abide by every aforementioned precaution to ensure total client satisfaction. 

Promotional Video Planning

When planning out my promotional video, I decided I could choose a client with whom I have had a close working relationship with for quite some time. Therefore an obvious choice was the founder/director of a theatre company which I have been a part of for quite sometime. As it happens, it turned out they were looking for someone to create a promotional video for their Kickstarter campaign, around the same time I had been assigned this project.

I decided before shooting that, because the company is a little known establishment, I would provide a lot of context for the audience. Therefore I requested that my client, as well as two other members of the company whom have acted in many of their productions, would answer a few pre-planned questions within a deliberate interview environment. This would help fully explore the theatre company's history, as well as allowing this video to be very informative for anyone who may be interested in the company. I began to contact the theatre director to discuss when and where we could begin shooting material for the music video.

I also had responsibility to ensure that release forms were signed by those whom were involved or appeared in the final product. On top of this, during shooting I am also responcible for ensuring that everyone involved was secure in regards to health and safety. I had to ensure that when not in use that camera equipment was put away safely as otherwise it would prove a tripping hazard for an entire cast packed in a fairly tight room.

The target audience for this video would include people who are interested in local/ mainstream theatre. Any young aspiring actors would also benefit from seeking out this company as they could potentially audition for future roles. The company are always looking to expand their horizons. We would hope that anyone who came across this video would then go to investigate any future productions the company are putting on.

When considering the style of the video I felt like I wanted to capture the fun the cast have whilst rehearsing for each shows. I therefore considered to capture the banter that would travel bak and forth between the cast. Then it became apparent that if I were to do this, the company would not be taken as seriously as it could when watching the video. I then opted for a much more sleek and professional approach when filming the promotional video which would then further come across in the editing process. As well as the footage of some actors performing, the majority of the footage will be of the interviewees during the interviewing process however I plan to place various other shots over this footage to lessen the feeling that the video is either dragged out or dull. I wish to capture the audience and keep them engaged until the video ends, i therefore have to keep the video short and sweet, consisting of quick cuts when appropriate.

I spoke to my client before shooting and he offered me stock footage of plays that he had put on in the past to use for the video. I figured it would be massively benificial for the audience to see the finished product of the company and to see what all of the company's efforts go into. The stock footage also included the construction of a set which I believed would be interesting for the audience to see in a time lapse.

Sudden Impulse Promo Video

New Wave Film Evaluation: Health and Safety

My New Wave film consists of a variety of shots which emulate certain new wave films. This was intentional as it demonstrated the research I conducted in order to further my understanding of New Wave Cinema. I composed these shots in a cohesive narrative structure, however the narrative itself is sparse. In my initial idea for my new wave film I was hoping to explore a much more looser narrative structure, however due to time restraints and lack of usable footage I was forced to abide to the traditional narrative structure. I was initially hoping to take a lot of inspiration from the film 1966 New Wave film Daisies with the aforementioned editing techniques. However I later decided upon drawing primary inspiration for the 1972 film Morgiana in which there is a traditional cohesive narrative structure.

What stood out for me in Morgiana was the point of view shot of the cat whom roams the castle. I therefore applied this shot to the point of view of the dog whom wakes up the primary character of my New Wave film. As this technique was present in a New Wave film that I studied I decided to emulate this to further the validate my film under the category of New Wave.

Promotional Video - Analysis of existing promo videos

University of West London Promotional Video -

The Target Audience - Would be any aspiring students whom are looking for somewhere to further their academic studies. The majority of the audience would consist of the younger variety, however as university is not restricted to a certain age, the promotional video makes an effort to appeal to a universal audience which ranges from VIth form graduates to the middle age criteria.
Mode Of Address - This promo video is a compilation of moving visuals displaying the college and its students, accompanied by an upbeat, inviting soundtrack. It offers no spoken language, but written text which delivers important statistical information regarding the university's achievements, which they hope would convince you to enrol. The overall pleasing asthetic is an inviting platform to advertise West London's services.
Technical Conventions -The edits present in the promo video are quick and smooth, giving it a much welcome sleek feel to it. The quick cuts are used to maintain the audiences interest as if they were any longer the video would have been in danger of feeling over-dram and boring. The use of graphics are used to give the video a more modern feel to it, avoiding the danger of looking out-dated and therefore less appealing to a younger audience.
Brand Identity - The video opens with the University logo, immediately implanting the brand Identity on the audience. Furthermore the slogan for the university "Connected" also makes an appearance. The video uses statistics such as "94% of students are employed within the first 6 months of graduating" which also appear is items such as signs, and advertisement boards.
Narrative - There isn't a particularly present nor cohesive narrative. It is simply a platform for potential students to find out more information on the university. This avoids unnecessarily over complicating the video and makes the message as clear as possible.


New Music: Only Real Promotional Video -



Target Audience - This video is aimed at people who are interested in new music or whom are interested in this particular type of music. It is also for those who know of this artist and want to find out more about him. The age range would vary from teenagers onwards.
Mode Of Address - The language used in this video is fairly informal. It is spoken from the subject of the music video and therefore the star image of the subject would not want to be comprimesed by including a mode of address which wouldn't suit. For example, if he were to be given as script to read by someone else other than the subject of the video. The subject is filmed around his home town which allows the audience to get to know the artist and become more up close and personal.
Technical conventions - This music of the artist is played in the background of this music video. This gives an audience the idea of the genre/style of the artist's music.
The video consists of interviews with the artist in order for the audience to get to know the artist and the music he produces.
Brand Identity - The blog website which is presenting this video "Dummy TV"'s logo appears at the beginning of the video which establishes the brand identity
It also includes graphics displaying the artists name in block capitols so that the brand identity of the artist is clear and concise.
Narrative -  The narrative follows how he subject of the video started off making music. It is told from his perspective. This includes the songs he's made as well as the videos that accompany them. He also reveals to he audience how he became noticed on the internet when he uploaded a few songs to his blog.

Angel coffee House promo video -


Target audience - The audience would consist of lovers of coffee as well as people who are interested in finding new places to socialise around their local area.
Mode Of Address - There are interviews with regular customers describing how they feel about the coffee shop and their experience with it. This is backed up of well photographed shots of the coffee being assembled which would come across as very appealing to any fans of coffee. There are also shots of customers seemingly having a good time in the shop, which establishes a positive, inviting feeling towards the audience.
Technical Conventions - The video uses graphics to establish the brand identity. It also uses spectacular establishing shots to show the audience the type of area the coffee shop is located in. There is a sleek, slow, low-fi soundtrack that accompanies the visuals which makes the promo video all that more appealing. The sound track is so fanciful that it seems to make out the coffee shop as some sort of mythical location.
Brand Identity - The coffee house logo appears at the beginning of the video which straight away establishes the brand identity. Shots of the coffee shop sign appear in the video which not only establishes the brand identity but also reveals the appearance of the actual shop itself.
Narrative - there is no cohesive narrative however the customer interviews do give you a vivid idea of the atmosphere the coffee shop provides. However there are accounts of past customers, describing how they discovered the coffee shop and how it became a favourite of theirs from then on.

Alpha Romeo - Promo Video


Target Audience - this video is made for anyone interested in buying a new car as well as fans of cars in general. It is also aimed at fans of this particular car manufacturer. As the entire video is focused on the car, it would be enough to please any fan of Alpha Romeo cars.
Mode of address - the video just consists purely of diegetic sound coming from the car as well as a classical soundtrack. This gives the video a very classy feel as if to say to the audience that this is a product of luxury, if you're to buy one you would be seen as very sophisticated.
Technical Conventions - The use of slick quick and smooth cuts reflect how they wish to portray this car, as a slick and quick as well as a smooth ride.
Brand identity -  The brand identity is carried through the shots of the car. The alpha romeo logo is visible on the front of the car. This particular car also has a very distinguishable look which establishes the brand identity by itself. The logo also appears at the end of the promo video as well as text in a fancy italic font which further pushes the sophisticated look.
Narrative - There is no particular cohesive narrative. The shot types simply tell the story of how the car can be seen as an exhilarating, smooth ride if you were to purchase one.

Music Video Analysis (1)

1. Her Morning Elegance - Oran Lavie



This music video is constructed out of several different still photos which create the effect of movement, otherwise known as stop motion animation. This is a distinctly unique video as it uses the stop motion technique on real life objects and people as well as creating surrealist imagery in doing so, using different common household items to represent different things. In that regard this music video is very conceptual.
The concepts that this video presents are very unique and inventive. This implies that the video contains elements of experimental movie making. Qualities such as the aforementioned use of common household items representing different things through movement. For example the use of pillows cleverly positioned underneath the woman's feet can be perceived as a flight of stairs. The combination of the movement of the woman's walking pattern and the movement of the pillows creates the illusion that she's walking down said flight of stairs.

The video maintains a simple feel as it is staged simply in one space, captured at one angle. It flows well as different occurrences in the video occur at different audio cue's, such as the violin appearing when the strings in the song are introduced. This is an example of illustration in music Videos.

There is a running theme in this video which is the setting seems to change overtime the chorus kicks back in. First its on the train, then in the clouds and then in the sea etc. This technique is used to amplify these sections of the song.

As the song progresses the events seem to pick up the pace and transition much more quickly. This is all to do with the pacing of the video which gradually builds until the subtle climax at the end.
This video is set in a very intimate location. Bedrooms are always seen as very personal so therefore to set a music video in a bedroom would suggest that the topic matter is very personal to the artist.

Music Video - Contextual Research

Research:

Andrew Goodwin - 'Dancing in the distraction Factory' 

In Andrew Goodwin's Book, he states that in each music video, there are 3 sections, Music, Lyrics and Band Image. 
The Music relates the the song in a way that a cut could occur on a beat so that that beat is amplified visually and how fast the shot is cut depending on the song.
The Lyrics may relate to what we see on screen, for example if David Bowie were to sing about Life On Mars, then we would see beings existing on Mars.
The Band Image relates to how we see the artist, if at all. Is the artist/band portraying him/herself in the Music Video or are they playing a fictional role which has something to do with the narrative of the video.

 Illustration in Music Videos: 

Music:
Illustration is what we see on screen in coherence with the song that is accompanying the visuals. Sometimes in songs we can visually see the beat and makes the video and the music appear to be in unison.
Lyrics:
Images we see during the video should sometimes represent the lyrics we hear either literally or metaphorically. On the other hand, the images can simply reflect the mood of the lyrics, i.e. sad lyrics, sad atmosphere.
Band Images:
The band appear as they usually do, playing, singing etc.





Amplification In Music Videos:

Music: 
Most of the time the visuals are cut on the beat however sometimes they are cut off of the beat. This is done in order to amplify the the song and the narrative so that the viewer understands and keeps them entertained.
Lyrics: 
If the images we see amplify the lyrics then this means that the images are making sense to the narrative as well as the context of the song. Sometimes the narrative don't match the lyrics specifically however they tend to always match the context in which the song was written.
Band Image:
The majority of the time, the band/artist will supply narrative by converting a certain character within the music video. They may appear as they normally do but something specific may have been altered to fit the context of the music video.



Disjuncture In a Music Video 

Music: 
In this case the music video primarily cuts off the beat of the song. This has been stereotyped to dance music videos as they don't tend to focus on narrative however this is not always the case. This can seem a little weird for the viewer as it seems natural for the video to cut on the beat.
Lyrics: 
Images don't match most of the time and the narrative does not relate to the song in any sense. It is just something on screen for the viewers to observe during the music video. More established artists are more inclined to do this as they have already established a name and style for themselves and therefore a band image nor narrative isn't as necessary.
Band Image: 
The artists/bands don't really look like themselves in their music videos, in fact on some occasions they look the complete opposite than what they usually look like. In some rare occasions they don't even appear in their videos and have someone else appear in the video for them.

Laura Mulvey: The Male Gaze - Case Study

Mulvey's theory suggests that we as a cinema audience are subjected to viewing films through the eyes of a heterosexual male, including what the camera focuses on during the film (this is also known as the male gaze), the game of the audience and also including the maze of the characters featured within the film.
In fewer words: it is the way the visual arts are constructed around the more masculine viewer. 

Sigmund Freud reinforces this theory by way of his perception of scopophillia.
Scopophillia is the pleasure that is received whilst observing a certain thing of interest, i.e. in this case, the female form.
Freud suggests that fro infantry we have a natural instinct to gaze and fixate our gaze on objects and that we never completely grow out of this instinct even when we obtain more control of ourselves as the years go on. This is why Mulvey suggests that cinema is the perfect medium to fulfil this natural instinct as well as the fantasies that accompany this instinct.

There are specific technical elements that contribute to the cinematic male gaze. These include; Close ups, Focus, Fragmentation, Slow Motion, Lighting and Spotlight as well as an editing style which involves a shot reverse shot of the object of desire and whoever is observing this object.
It is still very evident that cinema is still very patriarchal as women are seen in either tight or little to no clothing, as well as the combination of women and objects such as cars which implies that women too are also seen as objects for men to own.

This can all be seen in the following example clip:

History Of Editing

Development of Editing Technology: 

The editing process can be dealt with by way of many different approaches. However primely, the editing process involves compiling a group of moving images together in order to create a smooth tradition between each shots which will subsequently create a cohesive narrative.

Before technology advanced and editing could be completed purely using as computer and the right software, other methods had to be adopted. These including physically cutting and sticking rolls of film together using glue (or a specialist kind of adhesive which did not damage the film). The way the editor knew that that this was the frame of film that he desired to cut between, was by holding the film close to a light sourse which would then reveal which frame that piece of film contained. Even though this was a very tedious process, it became the foundation of what editing became as we know it today.

Later on long the line, the Moviola was designed in 1924 in order for editors to create much more precise cuts which made the process much more easier than what it was before. This device also involved "edge numbering" which allows editors to cut video as eel as audio in synchronisation.

Flatbed Edit Suites

The manufacturing company Steenbeck made a name for itself for manufacturing some of the most widely used film editing, viewing and controlling tables since the early 1950's.

In 1953, Steenbeck released the the first ever flatbed 16mm 4 plate, known as the ST200. This editing device provided optics, sound and playback of 16mm perforated magnetic tape and was seen as revolutionary technology at the time. Despite these breakthroughs i editing technology, the process of editing itself remained very impractical and hands on, including the use of splicers, tim bins and a light table.

Another well-known flatbed editing table was the KEM (Keller-Elektro-Mechanik). While the Steenbeck was more dominant, the KEM was also commonly and widely used. It notably had a modular construction and supported up to three sound tracks.

There is another important difference in the technology behind the original Moviola and the flatbeds. The Moviola used a Geneva drive (or “Maltese Cross”) mechanism to advance the frames, whereas the flatbeds employed a rotating prism. Aside from the fact that the rotating prism handles the film more smoothly with less wear and tear, it is also a lot quieter and, more importantly, allowed for high-speed operation. Due to these factors, as well as its soft nylon rollers, the Steenbeck was known to have a gentle touch on precious film stock, although editing was usually done with a work-print positive so as not to damage the original.

Other manufacturers also developed flatbed editors including Moviola itself and credit is given to Francis Ford Coppola and his longtime collaborator Walter Murch, A.C.E., CAS, MPSE — among the first people in America to embrace flatbed editing enthusiastically.

In the 1940's live television editing became the pioneering form of editing. These advancements in editing technology led to kinescope recordings which entailed picture and audio recording during a live broadcast. There were some bumps along the way however. This form of broadcasting was very impractical and unreliable and commonly resulted in issues such as ghosting and banding. However the tv industry was still using more raw footage in their kideoscope  than most Hollywood film studios combined.

Bing Crosby's production company excelled in recording images onto magnetic tape in the early 50's. Later on in the decade, around 1956, manufacturing company Ampex released the first 2" quadruplex video tape. Due to the fact it was magnetic tape, it had to be developed with extremely fine iron filings suspended in a toxic, carcinogenic carbon tetrachloride solution. This method was utilised so that the magnetic bands on the video tape were made visible when viewed through a microscope, so that it could be aligned in a specialised splicer much more precisely. Video and Audio read ads were several inches apart in the machine. This means that it was much more difficult to make a physical cut that would function correctly for both audio and video. As a compromise, the cut is made for the video and a section of the audio would then have to be re-copied into the correct position. 

In order to get from one position to another on tape, you are required to scour through every other piece of footage in-between. It is commonly believed that more time was spent wading through the footage than making actual specific cuts. To make the matter even or impractical, linear editors are not particularly flexible and it is difficult to build up separate sequences, especially if it is required for the editor to revisit the footage to make additional cuts. This meant that the only method of changing an edit is to perform a new edit on top of the old one. However if a scene you wish to replace over the old edit happens to run longer than the old scene then the editor would have to cover up a bit of the next scene on the tape. On the other hand, if it happened to be shorter then you would have a bit of the old shot still in the program.

Non-Linear and Digital Editing

Non-linear editing is a non-destructive process and a much more natural way of editing. However the requirements for this form of editing are much more demanding. These include; computer power as well as data storage. It is obvious that non-linear editing and digital technology will have many positive effects such as a much more practical way of editing. As the process becomes more simpler, the more coherent the story can be produced. It also gives the editor much more freedom by which they can explore different narrative structures and techniques. As it takes up a lot of fantail resources, the shorter the post production stage of movie making is, the less money will be spent which of course is a positive impact on the post production budgeting process.

Not only does the advancement of technology mean a more practical and less time consuming editing process, but also means the creation of special effects that can be used to enhance certain pictures. For example the well known disappearing and repairing of the time machine in 1985's Back To The Future and of course many other effects such as these. As well as these advancements in special effects, the ability to remove potions of the image seen on screen was also developed. The same technology can be used in film or sound restoration also.

The CMX 600 which was introduced in 1971. However only 6 of these units were produced.  They lay down the foundation of what would soon become non-linerar editing. The EMC 2 and the Avid 1 followed in its path, which was a macintosh based non-linear editor (1989), it became the highest form of editing in Hollywood during that time. Storage capacity however failed to keep up with the advancement of technology.
This issue was addressed when in 1993, Avid debuted a 7 terabyte system. Editor Walter Murch won an oscar for best editing in 1997, for The English Patient, which he edited using an avid.

Digital Editing

Digital editing has many benefits including; it is easy to copy, is resistant to noise, it is not subject to generation loss and finally it is much more easier to sync audio and visual together. In 1990, a manufacturing company known as New Tek released the first "Video Toaster" on the Omega system. Despite its limited capability, it brought video production to establishments such as small television studios, production shops and schools. It came with the ability to apply various effects and even a 3D effect which was known light weight 3D and proved that there was a market for small scale media production.
In 1995, there was the introduction of dvd optical discs, using new types of compression referred to as MPEG-2.

The first ever US public HD broadcast occurred in 1996, which was around the same time in which hollywood studios began using digital intermediary to create special effects. This process involves sending 35mm film through a telecine, which scans the film and creates a digital file, that can then be manipulated in a computer using special effects and composing. Once this is complete, the optical printer would then place the video images back onto film.


References:

https://www.editorsguild.com/Magazine.cfm?ArticleID=1104

Chaffinch - A short Documentary about a boy with a Dream

Jacques Lacan - Psychoanalyst Case Study

The Mirror Stage 

Jacques Lacan theorised that when an infant, typically under the age of 6  months witnesses their own reflection in the mirror, they believe what they see to be superior to them by comparison. They therefore look up to this person that they see as they don't recognise the image as themselves. They then set out to parallel this image that they see.

This theory can be applied to the way women see the ideal being on a cinema screen, identifies them as a superior being and strives to replicate the image. This can lead to very potential harmful conditions such as body dysmorphia which could then lead to anorexia/bulimia. Unfortunately it gives the effect that the body types as seen on screen are unachievable which can leave you vulnerable to feels of self doubt an lack of confidence/self esteem.


The Theory of Lack 

Lacan suggests that any sense of desire that we experience are somewhat unrealistic and are merely fatties which every individual feels they have to achieve . It is these desirable fantasies which drive individuals to do certain things/ say certain things etc. It is what motivates them to do the things they do. However he is not stating that it is impossible to fulfil these fantasies. He is in fact stating that if these fantasies were to be fulfilled then the lust of the individual will become even more difficult to fulfil and therefore will go on to live an empty life as all they will want will become more and more unreasonable. It is this kind of lack that exists in the mind that can go on to create problems such as addictions or unhealthy obsessions.

This theory has been translated into film text through out many years. Such film texts include: Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980), The Worlds End (2013), and Vertigo (1958).

In The Shining, the films protagonist/anarchist Jack, along with his family, take on the job of minding a hotel during a snowstorm which isolates the characters during the period of around 7-8 months. During this period, Jack, a writer is attempting to finish writing a novel however, as the days turn into weeks, Jack's mental health starts to deteriorate. The more he realises that he is unable to overcome his writers block, the more aggressive and violent he acts towards his family, resulting in the attempted murder of both his own wife and son. This is a classic example of Lecan's theory of lack, as it becomes more evident to Jack, that his goals are less and less unlikely and will not be ultimately fulfilled, the obsession of his work turns into a murderous obsession in order to overcome the truth of his own failing.
There are many technical aspects shown during certain scenes in this film which support this theory. For example the repetitive nature of the film. Many scenes are shown to reveal that Jack is living the same routine of self torture, attempting to write day in and day out with no luck. This is conveyed by shooting similar scenes that are played over and over again as time progresses. The audio aspect supports this as the music becomes increasingly distressing as time goes on, signifying Jack's slowly deteriorating mental state. The music that can be heard is eerie in nature, at not at all pleasant to listen to which makes it all the more haunting. The set design of The Shining is also very specific as it acts as more of a labyrinth than a hotel which creates a very eerie and disorientating atmosphere. The halls are twisted with impossible corridor and windows that shouldn't exist. This is representative of Jack's mental state as he attempts to navigate his way around the hotel. This can be seen as a visual metaphor for his own internal psychological battle which he ultimately succumbs to.






'The Worlds End' tells the story of a depressed middle aged man who can't let go of his youth. He organises a trip to his home town in order to complete a pub crawl that he failed to complete when he was 18. Similarly, this film also represents the theory of Lack as his lust for being young again and taking back those good times puts him and his friends in danger. The incomplete pub crawl represents his unfulfilled life/transition from being a teenager into adulthood.

There are in fact countless cinematic examples that have been based around the theory of lack and human fulfilment, desires and the inmate human need. Despite the genre of the film, the film tends to centre around the wants and needs of the central characters.
However in lesser cases, this want or need has the potential to lead to an obsession with this person or thing. Or in fact exploring human infufilment. Once that original desire had been fulfilled people tend to move on or discover addition desires only for the cycle to continue throughout their life. This is why Lacan suggests that human satisfaction can never be achieved as people will just keep wanting more.