Thursday, 9 June 2016
Wednesday, 8 June 2016
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
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.
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.
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.
AIn 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.
Tuesday, 7 June 2016
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Monday, 6 June 2016
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
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.
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
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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