Today, we had a guest speaker from Passion Pictures. He spoke to us about how we needed to go about planning and executing our music video, to make the process go as smooth and as easy as possible. He discussed Treatments, storyboarding, timelines and also editing. Unfortunately however I had to go to A an E so I missed half of the talk, but I still managed to write down some notes during his talk after I had arrived.
Some key points that he mentioned were as follows: 1. When writing the Treatment for the video, make it as visual as possible and try to show your visual ideas through your writing, not explaining with camera angles your going to use etc. The treatment introduces the artists, so it needs to be creative and exciting. 2. In the editing, don't use it to 'fix' or make your images better. The editing process is all about putting your story together which has been pre-planned, not by filling in gaps where you have missed some footage etc. 3. Dont fix it in Post-production! 4. He focused on explaining that we need to focus on thinking about how it will look, and what we will do to make it look good. All the little details add up to make the video, so we have to think hard about all the little details.
As a group we have asked quite a few people about being a possible contender to be involved in our music video, and more specifically the performance element of the band in our video. We need/have to ask/choose people who fit the stereotypical rock-band look, such as long hair, dark dressed and a key element is that they have to be able to play the musical instrument which we want to cast them to use in the video. If we have people who cannot play instruments, it will not look realistic or good, so this will ultimately leave us with an amateurish looking video, which we definitely do not want. Typical look of a band we would like to have:
For example, we have asked one boy, called Tom Saville, who plays the drums, has long hair and dresses in a very rocky and cool fashion. He has temporarily agreed, but our teacher has advised us that he will most likely not be available as he will be a popular choice for everyone. As a result, we have to ask more people as a sort of backup option, so that we are prepared for any unwanted and unexpected circumstances.
We will need to get on a move on with the casting, so that we can get started on rehearsals which we will need to execute perfectly, as this is a fundamental part of the video.
Today, we had another discussion about our 'secret lives concept' with our teacher Phil and our group members. We again talked about the possibility of it looking too poor to use, and again how it may not attract the attention of our audience. We have decided to consider changing the narrative of our video, and possibly including a different 3rd element, such as a lip sync etc. We have yet to decide this and we are in the process of planning this different idea.
Today, we decided to have a class discussion as one entire group to help give feedback and extra ideas to each group in our class. Here is a picture of our group discussion. Our group discussion revolved around, once again, what particular events and activities that the people would be doing in our video. These include Cosplay, a hoarder and a serial killer.
This group discussion was extremely helpful, as it allowed the group to brainstorm even more ideas, and select ideas which we liked and disliked. Similarly to our issue however, is that the class struggled to come up with viable ideas which we could use, and also agreed with us in that it would be quite difficult to keep an audiences attention for a long time if we don't do it correctly.
Today, we continued developing our idea. We started to think about a timeline that we would soon need to write, and specifically what the audience would actually see on camera. We also discussed possible things that people would be doing at night, as this was one of the main themes in our video. An issue we are having is that we are worried that people won't really care about what the people will be doing and that they may lose interest, so we are considering all other possible concepts which we could include instead.
I will be analyzing the music video for Homesick by Catfish and the Bottlemen, to look for similarities in music video conventions and elements used in the alternative rock genre. This is a picture of the band. Their star image is quite similar to our band. They have long hair, dark in-style clothing and have a very anti mainstream image about them. This look is very atypical of rock bands.
This is the music video for Homesick.
3 elements The main theme in this music video is the band playing at a concert. However, there are 3 strands in this video which are apparent. At the beginning, there are shots of the band chilling out before a show, being calm and also at times riding a bike around the building. This element is one of 'behind the scenes' which is a cool idea, as the entire video is the journey through the night of one of the bands concerts.
Secondly, the next element used is the performance itself. The band is shown performing to a huge crowd.
Finally, the last element of the video is that the entire video is shot as if it is in the form of an old movie reel, as it is made with hundreds of individual pictures put together and there is a a shot of the reel burning away at the end, as if its an old style movie.
Example of many pictures used to create video:
Visuals in the video
As mentioned before, the entire videos camerawork is done with a timeline of pictures, showing the progress of one of the band's concerts. This is a unique style to a music video and is very cool. There are lots of close-ups of the bands faces too, which is used to make the audience feel closer to the band, and allows them to feel at one with them and also at times as if they are there themselves watching the concert alongside them.There are multiple shots of the bands performance too, from high above the stage and from backstage too. These are in tangent with the editing of the video, which is very fast paced and that each picture on lasts a split second.
Additionally, the whole video is tainted with an overlooking black, white and grey color scheme. This is to fit with the tone of the track, as the song is all about his girlfriend arguing and breaking up with him. The dark colors can be used to reflect upon his sadness and the gloomy life he has afterwards.
The costumes of the band are one of common sightings in typical alternative rock bands too. They are all wearing very dark clothes and have very long hair. Long hair is a classic symbol of rock bands and the rock genre, as it is very against the idea of having mainstream short hair as people cannot imagine the ruling people in society to have long hair.
Today, we pitched our idea to our class. The feedback was mainly positive, but we have a lots of things in which we can improve. Here is a Prezi presentation created by our group member called Alex. We all input ideas as a group and then he went to create this presentation.
Feedback
One main concern from our feedback is that we need to keep a difference between surreal and unexpectedness of the video. The main theme of the video is the idea of people having 'hidden lives'. But we need to make sure that the video is very unexpected and unusual but also it must keep a sense of keeping it realistic too. We will have 3 components which will be linked together which will make the video are more complete video, as it will have 3 crucial elements - the band performance, the lip sync and the weird activities. This is in correlation with the activities that we would like the people to be doing when they're being watched. The overall theme of the video is the 'hidden lives' theme. So this is in regard to what are the people doing? This is the crucial part of the video and will either make it a great video or a poor video. We will need to spend a lot of time thinking it through. We will need to also explore it in a number of different ways with different people. This will mean we may need to have between 5 or 6 different sets. We were told that we need to focus on and create more of the ideas of what the people would be doing, as it needs to fit in with the 'secret lives' that we are going for in our video.
Additionally, we were told to think of another possible way we could see the events going on. One inspiration idea was from 'Neighbours' by The Rolling Stones. In the video, the band plays in their own room, and the camera zooms out to see all of their 'neighbours'. Then the camera zooms in closer to the neighbours, revealing a weird activity that they're doing. We very much liked this concept, but we would still want to have the band playing in their own performance, as I think the band being stuff edit in a set room like in this video, doesn't really look the best. We want a proper performance which looks cooler, as it will suit with the song better.
In this group meeting, we had decided upon a huge change in the video idea. Instead of a SWAT team storming a warehouse, we decided we were going to focus on 'the dark side' of people, and what they could possibly get up to at night time and behind closed doors. After this change, we then discussed possible ways in which we could see these weird activities which people do. The reason we changed our idea is because of the difficulty of finding a warehouse, and also whether the whole action sequence with the SWAT team will look any good or whether it will look pretty bad. The 'dark side' of people idea came from a group discussion in class, and the reason why we like it so much is because we can develop it and include lots of cool ideas.
We took inspiration from Sam Smith's Stay With Me, as we like the idea of our character walking down the street, having houses on both sides, and then possibly seeing the people doing weird things in the street. The weird things he sees will be the main part of the video which will be the main attraction for the audience.
Another piece of inspiration came from Beyonce's Haunted. In her video, she walks through a house looking into different rooms. In each room, she sees a weird unusual thing going on, and we thought this was very cool and that we cold replicate it.
Finally, we discussed possible activities that the audience would be seeing people do in the music video. This is crucial as this is one of the main components that will keep the audience interested and hooked onto the video. In this part, we took inspiration from the montage scene in the film Magnolia. This is because it cuts to many different people and what is happening in their lives all at the same time and some stuff is very weird, such as the scuba diver in the tree. Some ideas we were thinking of was a transsexual crossdresser, and psychopathic murderer, a suicidal businessman and an arms dealer mother.
Today we had our first group meeting. In this meeting, we discussed our favourite ideas and which idea and track we like the most. We then expanded on these ideas and create mind maps full of possible ideas and things we could possibly do.
By the end of the meeting, we had an A3 sheet which was full of posted notes which had multiple ideas for the warehouse idea. This is the idea that we discussed in which a SWAT team storms a warehouse where a band is playing. Each posted note contained possible endings, narratives, costumes etc. which were all written down to try and make the video as unique as possible.
Today, I pitched my music video ideas to my class mates, and they all provided feedback for each idea, explaining any parts they liked, and any parts which they felt needed changing or altering in any way.
Here is a picture of me presenting my ideas:
Here is a video of the class discussion, which contains crucial information which I can study to help to improve my ideas and expand further.
A re-occuring theme in the feedback video is the fact that people like my 'child gang' idea, but there is a big logistical problem about finding enough available kids to use, and for having them for a long period of time.
Additionally, classmates also provided some key information regarding music videos I should watch as they contain elements in them which I want to have in my video. One example was Cheating by John Newman. I spoke about having a band playing on a rooftop, and in this video there is that exact thing. I checked it out and it was very useful, as it provided me with inspiration towards a possible idea which I would love to see be created.
Another suggestion was to use paintball guns instead of my original Nerf gun idea. I think this is a fantastic suggestion as paintball guns would create a much more visually appealing video, as we could use many different coloured paints. I will definitely consider this idea and I think it would be amazing to bring this to life. Additionally, access to this equipment would be a lot easier than getting multiple Nerf guns.
Music videos are carefully designed and choreographed to meet the needs and appeals of their chosen target audiences. This can be done through humour, beauty, style, abstractness and so on. I will be looking at music videos and explaining why they may or may not be appealing to adolescents. First Music video - Style by Taylor Swift
This music video is full on many stylistic elements, which are very arty and aesthetically pleasing to watch. This makes the video very interesting to watch and offers something very cool to look at. This is in work with 'beauty' shots of Taylor Swift, which again could be used to appeal to its teenage audience, as girls will admire the beauty, and boys may find her attractive to look at. There is also a relationship narrative in the lyrics and the visuals, which again may appeal to young girls.
Example of cool shot Example of beauty shot In my opinion, the main element if this video which attracts the teenage audiences, are the beauty aspects of Taylor Swift, and the cool, unique and unusual shots, which create interest and astonishment for the viewers. Second Music Video - Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson
Disimilar to Style, this music video has many different elements to it which appeal to its audience. The first big element are the dance routines involved. People may admire the dance moves performed, such as the forwards moon walk. This is because the audience could possibly go and learn the moves themselves, and could also be targeting the party type of people. Additionally, there are many humorous elements to the video, such as the salon scene, the over-stylised choreography and the overall silly theme to it. There is also some cool camera movements, such as a tilt etc. which adds an old-school element to the video.
The forwards moon walk
The humorous hair salon
Overall, in my opinion the biggest appeal to this music video is the dance attraction and the humour. This makes a fun watch, and the audience can go off and try to imitate the dance moves elsewhere. Third Music Video - Gibberish by MAX
The main attraction in this video are the clever editing techniques used, which create an amazing video full of tricks and cool stuff. There are reverse shots and forward shots, no cuts, cool smoke effects and projections. This additions make the video very interesting to watch and add a 'wow' factor which is quite rare. There are also a range of genres present, such as pop, dance and electro, which could appeal to many different people. And also there is once again examples of dance routines, which could again be rehearsed and repeated by audiences. Example of Smoke Projections
Example of dance routines Overall, I believe the main attraction to this video are the cool, technically interesting shots, as this is intriguing to watch for the audience. This also makes the video very visually appealing and innovative, which could reflect the overall message for the artist.
The overall theme for this track is that it focuses on being a rebel and youth culture being involved in gangs etc. This creates an alpha-male sort of feel, that these people rule the world and are invincible. Here is a digipak which reflect these themes:
The Website The website would again be a very dark one. There could be some pictures of some weapons, but the idea of using NERF guns instead of prop weapons is to add a humorous feel to it. The website would also contain pictures of some possible gang members, as the video idea contains to rival gangs. Maybe to add a final twist, the gang members could be children instead of adults.
The overall theme for the Trip Switch is all about being scared and fearful in the presence of someone who is an authoritative state and has much power over you. And there is a feeling of a lack of freedom, which is going to be represented in the music video, and the lyrics. Here is a digipak design which I think reflects these feelings and themes:
The Website The website would focus on having an electrical circuit feel to it, by having possible lightning bolts, as it fits in with the song title. And another possible idea, is that to enter the website you have to manually pull a lever to 'turn on the power' of the website, which again relates to the song title.
The overall theme for the Itch campaign is all about feeling emotions, and the darkness of suicide and so on. This means that the theme of the digipak and website reflects these ideas. Here is a digipak front cover design which I feel correctly reflect these moods and emotions:
The Website
The website would be a very dark one, which has a ruling colour of black and grey to once again symbolise the dark and sad feelings which will be reflected in the music video and the lyrics. The website will revolve around the girl in the music video which commits suicide and which the narrative is focusing on, by using pictures of her in the main background and in a slideshow etc.
My final idea for my A2 music video involves the song Double Bubble Trouble by M.I.A. Music Video Concept: A 'king' figure who runs a young adolescent gang in London has a stand off with another leader of the rival gang. One gang wears red, the other wears blue. They then pull out weapons, but they aren't real but in fact Nerf guns. There is then a mass fight between the two gangs, after the leaders order their men to shoot at each other. This is a sort of look that I want the people to have:
How does the idea fit the lyrics and the song?
The song is all about being 'in trouble' as they're involved in a gangster lifestyle, and about having a reputation. However, I decided to put a more comical twist to it, as the official music video displays a great image of a true gangster lifestyle, so I wanted to oppose it. The gangster clothing is to convince the audience that it is real, then the inclusion of NERF guns is a twist which the audience will not expect to see.
Who is M.I.A?
M.I.A is a Sri Lankan female rapper, but is also a songwriter, artist and director. She is notorious for her rebellious attitude but also her unique soundtracks which have proven to be a success. Her image is one of rebelliousness and youth culture, and she focuses her lyrics on younger people doing what they want. Her style is very much focused Sri Lankan art styles, and she enjoys to reflect these in her music videos.
My second music video concept involves the song Trip Switch by Nothing But Thieves, which is the same band that I mentioned in my first music video idea. Music Video Concept: My idea involves a band playing in a warehouse - with or without a small crowd watching them. In the video, a SWAT-TEAM like police squad are approaching the warehouse, and the infiltrate the show. They go on to cut off the lights and eventually arrest the band, or they manage to escape. Added detail - use of sparks, slow-mo shots, gun use and affects. Why is this relevant to the lyrics?
The lyrics describes the process of what we should do 'when the power's out' and the idea of lights going out and the panic involved. This therefore links in with the idea of a power cut, and the inclusion of the SWAT-TEAM adds to the panic, and makes for a much cooler and relevant music video concept. This picture represents the ideal location for this music video to take place in.
My first idea for my music video for A2 media studies involves the song Itch by Nothing But Thieves. Music Video Concept: A young teenage girl is walking through a council estate back to her apartment. The weather is very dark and cloudy, looking very gloomy. The narrative will involve her catching her boyfriend cheating on her, then eventually leading to her going up to the roof, then ultimately jumping off to commit suicide. Added detail - during build up of song, lots os slow-motions shots, then during main 'drop', show faster paced fighting between boyfriend, then at end of song, more slow-mo and slower paced. Also, the song is 3:21 in length, so we may need to cut it down slightly.
How does this fit with the song? The songs lyrics are very emotional and is all about wanting to feel emotions, and to "feel something". The idea of the girl committing suicide because of her boyfriend cheating on her helps link in with the idea of 'wanting to feel something'. The music video will focus on the girls hardships and make the audience feel sorry for her. The song is very dark and sad already, so my idea helps to add to these feelings. Who are Nothing But Thieves? Nothing But Thieves are an upcoming rock/indie band. Their image is similar to other bands, but no way near as extreme. They focus a lot on emotional lyrics, and are very unique in their own right. Nothing But Thieves are my favourite band too. They are similar to other bands, such as Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Vaccines. My music video idea fits in well with both the song lyrics and the band image, which is why this is the idea I would like to do the most.
