Draft 1 of my Music Video

Here is the first draft of my music video. Clearly I need to complete much more filming to then add to my music video using the editing machines. Mainly I need to concentrate on including shots of the model singing certain lyrics of the song to add to the peformance form of the video. I am happy with the content of the narrative shots I have obtained so far however I do need to add more shots concentrating on the relationship of the male and female model.

I am happy to have filmed the start of the music video involving the main prop of the mirror. This directly relates to the lyrics so adds a complementing feature for the audience to understand. This starting scene adresses the main artist to the audience from the use of the panning shot. In terms of mise-en-scene, the country genre is immediately outlined from the natural location and costume choice of the model; brown cowboy boots and a checkered shirt. The prop of the mirror adds to the concept of self confidence issues the model has, for example the over the shoulder shot simply showing her reflection.

I then filmed high angle shots of the model singing in a haybail adding a aspect of performance. The shot itself makes the model appear vunerable and weak in the frame. Adding to the perception of the

Filming #3 - Set Photographs

Filming #3 - Preparation

The preparation for filming stage 3 of my music video took place on 30/11/12 and involved helping the model memorize and learn the lyrics to the song.

Production Plan - Stage 3

01/12/12 - 9AM

Completing my filming on this date is crucial as I need to begin to edit my videos and create drafts to improve my video and gain valuable audience feedback. Thus I have decided to start the filming no later than 9:00AM giving me a large time allowance to shoot all necessary filming. This production plan is mainly focused on shooting the performance structure of my music video therefore I have planned to meet up with my female model 30/11/12 to discuss arrangements.
I MUST MAKE SURE THE MODEL KNOWS THE LYRICS TO THE SONG!!!
This will save valuable time on the day of filming and also improve the element of realism of my music video which is very important to convey to the audience.

I aim to complete the filming in all 3 of the locations I have chosen to use:

• The Barn
• Heron Lakes
• Beverley Westwood

I will still need to shoot certain shots after the completion of this filming day which also involve the male model however I can complete this on a future date.

After the disaster of changing locations due to the rain on my previous filming date I have decided to search the weather forecast prior to filming. The icy conditions could cause health and safety issues therefore I will need to create a risk assessment before filming. Another problem is the temperature at the time of filming is predicted at 3 degrees. I cannot change the costume of my female model as I have already filmed various shots and a change would cause a serious error in the continuity of my music video. I will bring a rug and blanket along with a coat for the model to wear during camera set up stages to avoid a risk to her health.

8:30am: Prepare the female model to for the barn location (wavy hair and narrative costume).
9:00am: Film the barn location, including shots: 44,53,85.
9:20am: Prepare the model for the Heron Lakes location (curly hair and performance costume).
9:45am: Travel to Heron Lakes location.
10:00am: Film the Heron Lakes location, including shots:15,16,17,40,41,78,77.
10:45am Travel to Westwood Location.
11:00am: Shoot the Westwood location including shots: 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,33,54,55,56,57,65.
12:45am Finish filming and drop Louisa off at work.

As you can see I have taken extra preparation in planning my filming by clearly stating each shot I will be shooting during the day. Clearly I will need to spend most of my filming time at the Westwood location as importantly this provides the shots for the introductory shots.
As well as the stated shots above I will also be filming the model singing the whole of the song in all 3 locations giving me extra footage in case I have missed any shots when I begin to edit.

Final Props List

Filming #2 - Set Photographs

Filming #2 - Images of the models

The models worked really well together and managed to create both an atmosphere of laughter and despair for the content of the different shots. The friendly nature of both my models meant filming was very enjoyable and there was not any awkward situations when acting in my video.

Filming #2 - Major problems encountered

The morning of filming section 2 I faced a large problem as unexpectedly the weather turned and there was continuous rain and wind. This posed great problems as clearly I couldn't risk filming in these conditions and possibly break the equipment. I had to think of an alternate location to shoot my "break up scene" that still followed the correct atmosphere and country style.
I decided to browse the location of furrows farm which i previously researched as part of my initial location research. It was important I found a location which had some shelter to protect the equipment from the weather. An hour before filming I looked around both Furrows and Appleyard farm which was both owned by a family friend. There was some location which was very suited to the country genre however not suitable for the "break up scene". For example, there was large tractors and areas full of farm yard animals such as bulls and sheep. Eventually I decided to use the barn, the lighting was very suited to my music video as it had areas of both light and dark setting. The light areas of the setting was obviously more suited for my music video in terms of the tecniquality of the shots the open areas meant the quality of the shots was better. However equally as useful the dark areas connoted a negative and dark atmosphere which almost for tells the future content of the shot and the heartbreak which would soon occur. The haybails which the models would be sat on during the shots adds to the country style element of the music video.

After a stressful hour of deciding upon a equally as perfect location for my music video I drove to pick up the models and create their characters through hair, make up and costume. Eventually this gave me 1 hour 30 minutes to shoot the video and the shots I needed to make progress in terms of editing the following week.

Before filming I had to create a rough health and saftey assessment as clearly there are few dangerous hazards regarding actually getting to the location.

 

 



Outfits for the "break up scene"

I am very happy with the chosen outfits for my male and female model for the "break up scene". The outfits are very casual which was to ideal to fit the situation as combined content of the shots are simply a memory. Although casual I have still made sure the character costumes follow a country style. This has been created from the checkered shirt and military boots for the male model and the simple pink blouse with green wellies for the female model. The stylistic use of the color's blue and pink show the distinctive difference between male and female. Combined with the tone and atmosphere in the scene this immediately allows the audience to recognise the male model as the antagonist. 

Production Plan #2

17/11/12 - 10:30AM
I plan to complete this second stage of shooting from 10:30- 12pm on 17/11/12. This "break up scene" involves (my male model) Elliot, breaking up with (the female model) Louisa creating her journey of heartbreak leading to her self consciousnesses and eventual contemplation of suicide. All the scenes I plan to shoot will be put into black and white during the editing process and special effects will be used to show the content as Louisa's memory. After my first stage of shooting I found I could improve my organisation skills by clearly writing each shot I intend to shoot. Placed below is the production plan I created:

Filming Test Shots

Practice: Close up Shot

Here is an example of my raw material filming before editing the shot to follow the correct sequence. My plan for my music video is clearly shown in my storyboard, I have planned for 3 close up shots of the rose filmed below to be edited in a short sequence showing the process of it dying. As a rose is a symbol of love, its process of dying should create an negative atmosphere in my music video and connote the heartbreak of my female model.

By creating this test shot I have had valuable experience using the video camera and exploring the different settings on the equipment that I could use creating different effects. I found that it is very difficult to keep the camera steady during filming due to alternate factors such as the wind. This could prove to be a problem as my music video is focused on a poetic ideology. This means the positioning of my camera for long shots with movement will be very difficult to create without much movement from the camera. This has reinforced my decision to use a large HD camera as this piece of equipment is much more bulky therefore less likely to move and cause a disturbance in quality of the video. This HD camera also allows me to make certain objects become in and out of focus which I have planned to do during my music video.

I am looking forward to filming the rest of my music video with the inclusion of my models in the shots.

Practice: Green screening using Clouds 

The technique of using green screening was much more advanced than I anticipated. My media classmate Olivia agreed to let me film her for a simple practice shot giving me the opportunity to judge how effective this location could be. To begin with I placed a fixed tripod in the green room and filmed her standing still then slowly zoomed into a medium close up. Using the editing machines I disposed of the green background using the different applications and then used the Chroma Key tool to place the clouds shot onto a higher layer from the previous shot of the Olivia simply stood. This converged both the shots of the background and the model. It was quite difficult trying to adjust each individual setting on the tool to completely hide the green background to make the overall shot appear more accurate. 

I am very glad I chose to create a test shot and practice using the green screening tool first hand. When I shoot my actual music video I need to ensure there are no other props or items in the shot as this completely affects the realistic outlook of the shot. Also I should use frequent long shots to show the whole of the models body in the shot as the introduction of a medium shot can make the appearance of the sequence appear very odd and unfamiliar.

However, regarding the choice of locations from the CD I am very happy with the use of clouds. It directly relates with the rest of my music video and the tone of simplicity I am trying to incorporate. It also continues the ideology of time moving on and how the artist must move on from the man she previously fell in love with.  The shots containing the green screening location will provide the majority of the performance structured footage.

Health and Saftey Assessments

Here are certain Health and Safety issues I should consider for shooting my music video:

A grid seemed to be the most suitable and organised way to present my risk assessment as it gives me easily accessible information when I begin the filming process. During filming I can take this chart with me and rely on the safety precautions stated to ensure the safety of my models and myself. The decision to use the lake location during my music video was well thought out as there are many risks which few can be considered having a serious severity of injury.

Another method of control I will use to improve the risk of indury is by making my model wear suitable boots that have good grip. This reduces both the risks that the model could fall into the lake and trip up onto a hard surface. This should have been included in the above control measures for the hazards presented.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next I had to consider the dangers of my barn location, involving the "break up scene". The severity of the Injury in these assessments are particularly dangerous however as long as precautions are followed during filming the risk should be relatively low. As previously mentioned footwear is very important factor to consider in many health and saftey assessments. Again the models will be wearing appropriate footwear; military boots for the male model and large wellies designed for outdoor activity for the female. Luckily this relates very well to the country style in terms of mise-en-scene making the choice of footwear both practical and well suited.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Narrative of my Music Video

Narrative of Tied together with a smile by s0014092 on GoAnimate

Animated Presentations - Powered by GoAnimate.

A possible Twist?

To make the narrative of my music video more exciting I have been researching the possible twists that could work for my choice of song and genre. As my theme follows heartbreak the variety of the twist is fairly selective as the narrative must not be confusing for the audience. Also my music video is limited to under 4 minutes therefore my narrative cannot be really complex and must flow naturally.

A possible twist I have explored recreating in my music video is similar of the song Beyonce - If i were a boy. This could work with my music video as during my chosen song the tempo and beat of the music increases towards the end of the song which could represent the climax of pain she is feeling about her heartbreak. This twist would also work as the lyrics at the end of the song slightly change which could be made specific to the pain the male model could be feeling - the lyrics follow" That you cry" insinuating the male model is feeling the pain as much as the female model.

During the music video If I were a boy - Beyonce the twist is made effective and clear from the use of frequent close up shots to show the personalities of the characters changing and their facial expressions. Also the same long shot is used before and after the change of character to make it clear time has passed but the situation of the narrative is the same (one of the parts remains unfaithful and the relationship isn’t working). Also the main song stops from 3:32 - 4:10 seconds so the audience can clearly hear the conversation between the two characters. At the moment of the change an echo is placed onto the female model voice to add the eerie and shocking change of characters.

If I decide follow this twist with my music video I think I will need to allocate seconds of silence to the music video to make the change of personalities clear. After this point the female model will show the performance style by singing about the pain he is now feeling after the break up and the male will continue the narrative.

I intend on filming the appropriate shots for both the idea of the twist and also my original idea to compare and make a final judgement. To ensure the judgement I make on this subject is suitable for my audience I will be creating polls and questionnaires as part of feedback to help me make my music video as suitable to my target audience as possible.

Continuous Shots

During my music video the chorus is played 3 times therefore I must show some kind of repetition using certain shots as this is very conventional of music videos. I found this after doing some independent research. This involved watching music videos and comparing the use of repetition and the connotions this may create.

Narrative

Although this is conventional, I will only be using repetition for the first two lines (3 shots) of the chorus in my music video as i still want the narrative to be exciting and shocking to the audience. Below are the following shots I will repeat during my music video, these 3 shots refer to the first 2 lines of the chorus.

Long shot of the model singing with her hands in the air again showing the performance aspect of the music video.

Duration: 2 seconds. 

Close up shot with the camera placed below the models face showing her singing.

Duration: 1 second.

Medium shot of the model sat down on the bridge with her hand in the water. The model will then look up at the camera and directly sing the words "your jumping into it".

Duration: 2 seconds. 

Working Log

I have decided to create a working log which will be added too every Sunday night giving me the chance to reflect on what work I have completed during the week for my media coursework.

11/11/12
This week I continued to work on my story board and begin to create my animatic. I found difficulties with the animatic as some of the timings of the shots had to be extended to fit the tempo and beat of the music. This was easy to change however I will have to be careful when editing my actual video that the shots fit the pace of the music. I need to finish my storyboard as soon as possible so I can shoot the more specific and important parts of my music video that will take more time to alter using the editing suites. Last week I also filmed a selection of individual shots for my music video. I greatly underestimated the time it takes to perfect certain shots therefore will allocate more time to my next section of shooting.


18/11/12
I am very happy with the amount of work I have produced this week towards my filming and research. Yesterday I filmed the second section of my music video which contained "the break up". I did face many problems in the morning prior to filming as the weather was terrible and not suitable for filming outside. I was also faced with the pressure of finishing this section of filming by 12:00PM as Louisa had to be at work at this time. I had to change my whole location to somewhere inside but that still reflected the country genre and had suitable lighting. I chose a haybail barn whihc actually worked out very well.


04/01/13
I filmed yesterday to try and get more shots of the model actually singing the lyrics of the song. I also added shots which I did not plan out to add more of a narrative. This week I also started my research into ancillary texts by completing two critical analyses's and general research into the codes and conventions of digipak's ect.

My Animatic

I have created an animatic in order to visualise the order of shots of my video and analyse the quality of the sequence following the music. This process is quite lengthy but will be very useful as It gives me an accurate plan for shooting my video, also it gives me the opportunity to make decisions as to how well certain shots work best in the video. Creating the animatic also widens my knowledge on the best use of mise-en-scene and the equipment I will need to acquire for filming that would be best suited for the shots I want to create.
It is important to always focus on how well my video will target its audience. I will show my animatic to certain members of my target audience so I can discover early if any changes need to be made to make my music video more suited to its genre and audience.

 

Complete Storyboard

(First 23 pages of storyboard)