We made 3 release forms one for each member of our crew and got them to sign it to provide evidence that they were happy to be part of our music video.
I found a website which allowed me to download different fonts which i did and these are the ones I found...
After filming day 1 we put all the clips into final cut express using the easy set up options. We then used our storyboard to situate these clips with the music where we wanted them. I think this gave us a great starting point to making a really successful music video that we would be proud of. Also the black parts of the video are the sections that we have not filmed yet. We also saved it in a low quality format as we were rushed for time.
After filming our first day we started to edit following our storyboard. These are some of the sections we created using editing techniques such as slow motion, cross dissolves and action matches (locked off camera shot).
On this day we filmed the performance aspect of the video including the duet scenes. We were really pleased with how the day went and managed to film all the shots we needed to. The weather also worked on our side with various moments of sunlight appearing! We also managed to take some pictures for our separate digipak ideas and overall i am really pleased with how its going.
What Went Well
Everyone was well organised and prepared so they knew what clothing to wear and what to bring
The weather worked in our favour and was just how we hoped it would be
The people we chose worked really well together and even began incorporating their own ideas into the piece
We all worked well and had our own jobs to make sure we got everything we needed
Improvements
We realised some of the shots we took came out slightly shaky so maybe we could've taken more time in being more cautious with some of the shots
As we were filming in a local park, some of our shots also had people or dogs in the background! However, we could use this to our advantage and say that it adds to the realism of the piece therefore engaging our audience.
Mis-en-scene
We decided to correlate the costumes to link both characters together with the colour of white as it has connotations of pure and graceful which fits in well with our storyline. We then got the male to wear black bottoms which connotes to the audience he has something 'dark' about him and his personality which may be the reason why there relationship broke down. We also made the female bare foot as it adds simplicity and effortlessness about her character and the way she presents herself. This could allow audiences to relate to the story more as it adds a sense of realism.
Make Up/Hair
We decided to do her makeup very natural looking so it does not distract audiences from the actual performance. As you can see we also put some glitter as a highlight to her face which will stand out and keep audiences engaged. the glitter also attracts audiences to look at her face and read her true emotions linking to the narrative. We also thought the glitter represents the storyline as well and shows her enjoyment and how happy she is within her relationship. Secondly, we curled her hair and left it looking natural and flowy to increase the professionalism of our music video whilst also showing the character well.
Digipak Ideas
These are some pictures i took on my camera for my digipak. I love the idea of having the female performer on the front as either of these shots because i think she represents the songs narrative well and is the key role. Secondly, for the background i was able to take some landscape shots such as the bench however i also liked the idea of having both the performers to signify the storyline again. I think audiences will also relate to the pictures of them together as relationships are a main part of everyones life. Also, i took some pictures of the female performer flicking her hair naturally in the wind as i think this is a convention of indie digipaks as it is very naturalistic and also features the nature behind her (another key convention)
I decided to analyse digipaks of the same genre of my song to see if there were any true conventions we could use to illustrate the genre to intended audiences. Biffy Clyro
This digipak uses subtle colours so as not to distract from the artists name and artist title. It is very simplistic and includes a natural setting to keep it realistic for the audience so they can relate to the artists ideas. Super fans of the artist will appreciate the hidden codes of the digipak which resembles the artists ideas behind each individual song. Overall the main theme for this cover is flags/fabric which is quite a calming and chilled idea sticking with the true conventions of Indie music.
This album cover also uses a very naturalistic shot of the water with mountains surrounding it. This represents a very realistic approach t the album and the songs on it. Audiences may appreciate this as it tells them the theme/idea of the album is very tranquil. The font of the title is particularly important as it forms part of the bands logo therefore making it easily recognisable for audiences. Also, using the colour white relates back to the peaceful colour scheme used such as blues and purples. The title 'In a perfect world' is clearly illustrated on the front and back of the digipak once again making their title clearly symbolic for the audiences. A typical convention of Indie digipaks is the use of natural photography as this helps reflect the genre and does not distract from the music. Lastly, the CD itself also fits in with their subtle colour scheme which therefore allows everything to work well together to create a pleasing digipak for their audience.
We feel very prepared for our filming day within the half term and have made sure both actors are aware of everything they need and the times of the day. To prepare we took a few weeks organising ourselves in deciding the costumes, creating the storyboards and also making sure we were both well taught in how to use the camera and all the different settings it features.
Equipment List
2 cameras - one from school and one was mine
2 tripods
White screen- for the singing aspect we are filming in a studio
Our own lanterns and night lights (for the evening picnic scene)
Curling Irons
Make up
Glitter which i provided
A white leotard to go under our performers dress
To also prepare I had to go ahead ad choreograph bits of a dance that i feel best suited our storyline and genre. I then taught it to the performers who picked it up really quickly and fully engaged in the process. It was really great to also use some of their input they provided which gave me more ideas for shots we could do on the day.
The inspiration for some of the moves and costume ideas came from a show i did with the performers where they both did a duet together. From this we could start planning what parts we wanted to include and what would relate to our own piece.
The results collected show a variety of responses which can help me to improve the music video to make sure audiences will be content with the outcome and that they can distinguish it is an Indie Folk genre.
Positives
A variety of people from all backgrounds and ages took part in the survey making our answers very generalisable to suit our target audience
The answers i received did agree with my own personal ideas which was good
The first question shows that most people like looking for a storyline in music videos which has encouraged me to make ours really clear for them to work out
The majority of ages that did my questionnaire fit in with the target audience for the video making there answers essential and useful
Most people also said that music videos should represent the lyrics of the song which is going to be shown through our video therefore pleasing audiences
I asked them to say some Indie music video locations and lots of the replies were 'Open Spaces' 'Natural' and 'Fields' which is what our location is therefore supporting audiences ideas once again
Negatives
The sample is a little bias as there are 8 females and 3 males
When i asked what peoples favourite genre of music was, only 2 people said Indie and the most popular was pop with 7 votes. This shows that our genre is less popular than others making the audience size smaller
The questionnaire could of included more questions focused on our music video and the song choice to make the answers more centered on our piece
For solo indie artists such as Birdy, the main focus is on themselves as they represent their own individual brand and what audiences to see the 'real' them and not someone they are portraying.
The largest text on the page is usually the artists name to advertise themselves.
The distribution outlets are mostly written in small font at the bottom of the advert to show its minimalistic importance
Information about the album is included such as the date released and where you can find the song/album
The album name is usually the second largest font on the advert which therefore helps consumers purchase the album
The image on the advert is usually very similar to the image on the front of the album helping audiences to recognise the album much easier. However, sometimes the digipak will consist of an establishing shot of an important location within the songs and the magazine advert will be the artist themselves.
Sometimes quotes from critics will be posted on the advert accompanied with the star rating
The mis-en-scene of the advert is used to resemble the lifestyle of the artist or their emotions shown throughout their new songs. In indie adverts, the background of the artist is shown of a representation of what their life is like now.
Yesterday I decided to get my cast to practice some moves and sequences for the performance aspect of the music video. This was a great way to be prepared for filming so we did not waste time remembering moves and lifts. I choreographed some moves which they picked up really quickly and enabled us to go through lots of moves in the short time frame I could get. I felt it went really well and also gave me a few more ideas for the storyboard before we film and i recalled these ideas to my group member Gina.
Filming: Isla and Georgina
Editing; Isla and Georgina
Female Singer: Sarah Moffatt
Female Performer: Chrissy Hancock
Male Performer: George King
I chose these people to be in our music video as i know them personally from an out of school performing arts platform and therefore i knew they would not be shy or afraid to act and sing. They have also perofrmed in many shows and therefore have lots of experience.
This digipak was created by a media studies student and shows it has been very well though out as it includes all the conventional elements of a digipak. The colours coordinate well and a bright which would stand out to engage the audience. It is also appealing to the eye and fits represents the rock genre clearly. Audiences can tell from this that the guitar is also the key instrument in the album as it is shown on the digipak. Overall the cover is very clear and the audience can clearly work out the main elements to the songs through the images and backdrops show on the digipak. The font is suited to the digipak overall and everything correlates well together creating a successful and professional looking album cover.
In contrast this is another students digipak whose genre is more soul and chilled music. You can tell this because of the visuals on the digipak. The front is an image of the artist herself with a very bland facial expression creating enigma for the audience as to what her album entails. The back is also a continuim of the front keeping the clean and fresh feel to it. The colours are blues and greys which are very subtle and imply an element of cold and winter which ties in with the artist use of costume (a thick coat). The CD itself stands out as it has various words engraved onto it such as 'shot' and 'bullet' creating more enigmatic codes for the audience.
I have started to create a Pinterest board on inspirational images for our digipak. This will help give me a vast few ideas which can allow us to get the best possible outcome.
My initial idea is to have the performance artist on the front of the digipak situated in our location with a flower garland on her head. I feel this will represent the Indie genre well whilst also illustrating what our song entales creating audience enigma.
On the back I think I am going to have a continuim of the front with just an establishing shot of the location to make it look clean and professional.
Genre/Theme
The genre of this video is indie folk which means the target audience is teenagers and young adults. The video itself represents a fairytale story signifying a take on the old tale of Romeo and Juliet. The portrayal of this conventional style of clothing mixed with the indie/pop song makes the video feel entirely unique and unusual compared to others of the same genre. Through showing people in the music video enjoying themselves and having a good time fits in typically with the indie genre.
Type The type of music video is entirely performance based and has no narrative to it. This correlates well with the unique theme of the music video and fits in well. Characteristics The video as a whole is very slow paced and chilled out and focuses on Birdy as the main character whilst minimal action is going on around her. Lighting The visuals use high key lighting and various lanterns and bright lights to attract the audiences attention and make them intrigued. This creates a very artistic feel which is another typical convention for indie music videos as they are very well thought out for the audiences to appreciate. Lyrics The lyrics talk about someone she loves and they will not be with her again.It flashbacks to a night of happiness and laughter with someone she loves but then them leaving again. as we never see the person she is singing about this creates narrative enigma for the audience. Music As the music speeds up for the chorus so does the visuals keeping the audiences engaged in what is going on. This also helps to demonstrate the flashbacks in a clear and artistic way.
Camera Like other typical indie conventions various close ups are used of the artists facial expressions in this music video which helps audiences read the artist emotions and feelings. All the camera shots used also flow well with the music creating a connection between the visuals and the song. The shots are very simplistic and static keeping with this unique theme for Birdy's video.
I think this song is a great indie folk song to re create it as various different narrative storylines can fit into it. Moreover, this video will also be perfect for concept based videos that have no pure meaning. We have decided to do a non linear narrative storyline with a performance aspect included and therefore this song was great as it built up towards the chorus fitting in well with our theme/idea.
Secondly, this song includes flashbacks and flash-forwards which is an element we would like to include therefore giving us an idea of how to do it sucessfully.
After emailing the locations manager we were told that it was now closed for the year due to harvesting. This was not a major issue as it was only going to be a small part of our music video and therefore could easily be changed.
Lana Del Ray is an Indie artist and 'Born to Die' is her second album created. The digipak for her album is a typical paperback with a gatefold that contains a CD and a booklet containing lyrics for her songs. The front cover is a close up shot of the artist to create recognition for the target audience and engage them. Her name is in bold white writing at the top of the digipak which contrasts with the title of the album which is at the bottom in a sky blue writing. This represents the artist feels her name and identification is more important than the title of her album. The typography is the same throughout the inside and the back of the digipak keeping it clean and more presentable for the audience. The inside includes a book of lyrics for all the songs which allows the audience to become more aware of the storylines involved and can relate to the artist. Secondly, the disc itself is three roses on a white background which connotes love and relationships a running theme throughout the whole album and the songs involved. Overall the whole digipak is very clean and shows a sense of minimalistic style conveying the indie pop genre. It also gives the audience and impression that is very simplistic just like her music videos as well.
Katy Perry
This album was released in 2010 and came under the pop genre. The front of this digipak includes very girly colours such as blues and pinks. These colours also signify that the albums songs will have some fun involved as well as the music videos. As well as the title 'Teenage Dream' you can easily tell the target audience is aimed at young teenage girls. Secondly, the title works with the image of her body on the front explaining that she wants people to find her attractive. The font is also very unique and different which works well with the rest of the digipak. The back of the CD is a continuim of the front still including the 'baby colours'. The font is slightly different than the front and is slightly larger making the different songs stand out. The bonus tracks are a different colour which will allow the audiences to see the difference and feel more inclined to buy it. On the other hand, the CD is a design of a candy cane sweet which works well with the rest of the album. Katy also made sure that the CD smells like what it looks like which is another way to make the audience intrigued as to what the smell will be for each. Overall ,the CD album is very different to Katy's other 'Raunchy' songs with shows she is expanding her target audience.
Genre
Soul and rhythm&blues is clearly shown in this song as the audience are told to focus mainly on Adele's voice.
Representation
Adele in this video is signifying strong, sophisticated women can cope with tough events. Also is showing that she has matured in her album '21' in comparison to the songs on her previous album '19'. She also clearly represents her talented voice and that women can be powerful in their own way. Mood
The song reflects a very sad and and revengeful sense and this is shown through straight facial expressions whilst the lyrics are saying 'don't underestimate the things that i will do'. This is also represented through the smashing of glass to illustrate anger. Secondly, this is also demonstrated within the use of little colour and the dim low key lighting throughout. There is also no performance elements or costume changes in this video and this coincides with the reflections of the song showing it as very static and blunt with the storyline its trying to portray.
Theme
I believe the theme of this song is relationships and 'lost love' as the lyrics represent anger towards an old boyfriend. This is shown through the still medium shots of her sitting on the chair with no lip syncing going on to show her true emotions without having to sing to express that.
'I'm gonna make your head burn'
'You had my heart inside of your hand'
Relationship
There are little moments where we see a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals keeping it very realistic and basic. The one relationship is shown when Adele is singing about 'crystal clear' and 'rolling in the deep' a room full of glasses are shown to correlate the transparency of water with what occurs in relationships.
Camera
Close ups of Adele is shown in the build up to the chorus of her face to show the emotion and power she feels for her own song and the story it's portraying. The camera is usually zooming in and out of Adele from various different angles to show her sat in the same place through the entirety of the video. This is a clear way to show her emotions towards what she is singing about. Cutaways to another scene where a women is in snow with a sword. This could illustrate how Adele is feeling inside and her inner emotions being portrayed as destructive and angry. The audience also see shots of glass being thrown at a wall as well as the pile of broken plate on the floor. This may also connote her anger being expressed outwardly.
Editing
The pace of the video speeds up towards the end and within the chorus and this is shown through the quick blunt cuts to various scenes keeping the audience engaged in whats going on. Secondly, the drum beat that runs throughout the whole music video is very influential in the visuals we see as well as the pace of the editing itself.
Mis-en-scene
Muted colours such as beige and natural browns however the primary interest is the contrast between black and white.
There is a clear difference between the light and dark colours creating enigmatic codes for the audience to work out what they are illustrating which could connote good and evil.
The chairs surrounding her are all covered up which signifies she is moving house, however the one she is sitting on is shown which could represent defiance.
The smashed plates could demonstrate the relationship fighting and when we see the pile of it all smashed up this could illustrate how hurt the fights make the artist feel.
Andrew Goodwin
This video clearly supports Goodwin's theory as their is relationship between the lyrics and the visuals however some of this is shown metaphorically making the audience work it out for themselves which keeps them fully engaged.
Uses and Gratifications
This video allows the audience to make a relationship with Adele as some people could relate to the story she is telling and others may empathise for her. Personal identity is also shown as the primary audience may position themselves in society; Adele is portrayed as an elegant, mature, sophisticated women this may allow the audience to reflect on themselves.
The video as a whole is very slow paced and chilled out and focuses on Birdy as the main character whilst minimal action is going on around her. 
The visuals use high key lighting and various lanterns and bright lights to attract the audiences attention and make them intrigued. This creates a very artistic feel which is another typical convention for indie music videos as they are very well thought out for the audiences to appreciate.
Like other typical indie conventions various close ups are used of the artists facial expressions in this music video which helps audiences read the artist emotions and feelings. All the camera shots used also flow well with the music creating a connection between the visuals and the song. The shots are very simplistic and static keeping with this unique theme for Birdy's video. 
