First day filming the stop motion aspects of our music video!
As I experimented with shots for the disassembling of a barbie doll, Shona experimented with the shots of tea cups being filled and emptied;
For the barbie doll shots, I created one which was of the barbies head doing a 360 degree turn on a rstraight body and another with a barbie dolls body parts movie away from her torso, which is what the image is of the process of.
I think that these shots should be redone without the blood as it does not match the style of the song.
I think Shona's stop motion of the tea cups is exactly what we had imagined when we came up with the idea and will work perfectly with the genre of the song.
On the 26th of November, we visited the BFI London, to take part in a media studies conference with OCR's chief examiner Pete Fraser. The conference was specified to A2 music videos, and how to get the best out of our production.
We learnt about the history of music promos since the 1930s to the present day. The 1940s saw the start of many modern day conventions which we still see in music videos today; this era was referred to as the era of the 'soundies.' This saw the start of Voyeurism, which is still very much an aspect seen in modern day videos. The 1970s saw the breakthrough n=music video 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen, which cost only £3,000 to produce. In the 1980s, MTV was introduced, and its first video ever played was 'Video Killed the Radio Star'. The 80s also saw the point where female artists came into the limelight, following in the steps of Madonna. We also saw the start of big budget videos being made, the most influential being 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson, which cost several million pounds to produce, Michael Jackson also paved the way for black artists during this era. 200s saw the start of YouTube and the online age for music.
We were also refreshed on the ideas and concepts of Andrew Goodwin and they conventions that are assumed for different genres.
Lastly, we were given the opportunity to talk to a music video direction named Jake, who was previously taught by Pete Fraser in his A Level years. Jake was involved in the making of many music videos including 'Let me Entertain You' by Robbie Williams, 'It's Raining Men' by Geri Halliwell and 'Say You'll Be There' by The Spice Girls.
Today we learnt how to use the app 'VideoScribe'. As the third member of our media tidies class Shona has been ill al week, we decided to create this video to her whilst we experimented with this app, which we think will be useful during the evaluation period of our coursework.
Describe how your analysis of the conventions of real media texts informed your own creative media practice. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time For my AS foundation portfolio I created a Chick Flick movie opening and for my A2 advanced portfolio I made a Indie Pop/Rock music video to the song Mouthwash by Kate Nash. As Bentley wrote, "creativity is the rearranging of the old" and the "making of the new", a principle I adhered to whilst making my two production pieces. When I began my AS course, I created a blog to record all my research into film openings and Chick Flicks which was my chosen genre. By using YouTube, I was able to analyse other successful film opening in order to gain ideas for my own. I was able to source information from websites and books and collate it all in one easily accessible place. I was able to make a collage of images typical of the genre to exemplify a use of colour; for example the overwhelming use of pink typically seen in Chick Flick movies, and mise en scene to inform my planning. I conducted several nine-shot analyses of well-known Chick Flicks such as "From Prada to Nada" (2011). Through analysing the type and combination of shots and mise en scene I was able to formulate ideas about how I could use the conventions such as the use of up-beat background music, locations and costumes, such as the fur coat our protagonist wears to create a professional looking product. At A2, I continued to blog as I needed to research the conventions of a completely new area of the media; music vides. I made use of SurveyMonkey to find out what my target audience thought of the key conventions of Indie Rock/Pop music videos and used the feedback from this to help me to act on their expectations by choosing a variety of different locations such as Italy, forests and roads. I received a lot of feedback that out video should involve original and quirky ideas and follow a storyline, which is why I made the decision to include a lot of stop motion and match the actions in the video to the lyrics of the song. The feedback I received from or survey resulted in me changing my initial ideas to make sure my finished product would appeal to my largest audience of Indie Rock/Pop music fans, who tend to range from teenagers to young adults. It was particularly interesting to find out about the other artists in my genre that my target audience were a fan of, as this informed me that my video would need to be different and innovative to appeal to a wide range of tastes. One area where I built on my skills from AS was that I used media theory to inform my research and planning. In particular, I applied Andrew Goodwin's theories on the conventions of music videos from his 1992 book 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory'. This enabled me to focus on key conventions such as they way the record label requires close ups on the artists and the inclusion of symbols and iconography in my work, such as (.....). Additionally at A2 I needed to research the conventions of two further media products, these being a magazine advertisement and a digipak for my album. Where I could do some research online it was more useful to go out and find the actual products to ensure that mine were truly reflective of the real thing. This ensured I included all the key conventions such as a barcode, record company logo and song list on my digipak. Furthermore, I noticed that synergy was usually created within a brand, using similar colours and fonts across all the products as well as photos from a shoot of my artist wearing the costumes in the video. By the time I moved into the production stage of both pieces, I had a clear idea of the conventions I needed to apply. Whilst filming I had my storyboard and shot list with me at all times to ensure that I was able to apply my analysis of the real media texts. This was particularly useful as AS when I was filming the car journey of my protagonist to school- I filmed from as many different angles as possible, with point of view shots from inside the car, panning shots following the car into the school driveway and close-ups of the car wheels as ell as my protagonists feet stepping out of the car in her sophisticated shoes- a shot I had noticed in many chicks flicks such as 'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006). One shot I filmed which I rejected in the end was a close-up from inside a locker as my protagonist got out her school files. It was a shot I had observed in several other films but after audience feedback, I decided it lacked verisimilitude because it is a view that would never be seen in real life. At A2 my skills further developed in the application of conventions. I had previously used green screening for a stop motion animation of my film credits at AS, when I repeated the process of stop motion in my music video I had a much better understanding of the number of tiny movements I needed to include and therefore my animation was much smoother and more professional looking in my music video. At the post-production stage of my film opening, I was able to refer back to my shot-by-sot analysis of other films to ensure I applied the key conventions appropriately. For example, for my green screening, I applied colours appropriate to a chick flick, eventually rejecting the traditional pink to opt for a baby blue colour for my animation that matched the car I used in the film. I made sure that at A2 I had plenty of shots from as may different angles as possible so that I was able to follow the conventions of a contemporary music video and cut very quickly between shots, achieving over 100 shots in my three minute sequence. In conclusion, Bentley's 'rearranging of the old, making of the new' was key to both my film opening and my music video; at A2, my in-depth analysis of a huge number of videos in the Indie Pop/Rock genre enabled me to create a really successful product which was confirmed by my positive audience feedback.
June 2013 Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer.
Throughout A-level media I have developed my skills in the creative use of digital technology through the use of programs such as Blogger, PicMonkey, YouTube, digital cameras, mobiles phones, editing softwares such as iMovie and Final Cut Express as well as many others. All these programs have been essential to me in the making of my film opening at AS and my music video at A2, as well as the production of my foundation and advanced portfolios.
During AS, Blogger played a big role in allowing me to display my research creatively in a way that is easily accessible and organised. I used blogger to store all my research and evaluations as well as keeping it up to date whilst my film opening was being made, therefore it was essential that my work was displayed on my blog in a creative and accessible way, to ensure the viewer stayed interested in my productions. These skills have continued to be useful throughout the A2 course, in which I have kept my blog constantly up to date, to ensure that every aspect of my research and planning, production and evaluation had been stored.
My introduction to Apples Macs at AS was challenging as I was using an advanced software that is different to what I was used to. By the end of the A2 course I was able to use shortcuts and use the Macs quickly and efficiently. I also found using apple softwares such as iMovie and Final Cut Express difficult at the start of the AS course however by the end of it I was confidently using iMovie, although I did not use Final Cut Express throughout the making of my film opening as I found it incredibly complex. However, by the end of the A2 course I was capable of using Final Cut Express to edit my music video with precision to create professional looking final product.
Our record label logo for our record company: Preshow records. Derived from the combination of our names Priya + Shona = Prisho, which turned into Preshow. We decided to keep our logo black and white as it will stand out on any colour put behind it.
Similarly to our initial ideas, Lily Allen's video begins in a rural environment, making in simplistic and similar to other Indie Pop/Rock videos. There are shots of the artists reflection singing in the mirror, this is another idea that we already had to include in our own music video. Although the video contains dancing which I would not consider a key convention for Indie Pop/Rock videos, the dancing comes across comedic and comedy is an aspect that is often featured in Indie Pop/Rock music videos.There are a lot of close ups of Lily Allen to showcase them as an artist, which is key to include in our music video as the song we are using is similar to a song that Lily Allen would release.
Frank Turner- Recovery
At the start of the video we immediately see the artist with his guitar which is a key convention of Indie Pop/Rock Videos as viewers would usually expect artists to play the instruments heard in the song. Animation is used throughout the video which is an idea that we were hoping to include in our own video. As well as this, stop motion is also used throughout the duration of the video which is another technique we were hoping to include in making our video to 'Mouthwash'. The use of other band members is also interesting as Frank Turner is a solo artist however by having band members included in the video, the conventions are met of 'live' music being displayed in the video. A lot of postmodern elements are included in this video, including dividing the screen into three and switching the shots which could be to represent the 'mixmates' toys where you can mix and match the legs, bodies and heads of the characters.
Coldplay- Charlie Brown
The numerous establishing shots at the beginning of the video show to the viewer that video is set in a city, and at a closer look, the viewer can tell by the big red buses that the video is specifically set in London. The video sticks to the conventions of Indie Pop/Rock videos by featuring the band playing their instruments throughout the video. The lyrics in the video were often represented by the actions taking place in the video, for example when the lines 'I took a car downtown' are sang, the actor in the video is shown stealing a car and driving away. Strobe lights are featured in the 'performance' part of the video which according to our audience research is a convention that they expect in Indie Pop/Rock videos.
The All-American Rejects- Gives You Hell
This video contains the comedic element that is often featured in Indie Pop/Rock videos, similarly to The Black Keys 'Tighten Up' video. The video conveys a story that relate to the lyrics throughout the duration of the video. The video like the majority of other videos in this genre, shows the band playing their instruments, so create the impression that the viewer can see what they are hearing being produced.
This shot starts as a long shot, however by the end of the 17 second shot the camera as zoomed closer into the artist,
2- duration 4s (0.17-0.21)
There are eight shots within this four seconds as this shot uses stop motion which is a technique which we hope to make use of in our music video as it often seen in music videos of this genre.
3- duration 3s (0.22-0.24)
In this shot we are shown a closer shot of the artist but not quite a close up. The artist is seen lip singing, a convention that is common in most videos to showcase the artist and create a relationship between the audience and the artist.
4- duration 2s (0.24-0.26)
At this point in the video special effects are used make the artist look like she is being dragged from left to right or up and down.
5- duration 2s (0.26-0.28)
6- duration 2s (0.28-0.30)
7- duration 1s (0.30-0.31)
aspects of comedy- a common convention of the indie genre. Use of puppets similar to use of animation. This also makes the video more quirky and different.
This collage shows the use of instruments and simple settings such as road sides and fields as this is a common convention of indie rock/pop videos. There are also images showing instruments as this is another convention of this genre. I've also used animated pictures as animation is a feature that U would like to include in my music video.
1. Music videos demonstrate certain genre characteristics
The Black Keys video has visuals of the band 'performing' which is seen in many indie rock videos. 2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. 3. There is a relationship between music and visuals.
This is shown in The Black Keys video as the band members are seen playing the instruments heard in the song, this is a common element in the indie rock/pop genre. 4.The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist.
This is exemplified in the video 'Royals' by Lorde as a large proportion of the shots are of the artist herself. 5. The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work 6. There is frequent reference to the notion of 'looking' and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body 7. There are often intertextual references- mostly to film, television and popular culture.
This video varies between only a few different settings, these being shots of Lorde herself singing to the camera or shots of male actors in a house. The shots do not seem to appear during any specific part of the song . At the beginning of the video the shots don't change in any particular rhythm as some change on the beat and others change in-between. The shots on the two males in the video, relate to the lyrics "and we'll never be royal" as the lifestyle that they appear to have seems very basic and normal.
2. THE BLACK KEYS "TIGHTEN UP"
"Breakthrough Video" VMAs 2010
This video is award worthy as it is comical (typical for the indie rock genre), the comedic aspect of the video is made clear immediately through as young child lip sings the lyrics "I wanted love, I need love" whilst looking up at a little girl on a climbing frame. The lyrics relate to the video as the singer says "When I was young and moving fast, nothing slowed me down" and this is shown through the use of children throughout the entire video.
A major difference between this video and the earlier ones is that unlike the others which are filmed in more rural environments, we imediately learn from an establishing shot that this video is set in a city. However at the end of the video, the lead singer of the band has traveled from the city to a more rural area suggesting that this may be a recurring setting for indie pop videos.
GROUPLOVE- Tongue Tied
Released; 2011
In this video, props are used such as clothing, masks and make up to create the alternative vibe for the video that is exemplified in indie pop music. Editing effects are used throughout the entire video as the all the footage has been reversed, as well as this numerous other effects are used to create a cool vibe.
Noah and The Whale- 2 Bodies 1 Heart
Released; 2009
Interestingly, although being filmed later than the previous two videos this video seems of much less quality due to the fact that it seems to have been filmed to give a hand-held effect, as if the band are filming the video themselves. Similarly to the Lenka video there is a comical element to the video which seems to be an idea present in other indie pop videos.
Lenka- The Show
Released; 2008
I chose this video to compare and it uses many techniques which I could imagine being used for my own music video. This video differs from the older video by The Fratellis and it has several settings, all of them being in very normal places (e.g. parks, buses, bedrooms) which seems to be common in videos for this genre of music.
The Fratellis- Chelsea Dagger
Released; 2004
filmed ten years ago; this video differs from more recent videos in many ways. Firstly, through out the entire video there are only 3 different scenes; the stage, the burlesque changing room and the spotlit wall where the close ups are filmed.
This is my face
Covered in freckles
With the occasional spot
And some veins
This is my body
Covered in skin
And not all of it
You can see
And, this, is my mind
It goes over and over
The same old lines
And, this, is my brain
It's torturous analytical thoughts
Make me go insane
And I use mouthwash
Sometimes I floss
I got a family
And I drink cups of tea
I've got nostalgic pavements
I've got familiar faces
I've got a mixed-up memory
And I've got favourite places
And I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I hope everything's gonna be alright
And I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I hope everything's gonna be alright
This is my face
I've got a thousand opinions
And not the time to explain
And this is my body
And no matter how you try and disable it
Yes I'll still be here
And, this, is my mind
And although you try to infringe
You cannot confine
And, this, is my brain
And even if you try and hold me back
There's nothing that you can gain
'Cause I use mouthwash
Sometimes I floss
I've got a family
And I drink cups of tea
I've got nostalgic pavements
I've got familiar faces
I've got a mixed-up memory
And I've got favourite places
I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I hope everything's gonna be alright
And I'm singing "oh oh" on a Friday night
And I hope everything's gonna be alright
Oh oh oh oh oh oh:
released 1st oct 2007, is 3rd single off album 'Made of Bricks'
We chose this song as we liked the idea that we wouldn't be limited in the things we could do, there is no particular story line to the song and this allows us to film the video in any way that we feel is suitable and will work well with the wacky vibe of the song. As well as this, there is potential animation possibilities which is exciting as it allows us to try new things.
As we already had a lip singer in mind, this song was easy to choose because the song matched well with the image of our actress.
Another factor that influenced us to choose this song is the fact that it is a British song which means it'll be easier to match the song to locations and the English weather won't look unnatural in the video.
Many problems were encountered through the use of the green screen. Firstly, natural lighting the room tends to change the shade of green on the screen and this effected our video later in the editing process; making the person standing in front of the green screen look either a lot paler and brighter or much darker.
Another problem we encountered when using the green screen was filming to full length shots; this was made more difficult as the screen we used was relatively small as well as the room that we were filming in. We struggled to fit everyone from head to toe into the shot however we overcame this by filming it in two separate takes (one with just 'Snoop Dogg' and another with the backing dancers) we then edited them over each other later to give the impression that the two dancers were standing behind Snoop Dogg.
Creativity
In our video we tried to match the outfits in the original video close enough so that our version of the video at least gave off a similar vibe; we used snapbacks, hoodies and t-shirs and fake beard drawn on with eyeliner to do this.
Research and Planning
Whilst filming and editing we often referred back to the original video to ensure we were watching shots as well as we possible could, as well as this we also used a story board that showed each shot and the time that it should appear; this made the editing process a lot easier.
In todays lesson we completed the filming for our preliminary task.
The last shots we had to film were the wide shots these were slightly difficult as they are full body shots as we were filming in a small classroom, which made it hard to film without showing what was behind the green screen. We over came this problem by filming the shots in two separate parts which we will put together in the editing stage of our preliminary task.
We looked at James Franco and Seth Rogans comical recreation of Kanye West- Bound 2 video as the accuracy of the shots was incredibly precise and this inspired us to follow the Snoop Dogg video as closely as possible.
In today's lesson, we discussed and decided on the music video that we were planning to impersonate for our preliminary task. A few of the options we discussed included #Selfie by The Chainsmokers and Pompeii by Bastille. We decided against these songs as the #Selfie video included a lot of people and a huge amount of shots which would be difficult to replicate in the short amount of time we have to produce a preliminary task. In the case of Pompeii by bastille, we decided against it as there was not a large amount of lip syncing in the video and therefore replicating this would defeat the purpose of the preliminary task.
Our final decision was to use the song Drop It Like It's Hot by Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams. We made this decision as the video would be simple to recreate but also exhibits numerous different shots and filming techniques.
Definition
Students of media are taught that media texts do not present a neutral, transparent view of reality, but offer instead a mediated re-representation of it. The processes by which audience members come to understand media texts in terms of how they seem to relate to people, ideas, event, themes and places. This is a very complex idea, as the reader of the media text will play an active role in constructing these meanings him/herself. At its most simple, it is how media texts are understandable.
Definition
A collective group of people reading any media text. Digital technology has led to increasing uncertainty over how we define an audience, with general agreement that the notion of a large group of people, brought together by time, responding to a single text, is outdated and that now audiences are 'fragmented'.
Definition An umbrella term to describe the ways in which audiences read media texts through understanding formal and conventional structures (e.g. the grammar of film editing). Media literacy describes our ability to read and write in this extended sense of language.
