Planning process is done

Our date in which we had to finish all planning and research was Friday the 26th and that date has come and gone. Even though, we didn't have a lot of time to do all of the planning and audience research, we worked together and divided up our work evenly, and with helping each other and working to our own tight deadlines, we have finally finished.

After you finish the planning and research, you are allowed to start filming. However, due to having no time in our busy lives until Christmas holidays, as a group, we have decided to start our website and digipack. This will mean that it will all be done and we will just have to hand in our our pictures that we will take when we are filming and this way, we can concentrate on just doing our editing as know that this is the part that takes the longest.

Our final shot list

A shot list has been up here before, however, this is the shot list and this is what will be going with us to our filming days.

Inside - black and white
Shot 1 - mid shot/still shot - actor is playing the piano - we will need a black dress, piano, make up for that scene, inside the house
Shot 2/3 - mid shot - shot of just the actor playing the piano - will need the same as shot 1
Shot 4 - mid shot - shot of just actor playing the piano - will need the same as shot 1

Spring
Shot 5 - close up/still shot - actor standing still singing - outside the house, pink dress, straight hair, pale make up
Shot 6 - mid shot/still shot - same as shot 5 - we will need the same as shot 5
Shot 7 - long shot/still shot - same as shot 5 - we need the same as shot 5
Shot 8 - mid shot - an actor blowing a bubble with bubble gum - we need the same as shot 5 and bubble gum
Shot 9 - mid shot - actor taking a photo - we need the same as shot 5 and a camera

Vary of seasons
Shot 10 - a collection of pans and stills, with a collection of actions, with a collection of locations

Summer
Shot 11 - long shot - actor running out of the tree's - outside, bright coloured clothed
Shot 12 - long shot (closer than shot 11) - actor running out of tree's - same as shot 11
Shot 13 - long shot (closer than shot 12) - actor running and appearing behind a tree - same as shot 11
Shot 14 - long shot (closer than shot 13) - actor running and appearing behind a tree - same as shot 11
Shot 15 - close up - actor singing - same as shot 11

Inside - black and white
Shot 16 - dolly shot - dolly shot around the piano while the actor is playing - black dress, inside the house, piano, dolly
Shot 17 - long shot/mid shot - actor sitting on the stairs while singing - black dress, inside the house on the stairs

Autumn
Shot 18 - tracking shot - actor walking through the tree's - peach/brown clothes, scarf, curly hair, leaves
Shot 19 - close up - actor leaning against the tree (close up of half of actors face and other half of the tree) - same as shot 18
Shot 20 - close up of hand - close up of hand on leaves - same as shot 18
Shot 21 - mid shot - actor standing between tree's singing - same as shot 18

Inside - black and white
Shot 22 - same as shot 16
Shot 23 - mid shot - actor leaning against the wall singing - black dress, outside the house

Vary of seasons
Shots 24 -a collection of pans and stills, with a collection of actions and with a collection of locations

Winter
Shot 25 - mid shot - actor singing to statue - curly hair, whiter clothes/make up, statue, outside
Shot 26 - close up - actor lying on the grass singing - outside the maze, blue eyes with gems, curly hair, white clothes
Shot 27 - mid shot - same as shot 26 - same as shot 26
Shot 28 - mid shot - actor singing to statue - same as shots 25/26
Shot 29 - close up - still shot of spider web with actor behind it - same as shot 26 and spider web

Inside - black and white
Shot 30 - same at shot 16

Spring
Shot 31 - close up of a random shot from the season of spring

Summer
Shot 32 - close up of a random shot from the season of summer

Autumn
Shot 33 - close up of a random shot from the season of autumn

Winter
Shot 34 - close up of a random shot from the season of winter

Location

We have decided to film our music video in Ickworth House and Gardens. We have emailed them asking for permission to film as well as a brief description of their interiors and are currently waiting for their reply.
Here is a general view of the area we are hoping to film...

During our storyboarding process we always had Ickworth House in mind; this made it a lot easier as we could plan the locations well (since most of our group have been there before and know the surroundings well).

The Instrumentals and Choruses during the song will be featured in black white and filmed inside (hopefully) Ickworth Hotel which is just to the right of the main building.

If you take a look at our 'Lyrics into Themes' blog post, you will notice we have split the verses of the song into 4 different themes: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

• Spring will be filmed at the front of the House, and Amy will be positioned inbetween the pillars (not shown in the picture above) This area is circled in the picture below:

• There is then a 5 Second instrumental between the Spring theme and the Summer. Summer will be filmed in the picture below. Amy will jump out from behind the hedges (refer to storyboard).
  
  

• There is then a Chorus, which will be filmed like the previous Instrumental, inside and in black and white. Autumn is the next theme and will be filmed in the wooded areas of the gardens. We do not have a specific area of woodland in mind, but we hope it will be secluded and much like this area of the estate (however, hopefully with more autumnal colours)

• After the Autumn themed verse there is another section of chorus as well as a 25 second instrumental. The last theme is winter. We hope to film this verse early in the morning, when frost is still apparent on the ground; Amy will be performing in a variety of shots (refer to storyboard again) The filming will take place near the lake and small seating area of the gardens as pictured below.

• After the Winter themed verse, there is a fast paced Chorus. This will include a variety of shots from all the different themes. Their will be a variation of shot types including close-ups of Amy singing, or natural shots of laughter etc.

Storyboards (Click to Enlarge)

These are our storyboards; final drafts. We have written up: Shot Type and Movement, Sound and Action as well as reminders for us when a shot is in black and white or colour, the lyrics and the transitions between shots.

Visual Demographic/Psychographic Profile

Above is a visual representation of the demographic and psychographic profile of our target audience, made from a collage of pictures we found in magazines and newspapers. We also did a mind map of our target audience's wants and needs. As shown in the pictures, our target audience has good taste in clothes etc and enjoys socialising (basically everything described in the previous post). Although this post is not strictly necessary, as everything we see here is on the post before, we thought it would be nice to showcase this, as we did spend a lesson doing it, and it seems a waste if no-one gets to see all our hard work!

Demographic and Psychographic Profile of our Target Audience

After conducting quite a lot of audience research, and also having a general idea of what our target audience would be like anyway, we have decided to do a demographic and psychographic profile of our target audience. Obviously, there will be a much wider demographic than what we describe, but this is who we are actually aiming our product at-

Demographic Profile:

• Our target audience is in the age range 16-25, and is predominantly female (which is why we are using a female actor, so they audience can relate to her, but also having her act in an unconventional way in that she will not be dancing sexily, to challenge the male-dominated stereotype of women in general)
• They will be intelligent, well-educated people (by well-educated, we mean that they are either considering or are in higher education eg. A Levels or university) who can think for themselves
• Many of them will have a part-time or full-time job, so they will have reasonable spending power in their own right, rather than relying on family members for income.
• They are up-to-date with modern technologies, for example, many either want or own a phone such as a BlackBerry or an iPhone, and they spend a reasonable amount of time on social networking sites such as Facebook.
• Whilst they may read magazines such as Cosmopolitan or Glamour, they prefer to read books or even a newspaper such as the Times once in a while.

Psychographic Profile:

• Fits roughly into the 'Liberal Sophisticates' groups in TAGS (Target Audience Grouping System), which is about 12% of the 10+ population
• They will consider themselves to be independent, liberated young people, who enjoy going out and socialising two or three times a week with friends, maybe to bars, the theatre or art exhibitions - more high class, artistic activities (unless you are looking at it from a post-modern point of view, in which case, the same level as going on a binge drinking rampage every night)
• They will have a large group of friends, some closer than others, and will see their friends as a sort of second family, going out with them, or seeing them, most nights.
• They like to keep up with both the news and celebrity gossip, and have opinions on most topics and current issues - they can hold their own in a conversation about pretty much anything.
• If they have a degree, it will be in a subject like History or English, rather than a science, and their interests lie in these subject areas as well, preferring to talk about the Pulitzer Prize than the Hadron Collider.
• They enjoy films, and often visit the cinema, and whilst they enjoy some blockbuster films, such as 'Lord of the Rings', or 'Harry Potter', they tend to prefer more indie, arthouse British films.

How we are targeting our audience with our video:

• By using a female actor, but not having her dance seductively in few clothes, we will be subverting the traditional gender roles seen in music videos, appealing to our liberated young female target audience, who will be intelligent enough to see the difference compared to a typical video
• The beautiful setting will appeal to the artistic nature of our target audience, and it may remind them of films such as 'Alice in Wonderland' by Tim Burton, or even '500 Days of Summer', where the song is featured in the opening credits
• The song itself is not a well known song, so this will appeal to our target audience, as they prefer less well known films etc

Commenting on Audience Research

For our audience research questionnaire, we all thought very carefully on what questions we would like to know the answers to. We asked the genre and age question because we feel our main target audience is females and around the ages of 16 to 20. However, it was question number 6 that really stood out as our leading question.

Question 6 was 'do you think that females are portrayed in a positive way in music videos? And why?' Over many years now, females have been portrayed in certain ways and this has just been excepted so all genres of music portray females like this.

Here are a two examples of how female artists portray themselves:

Shakira - 'Whenever, wherever'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_LkjpYx8do&feature=BF&playnext=1&list=QL

Alexandra Burke - 'Start without you'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyBq21FtL1s&feature=BF&list=QL&index=4

As you can see that both of these artists are wearing very tight and reveling clothes and this is how most females are portrayed. Alexandra Burke's music video is interesting as it features topless men and this is a way that men can be portrayed. In our questionnaire as well, we asked 'What do you expect to see in a music video?' and 3 answers was topless men.

However, women are also portrayed badly in male artists videos. Here is examples of this:

Taio Cruz - 'Dynamite'



Taio Cruz - 'Break your heart'



As you can see, also in these videos, the females are all doing 'sexy' dances and wearing very revealing clothes.

In our music video, we are going to break the way women are portrayed. To do this we aren't going to have our actor 'Amy' doing any 'sexy' dancing and the clothes that she will be wearing will be suitable for her figure and will not be revealing. We are doing this because in our questionnaire, it was mainly the females who answered that females aren't portrayed in a positive way, therefore, as the are our target audience, we have decided to listen to them and portray females in a positive way in our music video.

Audience Research

To help our group decided on some themes for our and music video and what they like about music videos, together we went out to ask our target audience. However, we also did ask people outside our target audience because there will always be fans of music/music videos that are necessarily involved in there target audience. So here is our questionnaire and there response to it.

1) How old are you?
17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 25+, 16, 16, 26, 36

2)Are you male or female?
Male = 3
Female = 7

3) What genre of music do you like?
Rock x4, Indie x3, RnB x2, Pop x2, Folk x2, metal, jazz, anything in the the charts
(Please note: they were allowed to list as many as they wanted to)

4) Do you prefer performance or narrative music videos?
Performance = 1
Narrative = 9

5) What you expect to see in a music video?
- Women
- Julian Casablancas
- Some kind of story line, not boring women "bouncing" around
- Topless guys
- A story
- A story line that actually reflects the lyrics, not some random things
- The singer
- Topless men
- Topless men, performer, story, fast editing, special effects

6) Do you think females are portrayed in a positive way in music videos? And why?
- Yes they are, its all good
- No, most are portrayed as objects - something you look at
- No, very poor role models in which younger girls look up to
-No, they look like sluts
- No, they are portrayed as hooker that are a material bonus to fame
- It depends, usually on the singer
- No, they are very bad role models
- No, they are seen as objects
- No, they are only seen as sexual objects and under the power of men
- Depends on the genre. I think it has got better in recent years, however, the stereotypical 'semi naked girls' are still used in RnB/Rap genres.

7) What is your favourite music video?
- Westlife - Home
- Enrique Lglasies -Hero
- Damien Rice - 4 crimes
- Meat Loaf - I would do anything for love
- Queen - I want to break free
- Red hot chili peppers - Otherside
- The Strokes 0 You only live once
- Hellogoodbye - In my arms

Organisation

Organisation is the key to being able to create an amazing music video. Therefore, keeping this in mind, we decided to organise what we need on they days we are shooting and what dates we are available to shoot.

For shooting our music video, we have decided to film it after Christmas. This is because, our actor chosen goes to school in Ipswich so we cant film during our frees. This then just left the weekends. However, we all have part time jobs and either work on Saturday of Sunday. As filming at the weekend would mean we are not all available to go and help, we set the idea of filming during our Christmas holiday. Before Christmas, everyone has plans so, again like the weekends, we are not all available, therefore we are filming after Christmas before we return to school. These are the dates in which we are each free.
Rachel - 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 3rd.
Roisin - 27th, 28th, 30th, 31st, 2nd, 3rd.
Jade - 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 2nd, 3rd.
Gemma - 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 2nd, 3rd.
With these dates in mind, at this moment in time, we are hoping to be filming on the 28th, 30th, 31st and have the 3rd as a back up. However, these are subject to change as we still need to discuss this with our actor.

Planning a list of what we need to bring for each location and on each day is very important as it means we will be fully prepared and can go straight into filming.
For the inside shots, we need:
-Ipod, big light, black dress, mask, black nails, camera and tripod
For the Spring shots, we need:
- Curling tongs, small flower/s, bubble gum, camera, tripod, pink nails, peach/pink lipstick, ipod
For Autumn shots, we need:
- Leaves, fire place, brown nails, brownish lipstick, camera, tripod, ipod, gems for under the eyes
For Winter shots, we need:
- White clothes, white lipstick, white nails, white spray for hair, camera, tripod, ipod
For Summer shots, we need:
- Big flower/s, bright colour clothes, red nails, red lipstick, camera, tripod, ipod

The season idea

Jade and myself, on free, drew a spider diagram of our season idea and discussed where we would film it and the costumes needed

The setting

We are filming at Ickworth house and grounds. Within this area, we will film in the house (with the piano, grand staircase and fire place), the front of the house, the drive way, the maze and the woodland walk (with leaves and wood)

Theme - Seasons

Spring - Roisin and Rachel
- Stop motion being used
- Film in the middle of day so it will be mild
- The costume: pale pink make up, pastel colour clothes and straight hair

Summer - Roisin and Rachel
- Stop motion being used
- Film early morning to catch the sun glare
- The costume: Make up will be a red palette, bright multicoloured clothes, curled hair with flowers in

Autumn - Jade and Gemma
- Film in mid day
- The costume: make up will be browns with a hint of gold, browns/oranges/earthy tones for clothes, ribbon in hair, the hair will be back combed

Winter - Jade and Gemma
- Film early in the morning to catch the frost
- The costume: the make up will be white lipstick/eyeshadow, nails but with a hint of blue and blue gems around eyes, the clothes will be white with pale blue and may be a hint of pink, the hair is planned to be plaited on one side and crimped and with white hair spray.

Inside - All
- Inside we have the black and white theme
- "Masquerade ball" like costume/theme

It is important to us to get the transaction between the season correct and to fit into that season. So far we have the idea of the actor sitting by the fire in the transaction between Autumn and Winter.

The chorus will be in all locations and we are going to be cutting back between all seasons and the inside theme.

A Quick Note on the Storyboards and other Planning Details...

I am currently working on the storyboarding for our music video (a task which has been made MUCH easier by the construction of our shot list...I'm not going into 5 pages worth of storyboards blind!)
If all goes to plan, they should be completed and posted on the blog between Tuesday or Wednesday this week.
Additionally, Gemma and I took the time to draw out a mindmap detailing all the asthetic qualities needed for each sequence in our video (costume, makeup, hair, setting, props etc) and that hopefully should be scanned in and posted around the same time.
As a group we have decided to pair off and take charge of two seasons in these pairs to construct and direct. Gemma and I were asigned to Autumn and Winter, whilst Roisin and Rachel recieved Spring and Summer.
We believe this is a brilliant plan of action for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it spreads the responsiblity across the group and allows each of us to be involved in multiple roles. Secondly, we have paired up according to our styles and type of vision, which makes decision making much easier. Thirdly, this shared sense of control will mean that a mix of styles and 'looks' will emerge, further heightening our theme of 'change'. And fourthly, it will mean that the mammoth task which is costume, hair and makeup can be divided between us, making organisation a whole lot easier.
Of course, we will all pitch in to each others sequences, but in moderation; that's how the best ideas are made!

A Helping Hand For Amy!

Luckily, our willing actress Amy can already play piano to a rather high standard. However, to help her out and ensure our 'piano-syncing' looks flawless, I managed to find a video explaining how to play the music from Regina Spektor's 'Us'...enjoy.

Constructing our Final Idea

Last lesson we decided to knuckle down and start organising our numberous threads of possible intentions into one final idea.
As a group we decided that revolving our production around a central theme would not only enhance the video visually, but would also create a strong base for a motif or brand that we could build upon later for our ancillary tasks.

Finding the theme...

After listening to the lyrics, we found that the underlying message of the song is that of constant, natural change in society. The lines "they'll name a city after us; then they'll say it's all our fault" relate to the fickle nature of the mass public as they sway in their support of icons, heroes or celebrity figures. The section of the chorus; "we're rummaging for answers in the pages" again links to this in the sense of a media obsessed/controlled nature.
However, alike the song itself, we didn't want to boldly parade this message as we felt this may have destroyed the essence of the lyrics. Instead, we have opted for a more subtle, subliminal illustration of the words. A notion of change which everyone can relate to and recognise - The Seasonal Changes.

Once we noted down the length of instrumentals and the lyrics, we were able to appoint each season (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) to a verse. (Coincendently, the verse dubbed as Autumn actually begins with; "We wear our scarves just like a noose") We also decided that we wanted the chorus to remain separate from the verses, so in such sequences we have decided to use an indoor setting; focusing on the performer playing the piano which features so prominantly in the song.

Subsequently, we began to deconstruct each verse in order to match specific images with the lyrics. If you listen to the song, you should be able to identify a strong, jumpy beat in the background and this is what we want to fit our editing style with. Therefore, there will be a frequent use of jump cuts in our Music Video.

Our Final Shot List....

Instrumental - 11 seconds - Close up shots of the piano keys being played by our performer. The angle will change on every other beat, creating an arch which will strecht over the piano. Jump Cuts will be used as the transition between them.

(SPRING- we have engineered this sequence to be very young, upbeat and inventive by introducing an element of camera tricks and stop motion into the frame)

• Line 1 - Close up of performer's face


• Line 2 - Jump cut to a mid shot; performer has not moved in the frame.


• Line 3 - Jump cut to a long shot; again the performer has not altered their position in the frame.


• Line 4 - Sudden jump cut back to a midshot/close up (we will have to trail this transition beforehand to ensure what shot type works most effectively) of performer blowing bubblegum. During filming the bubble will inevitably pop, but it may be effective and fitting with the 'feel' of this season if we manage to capture the natural reaction to this event and include it.


• Line 5 - Same shot as before but we have edited it in a way that the performer is in the same position but is now holding a camera. The flash forms the transition into the next month. (Match on action with the flare of the sun?)

Instrumental - 5 seconds - Still or panning shots of the surroundings; identifying those that specifically relate to spring.

(SUMMER - Similar to spring we want to make this sequence youthful, but with a more pronounced use of stop motion)

• Line 1 - Long shot (the camera remains in this position throughout this sequence) of performing jumping out from behind the furthest bush/tree in the frame to perform lyric.


• Line 2 - Jump cut. Performer appears from the opposite side of the frame, seemingly by magic.


• Line 3/4 - Follows the same routine. Performer progresses closer to the foreground each time.


• Line 5 - Performer appears infront of the screen. Close up/extreme close up of her face.

(CHORUS - we want these sequences to have an air of sophistication about them and so will be based on a soley monocromatic theme with a black&white effect applied in post production)

• During the main bulk of the chorus we will rotate the camera around the piano by means of a dolly.


• During the four lines of "It's contagious" we will focus of close ups and mid shots of the performer singing from certain points in the room.

(AUTUMN - Showing the contrast from the two previous seasons Autumn will be largely natural and organic in it's approach. Transitions between footage will be softer with fluid threads of continuity running throughout. We plan to apply a subtle hint of sepia tone to this sequence.)

• Instrumental/line 1 - no lip syncing - A hand-held camera tracks the performer as she walks through the forest, kicking leaves etc. This is meant to look very natural as if the camera is not there; adding a completely different influence to the video that will 'shake it up' for the audience.
• Line 2 - lip syncing begins again - Close-up featuring half of the performer's face resting against the bark of a tree.
• Line 3 - Close up of the performer's hand amongst the leaves and earth.
• Line 4 - Mid shot/close up of performer singing through leaves.

(CHORUS - similar sequence of before)

Instrumental - 25 seconds - 17 seconds is extended footage from the chorus. The further 8 seconds may be silent shots linking to the Winter sequence (eg a shot of the performer looking though a frosty cobweb etc)

(WINTER - same principle as Autumn, however we will once again emphasise the jump cuts in the sequence to play on the theme of winter and the frosty, static image it entails. Since this verse is comparitvely fast paced compared to the other three, many lyrics will be paired up in one shot.)

• Line 1/2 - Long Shot/ mid shot of the performer remaining in a largely static position next to a statue; as if she has become one.
• Line 3 - Close up of performer's face against the grass (which, if all goes well, should be thick with frost and will compliment her hair and makeup perfectly)
• Line 4 - Very high angle shot, again looking down on the performer as she lays almost frozen amongst the frost.
• Line 5/6 - Close up shot taken from the side profile of the performer as she sings directly to the face of the statue.
• Line 7 - Extreme close up of the performer's lips as she sings; perhaps through a spider's web which will look beautiful if covered in dew drops....fingers crossed that we will be able to find one!

(CHORUS - " ")

• Same routine as before; however the line "It's contagious" is repeated eight times here, so each line could be paired with a sample from each season to tie the video up.

Lyrics into Themes

We have decided to split each verse into a seasonal theme...as follows...

Each season will have a specific colour scheme; incorporating costume and make-up.
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Regina Spektor - 'Us' (4 Minutes 52 Seconds)

Instrumental (11 Seconds)

They made a statue of us
And it put it on a mountain top
Now tourists come and stare at us
Blow bubbles with their gum
Take photographs have fun, have fun

Instrumental (5 Seconds)

They'll name a city after us
And later say it's all our fault
Then they'll give us a talking to
Then they'll give us a talking to
Because they've got years of experience

We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious (x4)

Instrumental (9 Seconds)

We wear our scarves just like a noose
But not 'cause we want eternal sleep
And though our parts are slightly used
New ones are slave labor you can keep

We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious (x4)

Instrumental (25 Seconds)

They made a statue of us
They made a statue of us
The tourists come and stare at us
The sculptor's marble sends regards
They made a statue of us
They made a statue of us
Our noses have begun to rust

We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
Were living in a den of thieves

And it's contagious (x8)

IT IS DECIDED

So, looking at all our feedback as well as personal preference and discussions as a group, we have decided to have Regina Spektor - 'Us' for our Music video project and ancillary tasks. Here is the original video and link to her website for our group to use and reference.

http://reginasplash.warnerreprise.com/

Ancillary Task - Digipack Analysis

The Digipack I have chosen to analyse is Laura Marling's album 'Alas, I Cannot Swim'. Laura Marling is a folk singer/songwriter from Hampshire, England. Both her albums 'Alas...' and her most recent 'I Speak Because I Can' were nominated for mercury prize awards. She has been associated with a number of well known artists in the UK, including Noah and the Whale, Mumford and Sons and the Mystery Jets. She is only 20 years old!

The front, back and inside of the album has a definite floral theme throughout, with the cd itself printed with a picture of a flower. The colour scheme is warm and has a folk theme to it; much like her music. There are no pictures of Marling herself, this is fairly unconventional of albums, as they mostly include at least one picture of the artist in order to satisfy the demand of close-ups made by the record label. As seen in the picture, the back page of the digipack has a picture similar to the one on the front of the album, and includes thank-you's.

The booklet includes various drawings and lyrics to the songs featured on the album, a really simple design, with a background meant to look like an artist's sketchbook. Once again the theme is very pastoral in a way, using images of nature and people living, it seems, as one.

I think this album has a great theme and the idea of nature suits Marling's style. Our music video will be very similar to this, as we are hoping to incorporate the surroundings a lot within it. I would definitely try to add at least one or two pictures of our artist in order to link it easier. This idea of a strong female solo artist is definitely something we would like people to connote from our own digipack. I like how the lyrics are in the booklet, in a really simple but effective font. Overall, for me, this digipack will definitely be an influence on how I approach creating our own.

Ancillary Task - Digipack Analysis

I chose this album primarily because it was the only one that I could find in my house (it belongs to my sister). This is the debut album of indie rock group 'Ge
neral Fiasco' who are from Northern Ireland. Since their formation in 2007 they have toured with Snow Patrol, The Wombats and The Pigeon Detectives, and they have performed at festivals such as T in the Park and Reading and Leeds.

The digipack (basically what a physical CD comes with - all the artwork etc) of this album basically contains the lyrics to the songs on the album and then on the final page, thanks from the band. The theme of 'buildings' is continued from the title of the album through to the inside pages, where pictures of buildings are seen in the background. Behind where the CD goes, there is a picture of the band members, conforming to the record label's demand for images of the band.

In our own digipack, I think it would be good to include an image of the artist/actor in our video behind the CD, as it is quite an unused space in the digipack. I also like the continuing theme throughout, and also the unusual album cover, which raises a lot of questions (why does he have rabbit ears on etc). I also like it when the lyrics are included in the digipack, so maybe this could be something that we use in our own one. However, although this digipack does not include any examples of this, I also think that we could possibly include some pictures of the artist/actor, maybe in the location that we film the video to get some continuity between the tasks.

Ancillary Task - Digipack Analysis

The Digipack i will be Shania Twain 'come on over.' As it may be obvious but this is an old digipack as now a days less Cd's are brought and are more downloaded. Even though it is an old CD the format hasn't really changed over time.

These are the pages of Shania Twain's Digipack. This Digipack contains the basic information in which you would expect it to contain. It contains the lyrics to all of the songs and on the back page it contains the track list and how long each song lasts for. It also contains shots of Shania on nearly all of the pages and this is used to advertise her more. These are all shots of her in a studio against a blank screen.

In our own Digipack, I think the set out will work well and I like the idea of writing how long the song lasts for. However, in our Digipack, I feel that pictures that have been taken in the location of the music video would look and fit in well with the digipack in which we are trying to achieve.

Ancillary Task - Webpage Analysis

http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/index

Florence and the Machine's website has common motifs with her album 'Lungs' (such as the lung style necklace that she wears on the album cover, and is seen in the top left hand corner of the webpage). The general feel of the webpage is that of undiscovered treasure with the gems and corsage seen at the top right hand side of the page and the wooden background. The antique-y feel of the page (seen in the photograph in sepia tones with 'fold' marks) matches well with Florence's vintage style and the tone of her music. What is quite common in many band sites, but perhaps slightly unachievable in our own webpage, is the use of interactive parts of the page, such as the lungs, which have the navigation menu on them and 'breathe' as you hover over them.

Things that I would like to take from this page and use in our own:

• The embedded video on the right hand side and the music player at the top - helping fans or possible fans to experience her new music and see her videos.
• The way the 'look' of the site matches the sound of her music and the way she dresses, giving a cohesive feel to the brand of 'Florence and the Machine' as a whole
• The use of modern and new technologies such as 'facebook this', obviously aimed at a young, modern target audience
• The antique look used in this site would go well with Regina Spektor's sound too, so we could maybe look at achieving a similar finished product

This is the embedded video player seen on the homepage:

Ancillary Task - Webpage Analysis

http://www.everything-everything.co.uk/

Everything Everything are a fairly new and up-and-coming band and their website fits the motif of their debut album 'Man Alive'. The cover art for their digi-pack is the background they have used; also used as a back-drop during live shows.

Common Conventions...

This website, as far as I'm aware, is conventional. When you consider it is most likely the management that take care of a band's/singer's website, that gives for a lot of demand for shots of the band as well as opportunities for visitors to the website to buy merchandise or new releases. In this era, where everyone wants to be able to access whatever they want from wherever they want, you must include as many updates on the artist(s) in only the first/home page of their website (for example: Twitter and Facebook updates, tour dates, new releases and merch as well as recent and general news. Music player and video player.) Everything Everything's website contains all of these things. However, unlike many websites I have looked at, the band does not have any input, such as a blog that is visible on the website or their personal Twitter accounts. The navigation is positioned directly under the band's name and the whole website is centred to give the visitors a simpler and direct view. Their are also links to the band's Myspace and Youtube site etc.

The Constant Design Aesthetic...(Font Size/Style etc.)

Everything Everything's design aesthetic is apparent from their website. The bright and vibrant colours are relevant to their band motif. The website is aesthetically pleasing; Fonts are all the same as well as colour pallet.

Aspects I Would Use In Our Own Website...

• Embedded video (ours) and anything else that is visually pleasing for a visitor such as consistent design (font size/style) pictures available to download, merchandise and recent releases as well as updates on tour and general and the artist(s) Twitter updates being streamed. Links to artist(s) Myspace etc. All things that our chosen audience would be interested in and wanting.
• A clean look. For example, centred and not too cluttered, clear theme and navigation system.
• The look of Everything Everything's website would'nt necessarily fit with Regina Spektor or Scouting for Girls but shows the band's motif well and this is definitely something we would like to achieve.

Ancillary Tasks - Webpage Analysis

http://www.scoutingforgirls.com/gb/home/

Above is a link to the homepage of the band, Scouting For Girls (SFG).

Aspects that we may wish to replicate on our own webpage -

• The most obvious feature at first sight is the eyecatching presense of the band's name and current motif image in the top left corner. Initially, this image of the woman in the red dress was used as the cover photograph of their recent albumn 'Everybody Wants To be on TV', but has now become prominant at the band's live gigs and most notably in merchandise.


• A specific colour theme of red, sky blue and yellow is maintained throughout the website which ties all of the page together and creates a common thread. The colours also convey the nostalgic, fun public image of 'SFG' and therefore are effective in appealing to the youthful target audience.


• The navigation facility is positioned on the left-hand side of the frame which is unconventional. Traditionally, such helpful, neccessary features would be situated on the right due to the fact that in western society, we read from left to right (we are more inclined to look at the left first) making the transition from page to page/link to link much easier and effortless. However, there is also a navigation bar at the end of the page meaning that a viewer can access other areas of the site without having to scroll back to the top.


• Along the right hand side there are obvious indicators to the age of 'SFG's target audience. Firstly, the direct 'buy now' link for the band's new single acknowledges the fact that many teenagers now purchase their music online rather than in disk form. Secondly, tapping into the social networking culture, SFG also has onscreen links to both their Twitter and Facebook page. And thirdly, there is also a feature that plays SFG music videos, interviews/behind the scenes footage and most notably SFGTV. This is essentially a monthly homemade broadcast in which the band members share news and events through their youtube channel. Again, this links to their young target audience who enjoy a great deal of use of such sites. Below is a link to this channel...
  http://www.youtube.com/user/sfgofficial?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/27/BjPBQ1zliSU
  And here is the first episode of SFGTV to show the style and 'brand' the band tries to portray...
  
  

• The home page features a news feed where the band members update notifications on tour/gig dates and new releases. This allows the audience to feel more informed and connected with the band members; therefore building a stronger fan base.
• This website has quickly transformed in 'SFG's fanbase HQ as there is also an opportunity for fans to become 'Wolfcubs' (I'm one!) This status gives fans the priviledges of a monthly newsletter, sneak previews of videos/interviews/releases, and advanced notification of upcoming gigs. In most cases, tickets for live tours/performances are only available to wolfcubs first. Again, this aspect strengthens fan loyalty and maybe something we should draw into our own webpage.

Ancillary Task - Webpage Analysis

For our course work, we need to do ancillary tasks in which to make our music video complete. The first ancillary task we are doing is a website page. The website I have chosen to look at is Westlife. This is a link to there official main home page.

http://www.westlife.com/gb/frontpage?cmdr=ip2country.detected

This website is very stereotypical website. The page you see first is very eye catching and is showing the audience who exactly are Westlife. The picture shown is also the picture of there CD 'Gravity', therefore, this picture is also advertising there new CD. At the top, it a section in which keeps changing. The 4 pictures on here are all adverts for there new CD which is there to sell it and, in turn, make them more money.

Under the main picture, there is a links along the top to other parts of the website. There is also a register place which is trying to encourage the public to sign up to them to get special deals and more adverts which is there to get more money out of them.

All the way down on this website are clips. These clips are about there new tracks on the CD and interviewing them which is encouraging them to get more money. All down the right hand side, there are links to parts about them. There are links to follow each one on twitter, links to book seats on their tour and their diary.

Throughout this website, they are advertising their CD and their tour which is all about making more money and informing the audience about ways in which they can spend more, for example, their tour.

Previous Student Example Analysis - 'Invaders Must Die' - The Prodigy

What did I like about this music video?

• I like how the beat of the song matches the beat of the video; when the song slows down, the shots are longer and when it speeds up, so does the editing
• I particularly like the escalator sequence when it is sped up, along with the other sped up parts - I think they looked really effective

What did I dislike?

• Some parts seemed mildly unprofessional, such as during the 'fight' sequence, and you can see one of the actors laughing
• I'm not sure if it is a good thing or not, but because the song had very few lyrics, there was no need for lip-syncing and so this skill was not showcased very much.

What would I like to avoid in my own Music Video?

• I would like to avoid having quite as much in the way of dancing, and perhaps include more 'random' shots, such as the shot of the birds in our own work.
• The video quality was very low in this video, possibly due to YouTube, but this definitely tells me that high-def is a must in out work!

How has this video inspired me?

• This video has shown me that it is possible to have a mainly performance based piece with strands of narrative running through (although the performance here is dance rather than singing)
• I like the sped-up sequences, and this is something that we could possibly do in our own video, or something similar, such as the stop-motion type stuff. All of this highlights the construction of the piece and is therefore sort of postmodern (and as we all know, music videos are considered the truest form of postmodernism)

Previous Student Example Analysis - Long Road Media

What did I like about this music video?

• I like the use of split screen, particularly the first instance of it - it looks really effective
• The opening shot, whilst a little shaky, really looked good and made use of the time of year when they were filming. I also liked the leaves falling in the shot
• The way narrative and performance were combined into a story about how the boy was heartbroken and singing about a girl

What did I dislike?

• The slightly amateurish way you could see the camera in the top corner of the mirror in one shot
• The lip-syncing wasn't quite there in some cases, and it looked a bit like he was miming at times - and also singing when there was no music!

What would I like to avoid in my own Music Video?

• Definitely to lip-sync properly at all costs! Learn the lyrics and sing them properly and at the right time
• Try and avoid rookie mistakes such as visible cameras and basic continuity errors

How has this video inspired me?

• I like the mix of performance and narrative, and how the performance ties into the narrative, rather than just having a seemingly random section where someone is singing
• I like the editing, particularly when the shot goes from black and white to colour, and also the split screen, so I think our group should definitely spend some time learning to use Final Cut properly
• The location is also very nice, and fits in well with the tone of the song (which sounds like it was possibly an original song)

What I Like About This Video...

I like that it draws attention to its own construction; breaking down the fourth wall, with the actors aware that they are being filmed and also playing to the camera. I like its comedic effect and the idea that you can make a simple but effective music video.

What I Dislike...

I Dislike that the camera hasn't stayed stationary throughout as well as the lighting. Because it is such a simple video I feel these elements are more visible, so it would have been better to keep it constant.

What Would I Avoid...?

Although it is a very funny concept, I would try to avoid such a simple idea as it is easier to pick up mistakes and for the audience to get bored; depending on the content.

What Would I Include...?

Like the previous West Suffolk College music video I looked at, I would definitely use a high quality camera. I like the idea of the actors being aware that they are being filmed and the audience being aware of this.

Previous Student Example Analysis - West Suffolk College

What I Like About This Video...

I really like the narrative that is present throughout this music video. The quality of shots is also good as at West Suffolk College they use HD cameras and professional equipment, which has definitely enhanced the overall visuals. I particularly like the shot when the actor is walking down the road next to a window, reflecting a mirror image of him but in different clothing and the colour correction used to create a colder feel.

What I Dislike...

The only thing I dislike about this music video is the use of slow-motion added to a seemingly fast paced music video throughout, I feel this doesn't really fit.

What Would I Avoid...?

In my own music video I would perhaps avoid the confusion of using too many locations and create a more coherent style. For example in this music video the locations include a forest, a beach and London. Although this is only my interpretation and others may feel that this works well.

What Would I Include...?

Obviously this video is at a very high standard, as the student who created it is a student of Video Production at West Suffolk College. This has definitely convinced me to hopefully use the HD camera available at school as it really enhances the images and since we will hopefully be filming in a scenic area it would enhance this also. The use of lip-syncing is definitely something I would like to include, as well as narrative possibly and both are evident in this music video.

Previous Student Example Analysis - "Santigold"

What did I like about the Music Video?

• I found the use of dramatic costume and make-up extremely effective in making the video visually dynamic and entertaining. The effort that the group has put into the asthetic qualities really shines through, and this in turn engages the audience and adds a professional, theatrical element to the video.
• I also liked the quirky graphics and moments of stop motion as I think they match the song very well.

What did I dislike?

• I didn't like the lack of an identifible narative or subliminal thread in the video. However, considering the style and genre of the song, perhaps this was the best-fitting/most conventional route to take.

What would I avoid?

• Again, there were a few moments in this video where lip-syncing posed an issue and this is obviously something our group wishes to avoid at all costs! There were also some points where the performer was clearly miming to the words rather than actually singing them; this in turn threw some sequences out of touch with the lyrics.

What would I include?

• This music video has shown me that making an effort to pay extra attention to cosmetic details can dramatically enhance the overall finish of the production.
• I really like the amount of inserts and cut-aways in this music video. Therefore, it has inspired me to ensure that we shoot more footage than we will ever actually need so that we have the freedom to intercut between different shots without worrying about running out or dirsrupting certain performances.

Previous Student Example Analysis (Long Road Media) - "Rock Boys"

What did I like about this music video?

• I thought that the first montage of images worked very effectively and were cleverly put together so that the images merged into one and other seamlessly; particulary the street lamp fading into the lines of traffic.
• The placement of the drumkit in the middle of the field was another aspect I liked as it created almost a 'rustic' quality to the production which complemented the song perfectly.
• I also liked the style of the performance based close-up. The use of a white backing screen and manipulation of colour contrasts in post production gave this section a look of professionalism.

What did I dislike?

• Because the group chose to film at dusk or in the dark, the harshness of the car headlights sometimes caused the camera to blur or become unfocused. There were also moments when the footage became very grainy, which hindered the overall finish of the music video.
• The behaviour of the extras at some points in the music video also made it look slightly amaturist. I didn't 'dislike' this as such, but just thought that it hindered the 'slick' quality the video could have achieved.

What would I like to avoid in my own Music Video?

• The first thing I've learnt is that it is vital to monitor lip syncing! There is a mishap during one of the close-up performances that causes the music to play faster than her lips are moving, and this is something I am VERY keen to avoid. Unfortunately, that one seemingly harmless mistake can throw the entire production off course.
• Looking at this video I would also refrain from shooting in the dark, as doing so is severly detrimental to the look of the footage and can make the images very grainy.

How has this video inspired me?

• This video has shown me that having a running theme throughout- no matter how small or subtle -is very effective in creating a sense of collectiveness and recognisable image. It ties the whole production together and so is something that I would like to focus heavily on in our own music video.
• It has also prompted me to think seriously about the variety of shot types, movement and angles we need to include in our music video to keep each frame fresh and in-keeping with the rhythm of the song.
• Lastly, this video has inspired me to strongly consider using an HD camera to shoot our video in order to achieve the slick, professional finish we desire.

Previous Student Example Analysis - 'What's a girl to do'

The second music video I am analysing from previous students is called 'What's a girl to do.



What do I like about this video?
- I like the fact that the lip singing is spot on
- I like the editing fitting into the pace of the music
- I like the idea that they have used a simple narrative with simple effects/editing and it still works really well

What do I not like?
- I don't really like the idea of the random dance routine as I believe it doesn't go with the song and it can be a bit random in places
- The camera work can be a bit unsteady at times where it would look just as good if the camera was steady

What I would like to avoid?
- I would like to avoid the unsteady camerawork
- I would like to have more of a narrative then what is in this music video

What I can use in our video?
- We are using the idea of using random images and it is nice to see that it works, but as long as it isn't to random and fits into the song

Previous Student Example Analysis - 'Triple Trouble'

My first analysis of previous student example is called Triple Trouble.



What do I like?
- This music video is quite fast pace and the editing matches this.
- I like this video because it is interesting and keeps the attention of the audience and it also isn't over complicated.
- This video has a sense of humour involved which matches the music. For example, contrasting the colours and the set of the shopping trolley.
- The camerawork is very steady which makes it easier for the audience to watch it.
- Apart from some of the special effects, the storyline of this video is very simple which makes it easier for the audience.
- Although, personal i am not keen on this type of music, I believe they used the conventions of this type of music well.

What I don't like?
- I don't like the idea that there is no narrative and they are just mainly singing to the camera with pretty much nothing else going on.
- I don't like the idea of the skipping in and out being black and white and then colour, as i believe there was too much of each colour and would have looked better if they only used small samples of the black and white theme and then used large samples of the colour theme.

What I would like to avoid?
- I would like to avoid the idea of just mainly singing to the camera
- I would to avoid there not being a narrative

What I can use in our music video?
- We can use the idea of using contrasting colours
- We can use the idea of using just steady camera and not moving it

Music Video Analysis - 'Written In The Stars' - Tinie Tempah ft. Eric Turner

Director - Alex Herron

Released - August 2010

According to Goodwin's Theory;

Demonstrate genre characteristics: Performance based video, with links to Tinie Tempah's seemingly difficult childhood. This fits in well with the rap/hip hop genre, as many rappers come from the 'ghetto', and have to fight their way to the top (so they say). The performance also fits both with Tinie Tempah and Eric Turner - Turner plays the piano whilst singing, and Tinie Tempah uses expressive hand movements (a genre characteristic of hip hop and rap) whilst rapping emphatically.

Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals: The lyrics speak of his journey to fame, which links to the images of a boy (who I am assuming represents a young Tinie Tempah) struggling with his childhood, being bullied and never having enough money. So the lyrics could be said to be either amplifying or illustrative.

Relationship between the music and the visuals: We see Eric Turner playing the piano throughout, which links to the melodic hook of the song, and the tempo of the song and the visuals are of a similar level.

Demand of close-ups from record label (motif): Often seen with sunglasses (a motif of Tempah's that he keeps even when not starring in his videos), there are plenty of close ups of the rapper, as well as some of Turner, but not as many (as he only features on the song)

Frequent reference to the notion of looking: Both the young boy and Tinie Tempah look directly to the camera, and some of the shots, particularly on the roof, feel sort of voyeuristic, possibly due to the low angle of the shot.

Intertextuality: Eminem's recent video for 'Not Afraid' has a similar set of images on the roof of a skyscraper, so there is quite a strong link there.

What I like about this video - I like the mainly performance based elements of the video, with loose strands of narrative throughout. I also like the strong look of the pure white room where Turner plays the piano, as well as the close ups used of him, which are side-on, rather than the conventional face-on.

What our group could take from this video - I think our group could definitely look at how the strands of narrative are interwoven within a performance-piece, as this is something that would be good to do in our video. Also, I don't think we should be afraid to shy away from a dramatic visual 'look'.

Music Video Analysis - 'Teenage Dream' - Katy Perry

Director - Yoann Lemoine
Released - August 2010

According to Goodwin's Theory;

Demonstrate genre characteristics: As a female artist, Perry demonstrates some genre characteristics by wearing few clothes in some scenes, particularly when in the hotel room in her underwear, and also having elements of performance within the video. There is also a loose narrative plot involved, which is typical of Perry's other videos, including 'California Gurls', where Perry rescues candy-themed girls from a board game before fighting Snoop Dogg, and 'Waking Up in Vegas', where there is a stronger link between the lyrics and visuals.

Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals: The lyrics talk about being with a lover who makes you feel young again ("You make me/ feel like I'm living a/ teenage dream"), and the visuals reflect this in the sense that Perry is with a man (who we see getting intimate on several occasions), and there is a naturalistic yet dreamy feel to the visuals through use of setting and subtle contrast. Compared to her previous video for 'California Gurls', this video seems incredibly raw, and in the words of Perry, we see an 'almost vulnerable side' to her in this video, which reflects the lyrics in the sense that teenage love tends to shape who you become as a person, and it is very easy to have your heart broken.

Relationship between the music and the visuals: The beat of the song roughly follows the cut of the shots, in particular when the first verse cuts to the chorus, and there is a shot of the male lead accelerating the car, reflecting the increasing speed of the song. Therefore, in this sense, the relationship between the music and visuals is an illustrative one.

Demand of close-ups from record label (motif): Right from the start of the song, close ups of Perry are seen, from her singing in the car to her in the locker room. Apart from her, the only other character to have many close ups is her lover.

Frequent reference to the notion of looking: There are many references to the notion of looking in this video, not only Perry singing directly to the camera, but also characters looking at each other (particularly the scene where Perry is watching the man boxing).

Intertextuality: In the Glee episode 'Never Been Kissed', the song is covered by the Dalton Academy 'Warblers', another Glee club competing against New Directions. In reality, the song was actually performed by 'Beelzebubs', an a cappella group from Tufts University and gained prominence when performed on the show.

What I like about this video - I love the simplicity of it, and how pure and simple the shots seem. The tone of the video seems like an ideal weekend, and it conjures up images of fond memories of summer. The settings are beautiful (as is Katy Perry) and the song and the video have the same tone to them, making the video match the lyrics.

What our group could take from this video - Trying to match the tone of the video to the tone of the song is always good, and also I would like to try and capture that dreamy atmosphere that is shown so well in this video.