Wednesday 15 March 2017
Music video: Evaluation
In what ways does your media product use develop or challenge forms and conventions of media products?
Part of our research and planning included studying music videos related to the one we have created, to gather & analyse knowledge about conventions in modern music videos, and how we could make use of these popular techniques to streamline our production for a mainstream audience. Listening to our song, we heard derivatives from pop rock & disco music styles. The conventions that we specifically picked up on in videos such as these, and used in a similar way in our own clip are as follows:
‘Live’ Performance & Lip-Syncing
In the modern pop music-scene, image and personality are of almost equal or greater importance than the actual music. Advertising, promotion and radio play are the main drivers of record sales, whereas artists with lower profiles often flounder. Additionally, the ‘band’ format of ⅔ guitars, drums and vocals automatically attracts attention from those who enjoy band music. Therefore, in music videos promoting music by a band, the bandmates and frontman are commonly the focal point. Live music gigs and performances are also an integral pillar of band-music culture. The promotional videos often emulate a live performance, complete with actual playing of instruments and lip-syncing. We decided to also use this ‘live performance’ format for our own clip, also because a band playing instruments is engaging and visually interesting, giving more drive and emotion to the song, as you can see it being ‘created’ live through playing.
Limited Colour Pallette
Despite the fact that modern film equipment can now produce an incredibly deep and varied colour scale, the current trend in, not just music videos but cinema in general, is to actually limit the colour palette to about only two colours, usually opposite to each other on the colour wheel. The result is a sort of comic-book style. Objects can be easily made to stand out, because the picture is not particularly busy, and action becomes incredibly easy to follow because of the contrast. For the 1975, neon pink & blue is their sort of trademark, used abundantly in their own videos and live shows. For this reason, we decided to limit the colour pallette in our video to primarily these colours. We did this by using pink & blue filtered stage lighting during actual recording, and in post we used tints and colour correctors to remove other colours. We also did this as a technique to create association between our promotional clip and out ancillary products. The poster & Album artwork feature a similar palette, only slightly more saturated & visually striking.
Dynamic and Unusual Camera Movement and Angles
Essentially, a music video is a medium used to convey a piece of music. There are multiple ways to do this, through a narrative structure, or, more commonly, a recorded performance of the song. An actual live gig/performance has the advantage of tangible atmosphere, powerful sound systems and communication & interaction with the audience. A music video has none of these liberties, and therefore, plainly recording a performance of the song with minimal visual effects or movement can easily become stale and uninteresting. To resolve this, you need to make a promotional clip more than just a medium for music, and instead make it a work or art in it’s own right. Our clip features a live performance, but to make it more visually interesting, we used many dramatic and varied camera angles. We mixed neutral mid-range shots with close ups, bird’s eye and worm’s eye shots of the band members and props, whilst additionally interlacing macro shots.
Sharp editing and visual effects
Often, music videos are some of the most abstract & dramatic forms of cinematography, featuring unique, avant-garde artwork and visual effects. We wanted to do a similar thing, utilising symbolism and imagery. The most prominent example of this in our own clip is the skeleton, representing the unromantic, cynical and slightly macabre side of the music. The skeleton is, quite ironically, painted in vibrant ‘rave’ fluorescent body paint & sings. We also include shots of medical, scientific equipment, meant to represent drug abuse. There are also many interesting editing effects that we used, such as slow motion, speeding up footage, and reversing footage. For example, in the opening shot, the wine glass lava lamp speeds up, slows, and reverses erratically, but rhythmically. The same thing was done to the syringes containing the fluorescent liquid, and the macro microscope shot. All these things we did to both make the video purposeful and visually interesting, whilst also making up for the lack of structural narrative.
Question 2 (video).
Question 2 (video).
What have your learnt from your audience feedback?
Once we had completed the final cut we uploaded the video to Youtube and shared the release of it using the ancillary products on other social media platforms. From this we were able to get a variety of responses to the music video.
We split the audience feedback into three segments, in order to focus on different aspects of the product and how effective it is:
- Current media studies students - other peers will give constructive feedback on camera shots and angles and more of the practical side of the video. Because they are more familiar with the construction of developing video it would help more.
- Target audience for product - Music videos can be consumed by everyone. However all bands have specific genres, styles and age groups they appeal to. In addition we wanted feedback that didn't just focus on specifics but the music video as a whole. Was there a clear theme? Did we convey the story well? Was the video effective?
- Extended group - As we shared the video on several social media platforms we then were open to getting feedback from anyone else who viewed the video. This enables us to gain any extra feedback that we didn't receive from the other two groups.
FEEDBACK:
Positives:
- "Engaging, fun concept"
- "The use of bold, minimal colours is really effective when conveying the theme"
- " I loved the skeleton shots it was very original and added something extra to the piece"
Negatives (constructive criticism):
- "There isn't a narrative there, so sometimes the theme of the song is lost. Despite that very creative"
- " A few of the shots didn't seem smooth enough, although the shots cut quite quickly there are a couple that could have been stabilized"
- "The quality of some of the shots could have been better. I really liked the lava lamp shots, however there wasn't quite the clarity that really would make them stand out"
Most of the feedback we got given was positive and people seemed to understand the concept of the video. Most of the feedback focused around more of the creative shots we composed from the lava lamp shots, the skeleton, uv paint and close ups of the blurred lights. We did think that those would be the preferred shots as we spent time constructing them and they stand out against the many shots of the band playing. A few people mentioned about there not being a set narrative. When planning the music video we did take this into consideration, and when reflecting on The 1975's version of UGH! they didn't have a narrative either and sometimes it works better with the song to let it just focus on the band.
With the editing it was very difficult to get the shots perfectly matching up to the audio, alongside it being on the beat which is at a fast tempo. Tommy and I sat together and working on getting the shots on the beat as smoothly as possible. However during this process we found that because the shots changed so quickly, our footage was going too quickly and thus we needed to reuse some footage to pan the video out a little. In hind sight we would have shot more, if we counted how many times it changed before filming. In addition it is unlike professional videos which would have a hierarchy of cinematographers, directors and editors all working together to complete something that has been informed by many different people - an option we could of course not facilitate within an A-level piece.
From the feedback we received we have gained more of an insight and alternative perspective to our music video. This information was critical in helping us develop our media product as well as give us a further understanding of how media is consumed.
We split the audience feedback into three segments, in order to focus on different aspects of the product and how effective it is:
- Current media studies students - other peers will give constructive feedback on camera shots and angles and more of the practical side of the video. Because they are more familiar with the construction of developing video it would help more.
- Target audience for product - Music videos can be consumed by everyone. However all bands have specific genres, styles and age groups they appeal to. In addition we wanted feedback that didn't just focus on specifics but the music video as a whole. Was there a clear theme? Did we convey the story well? Was the video effective?
- Extended group - As we shared the video on several social media platforms we then were open to getting feedback from anyone else who viewed the video. This enables us to gain any extra feedback that we didn't receive from the other two groups.
FEEDBACK:
Positives:
- "Engaging, fun concept"
- "The use of bold, minimal colours is really effective when conveying the theme"
- " I loved the skeleton shots it was very original and added something extra to the piece"
Negatives (constructive criticism):
- "There isn't a narrative there, so sometimes the theme of the song is lost. Despite that very creative"
- " A few of the shots didn't seem smooth enough, although the shots cut quite quickly there are a couple that could have been stabilized"
- "The quality of some of the shots could have been better. I really liked the lava lamp shots, however there wasn't quite the clarity that really would make them stand out"
Most of the feedback we got given was positive and people seemed to understand the concept of the video. Most of the feedback focused around more of the creative shots we composed from the lava lamp shots, the skeleton, uv paint and close ups of the blurred lights. We did think that those would be the preferred shots as we spent time constructing them and they stand out against the many shots of the band playing. A few people mentioned about there not being a set narrative. When planning the music video we did take this into consideration, and when reflecting on The 1975's version of UGH! they didn't have a narrative either and sometimes it works better with the song to let it just focus on the band.
With the editing it was very difficult to get the shots perfectly matching up to the audio, alongside it being on the beat which is at a fast tempo. Tommy and I sat together and working on getting the shots on the beat as smoothly as possible. However during this process we found that because the shots changed so quickly, our footage was going too quickly and thus we needed to reuse some footage to pan the video out a little. In hind sight we would have shot more, if we counted how many times it changed before filming. In addition it is unlike professional videos which would have a hierarchy of cinematographers, directors and editors all working together to complete something that has been informed by many different people - an option we could of course not facilitate within an A-level piece.
From the feedback we received we have gained more of an insight and alternative perspective to our music video. This information was critical in helping us develop our media product as well as give us a further understanding of how media is consumed.
How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?
Tuesday 14 March 2017
Music Video: Shot lists & schedule
SHOT LIST
Basically, our music video will be faced paced & visually stunning, but without a narrative. Therefore, we know ourselves that the actual filming will be abstract & casual. We made a storyboard of the main, important shots that will define the video. Shots such as the mid-shot of Mr. Bones, or wide angle shot f the band playing. We will use a variety of different lengths and angles, but always bring the focus back onto that initial mid-shot to keep the video grounded & maintain a sense of space & physical orientation. Also, this is our first time making a music video. We cannot truthfully say whether a shot will look effective or not. This is another reason we will keep the shooting schedule more casual than last year.
High angle - I took some shots of the band stood on a chair while they were all lying down on the mattress.
Wide angle - In the drama studio we created a set up with the lights, band and science equipment. In order to get it all in one frame we needed wide angle shots.
Extreme close-ups - A few of the shots we took from the dilating eye, microscope and some of the lighting shots looked a lot better being extreme close ups.
Medium and close-ups - Most of the general shots of the TV smashing and other shots of the bands were mediums and close-ups, we used this as it functioned better together as they were quick shots, where as we gave longer for more of the artistic angles.
There were multiple components to consider when we filmed. It wasn't just the four band members we needed to take into account, but also the availability of the south drama studio at school, the science department needed to know when and where we were using their equipment and the music department in order to use the amps and drum kit, alongside other members of staff and people who might be affected because of us using the space and resources.
The band (shots of the band in the drama studio) - THURSDAY 15th DECEMBER 2016
Smashing the TV (shots in an abandoned car park) - TUESDAY 3rd JANUARY 2017
UV paint shots (shots in the art dark room and in the drama studio) - THURSDAY 19th JANUARY 2017
Microscope (shots under the microscope) - TUESDAY 29th NOVEMBER 2016
Eye dilating (shots of Tommy's eye before and after dilating) - FRIDAY 2nd DECEMBER 2016
Target Audience
Having been to a 1975 gig at Reading Festival, I can personally attest to the fact that the bulk of the fanbase consists of teenage girls. However, as males we were not totally out of place, with smatterings of men being visible throughout the arena. The 1975 with their image & marketing are quite clearly aimed at a young crowd, but also a mature crowd. Their songs and image, although drawing from bubblegum pop & disco vibes, lay atop a more grungy, unromantic theme, with copious references to drugs & sex throughout their songs & videos. 'UGH!' is hardly different; the topic of the lyrics quite clearly referencing cocaine & addiction. It's an odd mixture of cynicism & toe-tapping rhythms.
Targeting our Audience through marketing:
The subtlety & grunginess of the 1975 does not translate that well into a form of attention-drawing advertisement. Our posters & artwork must be bright and brash. Throughout he video, we've decided to stick to a very limited colour pallette of hot pink & dark blue. We will make our advertisement the same colours in order to make a clear association between the all promotional material, including the video, posters & artwork. Essentially, the colours will serve as our 'motif/logo' or trademark feature, because we have discussed & decided that the mind focuses and remembers bold colours & associates them more readily than shapes and motifs. For example, think of the tech company Apple. Immediately the mind conjures up images and colours of sleek, shiny whites & greys. Kit-Kats are always red & fruit pastilles are green. All of these products have a specific colour, which they plaster on everything from logos to packaging and advertisement. We will use the same concept for instant 'brand recognition'. Our choice of neon pink creates images of grungy nightclubs, nightclub culture & drug culture, but also simultaneously being eye-catching and fresh, without being 'girly'.
Targeting our Audience through marketing:
The subtlety & grunginess of the 1975 does not translate that well into a form of attention-drawing advertisement. Our posters & artwork must be bright and brash. Throughout he video, we've decided to stick to a very limited colour pallette of hot pink & dark blue. We will make our advertisement the same colours in order to make a clear association between the all promotional material, including the video, posters & artwork. Essentially, the colours will serve as our 'motif/logo' or trademark feature, because we have discussed & decided that the mind focuses and remembers bold colours & associates them more readily than shapes and motifs. For example, think of the tech company Apple. Immediately the mind conjures up images and colours of sleek, shiny whites & greys. Kit-Kats are always red & fruit pastilles are green. All of these products have a specific colour, which they plaster on everything from logos to packaging and advertisement. We will use the same concept for instant 'brand recognition'. Our choice of neon pink creates images of grungy nightclubs, nightclub culture & drug culture, but also simultaneously being eye-catching and fresh, without being 'girly'.
Music Video: Preparation: Props
All of the locations were bases. Because they were all rather basic set ups it made it easier to transform it into the environment for filming that we wanted. Here is a list of things we ordered online or sourced from charity shops or school:
Blue fairy lights - Amazon
Pink fairy lights - Amazon
UV Paint - Amazon
UV torch - Amazon
Skeleton 1 & 2 - Science department
Microscope - Science department
Golf clubs - Charity shop
Old TV - Sourced from the school
Light filters - School
Music equipment - School / personal instruments etc.
Music Video: Characters & Casting
We had several people in mind when we were considering a cast, but we did have a set criteria of what we were looking for. They needed to be confident in front of the camera, able to play an instrument or sing and be around the same age. We found that although people could play the instruments they weren't comfortable being in front of the camera. To find a lead singer was the hardest part, we had a creative vision and for us to direct someone and hope they would be confident enough to act was difficult. This is why it was better for Tommy to be the lead, he had the look of the cast we were aiming for and knew what we wanted to achieve with each shot, which made it easier in the long term to direct. Similarly this was the same with Richard who played bass guitar, he became a role model for Freddie the guitarist and Jonas to see how they should preform. With Tommy and Richard being part of the band to it became easier to organize dates to film, as well as easier to direct as there was already a visual on how the other two should act.
LEAD SINGER - Tommy Balderstone
BASSIST - Richard Bate-Weldon
GUITAR - Freddie Ethern
DRUMS - Jonas Pitt
First Casting Video:
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