Second Part Of Filming Analysis - Wednesday 27th January

For the second part of the filming process of the production of our music video we used a wood and field setting. The area we used was a wood and field in New Ash Green.

The whole group came together for filming on this day, as we went straight from school to Dartford to buy balloons and string to hang in the trees and place on the ground for particular shots. After, Myself and Nathan drove straight to Charlotte's house to get her ready and pick her up and then went to meet Georgia and Carli, who were waiting at New Ash Green.

We spent a few hours taking possible photos that we may be able to use as part of the ancillary tasks, which we later found out wouldn't actual work due to the quality of both the camera and the composition of the shots.

The day was very productive as we all tried to contribute as many different shot ideas and interesting camera angles as possible. In this way, after the filming day, we had a great deal many more ideas than before. So, when we went back to school for a media lesson two days later we were able to put together the new ideas and thwated ideas from previous discussions that we had tried on this day, and so, were resultedly able to gain a much clearer picture of the overall project in terms of what would work, what would not work, what we wanted the end result to look like etc.

Charlotte standing in the freezing cold while we were setting up the balloons and string and organising the filming that we needed to get done

Carli and Nathan thinking about camera angles and the shots that we needed to take

Me and Charlotte standing in the area we had set up for filming

Georgia carrying the beautiful bright balloons to the area that we were using for filming


Nathan and Charlotte standing in the finished area that we had just set up with props such as balloon and strings


One of the shots that we were experimenting with, as a possibility of using as one of the photographs in one of the ancillary tasks. It didn't work!


Nathan filming Charlotte for a particular part of the music video. We thought that it would look effective if we tried to get a shot of Charlotte holding a bunch of the balloons that were blowing in the wind, along with her hair. It was a very windy day!

First Part Of Filming Analysis - Sunday 24th January

Me and Nathan spent a day filming the performance part of our music video, using Charlotte as the female singer in the piece, and Nathan as the male. We used a barn-type building for this, as we wanted it to be messy, to have the brickwork walls in the background, and the dusty floor in shot.

It took around an hour and a half getting Charlotte ready; to fit the discussion that Georgia, Nathan and I had previously had on what we would like her to look like in terms of hair and make-up. We had decided on using a messy or curly/wavey hairstyle with minimal make-up on the face, excluding the eyes; on which we liked the idea of heavy dark make-up.

It took a long time getting the area ready for what we had proposed to do, Nathan had to sweep up to make sure that the ground was quite level and to minimise the amount of dirt and dust that we would get on the equipment and ourselves! We then had to lay down large wooden boards so that when we placed the camera tripod on it, it would appear to be more level and stable.

We then had to back a van onto the set that we had put a generator in so that we could plug strong lights in to use on the set; as artificial light works better on camera than just relying on natural light. Also, in terms of continuity; as it took many hours to film the shots that we achieved to get finished, we needed to have the same strength of light throughout the filming, rather than letting it get darker and ruining the continuity of the filming.

We used two larger lights, kind of like 'spotlights'; one facing in each direction from either side of the set. We also had three sets of fairy lights on the floor across the area- but only had one set turned on.

We put two stools, a microphone and stand, two guitars and stands, two amplifiers and a large box also in the area that we were using for our filming. I made a plan of the area set up shortly after Nathan and I had set it up for the first time. This prevented me from forgetting how it was set up previously, and this helped with the continuity between the different days in which we were filming at the location.

A shot of the actual area set up for filming. On the right hand-side of the photograph, a canister can be seen holding one of the spotlights that we were using to ensure that the area was lit adequately. Nathan and I had to decide how to layout the area in which we would be filming on the day, as we could not previously decide what would look best in which place. I think we designed the set for the filming effectively.

Diary

In order to meet the filming deadline that was set by our teacher we had to get the first lot of filming completed by Friday 29th January.

This allowed us time to re-film any material that needed correcting or changing; in order to have a rough cut completed by Friday 26th February.

1st filming session - in the barn - Sunday 24th January2nd filming session - in the woods - Wednesday 27th JanuaryPicture taking session - at Nathan's house - Tuesday 16th February3rd filming session - re-filming in the barn - Monday 22nd February4th filming session - re-filming in the woods - Wednesday 24th February

To help with my personal organisation throughout the project I followed the plan that I set out on a calendar. I filled out what tasks would be done when as we came across new ideas of things to include as work that goes toward the end project

Animatics

Myself, Nathan and Georgia produced an animatic video to roughly outline the type of shots that we wanted to use in our music video. I had to crop the very rough sketches that Carli produced of the shots that Nathan felt were most important to include in the basis for the instruction of the making of our video. We produced this short video so that we would be able to gain slight incite into how the video will look overall; in terms of how the two very different locations will mix in with one another and also manage to fit to form some kind of story or narrative.

Storyboard

As part of the planning for the music video, and in order to even start thinking about beginning the filming for the music video, my group had to create a storyboard of the first few shot ideas that we had. These are the initial ideas that my group had when it came to shots that would be included in the music video that we would make. Although there are only 12 shots that have been sketched out, it still helps in gaining a rough idea as to whether our music video ideas will work, or not. As I will later make these shots into a short film sequence, this part of the planning process will greatly help the development of our project. I have scanned the sketches onto the computer and then cropped them as best I could.




shot 1.

This is the close-up of a guitar. This is a particularly impoartant element of our music video, as the acoustic guitar is a main feature of the sound/tone of the song/music. During a discussion between myself, Nathan, and our teacher, it was decided that we should include as many shots of the acoustic guitar being played as possible, without making the video appear too repetitive or boring.

shot 2.

The balloons and party string were a random idea that was brought up in one of the group discussions-possibly because we had seen that this idea was featured in an existing media product, and had been inspired as a result. I think that this would work really well in our music video as we plan to create quite a mysterious storyline, and the inclusion of the balloons can be one of the features that are not actually ever explained to the viewer. I feel that this is an important part of the video - creating a gloomy kind of mystery.

shot 3.

It is very important that close-ups of Charlotte singing are included in the music video, as this is one of the main features of listening to a band/music. An artist or singer is the main attraction to a band, and the music video would not look right and would not work without the audience being able to see her singing, so it is essential that we get some really good shots of the vocal performance.

shot 4.

Shots that include both of the band members within view of the camera are key in the music video, as this is quite a common or typical aspect of the music videos with more than one artist. It is important that the two band members are communicating in the video, not by means of talking but glancing at each other occassionally, for example.

shot 5.


I think that this will be quite an important shot in the video, as it is very unusual, and the addition of different or strange shots or camera angles in the music video is essential as the song that we are using is slow, so, resultedly we need to engage the viewer and keep them interested.

shot 6.


The shot of the working boots that Charlotte will be wearing in the barn scene of the video will contrast to the shot of the union jack print wellington boots that she will be wearing in the woods. Again, this is an unusual shot and will hopefully, interest the viewer in this way.

shot 7.


The microphone is an important feature in the barn scene of the music video, as it is a typical aspect of a performance-based music video. I would like to include a shot facing down the microphone, of nothing else in view, even if this would just be included in the ancillary tasks as a picture, I think that it would make a very interesting and engaging shot. Another of Nathan's fantastic shot ideas.

shot 8.


From watching existing media products I have gathered shots that show the female performer walking directly away from the camera, and this seems to me to be very effective. I really like this idea and think that we should include, or at least consider, this when filming and producing our own music video.



shot 9.
Referring to one of the moodboards of ideas that me and Georgia created, the idea of Charlotte walking in long grass or being filmed through trees seems appropriate to the genre or style that we are using.

shot 10.
The inclusion of shots of Nathan are as vital to the music video that we are producing as he is the one playing the acoustic guitar, which is a main theme of the song.

shot 11 and shot 12.
This is the ending of the music video, which we plan will be quite controversial in terms of whether it refers to the supernatural or whether it is just playing around with effects on the computer when creating the video (which is what we have done, obviously). Charlotte will be walking in front of the camera and will suddenly disappear, and this is not explained in the music video, as this will be the final shot and therefore the ending of the song.

Storyboard analysis
The ideas in this part of the storyboard are basically in reflection of the research of shots that we, as a group, found previously. In looking at the post 'Shots I Like' that I did previously, I can compare the shots that are in this collection to the ones that I found in existing media products, which I have published in that post. The shots that I feel will work particularly well in regards to the type of song, pace and lyrics etc. is the close-up shots of the guitar. I think, seeing as on a particular website I was using for research at some point, the Mazzy Star song 'Into Dust' was filed under the genre 'acoustic', the close-ups of an acoustic guitar will really fit the part.

Moodboard Of Ideas For 'Into Dust'

Georgia and I constructed a moodboard of our ideas for the song that we will most likely be using to create our own music video for, and ancillary tasks supporting.

On the moodboard, we included most of the initial, undeveloped ideas that we had when we first listened to and explored the track. We started the construction of this piece using the lyrics to the song as a basis for all of the ideas that we had, placing this at the centre and, as you can see, created layers of ideas around the words.

The lyrics of the song, to me personally, insinuate the idea of heartbreak and 'lost love' . The fact that there is no justification behind the lyrics suggests a mysterious and confusing state of mind that the singer is facing. We could use this idea in the video to create the sense of an exciting storyline, as this is a vital feature in the video for such a slow-paced tune.

My group needs to consider whether or not we would like to enhance the idea of the negativity that could be portrayed through the lyrics, or assume that the sinister tone of the song leads to a 'happy ending'.

We explored themes such as 'loneliness' and 'lost love' as we think that these fit the song and lyrics very well and resultedly, we are planning to use some or all of these ideas in our own video.

We included ideas of how we could make the transition between shots such as 'overlay' and 'fade'. These are effects that we think will most suit the footage we are going to take, in terms of content and theme. These effects will also work well with the pace of the song; as it is very slow.

Acoustic guitar- it is important that there is the inclusion of at least one acoustic guitar in the music video, as it is this instrument that plays the melody of the track. I think that it would make the video seem more realistic and therefore, the viewer would be more likely to accept the idea that the project could exist in today's media.

It is a classic instrument that reflects the soothing, chilled out tone of the song.

Eyes, and the expression that can be shown from them, is a key theme, and the foundation for the ideas that we have for the music video.

We have also touched upon the idea of possible locations on the moodboard. There is indication to suggest that we may have already, through producing this piece, decided that woods would be an effective location in which to film a scene of the music video.

In creating this moodboard, myself and Georgia have created a good base for the development of our ideas to take place around and on. We have explored our initial ideas, and the content in our actual finished video may turn out very different!

Permission Letter And Feedback

Due to copyright laws, we had to ask the record company for permission to use the song that we wanted, in our music video. The letter or e-mail that was sent read as follows;

Dear Capitol Records,

I am an A level student and I am writing to request your permission to use one track from the latest album by Mazzy Star entitled Into Dust. The track I wish to use is Into Dust.

With your permission, this track would be used in my current A-level Media Studies project which involves creating a music video for a popular music track, as well as producing an album and a magazine advert for the artist.

If I received your permission, this track would ONLY be used in an educational context and be viewed by my media class, my teacher and the OCR exam board moderator. It would NOT be released to a large audience or uploaded to any public video websites.

The artist and your company would of course be fully recognised throughout preproduction and the final video itself. A copyright notice, with wording supplied by you can be included in the records of the project. If this is required, please send full details.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Bethany Rossiter