FIRST MUSIC VIDEO DRAFT

This is the first draft of my music video. I am no where near happy with it yet, as I have only filmed in one location so far. Therefore, the style of this video is very different from how I plan the outcome of my music video. I do plan on adding more special effects and editing effects to the post-production of these clips also. However this was a good opportunity for me to gain some experience in the filming and editing process and enable me to learn from and advance on my skills.

Fiming Diary - Day One

03/11/14
Woods near my house

Shots filmed:
8, 9, 13, 14

Complications:

• Although the weather was good, I did not take into consideration how muddy the tracks to the forest would be, due to the previous bad weather. This led to me and the actress having to arrive to our destination later then planned, as it took us so long to walk through the mud.
• In addition, as well due to the time of the year and the weather, the temperature on the day was very cold and I had to take into consideration that with my original costume idea of my actress just wearing a dress, it would be too cold for her and it could cause risk of her becoming ill. Therefore, on the day I adapted her costume so that she also was wearing tights and a coat. However I was still pleased with her look and it still appeared effective.

However despite these, I was still successful in film all of the shots that I had planned in my storyboard which featured in the location of the forest. I made this decision to film these shots first, as around one third of my video I planned to film in this location, therefore it was a priority for me to get these scenes filmed first.

First me and my actress drove to the woods which are near my house, which is convenient that she can drive as I was able to take my camera and the tripod that I had borrowed from college with us. Then when we got to woods, I set up the equipment and began practise test shots to make sure everything will be set up, including the right manual settings and focus.

I began explaining to my model what I aimed to film and took upon the role of director, as I even demonstrated the actions for her, to get it as close to my storyboard and how I envisioned it as possible. Then all of the shots which I filmed went mostly to plan and I was extremely happy with the result. One thing I feel would of improved my music video would of been if I could of accessed a dolly track to use on the day of filming. However, not only were there very limited tracks provided by college, but the ground of the location we were filming on were extremely bumpy, due to the roots of the tree trunks, therefore the dolly track would not have been set up effectively. However I feel that I tackled the problem well, as I held the camera steady when moving backwards and forwards.

Overall, I feel the filming day went well and I am happy with the shots that I produced.

Behind the scenes photos:

HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Before filming in these different locations, I need to be fully aware of the hazards and risks that could occur and make sure I know the action that needs to be taken in the case of one of these incidents takng place.

(Click on the image to enlarge)

TEST SHOTS

Here I am playing around with the focus on my camera to try and produce the best quality available. Also I am aiming to create some distorted effects throughout my video, and the variation in focus in this shot demonstrates what will hopefully feature throughout my piece.

PLANNING DAY ONE FILMING

This wednesday I am going to film shots 8, 13 and 14 of my music video.

I made the decision to film on this day as I researched into the weather forecast and found that wednesday was the best day weather wise, as it was dry and had sun, therefore this would allow me to film outside in the best conditions and there would be no health and safety risks, such as slipping on the wet ground.

Location -
The location will be my third location, in the woods near my house.

Time -
I have scehduled the shoot to last around two hours, so that it fits around both mine and my actress' scehduels.

People -
The only person I need with me on the day is my actress, as I do not need any help filming in the location we are. Also, my actress can drive which is very beneficial as we do not need to rely on anyone to take us to the location.

Equipment -

• Canon 550D
• Tripod
• 18-55mm lens
• Camera bag

Props -
There will be no props involved in these shots that I will film.

VIDEO TECHNIQUES AND INFLUENCES

When researching several exisiting music videos, I came across some music videos which inspired me and influcened me to incorporate elements into my own music video.

SECOND LOOK, MISE-EN-SCENE MOODBOARD

 

Compared to the actress' first look, this look is dramatically different and the contrast between the two appearances will emphasise the two different sides to the character of the music video. I would like her hair to be scraped back and out of her face in this look, as it could suhggest that she is stressed and has been scraping her hands through her hair. In addition, it appears harsh, compared to the soft angelic waves of the actress' first look. Furthermore, with the actress' hair out of her face, is draws attention to to her make-up and mascara down her face. Throughout the majority of the video, I would like the actress to have black mascara smudged down her face as this will emphasise the fact that she has been crying will create her to appear quite scary, compared to the angelic first look. Again I would like the actress to be wearing black clothing to connote her depression, but also in the extreme close-up shots of her crying I would like her to have bare shoulders, creating the image of her being stripped down and emotionally bare.

FIRST LOOK, MISE-EN-SCENE MOODBOARD

 

 

 

 

The first look that I would like my actress to have would be very similar to these images. I want her to appear very natural, therefore the sue of minmal makeup and wavy hair shoud create this impression. I intended for this look as it will later show juxtaposition with the artists's second look and will connote the two different sides to her character, which the music video is conveying. In addition, I would like her outfit to mainly consist of the colour black, as this has connotations of struggle and depression. Furthermore it suggests that she is a charater who does not want to stand out and hides her inner feelings.

CAST

Throughout the music video, there will only be one actress present the whole time, as this represents the isolation that she feels and connects to the lyrics.

My actress for my music video is Lucy Thompson, she is a singer from Howden, and is also covering the track for me, for my actual music video. The video is focused on Lucy, and her thought process and emotions will be presented through the use of cinematography and lyrics of the song. I chose to have Lucy as my actress due to her charisma and acting ability, but also because I think that she is very  interesting to look at. She is very unique in her style and looks and therefore this is perfect for the character that I want to create.

Moreover, I also made the decision to have Lucy performing the song for my video, as she has a very beautiful, soulful and powerful voice, with an amazing range capability. I found that by using her for both acting and the song would be effective, as she would be able to connect and perform to the song easier, and the conventional feature of lip-synching the words would be a perfect match.

LOCATIONS

LOCATION ONE:

I will produce a lot of my filming here as it allows me to film my actress in a range of lighting, with the use of the professional lighting equipment. Furthermore, the use of the plain white background is very useful for my music video for the close up shots of my artist crying and lip-synching. i have set up the lights and the positioning of them so they will allow me to produce footage of the best quality.

LOCATION TWO:

(cliff)
I made the decision to include this cliff top and the sea into my music video, as it is very picturesque and will again to the solidarity of mu music video. Furthermore, I knew that in this location there will probably be high winds, which will look effective when filming my actress, as her hair will blow with the wind.


LOCATION THREE:

This scenery is only ten minutes away from my house therefore it is very easy to access and is hidden deep in the woods. I find it a very peaceful and beautiful place which would appear effective to the solidarity of my music video and therefore will emphasise the artistic quality of it.

WHERE MY VIDEO WILL FEATURE

I want to be able to provide my audience with the easiest accesability as possible, therefore I carried out research into very popular social media sites that are easy to access, so that they would be familiar with the media and use it often. I knew that by using social media it will encourage my music video to be passed on and would hopefully get noticed by a mass audience, with the use of web 2.0. Below is some of the research I carried out into what the most popular social media sites are and thus I will be publishing my videos on.

In particular, Youtube will be the first place I publish my music video as it has 790 million per month unique visitors and 100 billion page views, therefore it would ensure that my video would be viewed by a mass audience. Furthemore, it is also a very easy process to upload the video and easy for audience members to view and comment on, thus hopefully the majority of my target audience would be familiar with how to use the site. In addition, there is a programme on Youtube called 'Vevo' which has the purpose of promoting artists new music videos, along with other videos of the artists. Consequently, I would sign my artist to a Vevo account, so that audience members can not only view the channels music videos, but also be able to see extra videos of the artist and conncect to her better.

Convergence takes place amongst many of these socila media sites, such as Youtube with Facebook and Twitter, therefore it is a very effective way of connecting my promotion for the video together.

These are evidently very popular socilal media sites that would appeal to an extreme mass audience, due to the media sites also being international. Therefore, by publishing my music videos via web 2.0 and social media, it is very effective as it is easy but also cheap to reach an audience of millions. With the social media sites, I would create an account on each one of the artist and publish their music videos on there, by linking them to Youtube, demonstarting convergence. As well, Instagram is a social media site which publishes short video clips and images, therefore I could promote the music video by including demo videos of the music video before it is released, so that it would preprare and make the audience aware when the official music video is published, raising awareness. Moreover, it is an effective media site to publish my anciliary texts on too.

 

 Social media will encourage people to discuss my music video and will hopefully catch the attention of other people, even fans of another music genre who would not usually watch a music video of a different genre.

 

Another media area which I will publish and display my music video will be on the popular music channel 'MTV' which is an international music channel. MTV has transformed into a huge conglomerate, transition from one channel to now eight different subsidiaries, including: MTV Hits, MTV base etc. This is effective as it then appeals to a wide range of audeinces, who are fans of different music genres. Furthermore, the target audeince of MTV is suited for teenagers and young adults which matches the same target audience that my music video is aimed at. MTV is a very succesful brand and hopefully will publish my video to a mass audience.

ANIMATIC

STORYBOARD

USE OF LIGHTING

Key scenes that I would like to feature in my music video are of the artist in a dark room, with spotlights in different positions on the screen, creating effective shadows and silhouette's of the artist's body.

I was aspired to use these scenes from one of my favourite music videos; The 1975 - Chocolate.

 

I found the use of ligthing in this music video very effective and knew that I wanted to incorporate it into my own piece. However, I was worried that I would not be able to produce similar shots to the same effect, and thus decided to carry out research of how to create the best lighting possible for my music video. The following videos have helped and taught me a lot of how to make my lighting succesful.

FILMING TUTORIALS AND HOW TO PRODUCE A SUCCESFUL MUSIC VIDEO

I decided to film my music video with my own camera which is a Canon550D DSLR, this is becuase I am more experienced with this camera compared to the video cameras provided by the college. Furthermore, I feel it will be easier for me to use my own camera as I do not need to worry about when I can rent one out from college, as they do get fully booked, this allows me to film in my own time.

Although, I have previously filmed with my camera, I wanted to gain some more experience and knowledge on the range of effects and styles I could use with my camera, so therefore carried out research in tutorials and guides.
 

Furthermore, I then wanted to carry out research into how to produce a succesful and effective music video, so that I could learn new techniques and skills, so that I could film my music video to the best of my ability. Whilst searching through the internet, I found a series of useful filming tutorials. For example, one of them was the account 'Film Riot' on Youtube. This allows amateurs in the film and photography industry to gain tips on how to create new effects and work a range of software. It has inspired me to create a variety of filming techniques that I could incorporate into my own music video.

NARRATIVE THEORY

Bordwell and Thompson (1997) -
Differentiate between the story and plot which relate to the diegetic world of the narrative that the audience are positioned to accept and that which the audience actually see.

Story = Events in the order of which it happens. Based this on the Russian film theory, Fabula.

Plot = How the story is presented. Based on the Russian film theory, Syuzhet.
(Narratives are made up of both)

Tom O'Sullivan et al (1998)
Argues all media texts tell some sort of story -

• Through careful mediation, media texts offer a way of telling stories about ourselves - not usually our own personal stories, but the use of us as a culture / set of cultures.
• Narative theory sets out to show that we experience when we 'read' a story is to understand a particular set of constructions or conventions and that it is important.

Kate Domaille (2001)
Every story ever told can be fitted into one of eight narrative types. Each of these narratives have a source, an original story upon which the others are based. These stories are as follows:

1. Archilles -
The fatal flaw that leads to the destruction of the previously or almost flawless person.
eg. Superman

2. Candide -
The indomitable hero who cannot be put down
eg. James Bond,Rocky, Indiana Jones

3. Cinderella -
Dream come true
eg Pretty Woman

4. Circe -
The chase = the innocent and the victim
eg. The Terminator

5. Faust -
Selling your soul to the devil may bring riches but eventually your soul belongs to him
eg. Bedazzled, Wall Street

6. Orpheus -
The loss of something persdonal, the gift that is taken away, the tragedy/loss etc.
eg. The Sixth Sense

7.Romeo and Juliet -
Love story
eg. Titanic

8. Tristah and Iseult -
Love triangle, man loves women but she is taken or vice versa or a third party intervines.
eg. Casablanca

Sven Carlson (1999)
Suggests that music videos fall into two categories:

1. Performance Clips
Shows vocalist in one or more settings (eg. recording studio) but can take place anywhere, this includes song/instrumental/dance performance.

Narrative clip = visual story which is easy to follow
(Pure - no lip-synching)
(Art Clip - No narrative)

2. Conceptual Clips
something else

Pam Cook (19850 - structure of classic narrative

• Linearity of casue and effect within an overall trajectory of enigma resolution.

eg. story moves forward to solve disruption = enigma

• A high degree of narrative closure
• A fictional world that contains verisimilitude, especially governed by spatial and temporal coherence

Tzvetan Todorov (1977)
1. A point of stable equilibrium (balance) where everything is satisfied, calm and normal.
2. Stability is disrupted by some kind of force = creates disequilibrium
3. Recognition that a disruption has taken place
4. Restoration of a new state of equilibrium. Change the state of the narrative or characters so a re-equilibrium is created, so it is not the same.

Barthes (1997)
Narrative works with five different codes and enigma codes to keep up setting problems / puzzles for the audience.

His action code (a look, significant word, movement) based on our cultural and stereotypical understanding of actions to advancing the narrative.

Tilley (1991)
Used the buckling of a gun belt in the Western Genre as a meaning of signifying the preffered reading of a imminent shoot out.

AUDIENCE THEORY

Blumer and Katz - Uses and Gratifications Theory

How audiences choose to consume the media.

• Audeinces watch sad films to connect with emotions etc.
• Audeinces watch comedies to have a laugh.

Passive Audience = Take in what they watch eg. The News
Active Audience = Gives the audience choice of what they want to watch.

If mass audience dont consume certain media then it is not produced.

The 'Uses and Gratifications' model represented a change in thinking, as researchers begin to describe the effects of the media from the point of view of audiences.

The model looks at the motives of the people who use the media, asking why we watch the tv programmes that we do, why we bother to read newspapers, why we find oursleves so compelled to keep up to date with our favourite soap operas, or consume films.

The theory makes the audience active as they choose what they want to consume, they are not forced into consumption. For example, you are in control, the media just creates the product.

Argues the audience needs to have social and psychological needs which generate certain expectations.

The audience use the media not vice versa.

The model is broken down into four different needs:
1. Surveillance -

• Based around the idea that people feel better having the feeling that they know what is going on in the world around them. (We watch the news as we feel it is a reliable source)
• All about awareness - we use mass media to be more aware of the world, gratifying a desire for knowledge.

2. Personal Identity -

• Explains how being a subject of the media allwos us to confirm the identity of ourselves within society.
• Media can form personal identitites which can be seen in music videos/ films. Popstars can become role models, but leads to outcry when one does something wron.
• Music videos/songs allow us to connect with such idnetities and help us fit into society.

3. Personal Relationships -
- Within the media

• We can form a relationship with the media and also use the media to form a relationship with others
• People use tv as a form of companionship which creates an intimate experience

- Using the media within relationships

• Having a favourite tv programme in common can often be the start of a conversation
• Some famillies use sitting around watching tv as a stimulus for conversation, talking to each other about the programmes or related anecdotes.

4. Diversion -

• Describes whats commonly termed as escapism - watching the tv so we can forget abotu our own lives.
• We watch music videos to take our mind off our everyday lives, we want to distract our self from the problems we are experiencing.

Stuart Hall - Reception Theory
States the media texts are encoded by producer meaning that whoever produces the text fills the product with values and messages.
Texts then decoded by media.

Producer encodes the meaning/message and the audience become:

• Dominant/Prefferd
• Negotiated
• Oppositional

Dominant -
View media texts the way the producer intended and there agree with it.

Negotiated -
Compromise between dominant and oppositional, they see it from the producers point of view, but also theyre own.

Oppositional -
Rejects the preffered reading and creates their own reading of the text.

How may an audience have a dominant understanding of your product?

• Clear messages
• Audience is the same age so they can relate
• From the same culture
• They can undersyand/relate to the narrative

Representation Theory

Laura Mulvey (1975) - Male Gaze Theory

Depicts how women are portrayed as sexual objects to please men and how they are viewed in the media.

- She states that women are there to be seen and that the use of cinematography portrays them as sexual objects through shot types and movements. In film, women are seen as objects, rather than possessors, which is displayed by the control of the camera.

Her focus is on:

• How men look at women
• How women look at themselves
• How women look at other women

The 'Male Gaze' focuses on:

• Emphasising curves of the female body
• Referring to women as objects rather than people
• The display of women is how men think they should be perceived
• Female viewers view the content through the eyes of a man
• Women are sexualised

The Male Gaze Theory describes how the audience or viewers is put into perspective of a hetrosexual male.

However, some women may disagree and feel icberated.

Examples of music videos which display her theoery:
1. Calvin Harris - Blame

• Women wearing limited amount of clothing
• Appear sexual - underwear
• The male is dominant, sat up singing, whilst the women are his accesories
• The silhouette of female body emphasised by lighting and cinematography

2. Lilly Wood - Prayer in C

• Slow motion, close-up of her bum
• The men are surrounded by women
• Girls kissing each other - appeals to men
• Non stereotypical 'butch' lesbian - what men prefer
• Use of cinematography exhaggerates female body

3. Sam Smith - I'm not the only one

• Woman is inferior to woman
• She is his puppet
• Camera movement down her body

4. Taylor Swift - Shake it off

• Medium shots on female
• Women's costume very limited

5. Iggy Azalea - Black Widow

• Tight clothing - accentuates woman's body
• Men staring at her body
• Camera zooms on sexual parts of body

As all of these music videos do conform to Laura Mulvey's theory, this proves that her
theory is correct majority of the time.


Richard Dyer - Star Theory

To be a star you need certain ideology to meet everyone's expectations.

The idea that icons and celebrities are constructed by institutions for financial reasons and are built to target a specific audience or gorup of people.

Dyer's theory can be broken down into three sections:

• Audience and Institutions
• Constructions
• Hegemony (cultural beliefs)

1. Audience and Institutions -
Stars are made to make money for that purpose alone. The audience consume what they think is the ideal (or made to believe ideal). The institution then modifies the artists image around the target audience.

2. Constructions -
The star is built for an audience and not an actual person, so they can identify with them. They also need to be individual from everyone else so that they can stand out.

3. Hegemony -
We relate to the star because they have a feature that we admire or share with them. This develops from admiration to idolisation. Some people replicate the star, but this can be negative as sometimes they can be bad role models as the pressure of the media its toll on them.

The media constructs who we are.

Tessa Perkins - Sterotypes

Sterotype = Prejudged view of a gorup of people/person, an assumption is made in association with the ideology of the group.

Stereotypes stem from the media, people base all their assumptions on the media as they shape our minds.

Sterotyping contains a number of assumptions that can be challenged.
Perkins identifies five assumptions:
1. Not always negative
2. Not always about minority groups or less powerful groups eg. 'upper class twits'
3. They can be held about one's own group
4. They are not always rigid or unchanging
5. They are not always false

They are about people who we have no/little contact with. This proves that they are not always true.

• They can lead to negative behaviour
• Without stereotypes we would not know our place in society or where we fit in.

Applying Narraive Theory

Beyonce - If I were a Boy
 

In the first 40 seconds of the video, Beyoncé is seen getting ready for work. Her boyfriend has laid out breakfast for her, but she dismisses him by just taking a bite of toast, throwing it back on the table and leaving, making her appear dominant, yet unfair to him. Beyoncé is then seen carrying out the role of a police officer, a stereotypically male-dominated occupation, where she flirts with her colleague. However, whilst her boyfriend is carrying out the stereotypical female based occupation of office work he is approached by a female who tries to flirt with him, yet he pays no attention to her but instead, looks online for some jewellery to give to his girlfriend. This idea explores an uneven balance between the commitments of both partners, a concern that's relatively male based. He then tries to call her and she doesn't pick up her phone which is contrasted heavily when Beyoncé receives the pair of earrings from her boyfriend and acts elated. The earrings are then a focal point in the shot when she is dancing with her colleague who produces a sense of irony as she is clearly ungrateful and unappreciative of her boyfriend’s efforts. This emasculates him and makes her appear unfaithful. When the transition in narrative occurs the audience feel sympathetic for Beyoncé, specifically when we see her cry, and subsequently identify with her representation of how men treat females. The narrative then reverts back to the beginning and her boyfriend is seen walking out of the shot, whilst she has prepared breakfast for him. He then gets into the car, exactly how Beyoncé does at the beginning of the video, and is seen flirting with his colleague. It is evident that she has been imagining if she 'were a boy' in order to try to understand why her boyfriend has been unfaithful. Throughout the video, the editing is arguably unobtrusive, which therefore creates a strong focus on the narrative of the music video for the audience, as opposed to drawing attention to overly distracting cutting. This allows the audience to emotionally connect with the music video. Similarly, the film stock is in black and white throughout the whole video which also draws more attention to the narrative structure of the video, as opposed to the audience being distracted by any colourful codes and conventions of the video. In addition, the black and white film stock creates a more exposed and stripped-back presentation of the narrative, consequently creating an emotional connection between Beyoncé and the target audience.

Tim O’Sullivan argues that all media texts tell us some kind of story. He suggests that, narratives have a common structure, starting with the establishment of plot or theme. Through careful mediation, media texts offer a way of telling stories about ourselves – not usually our own personal stories, but the story of us as a culture or set of cultures. Narrative theory sets out to show that what we experience when we ‘read’ a story is to understand a particular set of constructions, or conventions, and that it is important to be aware of how these constructions are put together.Thus, Beyoncé’s music video is a perfect example of Tom O'Sullivan's narrative theory. As the music video explores the way males stereotypically treat females in a relationship. The audience see's this through the use of a role reversal narrative in which Beyoncé is initially seen acting as the male typically would, which later switches at the end of the music video to expose the fact that she is the one being hurt and mistreated.

Tzven Todorov states that there are five stages to the narrative of music videos. At the the first stage, there is a point of equilibrium, where everything is satisfied, calm and normal. Then, at stage two the stability is disrupted by some kind of force, which creates a state of disequilibrium. At the next stage, there is recognition that the disruption has taken place; which is followed by the only possibility to recreate the equilibrium through action directed against the disruption, in stage four. Finally, at stage five, there is restoration of a new state of equilibrium. The consequences of the reaction are to change the world of the narrative and/or the characters so that the final state of equilibrium is not the same as the initial state.

'If I were a Boy' does not conform to this typical narrative structure as, from the very beginning the video is in a state of disequilibrium, due to the portrayal of how men stereotypically disrespect women, through the convention of role reversal. Furthermore, it also does not follow some further theories, such as the theory of O'Sullivan et al. He suggests that narratives have a common structure, starting with the establishment of plot or theme. However, this music video follows a structure which is unique compared to other music videos, as the first half of the music video focuses on a negative domestic relationship, and then in the middle of the video, the roles reverse and then the video goes back to a more accurate domestic relationship, yet there is no equilibrium reached.

Kate Domaille says that every story ever told can be fitted into one of eight narrative types. These stories include: Archilles, Candide, Cinderella, Circe, Faust, Orpehus, Romeo and Juliet and Tristan and Iseult. I believe that this theory is true, as the music video 'If I were a Boy' follows the 'circe' storyline, where the female is portrayed as the victim to the male's dominance.

Furthermore, the theorist Vladimir Propp concluded that all the characters could be resolved into only seven broad character types, in the hundred tales he analysed. These include: The villain, the donor, the (magical) helper, the princess and her father, the dispatcher, the hero or victim/seeker hero and the false hero. However, I disagree with this theory that there are only seven broad character types, as both the characters in this music video do not fit into any of these character types.

Sven Carlson suggests that music videos fall into two categories: Performance clips and Conceptual clips. Performance clips contains mostly filmed performance and shows the artist in one or more settings. Also the performance can be of three types, including song performance, instrumental performance or a mixture of the two. However, although the clip is not a performance clip, it does feature a performance element, in one of the closing shots, the artist is shown lip-synching a line to the song. Therefore, the music video is actually a conceptual shot, as it is mainly a narrative clip, as it takes the form of a silent movie to the asynchronous sound of the backing music and it contains a story that is easy to follow. However, it is not a pure narrative clip as it does feature the one shot of the artist lip-synching.

Audience Research Survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GLQLF6B

In order to decipher the range of demographics in regards to music videos. I feel that once I have carried out primary research and researching demographics, I have gained knowledge and understanding of the diverse range of music videos in the music industry and their demographics. In particular I wanted to carry out research into who my target audience would be, therefore I decided to create a survey on the website surveymonkey.com and then was able to post this across social media, in attempt to reach a mass audience to collect reliable results. By using a range of mediums, I was able to gather a large sum of results and I have posted the results that I collected below.

 

 

I began my survey with the simple questions on gender and age, as I feel this allowed me to get to know my target audience, as surveymoneky.com does not display identification. My results from the gender question shows that more than half of the audience were female, this shows that they are more attatched to the content published on social media as a form of advertising. However, this is useful as a feel that females are more appropriate for learning the demogrpahics of my music video.
 I find posting the questions to an online survey is effective, as it allows me to then post and share my survey to social network sites, which enables me to collect a range of responses from people of a range of age groups.


I made the decision to place my age groups in categories of around nine years on avaerage, apart from the two younger catehories, as I believe that my target audience would be based on a more younger audience for my music video, and I wanted to analyse my reults for both under and ober the age of 13 to decipher the maturity levels of the audience. As my results have shown, that the mass amount of people that took my survey were between the age range of 13 to 18, which is the typical stereotype for adoolescent people. I feel that this specific audience group would best suit my music video and be most appropriate for it, and it was this age category that I was most particularly interested in.

I am going to use this infromation that I have collected to deteremine who my target audience will be, for my final music video production. Also I will plan the production of my video around this target audience, so that it will be appropriate for them and be appealing to them. Thus, it is clear that I must make my final video to appeal to mainly teenage females, however I cannot forget that some members of the audience will be male, so I also need to keep them in mind.

 

The results that I collected from this question shows that the highest percentage of people watch music videos often. This implies that music videos do take a big part in peoples lives, and that people are consumed in them regularly. I can infer from this that I need to make sure that I produce my video to a high standard, so that it will appeal to my target audience, as this information suggests that they have watched a wide variety of other videos to compate it too. However, the second highest percantage of 25% was the answer' sometime', this reinforces the fact that I need to make both the song and the video individual, to attract a range of audiences than the one genre I am targeting my audience at. Yet on the other hand, chart and pop artists are capable of bringing in millions of views to a mass audience when published on social networking sites. Therefore, I believe that I would still be able to achieve my goal of attracting a range of music genre's audience.

When I asked this question, eighteen out of the twenty audience members stated that they do enjoy watching music videos. This shows that music videos do take a big part in people's lives as they consume a lot of them, thus this has shown me that it is even more important to cater my music video for my specific target audience. Furthermore, various answers included that they enjoyed watching them, becasue of the way the artists portray their music visually. I found this very interesting, as I am keen to create my music video with many abstract elements, and I have also analysed my lyrics and intend to create the meaning behind my video, different from the original music video. Therefore, hopefully by making the music video different from the ideology the audeince would assume by the lyrics, this will make it very fascinating and interesting to them. Furthermore, although some people have commented saying that they like to watch the artist's perform; other people have stated that they find some music videos artistic, and I would like to convey this style to appeal to audiences in my video. Therefore, this is persuading me to make an abstract music video.

I found the responses to this question useful. Even though only two people out of the twenty stated that they do not enjoy watching music videos there answers are still important. For example, one response was that they do not understand the relation between the video and song. This contrasts with the view from other people that they like to see how the artist's portray their music visually, and this is useful for me by showing that even if I do decide to make my video abstract and convey a message behind the video you would not expect, some people will feel confused by the video. So consequently, I would have to make sure that the visuals to the video do slightly relate to the lyrics, to accomodate the minor members of the audience.

I made the decision to explore the genre of music that people most prefer, due to the fact that I want my video to be appealing to a range of demographics. My intention from this question was to be able to look at the results, and then incorporate them into my music video, so that my music video will not just appeal to fans of the indie/indie rock genre, but to a mass audience of a variety of different genres, so that my video can reach wide recognition. My results show that Indie/Indie Rock and Pop were the two most preferred music genres. I did expect this result, due to the knowledge I have of people similar age to me, varying from around 16-20, who have a keen interest in them two genres. I feel that the other genre's of music, maybe were more popular in other decades and would therefore reach a target audience of a different age group. Where as people who were brought up in the 1990s-2010s have experience a range of pop and alternative music, especially more so now that niche markets have become more popular. This also demonstrates that my target audience definitely is for teenagers, as they are surrounded by that genre of music.

At this point in planning, I am still unsure of what elements I mainly want my music video to feature. Therefore, I felt by asking this question, it would help me with my decision. The results that I collected show that the majority of audiences prefer to see a variety of all three elements. Furthermore, this is backed up by each element roughly having the same percentage of people preferring that individual element. This hsa influence me to incorporate at least more than one element into my video, so that it is entertaining for all audeince members.

I found this question useful, because it helps me understand and get to know my audience better. The results show me that the majority of the audience members are in full time education, which also links with the agr group of the majority of audience members being under 18 and under.

3rd Textual Analysis

Demi Lavato - Skyscraper



The music video begins with a ten second long establishing shot, of what appears to be a dessert and show track marks, setting up the scene. However this is not what the audience would expect initially from the music video, as the audience would expect the ideology to be in a city or built up area, due to the title 'skyscraper'.

After this shot, a cross cut then shows an extreme close up of the artist's face which is effective as through the mise-en-scene, it shows the artist with tears in her eyes and enables the audience to see her emotion. This allows the audience to understand that the mood of the music video is emotional and sad, which matches the sad lyrics. The use of this helps establish the music genre being a soul and pop ballad. Then, the diegetic music begins to play and the common convention of lip-synching from the artist begins, immediately showing that the video has a performance element too it.

A cross cut then takes place to a medium close up of the artist, who is situated in the foreground of the shot, taking up one third of the screen. The shot shows the artist holding her arm across her stomach, this could suggest that the artist is feeling insecure or possibly a gut-wrenching pain that she feels, which could be linked to the pain of the mental abuse in the relationship, which are mentioned in the lyrics. In the background of the shot, you can identify that the artist is by herself, in the middle of the desert. I can infer from this the solitude that the artist feels, as she is by herself in the video, adds to the sad emotion the music video invokes.

In the next several shots that take place in between jump cuts, a range of cinematography including long shots and low angles, show the sun in various of the shots above the artist. This could connote that although the artist in the video feels despondent, the iconography of the sun could be a symbol for providing hope. Particularly in one shot, a low angle first shows the artist blocking the light of the sun; inferring that she believes she has no hope; however a pan across the screen then enables the sun to fill up a third of the screen and brighten up the lighting of the shot, this can connote that although she feels she has no hope, it will eventually come.

The mise-en-scene is very effective in the video, as the man colour throughout the video is white, including the setting and the characters costume, of a white floaty dress. The costume and colour of white symbolises innocence and pure feelings. It is also a protagonist colour and could link to the lyrics, that they are about an antagonistic character and therefore exaggerates the narrative. However, further on into the video, the artist is shown with a black cloth draped around her. This contrasts against the white mise-en-scene of the artists costume earlier on and suggests that although the artist is still a protagonistic character as she is still wearing the white floaty dress, the black cloth symbolises the antagonistic character she is singing about in the lyrics, and connotes that this character is trying to engulf itself around the artist. Yet when a slow edit and pan across the material blow away, this could suggest that the antagonistic character is no longer associated with the artist, or that she has become stronger.  

The video is also effective for linking the four conventions of music videos together. For example, with the use of diegetic sound, it shows the artist lip-synching the lyrics "Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground, like a Skyscraper", these lyrics with the use of cinematography, by using a low angle shot on the artist, which makes her appear very dominant and powerful, like a skyscraper, which again exaggerates the lyrics. Furthermore, this is continued throughout the video at various times, when the artist lipsynchs to the lyric "Skyscraper". At this point a long show establishes the artist raising her arms in the air, the shape of the artists body again demonstrates the structure of a skyscraper and connotes that she is also powerful.

The use of editing throughout the video is very effective, with the beginning part of the video containing slow edits which match the pace of the song and thus create the video to appear professional; but also the use of sow edits matches the genre of the song and adds to the emotional narrative. However, as the music video develops, the pace of the editing begins to quicken to the faster pace of the song, this exaggerates that the artist is becoming stronger and more powerful. 

2nd Textual Analysis

Lana del rey textual analysis from rubymoorex

1st Textual Analysis

Ella Hederson - Ghost

• This song was written by Ella Henderson, Kenan Williams, Ryan Tedder, Noel Zancanella and Michael Daley. It was prduuced by Ryan Tedder and Zancanella.
• The genre of the song is Teen Pop.

The song was released in 2014 when it was ade avaliable to download and reached number one on the UK's Singles chart in June 2014. Ella first became known for competing on the ninth series of the X Factor, but finished in sixth place, depsite being the favourite to win. Ghost is Henderson's first single to have been released from her first album, which was produced though the subsidary label SyCo to the conglomerate of Sony Music Entertianment.

The video immediatley starts with the asnchronous music of the song and are immedialtey introduced to a medium close up of a male character with the shallow depth of field establishing the setting of him being in the woods. A series of montage editing takes place with four different shots with different camera angles, showing the male characters panicked emotion and enticing the audience to wonder why he in this setting and what has happened, persuading them to continue watching the video. Then a cross cut takes place to a close up shot of the artist - Ella Henderson - lip-synching, showing a full connection to the narrative of the lyrics as it provides synchronous sound.During this a jump cut changes to a medium shot of the artist, showing Ella as an attractive, well dressed girl stood at a fair ground, which is a prime example of Richard Dyer's star theory; as she has a certain ideology to meet the audience's needs and expectatios of a female pop arist. This is a steroypical way to solutionise a problem in the female gender.

We then see a change of setting again as a cross cut connected with an action, then navigates back to the male character in the woods. The use of editing is very conventional as it matches the pace of the song, which creates the video to appear organised and well structured. The shot only lasts for 2 seconds and features a pan across, allowing to show the character walking forward mysteriously, developing the narrative, as well as showing in the background the bright blue light, contrasting with the dark mise-en-scene and setting, inferring it has connotations of police or someone looking for the character, developing the narrative. 

A jump cut then takes us back to Ella Henderson in a variety of different shots, showing the use of different locations featuring in a shot reverse shot of the different locations, including the fairground and a bedroom in a motel which you can infer from the iconography in the room. The locations where Ella is situated juxtaposes with the dark, eerie setting where the male character is. For example, with the use of depth of field showing the bright lights in the background, compared to the dark scenery of the woods. This also connotes that there is a juxtaposition between the characters, as Ella is portrayed as a protagonist, compared to the antagonistic character of the male. Furthermore, these shots establish Ella's protagonistic character through the use of costume. Such as when she is in a medium shot, she takes up one third of the screen and you almost the whole of her body is visible, showing that she is wearing a long black dress which has connotations of her having a bad side, but also with the white shirt over the top, connotes that she is attempting to hide this side to her, as white has connotations of pure and innocent. However as the majority of her outfit is black, this could suggest that she maybe has something to do with the male character and is developing the narrative. The use of the medium shot also establishes the iconography featured throughout shot, showing that she is in a motel and could also suggest that perhaps she is on the run. 

Then a series of shot reverse shots takes place contrasting the shots with Ela henderson which mainly consist of close-ups and medium close-ups of the artist, showing the artist lip-synching which is a stereotypical convention of music videos. This compares to the establishing and long shots that take place in the shots with the male character; which contain a variety of camera pans and zooms, as it features several jump cuts to the male character and the police that are now apparently chasing him. This creates the music video to be entertaining for the audience as it appears very action packed as it comes across chaotic. 

Treatment

A psychological portrayel of someone having a breakdown, with performance (instrumental and lip-synching) and narrative which shows the internal struggle the protagonist is undergoing. This will be shown through special effects and editing.

About Coldplay

About Coldplay by rubymoore08x on GoAnimate

YouTube Tutorials

I found these YouTube video tutorials very helpful and inspirational, in capturing a high quality and effective music video. By focusing my research down to the camera and equipment which I will be using, this allow me to fully understand and achieve maximum effects.

What Camera I Will Use

I carried out research into what camera I should use to film my music video with.
I had the option to choose from the video camera's provided by college or to use my own Camera - the Canon dslr 550D, which has the video option available.

I weighed up the pros and cons of each camera, to see which would give me the highest quality for my msuic video, and which would be most effective to film with.

In the end, I decided to use my own camera, and below are some of the reasons which influenced my decision:

• It is avaiable for me whenever I need, as the video camera's provided by college are limited and therefore I would struggle to gain access to camera all of the time.
• It has a higher resolution and produced better quality pixels.
• The zoom available is more diverse and therefore I could produce a wider range of cinematography .
• With my own SD card, the memory is alot bigger and therefore I can film alot more on my camera than I could on the video camera's.
• There are many tutorials on YouTube, demonstating how I could use my camera to the best ability.
• I have the option of filming in manuel mode, so that I can manipulate my video to excatly how I envision it.

Genre Conventions

I created a GoAnimate on the music genre Alternative Rock as my chosen song; 'Fix You' is of the sub-genre Britpop.

Alternative Rock genre conventions by rubymoore08x on GoAnimate


Alternative Rock:

• Originates from Rock genre and emerged around the 1970/80s
• Developed a number of sub-genres including Britpop, Indie Rock, Grunge, Colllege Rock, Paisley underground and others.
• It has gathered a lot of history due to its rejection of teh Commercialisation of Mianstream Cultures, depsite the fact that more recently, a lot of Alternative Rock artists have achieved mass mainstream success, such as Coldplay.

History of Medium



Over time it is evident how music videos have progressed and how different they used to be, compared to how advanced they are in more recent years. Time and technology has played a very important role in the progression of music videos, allowing them to continually improve.

Originally before music videos were created, artists could only promote themselves and their music through songs via radio. However, it was not until portable radios were invented and became affordable that music became very popular, as it allowed a lot of people to gain access to listen to music that they had never heard before.

The earliest music videos and promos were produced in the mid 1950's, mainly by The Warner Brothers. They were conventionally what they are today. Such as, they were and are today, a conglomerate encouraging the target audience through a range of different mediums to purchase their material.

Lyric Moodboard

Here I have created a moodboard of how I visually imagine the lyrics. The images convey the mood of the lyrics and give an insight into how I interpret the song. 

Lyric Analysis

Originally, the lyrics of the song were wrote by Chris Martin to his wife Gwyneth Paltrow who had recently lose her dad. It is about him trying to be there for his wife not matter what and wanting to comfort and protect her.

Therefore, many people relate to the lyrics as them wanting to be there for someone else, in particular aloved one. Therefore their interpretations of the lyrics are about the persona wanting to be there for someone and help them.

However, I wanted to present the lyrics in a different way, by focusing more on the individual and more psychological pain rather than pain of missing someone else.Therefore, my own lyric analysis consists of someone who is suffering interanlly with themselves and about them wanting to help fix themselves, to be happy again. Also with the lyrics and the chorus repeating, this demonstrates the continuous cycle of neverending pain that she feels.