Evaluation

In many respects our music video sticks to many of the conventions developed in the media form. We chose to use a style as we thought that it would fit the music that we had chosen and it was one of our first ideas and we thought it was perfect for the song. This choice does slightly challenge conventions as usually it would have been with a part performance to show the band playing the song. We chose not to do this because we thought the story we chose would have a lot more emotion if it didn't have the performance element of it and we think that the video is at an advantage because of our choice. The song doesn't start with the video at the beginning it waits until the camera is in the car, this challenges the convention that the song starts with the video. This gives an extra effect to the video that adds to it. The CD covers fit all of the conventions of digipak, has the name of the band and the track and it has a picture of the band or characters from the music video. The poster fits most of the conventions of band posters, it has an image to show the emotion of the piece and it shows the name of the song and the band name at the top in big lettering.

I have made sure that the digipak design and poster design complemented the video, to try and do this i used screen shots from the video to use in the designs for my poster and cd cover. This makes sure that there is a relationship between all of the products i have designed. You would recognise that these products are connected. When i was making the designs for the posters and digipaks i was all the time thinking about the video and how i could link it back to video so they are designed as a set.


The audience feedback we have learned that we have done many things well but there are still points that we could have changed to make our video better. One of the major bits of criticism we received and would have liked to have changed would have been the shots of Natalie inside. They where thought to have been too dark and didn't get across the feeling we wanted it too. We would have liked to filmed it again but we couldn't because of time restraints. Another bit of negative feedback we got back was about the last shot at the end of the film when it goes to the scene across the lake. We liked that last shot because we thinks it sets the scene at the end and puts the air of doubt about the end rather that ending on the shot of the ripples on the lake. The last piece of criticism was about the very beginning because of the close up of the name Nero way that could seem to be important to the story where as it is just the name of the road. The rest of the feedback was very positive. People seemed to like the idea behind the story i think it is because most people could relate to it, being the emotion and the passion. They also like the way that we carried out the ideas that we had. Audience liked the effects we had used to show more of the tension that was being built up in the song and the video.


I used different forms of technology throughout my project, I think it started with the use of youtube to look at other music videos, YouTube makes it very simple to see a lot of music videos without charge and quickly. The main piece of technology used was used to edit our video. For this we used Final Cut Pro, The editing software from apple. During my AS course I made a video for my website and i used windows movie maker, Final cut pro is a more professional software and meant we could complete our video to a high standard. We found it hard to use at the beginning of the editing process but it got easier the more we used it. James was at the controls throughout editing but we where all there to make the decisions and all learned how to use the equipment. The hardest points to do with the editing was the time it to complete to the standard we expected of ourselves. There where many points where we new what we wanted to do but we didn't have the knowledge to do it. In these cases we used an Internet guide to see firstly if it was possible and secondly how it was to be done. There are many effects on Final Cut Pro, we played around with them but there weren't many of them that we used because we didn't like the effect they gave. We used live type to get the writing at the beginning and the end of the video on there. Using a different programme meant there where many choices of typing that we could have gone with but we went with the very simple white text. When we had finished our video we put it onto Facebook and youtube so we could get some more audience feedback from those sources. I used photoshop to make the computer designs for my digipak and poster. I had used this programme last year so i had in idea of how it worked so it made it easier to get the effects that i was looking for. The resulting effects of that is that they where relativity quick to make and to a good standard product. Because of the lack of footage I found it hard to evaluate what we had done to the storyboard because there where shots we had planned to go on for longer that we couldn't stretch to do. This means that the video appears very different to the storyboard but we did have allot of the same shots that we had planned.


I have very much enjoyed the proses of planning and making our music video, I have learned mostly about the importance of planning. This doesn't mean we got it all right as we didn't plan exactly how much footage we would need. At points we where struggling for footage and had to use the footage we had creatively to get enough to fill the length of our long song. We also had to add extra shots from our story line as that didn't give us enough time. We should have also tried to get our video completed sooner so we could have had more time to make changed e.g. film different shots. We did start early with our filming to try and have it completed well before the deadline but because of the trouble we had with editing to start with we where quite close to the deadline. The genre of the song effected the story that we ended up shooting, the love theme is much more apt to the indie style rather than say Rap that would have a very different story for the video. By having James in our group this also helped us understand the genre more and how the video shpuld look.

Production diary

All the shots for our video where going to be on Wednesdays at 11:30 as that is when we were all free. On the first day we we shot the scenes of the female character getting out the car and the car pulling of and arriving. We shot the car in many slightly different angles so we would get the perfect shot. We then shot the getting out of the car in different shots and we used all of the different angles in the edit. The last part we filmed on day one was the indoor shots with Natalie. The biggest trouble we had in this part of filming was panning. We know that we wanted this effect but we didn't have the correct equipment so we had to improvise around this problem. We did all the filming with Natalie completed in the one day.

The second day of filming started by filming the male character getting out of the car with the arrival of the car at that location. We also did the filming of the dials in the car and the throttle pedal while in that location that we got permission on the day to film. After completing the filming there and stopping for lunch we headed to the location for the filming at the lake. The filming was partly successful at the lake as we did have some problems. We tried to get the effect of the bubbles. This didn't work out so we filmed the ripples of the water which we thought we could use later and we also filmed the main character as seen at the end of our video.

On the third shoot we decided to go back to the lake and try and make the bubbles in the lake, I had tried to use a hose pipe and stones but that didn't work and that is when the end changed a little bit. After we did all the shooting on the A47, we started by filming the parts on the roundabout. then all of the filming from the bridge down on the duel carriageway. We filmed in the car all the shots of me driving, the last part of filming on the road was from the other car. The last part of the filming we did was the very start of the video, the establishing shot of Nero way where the young couple have there newly built house.

The Editing started the Friday after the Wednesday shoot and we started by cutting up the shots into the parts we could use. The first part the we started to put into the video was the entrance of the car and the exit from the car and Natalie. The first few hours of filming where spent mostly leaning how to use the equipment as the progress was slow. But after two or three lessons of editing we had learned a lot of how to edit and progress got quicker. James Cottam, a member of our group, was at the controls but all of us where putting across our ideas for the video and because of that we got the best of all ideas to make the best video we could. We made sure that every one had there opinion heard when we where making the big decisions so no one person had a bigger say of what happened.

Audience feedback

We watched our video as a media group and then handed out the questionnaire and retrieved the feedback. Most of the feedback was very possessive with people appreciating the emotion and the story line. The thing that came from the questionnaires was the shots of Natalie inside as they where thought to be too dark. We would have liked to have changed it but there wasn't enough time at this point to film it again.

Planning

We knew that planning our video was essential as we had a deadline to stick to so we had to film the right materials in the time that we had put aside. I learned from the AS course that planning was very important to make sure that deadlines could be met. We made sure that we were one of the first groups to start the filming prosses because we had planned in the editing time and we new that it would take a long time.


Firstly we chose the song that we would make the video too and get the permission. We chose to use a song from one of the members of our group who is also in a band. The genre is indie and this will effect the style of the video and how it will look in the end. James Cottam is a member of Delayed Finality and we are using there song Thanks For Nothing, because of using a song of James's this would give us a greater understanding of the song. It would also give us access to the band and a fresh recording of the song.

Initial Ideas

Idea 1

A full performance video of the band shot in one location. Lots of shots taken from various angles and long slow cuts are used to match the pace of the song. The camera gives slightly more focus to the lead singer due to his importance in the song. This video will be similar in style to the music video for “Great Expectations” by the Gas Light anthem in that it is focused entirely on the band.

Idea 2

A combination of a narrative and performance video. The narrative would show two teenagers who have an argument, one walks out leaving the other one to try and cheer himself up in his house, after a while the boy leaves on a motorbike. Throughout the narrative shots would switch to the band performing on a lit stage. The boy will then arrive outside a building on his bike before going in to a theatre and watching the band, he quietly takes his seat, as the band finish the camera reveals him as the only member of the audience.

Idea 3

A Full narrative video, taking ideas for the narrative from idea, but expands on the narrative and cuts the performance elements out. Two characters have an argument as before, but this is extended and shows the argument from more angles. The character searching for something enjoyable to do is shown but the character is made out to be more desperate. Near the end he rides his motorbike to a theatre, which has a poster outside saying “Crayola” live. The narrative then ends.

We started the planning for our music video with some initial ideas and from then have the final idea for the video. One idea was to hold a race with the love interest against her partner racing. This fitting to the song title "Thanks for nothing" as he has one the race but no thanks to his partner. This was going to be our final idea but there where a few issues so we couldn't go through with it. One of the members of our group didn't have access to his car and another member of our group left school so this left us unable to carry out this idea. This is directly where the idea or our video was born as it is very similar. Once we had the idea we made a story board to show all the shots and this we used later during the shoots to make sure we had all the shots we needed. We also thought that this idea would appeal to the target audience as we are targeting 15-26 males and we think the driving and the passion would appeal to them.

Camera Shots

This is an extreme close up and it is used to show facial expresions.

This is a establishing shot and it is used to set a location for the action

This is a long shot that can show a lot of different action in the one shot

This is a close up with the right amount of head room to make it balanced

This image has too much head room and so it is not a balanced shot

This is a mid shot and it shows the top part of someone's body.

Music video

Firstly I analysed three existing music videos to get an idea of the conventions and the techniques used to create a music video and then looked at all the shots used at what occasion they are used. I did a presentation to the rest of the group about the music video to Bon Jovi's It's my life and this gave me a greater understanding of for camera shots are used in music videos. This gave me a basic knowledge and a good start to start ideas for our music video.

La Roux-Bulletproof

The Lyrick is on the theme that the bullets represent what men give her after a relationship as there are lyricks like "Next time baby i'll be bulletproof"

There are quick cuts between the shots that gives the video a good pace and keeps it moving throughout. The genre of the video is a non sense video as the lyrics don't relate to the images and heavily computerised backdrop.

The camera shots are of la Roux walking through the computer animated space, there are mainly close up shots of her, with only a few long shots showing the her walking. During the video there is a section that looks like the abstract painting of stairs going all over the place.

Muse-Felling Good

The Lyrics are very explanatory as they are about 'Feeling good' the colours of the video are very dark being reds and blacks. The other charecters are not shown to be enjoying themselved until 2:41 where there is a forsed smile.

This is a performance video and most of the shots are involved mid shots to close ups of the band members playing there video. There are some long shots of the band and that is when there is some activity behind them. There are slow sweeping shots to go with the slower tempo of music. And the video is shacking with the strong beat in the music.

S club 7-Reach

The lyrics are very upbeat ones as the song was written for children and . The camera shots used are close ups and mid shots and long shots. The idea is that they are dancing/ performing in the streets bringing joy to the children that are watching on.They are dancing how the kids dance with lots of dance moves that children would do. There are not in the united kingdom as the brightness gives them a good image as they are wearing bright colourful clothing. There is a flash of a camera to show that they are performing on the street.

I also looked into the history of the music video.

The history of the modern style music video begins with Bohemian Rhapsody, the British rock classic of 5 minutes and 55 seconds, released in the autumn of 1975. The video that was produced would rock the boat of modern music and change the music industry substantially. Although there where videos before this video, Bohemian Rhapsody started the trend for a video being a major part of the single of an album release to be a top selling marketing tool. This being essential for the modern age of music channels such as MTV and programmes such as top of the pops. \the video for Bohemian Rhapsody its self was filmed extremely quickly in 4 hours and edited in 5 hours as it had to be broadcast the same week as being made. It was to be broadcast on Top Of the Pops a music show on the BBC that showcased the artistes in the charts at that moment in time. The cost of there video was between £400,00 and £45,000 which today is about £185,000. The average cost of a music video today is around $7,000,000 which is roughly £4,200,000 this is a vast growth and it shows the importance of the modern music video. Nowadays the video is as important as the music itself and is taken as seriously. It can often tell the success of the song or the artist and some people watch the video without the sound to asses the video as they believe the quality video should be reviewed without the song. Managers have realized also that videos and songs sell because of the video artist as a sex symbol so there are more woman in the music industry.

Top of the pops was a music programme that showed the musical talent at the time and was the platform for the music video. Music videos would play during the show with live performances.

MTV started broadcasting on the 1st of august 1981 the format was devised by Micheal Nesmith who sold the rights to Warner Amex. The first song they played on the channel was "Video Killed the radio star" by the Buggles. The format was based on the radio top 40. They booker young people to host the show appeal to the younger audience. The presenters or VJ's as they where known as a variation on the DJ's, became celebrities in there own rights because of the following of MTV. In the early days of the MTV there would be crude Video clips and videos of live concerts. Several successful film directors have started there careers start within music video directly Because MTV starts showing more heavy metal and rap music they started a new channel VH1 and this is when the music channels where most popular in 1985. But later, where the videos were too expensive they started to have other shows n the channel. By the 90's most of the shows were not music based and the channel was showing various types of show.

Michael Jackson is well nown for his expensive use of music videos, or as he called them "short films", in which he used to promote his albums and singles to great success. he worked with the best directors and producers, using the latest technology and special effects. In particular for the hit single 'Billy Jean' and the music video that accompanied 'Thriller' that used the best of what they had available and used them to great effects it went on to be very successful. Because of its success even the video about the making of Thriller called " The Making Of Michael Jackson's Thriller'was the most successful video.

In conclusion music videos have evolved through time until they have become as important as the song or album that they accompany. This is because of the importance of the requirements for the artist to appeal to there target audience. MTV was the stars of the regular music video because there was a platform that the videos could be played on to promote there song or album.

Digipac

This is a direct screen shot from our video, it is the close up in the eyes and I have used it to show the tension and passion of the video and the song.
This is the draft for design 1, it uses a large image of the band that will cover the whole front of the cover. This is to show the indie credentials of the band because the picture shows them in an informal classic indie situation.
This is my third design, it uses an image of the band in an informal band practise situation. I used this picture because Delayed Finality is an Indie Rock band so this is the image that people has of Indie bands. The name of the single is large against and in black and against the white background. This means that it stands out and can be easily seen
For this CD cover i have used an image of the main character from the video but not from the video, I have used it in black and white to show the passion, even the writing is white so there is no colour on the whole of the cover so it all sticks to the theme.
This first design for my Digipak involved an extreme close up of the lead characters eyes taken directly from the video, it simply has the name of the band and and the song. I chose to use that image because it is the main character and it goes to show some of the emotion and the passion of the song and video.

I started on my digipac by analysing three existing digipacs and making a mind map of all the ideas and convensions that could help me.

The first digipak that I am looking at is resistance by Muse a band with
similar style to the song that we are using in our video. The pictures are
in black and white instantly showing something about the songs before
they have been listened too. The pictures show the band in a shoot
rather than with there instruments this is to get across the personality
of the band not just there music.

This is creep by radiohead, this is still in the same style of band as
Our song, this is a different style of cover to the first as it doesn’t
feature the band. It has an image that supports the name and the style of the song with the main colour of the cover being red. The CD inside is the same style of the rest of the pack The biggest writing on the pack is the band name and the song is small.

Mistress Mabel by the fratellis is the third Digipak, on the front is an abstract image, he is from the video so the are linked. There is just the simple name of the band in the top left hand corner in there iconic font. The image sells the video and the witty nature of the band not just the music that they create.

After analysing these digipacs I made a mind map of all the ideas that I have gatherd from the digipacs.