Ideas digipak

I have made a digipak with some of the texture photographs we took in Photoshop.

Above is the digipak I made.

Photographing possible settings/textures

In this afternoon's lessons, we went out and photographed possible settings for our music video. I also photographed some textures of trees and shrubs, using the macro setting on my stills camera. Below are some of the photographs we took.

Shot analysis

Today we had a look at some videos that were the same genre of music as our song for the music video.

Professional music video- La Roux- 'Bulletproof'

30 seconds- 14 shots

1 minute- 34 cuts

Thoughts about the music video

What are you excited about?

I'm excited about doing the music video project, because I like our idea of filming in a forest and the costumes will we be using and also making the video look realistic and interesting. Everyone in our group will be doing different jobs, which will help to make a finished product really good.

What worries you about the music video?

I am worried about the music video, because another group are doing the same song as us, and they have similar ideas. The videos may end up being similar.

How would you solve the worry?

Expand on our ideas, rethink our ideas. Maybe combine our ideas that we had for other songs.

Below is a music video that has been made by media students at Hurtwood House. When they filmed their music videos, they were given a budget, whereas when we film ours we won't have a budget.

If we were remaking this music video without a budget, we would only need to get the instruments and the close-ups of the instruments. We be able to film the background and then put it in the footage with the singers. We would need an area where there is loads of leaves on the ground to film it, and have two people who would be the singers/dancers.

Shadows

We managed to get the song 'Shadows' by Au Revoir Simone for our music video project. We are pleased with this, because it was a first choice and we really wanted to make a music video for this song.

Feedback on our pitch

In this morning's lessons at Coleridge, we all had to do a presentation on the song we wanted to pitch for our music video. We also had to explain our ideas for our second choice, incase we couldn't have our first choice. We were given feedback from everyone in the class.

Feedback on 'Shadows'

"I like the fairy tale theme"

"How are you going to have the eye's watching over her?"

"I like the idea of the ending with the shadow, I think it will look quite abstract."

"Where would you get the setting?"

"I like the Snow White idea, and the rabbit."

"The camera sounds good."

"Who will be in your video?"

"Interesting location."

"Who's rabbit will you be using?"

"Good concept."

"Which location?"

"How are you going to do a clear shadow?"

"I like the idea of a still camera and flashing images."

"How will you get the surreal effect?"

"Setting? Will it be possible?"

"Alice/ Snow White- quite common"

"How is it going to be different?"

"Good research."

"Good video research as well."

"You have permission from the artist."

"Shadow at the end?- Explain more clearly."

"Overall, very good."

"Forest? Location."

"Rabbit?"

"Stop motion effect could work."

"How/where/when would you do it?"

"How will you get the rabbit?"

"Alice in Wonderland and Tim Burton style."

"Good idea."

"Well planned."

"Where? Forest?"

Feedback on 'Wicked Little Girls'

"I like the 1950's style."

"I like how basic it is."

"Costumes?"

"The second idea sounds good."

"Who will act?"

"I like the idea of it being simple."

"Good research into the song."

"Where would you get the white room?"

"The kiss- Contrasts what the song is saying."

"I think that keeping it basic is a good idea."

"Basic- good!!"

"Costume basics- can work with them."

"I like the 1950's theme."

"Simple."

"Easy to carry out."

"How to get the post-war costume?"

"Dancers?"

Moodboard for 'Wicked Little Girls'

Above is a moodboard, which I made in Photoshop, for the song 'Wicked Little Girls'.

Treatment

I have written a treatment for the song 'Wicked Little Girls' by Esthero.

‘Wicked Little Girls’- Esthero

The music video starts with a close-up shot of the artist’s feet, dancing. The setting is in a white room. She has an old fashioned microphone, and is dressed in 1950’s clothing. Her clothing is similar to that of Christina Aguilera’s recent style. As the song gets going, the camera moves up the artist, until we get to the face. We then see the artist singing the song. In the background there are several dancers, who we see over the artist’s shoulders. The dancers are also dressed in 1950’s clothing.

As we get to the chorus, we then cut to a shot of a girl, who is kissing a guy, and she then walks off. They are standing in a park, in the rain. The guy is holding an umbrella over the two of them. He then looks as if he is going to cry (“Wicked little girls, kissed the boys and made them cry”).

After the chorus, we then cut back to the artist in the plain room, where she is singing again, and the dancers are all still dancing around, behind the artist.

Every chorus should have a different guy and girl kissing.

A list of possible locations
1. A plain, white room.
2. A quiet park (hopefully when it’s rainy weather).

Costumes/Props
1. 1950’s costumes (High heels, dresses, lots of make-up, red lipstick).
2. Umbrella (For the chorus).
3. An old-fashioned microphone (1940’s/1950’s style).

The artist would be wearing an outfit very similar to this one.

These high heels, are also very similar to the ones the artist would be wearing.

This is the red lipstick that the artist would wear.

This is the the old-fashioned microphone that the artist would be using.

Moodboard and postcard exercise

In Today's lessons, we made a moodboard and a promotional postcard for the song 'Shadows' by Au Revoir Simone. On Tuesday morning, we have to pitch for our song, so we can use it for our music video. This song is the most popular one in the class, with 3 groups pitching for it, including ours.

This is the promotional postcard that we made using Photoshop. We took the picture from Au Revoir Simone's Myspace page, and also the band logo. We then put them in Photoshop and added effects to it.

This is the moodboard that we made for the song 'Shadows'. We made this in Keynote, which we then had to make a presentation about the band in.

The idea we had for this song, was to have a girl in a forest (maybe Alice in Wonderland or Snow White theme), with a white rabbit. We wanted to make the video surreal and use shadows (i.e. the forest setting, as the light will cast shadows of the trees.)

The three stages to making a music video

There are 3 stages to making a music video.

• Pre-production
• Production
• Post-production

For this, we will split all the tasks up between everyone in the group.

Pre-production

• Pre-visulisation- Storyboards, moodboards
• Production design- Designing sets, props, costumes, finding locations, hair and make-up
• Production manager- Organising, make sure ideas are realistic, crew, logistics, casting.

Production

• Director- Make shot-list (Angelica)
• Cinematography- Filming (Liam)
• Production assistant- Deals with the music, hold up the lyrics (Liam)
• Performance/Choreography- Dance routines (Me)
• On-set photographer- Take photographs of the process/for the Digipak (Me)

Post Production

• Editing all the footage
• Lip-syncing
• Colour correction and special effects (if needed)
• Make the Digipak

Again for this part, we will split all the tasks up between everyone.

My Generation final edit

Below is my final edit of 'My Generation'.

MY GENERATION SOPHIE WATSON from cmdiploma on Vimeo.

My Generation editing

In today's lessons, we started editing our 'My Generation' footage, that we shot last Friday. Below are some screengrabs from the editing.

The music list for the music video

For the music video project, I am working with Angelica and Liam. In yesterday's lessons we went through the song list for the music video. We have to decide on the one we want for our video, and we have to pitch for it next Tuesday. The most popular song so far it seems, is 'Shadows'- Au Revoir Simone. We like this song too, and had the idea of having it in black and white. Also another popular song is 'Wicked Little Girls'- Esthero. Our group also quite liked this song too.

Presentation

In first lesson on Tuesday, we had an A level media student give us a presentation. Jasmine Blackborow was a media student, who entered her music video into the BBC Blast competition, and she won a £3000 bursary for her music video, which was the chance to make a professional music video with professional's.

Here is a link to the music video she made, that won her the prize:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XMm4OXgDP8

In her presentation, she also told us how the music video industry works, which we had to take notes on.
Firstly, she told us about her A level music video.

• She told us that for her A level media music video, it had to be exciting and fast paced.
• Her group only had 1 day to shoot on location, with no budget.
• She was determined for her music video to do well.

She then went on to tell us what it was like when she made the professional music video.

• She said that the Producer was the head of the team, which ment they were in charge of the budget and getting in touch with the Record Producers.
• Jasmine came up with the ideas, but she had to put them past the Creative Director first.
• She had to write a treatment (pitch) with her ideas on. This had to contain keywords, lots of pictures/visuals and it had to be exciting and get straight to the point. In the media industry, this is how they like you to present your ideas.
• Jasmine said that she used quotes from the lyrics of the song, to give her ideas for the video.
• You have to reference, using other videos to help give you ideas.
• She had to produce a sheet of pictures and names of all the extras, who would star in her music video.
• She had to make detailed shotlists and storyboards, which were very important. Also she had to make a rough draft of a timeline for the video.
• A shoot schedule was made for the day they were shooting the footage.
• Everybody needs to keep in contact with each other constantly and always update any documents.
• In the industry, a music video only takes around 3-4 weeks to produce.

'My Generation' task

On Friday, we did a whole class task. We did another lip-sync video to the song 'My Generation'- The Who. Everyone in the class had a role for the exercise, like director, camera operator or lighting technician. My job was stills photographer. I went around and took lots of pictures of everyone at work, to document the task we did. We will start editing the footage on Thursday, which will involve lip-syncing.

These are two of the pictures that I took.

Ancillary Tasks Practice continued

Above is my magazine advert for my digipak. I have put 'free collector's poster when you order from play.com, because this encourages fans to buy the CD.

Above are two screengrabs of my finished Digipak.

How to get high marks

1. Lots of planning- Make sure it goes on the blog.
2. Lots of effort must be put in.
3. Research.
4. Make sure you keep a record of everything.
5. Be good at lip-syncing.
6. Always evaluate your work.
7. Monitor the process.

What makes a good music video?

1. Teamwork/good communication.
2. Good lip-syncing skills.
3. Lots of creativity.
4. Good choreography for dancers.
5. Good/varied camera angles.
6. Lighting.
7. Brilliant editing.
8. Convincing performers.
9. Good time management.
10. Be organised.
11. Have good access to any props needed.

My Personal Statement

TECHNICAL SKILLS
I am quite good at Photography, as I have an AS level Photography, at a high grade C. I am also good at using Final Cut, which I have learnt many skills in, either from my teachers or class mates. I am also very confident in using Photoshop, which I had to use in my Photography AS, so I have been able to use the knowledge I already know when using this programme on this diploma.

CREATIVITY
I enjoy drawing and painting in my free time. This would help when drawing storyboards for the music video. I am also very musical, because I sing and write my own songs, and I can also play the piano/keyboard. I did Music at GCSE and got a high B in. I enjoy writing songs and singing in my free time aswell.

ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS
I like to keep up-to-date with things, and never miss deadlines. I am good at keeping my blog up-to-date. I have always been able to be very well organised and can keep to time limits.

SPECIAL POWERS
My special powers are that I am good at Photography and I am also musical.

Previous student music video

I liked this video, because the animation is brilliant.

Also, it fits in with the song very well. The animation must have been very time

consuming for the students who have made this video,

but I think that they have done extremely well.

I think that this video was a bit poor, because the writing

that the students have put in at the beginning of the video,

didn't look very professional.

Screengrabs from the Digipak exercise

For this exercise, we have to make a digipak and a magazine advert for a music artist. We were given a music track by the artist, which we then had to listen to, and then do some research into the artist who made the song. We then have to make a magazine advert to adverise our digipaks for the chosen artist. This exercise is practice for when we do one for the artist we have to make our music video for.

Above is a screengrab from Photoshop, where I was working on the inside of the CD case for the digipak. I also had to make the outside cover, where I had to put the band name and the album title on the front, and the track list, which I researched online. I have started to design the magazine advert for this band, 'I Was A Cub Scout'.

Ancillary Tasks Practice

Digipak


'Save Your Wishes'- I Was A Cub Scout


Research into the band and the song
They were a two-man synth-pop/indie rock, band, who formed in 2006. They were an english band.


(information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Was_a_Cub_Scout)


Here is a link to their Myspace www.myspace.com/iwasacubscout

Track listing from 'I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope'

1. Save Your Wishes
2. Echoes
3. Lucean
4. Pink Squares
5. Part 3
6. We Were Made To Love
7. Our Smallest Adventures
8. Recommendations
9. Hunter's Daughter
10. Ps And Qs
11. Step Too Far Behind

Lip-syncing video

In Tuesday's lesson, we were given a song, which we then had to go and make a short one minute music video to. We were given 'Hanging On The Telephone'- Blondie. I worked with Angelica and Charna for this exercise. Angelica did the lip-syncing, while I filmed her, and Charna was in charge of the music. From doing this exercise, I have learned how to lip-sync properly, by needing to know the words really well and make sure that people can see what you are singing and how to film a music video.

Sophie, Charna, Angelica video exercise from cmdiploma on Vimeo.

'karaoke' lipsynch practice

Shapes video

In the lesson today, we were given the task of making a video, using different shapes, and we were given a piece of music with a distinct beat, to make a short video of.

SOPHIE SHAPES VIDEO from cmdiploma on Vimeo.

My favourite music video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhUcSbbURyc

Above is a link to Calvin Harris- Acceptable In The 80's, music video. The reason I like this music video, is because there are lots of different camera shots used in the video. The video is quite weird, but it fits in with the music that goes with it. There are different shots of Calvin Harris, singing, where they have used lip-syncing to make it match with the orignal track.

Lip-syncing exercise

Above is mine and Ali's lip-sync exercise. We were give some footage and the piece of music to go with it. We then had to put the match the footage up with the music, to make it look like the girl is actually singing the song.

Below is a video me and Ali made, where we given some footage of people dressed up as animals, dancing. We then had to chose a song and edit the footage to the song.