Film Shoot Journal #4 - Friday 24th October

Originally, we expected to finish shooting on Sunday 12 October because it was the last day on the production schedule. However, after we uploaded the footage from our camera to Final Cut Pro, we reviewed it and came to the conclusion that we could make it better and more aligned with our vision of what we wanted the final music video product to be like. Therefore, we asked our teacher for an extension on the production and he gave us the green light and redistributed the equipment (camera & tripod) we needed. Before this though we had already planned how to best make use of our reshoot time and believe that the improvements will be evident in the final edit.

First off, we had the filming equipment on hand, but we still needed to get the instruments for our imitation of the band.

So as we were getting those, Shane made his way to his house to prepare his dining room to look like a pub-like environment that would suit our needs. This turned out to be much better than the previous location of the theatre workshop at our school because though it was more convenient for us, it did not look as authentic. 

 

L to R - The first shoot compared to the re-shoot

There was better lighting and better access to more realistic props which overall led to the atmosphere we wanted 

The other major improvement we accomplished was that we got our lead actor Adrian to lip sync for the music video. Initially, we dismissed the idea because we were going to break the typical conventions of rock music videos and make it more narrative based. Although based on some peer feedback we got from our rough cut edit, it made more sense to include lip syncing even if it would be for a little while to please our audience.

 

Setting up for production

Taro is watching the actual music video of the Creed's Cross song we are making the video for as inspiration for any new shots we might have wanted to incorporate. 

Whilst Adrian is memorising and rehearsing the lyrics to the song. 

 

We made use of Shane's speaker to play the actual song so the timing for the lip syncing would be easier for Adrian. Also, Taro held up the lyrics for Adrian to see so not only would he know the words, but also so that he would look directly at the camera whilst I was filming him.

'One By One' Storyboard Animatic #2

This is the updated version of the storyboard we created. We are still discussing about what certain shots are fundamental to the music video, what might be removed and additional shots that we might attempt on the actual shoots, but this animatic is purely for the purpose of presenting the concept of the video which it does suffieciently.

Shooting Schedule

Below is the current and finished version of the shooting schedule for our music video. Of course we are also allowing another draft for a second shooting schedule. This is because in the midst of the production, we feel as though we could film shots better and more effectively as well as trying to experiment with additional shots.

Essay Review Marking

To improve my future essay writing I need to:

• Use a wider range of examples to backup my points and arguments as well as more importantly, analysing this in terms of the question - Be specific. 
• Provide evidence for (personal) points and opinions - Evidence based essay. 
• Expand on the examples I use to support my ideas, analysis and argument.
• Apply more theorists in my writing and make it more evident by applying it to example/evidence and its relation. 
• Support personal views with evidence.

By following and striving to achieve these aims I hope to achieve at least a Level 3 in my next essay.

Film Shoot Journal #3 - Sunday 12th October

After our previous shoot, as a group we decided to dedicate the first part of today's filming for re-shoots.

Therefore, we re-shot the opening title and the 'Beatles' shot. The main things that we accomplished this time that we didn't before was: getting the close up angle of the flag correctly in frame and having Shane & Taro in costume because it was outside of school lessons.

Following this, we went down the street on our way to Brent River. Along the way we stumbled across a sign near a secluded area leading from the main road and it read 'Brentford Docks'. Our quick thinking lead us to detour and make use of the public property by filming there as part of the protagonists journey in our narrative. 

 

Shortly afterwards, we made our way down to Brent River where we were lucky enough to see a boat passing under the bridge just like in our storyboard and it happened to stop at a checkpoint. We took the opportunity to get the equipment set up quickly before the gate opened for the boat to move on. In the end we got the shot of the boat leaving and more than we hoped for which means extra footage to work with in post-production which is always good. The rest of the time was spent filming Adrian walking along the river from different angles including from on top of the bridge as part of his continuing journey. 

 

Film Shoot Journal #2 - Thursday 9th October

Our deadline for filming is not that long or flexible so what we did was we asked our media teacher to excuse us from our lesson to film more of our outdoor shoots. We got the go ahead and went down the street, 'The Butts', right outside of school because it was a quiet place to film where we wouldn't be disturbed.

 

The location we shot in

The shots were of our protagonists Adrian, Shane and Taro who walked across the street for one of our 'Beatles' shot montages where we plan to pastiche the band's album cover at Abbey Road. We also filmed Adrian walking down a street pathway as a safety shot for our previous shoot at Wormwood Scrubs park because we were unsure of how one of the previous shots would play out in the final product.

 

L to R - Protagonist crossing street like the Beatles however, we also wanted to experiment with transitions and graphic match shots later on

Whilst here we also made use of the street to do an impromptu photoshoot for a 'band shot' we would use in our album cover digipak. We decided this would also be good place to photograph the band, not only because of its link to the music video but because it follows the conventions the music industry utilises in album covers as well. This is that the picture is simple but effective as it needs to make a first impression on audiences. Therefore, as the title of the picture implies, we were going to experiment with various looks and poses that we wanted to portray on the cover. The mise-en-scene (low-key lighting, location etc..) of the shot also had to relate to the music video itself through how it reflects the characters as buskers as well as the mood, look and feel of it. 

  Photoshoot

These were some of the pictures we took out on the day 

Film Shoot Journal #1 - Sunday 5th October

Today my group and I filmed at Wormwood Scrubs park where we filmed our actor (Adrian Garncarek) in different scenes around various locations in the park.

The general shots were of him walking around different parts of the park to portray the idea that he is travelling constantly (like an Irish gypsy in a way) trying to make a living through busking which we also showed him doing.

 

We also filmed at East Acton station because it is an ideal location audiences typically see buskers at. The reason we also chose here was because it was very close to the park which made the filming more practical and that travelers leaving and entering the station acted as perfect extras.

 

Obviously, today was an outdoor shoot which was why we planned to film today because the forecast was predicted as sunny which it was. Although, in post-production we will add a black and white filter so natural lighting did not matter too much, but it kept the equipment safe and made it easy to finish a decent amount of the production.

Research Essay: 'Contemporary music videos are merely elaborate adverts with little artistic,social or moral integrity'

'Contemporary' by definition changes throughout time which is why it is a good way to describe how music videos have evolved from its original creation. The main intent when the concept of music videos came to be was that it was meant to act as an advert that would sell albums just like the statement says. Therefore, it has led to the conclusion that because of this, music videos have lost integrity or even that they did not have any in the first place. However, there are also other meanings and purposes to music videos such as perceiving the video as an interpretation of the lyrics of the song which I personally find to be more engaging and has influenced my own coursework video and the research gone into it.

In the 21st Century, it is easy to acknowledge and accept that various producers and companies place promotion, identity and advertising as the most important principles when making a music video. It is also why advertising is even covered in this A2 media course, because it demonstrates how important of an aspect it is in the music industry and the role it plays in the production process. The reason for this is because there is a very large audience who are exposed to this form of media solely every day and the industry relies on them to profit. Hence there are TV shows such as 'X Factor' which create stars by building up their image around their performances in the weekly show. Since it is a talent competition, the idea can also be suggested that the winner who gets a record deal, has music videos that have little integrity as the singer will be recognised as the current most popular X Factor winner rather than being a genuine artist who has meaningful music videos.

When he first auditioned for the show he was not known but after weekly performances guided by his mentor, he has been shaped to be a big personality in the UK.

As well as 'Vevo' on YouTube which is a popular channel that promotes all networked artists and shares it to all audiences using the video sharing website. It even reaches people who do not usually listen to the type of music being played which explains the millions of views that a lot of the music videos get online. These music videos on the channel then rake in revenue based on the number of views of that video which connote that they actually are just elaborate adverts.

Therefore, actual music videos do not have that much meaning since audiences will go see it regardless of whether or not it has any integrity, artistic, social or morally otherwise. It is also the reason why theorists like Richard Dyer have come up with theories such as his 'Star Theory' which states that artists are selling points that benefit the companies/producers that 'essentially made them'. For example, there are quite a few music videos that are created purely to draw attention to itself (for controversy) such as Miley Cyrus' 'Wrecking Ball' and Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda', both of which got into the social news.

Although, there are still some music videos which contradict this traditional consumerist convention and these focus on the narrative more than the artist by letting the video (and music) speak for itself. In regards to this, it links in with Andrew Goodwin's theory that music videos should act as visual aids to the lyrics of the song. Examples include the videos below which I have analysed in relation to my coursework as well as for the reason that I would prefer to make a music video that has more integrity than most contemporary videos nowadays.

With most music videos these days I have to agree that contemporary music videos are merely elaborate adverts with little artistic, social or moral integrity. The frequency at which they are distributed drowns out the what I believe to be more important narrative based music videos which tell an emotive story with messages and overall they have more integrity than the other type of videos.

Shot Lists

Since the storyboard was a first draft and we are still incorporating more ideas for various shots, the images and descriptions below will not be entirely accurate until the final draft is drawn.

#1-3:
The first shot will be a close-up of an Irish flag.
Up until the second shot where the protagonist is walking down a street, no music is heard until now.
A close-up/mid shot of the protagonist is shown playing music.

#4: 

A long/establishing shot of a boat sailing down a river to link with the boat horn at the beginning and also the lyrics which talk about how people went looking for jobs abroad. 

#5: 

A wide shot portraying a decrepit kitchen/living room in which a mother and her child are left "all alone" in low key lighting. 

#6-8: 

Medium side profile shots of 3 men which are cross-cut together to show that they are on the same path trying to achieve the same thing. In filming this shot we hope to accomplish something similar to what the 'Beatles' did for one of their album covers with a zebra crossing at Abbey Road - contextual reference.

#9-12: 

A close up of a drain in the decrepit household fades into a graphic match shot of a vent on the street. Money is being thrown next to the busker whom we can see when the camera pans upwards to the guitar.

#13-?: 

The previous shot of the busker playing a guitar transitions into a guitar being played by the band. This then cuts to a wide shot of the band playing instruments around a table with beer on it. There will be more shots including close ups of the individuals, other instruments and props on the table. 

#14: 

A wide shot of a man rushing for the train. 

#15: 

Another wide shot of a departing train with a man who has just gotten off. 

 

#16: 

One long continuous shot of the 3 people earlier at the docks disappearing "One by One".

#17: 

Music video fades to black and the production company name will appear.

'One By One' Storyboard Animatic

Above is an animatic based on our first draft of the storyboard we came up for our music video 'One By One' written by Creeds Cross.
It portrays a rough idea of the narrative and covers some of the types of shots that we want to shoot when it comes to production. The audio in the background is the actual song, but it is not exact or precise in terms of shot timings as we are still discussing ideas and shot lengths - specifically: there will be a larger variety of shots, quicker cuts and have some more shots of the band in the next storyboard/animatic i.e. more than just a wide shot.

Music Genre Research: Choosing the Right Type of Rock Sub-genre

At the beginning of the course, my group and I had to secure the copyrights to a song in a genre for which we would want to make a music video. To accomplish this, we had to research  the genre of music that we wanted to portray in a music video and a musician/singer who could do this.
The type of music we looked into producing was rock/alternative rock:

History, Origins & Influences:

Rock music is a genre that originated in the 40s/50s and that later became known as 'Rock and Roll'. It was influenced by other music genres such as blues, folk, jazz, rhythm and soul. The lyrics of these songs, much like pop, focuses on love but also has many variations to it to appeal to the bands' different audiences.
Alternative rock is one of the many sub-genres that have stemmed from rock. However, it was a result of independent music in the 80s and 90s where underground (not legally commercialised) music became popular through: its diversity, word of mouth and college radio broadcasting. 'Alternative' is a broad term used to describe something that differs greatly in its sound and roots. Hence, sub-genres such as gothic rock, jangle pop and industrial rock came into being.

Representation:

Musically, rock has always been centred on the electric guitar with electric bass guitar and drums accompanying it as part of the rock band. Although, the inclusion of other instruments such as the piano have become a part of and led to the reason why there are typically 3-5 members in a rock group. Rock, unlike pop, also places a higher focus on the music itself, live performance and the authenticity of the band.
In terms of aesthetics, the bands usually link to the ideology of 'rebellion' and being unique/different. Therefore, it makes sense that some bands wear different accessories, mix (dark) colours (which are mostly black), wear makeup, etc.

Well known bands include: (ROCK)

• AC/DC
• Metallica
• Queen 
• Nirvana 
• Black Sabbath 
• Rolling Stones 
• Pink Floyd 
• Aerosmith 
• Van Halen 
• Kiss 

ALTERNATIVE:

R.E.M

Linkin Park

Foo Fighters

Radiohead

The Cure

U2

Coldplay

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Oasis

Iconography & Music Videos: 

The typical kind of music videos for the rock genre would be centred mostly around performance with some narrative to mimic a live performance that focuses on the band and its brand of music. 

Usually for the rock genre, it is normal for the music video to focus on the band as if they were centre stage with high key lighting.
An example can be that the camera cuts between a wide shot of the band, close ups/zoom-ins of their individual faces and close ups of the instruments being played. Sometimes even lyrics are portrayed on screen to emphasise the connotations/importance of such. 

Alternative rock similarly has a focus on the band, but some more than others have a conceptual music video focussing on the meaning of the video and that it is like Andrew Goodwin's idea that it is a visual aid to the lyrics. Hence, low key lighting is utilised and they all wear dark clothes to keep attention away from themselves. Though, sometimes all of these aspects in alternative rock are ignored and there is no purpose to the music video other than conveying people playing loud music to ignore everything (just like their audience can tend to act as well).

 

 

Some exemplar shots of what typical rock music videos can look like

We also researched the elements of the sub-genre Irish rock and its music videos as this is what we were leaning towards doing after the majority of our research.

History & Backstory: 

It started in the 1960s/70s when the musical culture of Britain spread and gained popularity in different countries. Eventually it reached Ireland and with it came influences such as blues and psychedelic rock. Irish music started to become popular with the creation of Irish 'showbands' which had musicians playing British and American hits in dancehalls and clubs across the country. Being a professional musician in Ireland at the time was the best way of making a living so the musical culture kept on growing. 

Bands: 

Artists like Van Morrison, Henry McCullough and Rory Gallagher started in Irish showbands and went on to putting their country on the musical map. 
A friend of one of our group members knows an Irish band called 'Creeds Cross' and we are considering making a music video for one of their songs (most likely the one below).