Shooting Schedule.

Tuesday 10th December: 2:30pm-6:00pm
Wednesday 11th December: 3:20 - 6:00pm 

Shot List.

• Man with gas mask seen and then a zoom begins to happen. In between the enlarging shot different images begin to appear such as radioactive signs and images of people running, basically disaster/apocalyptic photos.
• Fade to white and then a close up of a mans face is seen. 
• The sun is seen creeping through the top of some trees as a POV shot.
• Man gets up from the ground.
• He walks towards the camera.
• Camera is now behind him watching him walk past.
• Man seen walking to the right, different scenery now.
• Man seen walking from the top left (small) and to the bottom right on a road. Also a change of scenery to show the movement in this mans journey. 
• Close up of the characters feet walking. 
• The character approaches style and takes a second to look around.
• Close up of face looking at scenery.
• Man approaches a worn down house slowly. Shot covers both house and character. 
• Inside the house a guitar is seen resting on a chair. 
• Man sits on the chair and begins to play the guitar and sing the song. 
• Close up of the characters face singing the song.
• Man continues to walk away from camera he is now in a field specifically. 
• Man stops. Very long shot of him seeing a woman at the other end of the field. They run towards each other. 
• Man and woman walk towards the camera, slightly to the right, bonding. 
• Man and woman walk away from the camera with each other. They are talking and laughing.
• Footage and pictures of life are seen now ranging from flowers growing to animals scurrying past. These are at the same intercutting speed of the first disaster images.
• Feet are seen walking together.
• Cut back to the abandoned hose and the man is singing the song.
• The two characters are seen waking to the right the woman stops but is helped along by the man.
• The two characters are seen walking away from the camera. 
• They are now both at a camp by a fire warming their hands.
• They talk around the fire.
• Woman moves closer to the man on the seats they are on.
• A close up of them both moving in to kiss.
• The whole camp is seen but the woman is gone. 
• Close up of the mans face as he realises the woman was a figment of his imagination.
• All shots play in reverse quickly until the second shot of the mans face is seen.
• Close up of mans face and he says "We survive". 

Website Research.

The Killers website:

This is the enter page for the rock band The Killers. This shows their newest album and gives a link to iTunes were you can buy the album or songs. There is also a link at the bottom of the page directing you to the main website, so this page is used for advertising the new album. The style is very simple and because of this the album art is the first thing you notice. This is a great way for advertising and grabbing peoples attention.

When you go onto the main website this is the banner for the page. The colour pallet works well as the red text on the black background is very clear.

For their newest single there is a link to the music video and you can watch it on their Vevo on YouTube. There is also a news section of this page, which is a great way to keep up to date with the band. The layout is simple and easy to navigate through.

Embrace website:

This is the homepage for the band Embrace. The most noticeable part is the album cover, which grabs your attention straight away. The band have used this website as a great way to advertise their forthcoming album 'Embrace'. The information for the album is simple and gives a link to pre-order the album and also gives a release date.

This is the navigation bar for the website and has a plain and simple design. The part which grabs your attention is the red block band name 'Embrace'. The navigation bar has the main titles however there is no gallery or music videos to select.

Animatic

Risk Assessment.

Permission to use the song.

This is the reply I got from Tim Booth's (lead singer of James) manager and to meet the requirements I have to keep the song private and not open it to the public.

Permission to use the song.

Location Shots.

This area has an open, overgrown feeling from the trees and empty surroundings. 

This empty park would be a great place to film, because of the empty slide and empty surroundings. You would think a park like this would be full of life however seeing it empty has connotations of a post apocalyptic world.

This tree looks like it has been left and has become overgrown without any care. Being able to film in an overgrown environment would help emphasise the apocalyptic style of the music video.

This derelict area looks very destroyed and abandoned, an area like this gives the apocalyptic style to fit the music video well.

Digipak Research.

Digipak's are a great way for marketing an album, not only can they made from recyclable material they are also cheaper to make. The artwork can be more creative and they can show more information about the band and/or photos of them. Also some of the parts can have the lyrics to the songs on the album.

Digipacks are becoming more popular due to smaller bands creating a more creative look other than just a CD case, so for the band to get more popularity they sell these digipacks. For a band to put more artwork or photos into their digipacks creates a more interesting and personal album, other than just a CD case.

There are many different designs for digipaks, with the most common 4 panel. However you can get digipaks with 6, 8 and 10 panels. 

Throughout my research I have found that the most common genre to use digipaks as their distribution are rock bands. There are many bands that will make special edition albums so use the digipak. As you can see here, Amazon sell digipaks and the most common genre you come across is normally rock.

Questionnaire.

These are questionnaires I created and gave to people to answer. They have given me a better understanding of what people look for in a music video. 

Storyboard.

Prop List.

Costume and props we will need for the music video:

• Old clothes
• Backpack
• Gas mask
• Boiler suit
• Broken glasses
• Blunt weapon
• Sleeping bag
• Old tins of food
• Shopping trolly
• Plastic bags

Questionnaire.

1. What age group are you in?

 Under 12

 15 - 19

 19 - 25

 Above 25

2. Are you male or female?

3. How did you hear about the band James?

4. What other alternative rock bands do you listen to?

5. How long have listened to James?

6. What is your favourite genre of music and why?

7. What music videos have stood out to you?

Audience Research.

I went onto Amazon and found the album Hey Ma by James which features the song 'Of Monsters and Heroes and Men' then by looking at 'Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought' we can see that people who have bought this album have also bought other James albums and the lead singer Tim Booth's album. The fans of James seem to be only interested in music by James or the band members so there isn't a wide variety of interest in other albums or artists on Amazon when people by their music.

Here is a review of the album 'Hey Ma' by James: http://www.antimusic.com/reviews/08/James.shtml

Lyric Annotation.

Audience Research.

For part of my Audience research I posted on the bands forum asking why people like listening to the band James. This is one of the answers I got.

Posting on forums is a great way to get feedback from the fans and audience of James as the people who answer are going on the website or checking up on them. So the chances are you'll be getting a fan instead of someone who just happens to be on the website.

Treatment.

Our music video will be set around an apocalypse and after the world has been destroyed. To do this will be using a dark colour pallet, old dirty clothes, derelict and empty places. The style we are going for will be similar to the film The Road, this is because of the dark atmosphere and grey colour pallet.

As you can see from this screenshot, the colours are very washed and almost monochromatic which gives the dark lonely atmosphere. To get a similar feel to our music video we are going to being filming in the countryside of Shropshire and I have found a derelict house which has been left for 40 years so this will be a great place to film. It is also surrounded by fields and countryside roads so the area will be quite.

Props:

Small camp fire

Guitar

backpack

Why I chose the song.

Why did I choose the song: Of Monsters and Heroes and Men by James.

I have an interest in apocalypse stories and this song paints a clear picture of what life would be like if the world had ended. The melody is slow paced and you can imagine what will be happening in different parts of the song, which is great if you're making a music video.

This is the type of atmosphere the song gives to me, with the derelict road and pylons. This image is from the film 'The Road' which to me has a similar world to the song.

Textual Analysis 5.

Artist: Embrace

Song: Ashes

Genre: Alternative rock

Mise en scene:
There is a dark atmosphere throughout the video and there is a noticeable contrast between the bright lights and dark silhouettes of the band. You can't really see any of there faces so it starts of quite mysterious and when the camera moves to show the band lens flares fill the room. As what looks like a theater rebuilds itself the building slowly becomes more lighter showing the band members, this could show the emotions of the band by having them perform in rubble then slowly become more confident as the room re-builds. Then towards the end a crowd are watching the band perform like at a concert. This could show when the band first started out, they didn't have much and slowly grew like the building and then they have a massive audience and fans.

Editing:
From the start of the clip you notice parts of a building reforming and going backwards like it is being rewound, the camera then slowly pans round each of the band members to show what each of them are doing. Then close ups are used to show the rubble of the building. Like many other music videos the cuts go with the song and when the song picks up so do the cuts and the speed of the shots. Throughout the video after it shows some of the building it will then cut to the band members, normally with a close up or medium shot.

Target audience:
I would say the target audience would be later teenagers and early adults, the type of music reminds me of what was on in the 90's and the music video is dark and doesn't go over the top with a colourful pallet, compared to music videos which target a younger generation and use more brighter colours and have a happier mood.

Textual Analysis 4.

Artist: Twenty One Pilots

Song: Guns For Hands

Genre: Alternative hip hop/ alternative rock

Mise En Scene:
The music video is very simple and only includes the two band members throughout the whole video. The set looks like a typical bland white set with hardly any props. From the start you can guess that the man on the left is the drummer as he is stood in front of the drum set and the man on the right is the lead singer and plays piano. At the start of the video both of them put on a balaclava, this could mean they don't want people to see who they are when singing. However they both take them off when they start performing. Throughout the music video the scene or place never changes and the background stays white, it seems like they want you to think they are on a film set and nothing too professional. Later in the video they wrap tape around their faces, again covering up so they can't be seen. However as the lead singer progresses through the song he slowly removes the tape around his mouth. It seems both band members are hiding something by covering they're faces.

Editing:
The video is fast paced and has a lot cuts throughout, this fits in with the pace of the song. Like many other music videos when the music becomes faster the cuts become more frequent and the music video becomes a lot faster. A mixture of close ups and two shots are used to show what emotions the band members are going though and it also helps show the lead singer lip syncing to the song with close ups used when he sings into the mic.

Target Audience:
In my opinion from the music and music video the target audience would be mid to late teenagers from the fast paced and simple nature of the video.












 

Textual Analysis 2.

Artist: Biffy Clyro

Song: Biblical

Genre: Rock

Mise en scene: The start of the music video shows what looks like a man in a hotel room, this is from the typical items found in hotel rooms such as the fan, bland colours and cheap furniture it is also small and you can't see any other rooms. A large bag is also seen by the side of the bed which could indicate he has packed clothes or items. From the outside area, the place he is located looks like a motel in America. This is shown from the stereotypical bar and roll of dollar bills he picks up and throws to a receptionist. Three men are see getting out of a car and walking towards the man, these men look like they are part of a gang, shown from the weapons they are holding and the thug like walk and attitude they have.

Editing: From the very start of the clip with almost every guitar note there is a cut to a new scene. The cuts help show the area which the man is and cuts to close ups are used to show his emotions. The music video picks up whenever the music gets faster, then when the music is slower the video will slow down with the music. This is shown when the man leaves the motel room and the music is a lot faster like the video, then when he is back in his room lying on the bed the music is a lot slower so less cuts are used and the scene is a lot slower. A lot of close ups are also used to show the man's emotions and throughout the whole music video the camera is always on him, even a point of view shot is used to show his perspective.

Target Audience: From the music and music video the target audience in my opinion would be late teenagers, early adults. This is because the music video is serious and has a story and isn't too happy and joyful with the presentation, for example a man gets beaten up with baseball bats by a gang and this isn't something you would associate with a younger audience.

Group Music Video Textual Analysis

• Dark colour pallet, unsaturated. Used to emphasise the woodland setting and shows the mood of the characters in the video. 
• This unsaturation helps to emphasise "whites" creating a strong focus on the band's lead singers face.
• Set in the woodland to correspond with the film setting, clips from the film are used and they link well with the cuts to the band. This is because of the colour pallet and location.
• Costumes are dark and goth-like to represent the genre of the music and to link with the film it is used in, "Twilight". 
• You would see this on a music television network showcasing music videos, the internet (Youtube, Vevo) and the films DVD extras. This is because it was directly used to advertise the film.
• Fast paced editing and lots of slow spinning is used in shot to create motion. This corresponds with what most of the characters are doing in the actual film because they can run very fast and jump around everywhere.
• Close-ups of the singers face, lead guitarist during his solo and drummer during fills to show the main action in the song. Lip syncing is very good and the band have obviously rehearsed the song very well. The most shot time is spent on the lead singers face. 
• They are performing as if they were on a stage but they are in the woods. 
• Lighting in this video is dark which reflects the genre of the song, band and film.
• 209 cuts in the whole video.

Textual Analysis 3.

Artist: The Killers

Song: A Dustland Fairytale

Genre: Alternative Rock

Mise en Scene:
The start of music video shows an old man reminiscing, it looks like he is reminiscing the 50's or 60's when he was young. You can see this from the old cars, leather jackets and hair styles the characters have. You can also tell it is set in America from the countryside look and the man looks like a typical American teenager in the 50's and part of a gang (as seen from the leather jackets he and his friends have) He also has a tattoo with the number 7 on his finger, this could be a symbol for the gang he was in. The man checks into a motel and has a Release Order of Prisoner form, showing he has been in prison for when he was fighting with another young man and stabbed him. This shows he has been in prison all his life. The area the music video is set looks like somewhere like Texas or out in the country, with the high mountains in the background and dessert look.

Editing:
As the music becomes more fast paced the video also picks up with more cuts and faster camera movement, this helps emphasize the emotions the man is going through. Parts of the music video are also in slow motion, this helps make the scene more emotional and help you feel for the character. From the way the video cuts to a new scene you can tell that the young teenager is the man when he was young and the contrast between the young teenager with the girl and the old man gives a lonely atmosphere and feeling to the music video.

Target Audience:
The music video tells a love and crime story and the alternative rock music adds to the emotion in the video. Therefore I think both male and female's would listen and watch this music video and the age would range from early teens to mid twenties.

Mr Brightside music video.

This is the music video for the song Mr Brightside by The Killers. We filmed, acted and edited it ourselves and then uploaded it to YouTube.

Today we tried out various ways of filming someone while they lip sync to a song. We did this with two different people, for the first we had the camera on a tripod with three lights set up while the camera recorded Amber lip syncing to a song by Bastille. This worked well so we added a blue filter over one of the lights, this added a colder feel. We tried this again by doing a tracking shot, using a camera dolly we slowly moved the camera following the person singing, this worked well and with Sam bellow the camera with a fan, the video looks like Amber's hair could be blowing in wind. This is a technique used in many music videos.

Using a clear jug, glass and plate we were able to create different effects. To do this we held the items in front of the camera one at a time while Conor lip synced to Mr Brightside by The Killers. Then when the camera passed using the dolly it would pick up the distorted effect from the items. For the jug and glass the effect given could be like the person is in a bar or club with the camera behind different bottles or glasses, they both worked the best. However the plate gave a much more distorted image, this could be used as a transition as the person is very blurred and unrecognisable.

We then all set up the lighting lamps and tried to position them correctly, we tested them out by lining up three cameras and testing the lighting with a black drop behind a model. I was used as a model for testing out different filters and how the lighting effects the outcome, we all swapped roles and got a chance to see what red and blue filters look like over the light. The red gave a very warm feeling, whereas the blue was a lot colder. The flaps also have to be adjusted to get the right amount of light and the right shape, when doing this we had to wear gloves as they can get hot.

In today's lesson we were taught how to use cameras, changing the settings and setting up lighting equipment. First we were shown how two different cameras work, we started off by attaching the DSLR camera to a tripod and then doing the same with the film camera. We were shown the auto/manual switch points which changes the automatic focus on and off. The three wheels around the lens were shown to us and how they are used, I have used the zoom and focus before but not the iris wheel, this changes the size of the aperture so you can let in different amounts of light. To test how much we have learnt each of us had a go at changing the settings, then when you have finished, mess up the setting to see if the next person can put them right.

We then moved on to the DSLR camera, we were told that these are great for recording in slow motion as it can be set to record high frame rates. The ISO and scroll wheel allow you to change the shutter speed and the AV button along with the scroll wheel changes the size of the Iris.