Story Board: Pre-production

As our treatment was successful I will start part of the pre-production plan using the storyboard.

I will be using this storyboard to illustrate the footages and the camera techniques alongside the narrative as part of the pre-production stage 

I will be able to break down each verse using our drawings and editing techniques notes on the storyboard.

 It saves time if we know what shots and angles are next and what actor or actress is in the video.The team will be able to know what footage goes next after looking at the visuals, it helps us to aim to our common action goals. 

Feedback on The Treatment

Evaluation/Audience Feedback

Overall people didn't have much to say on the initial idea of the music video. For the club scene the audience suggested that if the club location does not work out we should consider having the location at a house to make it a house party.

One of the audience wanted to know more about the chase in the narrative of the music video. This shows that when we are filming we have to make sure that the idea of the chase (two males trying to get attention from a female) is evident.

There was an ethical consideration that we didn't think of which was one of our locations. Canary Wharf. We have to make sure that we get permission to film at the location if we still want to film there.

However we decided to have a different location, which is to film at one of the DLR stations such as Prince Regent Station.

Our main action is to make sure that the narrative of our music video is clear.We will implement this by having loads of footage at all the locations we will be filming at.

The focus group was useful partially. There was not a lot of criticism but the audience understood the concept of the treatment. We will be updating our treatment and post the final treatment with the changes from the audience feedback.

E.M.V (Updated) Treatment

Research and Planning Moving Image- Treatment

Treatment on Moving Image

Screenshot of conversation

Elma and I. First social network communication about our Plan for the treatment.

Lyrics analysis for the moving image

This analysis is what we will use in our treatment.

Practice Task and Reflection

Music Promo Video Reflection
Camera: Marvellous, Elma 
Sound: Eda
Editing: Marvellous
Actors: Vivian 

Strengths 

• We had a variety of locations
• The use of camera angles and shots was varied
• Creating a narrative and concept that fit with the music
• The editing was fairly straight forward 

Weaknesses 

• Lip synch was not in time with the music
• We did not create a storyboard, in other words we did a freestyle 
• I did not start the video because we took too long to plan
• Making decisions of how we should shoot the video was not easy

Case Study 2

Alicia Keys - It's On Again ft. Kendrick Lamar

The close up of her face shows her facial expressions as surprised, when she was lip syncing the cutting rate was quite fast. Her fingers creep in the close up where she is excited about the spider man movie. The target audience will feel delighted that Alicia wants to watch the film too. The video reinforces the   values of beauty.  In the beginning there was a focus pull towards Alicia so that the audience are drawn into her lip syncing it was plausible. 

She is wearing a black leather jacket and a short black dress black connoted power and elegance however, she is not represented as classy instead she is raw and edgy. The audience want to know what will happen next.

The use of the editing match on action shows the continuity of the spider man film cuts and Alicia lip syncing. Moreover the spider man film has a voice over of Alicia. The montage used in the fast cutting rate to show urgency for the importance of the aim of the promo video.

Wide shot in the tacky location, she is dressed in black short dress in this Long shot of Alicia Keys the camera is in  a low level angle this connotes the idea she is powerful and she is talking directly to us. She is in an edgy posture. The footage reinforces youths who want to dress like adults, the female audience will aspire to dress and look like Alicia. The symbolism of female artist is as an sexual icon.

The use of the flashing lights links to the whole idea of power and control, the audience may view Alicia as supernatural. In addition the flashing adds to the rhythm when she lip syncs emphasizing her power

Locations

 Garage, Studio 

 Props: piano, chair, walky talky  

Costume

Black jacket, black dress, black heels.

 Lighting

 3 point lighting

Makeup

 bright lip stick, dark eye shadow

This case study will help me to create a star image of the artist, direct eye contact to the camera to engage the audience.  

Case Study 1

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - CAN'T HOLD US FEAT. RAY DALTON 

Published on April 17, 2013

Producer Ryan Lewis Youtube Channel

 Length- 7:03 

·     Synopsis– It  promotes their debut album Heist, a flag traveled throughout the video as it suggests that we should let everything go and to be ourselves. 

·        The video is conceptual and performance based because

·        The themes included the genre of Hip hop and R&B on the streets. Justice, freedom and peace were common

·        Macklemore was represented as a leader through the

The role of the main character was to entertain us through the performance video and the concept was witty. 

Lip synching was used in chorus and there was a voice over in some of the verses throughout because there was three locations and the music in the background alongside the instrumental were playing throughout the video.

·        3:01 of the camera panning on setting of the living room with the obsolete television and objects do not follow the norms of the new television as a post-modern concept. 

The idea of a camel on the street where you can seen modern cars parked depicts the hybrid ideas on the past which is emphasized in the future. However, the video reaches out to teenagers and adults because it encourages the age identity and emphasizing the idea that they can be who they want to become and the journey is not over.

Mise en scene

·        Locations: Pacific, The street, Green land, Beach

·        Costume: Fur coats, shorts, top

·        Props: Flag,  Camel, hair stylist chair, Trumpet

·        Lighting: Shallow depth of feel and foregrounding was used in on the ship     and Ambient followed by natural light when Macklemore was with Camel 

·        Make up: Natural 

      

               Editing

   The panning connotes the journey of the flag throughout the video which depicts the idea of freedom and belonging to the country but also the artist belonging to the debut studio album ‘Heist’. After watching the video I was eager to know what heist meant. I found out it is the debut album and this flag has not been included in music videos so it created a sense of a USP (unique selling point) for the song and the new album. 

Credits at the end of the video is used to acknowledge the production team 

They persuade us to buy the record as the music video by including  a range of demographics for example the ageing population is represented by the man in the beginning and youths are the main target group because they are still growing and could identify themselves with the video. This is a sense of identification for the audience and also an identity is reinforced here for Macklemore as his debut album is 'Heist'

1.       I could subvert the idea of performance and concept in the video and the representation of demographics.
2.     I will not make the video 7 minutes long because the audience will be disconnected to the video half way through.

In a wide mid shot of Macklemore with a man on the Camel holding 'The Heist' flag in the foreground we
can see houses and flashy cars. Macklemore is wearing a black blazer with a grey top underneath. He looks happy, the audience want to know why. In this wide mid shot he is presented as superior because he is holding a camel, the camel connotes a pilgrimage and a journey. I wanted to know why he did not want to take the car instead of the camel.

The motif of Macklemore is presented later during the music promo, after I watched the video once I wanted to watch it again because I missed significant information for the reasons for the camel and the flag. I had to conduct research on 'The Heist' and it came up with the debut studio album by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

The panning and tracking here in this shot it shows the smooth action where he is wearing a white blazer connotes purity and perfection. There is postmodern cue here by the props and set on the cart that the red car is attached to, i.e television, stereo, lamp, bell, furniture. It reinforces what is out of fashion to show that Macklemore has come along way on this journey. Panning adds to the idea of a journey that is why it is so important here. Lip sync here is fast because of the journey he is on and the cutting rate is increasing. The cut away is used to show the camel, it suggest that his mission is not accomplished yet.    

Ray Dalton lip synching and body gestures showing the audience that he is a leader and the lip synching is short because there is a cutaway here to emphasis this point when Ryan Lewis is holding the flag with the crowd under his foot. 

A 180degree movement here in a wide mid shot. This is conceptual because there is a hair stylist on the beach touching up Ray Dalton’s hair and the stylist is Macklemore, Ryan Lewis is seen walking out of the with the flag when he is on land he is running.

Slow motion and a voice-over  no lip sync here as Macklemore is about to get the flag to put it up, there is an extreme close up when he pulls the flag up. The song is faster than before and the cutting rate is slower now that the  mission was accomplished

Establishing shot of the building connotes that the heist is superior and they are leaders no one can follow us a flag connotes independence and freedom.

Editing Technique

Credit rolls for the producer and writers and directors.

Evaluation on lip syncing overall & the role of Macklemore 

I think there was not enough lip syncing by Macklemore because there was different locations which had actions so it would be difficult to lip sync in each location where there is a performance, for example on the ship Macklemore was with the youths and they were dancing while he was using his gestures and singing for short time before there is a cut away to the other location where Ryan Lewis is jumping from the building to the crowd below him this connotes the idea that they respect him because they caught him when he jumped and also he is a leader. The voice over was clear and in sync when the location changed frequently.

This will help me on the lip syncing when I edit.

Editing Notes For Practice Task

Final Cut Pro Editing Notes From Practice Task 

• system settings

• scratch disk

• set

• choose a folder, create a title

Getting video on to Final cut pro :

•  File

•  Log and Transfer

Importing, drag them individually or press the first and the last one then press shift Sound editing - cmd (command) + R -> rendering song to play with the clips

• Razor tool is to cut unwanted clips

• Arrow tool  to position the sound or clip

• Audible (green button) is used to mute the song

• Lock tool to stop the music or clip from playing 

Creative Ideas

Possible tracks Sean Paul & Rihanna- Break it off 

Production Schedule

This is my production schedule for my Media Project. 

Music Promo Research

Brief A Task a) I am interested in the music video because, I want to learn how to put lyrics in sync with the music. I know someone who creates garage and house instrumentals - I hope my group and I can find a song writer to write the lyrics for the song which will be about friendship. From the music I created a synopsis about a lady, and two gentlemen who were best friends and they knew each other since they were young. We could use long shots, mid shots and closeups to show their facial expressions of being satisfied and determined on their day out at bowling. Hand held will be used to engage the viewers. The actors were wearing casual outfits. The whole synopsis will be about a day out with friends and having a laugh, the promo video will be different because the lyrics and the instrumental will be in sync and also it will be in a narrative base, it will be engaging and humorous, the idea of a reunion will be terrific, it will relate to the title and will have a main character who is one of the gentlemen who will be nostalgic. The props we could use are an umbrella, special bowling shoes, a head sets and a wallet.