Where could this Video be Promoted?

   This is a Prezi showing a few ideas I had when thinking about promoting my music video

- All these sites are used by thousands/millions globally

- They are all primarily video-sharing websites

- I have put them in order of success (for promoting my music video, which is an independent film)    

- You may need to zoom in on the slides using the scroller on your mouse    

            

Analysis of Narrative/Abstract/Performance

Here are three consecutive examples of a narrative music video, an abstract music video and a performance music video.

I have chosen to research these three extracts as I feel like it will enable me to understand the different concepts of creating a music video in depth.

Example #1: Narrative. Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

                                                     
Mise-en-Scene

The mise-en-scene within this narrative music video is instantly established via the bright primary colour schemes. This reflects the upbeat music that begins to play. The costumes establish narrative throughout the video due to Taylor ‘transforming’ from a ‘Geek’ with glasses on, into someone prestigious (wearing the glittering, jewelled dress at the end.)

This furthermore reflects the narrative due to the intertextual reference of ‘Cinderella’. The idea of transforming and becoming someone else to suite another proves to be a traditional storyline. Therefore, the audience can associate these factors, such as costume change and bright (traditional) primary colours with the conventions of a traditional piece. The signification of Taylor changing clothing in front of a mirror, supports the idea that she is trying to change to fit in – therefore going through a process of self-finding (to impress the boy she likes- which in the end, she finds herself and goes to the prom to be with him.)

The interesting thing about the mise-en-scene, is that the boy she likes has a girlfriend, who is also placed by her (but with a wig on). This is done intentionally and maybe could show that the only thing holding her back from being with him, is herself. Therefore, the process of self-finding is pushing her negativity and insecurities away so that she can be happy with him.

Cinematography

There is a continuous use of two-shot framework which also reflects the narrative-base of this music video. It symbolises the fact that the protagonist (Taylor Swift – the artist) and the antagonist (the ‘boy-next-door’) have some sort of connection. Throughout the video, Taylor is fantasising about being a couple with the boy, however is in dispute with her own self-image due to his girlfriend having the connotations of being popular (a long shot shown with her in the centre and a group of friends in the background).

Therefore, the use of single close-up shots show her isolation she feels within herself when faced with her love for this boy – believing that she should be the one that’s with him, not her, but doesn’t think she is good enough.

Editing

The use of cut-shots move the narrative forward. It goes quite sporadically from being in her room, to at a baseball game, to the prom – the three main scenes. As it is a narrative, there is not any ‘real’ abstract qualities that can be found similar to Taylor Swift’s new music video ‘Style’ and therefore follows the conventions of a narrative-based music video.

Sound

The lyrics for this soundtrack are also narrative-based, for example, ‘You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset’ which has direct where we see the ‘boy-next-door’ on the phone, looking as if he is having an argument. Also, again when she sings ‘She wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts’ which also has direct correlation with the narrative as you see her dressing up in the mirror (in short skirts and t-shirts). There is no narrative dialogue and is primarily non-diegetic sound throughout, which most music videos have.

The sound cohesively links with the music video as it is a very literal narrative and therefore is easily understood in one way by a large percentage of the audience. Again, it is not very abstract and tells quite a clear and cohesive story.

Example #2: Abstract. Katy Perry - Unconditionally

                                                     

Mise-en-Scene

The mise-en-scene is instantly established in the first scene and we can see that it is regal. The colours on screen are very bright which shows reflection off the snow that is falling. The snow demonstrating purity. The contrast between the white of the snow and the back of the background and her hair creates a mysterious atmosphere. Her skin is very pale and the time period (costumes) is in the past – therefore can suggest that the song is about a past relationship – a prestigious, regal, successful relationship. This also reinforces the amount of gold that is used throughout the video: to show the wealth (the richness of the relationship). This can also be seen in Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ music video. The cross-cutting between different scenes shows that this is an abstract music video and the consistent use of costume change shows there is no narrative: it is mainly about the visuals (so colour, costume and lighting.)

Cinematography

The artist is centralised in the screen throughout the video to show that maybe she’s looking in the past and it’s with direct correlation to her. Here are a lot of long-shots to show her outfit and thus reinforces that the video is abstract as she switched between different coloured costumes. There are also a couple of pans around the artist as she is singing to the sky, these different use of cinematography show the different scenes (from in the water, an aerial view of her lying on the car full of flowers… etc.)

Editing

There is a lot of use of CGI (Computer Generated Image) to create the effects like the smashing car behind Katy Perry, her setting fire and the animated flowers that fall down around her. There is also a lot of use of slow-motion within this video; this has links with the vocals in the song as some are drawn out and longer than others. The use of cut-shots from one scene to another go to the rhythm of the song and therefore keeps conventions of music videos in that way.

Sound

The sound is primarily non-digetic, which follows the conventions of a music video. 

Example #3: Performance. The Strokes - Repitilia 

 

Mise-en-Scene

You instantly see instruments as the first scene of the music video opens. This is conventional of performance-type music videos as you see the band playing the song featured in the video. The bright primary colour blue is used as a background to the instruments to show the up-beat liveliness of the song. You see the singer of the band with a microphone, singing the song which demonstrates further that this is a performance-orientated music video. There are continuous shots from the drummer, to the guitarist and back to the singer.

Cinematography

This video is made-up of a collocation of close-up shots and there are in fact no long-shots or establishing shots. It can therefore be said that as it doesn't follow the three-shot convention, it could be seen as a cross between a performance music video and an abstract music video. The shots also go in and out of focus to give a distorted effect and make it look more exciting as it is a very up-beat song.

Editing

The pace of editing become quicker paced as the song progresses and the rhythm becomes faster. This then flicks between each band member. There is also examples of a four-screen split where you get to see all of the band members at once which is good for performance music videos because you get to see them all together as a collaboration.

Sound

Again, this is primarily non-digetic music, however there is constant lip-sync to ensure that the audience understand it is a sole performance music video and nothing else. Sometimes, however performance music videos are crossed with a narrative and the band are the story-tellers and then they have different actors/actresses as the characters telling the story. There are a lot of different combinations. 

Storyboard and Animatic

This is my first storyboard for my music video. As it was drawn by hand, it cannot be considered accurate to my final product or any forthcoming videos. This has given me some ignition to what I would like to create as my final product and has given me an idea for my first draft. I have included a lot of elemental features such as water and earth to give the music video a natural, raw texture. Therefore, this makes it more original and also slightly different to mainstream videos that tend to have lots of props and scenes. I have budgeted my music video to cater for my own financial tendencies. Therefore, making this video on a low budget means that the conventions of it being an alternative genre is upheld.

                              

The video below is my first animatic. This is taken from my storyboard to show me how I would construct my video and maybe what it would look like as a first draft. It has also shown me that some of my timings are not on queue with the music. Therefore, when creating my first draft, I can now take into account different timings and beat rhythms such as the chorus when there is distinct snare drums that have now been made evident when looking at my animatic.

As you can see from this animatic, there are two subject characters. This was a rash, last minute decision in which now, looking back, I don't think works. When creating this idea, I had not thought out properly who my subject two would be, therefore, there is no character profile in my work for this. However, I can still use this animatic to determine shot distance and shot types when creating my first music video draft. My aim was to contrast two different perspectives, confident subject two being an alter-ego to a subdued, conserved subject one. As you can see in shot number 33 onwards, subject two uses holi powder smoke in the air (taken from my research) contrasting with different elements such as the removal of clothes, the connection with the woods and earth. However, subject one is fully dressed, walking through a marina, like a normal day, however, the constant graphic and video matching between each scene, shown with subject two in shot 30 spinning with the smoke and subject one spinning in shot 31 next to the marina keeps continuity for over 10 seconds to really establish both scenes and the contrast between both characters personalities. It is aimed to depict the song's message of drowning within life and situations. Therefore, in subject one's mind, there is a trapped subject two wanting to express themselves but feeling trapped and confined. 

This animatic and storyboard has shown me that at the moment, my ideas are too complicated. There is too much going on within the mise-en-scene and even though i believe the cinematography is OK, it is much too complex for a low-budget production. Therefore, I have created a short animatic that I think would suite my ideas a lot more and help me achieve my first draft a lot easier. This consists of just one subject character, my original candidate 'Erin Miller'. It plays on a more literal definition of my chosen song 'Drown' as I think if I do this, I will be able to incorporate a more in-depth and detailed concepts later. But for now, it will be solely abstract.

As you can see this animatic only contains about 6/7 slides. This was taken out of my original animatic as I didn't believe it fit in very well. it has also given me more of an idea for my first draft music video. As you can see, the location would be in a bath, but I was to create a distorted view, almost as if it was not taken from a bathroom scene. I want to make my music video as less cliche as possible as I believe this will benefit my alternative indie genre.

Jumpology

Philip Halsman: Jumpology

Philip Halsman and Salvidor Dali collaborated in 1941 to create the piece of work called 'Dalí Atomicus' featuring three cats flying, a bucket of thrown water and Salvidor Dali in mid-air.

Dalí Atomicus

Halsman once stated, "When you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls so that the real person appears." Philip Halsman, (the photographer) developed a philosophy of jump photography, which he called jumpology.

I think that Jumpology is interesting when interpreting Moving image because it captures a moment in which you would most normally watch on screen. Also, the fact that moving image is photography in itself (each frame is a picture) for me, is really important when creating my music video. Every frame and every shot has to be positioned as if it were a photographic piece of work. It has to be visually appealing - like a piece of art. Just as if you would admire a painting in a gallery, you admire the piece of moving footage. In Philip Halsman's work, I think he captures the moving image within the still as you acquire a glimpse into the story of how they achieved the photograph. You know that everything will come down with the force of gravity, but the beautiful thing about it is it tells a story from the beginning, to how they created the photo and how it would waver after the photo was taken. Therefore, it acts as a moving image within your mind. For me, this picture is stuck forever in slow motion, it's almost as if the photographer has placed every object, person and cat in a specific way.

 

Jumpology also reminds me of Bill Viola's 'The Ascension' and how the human form was moving upwards, stagnant in mid-air, still for every second and then moving upwards again. Like Halsman, in Viola's work he uses a lot of light to signify different forms and different images within a scene. For my music video, I like the idea of capturing a moment in slow-motion and hope to do this using the water and bath scenes. I don't typically want to viewer to think "Oh, she's in a bath", I want it to be more meaningful than that, I want them to think about the composition of every frame and why it was placed there. Because like photography, moving image is about structure and planning and most of all, positioning to create the viewpoint you want.

As you can see, I have tried out my own Jumpology tests with my little sister Lottie. I have taken a couple photos of her jumping mid-air and also a couple of videos where she is jumping in slow-motion - therefore, applying the still jumping motion as shown in Philip Halsman's photograph into my film production. These small test shots have expanded my horizon in terms of slow-motion (that I could use in my video) and inspiration for maybe incorporating Jumpology within film. 

Shooting Video Diary and Health and Safety Grid

       This is my shooting diary that I will keep updated throughout the course of my practical production

- It consists of props, possible locations, actor/actresses, weather forecast and equipment status'

- It also includes stills from the shoot
                         

         This is a Health and Safety grid for all my footage shoots **Constantly Updated**

- It determines risks taken, what could go wrong and how to prevent it from happening

- This is vital to do for post-production because as an organiser, producer and director, you have to make sure your cast is performing within a safe environment

Tracey Emin's Bed

This theatrical piece was orchestrated by British Artist 'Tracey Emin' and was exhibited at the Tate Gallery in 1999. This was a significant piece of art was claimed to be the exact state of her bed as she finally got up out of a 7-day suicidal depression due to relationship difficulties.

As you can see, the bed's condition is in a worse for ware state as there is noted bodily secretion and other unseemly things. Knowing that Emin had fallen into a state of depression really made me think about how she managed to exit this 'mess'. As a tidy person myself, I found this really interesting and thought it collaborated well with my chosen song's lyrical message about 'drowning', metaphorically in life. Just like situations such as relationship problems, home-life issues and other things that put strain on  a person. Just looking at this piece made me feel slightly suffocated, so I thought it would be a good idea to try a re-create this piece of work to experience it in the flesh and maybe get some ideas for my music video. However, as you can see, I did not create it as well as Tracey Emin may have, but when filming my actress on the bed, I understood, from an aerial perspective what this destruction and disarray could have maybe felt like: mentally and physically.