Friday, 10 January 2020

LO4: Final Promo

LO4: Evaluation

I have created a music video for an indie band from Sheffield named The Stoops, in creating the video I have included many conventions of the genre and music video codes.
'A Million Reasons' is an indie pop song and therefore we wanted to reflect the genre of the band and song in the video, we quickly decided that a performance video was the best approach to portray The Stoops' performance style and their song with the maximum attention on the music and talent of the band, this being a big indie ethos unlike very commercialised genres like pop.
The video was shot in a studio, and taking inspiration from one-take music video 'Dont you look good on the dance floor' by Sheffield indie giants The Artic Monkeys we wanted the video to have similar themes and conventions.

The purpose of the video was to entertain the target audience of 16-25 year olds as well as exposure for the band, the video will be uploaded onto the bands official youtube, because of these factors we decided that key editing techniques that would need to be regularly included would be upbeat jump cutting and varied angles to keep the audience very engaged and focused throughout the gig-style video.

The shoot of The Stoops' performance took place in a studio and was filmed on Cannon 550 cameras; by using industry style equipment and editing software this would ensure the best outcome, we wanted to create a lot of band identity in this video due to it being the bands first shot video, this meant that in the editing process we have ensured the band have a big image.
We have created the introduction of the video to have a lot of intrigue on the band, as the song begins with a couple of seconds before the introduction bar plays this inspired me to add a short introduction of the band setting up. These varied close up shots of the lighting and sound being checked before the band started playing reinforced the idea of a gig-like video and made the point of view of the audience like a member of the audience behind the scenes.
This once again being very stereotypical of the indie genre due to bands known to be playing concerts very often but to smaller crowds due to the niche genre.

Because our video consisted of just performance clips this meant that the impact of the music video would come from the editing and the style of shots taken, in the editing portion of the video I have also included SFX into the video, I wanted to keep the video very minimalistic and raw to reinforce the main focus being on the music and the talent of the band however I wanted to add some very minimal effects such as splits screens and overlays to keep the audience engaged and entertained throughout.

To ensure that I have conformed to the indie genre and have created clear and recognisable music video conventions i have edited the video with common music video visuals such as split screens and have also added indie elements these being edits such as overlays this to entice the audience and to keep them engaged throughout with not just quick jump cuts but with refreshing visuals throughout.

In the video 'A Million Things' I wanted to add minimal edits that would entertain and engage the audience throughout the performance video. In this screenshot you can see an overlay effect added to the shots, the low opacity of the clips creates a ghost like effect also known as an onion skin effect. This effect is added to the build up of the chorus in the song, i wanted to add the effect at this particular point as it allows the build up to seem more impactful along with the connotations of the band constantly playing the song as this allows the audience to view the band as very dedicated to delivering their song the best they can.

I added the effect by layering two clips on top of each other and then lowering the opacity of the top layer this revealing the clip underneath.
I wanted to choose two clips that created symmetry when overlaid on each other to create positive connotations like balance and harmony but were both clear and not clashing each other at any point.

Another effect that I have added to the video is a split screen, this effect features twice in the video at really strong musical points, in this screenshot the split screen is placed at the intro of the song where both the bass guitar and drums are really clear instruments, by showcasing the instruments that are most definable it allows to link the audiences visual and hearing making the video making logical sense, showing instruments visually when they are very prominent in the song is a convention in all genres of music videos.

To create this effect I layered two clips and then continued to change the position of the clips to place them side-by-side, after positioning the clips to be split I then had to add the crop effect to both clips to make sure that in the split screen was the desired visuals and that they were centred to achieve the best aesthetic visual.

The screenshot to the left demonstrates my opening title of my music video, this visual demonstrates the editing tool inverted alpha adjust. It was really important to me to have a really bold and eye-catching title to demonstrate the importance of the band, this creating band image from the opening scene. the representation of the band appears more professional and influential. The clip playing underneath the title allows movement to be present in the title, this engages the audience and this SFX in particular acts as a pull to the audience to carry on watching and intrigue to the band, by not immediately showing the band members as the opening shot it creates intrigue for the audience on who are The Stoops.

This SFX was created with the effect alpha adjust, i dragged alpha adjust onto the opening clip and this created the border around the shot however the border at this point was in black, this black border did look effective however I then continued to invert the effect to make it white, this ensured that the writing was as impactful as possible and the most eye-catching visuals possible.

The shot showing through the overlaid text border is very varying in colours and lighting, this being done purposely to feed into the intrigue that the opening creates for the audience.

The audio of the track was also accompanied by a sound effect of low level talking, by including this low level talking when shots of the band set up are played it emphasises the gig-like scenario that you would find The Stoops doing due to them being a niche indie band.
The track 'A Million Things' is a professionally produced song, this meaning that the track is lossless and already a very high audio quality due to the professional production and recording, because of the track being an official song for the band its professional quality is really important to demonstrate a overall clean and together connotation for the band. One of the key elements whilst creating the video was to match the audio to the visuals due to this being one of the biggest conventions for a music video for any genre.

Overall I am really happy with the outcome if I would have repeated the process again I would have included a 15 second narrative section in the instrumental section towards the end and I would spend more time really perfecting the jump cuts however I do really like the end product and think it has many conventions of the indie genre and creates a really positive brand image for The Stoops.

LO4: Audio Levels

Here is the audio levels for my sound effect of people talking, the sound effect is played before the music begins to create a gig like ambience for the audience, I did however have to edit the sound levels of this particular clip to make it match the levels of the 'A Million Things' track. I did this by increasing the volume level as you can see below, this allowed continuity of sound level throughout the video.

Here is a screenshot of the 'A Million Things' track, as I had to heighten the sound effect to match the levels of the track I also lowered the track level to have the two different audios meet in the middle, I did this by lowering the volume level also.

LO4: Feedback

After creating my second draft i wanted to gather audience feedback to see improvements from different perspectives this including the target audience. To gather feedback I created a survey with open questions to get constructive feedback to make changes upon.

Q.1

What genre is the music video and why?

From this feedback I can see that I have followed indie conventions well, only one of the answers was pop/contemporary however the song does have upbeat elements that would be seen in some scenarios as pop-like.

Q.2

Does the video fit the conventions of the genre well?

From this feedback i can see that the video is well created with techniques relevant to the genre this was one of the main objectives of the brief therefore I'm really happy with the feedback.

Q.3

What would you change to improve?

This feedback is the most constructive it gives me elements to work on for the next edit, I will definitely include elements such as a bolder title for the opening sequence and I like the idea of adding narrative elements to break up the performance however this would take away from the indie performance convention I am trying to recreate.
The comment regarding the jump cutting is right therefore I will work on making cuts cleaner and more precise this being a huge element of the video so I want to have the best version possible.

Thursday, 9 January 2020

LO4: Evidence of Editing

Editing Tool 1. Overlay effect.

The screenshot above demonstrates my opening title of my music video, this visual demonstrates the editing tool inverted alpha adjust. It was really important to me to have a really bold and eye-catching title to demonstrate the importance of the band, this creating band image from the opening scene. the representation of the band appears more professional and influential.

The clip playing underneath the title allows movement to be present in the title, this engages the audience and this SFX in particular acts as a pull to the audience to carry on watching and intrigue to the band, by not immediately showing the band members as the opening shot it creates intrigue for the audience on who are The Stoops.

The shot showing through the overlaid text border is very varying in colours and lighting, this being done purposely to feed into the intrigue that the opening creates for the audience.

Editing Tool 4. Cutting tool

In this clip it demonstrates quick jump-cutting that is shown throughout the video, this is a key convention of music videos throughout all genres.

The song especially is very upbeat this means that the video is full of timed jump-cuts that match the rhythm and beat of the song.
Its key that shots change on the beat, without this timing the video can appear out of time and boring to watch for the audience.
To include these jump-cuts I have used the razor tool, this tool allows me to shave clips to the perfect size to fit the timing of the song.
In this particular clip i have tried to include jump-cuts cutting to insert shots due to the instruments being prominent in the song this being a very generic convention especially to the indie genre as its demonstrating the key instruments played by the band.

LO3/4: Edit Log

LO4: Drafts

Draft 1

Here is my first draft, in this draft you can see that I have just begun editing, the audio track has been added and therefore I am beginning to jump cut and time videos to the songs beat.

Draft 2

In this draft you can see that the music video is fully made and all videos are in order and are jump cutted roughly to the beat, you can see elements of the video aren't very clean and precise along with the video not having an opening sequence, personally having an opening title and band name is really important as it allows the audience to have more visual interaction with the names therefore them being more rememberable.
The video has a monochromatic effect added, this effect at the time looked really good and fitted the indie genre however in older drafts you'll see that its been removed, personally I like the video raw in terms of colour grading as it adds to the minimalistic style seen throughout.

Draft 3

In this draft you can see corrections that need to be made such as a bolder title being added, better jump-cutting to the beat and more SFX need to be added.
To add a bolder title would create a more eye-catching and therefore more appealing introduction that is really important in terms of first impressions, the band name and song need to be bigger to demonstrate the importance of the band name and image.
Jump cutting to the beat needs to be cleaner, in places such as 00.00.21.34 where the drumming introduction has stooped but the shot of the drummer continues to do a fast paced drumming motion, this unrelated audio and visual confuses the audience and makes the video look messy.
I would like to add more SFX such as split screen to make the video more entertaining for the audience, the SFX would be very minimal due to the minimalistic indie style but would be effects such as split screen which would feature two artists shot separately.

Draft 4

This is my draft was the final product, I am very proud of the improvements made e.g the very bold and visible title being added, I think this doesn't only interest the audience in terms of the effect but creates intrigue as the band aren't immediately shown. I think the jump cutting is a lot more precise and cleaner especially in terms of the drummers solo clips as mentioned above.
As well as the SFX added in the title scene SFX have also been added throughout the video, I have add only very subtle SFX due to me wanting to in-keep with the minimalistic approach however I have still managed to make the video more entertaining to watch in terms of visual aid.
Even though this is my last draft I still would make some very minor tweaks, these being elements such as cutting videos slightly and other tweaks however overall I am really happy with the end video I think it demonstrates all conventions of an indie genre video as well as it being entertaining to watch for all genre listeners.

LO4: Offline edit

Here is an offline edit of the music video, I have edited together the rushes and matched the beat of the video however my next step is to add in effects. I plan to add many effects to this 30 secons especially as its the beginning of the song this meaning that it needs a title as well as many attractions to keep the audience engaged and wanting to watch on to the rest of the video, the first 30 seconds is very important as it acts as a pull technique.

For my first idea I want to add a bold and impactful title, I want the font in a san-serif to make it really easy and quick to read, due to the beginning scenes varying in lighting drastically I will need to add a title that will stand out and be readable against the background.

For my second SFX idea I want to add is an overlay, I want to overlay clips and lower the opacity to make both scenes appear to play at the same time, this will add in entertainment value for the audience and this important as performance videos can get boring if not enough jump-cuts and varied shots are used to add in minimal SFX will enhance the video and keep the audience engaged.

I also want to add in split screens to the video, especially in sections where two very contrasting instruments are playing e.g drums and bass guitar. I want to place a split screen where both artists are filmed separately playing a solo like piece, if these two were merged in a split screen it would create positive binary opposites (Levi Strauss) between the two.

LO4: Footage Log

LO3: Following codes and conventions

Vampire Weekend - Cousins

Vampire Weekend is an American indie band, this is their music video for their song 'Cousins', as you can see the video is purely performance whilst the camera is on a dolly adding a fun element to the video as the camera is constantly moving whilst shooting the band.
The video bares resemblance to my 'A Million Things' video, all the band is dressed in casual clothing to denote the relaxed atmosphere of the video, this laid-back approach is very common in indie genre videos due to the ethos of indie of being very chilled and being very contrasting to pop videos which are very high maintenance.
Many indie videos are shot with low budgets due to the niche genre, in this video you can see the video is very simplistic and the dolly is one of the main elements that creates entertainment for the audience, this being instead of jump cuts and different camera angles which is a music video convention for all genres.
The video doesn't have any VFX or filters to the video this once again adding to the simplistic notion of the video that I also strive for.

Here is an insert demonstrating how I have used actual indie videos as inspiration once production started, both clips demonstrate the lead guitarists being showcased in a duet style shot, both shots are take from a medium close up and are eye level angled. This is very conventional especially for a performance video to keep the music video as simplistic and focused on the music as possible.

The Strokes - Reptilia

This music video by The Strokes is really impactful and very fitting to the indie genre due to the simplicity of just shooting insert shots of the band playing instruments , I have taken this as an example on how to jump-cut insert shots to the beat successfully without making the video too overcrowded with editing.
Including insert shots of the instruments being played is really relevant to the indie genre due to the ethos of indie music being about the passion of music rather than the commercial side which many people associate with more mass music such as pop.
The video consists of mainly eye-line view shots, this is a slight difference between 'A million reasons and 'Reptilia' however I have included eye-line shots when filming the singer as this allows the audience to engage better with the artist, i have contrasted 'Reptilia' by adding a vary of shots and angles to keep the audience entertained throughout.

This screenshot demonstrates the similarities between the two videos, as you can see both have insert shots of direct instruments being played in prominent places in the song where the instrument can be heard, this ocne again linking the senses of hearing and seeing during the video.

The Artic Monkeys - I bet you look good on the dance floor

This music video by The Arctic Monkeys is one of the key inspirations for my music video, the music video consists of a single-take performance, this is often done by indie bands who want to demonstrate their unique selling point and their performance skills.
This video does have jumpcuts to insert shots of instruments being played and close ups of lead singer Alex Turner however we do see varied long shots of the full band performing which creates entertainment throughout as its not a continuous visual.
The lighting throughout the video also changes this creating a gig-like effect for the video this being reinforcing the single-take performance shot.
Similar to my music video The Artic Monkeys are also performing in a studio like set up, this set up is continuous throughout the video and is kept entertaining throughout by varied shots and lighting.

In this screenshot you can see the similarities between the two videos.

LO3: Setting up production materials

Setting up production materials

1. Heres a picture demonstrating the camera being fixed onto the tripod in preparation of filming.
The camera used was a cannon 550D, by using a DSLR this created a professional atmosphere and a higher quality of shooting.

2. Here is the soft-box lighting used in shooting, by having professional standard lighting it will make the subjects of the shoot appear as ideal partners and selves.

3. Here is a selection of the cameras used to shoot the footage, by having multiple cameras used by several crew members at the same time it allows more footage and different angles of the same shoot without the band performing repeatedly

4. This picture demonstrates group members setting up a slider, this equipment allows smooth pans of the group and a fixed shooting place for the camera. By having this equipment it adds varies shots.

5/6. Here demonstrates more tripod preparation and planning.

LO3: Planning matching production

My planning matching to my product is seen throughout the video, in many scenes you can see influential documents like storyboards dictate the scene from lighting, mise-en-scene and shot type.
It was very crucial to plan the scenes in the pre production stage with inspired indie references, all scenes shown below have clear inspiration from other indie music videos created by bands such as Vampire Weekend, The Strokes and Catfish and The Bottlemen, by conducting thorough research in the pre-production stages we could recognise clear indie shot types/angles and shown iconography that were repeatedly used and shown in videos by infamous indie bands.

1. In this scene you see this close up with the lead singer, this shot is very impactful due to the shot type, the close up aspect demonstrate the two focal points being the microphone and the singer, due to the indie genre the musical instruments are a very big feature in the video as its simplistic nature demonstrates the song without gimmicks.
As you can see the two shots are very similar, in the planning stage however the shot seems an extreme close up but in filming we realised this was slightly too close and made for an uncomfortable shot.

2. In this scene you can see another band member being filmed performing the song, due to the music video being a performance style video this is seen often throughout the video, it is important that all band members get shown especially in sections of the song where their instrument is most prominent, this shot in particular is from the drum solo in the introduction.
As you can see the planning matches the product really well and we used the planning documents as a very thorough guide in how to set up the scene.
It was really important to demonstrate the instruments, this placed iconography was key in connoting an indie ethos, due to the indie bands having strong connotations of skilled members who are dedicated to the genre and making music they are proud of.

3. In this scene it shows the set up of the band, this setting up portion of the music video is placed at the beginning to signify the band are about to play, by showing high end software like the control panels for the lighting it begins the clip with a very professional atmosphere.
By demonstrating key instruments and set up for the bands performance it connotes an indie genre music video, by creating a gig environment for the video it enables indie denotations as gigs are a common way of indie music being shared with their fans.

As you can see the planning is followed exactly in this shot and you can tell that it has been very clearly referenced on shoot day

4. Similar to the last scene this is another shot demonstrating the band setting up, by showing equipment like this it once again demonstrates the indie genre by the more grunge side of performing. Unlike the planning in the video we had one of the band members plug into the amp, this adding more detail and making the clip more exciting and having more movement this adding to the entertainment factor.

LO3: Planning matching product

My planning matching to my product is seen throughout the video, in many scenes you can see influential documents like storyboards dictate the scene from lighting, mise-en-scene and shot type.

1. In this scene you see this close up with the lead singer, this shot is very impactful due to the shot type, the close up aspect demonstrate the two focal points being the microphone and the singer, due to the indie genre the musical instruments are a very big feature in the video as its simplistic nature demonstrates the song without gimmicks.
As you can see the two shots are very similar, in the planning stage however the shot seems an extreme close up but in filming we realised this was slightly too close and made for an uncomfortable shot.

As you can see the planning is followed exactly in this shot and you can tell that it has been very clearly referenced on shoot day

Wednesday, 8 January 2020

LO2: Release and consent form

Here demonstrates the permission the band has given us regarding shooting and using them in the video, this is an important form as it represents that we have legally followed procedure in regards to filming and distributing content.