Storyboard (Verse 1)

Here is the first verse of our storyboard, this is the guidelines we will follow, I and the group prepared this together using our ideas we had. The shots we are planning to get using this is only guidelines and when we our in the filming scenario we may change some things  or adapt some ideas if we believe it will result in a better final outcome.

Underwater Filming

This is an extension to my previous post, I discussed the handheld and underwater ideas with my group and they were on board and agreed that it was a great and unique idea.

Therefore we decided to put the underwater idea to the test and use the equipment we had to do so and see what the outcome was. To the left is our brief test we done just to see how effective this is and mainly what the quality was like. We were able to do this using the 'Lifeproof' case for the iPhone.

This was very beneficial as it concluded that this is something we can defintly use in our video and without a reduction in quality.

My ideas

Looking at more ideas and more unique ideas we can include into our music video. Earlier today I came across Beauty and a Beat by Justin Bieber. I had seen the video before many times but never thought about it from a media perspective.  There are two key things I like about this video and I will put forward to my group.

Firstly is the handheld camera which is used, This provides a sense of realism and makes the audience feel part of the video. It suits the genre really well as the upbeat dance vibe of the song goes with the handheld wild look thats going on. I would like to place this in our video somewhere as I feel it will enhance our video as the genre we have chosen "Dance" is very upbeat and will tie in well with this approach.

Another part of this video I really liked is the underwater scene. This is very unique and different and is something me and my group can do as we have the equipment to do so. I feel very strongly towards this and think it will make our video better. Therefore I will be speaking to the group and asking there opinion on this and once we have our song choice, see where we can fit this aspect in.

Filming Ideas

I have been doing some research into filming techniques and different styles and I came across a Coldplay video 'Every tear drop is a waterfall' and this video features a time lapse. This is were the video footage is sped up very fast and time seems to move quicker. I have seen this in various videos now and is a great way to project ideas and I believe will tie in well with our chosen genre which is dance.

To the left is a video our group made yesterday just as a trial to test this footage and the time lapse. This was really easy to do and the outcome is very effective.


This is something we will definitely be looking at to impliment into our group. Below is a video of a time lapse in Times Square New York by 'Lloyd Cook' and Coldplay's video which provided the inspiration for this technique.

Song choices

Today in the group we had a discussion and came to the conclusion that it would be best for the outcome of the overall production that we go with the genre 'dance'. This genre best suits all our individual tastes as we all enjoy this style of music as we attend music festivals for this genre. Having such a strong interest in this genre will help as we can all implement and reflect on our ideas and enjoy this whole experience making it easier.

Tiesto

Hardwell

We are going to begin to look at music videos and songs in our next discussion and each roll ideas of each other about potential ideas for our song choice. Another key factor into why we have chosen this genre is due to the fact there are not many music videos for songs of this genre as a lot of them are festival sets etc. With there being no video, I believe this will help us as we have nothing to influence us and our ideas when making the video. For example if we were to produce a mainstream song such as a pop song in the charts we will always be thinking about the official music video and it will be hard to make it our own.

Martin Garrix

Artists we have arranged to look at for songs are DJ's such as Hardwell, Martin Garrix & Tiesto. We have arranged to each look at one artist in detail to find out who they are what they're about. I have agreed to look at Tiesto and some potential song choices of his. John is looking at Hardwell and Jacob, Martin Garrix.

Group Blog

This is a link to our group blog. As part of our A2 coursework we need to put together a music video for a song of our choice. The blog will show the research that our group are completing, The research will be things such as questionnaires so that we can see opinions on what audiences want to see in a music video from a particular genre of music. Throughout this course we will hold group discussions etc and all information and topics we discuss will be posted on this blog.

Click here for the group blog.

Effects Debate

The effects debate suggests what effect media has on its audeince and how this effect can influence the audience.So that the audience can be 'protected' from some content the media shows, there is media regulation. This is seen in three catagories:

- Those who articulate their concerns about the effects of the media without any actual evidence.

- Those who have conducted research into media effects and whether the effects are positive and negative.

- Those who are subject to the debate, usually children or teenagers consuming new forms of media which the 'adult culture' are worrying about.

This theory is shown to be taken action by the media as there are ratings and restrictions in place to display what is sutible for the audience. e.g. Age Ratings on Flims etc.

Hyperdemic Needle

The theory suggests that viewers of media content are a passive audience who are powerless to resist the impact of the messages in the media source.Meaning that they do not have any influence on the messages coming out of these media sources. This is a lot like Action Theory, in the way that messages are portrayed and noted by the viewer. 

The hypodermic needle theory was first introduced in the early 1900s; the theory was an attempt to explain how the general public would react to mass media. The theory suggests that audiences passively receive the information transmitted via the media without any attempt on their part to process or even challenge the data. The theory suggests that the information passes to the audience without the audience really having to think about what the message really is. An example of this is a violent music video or the media in general will potentially influence or have some sort of effect on the audience.

For example a Doctor, If they tell you something is true e.g. you have a specific illness, we as the people will believe it "Oh the doctor told me so its true". This is because the doctor is seen to have a position of power and knowledge. More recently the street artist Banks'y has been arrested according to the internet and various 'trusted sites' However banks'y earlier tweeted denying these rumours. However people still believed it.

Blumner & Katz

The Blumler and Katz is a theory about what audiences do for the media rather than what the media does for the audience. The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual message itself by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to people” (Katz, 1959) .The theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs.The theory looks at the motives of the people who use the media, asking why we watch the television programmers that we do, why we bother to read newspapers, why we find ourselves so compelled to keep up to date with our favourite soap. It assumes that member of the audience are not passive, but take an active role in media to meet their needs. The theory is broken down into four different needs:

-Surveillance: The surveillance need is based around the idea that people feel better having the feeling that they know what is going on in the world around them, The surveillance model is all about awareness.

- Personal Identity: The personal identity need explains how being a subject of the media allows us to reaffirm the identity and positioning of ourselves within society. e.g. Pop stars can often becoming big roles models. inspiring young children everywhere. if they do something 'bad' then there is an uproar becomes of the effect it will have on there fans.

- Personal Relationships: We can form relationships with the media and also use the media to form relationships with others. The more we watch the same personalities, the more we feel we get to know them. Reality TV shows such as Big Brother give us such a feeling of intimacy with the participants that they can become part of our lives. it feels like we know them but we really don't.

- Diversion: This is when media is used for entertainment. For example, soaps such as Eastenders and Coronation Street, Comedy programmes such as Mrs Brown's Boys and Bad Education or talent and reality shows such as X Factor,  Geordie Shore and Big Brother.

This theory was based on Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model of the relationship between text and audience. the text is encoded by the producer, and understood by the reader, and there may be major differences between two different readings of the same code. However, by using recognised ideas and conventions, and by drawing upon audience expectations relating to aspects such as genre and use of more famous actors, the producers can position the audience and therefore create a certain amount of agreement on what the idea means.

ENCODING - media creates messages/signs
DECODING - audience receive and decode the message/sgins

There are 3 types of audience decodings:
Dominant
Negotiated
Oppositional

Dominant
Where the audience decodes the message as the producer wants them to do so and broadly agrees with it, eg watching a speech and agreeing with it.

Negotiated
Where the audience accepts, rejects, or refines elements of the text in light of previously held views, eg neither agreeing or disagreeing with the political speech or being disinterested.

Oppositional
Where the dominant meaning is recognised but rejected for cultural, political or ideological reasons, eg total rejection of the political speech and active opposition

In class we applied this to Maddonas 'What it Feels like for a Girl'



The audience would each interpret this in different ways. Females who see this video may interpret this as empowering and an example of modern feminism, showing women as not just sex objects but as people who exhibit power and can hold their own against men. Men however may see this video as offensive and an example of misandry, noting the double standards if it was instead a man in a car showing this aggressive behaviour towards women.

Carol Vernaillis Theroy

Carol Vernallis' theory is based on the editing of a music video. The theory includes four key concepts of editing:

• Narrative
• Editing
• Camera Movement & Framing
• Deigesis

Narrative
Vernallis suggests that the music video is a visual response to the narrative, What Vernaillis means by this is that what is happening in the music video is a representation of the lyrics. Also the theory suggests that there is not always a balance between narrative and performance. The video may be a partial fragmented narrative. Artists may sometimes leave music videos unfinished which lead to the audience beginning to pose questions towards the narrative of the song. Also the video may be a running montage theme.

Editing
Vernaillis also states that music videos may break many of the rules if the continuity editing, Also Editing will match the beat of the music. What Vernallis means by breaking the rules, a few examples of this are: You may see jump cuts, Breaks of the 30 degree rule, Cutting with the lyrics. You may not see smooth transitions, match on action and an even pace throughout.

Camera Movements & Framing
When it comes to the shot types extreme shots are very common. Also the style of framing and movement are usually a continuing theme that is distinctive to that video/genre. The master shots and close ups are used frequently. Any repetitions throughout the video and some frames will appear more important than others due to the way they have been shot/framed.

Deigesis 
The Deigesis may be revealed slowly throughout the music video. The characters may move to the music for example dance routines etc. Some frames may be more important than others due to the way that they have been shot. There also may be pieces missing in the audiences understanding of the deigesis.




The Vernallis' Theory can be applied to this video 'Stan' as what is happening in the video is a reflection of the lyrics. There is also various editing in this video, for example at the end where the thunder and lightning is happening and in sync with the sound of the thunder 'Stan's' reflection appears in the window beside Eminem. Also the camera movements link in with this theory as there are many close ups whilst the people in the video are talking etc. The deigesis is shown by the scene changing along with the verse (Eminem to Stan to Dido). When Eminem is singing it shows him, When Stan is singing  it shows him and when Dido is singing it shows her.

Goodwin's Theory

Goodwin's theory relates to how people see a song,what i mean by this is that everyone can look at the lyrics of a song in a different way. People will see songs in a different way and the lyrics will have a different meaning. This could be due to it reminding them of someone or and event. However the music videos often show the intentional meaning of the song to the artist. 

Goodwin has six different conventions within a music video.

1) A relationship between lyrics and visuals, which illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics. 
In this video there clear relation between lyrics and visuals as the lyrics are explaining the struggles of life on the street and drug related problems and the video represents this by showing someone who is down on there look and going through the struggles of drugs.
2) Through beats, seeing the sounds (the relationship between the music and the visuals, which illustrate, amplify or contradict the music).
The sound to this video is in sync with the visuals of the music video as it is all slow paced emotional scenes which amplify the music.

3) Genre-related style and iconography present.
This video relates to the genre as the genre is quite indie and the video portrays this as the black and white shows the moody, dull, artistic part of the genre, also showing the use of acoustic guitars.
4) Multiple close-ups of the main artist or vocalist; the creation of a star image to promote a recognisable brand image. 
it contradicts this part of the theory as there because in this video it is not clear who the artist or vocalist is.
5) Voyeurism often plays a major part, especially in relation to females.
It focuses on the female in this video and through the lyrics it portrays that she will do anything for money etc.
6) Intertextual reference to other media texts may be present, especially in humorous videos.
It is quite and individual video and does not show any intertextual references.

Ed Sheeran 'A Team' is a good representation of this theory as the video are a representation of the lyrics. The editing also goes with the beat, and there are multiple close ups as you can see in the screenshot above for the video.

Semiotic Theory

Semiotics is the study of signs and sign process. According to Morris human action involves signs and meanings in three ways:

• Perception Stage
• Manipulation Stage
• Consummation Stage

The perception stage the person becomes aware of the sign, The Manipulation stage the person interprets the sign and decides how to respond to it, The Consummation stage the person responds to the sign.

The semiotic theory can be represented in music through album covers and music videos. The connotation of an article is what the article would mean to a member of the audience, this makes music more personal whereas the denotation of an article is what it was intended to mean. This is the meaning that the musician has given a song. They often represent this through use of their music videos.

Denotation

Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word.

Connotation

Connotation refers to things that are associated with a particular word. The connotative meanings of a word exist together with the denotative meanings. 

This Justin Bieber album relates to this theory as it is a christmas album and it shows this on the front cover with the snow and the red sparkly Font. Also it shows the image of Justin Bieber therefore it has the connotation that he is looking at his audience (The Direct Address).

Applying this to the song by the verve "Drugs Don't Work" as this song connotes that Drugs Don't work and that they have no positive effects etc. He is singing to someone trying to get the message across that drugs are not good. However this song actually Denotation (Meaning) The artist is actually singing to his father on his death bed who died of cancer and he is referring to the medication he was taking saying they don't work as they failed to save his life.

Intertextuality

Intertexuality is recreating an original text in a new media. Taking the narrative and portraying it in a new format. This is similar to parody as you can recognise the similarities between both media's but Intertexuality takes away the comedy element. Intertexuality pays homage to the original media as apposed to parody which exaggerates everything to the point where it becomes comedic An example of this in a music video would be Taylor Swift 'Love Story, This is taking the diegesis of Romeo & Juliette and shows it in a new form of media.


   

Parody & Pastiche

Pastiche is a more serious version of what a parody would be. The reason for this is that rather than using it in a comedic way. An example of this would be films like Shaun Of The Dead where the concept of the film is a sort of 'Night of the living dead theme', however this is a parody and it has turned this concept into a comedy. Michael Jacksons 'Thriller' also does this as it when you watch it you can see the references and similarities to TV shows like 'Teen Wolf' and other Werewolf style films & Tv shows. I would advise my group not to use a pastiche style video as it is difficult to get right and to not be seen as a parody.

Parody is seen as a way of taking something and mocking it in a comedic way. An example of this in Film would be the Austin Powers franchise. These films could be seen as a parody of films such as James Bond etc. as it is a spy kind of film however it is portrayed in a different way to the likes of James Bond as Austin Powers is a comedy film due to the concepts.

The Pink video 'Stupid Girls' is a good example of parody in a Music Video, it takes stereotypes of 'dumb blondes' Throughout the video it exaggerates the typical behaviour that people expect to see from the stereotypical people who fit into these categories. As well as with this video it shows her getting surgery or some sort of enhancement in order to change peoples perception of her.

Research Plan

Here is my research plan for the group project I will be taking part in for my A2 media.

This shows the areas I and my group will be looking into in order to further benefit our final product. These areas will include; Still images, Album covers, Posters & adverts & Video clips. All this will benefit us as it will give us an insight into what factors contribute into a successful music video. As well as developing our knowledge on posters and album covers which we will also have to create.

Each members of the group can follow this and as a team we can pinpoint areas which we feel strong towards and then begin to roll ideas of each other  and eventually come to the conclusion whats the best genre and song choice for our project.

Group Research

Today we began our research for our group work. For our A2 group project we are to produce a music video using are research we take along the way. 

Me, Jacob and john thought best to begin with a mind map showing our ideas for what genre we could potentially use to create our final piece. 

As you can see to the left we began in the centre of the map with four potential genres we may use. We decided with 'Indie,  R&B, POP & Dance. After discussing these options together and looking briefly into these genres and examples of them, we narrowed it down to two options. We went with Dance & Pop as the research we already have gave us an idea of what genres best suited our individual choices and will best accompany our skills.

I personally think dance will be the best option as it reflects my skills well and through my early research I think it is unique and different which I believe what makes a successful music video. Obviously it is only early into my research and I will discover more and out choices and thoughts towards this may change however this is a step in the right direction to begin to create our project. 

Lip Sync Process

To begin with my lip sync editing I imported my video to iMovie. Once I had done this i selected the area of the clip I wished to use for my lip sync and dragged it into the project area.

Next I needed to import my background image to place over the green screen. To do this I dragged the image over the project to add it in. This then comes up with a drop down and I selected the option for ' Green Screen ' this then replaces the green background with my chose image.

Once I had the background in and over the green screen, I then had to add titles and credits at the beginning and the end. There is an option in the bottom right of the iMovie screen for 'Text'. I selected this option and it comes up with various forms of text and backgrounds for the text. I selected the one I wanted and then added in my text for the slide as you can see in the image to the right.

 The next thing I done was the slide transitions from the titles to the video and from the video to the credits. This was very simple as was adding the text. There again is an option  for transitions in the bottom right of iMovie. I simply chose the transition I wanted to use and then dragged and placed it where I wanted it, which was after the titles and before the credits.

Next for me to add was the audio, this was the most difficult part. As I had only used a clip of the song for my lip sync, I had to trim the song I was lip syncing to fit with the video. To do this I used a website called MP3 Clipper. This enabled me to select the area of the song I needed using time zones. Once I had trimmed the clip and saved it I then needed to add it to my video. To do this I added the audio to my desktop and dragged it into the project in iMovie. Once the clip was in the project I had to get the song in sync with the lyrics and lip sync in the video. This I found very difficult as during my video I was not in time with the lyrics for the actual song. However this is good as it gives me more to learn and develop on for when I create my video.



Overall I learned a lot from this and it is a massive improvement from my first attempt and will take what I have learned into when it comes to making my A2 project 'Music Video'.

Mood Board

I have created a mood board consisting of genres that I like. As our class project is getting closer we have been put in our groups and this is the purpose of the mood board. I will show this to my group and they will show me theres, From here we can come to a conclusion which genre would be best to produce for our group project. The two genres I have implemented into my mood are Dance/R&B.

Lip Sync attempt 2

Here is my second attempt of lip syncing this is a lot stronger than my first attempt, however it is still not perfect. I am slightly out with my timing however this is not to do with my editing skills, It is due to me singing out of sync with the song in the green room. I will have one more attempt of this and hopefully it will be completely in sync next time and ready to take into my group work when I begin to make my music video. I had fun doing this lip sync as I joked around a bit and had fun which worked to my benefit. This project contains Transitions, Titles and credits, video footage for the lip sync, a background image to put over the green screen and audio to go in collaboration with the video. I will be uploading another post with showing how i produced this.

Presentation Feedback



I have been assesing other classmates on their presentation skills. As a class we have been providing feedback to one another in order to further progress our skills. I have viewed my classmates lip sync song choices and for each of them provided feedback I believe will strengthen there skills. Below is an image of some brief notes I made during assesing my classmates presentation on their song choices. I will also be commenting on each class members blog with some feedback on their presentation. My next post I will also be discussing my own feedback.

 

Green Screen and iMovie first attempt

This is my first attempt of using green screen and iMovie. I found it very straightforward as the research I found which can be found in my previous posts enabled me to understands the basics. One thing I did find difficult was getting the flow of the video correct. As you can see there is small jumps where the lady disappears and reappears. This should flow fluently without the jumps. I know what I am lacking when it comes to green screening and iMovie so I will further develop my skills using iMovie and upload a second attempt which will hopefully be a step up from this one.

To the right you can find a screenshot of the layout of iMovie and the process of my first attempt. First thing I done was upload the green screen video I had of the dancing women. I then had to upload my background to replace the green background. Then I made sure that the preferences in iMovie were 'advanced tools' this enabled me to actually create my green screen, if this tool is not selected it will not work. Once my green screen clip was uploaded I then uploaded my background which I made sure was embedded of the green screen clip. I then selected the option for 'Green Screen' in the drop down menu when clicking on the clips to make sure that the background went over the green screen and not over the women in front of it. I then added titles at the beginning and credits at the end using the text tool. Overall my first experience with this software went well and I think i have gained enough knowledge to further improve and develop my skills for the next time i use the software.