Action plan:
1. Find a band
2. Research into their genre, the conventions used in music videos
3. Ask for their lyrics or their best played song
4. Film- Interview the band, their ideas of what they would like in video; comprimise (deadline: middle december 2011).
5. Annotate song with both my interpretation and their ideas. includes camera techniques, mise en scene etc. (end of december 2011)
6. Filming band /+ storyline (last week of term (band)/ during holidays storyline)
7. Editing process (after exam season start it, finish for feb)
8. Complete (february 2012)
Research into metal music videos
The band I am using for the music video is called 'Send Them To Purgatory'. They are influenced by metal bands such as Bullet for My Valentine, Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth. So for my research I'm going to analyse a music video from few of these bands for inspirations and see codes and conventions that appear in them.
Camera techniques used
- Handheld (edgy)
- Quick zooms in cohesion with music
- Close up of instruments and band members (shows talent/skill rather than fame)
- Long shot all members (togetherness/comraderie)
- Extreme close up of women shows storyline/theme behind song (women objects of beauty/sinful)
- Extreme Close up of front man singing
- Connection with theme and band by TV screens in background
- Overhead shot of drummer.
- Track used
- Old film effect
- Black, white, red, orange, brown, yellow
- Gothic typography
- Camera techniques
- 'to camera' involving audience
- Short/sharp editing
- Dolly following frontman
- Extreme close up of neck of guitar zooming in and out quick (especially for guitar solo)
- Arc around
- Full shot showing crowd as well as band (social solidarity/fan base)
- Mid shot of frontman and younger self
- Soft Transitions used. (shows contrast to music)
- Overhead shot of drummer
- Mid shot of each band member playing their instrument
- Dark colours like blue, black, white, not much lighting. The blue frequently used is pastel; dull not bright.
Finding a dedicated band has been difficult. I found one whom practices every break in the music block. They like the same music as me and are very talented however they lack a vocalist. This is not a problem however as it the film will emphasise on the storyline/animation/ illustration of the song. I will still have a few shots of the band in my piece to show their talents. Over the course of this week I will be interviewing them and publishing it on here for evidence. I have to delay this to next monday (4/12/11) as one of the band members was away on the proposed day for the interview (1/12/11).
Toxic Munchies are influenced by pop punk bands like Blink 182, New Found Glory, Green Day, Sum 41, All Time Low, Zebrahead and Four Year Strong.
Dammit- Blink 182
- Establishing setting iconography of cinema
- Not show members automatically. setting and instruments first. then all in 'storyline'
- Positioned in middle (importance)
- Mise en scene driven-cinema. props/ annoyances associated
- Americanized
- Friends/social
- Relationships
- Overhead shot as playing (shows slight anger/ putting across point to audience)
- Comedy/pranks
- Quick sharp zoom in out and camera movement
- Over emphasis emotion/ slapstick
- Quick edits not smooth transitions
- Close up of instruments, few of members
- Happy/playful
- Bobbing
- Four members at end full shot together.
- Camera movement slows down towards end (synchronization of music concluding)
Green Day American Idiot
- Behind the scenes style
- Extreme close up half face dark. no eye shown
- Three stood still in centre like soldiers/machines/programmed to be an american
- Contrast of slow zoom in and then faced paced editing of sequence of shots
- Shot of empty room
- close up anger/argument/try change opinion of audience
- Individual members being filmed
- both on tv and 'live'
- sped up movement constant energy- upbeat, angst, irritated. want drastic change
- Slow camera movement (pan style) contrasts movement of band members. otherwise too messy
- Short edits of shaky tilt (shows punk/ different/imperfect)
- unfocus to focus
- slow motion with CGI water-> country going down drain with government
- points to audience including 'us'
- flashing lights contrast with dark room-> collapse of country and people.
Interview with the band
Here is my interview with Toxic Munchies created 6/12/12. I have also arranged with them when we are going to shoot the video (8/12/12) after school. I have also asked them to wear their 'normal' clothes for the shoot as music not only influences us emotionally but our whole lifestyle including dress sense. Also it compliments the genre conventions conveyed in these music videos.
Evaluation- I believe the my weakness of having a lack of confidence shows through this interview as I do not react to the answers they give. I can now see how hard presenting and interviewing is., you have to make it flow like a conversation rather than structured. This also establishes why i prefer being behind the camera rather than infront.
(Time spent: 35mins -this includes preparation of questions, organisation of informing them, and obtaining camera, shooting actual piece & uploading). This was a second attempt of an interview, when it was first arranged one of the band members was absent, so it was postponed. I wanted to show you the whole band.
Planning: Lyric breakdown
I won't try to argue or hold it against you
I know that you're leaving you must have your reasons
The season is calling and your pictures are falling down
2.The steps that I retrace the sad look on your face
The timing and structure did you hear he ****ed her?
A day late a buck short I'm writing the report
On losing and failing when I move I'm flailing now
3.And it's happened once again
I'll turn to a friend
Someone that understands
Sees through the master plan
4.But everybody's gone
And I've been here for too long
To face this on my own
Well I guess this is growing up
Well I guess this is growing up
5.And maybe I'll see you at a movie sneak preview
You'll show up and walk by on the arm of that guy
And I'll smile and you'll wave we'll pretend it's okay
The charade it won't last when he's gone I won't come back
6.And it'll happen once again
You'll turn to a friend
Someone that understands
And sees through the master plan
7.But everybody's gone
And you've been there for too long
To face this on your own
Well I guess this is growing up
(instrumental- slower 2:00 -2:20)
8.Well, I guess this is growing up [Repeats] (riff)
1.Intro instrumental: zoomed up on guitar slowly zoom out to see full band member.
Him in foreground on left side. Other two
background staggered.
Zoom into drummer in cohesion with drum
entry. Or overhead shot (depending on layout of instruments)
'lyrics' begin at 0:20 when instruments quieten. Narrative: full shot- A couple arguing down road. Girl turn around start to walk. Full shot of her alone, looking downwards, walking down road.
2 &3.Close up of her drawing emo cartoon two people holding hands. One Splatter of water.
Over shoulder shot. Hand on her shoulder. She
looks up over right shoulder (eyes slightly red) to see person.
4. 1:22 Full overhead shot of band for riff. Full shot on bassist. Zoom in on bass.
5.Camera behind girl. Walking down same road. Looks left. Camera pan Opposite side of road. See boy and another girl linking arms laughing. Girl meekly waves no reply
6.Cross cut memories full shot with all friends at park or hang out. Happiness/laughter. With boy too.
start of 7. Back to band quick succession of shots overhead of drummer. Full shot guitarist then bassist then altogether.
instrumental in 7. Back to over shoulder at home. Looks around.
Her POV ish. Camera movement up. Him meek smile.
Full shot from behind both walking on
beach/pathway holding hands.
8. Back to band. Full shot. Each band member full shot then zoom in on instrument. Full shot to finish.
(time spent: 1hr 3/4)
Filming
After school today (08/11/11) I filmed the Toxic Munchies. The first 10 minutes were for set up and for the band to practice before shooting. I then did a preliminary shot with the camera being stationary so that I can extract the audio from it during the editing process. The second time I did individual shots of each band member at different times during the song (ie- guitar riff/solo close up of guitarist, entry of drums overhead of Jack etc..). I had to get the boys to redo the song several times so that I could get the amount of shots that I desired. I believe the session went well however, I feel that the editing process is going to be the difficult stage so that the audio is synchronised with the video.
I also had a change in plan with regard to the 'narrative'. I think that as there is no singer that the storyline planned would not make sense to someone whom had never heard the song before. Therefore I decided to focus a theme being 'rock is not just about the music, it is a way of life'. This will include shots of me and my friends whom have been influenced by this genre in some form or another. Ie- panning of bedrooms plastered with posters, fashion sense ie- converses etc.. Therefore lyric breakdown can be used still to certain extent as I know where in song is quietest to put narrative in.
(time spent: 3/4hr filming, 15 mins write up)
I took the opportunity round my friends house to record them walking over a bridge (similar to abbey road but with a twist). It shows what their wearing which can be reflected to what type of music they are into. I also filmed my friend's bedroom which is plastered in posters (showing bands she likes). I used pan to get a widespread of her room then ended the shot with her. I also recorded one of my other friends who is amazing at guitar hero. This again reflects how rock music can infuse not only people but other industries like video games. It also shows the social aspect of music; people coming together to see peoples talents/ have the same interests.
Also I had an idea to incorporate in the music video. I am thinking of including animation. I was going to show myself drawing a 'emo' cartoon in a spider diagram linking music,friends, love etc... stating the theme and applying it to show some diversity not only in my art field but through the video (not just film).
(time spent: 15 mins filming, 10 mins write up)
Animation session (20/12/11)
I got my cousin to help be do this animation section of my video. He took the pictures while I drew the characters. I drew these stereotypical emo cartoons which has a character listening to music in the centre of the page then it branches off like a mind map to signify how music can affect friendship groups which then provokes love and how it affects peoples fashion.
I got the inspiration for drawing these from GCSE videos on bitesize where they drew these funny cartoons to illustrate equations for science and it helps visualise relationships between factors.
We took over 500 pictures to make sure the pictures will transistion smoothly. However their is a few continuty errors as my hand started to ache from drawing so we swapped roles ( I became the photographer and my cousin drew) so therefore there is a change in sleeves. As the animation will be quite quick the viewers might notice it for only a split second. Also, there is a continuty error with regards to the fashion section. I changed the characters' attire when redoing it in pen. I changed his look as before hand the cartoon looked like a criminal rather than symbolising casual 'alternative' wear.
I think that I should use the animation to introduce certain areas of the theme/storyline of the music video such as fashion represents the shots of the converses. The friends section introduces my friends walking over the bridge or the guitar hero shots. etc.
(time spent.. animation: 1hr 20. write up: 10 mins)
Editing
24th December- Pieced together pictures for animation in windows movie maker. I shortened the duration for half a second and it still was too long on each picture so what I decided to do was publish it separately as a wma video file to my computer and in serif movie plus i coul add effects to speed up the animation. The animation is in two parts so I know roughly wher to place the allocated clips in between the two sections. (ie- fashion and friends)
(Time spent 1hr. write up: 5 mins)
19th Jan- I had a break from the Arts Award for a few weeks due to preparation for my winter modual exams but now I'm ready to jump back into doing my final leg of my arts challenge. I looked back into my editing suite and found that some of the files had a sign saying it was corrupt even though they work perfectly in other files. However, I could use a different clip instead of it. I then tried applying the video files; none of them worked so I came to a solution to add then on windows movie maker individually and publish then as wma video files because the animation seemed to work. Then windows movie maker gave up and kept on crashing because it did not like the format. It also did not work on windows media player too. I didn't know what was wrong with the files. Videos from the camcorders worked with serif movie plus at school. I theorized that it might be me having quicktime player instead of realplayer. So I had to go through the hassel of downloading realplayer just to play my videos. (1hr and 1/2 spent on trying to work out problem. 10 mins write up)
After all this, the videos worked luckily. I then started adding the videos onto the timeline into the order that I wanted them. I used the background music from the preliminary footage as a foundation and used other shots that coincided with the key changes in the song. I then added my animation which I connected with the footage of my friends. However, I need a few more shots to be added on at the end of the song but I haven't got any background music left to do that. So, my next task is to squash the existing shots and make sure they flow from one to the other. (2 hours spent on this. 5 mins write up)
Session 3 (2/2/11)
A week ago I tried going back into my nearly finished piece but the files were not working. So I got help from my advisor whom referred me to downloading a converter for my files and placing them into where the blank sections. Now I have finally got round to dedicating time for it, as I've been busy with school work. So I downloaded a program which converts any video file. After fixing this issue, the program seemed to work fine. I exchanged the old mp4 slow and corrupted files for the new encoded ones. After a few hours changing them and realigning them I had finally finished the edited movie :D I used most of the footage that I wanted to and used techniques such as jump cuts, pan and zoom, transitions and cutaways. What I found difficult, apart from the file extentions, was keeping in time with the background music and transitioning from a close up to a long shot.
(Time taken: 2 hrs)
Review
Me, my family, friends and public will review my project. This will be in screenshot format of facebook and youtube comments and then I will paste them in here.
My own review
I enjoyed researching and planning my project by looking at existing material and doing a lyric breakdown. This was because I enjoy rock music anyway and looking at the construction opened my eyes to what shots are most commonly used. I also enjoyed filming both the band and my friends, running around getting all these different shots. It was simple but looked effective in the end result. As well as this, it was fun doing the animation with my cousin and getting him involved as he enjoys making videos and watching them on youtube too.
Although, what did not go well was the editing. I knew it was going to be a lengthly process but problem after problem occured. This included file formatting and disappearing/ 'corrupt' clips. Therefore, it was very tiresome and monotonus by doing the same thing over and over again.
Things I could improve on next time;
Not to over complicate ideas (such as a whole narrative). Less is more.
Have the right file extentions for the video clips
Find a band to start with that are dedicated and organised, failing that; make one up.
