Rough Cut Of Music Video

After uploading all of our footage and beginning to edit it together, this is the stage we are currently at with our music video.




Good points:

- The quick cuts at the start are well timed with the timing of the beat in the introduction of the track, matching audio to visuals to amplify them.
- The lip synching looks very effective and is generally all in perfect timing.
- The transitions used allow the shots to flow smoothly from one to the next, whilst the dissolve also creates the dreamy effect intended.
- The camera work is all smooth and still, making the footage appear more proffessional and not amateur.

Improvements:

- Edit missing shots in during instrumentals.
- Add more transitions to ensure smooth flowing between shots when intended.
- Tweak the timing of one shot where the lip synching is slightly out.
- Film some more close up shots of the artist to comply with Goodwin's theory and intergrate these with existing shots in editing to create greater variety of shot types.

Filming Video Diaries Continued...

Intertextuality

Music Video:

Throughout our music video, we use a variety of locations, although keep cutting back to a common shot of the artist singing against a wall during the chorus of the song. This is a common convention of music videos, creating a distinctive link between the chorus and a certain location or shot type for the audience. We were inspired by Eliza Doolittle's video for "Pack Up", which is set in an array of locations, from a beach to a hall, however keeps cutting back to a common shot of Eliza singing and dancing against the same wall during the chorus.

Despite the shots being in the same location, variety and dynamics are created through the use of inter-cutting different shot types and camera angles, which we will be aware of when filming, shooting the same shot from a number of angles.

Digipak:

Despite not actually being on her album cover, the original inspiration for the image on our own album cover came from a photo shoot of pop artist Diana Vickers. The natural and unmanufactured, yet strong and endearing sense of the image appeared perfect for how we intended to market Jose Vanders' easy-listening and not over produced music. Rather than replicating Diana's pose and the composition of the image, we adapted it, taking a number of still images from different angles. We decided upon this final shot for our album cover, due to its striking yet innocent and natural feel, similar to the picture of Diana Vickers.

The image on the back cover of our digipak is similar to that of the front cover on Eminem's album "Recovery". This inspired us as the image is simplistic yet strong and would also allow for empty space to the right of the image in which a track listing could be imposed during editing.

The image we will use links in with the music video, due to the common location in which it is taken, creating coherence and a distinctive relationship between them for the audience, enhancing the branding of Jose Vanders.

Filming Video Diaries

Below is a short video demonstrating the filming process in action...

Digipak Development

After editing the images we took of our artist, we began experimenting with layouts for the album cover, using Serif Page Plus. Originally, the image had a white background, although this made the image appear to plain, as it lacked the eye catching element. We decided it would be best to use a pastel colour for the background, in order to link into the natural feel of the video.

Digipak Photo Editing

When planning our digipik, our group decided we wanted to achieve a polaroid effect for the images on the digipak, which suggests a vintage and simplistic vibe. After a number of editing stages, this desired look was achieved...

1) Upload the image to photobucket to be edited.

2) Add "Scroll" border to picture, to give a polaroid image effect with decorative corners.

3) Add "Photo Camera" border to give a classic polaroid effect.

Digipak Photos

Whilst shooting footage for our music video, we were inspired to take some pictures for the front cover of our album. A distinct link and sense of coherence is created between the music video and ancillary tasks through using the same location and costume, enhancing the branding of Jose Vanders, allowing easy recognition of her products to our target audience.

Whilst taking these pictures, our vision was for the artist to be casually leaning against the tree, inspired by a photoshoot of pop artist Diana Vickers'. This casual approach makes the artist appear less manufactured and more laid back, reflecting the easy listening nature of Jose Vanders' music. The way Bethan is not looking directly at the camera appears endearing and is a technique used in a number of existing artists album covers, such as Florence and The Machine. We decided to select the right image for our album cover, as the bright lighting compliments Bethan's face, as well as the composition of the image appearing effective, with little negative space.

We also took some pictures for possible use on the back cover of the digipak, where the track listing will appear. The images are of Bethan walking away from the camera, set to one side, will allow space to the right for imposing text over the image, listing the tracks on the CD. Again, the images link to both the front cover and the music video, creating coherence, due to the common location and natural surroundings.

I believe the first two images will be most successful in terms of posititioning, although I do like the mysterious and relaxed feel to the third image, therefore we will experiment editing each of the pictures to decide which will result in being most effective on our digipak back cover.

Shot List

Shot List Part 1

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Shot List Part 2

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Shooting Schedule

Shooting Schedule

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Jose Vanders Target Audience

• Our branding of Jose Vanders will depict her as a normal, down to earth girl. Our target audience is females between the age of around 13-25, due to her relatable image appealing to them the most; the subjects of her songs encompass the experiences associated with her teenage years, which the majority of young girl will be able to connect with.
• Although, the light-hearted and fun vibe to her music gives the possibility to be enjoyed by all, with her sound being quite "mainstream", therefore giving her a huge potential target audience.
• Similar style artist Kate Nash, also a songwriter and pianist, proves this possibility of mass appeal, with her single "Foundations" charting at number 2 in the official singles chart. Kate Nash's following, similar to Vanders mostly comprises of young females, due to her youthful, fun and relatable image.
• After visiting the forum on Jose Vanders website, this female target audience was confirmed, with the top posters on the forum being mostly females, as evident in the picture to the right. Although, after browsing the forum it is also evident that there are a number of males signed up and actively posting on there too, proving her broad appeal.
• Jose Vanders fans are likely to be students, due to their age. This allows further relation between them and the artist due to her having studied at sixth form, as well as currently studying at University.
• Jose has embraced the online revolution, being advantaged by her age and growing up in this time period, by making use of social networking sites such as MySpace and Twitter, which enable her to reach out to these young fans, of which the majority will be signed up to these sites. As well as enabling her to engage with her fans, social networking sites offer Jose a free and increasing effective method of promotion for her music.

Locations

Video discussing locations...

Test Shots

• Today our group recorded some test shots in one of our locations, allowing us to ensure the quality of the footage would be clear enough and the shot types would be successful. as the majority of our shots will be filmed in daylight, therefore we will not have any influence over the lighting.


• After producing the opening scene to a thriller film at AS, I became very aware that a lack of lighting would result in grainy footage, therefore by running test shots we can ensure this will not be a problem and save wasting time when shooting.


• These test shots proved very successful, with the autumnal colours of the leaves appearing vibrant in the footage, inspiring us to develop and embrace an autumnal theme, incorporating it into our footage, such as the artist kicking leaves as she walks.
  
• The bright leaves on the trees also provoked ideas for a possible album cover, so one of my group took a picture of me leaning against a tree, to create a rough depiction of what the shot could look like if taken properly and used on our digipak.

• We did some test shots walking towards the camera, as this is included in a number of the shots in our video, with them being from a face on angle. We were experimenting with zooming the camera out as the artist walks, creating the idea that the camera is are moving back with her, as we do not have the correct equipment to move the camera smoothly, such as a dolly and walking backwards would look shaky and unproffessional.

• Our music video has a common shot used throughout, to create cohesion and comply with the conventions of a similar shot being used for each chorus, such as in Eliza Dolittle's Music Video "Pack Up", where it goes back to the same location with her singing for each chorus. This shot is against a wall, appearing to be at the train station, with the artist lip synching to the song. When investigating our locations, we discovered a wall which appears perfect for this shot. Despite not actually being at the train station, it is irrelevant as it appears as though it could be. We did some test shots, we me standing against this wall and singing as though I was the artist and another member of the group filming it to create a rough visual representation of what the actual shot will look like. We were very pleased with the outcome and believe with the correct stylying and well executed lip synching, this shot could be very successful.
• This day of taking pictures and rough videos proved very helpful, with it giving us a visual representation of our ideas, allowing us to evaluate the quality of the footage and avoid wasting valuable filming time.
• Although, the actor we used for the shots is not the actor who will be used in the real thing and a tripod was not available, therefore the shots were all taken using a handheld camera. This does however give us confidence that our final shots will be of even better quality due to using equipment such as a tripod, giving us steady shots and smooth camera movements.

Original Video Ideas

After studying and analysing the lyrics of the song for the first time, these are the ideas which we originally generated:

• Narrative based
• There's a metaphoric meaning to the majority of the lyrics, but we will portray them literally eg. "the boy who's lost his marbles" will link to a shot of marbles bouncing and rolling away.
• Will be shot in a train station, relating to the lyrics of the song.
• Going to dress up as different characters or find actors to play them.
• At the start of the track, we will edit the shots to flash black like you are blinking when the song claps, matching the music to the visuals and amplifying the music.
• Shot as though it is her point of view, you never see the artists face.
• "Boy with a smile thinking about Marie 'cos he caught her in the shower last night accidentally"- shot of boy smiling and thought bubble coming from him with video of person in shower.
• Beginning shot- "There's so many people at the station"- shot from behind of artist sat on a bench with people walking past. Speed up during editing to give effect of everyone moving very fast.
• End shot is similar, but edited to slow down rather than speed up. People eventually disappear and she is left sat there alone.
• Zoom into her head as though viewer is going into her thoughts.

Album cover idea

• Our music video incorporates a number of shots where the artist is leaning against a wall singing, therefore I thought we could use such a pose on the album cover, creating coherence between the two.
• I found an image of artist Diana Vickers, who striking a similar pose to what I have in mind. Using the influence of this image, we could re-create a similar look for our own artist Jose Vanders. The relaxed pose appears endearing and not over manufactured, which would reflect the easy listening style of Jose Vanders music.
• I edited the image on photobucket, as though it was the photo we had taken of our artist and experimented with different effects and fonts. To the right is the result of this editing and a possible idea to use for our album cover...
• By layering the image I was able to make it black and white, yet the artist appear in colour. This makes them more prominent, and allows for the colour in the image to come from them and their clothing, conveying them as the brand.
• The distinct font appears quirky and easily recognisable, as well as quite playful, which would reflect he youth of our artist. The colour on black and white effect here also makes the artist name and album title more prominent.

Ancillary Tasks

We have decided to produce a digipak and digipak advert for our ancillary tasks.

Original ideas:

• We must develop a theme throughout the three products (music video, digipak and advert) to create a sense of coherence and branding. We will do this by using the theme of a train station. For example, we plan for the artists name "Jose Vanders" to appear as though it is a station sign, by imposing text over an image we will take of a sign.
• To ensure this coherence is created, we will decide on a distinct font for the artist name, which will be used throughout the three products as a form of identity for the audience.
• We plan to use an image of the artist on the front cover of the album to follow the conventions of an album cover, as when researching similar existing products (young female artists) such as Kate Nash and Pixie Lott they both feature an image of the artist.
• On the back cover of the digipak, there will be a track listing, and there may be a possibility develop the play of words of "track" with the train theme.
• We will use an image of the album cover on the advert to allow easy recognition of the artist for the audience, as well as making it easier to find the album in a store. My research showed that album covers are often incorporated into the advert for an artist, such as Florence and The Machine and Ellie Goulding. Therefore, we have decided to follow this convention.

Developed Storyboard

After developing a rough storyboard outlining the narrative of our music video, we produced a more detailed storyboard, focusing closer on different shot types, camera angles, transitions and timing. From researching other music videos, it is evident that hundreds of shots are used throughout, with a minimum of at least 2 camera angles being used for every similar shot eg. in Eliza Doolittle's music video "Pack up", when she is singing on the bus, 3 different angles are seen of her singing in the same position. We have therefore followed this through into our own video, constantly using different shot types and camera angles, especially in the scenes of the artist singing, as otherwise this could appear quite static.

Below is a copy of our second storyboard...

Draft Storyboard

After researching into existing products, we began planning our own music video. To begin the process, we developed a very rough story board which simply outlines the narrative of the video, which we then developed focusing more closely on shot types, camera angles and transitions. In our original storyboard, we planned the timings for each section of the video, which would then help us when developing it into different shots.

Below is a copy of our original storyboard...