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.