Dear Diary

Despite continuign partially with editting my music video, once again this has slowed down. I have my A2 exams beginning in early january, and have decided to prioritise them, instead of rushing my music video and as a result making it a much worse product. I still plan to spend a bit of time working on my media products however, and hope to begin work on my music video again soon.

Music Video Structure

Dear Diary

I have not had much time to work on my media coursework so far, with alot of my time being spent busily over the christmas period. I am currently only around 30 seconds into editting, and I hope to improve this soon.

Model Release Form 2

I used two models in the production of my music video. I got each of them to sign a model release form confirming that they will allow me to film them.

Model Release Form 1

I used two models in the production of my music video. I got each of them to sign a model release form confirming that they will allow me to film them.

Dear Diary

My christmas break has just begun and I have been working on getting started with my music video. I have filmed the majority of my footage and am ready to begin editting. I plan to continue this process over the holidays and hope to have my first draft done  by the end of january.

Artist Styling/Costume Planning

For my music video, there is no set dress code for my models to abide by, however there is a certain theme that I wanted each of them to follow.

For my male character, due to the narrative nature of my music video, with him being a conventional 'uncaring' male, I want him to have quite a rough and equally uncaring look. I will request that my model wears a hoodie and tracksuit bottoms while in his house, switching to a pair of rough jeans when he goes out to meet the female character. I will do this because this will represent the attitude I want the audience to have towards the male character. This also represents the opposites theme that I will include throughout  my music videos production, with the completely differing attitudes of my two characters.

For my female character, I plan to have a completely different attitude towards the meeting, and as a result, her dress code will be more important to her. My selection of using quick cuts between the male character and the female character as she tries on different outfits will mean I will need quite a large selection of outfits for her to wear. I will leave this up to my female performer however, as it isn't very important what she wears as long as it's more formal and highlights her want to look nice when she goes to meet the male character.

I will complete another post once I have completed shooting my music video to highlight the dress code that we finalised on.

Society Influences on my Artist

Filming Schedule

Analysis of A Previous Students A2 Work

Dear Diary

Music Video Plan

I decided to make a plan for my music  video prior to completing the storyboard, as I wanted to make my storyboard as accurate as possible. This document includes all the timings of what I plan to have happen in my music video and also lays out the main theme of the piece. It also includes a written form of my storyboard, in the sense of it showing what I will put on each square of my storyboard.

Dear Diary

Unfortunately I have been fairly inactive on my blog over the last week or two, simply down to the vast quantities of work that I have currently been set in each of my subjects, and trying to my best to give each subject an equal portion of my time. Despite the inactivity, I have continued to develop my ideas and products over this period. My storyboard draft has now been completed, and now I am just waiting to receive my formal storyboard sheets so I can copy them out. I have also continued work on my A2 coursework analysis, and I plan to get this done over the next week or so, either in a scribd format, or in a premiere video.

Equiptment Borrowing Sheet

This is the sheet that I had to use in order to rent out equipment that I could use to film my music video.

Editting Software

I will be using a range of products during the editting process of my video creation. The main product I will be using will be adobe premiere pro. This is the standard editting software that is available to us in school, and also the programme I have most experience using, and so I feel this will be the most effective method of editting my music video. I may also use after effects in the video creation process to create special effects. However this will be mainly time based as I have no experience using this software.

I will also use photoshop throughout the process. Although unlikely, I may use it to edit certain shots in my music video, however its main use will be when creating a range of products to go along with the main product. A few examples include; a digipak, and a poster. I will be using photoshop to create these products as I feel not only is this the best product for the job, but I also have a wealth of experience using the product from previous media tasks.

Initial Planning Ideas

I created this spider diagram in order to display some of my initial planning ideas for my music video. I included information based around the idea of the music video, any effects I may include, links to lyrics, and potential locations for filming. I seem to be set on the idea of focusing on a narrative based music video, mainly because I feel that it would be more relative to this song.

Dear Diary

This week I have continued to work on my research tasks. I now have only 3 tasks remaining, and I plan to get them completed over the next week. My music video idea has also been developed significantly, and I plan to get this storyboarded for next lesson. This will then speed up the development process for my music video, Hopefully allowing me to reach the end of november deadline for filming my music video.

Explaining My Narrative

This is a short quick document that just explains what I plan to include in my narrative. I plan to stick with this, as I feel that it is both a solid narrative, but also helps to work with the opposites theme that I am continuing to use.

Music Video Storyboard Sheets

This is my draft for how I plan for my music video to look, written by hand on storyboard sheets. I've got a few things to work out with it, specifically the timings as I fell a bit short on this sheet, however  this should be sorted by the time I come to edit, and I plan to create a document aimed simply at organising the schedule of my music video, including timings.

Tracking an Artist Throughout Their Entire Career

Dear Diary

Over this half term I have continued to work very hard on completing as many of the research tasks as possible. I now only have a couple more to do, and the even better news is I think I have come up with an idea for my music video, so I plan to storyboard this over the next few days. So far it look like I may complete my self made  target of completing all of the research tasks by the end of the half term.

Research Into Equipment

For this task, I decided it would be useful to look at some equipment that I have on offer for me to use to record my music video. 

I will use a range of equipment for the production of my music video, in order to both film and edit. The most significant of these will be the camera that I will use to film my music video.  For this I will be using the Canon 550D SLR. This is a standard camera that can be used throughout the recording of my music video, both for standard and high definition recordings. I feel that this camera will allow me to make a much more aesthetically pleasing product than would otherwise be possible if I chose to use another camera. I also plan to use this camera when taking photos for my Digipak and Magazine advert,  in which case I will also use a green screen combined with a softbox/alternative method of lighting my shots, in order to make them brighter or darker, depending on the type of magazine advert that I end up creating. A range of lenses can be used to accompany this camera, including a standard lens, and a fish eye lens, each offering a range of different effects, which will again add to the aesthetics of my video and/or tertiary products.

To accompany the use of this camera, I will be employing the use of a tripod. This will enable me to have a much steadier shot when filming, instead of it being shakey and jumpy. This will allow my product, particularly when filming my music video, to look much more processional than it would if this was not in use. This will also allow me to be more involved in the directing of my music video and helping my model with where they need to be, rather than focusing on where the camera is and making sure to hold it steady. I may also use this tripod when taking images for my tertiary products, as it has the ability to stand higher/lower than I would be able to if I positioned the  camera manually.

In addition to these products, I will also use a range of digital products to help with the post production of my music video and its accompanying products.

The primary editing tool that I shall be using when editing my music video will be Adobe Premiere Pro. Premiere Pro will allow me to cut and edit through my clips in a much more sophisticated manner than would be possible if I used a different programme, like Windows Movie Maker for example. It also allows me to easily insert my song onto the timeline  allowing me to easily manipulate my clips around what is happening in the song, and as a result creating a much more professional looking product.

I will also be using Adobe Photoshop CS6 in order to edit any photos or individual still images that I will use through the course of the project, most notably in the creation of my ancillary products. This programme will allow me to individually edit each of my photos to a high standard, giving me the oppurtunity to add colours and different saturations for example. It will also be the product that I use as the background when creating these products.

Analysis of Band Magazine Adverts

For this task, I thought it would be a good idea to analyse a range of band magazine adverts. Not only will this help me for when I have to design my own, but also it will give me an idea of  how a band promotes an album or event. 

This advert aims to promote a new album by the band 'Kings of Leon'. The main theme of the advert is the idea of the sun and summer, as connoted by the background image, of a pixelated tropical setting. This idea is further suggested by the title of the album that the poster is promoting 'Come Around Sundown'. The idea of summer of a very light and cheery one, perhaps a theme that is continued onto the album. It must be noted that no reviews are included on the advert, which may suggest that the band feel that they are big enough as they do not require reviews from credible sources,as they already have a solid fan base that buy their music based solely on the fact that it is by Kings of Leon. This idea is further shown by the lack of main image of the band. Generally, adverts will have an image of the band in order to create some sort of iconography, but as this album isn't the first by the band, they already have a significant fan base. The tag line "The New Album. October 18th" is also significant. Firstly, it shows the date that the album is released, which will inform the audience of when they will be able to buy the album. The language choice, such as 'New Album', helps to highlight the product that they are promoting. The inclusion of the logo for the company 'Play' highlights an example of convergence between the band and the website, highlighting that this is an example of a website that supports the band, and more importantly where the audience can go and buy the album.

This advert aims to promote a new album by 'Plan B'. A notable feature of this advert is the colour choice that is made. The fact that the advert uses quite dark colouring perhaps reflects the dark nature of the songs included on the able, and perhaps hints at the idea that the album is quite serious. This is further reflected by the idea that artists face is also in quite a serious position. The fact that the artist is shown in the advert is fairly conventional, and it also displays that the artist is not well known enough to sell records based solely on his name, but instead he requires iconography (This may reflect the fact that this was his first album released under the name Plan B). Plan B is written in bold writing, much larger than anything else on the page, which instantly shows the audience who the album is by. A number of reviews are included on the page, which help to give the audience an idea of what they might expect to hear in the album. It also shows to the audience that they can expect a high quality album.  The tag line 'Multi Platinum Album' shows that the album has already received worldwide aclaim, which may further convince the audience that they need to buy the CD, as it has been received so well.  An image of the CD is also included on the poster, which further adds to the idea of iconography, and gives the audience an image of the album that they should keep an eye out for.

This advert aims to promote a new live album by the band 'The Killers'. The colour scheme employed by this advert, using the dark colours of purple and black, help to instantly recognise the advert with the band, as this colour scheme is shared with one of their album colour schemes. This idea of recognisances is further seen by the inclusion of the band name, written in the typeface that has become synonymous with the band name, included at the top of the page, much larger than anything else. The tag line "All the greatest hits" highlights to the audience that the album includes only "great" songs, which as a result may convince them to invest in the album. The background image of the royal albert hall, cohesively working with the tag line "Live from the albert hall", shows that the band is not only successful enough to perform in such a location, but also adds a sense of prestige to the poster, and highlighting to the audience that the band is not just 'any band', but instead, they are important and are known in the industry. The list of tracks from the album are shown at the bottom, which will further aid the reader, as they will be able to see if they recognise any of the songs played on the album. Finally, the inclusion of 'CD/DVD' highlights that the album is available in a number of formats, appealing to a much wider audience. This is included alongside the release date of the album, which will let the reader know when they can look to buy the album. 

Audience Research

In this task, I have researched what sort of audience I would be looking to appeal to for my music video, taking into account both my song choice, and my planned layout of my music video.

A Selection of Influential Music Videos

In this task, I chose 3 music videos that I am finding useful in terms of giving me ideas for my music videos, and explained how I find them useful.

Dear Diary

This week I have continued to work on both my research section, aswell as trying to come up with an idea for my music video. I currently have around  5 tasks still to do, and with half term coming up, I plan to get all of these tasks completed by the end of the half term break. In addition to this, I have also began planning an idea of my music video. Currently, I have the theme of opposites to work with, and I have been toying with the idea of using two people that are preparing to go out, and showing how they get ready, with one of them taking alot of effort and the other not, perhaps a boy and a  girl preparing to go out. I plan to storyboard a few ideas before the end of the holiday and hope to come back with a solid idea, ready to film before the end of November.

Digipak Analysis

In this document, I looked at a range of different digipaks for my genre, and analysed them based on both their characteristics and how they appeal to their audience, in relation to their genre

Dear Diary

This week has been a hugely productive week for the production and planning of my music video. I have chosen my song, 'Evening/Morning'  by Bombay Bicycle Club, and I have also began the planning process for its creation. I plan to finalize my storyboard over half term and come back and record it relatively quickly, so I have as much time as I can to edit it.

Contacting the Artist

I today attempted to contact the management of my chosen band 'Bombay Bicycle Club', and gain permission to use their song 'Evening/Morning'. I am yet to receive a reply to this email, but if I do I will be sure to add it to this post.

Song Lyrics and Meanings

Song Choice

This is the song that I have chosen to use and produce a music video for

Dear Diary

This week I have been working hard to get an idea of what I will create for my music video. I have chosen my song; 'Evening/Morning' by Bombay Bicycle Club. I have chosen this because its length suits what I feel I am capable of completing in the time I have, but more importantly how the song sounds appeals to the sort of music video I plan to make, with a range of  both fast and slow pace sections.

Dear Diary

This week I have been continuing to work on getting as much of my coursework done as possible. I have just recently completed my conventions of a music video page, and with that that concludes the majority of the research I have to complete. Most of the work I need to complete now revolves around looking at the works of artists are analysing them. I plan to work on analysing previous music videos over the next week or so to get an idea of what I can produce.

Conventions of a Music Video

This document highlights all of the conventions for music videos, which I have both researched and discussed through the use of my own knowledge

Dear Diary

This week I have continued my work on getting as much of the research into music video done. So far, I've completed around 4 of these products, leaving me with around 7 or 8 still to do. I plan to get these done as soon as possible, with the half term holiday at the end of October aiming to be the holiday in which I get the filming for my music video done. I also need to start work on my music video plan, as I have been trying to focus on the research over the planning.

Digipak Research

In this product, I looked into the Digipak industry and discovered what they are used for. I also got a range of examples of digipaks for my chosen genre. 

Moodboard/Influences of my Genre

I created this moodboard to highlight the symbolic nature of the genre, with the inclusion of several features synonymous with the genre. In addition, it helped me to learn what influences my genre, helping me to recognise what I need to include in my final product.

Dear Diary

This past week I have been working on a range of the research tasks that I have been tasked with. I began by beginning my moodboard, and this is nearing completion. I also tidied up a few of my old blog posts, including adding a few pictuers to my 'What is the Indie Genre?' page. I also completed the task titled 'The Codes and Conventions of Music Videos'. I plan to keep up this pace over the next few weeks.

Music Video Theory

In this document, I looked at some theorists of music videos. I will need to follow some of these music video rules in order to make a successful music video

Dear Diary

I have finally managed to finish off my video on a chosen music video director. After spending a while deliberating on my final choice, after researching further and finding a range of other musical directors, I decided I would stick with my first choice of Spike Jonze. My research into this director I feel will be very useful, as his range of music videos will allow me to use them as a basis for some ideas for my music video.

Research into a Music Video Director

In this document, I looked at the music video director 'Spike Jonze', in order to get an insight into the music industry

Dear Diary

I have been working hard on completing a movie for one of the tasks we have to complete, a piece of research into a music video director. I have decided on using Spike Jonze as my piece of research, after researching him on line  I chose him mainly due to the diversity of music video's he has created, including a range of themes and genres. I will use this research to look at how he goes about creating this videos, perhaps using them for inspiration

Dear Diary

Recently I have been working on furthering the content on which my blog has. In my own opinion, I feel like I have fallen behind in where I should be, as this time last year my blog had around 25 posts, whereas currently I have only 10. I plan to increase the numbers drastically, and I hope to get to around 20 posts by my next lesson. However, I plan to make sure that the quality of my work does not drop, so I can continue to be on course to achieve at least an A in this unit.

Research into Indie Genre

Dear Diary

This week I have been working to complete my research into my chosen genre, Indie Rock. I have been doing this through the use of a Prezi, and have been trying to include information about the origins of the genre, how it has developed, and also I have tried to include some examples of the genre in both the modern era and from the past. I plan to get this done this week, and over the weekend I plan to work hard too add some substance to my blog.

Dear Diary

Music Channel Research

I had a look at the history of music channels, focusing on MTV. I also looked at how music channels have changed over time.

Dear Diary,

The first couple of weeks have been very busy. Due to this, I haven't had much spare time out of lessons to work on my media coursework but this can now be changed. I have spent the last few days coming up with a concept for my music video and I think I've decided on the idea of using a 'Lyric Video', combined with the inclusion of a short narrative. I believe this will allow me to show a wide variety of skills, and thus achieve the maximum grade possible. I plan to spend the next few weeks continuing the planning process by compiling research into the music industry with set tasks.

Dear Diary

I am now back and school and I am once again kicking on with my media coursework, with my 3 coursework lessons per week, as well as working in my free periods. Despite not accomplishing much physical work during the summer, It was hugely successful in terms of gaining an idea of my target audience, and giving my some form of idea of how my music video could be set out. I plan to continue to work hard and get much of the planning work done, beginning with my research into a music label.

Dear Diary

This past weekend I went to the Reading Festival, and to my surprise this gave me alot of inspiration for my music video. The focus of the festival was on my chosen genre, Indie/Rock music. I would really like to do a music video in the setting of a festival, however I know this will be near impossible, so perhaps I may instead include some form of live performance at some point in my video. Something signifiacnt that I noticed around the event was the type of clothing the people were wearing. Many of the goers to this festival were fans of the indie genre, and as such their clothing represented this, and so this will be helpful when it comes to the time of choosing what sort of clothing my models will wear for my music video.

Equiptment and Programme List

I decided to create this just to recognize the products that I plan to use during the creation of my music video and the products that go along with it

Dear Diary

Since my last post, I have been trying to increase the amount of time I am spending on thinking about my music video, and trying to use any free time I have to try and come up with an idea. I spent a short while surfing the internet, looking at a range of music videos that could potentially be similar to mine. Something which could my eye was the idea of a lyric video, while including some form of narrative. I feel that this may be the direction that I would like to take my music video too.

Dear Diary

Dear Diary

Having just broken up from school, I am now on the summer holiday, and as such, I will not be attending my weekly media lessons. Despite this, I still plan to keep this blog updated, with a range of blog posts. Many of these will likely be diary entries, as I will be updating the blog with my goings on with regards to any media work I get done over the holiday. I aim to focus my ideas in the planning aspect of my music video.

Diary Entry

This week I have been working on researching 3 record labels. I decided to focus on two main conglomerate labels, EMI and WMG, and one small label, Roc-A-Fella. This research has been hugely beneficial for me, as I feel that it has  given me an insight into the music industry, and how a company goes about promoting a song via the medium of music video, and I will use these newly learn't skills in the development of my final music video.

Research into Record Labels

In this document, I had a look at record labels and how they go about doing buisness. This was an excellent task to do in order to gain an insight into the music industry.

Dear Diary

Today I plan to work on researching several major record labels, in order to gain an idea about the background of music video, which will in turn help me to create my own music video. I feel like this will be hugely beneficial, as it will allow me to get an inside idea about the music industry, allowing me to see how a record label operates in terms of music video

Proposal

This is the proposal that I have created, stating what I plan to create and how I plan to go about doing this

The History of Music Video

In this task, I had a look at the history of music videos, and looked at how they became popular.

Diary Entry

Welcome to my blog. The last few weeks have been spent organising how I plan to go about tackling this unit, by focusing heavily on the layout of my blog, and beginning to think about the tasks I will have to complete. My first task is to do some research into the history of the music video, and I plan to start this and work on this over the coming weeks, in order to gain a valuable insight into how music videos work and how they originated.