Video Timeline

This is a timeline of what is going to be happening within my music video.

Music Video Pitch

The basic idea for my music video is to have a simple, but effective take on the final product. I want it to be just lots of clean cuts to the beat and tempo of the track, keep it looking sharp and making sure that the viewer doesn't get bored. I can help this by making sure that the actors who are playing the band members give it everything in the performance and look like a convincing band.

The first location of the video can be kept to a minimal in terms of what is in the room. The first part of the video is of them just practicing in a studio/room before they play their gig. I have a couple of places that could be used for this, such as a dance studio that i can get hold of. This could be a major problem whilst filming though, as the room is fully mirrored and the reflection from the mirrors could show the camera crew. Shooting here would mean a lot of planning and research before shooting the video itself so i could find out the angles where the cameras wouldn't be in shots. The second half of the video is to be shot at the junction. This is where they are actually playing they're gig and using the lights in an effective way could make the video look real pro. I could highlight certain parts of the track. For instance, the vocalist sings on his own at a certain point in the track, i could get a spotlight on him and black out the rest of the track and then when the whole beat drops back in, light it all back up again with a big flash and stuff.

The track i have chosen is Hard to Beat by Hard-Fi. I chose this song because when you listen to it a couple of times, ideas are almost flying through your head already with ways you could shoot the video and camera angles, choreography and things like that. You can just imagine how a professional would choose to shoot the film and take that into context and do it yourself.

The band members are a couple of my very willing friends who are interested in helping me out with the task. I believe that they will give a good performance throughout the whole video, keeping the audiences attention. I have a very good way of getting the best out of their performance, what i am going to do is force the song into their heads, by having them listen to it over and over so that they grow to like the song and know the track almost off by heart. If they learn the basic outline to the song they will enjoy shooting the video as the song they are doing it to would be one of their well liked tracks. Doing this will also help them out with the way that the instruments play and come in during the track. Although i am not planning to do the whole thing in just one shot, i am going to be filming the majority of the song from the same angle, then change the angle and do that part of the song again. So for the first location, i am going to be filming the first half of the song, at least 10 times so i have lots of different angles and portrait shots of the band members, introducing them into the song.

Having them listen to the song will make the video look really good i think as they will know what is coming up in the song and will get the best performance out of them for the video. I may even get the drummer to learn the chart as he plays drums for real so he might be able to do that which will also give the effect that we are actually the band that made the song. Obviously the guitarist wont know the song chart so i am not asking for him to learn that, only to ask him that when the chords change on the track, he knows when to move his finders up the fret bar so it looks like he in semi playing the song. I believe that if i put the effort in that i know i can, this final video will look pretty good :)

23rd September, Progress Report

Since my last blog, i have written up a few idea for my music video. Over the next couple of days i need to be writing up a draft pitch that i will be presenting on friday to the class and will receive feedback on my ideas. I have got provisional ideas of where i would like to shoot my video, we will be going to the junction next thursday though, so i will check out what they have to offer and will finalise the location setting then.

Goodwins Music Video Analysis

Andrew Goodwin writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ (Routledge 1992)

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).

These are the main aspects and ket features to have in a music video.

Shot Angles

I've been looking at various Foo Fighters videos and the technique they use for their videos is the look I'm going for. Fast cuts of the band, looking as convincing as possible.

You have to listen to the music in able to get the best shot for the moment in time, for instance if the vocalist is singing with maybe just one guitarist playing, you could have a shot of the vocalist in the foreground, and a guitarist in the shot somewhere. Like this.

The Track

The tack i have chosen by Hard-Fi is, 'Hard to Beat'. I love this track, one of there best and one of my favourites. My choice of track i think has been very thought through as it has lots of little things in the track which bring on ideas for the video into your head straight away! Such as, right at the beginning of the track, the drummer counts in shouting and with his sticks. This is a shot i could use whilst filming the video, just a simple full screen shot of the drummer with his sticks in the air shouting and counting them in till the track drops then cut to the whole band. Other little things include a softer section to the song that drops in again. What i could do with this is slow the cutting right down, then when it drops back in, speed the shots up immediately taking the tempo of the track into the video.

About the Band

The final band that i have chosen to base my music video on is Hard-Fi.




The band members themselves are generally quite bland, they're pretty normal looking, so finding a few mates to get together and have the same sort of look as them won't be difficult.
There are four members to the band, a drummer and three guitarists, with one lead vocalist.
I have some ideas of people that could play the parts of the band already for instance my friend who plays drums will obviously be on them, and i will get him to learn the chart for the song so when we shoot, the drumming will be in time and it will look more professional. Giving the final production of the video, almost like we played the track.

Initial Ideas

For the music video, i have come up with a basic idea in which i could use. After choosing some music which i am yet to do, i have already got a decent location in where i can shoot the main part of the video.

Location: I will probably use a large studio which i can access, being able to shoot from lots of different angles and keep a sustained look and feel to the video.

Music: I am still yet to choose the music but i have sort of narrowed it down to just a couple. The one which i am most likely to use though is a Hard-Fi track, Hard To Beat.

I don't think i'm going to incorporate a story line to the video, just keep it simple. Use lots of shots and angles with nice and clean cutting to the beat of the track. I'll probably use a full band, and will hire a few mates for a couple of days to help me out.

So far this is what i've come up with, when more ideas and a more advanced look on the music video task come to mind, i will keep them posted on here.

Analyizing a Music Video

Calvin Harris - Ready For The Weekend

Calvin Harris has recently exploded on the music scene and he is one of my favourite artist, this video in particular i really like.
The video is mostly editing, using picture in picture techniques enabling the viewer to think that what they are seeing is multiple and flowing images of the same person deceiving the eye.
The camera shots all move nicely to the beat of the song which provides a rhythm in which the viewer can really get into the video. I always feel that the videos i watch that use the same technique, have more effect on me in the way i would rate it.

The bright vibrant colours make the video seem brighter and more fun, this also is a factor which could make the video look better.
The cutting in which each verse and chorus is set works really well, using the paddles which the girls are holding to track in and out of each shot.

I reckon i could interperate this technique and use it to good effect, maybe i will take this into consideration when i come to making my video.