Work in action

Here is a photo of me during the process of planning. Using Google maps I've been able to research into locations in London to ensure they are suitable before actually filming, for example Brick Lane and South bank. 

Storyboard

We have created a video with our chosen song in the background including the separate shots that we wish to use when filming. This is only a plan therefore it may change as our plans develop and more ideas arise.
It's important to follow a storyboard not only for the filming but the editing as well, for something to make reference to so you don't go off track. It is a guidance tool, and it makes the shots we wish to use clear, especially with the detail next to the shot explaining the sound, lyrics, movement of camera and character.

Location shots

For this post, we decided to use the application ANIMOTO, to create a short 30 second video of a variety of the locations we wish to use. We thought this is more visual and interesting but also its a new application of technology we haven't used before, therefore we have increased our technical knowledge in the process.

The locations we have chosen are specific to the lyrics and the meaning of the song which is London. Therefore we have chosen a variety of areas in London, which we think will be effective with the editing techniques we wish to use, for example fast motion editing in South Bank skate park.

To show the difference in atmospheres within London we want to film in both day and night time, internal and external.

Cinematography
Here is a Gif from Ed Sheeran's video A team. We really like this shot and would like to use something like it as a low angle mid shot. The Gesture really reveals the meaning of our song, and maybe how the character feels alone and wants some company or warmth from someone.



Here is another Gif from Ed Sheeran the A team, where he uses fast motion editing. We are planning to use this editing technique as it looks really effective but also links with how our character may not be used to the rush of London and how fast everything and everyone moves. It would emphasise this as our character would be standing still in the centre of all the rush.

Advert designs

Using photo shop, Brittany has edited this photograph into an Advert design for the artist Emily Thisleton. I really like the effect she has used of repetition and fading as the images overlap eachother to create illusion to the viewer. Brittany is very skilled in photo shop due to her photography background, therefore this gives us a great advantage to creating great work, but also she has helped me learn some skills in using the programme.

We chose to use the purple writing here, as it matches the dark colours of the edited image, which makes the cover look professional and as a whole. Also we have tried to make the composition of the writing balance out with the image by putting it on the opposite side. This ensures the cover doesn't look uneven to the viewer and the whole space is used.

Below is a video we created which shows opinions of our target audience towards the advert. We had great responses, especially about the editing technique therefore this feedback has given us a hint into what an audience in the modern day wants to see and is attractive; unusual and imaginative editing.

Shooting Schedule

We have not yet confirmed dates yet therefore we have left this column blank until the planning process is complete and we can confirm the availability of our locations. 

A shooting schedule has really helped us to plan out and write down the separate locations we wish to use when filming, and what characters are going to be in these shots but also what member of the crew we need. Most of the shots will include myself in London, however Nathan will also be filmed against a green screen where after we will edit a background behind him, but also use his lip sync to fade him into some of the London shots. We really like this technique and have seen it in previous work which has worked effectively but also in professional music video. We now wish to develop our skills enough on final cut and other editing programmes to be able to make our film look the best and most professional it can. 

We also think the variety of internal and external shots is important for this video, as they can represent different emotions against the character for example outside in a congested area in London like Oxford Street,  would enhance upon the audience that the character feels intimidated and like a 'stranger' to the location and people around her; it is a new environment she is not used to. 

Location Permission letter

Only one of our locations requires permission to film in, which is the green screen within our school location. Therefore we have written an email to the school technicians which control this area of media, to ask for permission to use the equipment and some technical help to set it up. Once we have confirmation of the permission we will soon book a date to film with our main character Nathan Bedford against the green screen.  This will also require the booking of media equipment such as a tripod and various camera's to capture different shots of our character from different angles.

It is important to pre- plan and ensure permission is granted, to confirm it is OK for you to film either on someone else's property but also to maybe capture the public who maybe in the location at the same time. It also guarantee's no last minute dissapointment when you turn up at the location and you are turned away and permission is rejected. This would definitely scramble your shooting schedule therefore it is very important to do this. 

photo shoot plan

We created a photo shoot plan, in order to set out the type of photo's we wish to take and create for our production package of a Digi pack. 

We have really thought about the variety of editing techniques and camera shots we can use. For example one of the shots of our male character is to be taken with a fish eye lens, which really emphasises the emotion in the song, as it enlarges the object close to the camera, and decreases the size of the background, therefore making the character look like they're centre of attention. 

The main photo on the front of our CD cover, is to be a collage of pictures we have taken of Nathan showing different emotions, the using 

Talent release form

Nathan is an external member of the group, therefore it is even more important we have proof of his acceptance to perform and feature in our music video. He is our lead male in the video therefore he will have a lot of screen time which the audience will see. 

Even though I am a member of our group, I have completed a permission form just to portray that I am happy to feature in my video and that it can be used for educational purposes, and advertisement of our creation.

Track permission letter

A track permission letter, is to ensure that our group has permission from the artist or organisation to allow us to use their song for our music video, and other promotion packages. It is important to do this as otherwise it can be seen as copyright against the artist as it is not your creation to use as you wish without their consent. In the professional music world or TV, if a programme wishes to use music they'll have to also get permission from the artist. 

Lists of props, costumes, make- up and equipment

Props

Our props were kept pretty simple, as we wanted our main focus to me on the image of our artists and the location rather than the props used. However, we decided that when we film the lip syncing for our lead male role than he should an acoustic guitar to play. We thought that this prop would connote well with our pop image that we're trying to create, as many male pop artists such as Ed Sheeran, Jason Mraz and James Morrisson all incorporate an acoustic guitar in their music video's as it's effective to the portrayal of their image which is relaxed and laid back. 

Our second prop that we're going to use is a bicycle with a basket. We added the basket to our bicycle to make it more feminine, to really emphasize the vulnerableness and loneliness that this young girl in our music video is experiencing. Also, as our location is set in London, we observed how most young people travel around London, which was either by bus or by bike. However, we thought that by using a bike we would be able to capture a variety of more interesting shots in our music video and use different special effects to our advantage (like a fast motion effect.)

Costumes

As I've previously discussed in other posts, the costume choice was pretty easy for us as we wanted our target audience to relate easily to our lead female. Therefore we didn't want to over exaggerate our character or give her dramatic, over the top clothes to wear. Therefore we went with the 'typical' image of a London girl, who dresses quite funky. Topshop is extremely popular amongst young girls so we thought that if she dressed similar to the 'topshop image' then as well as being relatable to our audience they can also aspire and admire her. To be specific Charlotte would probably dress in something like a vintage cardigan, with shorts and some funky tights. What is useful as well is that Charlotte has a very popular haircut, therefore she would be more of a fashion icon.

Our males style is going to be pretty similar, as we want to be relatable to our male audience. Like Topshop, Topman is also extremely popular amongst young boys and especially for some pop artists like Olly Murs, JLS and One Direction. It is important to remain within the stereotype of our chosen genre, and make aspects of this really obvious. Nathan would most likely to be wearing something like chinos, boat shoes and maybe a hoody. 

Make-up

Make-up was something that we were undecided about for quite some time. We couldn't decide whether we wanted to have her natural or to have her made up. We then decided that maybe we should use both for different shots. She could be made up when she's searching the streets of London, as if she is trying to make something of herself and to emphasize the glamour. However, we could do her make up naturally when we're trying to convey her loneliness, as if she's been stripped of all her confidence and ego and this is how she really feels in London (which is lonely and sad.)

Equipment

It didn't take us long to decide on the equipment that we would need for our music video. As I also do Photography for A-Level I already have my own Nikon camera that films in HD. This is an advantage for me and Charlotte as I am always using my camera and have previous experience in filming with it. It will also improve the quality of our shots and develop our music video to be more successful as framing is a key element. We will also need to rent out a tri-pod from school, as we will need it for tracking shots and high angle shots etc. This will also make our shots more steady, because if it is shaky it might  detract from what's in our shot. We will also be using the green screen for a few of our shots, which we will also have to book, as well as a technician to help us set up. I am most looking forward to using the green screen as I like challenging myself as I am not that confident with using it. Lastly, we will also be booking out the lighting to take with us to London, as the lighting is crucial to convey the emotion within our music video and therefore we have to consider when high or low key lighting would be useful.

We thought of an idea to writ the lyrics on card which we will stick on with blue tack onto a cardboard sign that we would make ourself. This is just to vary the shots and add interest into them with different content within them. We will use this at the beginning of the video, as we have decided to change the name of the song to London Calls Me A Stranger, instead of The City as this is a key lyric within the song and fits our genre. A most of our footage will be filmed in London our location and setting already relates to our title and lyrics. Our original idea was to write the whole lyrics onto one piece of card however we discovered an old music video which altered our idea and inspired us. 

This is a music video by Bob Dylan called Subterranean Homesick Blues. From this we decided our lyrics should be written word by word on 5 separate pieces of card which Nathan can then drop one by one as the lyrics peel off . We think this is a really good way to enhance the lyrics without just lip syncing them and to add interest into the shots. Also I really like taking inspiration from other video's which are original and use simple ideas which are effective. We may have to use fast motion editing as we want this at the beginning of the song before the lyrics come in which is only a duration of around 10 seconds. I also like the atmosphere and feel Bob Dylan gives off as  relaxed and chilled, which is what we want Nathan to look like. Therefore we will show Nathan this video as a model to get inspiration from in terms of body language, facial expressions and posture to create this image. 

BRAND INDENTITY

Digipack Ideas

Here we really like the overlapping and layers of font, colour and shapes. We are interested to immitate this editing technique as one of our images for our digipack, however using the lyrics as the letters and words overlapping, and maybe putting a faded image of the main character over the top. 

Both myself and Brittany came up with the idea to use for our Digi pack which would involve us developing our skills in photo shop. A really impressive photo that we have taken of our main location London, will be edited so the colour contrast will stand out and relate to our genre. We then came up with the idea to take a series of images of Nathan and portray then like a mini photo shoot. We would then edit these so that it will reflect our genre and highlight the emotion we wish to show.
Finally we came up with the idea to print our series of images onto elletrocet, so that when we overlap these images onto our location photo our pictures of our lead male will look as if they're faded, as if he is being consumed by London like in the narrative of our song.

Font types

Through the website of Dafont, we researched into different types of font to use for our Digi pack and CD cover, and here were our favourites due to the modern and edgy look they portray. 

The font above is our most preferred font as it's strong however not bold. It is really simple, but we are attracted to this as it's modern and not too detailed to attract too much attention away from the image which will be on the cover.

Font ideas

Concept

Here we have created a video showing all of our cut out images of the props costumes and locations we wish to use. We thought this was a more visual way of reflecting our ideas and it also has laid it out clearer for us to see. 

Cinematography

We have planned to integrate the editing techniques which are popular and common within Ed Sheeran's other videos which is especially fast motion editing. 

 Here is also a Gif showing fast motion editing used in Ed Sheeran's video, which we think is really effective. We are not planning on making our character homeless however they will be revealed as a lost individual in London and someone who is not used to the surroundings.


We also are planning to take close up shots of Nathan lip syncing as he is our main character who is lyrically telling us how he feels, therefore his facial expressions and showing him singing the lyrcis is very important to reveal our idea. We will also have another character who is visually revealing how they feel in the location of London and in different settings.

Costume

Here I have created mood boards of the type of costumes and clothes we are aiming for in our music video for both characters. They are both very fashionable however quite edgy and have an indie and modern feel to them. They are also quite similar with the mix and match look of different colours, textures and patterns. This really represents Ed Sheeran's type of music which represents a mixture of meanings that are very modern in this world and associate with the people around us. He is also very individual himself, therefore its important to portray this through the characters look in our video and costume is the most obvious way as this is what the audience automatically looks at. 

I think the costumes of the men below are quite countrified through the wooly jumpers, maroon and other earthy colours and the wooly hats. This really suits the lyrics for example one line is 'London calls me a stranger', which could emphasise Sheeran's separation from London as he is not originally from there. Also the song may relate to when Sheeran moved to London to promote his music and advance in the industry. 

Location

We have taken these images from Embankment skate park, as this is one of our ideas for a location in our video. We also want to use an editing technique of Fast Motion editing, by using the public skaters and our female character. The female character will be in normal time, however the skaters will be in fast motion. This really emphasises that line of 'Stranger' as this character is not the same as everyone else and could emphasise that the speed and energy of the city is different to what she's used to...linking to how Sheeran feels. 

So for example, our female character could be sitting on this platform watching the skaters, which are in fast motion speeding past her, which is quite deluding. This would also reveal our use of technology and creativity being used to create our music video. 

Technical Tutorials

Camera Techniques

We also experimented with the use of instruments including the drums, guitar, keyboard and microphone. Each instrument requires some practice and familiarisation to get the realistic look of you actually playing the instrument. I found this quite difficult as I do not play an instrument, however Nathan looked quite comfortable and adapted to this task well.

This image shows that we found that using three different cameras at the same time allows us to film three different shots of each member of the band, saving time and effort. This meant we only had to film once through, in comparison to if we were using one camera, we would have had to film three times. We will take this experience and use it during our actual filming for our music video. This way we have footage of many different angles which will vary the shots when editing and putting the clips together.

Here is Brittany and I, during our green screen shoot involving the class and our individual groups. We got to experiement with the camera's and also when infront of the camera we used instruments to make it look more realistic. It was quite hard to feel relaxed as the class were watching us perform... however it has given me more confidence in looking into the camera and making eye contact with the audience. I found that singing the lyrics with meaning really makes an effect on the overall image of the video, as it looks as if you are emotional about this song and it relates to you.

What makes a good PUBLICITY PHOTO?

After filming we had a variety of shots to play with which we created a short video with. We have decided to leave the green screen as a background so we weren't pressured to create a similar look in the real video as we have not yet decided what we would like. However we did experiment with some backgrounds and have learned how to change it in final cut. I really felt this has given us a head start for when we create our actual video, as final cut will be the programme we will be using. I have familiarised myself with the shortcut keys to ensure a quicker edit but also how to insert or convert files into the correct format, which will really importantly save us valuable time when editing our real music video.

This green screen shoot has allowed us to reflect on our performance and how we look in front of the camera so we can decide on what went well and what could be improved. I can see that I need to find some confidence when acting in front of the camera, however my lip syncing is at a good standard.

This makes a really good publicity photo as even though its simple, the effects are detailed and skill full. It also helps when the model is photogenic and looks good in a picture. The facial expression she is revealing really makes the audience ask what is she looking at and why does she have this concerned look on her face. This would most likely be answered in the songs in her album or the lyrics in that particular single. Therefore it's important to link the image on the cover or digi-pack to the songs so there is some sort of relevance in the overall package and is helpful to attract the buyer to purchase this item.

CD COVER DESIGN

Frank Miller- London calls me a stranger 

Here I have used photoshop to create a draft CD cover of our artist Nathan Bedford against a plain background holding a hooded gesture. We have decided to get Nathan to do this position as it's quite enclosed and private which relates to the title, 'London calls me a stranger'. The character looks very lonely and unhappy due to his facial expression looking down at the floor revealing a loss of confidence in comparison to if he was smiling and making eye contact with the viewer. I have edited the picture into a black and white colour scheme to contradict the stereotype of London being colourful and exciting, because this characters lyrics reveal his segregation and separation he feels.  

Jade Emans

This is one of our favourite CD covers due to the editing techniques and the main talent herself in the photo. As she is photogenic already, this adds a touch of professionalism and class as her make- up and overall appearance looks planned and well thought out. It could be debated whether it is a glamourous picture, due to her natural beauty however it has a very plain colour scheme and not much detail in the image. It is plainly about her facial expression rather than other props and elements around her which create the image, which is a really gentle and calming approach to the viewer as they can simply concentrate on the character.

The blurred editing technique at the bottom draws your eye towards her face even more as it has distorted and blurred her shoulders, emphasising her facial expression even more. 

Millie Pennington

This is also a similar situation as her face is the main focus in this CD cover. On the other hand she has eye contact with the audience with her black piercing eyes which has quite an impact and makes you feel quite dominated. This editing of her eyes has really enhanced the effect as they're harsh and bold in contrast to her natural pale blue coloured eyes which would have a more calming and attractive effect rather than piercing the audience. I also really like her body language with her finger on her lip which is just off looking like a 'shh' gesture. Its more of an edgy look with her purple nail varnish linking to her black eyes. I really like this cover, as the close up and editing techniques to make a strong contrast has quite a big impact upon the audience and creates a relationship with the model, wanting to know more about her as the gesture leaves us a bit of a cliff hanger. Maybe this could enhance that her music and lyrics will explain this.

Emily

This is a contrasting cover to the previous we have seen. It is more technological and structured. This has definately been thought about by the editor, and has used the same picture from the previous cover however this reveals a different way of editing and the skills we have. I like how the name has covered the eyes in the middle of the image as it enhances her facial expression even further. This is because you look at the name and cannot see her eyes, so you look at the other images around her where it reveals her focus which is down, making the audience think why she is doing this. The repetitive and overlapping editing technique keeps the audience looking at the image and really drilling it into them. It can also look quite delerious as it is placed at different angles which could look quite confusing. Overall I would be keen to use this editing technique as its modern and fresh and reflects the technological advancement we have.

Image Annotation

Lyrics Annotation

[Verse]

The shop across the road, Here we could have a shot of a shop in london where the female character is standing

It fills my needs and keeps me company,

When I need it, The shop is like his comfort object, the shop would have to look approachable and welcoming

Voices beat through my walls, When editing, a shot of a wall could look as if it had a pulse, or as if something was passing through it.

I don't think I'm gonna make it, Body language could look quite negative, and discomforting, like head down in hands and slouching.

Past to-mor-roow.,

London calls me a stranger, He needs to look different from others around him as if he doesnt fit in.

A traveller Ohoohohh, He is never often settled in a home, so should look quite comfortable moving around in the town

This is now my home, He can now look comfortable, get a shot of somewhere which looks homely and welcoming

My home,

Oh Woah,

Burning on the back street, 

Oh Woah,

Stuck here, sitting in the back seat,

Oh Woah,

And I'm blazing on the street,

What I do isn't upto you, 

And if the city never sleeps then that makes two.,

Song Details

We have chosen to use the song 'The City' by Ed Sheeran. This song does not yet have a music video to match it, so we can really think openly about what we want our video to reveal, without referring to the original. Also Ed Sheeran is very modern and original, but also he sings about modern society issues, events or locations, for example in this song 'The City' is his main focus where he expresses how its alive and 'never sleeps'.
The GENRE of this song is male indie/pop. This artist is enjoyed by a wide variety of audiences however the target audience is mainly teenagers and young adults, due to the edgy and new feel of beats and rhythms he creates. We therefore chose to do this genre as we can link it to our taste of music, and what the audience wants to see, as this is our favourite genre of music.  

Roles

In our video as it is a song by a male solo artist, we will be using a young male and one other female character.

Our male character is Nathan Bedford who we think will suit the genre and style of the genre, due to his edgy and indie look. He is also excellent in front of the camera, as he looks natural and can make good eye contact with the camera to create a relationship with the audience. He's also good at lip syncing so can really help to make to video look professional and realistic. We know this as he has proved his talent in previous media tasks, like the green screen task, our lip synching experimental task, but also the thriller opening we created last year in year 13.

This is me- Charlotte Hannah. I will be playing the role of part producer and part actor. I will be filming some shots of our main actor Nathan, however I will also be in the music video, playing a london girl living her life. I feel I will be good as a character in the music video as I am quite confident infront of the camera, I feel like I will fit the role and I can put alot of energy and though into it, but also I have a good eye for filming a good shot so I am looking forward to help produce the video. Also I feel like I've had enough experience in media to make the shots look professional and of a high standard.

Brittany Devine will be playing the role of director, producer and the overall organiser of the camera and set. Brittany has a great imagination and also has a lot of experience within this area of camera's due to her photography and art courses she is presently taking. This gives us a great advantage as she has knowledege in editing techniques but also how to communicate ideas with the audience in a less subtle way thats not plainly obvious.  This is good as it gives the audience something to think about and gives the video a twist.



Initial Details

Our Initial Ideas, consist of what we have though of as a group of what we think will work well in our music video. Considering the pop genre and male artist we have chosen our ideas link to this and have been combined together from inspiration of other artists in this genre. For example the casual clothing is seen in Olly Murs video's to create quite a relaxed feel to the image of the video.
Instead of just writing a list of our initial ideas, we chose to create a short video of our ideas, and examples to match a few of them either in pictures or short clips.
Here is also a picture of our initial ideas, as it is quite hard to read all of them due to the small writing.