Due to the time constraints of my previous song, i decided to change my idea and wrote up; my plan, shot list, props, locations and actors in one sleepless evening. I have been working on this idea for the past few months and am already feeling more comfy with this song and the time.
The new song i am creating a video for is "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" by John Mayer. (linked below)
I chose this song because I've been a fan of John Mayer's for years and the song provokes quite strong visuals just waiting to be applied to the screen. Themes included in this song are: loss, regret, being broken hearted, longing. With this range of moods, it lends itself to being quite a melancholy piece with interesting rhythmic elements that can be built upon. In fact, i'm planning to branch out in terms of techniques and use a small scene of stop motion to convey one idea I've had about the main characters heart sinking in his chest.
I'm confident that i can deliver a high quality product in good time whilst also delivering on the evaluation aspects and ancillary texts.
Due to various factors linked to logistics and the availability of cast and the location, i have had to shelf my previous music video idea for "Don's forget me". Without delay, i jumped straight back on the horse to try and produce an idea with similar levels of complexity and story, without the previous issues of the first idea. I decided to move to the song "The past six years" by Deaf Havana. Below is a powerpoint i created to display my current thoughts.
An article published last year on the BBC "Newsbeat" website delves into the issue of age rating on music videos. This has become a greater problem in recent years due to artists pushing the boundaries of what is deemed appropriate to be used to accompany a song. This new motion introduced means that record labels (such as the big three- Warner, Universal and Sony) will have to send all of their music through the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) meaning that they will be given an age rating before they can be shown.
But what does this mean for artists? well, with certain videos that seem to abuse the rather lax rules on music video, such as Nicki Minaj- Anaconda (shown below), we could see a distinct reduction of viewers due to a large amount not being able to access them online or on music channels due to age restrictions.
in terms of this research effecting my production, i don't think it will much. While themes like drugs and mental health are explored in it (and they would class as for a higher age rating) i don't feel it will have a large effect due to the target audience I'm hoping to attract, which will be young and older adults who have heard of the song in question. It may take a toll on the younger viewers of the song when it is put online, but i feel that will make for a smaller demographic.
Palette and treatment are two things that need to be heavily thought about at the start of any production; as these factors help determine the edge and the representations created in the production. These can turn an ordinary production into one of many things.
Palette normally refers to lighting, props and the set used in productions to help the overall suggestion carried through. While treatment is more closly linked to how the factors discussed in palette will actually effect the emotion of the viewer.
For example, if we look at this video for Calum Scott's "dancing on my own", we can gain a clearer understanding of how these two factors can influence a production.
From this video we can see various themes start to emerge, creating a rather somber an gloomy mood. The costume, set and filter are incredibly washed out, lending to the topic of the song draining the artist. The use of the amount of people along with them all wearing plain white with blank expressions links to how they aren't the focus of his eye as he is too drawn to watching his lover or crush being taken away.
Before the summer, we were tasked to create a power point and present our idea to the class. is an incredibly value stage in the formation of an idea as it gives us a platform where we can receive constructive criticism in order to further our idea and understanding of the undertaking. i presented my concept of a music video of "don't forget me" in this session and it was rather well received. But some questions were brought up with it. mainly linked to the treatment how much work i have to put in to create this performance based hybrid music video.
I think the most ticky part of this pre production for a music video is trying to get an idea of how you're going to edit it and treat it. But with so many examples out there of pretty much every treatment style and editing techniques, it is easy to imagine and apply these different techniques and styles to our own videos.
Examples of completly contrasting music videos with vastly different editing styles and treatments are the video for Red Hot Chili Peppers- "Can't Stop" and Disturbed's cover of "Sound of Silence". Both of these videos compliment the songs the follow incredibly well, which shows the real breadth of treatments and editing styles.
On the rather random, crazy end of the treatment and editing section is "Can't Stop". It features the band in some of the weirdest and crazy activities and props to carry the incredibly random nature of the song, and the band themsleves. There isn't really any Chronology to the video. Instead it just jumps between shots of the band doing rather weird activities; such as when they are popping in and out of Wheelie Bins, or when Anthony Kiedis (the lead singer) is in that weird body tent. One technique i like is how they use the tunnel at the begining to amplify the build up of the song. This paired with them matching scenes of vocals with the song form a closer link to the source material, which i feel is important for a music video.
On the other end of the spectrum is disturbed's cover of the "Sound of Silence". This song does feature some elements of story telling and chronology, and also links to the source material very well either through close ups of the singer, or what is being displayed on the screen. What I mean by this is that there is often links between the lyrics, instrumental and the video. An example of this is when the singer sings "In restless dreams i walked alone" we see a man walking alone in the video holding a guitar. This links further because it is this line that triggers the guitar to start in the song. Infact, this is where the video gets its sense of story telling from. It chooses to display what is going on in the lyrics on screen. It also links to the music too; such as when the drums come in on the verse starting with "fools said i you do not know" it includes shots of the drummer do his two strokes on the timpani.
Looking at these two videos has given me greater insight in the way that i could treat and edit my video. I'm thinking of leaning more towards "the sound of silence" as it links closer to the mood i'm trying to get across. However, i may go more towards the pace of the "Can't Stop" video in the choruses when the song gets heavier.
The push for us deciding on our main task was thrust upon us last lesson. While many people were still running through their options, I decided rather quickly and started to develop. I decided on making a music video for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers song "Dont Forget Me".
This song is based and written around a drug addiction. But, rather than focusing on the traditional view, it is taken from the addiction's perspective. This is shown through the lines "come again, get me exited" and the fact that a majority of the lyrics focus on the writer being aspects of the addiction, such as "i'm the bloodstain on your shirt sleeve".
The next task for the class is to make a presentation on our ideas.
In the run up to summer, our main objective is to decide on what main task we are going to do. For me, I have narrowed it down to either a music video or a short film. This is because I feel like I have the greatest experience and interest in these two mediums rather than radio dramas or podcasts. That being said, I now have to make my choice based on examples of each of these mediums. Firstly, I will look at "Lover of the Light" by Mumford and Sons.
This video, starring Idris Elba (one of my favourite actors at the moment), focuses on the life and journey of a man trying to connect back to the world. However, he is restricted by one factor. He is blind. I think this is very well played however, as there is no real sign posts provided. Instead, it is all done through props and the actor himself. One of my favourite scenes in the video is when he is about to leave the house but his grasp falls on his cane. The use of the hand shuddering amplifies his frustration and sadness about his condition and how it is his biggest restraint.
This theme of restraint is key to the flow of the music video, as it focuses a lot on him being free to roam and being one with nature. But, there still exist timly reminders that he is not well (such as the cane).
As music videos go, I like how much this one carries a story. Many exist just to carry the music or to give it greater depth to the experience for the viewer. This one actually follows a story and has quite a strong narrative and focuses on quite a melancholy theme of disability and isolation because of it.
