Filming Diary (28/11/14 - 30/11/14)

On Friday I was meant to get some test shots and do lip-sync practice with Emily, but unfortunately this didn't go to plan. To do this I would have needed access to the green room but, as I was silly and unorganised, I left booking the green room until last minute and when I went to do it, it was fully booked up for the day. However, when I took the camera and tripod home I had a little play around with them so I could get to grips with the equipment, which I have found to be very helpful.
When I got up on Saturday morning I set up the camera properly, putting my memory card in. At first it wasn't accepting my memory card, saying the memory was full even though it is completely brand new and unused. However, I was determined to get it working and with a little bit of time, it finally started working. First I got some test shots done around the house, practising panning, tilting and zooming. Then I got a couple of my real shots done, although not as many as I had hoped to get, due to the limited time I had because of having to go to work.
On Sunday morning I started filming quite early so I could ensure I could fit all the filming planned into one day, as well as getting some revision and work for my other subjects done. To start I did the scenes where objects are smashed. I set up the camera on the concrete part of my garden (this would make the objects easier to break - my dad's advice). Then my dad smashed the objects for me whilst I filmed. We only had one chance with these shots so the pressure was on to get it right the first time, and luckily it turned out great, which was almost unbelievable. These scenes were so fun to film, and my dad had a great time smashing things up...Later on in the day Emily came round to do some filming. I started off explaining the scenes I wanted to film to her, then we did some quick test shots and lip-sync practice before starting the real filming. My family were out for the majority of the day which was good because it allowed us to move around the house to film without having to keep annoying them and getting them to move to another room, etc. The majority of shots went to plan, the only real struggle I had was that I needed a dolly track for a couple of the scenes but had forgotten to book one out from college. However, I improvised and got my spinny computer chair, placed the tripod on top of it so the camera was stable and used that instead, so hopefully that worked well and the footage will still look professional. The other issue I had was the positioning of the table in my dining room because it meant I could use a tracking shot of Emily painting at one side but not the other as it was too close to the wall for the chair to fit and for the camera to not be too close to Emily's face. Therefore, I improvised again and did a pan & zoom shot instead.
Overall, I think the shooting session over the weekend went pretty well and I got the majority of the footage I planned to get done. I will be booking a camera and tripod out again a couple of times this week so I can get a few more scenes out of the way. Additionally, we started losing natural light a lot sooner than expected, which was due to the cloudy weather. This meant the footage was looking darker and the subject within the frame was not as visible as I wanted, so I had to turn on the lights in the room and use artificial lighting. This made the shots look much better.

(As well as doing written film diaries, I am filming video diaries whilst on set to give a greater insight into my filming process - once I have done all my filming sessions I will be editing these together into one video which I will post on my blog)

Organising Actors

Last night I just messaged Emily to check she was still okay to do filming today and to ask her what to bring, when to come, etc. This helped with organisation so I could plan out the day of filming.

Weather

This is a screenshot of today's weather forecast. As the majority of filming will be done inside, the weather is not a major issue, as it shouldn't really effect what I have planned. Due to the weather being best/brightest about 12-1 o'clock I will shoot the few shots I need in my garden then. I also need to make sure all filming is done before sunset because I need the natural light for my shots.

Health & Safety Grid

Target Audience Profile

This is a 'reader profile' style moodboard I made about my target audience. It is very stereotypical but is good to show what kind of interests and styles my target audience likes so I can try to link them to/incorporate them in my products. As my target audience are teenagers (about 16-19), mainly female (but it should hopefully appeal to boys too), with an interest in the indie genre, I want to ensure my products specifically attract this group so the more research into the audience, the more successful I should be with this.

Lighting Ideas

This is a prezi presentation of some inspiration and ideas I have for the lighting in my video. I have included 3 existing music videos that incorporate effective lighting styles that I really like and would love to use in my own video.

MES - Hair, Makeup & Outfit Looks 2 & 3

 

Hair & make-up look 2 (left):

This look is for the scenes in which Emily is painting at home. Therefore, I wanted her to look quite natural. This is why she has simple make-up, just a natural base and cat eye eye-liner, with wavy hair.

Hair & make-up look 3 (right):

This look is for the scenes where Emily is at home alone. The hair & make-up of this look is very similar to look 2 but I added some dark lipstick as this will be like her 'everyday look'.

Outfit look 2 (left):

Like the hair & make-up for this look, Emily's outfit is very simple. A plaid shirt, plain black t-shirt and comfy mom style shorts, make up this very laid-back/casual outfit, which is typical of what someone may wear if they are in a home setting.

Outfit look 3 (right):

This outfit is still quite casual due to it being for scenes in a home setting, but there is slightly more to it than look 2. Emily wears the same mom style shorts, but with a black belt, charm necklace, grey-shirt and an over-sized purple velvet shirt. This shows she has made more of an effort with her style in these scenes, and actually has quite a quirky, creative sense of style.

First Filming Sessions

Today I pre-booked a camera and tripod out from Ben (the media technician) to collect on Friday and keep over the weekend. I plan to use my frees on Friday to possibly get some test shots and do lip-sync practice with my main actress, Emily. Tomorrow I will book out the green room for one of my Friday frees so I can do this. Then over the weekend I will continue to get test shots and start filming for some scenes of my actual music video. On Saturday I am at work in the afternoon so will have to start filming early to ensure I make the most of having the equipment. I plan to do the scenes where I will only need props and not the actors, e.g. the smashing of the mirror, plate, vase, etc. because this will get these shots out of the way. On Sunday I will hopefully be able to do some of the scenes set in my house with Emily.

Shot Plan:

Friday 28th
Test shots & lip-sync practice
Location = green room (white wall)
People Needed = Emily
Props = None
Costume & Make-up = N/A

Saturday 29th
Test shots & first filming session - prop only scenes
Shots = 11, 31, 52, 57, 61(possibly), 65, 74
Location = my house (mainly garden)
People Needed = a family member to help set up props whilst I set camera up & film
Props = calendar, mirror, hammer, plate, 2 pizzas & pepperoni, converse, bottles & cans of alcohol, vase with flowers
Costume & Make-up = N/A

Sunday 30th
First filming session with Emily
Shots = 27, 30, 38, 39, 51, 59, 68, 71, 73, 79 (Emily's part), 81, 86, 90, 91, 92
Location = my house & cropton park (dependant on weather)
People Needed = Emily
Props = canvas, paint, whipped cream, dolly track
Costume & Make-up = looks 2 & 3

MES - Hair & Make-up Look One

This is a time lapse video I made on my iPhone last night. In this I show how to create the first hair and make-up look I want for the artist in my video. This make-up style is quite popular, with a simple base, a light smoky eye and a deep red shade of lipstick. This will suit Emily, my actress, and will look good on camera as it will make her features stand out. The double bun hairstyle adds a more quirky feel to this look, presenting my artist as being unique.

(Apologies for the weird facial expressions I pull throughout the video...)

These are pictures of the completed look:

Location Pictures

These are some pictures of the locations I will be using in my music video.
The locations I will be using are the college green room, my house (bedroom, staircase, dining room, front room & kitchen), and cropton park. I picked these locations due to their easy accessibility and casual/realistic look (in terms of creating a sense of verisimilitude in my video). The green room needs to be pre-booked before I have filming sessions in it due to the large amount of students that will want to use it to, so I will ensure I have this organised beforehand. This location allows me to experiment with and use good quality lighting, which will give my video a professional look. Additionally, the white wall creates simplicity so the focus will be on the subjects in the frame rather than the actual location. My house, for obvious reasons, is always accessible for me to film in so this makes my life a whole lot easier, and means I have more time opportunity to get some filming done. As it is a very typical family house it will create verisimilitude in the video. When planning filming sessions for scenes in my house, I will have to take some factors into consideration, such as if my family are in or the time of day (for lighting reasons). Furthermore, cropton park is also accessible and easy for me and my actors to get to because it only a 10 minute walk from my house. Similarly to my house, the park is a very realistic setting and has a kind of urban look to it so also adds a sense of verisimilitude, allowing the audience to relate. When wanting to film at the park I will have to consider the time of day for both lighting and disturbance reasons (e.g. if there are lots of kids running around). The park also has a closing time so I will have to ensure I plan filming sessions that allow me enough time before the park closes.

Cast List

Main Cast:

The artist: Emily Lawson

Features:

- Average height
- Blue eyes
- Pale complexion
- Long, naturally wavy light brown hair
- Glasses

I asked Emily to be my artist because I know she will do a great job of it. We have been friends for a long time so I know she is very reliable and easy to get in touch with. She also lives just up the road from me so that makes meeting up for filming a lot easier because neither of us will have to travel far to meet, as well as meaning there will be more time opportunity for us to film. Emily has helped me with media projects before so I know she is good and comfortable in front of a camera, and because she is a fellow media student she understands what is expected from the product. Additionally, she has the look I wanted for my artist and will be easy to work with in terms of hair and make-up styling.

Artist's boyfriend: Jack Blanchard

Features:

- Average height

- Blue eyes

- Short brown hair

Jack will be playing the boyfriend of the main artist in my music video. He fits the part well due to his style and confidence. Furthermore, he is comfortable in front of a camera and is reliable so I know he will do a good job. 

Other Cast Members:

Friend 1 - Kayleigh Blake

Friend 2 - Faye Loades

Friend 3 - Tom Bell

Shot Planning

Locations

1. Green Room
2. Cropton Park
3. My House

Green Room:

Shot 1 (&3, 5, 7, 40, 69), shot 2, shot 4, shot 6, shot 8, shot 9, shot 10, shot 13, shot 17, shot 21, shot 22, shot 24, shot 25, shot 26, shot 29, shot 32, shot 33, shot 35, shot 36, shot 41, shot 45, shot 47, shot 48, shot 49, shot 50, shot 53, shot 55, shot 56, shot 60, shot 62, shot 64, shot 67, shot 71, shot 72, shot 75, shot 76, shot 77, shot 82, shot 83, shot 87, shot 88

Cropton Park:

Shot 27, shot 28, shot 37, shot 38, shot 46, shot 65, shot 79, shot 80, shot 81, shot 84, shot 85, shot 89

My House:

Shot 11, shot 12, shot 14, shot 15, shot 16, shot 18, shot 19, shot 20, shot 23, shot 30, shot 31, shot 34, shot 39, shot 42, shot 43, shot 44, shot 51, shot 52, shot 54, shot 57, shot 58, shot 59, shot 61, shot 63, shot 66, shot 68, shot 70, shot 73, shot 74, shot 78, shot 79 (Emily's part & Jack's part), shot 86, shot 90, shot 91, shot 92

Cast

• Artist
• Boyfriend
• Friend 1 (girl)
• Friend 2 (girl)
• Friend 3 (boy)

Artist:

Shot 1 (&3, 5, 7, 40, 69), shot 2, shot 4, shot 6, shot 8, shot 9, shot 10, shot 12, shot 14, shot 15, shot 17, shot 18, shot 19, shot 21, shot 22, shot 23, shot 24, shot 26, shot 27, shot 28, shot 29, shot 30, shot 32, shot 33, shot 34, shot 35, shot 36, shot 37, shot 38, shot 39, shot 41, shot 42, shot 43, shot 44, shot 45, shot 46, shot 48, shot 49, shot 50, shot 51, shot 53, shot 54, shot 55, shot 56, shot 58, shot 59, shot 60, shot 62, shot 63, shot 64, shot 65, shot 66, shot 67, shot 68, shot 70, shot 71, shot 72, shot 73, shot 75, shot 76, shot 77, shot 78, shot 79, shot 80, shot 81, shot 82, shot 84, shot 85, shot 86, shot 87, shot 88, shot 89, shot 90, shot 91

Boyfriend:

Shot 12, shot 13, shot 14, shot 16, shot 18, shot 22, shot 23, shot 25, shot 26, shot 28, shot 32, shot 34, shot 35, shot 37, shot 42, shot 45, shot 46, shot 47, shot 49, shot 50, shot 53, shot 54, shot 56, shot 58, shot 63, shot 64, shot 66, shot 70, shot 72, shot 75, shot 78, shot 79, shot 80, shot 82, shot 83, shot 84, shot 85, shot 88, shot 89

Friend 1:

Shot 14, shot 20, shot 26, shot 82

Friend 2:

Shot 14, shot 20, shot 26, shot 82

Friend 3:

Shot 14, shot 20, shot 26, shot 44

(Shots in pink font have been filmed)

Props

• Calendar (shot 11)
• Beer (shot 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23)
• Face Paint (shot 24)
• Canvas & Paint (shot 30, 51, 73, 90, 92)
• Mirror (that can be smashed) (shot 31)
• Hammer (shot 31)
• Lemons (shot 41, 45)
• Plate (that can be smashed) (shot 52)
• Rope (shot 53)
• 2 Pizzas & Pepperoni (shot 57)
• Baking Utensils (shot 58)
• Whipped Cream (shot 58, 59)
• Alcohol Bottles & Cans (shot 61)
• Party Popper (shot 62)
• Converse (shot 65, 66)
• Mobile Phone (shot 70)
• Woolly Hat, Scarf & Gloves (shot 71)
• Vase (that can be smashed) With Flowers In (shot 74)
• Finished Fingerprint Painting (‘Foundations’ painted on it) (shot 92)

(Ones in pink I already have - this will be updated as I get each prop)

Storyboard & Animatic

This is a slideshare of my storyboard. The storyboarding process took a very long time and could be a bit boring at times, but it is going to be incredibly helpful for me in the production process. It gives me a clear and straightforward plan of each shot so I will know exactly what I have to do on each day of filming. The timings of each shot will also be beneficial in the editing process.
This is my storyboard animatic. Due to creating this, I now have a rough idea of what my music video will look like, especially in terms of editing. This will help in the editing process because I know when the transitions between frames should happen so it fits the flow/beat of the song perfectly.

Visual Storyboard

I created a visual storyboard in a moodboard style format so it gives a clear idea of what my video will look like. This is/has been really helpful with the storyboarding process because it has provided me with something to work from and meant I could organise my thoughts before putting them together in a final plan.

Helpful Editing Tutorials

As I am in the process of storyboarding, I need to start thinking about how I want to edit my music video and what kind of techniques I should use. In addition, because I haven't had much experience using video editing software, I have to learn to do it quickly so my video will look as effective and professional as possible. For these reasons I have been watching some really helpful editing tutorials on websites that Ben, the college's media technician, has recommended to take a look at. The links for the websites are below:

http://www.lynda.com/
http://www.videocopilot.net/basic/

Narrative Theory Applied To An Example Video

Tim O'Sullivan (1998) argues that all forms of media tells us some kind of story - more specifically a story about us as a culture/a set of cultures. This is present in Haim's video for The Wire, as a story is told of the three band members breaking up with their boyfriends and how the boys cope post-breakup. Love and breakups are a very common concept used in music videos because it relates to us as a culture and audiences may have experienced something similar. However, Haim go against this theory to an extent due to the reversal of stereotypical gender roles in the video. It is the girls who break up with the boys, and the boys become overly emotional and heartbroken, compared to the girls who do not seem to care. This contrasts the stereotypical view of gender that we have in our culture, so teaches the audience a different point of view.

Pam Cook (1985) states that the standard Hollywood narrative structure should have:
• Linearity of cause and effect within an overall trajectory of enigma resolution.
• A high degree of narrative closure.
• A fictional world that contains verisimilitude especially governed by spatial and temporal coherence
This video follows Cook's theory because the story essentially moves forward to solve the problem. Equilibrium is established at the start when each couple are still together, but then the protagonists (the band) and the antagonists (their boyfriends) have a conflict in desires when the girls break up with the boys despite the boys still being clearly in love with them, leading to a disruption of the equilibrium, in which the story changes. The 'quest' is how the boys react after the break up and how they attempt to cope with it. However, there isn't a clear resolution/re-equilibrium at the end of the video because it ends quite abruptly with no clear answer as to whether or not the couples get back together or not, so the video applies to Cook's theory up until the ending. In addition, the music video applies to Todorov's theory in this same way.

Another way that this music video applies to narrative theory is Kate Domaille's theory of narrative types (2001). Domaille argues that every story can be fitted into 1 of 8 narrative types. Each of these narrative types has a source, an original story upon which the others are based. This video fits into the Romeo & Juliet narrative type, as it is a love story. Despite the plot being more of a dysfunctional love story, as it is about the breakups rather than the actual relationships, the emotions shown by the characters and the values that are reflected in the narrative are very typical of a love story narrative type.

Sven Carlsson (1999) identified rough groups that music videos fall into (in general). This music video falls into 'narrative clip' and 'performance clip' because a story is present but there are lip-sync and live performance scenes as well.

Possible Places My Video Will Feature/Be Advertised

My music video will be posted on YouTube as this is the most popular place audiences go to view music videos. It is free and easy to upload videos so this makes it a really accessible platform to promote artists. This video streaming site came about with the growth/development of web 2.0 and social networking. Sites like YouTube allow audiences to become interactive with their favourite bands/artists, with the 'like', 'share' and 'comment' features available. This also enables record labels and artists to get feedback for their work so they know how to appeal to their target audience. Furthermore, audiences have access to YouTube worldwide, with billions of people using it across the globe, this means that the video can reach international audiences within a matter of seconds. Therefore, I feel as though YouTube is the best place to feature my music video.

The video would also be advertised/promoted on other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Like YouTube, billions of people across the world use these sites so whatever is posted on them can easily be accessed/seen by audiences from every corner of the globe. My artist would have accounts on each of the platforms, and not only would they do posts as a build up to the video release, but a link to the music video would also be featured for their followers to see. On Instagram and Pinterest there would be pictures of the filming of the video, snapshots of the actual video, and snippets/teasers of the finished product. All these kind of things are done by existing artists and it effectively promotes them, allowing them to reach both mainstream and niche audiences worldwide, so I would take on these techniques to do the same thing.

Below is a summary video I created using PowToon:

Video Techniques & Influences