Location Shots

Previous to filming Alex took some location shots. These are to see what the area looks like on film, the problems the area could encounter and the lighting.

Audience!

We carried out a questionnaire to find out exactly who are out target audience is. We need to know who we are aiming at so we can create a project to suit their needs. Rachel has uploaded the results.

Filming Schedule

As Alex has the closest relations to the band she devised a filming schedule. She also sent an email around Facebook, being more quicker and efficient, to find out about who can cast in the video, and letting them know dates, times and locations. We felt she was best suited for this as there were friends she wanted involved we didn't necessarily have the profiles of. However it would be very simple to add these people if needs be just to send a quick email, but no as efficient as friend requests would need to be replied to (which could take hours-days).

Sound and Lighting within Music Videos

Sound and lighting are two crucial elements used to represent the genre, tone and narrative of a media product. This is no exception for a music video. We need to know how sound and lighting is conventionally used within the Indie genre. Therefore I have carried out some research so we know what is expected of our video.

Lighting: Being an Indie genre this traditionally means it isn't high production. This label plays for the love and fun of the music and performing, its more personal than a business to them. Therefore lighting is conventionally natural lighting. Traditionally there is no massive element of performance with an audience and stage lighting.

Sound: Independent label means their isn;t a specific type of genre. However it is broken down into sub genres, Indie-pop, Indie-rock etc. The sound of the music drives the editing and sets the tone.

Deconstruction of a music video

We have all decided to deconstruct a music video, individually, to gain more knowledge and understanding of our genre, editing, sound and lighting. I am basing my deconstruction on an existing music video to get a real feel of how they link everything together to make it suit the genre.

I have looked at The View and their official video of Shock Horror online on youtube. The band is seen as a Indie-Pop genre. Within the Indie label it does create sub-genres as its a generation where they love to perform, not necessarily one type of music.

Here is a link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz0db-uwN90

Music: The music within this video is driving the editing. Simple cuts are used on each beat. This is conventionally within the Indie label.

Match-on Match Action: As you would expect when shots of the band singing or performing the music is in time with the movement of instruments and mouths. This keep continuity and giving the idea they are actually singing and playing whilst recording.

The lyrics are not driving the video. The shots have a theme of coloured smoke deriving from things they jump on or hit. But they are non-linear shots of the band having fun and messing about. Again this is conventional within the Indie Label. There are close ups and mid-shots of band members standing around the location, expressions giving an impact on the audience to wonder what they are feeling. Expressions and actions within the video appear to derive from the tone of the video; care-free and fun.

The lighting is a natural lighting, however dark as its been filmed, in what appears, an underground graffitied location. The darker lighting contrast against the coloured puffs of smoke/dust (which explode from a mattress/doll the band jump on/hit) and the graffiti writing on the walls. Also within parts of the video there is an element of performance where the lighting goes red and camera is zoomed in, this contrasting with the other element of performance, a wide shot of the whole band playing in the underground location. The band are also wearing subtle colours to contrast with the dark lighting tone. The zoomed, red lighted element of performance adds a flash of colour to tear away from the darkness to add to the element of fun (bright colours tend to signify happiness and fun).

There is a theme of a doll hanging from a string throughout the whole video, the repetition making it recognisable. This doll also contrasting against the darker tone of lighting making it stick out as it is white.

The camera angles and effects are kept minimalistic. This not to give off a high-Hollywood production but promoting the idea of the label. As said before the cuts are made on the beat of the song.

There isn't great use of mise-on scene. Its an underground location with graffiti on the walls, this creating a sense of realism for the audience. There is a mattress and chair lying around, again something that wouldn't surprise you to see in that sort of location. The location is kept very natural, which once again represents the Independent label conventions; showing its about the love of playing even if there isn;t an audience!