Lyrics Timeline

Today we looked at the lyrics and when the lyrics are shown, we have completed this so that we can get inspiration and ideas for what to include in our music video and the length of shots. This is because then when we go to edit we will know the correct positions for our shots. This timeline will work well with our storyboard as it will combine our final order with he origin of the ideas and order.

Timetable of Availability

Before we can create any type of shooting schedule, or put together any ideas, we need to know when each of us are available to shoot, edit and blog, and who is together and when. This will enable us to be more efficient and more capable of filming at the correct times. Also to further make sure we are all in the know as to what is going on we have to make sure there is a way of contacting each other easily.

30 Second Breakdown

When creating a music video due to the need to maintain the attention of the audience watching it, and to do this there a multiple cuts and effects added. Also through completing this it can show to the audience the type of artist they are and the genre they are representing, because the editing of the music video will be parallel to the speed and intended feel of the song.
This all happens lots throughout the whole video and this means that it can easily be shown through a 30 second breakdown of a music video.
In order to help us complete our ideas for a music video it is important for us to complete a 30 second breakdown of a similar genre video. Through doing this it will help us to understand the speed at which everything happens and if any special effects occur that help to display across to the audience the genre. This would help to influence our final task ideas.
The music video I am completing a 30 second breakdown is Florence and the Machine's Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up):

• 0.00- 0.08 seconds- Extreme close up on lower section of face with lips. The rest of the face is concealed with a jewel covered vintage cloth.
• 0.08- 0.11 seconds- The camera zooms out slowly, to a close-mid shot, revealing the rest of the artist to the audience she is lip syching to the song.
• 0.11- 0.14 seconds- The zoom out continues to a mid shot and further reveals another two girls with her and touching her shoulders.
• 0.14- 0.20 seconds- The zoom stops at a a close-mid shot with Florence's face taking up most of the screen, showing she is the main artist. She spins and then begins to walk forward initiating a tracking shot to take place.
• 0.20- 0.22 seconds- There is a quick cut away to a mid-long shot of her throwing the cloth wrap she has on her, back off of her, causing her to be seen as more free, individual and different to others.
• 0.22- 0.25 seconds- It cuts back to a close up shot of the first shots, she looks side to side with the camera panning across to either side, following the direction of her head. This again reveals the other two women either side of her still touching her shoulders.
• 0.25- 0.27 seconds- There is another cut away, however this time to a mid shot which is spinning. This shows how she is suppose to look confused by everything that is going around her.
• 0.27- 0.28 seconds- It then cuts back to an extreme close up of the lower half of her face but she is looking away from from the lens, to the side, this is an extremely quick shot so isn't shown for long.
• 0.28- 0.30 seconds- After this it cuts away again to the long-mid shot where there is a spinning movement. Within this shot though she is dancing and turning herself, suggesting she is once again free and involved within the spinning shot. This starts to remove the confusion element of the previous cut away of this shot.

Throughout the video there is lots of movement e.g. spinning, tracking and panning, which keeps the audience entertained and interested as to what is going in and happening within it.
The whole video maintains high key lighting, making it come across summery and happy which contrasts to what is shown through the visuals of the music video. Also the video always has a vintage effect on top of the video, fitting with the old Victorian times theme which goes throughout the video. It also gives the video a dream like feel and further gives the video a more rustic and natural feel.

Permission Letter

Now that we have chosen the song due to copyright laws, in order to use the song for the music video section of the promotional package, we have to write a letter to the artist of the song, asking if we are able to use it. Through doing this and asking for permission, it means what we are doing is respectful of the artist and their music. This is our letter of permission:

Class Feedback on Song Ideas

After pitching our song ideas to the class, we received feedback from the rest of our class. From this we were able to decide on a final song and along with this the class also helped and contributed to giving us ideas to what we could put into the music video itself too.
Below is all the feedback which we gained from the discussion within the lesson:

My Song Ideas

Today we were placed into our groups for the final task and in my group is: Angel, Georgia, Charlie and myself. Now that we are in our groups we have to start to look into which song we would like to use for the music video part of the promotional package. This would therefore help us decide upon a genre and then an overall image for the artist. However before looking at songs we found out that Charlie and Georgia did not want to perform meaning that the song we chose almost had to have female vocals, in order for us to be efficient in the future.
Whilst trying to choose a couple of songs to pitch to my group there were some rules we had to follow, these were:
1. It can not already have a music video
2. They original artist of the song can not be too well known
3. You should try to avoid songs where the artist has a really recognisable voice e.g. Ellie Goulding

This is my song choice pitch:

Student Video Marking

Today in class we looked at this year's mark scheme for the first time. We began to look at the difference between each of the Levels and what we would expect to see from a music video of each of these standards. We particularly looked at what is expected from a Level 4 standard of work, which is a step up from last year, because the idea for this year is for it to be professional and be able to survive as sufficient advertisement for a song in the real music industry.
Along with this we also learnt that the marks are more split this time. This is because marks are also awarded for a website and a digi pack, alongside the music video production, which is due to the task being a promotional package task, rather than just a production task.
However, this lesson we only looked primarily at past student's music videos and looking at the mark scheme, mark them out of 40. This is what is required, from the mark scheme, in order to do well
The video that I have decided to mark is Insomnia:

I thought that the video started very strong with the drops of water falling from the tap because it involved thought beats and therefore created an intense and well thought about opening. However even though I did understand the narrative, therefore showing it was portrayed clearly, it became a bit boring after a while as it was all in extremely dull colour tones with a greyish feel throughout all the narrative clips. I think that the lip syncing was completed really well by the performer, but when it was on the performer there needed to be more variation of shot and more movement, especially as it was just him on a black background.Also it would have been even better if you could have been able to see more of his face, as the lighting was poor causing you to only see half his face.

Overall I think that the music video was proficient, and held much of the appropriate camerawork and visuals to be a music video, along with conscious editing. This meant that it showed signs of being a good video. However at times it felt a little bit more like a short film to me and the locations and long length of certain shots made it obvious that it was not a music video of professional standard.
With all this in mind I awarded this video a Level 3 and 23-25 marks.