Target Audience

The target audience for our music video would mainly be girls who are young teens/adults. I think this because they would be more likely to experience these sort of emotions towards a boy they like, just as the girls in our video will represent. They will be able to relate to our age group and storyline. Our video will start off in a classroom which shows how are girl band are of the same age group as students and therefore the target audience will be able to identify with them.  

Glee Lip Synching Video

Here is the final edited version of our group and I practicing lip synching to Glee's version of Journey's song, 'Don't Stop Believing'. As it was the first time any of us have ever done anything like this, you can see that it isn't well rehearsed or practiced. However, the experience made us feel more comfortable in front of the camera, which is necessary for me as I am going to be in my music video and it also allowed me group members to get a feel of what performing to a camera and lip synching at the same time is like. Although some of the filming doesn't flow, it has enabled me to gain an experience of how to use the equipment. It also shows me the type of editing and techniques that will be required when we make our own music video in post-production. Overall, we had a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy the video!

Glee Group 2 from Sidney Stringer on Vimeo.

Lesson 29/09/10 - Lip Synchronizing

In this lesson we practiced lip synching to Glee’s version of Journey’s song ‘Don’t Stop Believing’. Practicing lip synching is essential when producing a music video as the actors that you use need to be able to mime and sing along in time to the song. It is used to make it appear as though the actors have musical ability despite the fact that they’re not professional singers.

Our class split into two groups and whilst one performed, the other recorded them and vice versa. We set up 5 cameras on tripods. I found that the more practice I had, the more easier I found it to lip sync along to the song when we recorded it in class to observe how well we performed. We watched the playback of the recordings that we took to identify where we performed at our weakest and our strongest i.e. we could determine whether we found it hard to sing along and dance at the same time or whether we couldn’t mime along to the lyrics in time.

The experience also allowed us to familarise ourselves with the technical equipment involved in recording. This is so we could gain a better understanding of how to use it for when we produce our own music video. The recordings will also be edited on the Apple Macs using specialist software, which enables us to practice editing and editing techniques for when we edit our actual music video. Overall, it was very fun to do! Look out for the video coming soon, but in the mean time check out our pictures below!

Music Video Directors

Chris Applebaum:

Chris Applebaum is an American director who studied Film and then started to direct music videos for local bands on the rock scene. He was discovered  by MTV who offered the 19 year old  college student the opportunity to become part of their production team in New York City. At the age of 21, Chris became the youngest director to sign with Satellite Films. He produced over 100 videos and was nominated for MTV Video Awards. He has twenty one #1 videos helping artists such as; Kelly Osbourne, Hilary Duff, Rihanna and Britney Spears emerge onto the music scene.

Samuel Bayer:


Bayer is a graduate of New York City's School of Visual Arts in 1987. He first launched his career by producing a music video for Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". This video has consistently been regarded as one of the most influential music videos ever made. His video for Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" swept the MTV music video awards as he walked away with seven awards including Best Director, Best Cinematography and  Best Rock Video. In 2005, Bayer received the Kodak Lifetime Achievement Award for his work and cinematography in music videos and was honored in 2006 by the Music Video Producers Association with his second Lifetime Achievement Award.

Trudy Bellinger:


Trudy Bellinger is a British music video director. She has directed many music videos for artists such as Girls Aloud, Rachel Stevens, Pixie Lott and The Saturdays, all artists who are predominately of the pop genre. She has also directed TV adverts for Rimmel and Marks and Spencer. Most of the videos that Bellinger has produced are modern for contemporary artists targeting a young target audience, particularly young girls.

Pre Production - Things To Consider

Finance:

Before I can actually start to produce my music video, there are several factors that I need to consider. Firstly, I will need to identify potential sources for where I could get my revenue from. I will then need to sort out the resources required for my music video i.e. equipment, crew, lighting, other facilities etc as this will help me to determine my costs. Also, I will need to do some further research into how similar music videos to mine are funded as this will help me to gain an overview of the type of things and materials that are required. Lastly, I should be able to draw up an initial budget which identifies my anticipated costs.

Timescale:

To ensure that I meet deadlines, I will need to set up an agenda which schedules the process of the production of my music video. It would also be very constructive to set deadlines before the main deadlines are due as this gives time to make any last minute amendments where necessary. A timetable would be practical as it allows me to assess each part of the production i.e. one day may be used for the rehearsal of actors; another for shooting the actors in location. A clear and coherent timetable will henceforth be easier to follow and understand ensuring that we do not fall back with time. It will also mean that as we know we have deadlines to meet, the work will get done.

Personnel:

There might be certain aspects of the video which require expertise skills. Therefore, I will need to find people who obtain the skills which are compulsory for the job they’re needed for i.e. a make-up artist may be needed to do the make-up of the actors/actresses. If this isn’t somebody’s specialised field, the job wouldn’t suit them and they wouldn’t be able to work to the best of their ability. If necessary, I may even have to search further afield in order to make sure I have people with the precise skills required so that they carry out their job effectively. The production process will also progress further as there will not be any delays or difficulties that arise if the right people are chosen for the right job.

Facilities:

The facilities serve as a huge key factor in the production of my music video. This is because it is the facilities that contribute to the overall effect of the video. For example, if I wanted to shoot on location in a park and it rained on the day, there would be issues as people may get delayed on their way to the shoot and furniture may get wet, damaged and ruined meaning that it couldn’t be used. I would also have to provide refreshments for all of the personnel and cast members involved to ensure that they had energy to fulfil their full potential for the video. However, if I feel as though this will cut into my costs, it would have to be stated beforehand that the cast are to bring their own food. I will also need to have a professional present to help me construct the equipment so that I or members of personnel can use it. If I decided to shoot in a specific location i.e. a club, I would need to be granted permission from the owner of the club so that I could film there without any problems arising. Ideally I’ll be able to recruit a team who has their own equipment. If I have to get equipment, then I’ll want to get the best your budget allows. If necessary, some equipment may need to be rented in order to ensure that I do not go over and still keep within my budget.

Materials:

There may be huge materials that I need such as a sofa or other furniture to create a bedroom scene etc. This means that I will require props which I may need to enquire to businesses about so they can provide them.

Contributors:

Contributors are also known as extras in the background. They are used to create a more authentic feel to the scene and atmosphere, and are particularly useful in scenes intended to have a large number of people such as in a club or party.

Location:

Choosing a location is vital element when producing a music video as it enhances the authenticity of scene and atmosphere. If you wanted to create a scene that was set in the bedroom of a house, you would need to ensure that the set of the bedroom looked very genuine so that it portrays the warmth and coziness of not only the bedroom, but the house. However, if I wanted to shoot a scene in a park for instance, I would need to obtain permission from the council to enable me do this.

Codes of Practice and Regulations:

Carrying out things such as Health and Safety checks are necessary to ensure that all people involved in the process of creating my music video are kept safe. Regulations that I will need to act in accordance with are things such as Copyright laws. As I will be using music from an existing and established artist, I will need to obtain their permission first before I start filming.

Exploring Music Genres

There are a variety of music genres, all of which will target and appeal to a specific audience. I've decided to do some research and explore different genres to see what they consist of and how they appeal to an audience. This will give me an insight in the genre of the song that my group decides to make our music video for.

R 'n' B:

R 'n' B is an abbreviation of the term "Rhythm and Blues". It is a genre which consists of the combination of the elements hip-hop and soul. R 'n' B originated in the 1980s which was when musicians started to add disco-like beats along with high-tech production making it more modern and contemporary coinciding with the audience being able to dance along. Mainstream R 'n' B artists from 1980 include Michael Jackson, Kool and the Gang and Marvin Gaye. Today current examples of R 'n' B artists are Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys and Usher.

Pop:

Pop music is usually associated with being orientated towards the youth market. It is said that pop music   is "consisting of relatively short, simple love songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes". It is also seen as a softer alternative to the genre of Rock 'n' Roll. Female singers had a big influence on the pop genre in the noughties, producing soulful ballads, hip hop pieces and dance tracks such as; 'Fallin' (Alicia Keys, 2001), 'Whenever, Wherever' (Shakira, 2001),  'White Flag' (Dido, 2003), 'Umbrella' (Rihanna 2007). A defining characteristic of pop jusic is that is able to enjoy it hence why it has such a mass market appeal. Other dominating artists within the pop genre are Britney Spears, The Saturdays and Girls Aloud. 

Hip-Hop:

Hip hop music is a musical genre that developed as part of hip hop culture, and is defined by four key stylistic elements that consist of rapping, DJing/scratching, sampling and beatboxing. Hip hop began in the South Bronx of New York City in the 1970s. Rapping, also referred to as MCing or emceeing, is a vocal style in which the artist speaks lyrically, in rhyme and verse, generally to an instrumental or synthesized beat. Beats, almost always in 4/4 time signature, can be created by sampling  and/or sequencing portions of other songs by a producer. They also incorporate synthesizers, drum machines, and live bands. Rappers may write, memorize, or improvise their lyrics i and perform their works acapella or to a beat. The majority of the lyrics are composed by the experiences of the artists form their past or present and express the artist's journey in life. Artists include Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and Eminem.

Rock:


Rock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music. The sound of rock often revolves around the electric guitar, bass guiatr, drums and keyboard instruments or, since the late 60s, synthesizers. Many rock bands consist of a guitarist, lead singer, bass guitarist, and drummer, forming a quartet. Rock artists consist of bands such as Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and U2.

Jazz:


Jazz is a musical tradition and style of music that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music. Its West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms and the swung note. In the 2000s, straight-ahead jazz continues to appeal to a core of listeners. Well-established jazz musicians whose careers span decades, such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Sonny Rollins, John Surman, Stan Tracey and Jessica Williams continue to perform and record. Some innovative jazz artists to emerge in the 1990s and 2000s with a wide following include The Bad Plus, Brian Blade, Larry Goldings, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Medeski, Martin, & Wood.

Video Analysis - Jason Derulo 'What If'

Jason Derulo – What If

I’ve chosen to analyse the music video ‘What If’ by the artist Jason Derulo. He is an artist who has recently emerged onto the music scene and is predominantly known for his music in the R ‘n’ B genre.

Narrative

The overall narrative of the video is based around a relationship between the artist, Jason Derulo and his girlfriend. Before the song actually starts, the video shows Jason unpacking, which shows that he’s just moved into a new house. He pulls out a small red box containing a wedding ring which suggests that he is going to propose to his partner. We are then introduced to another character who assume is his girlfriend. They have a conversation (diagetic sound) and from the excitement and smile on his girlfriend’s face, we can see that she is happy as she has now moved in with her boyfriend and could be potentially entering the next phase in her life. The video then takes an unexpected turn, as his girlfriend goes to collect a box whilst a careless driver who is texting on his phone drives straight towards her. We don’t actually know whether she gets hit by the car and dies or survives, as Jason comes running to her rescue. The video at this moment freezes and the song then starts. Everything after this point then starts to go backwards in time, showing the experiences that Jason and his girlfriend shared together, up to the point where they actually met for the first time.

Treatment (Concept)

The very beginning of the video establishes a pleasant and happy atmosphere, which contrasts to the end where we are left contemplating fate and gives quite a pessimistic perspective on life. The name of the song ‘What If’ represents the contemplation that we experience as we are left to wonder what the outcome would’ve been if Jason and his girlfriend had never met i.e. “What if they never met? Would things have turned out any different?”. The concept is determining whether true love can be a cause of fate, or could lead to ill-fated love. The video raises questions such as: “Are they really meant to be?” “Is this accident a sign of showing that they’re not meant to be together?” etc.

Connection To Song

The song itself is quite ambivalent because Jason is asking “What if?” about his relationship. He’s asking “what if I’m the one for you, and you’re the one for me?” which suggests that there are some uncertainties or unresolved conflict at the back of his mind i.e. he’s saying that if we’re meant to be, then this here is fate. This is represented when Jason says: “We can’t tell, the future no, but that’s just the beauty of the world we know”. This shows that Jason feels that although we cannot predict what the future may hold, our relationship is still a beautiful thing and he wishes to prolong it. There is a strong connection between the video and the song because they both represent the theme of love and relationships. The video shows how a negative aspect of daily life can affect love and relationships.

Mise en scene

The mise-en-scene involves several elements which contribute to the overall effect of the video.  The beginning of the video is shot in the room of a house, with has two lights switched on at the back to give an authentic feel of being in an actual house. There are also scenes with Jason and his girlfriend outside, so therefore natural lighting has been used to represent the “beauty of the world we know”. There is also a scene in the kitchen and bathroom of the house where artificial light has been used. A night scene is also shot where Jason is “still hoping, that you are the one for me”. The video moves between day and night showing Jason’s relationship with his girlfriend before the accident, which gives us a genuine feel of their relationship. A clock is also consistently used showing time going backwards, just as the relationship unwinds back to their meeting point. Jason also looks at his watch regularly representing the same thing. A dog is also used which is referred to in the lyrics. The furniture and food used give a sense of ‘being home’ which is crucial in order to connect with the audience and ensure that they are receiving the full effect/moral of the video. In addition, the general companionship shown between Jason and his girlfriend contributes to the pleasurable atmosphere and base of their relationship. It shows that they have a genuine connection. During an outside scene, Jason is dressed fully in black so that he stands out amongst the crowd. He is also the only one standing still whilst the background is busy with people walking backwards in time.

Mise en shot

There are a lot of shots used in the video. The establishing shot is a wide shot and shows Jason unpacking furniture for the new house. A pan is also used to follow Jason when he runs to his girlfriend. A close-up is also used when Jason is alone amongst the crowd, which emphasises him and the lyrics. There is also a close-up of the watch that Jason is wearing to also lay emphasis on the fact that time is going backwards. Also, there are two shots of Jason and his girlfriend. A medium close-up is also used of Jason with his hands covering his girlfriend’s eyes for a surprise, which then shows the girlfriend disappear representing going back in time suggesting what it would be like if they never met. The same happens with a close-up of a photograph, showing what it would be like if she wasn’t in his life.There is also a medium shot used which zooms out from being a close-up of Jason to represent all of the people surrounding him.

Audience

The video can relate to the audience because a lot of people may have experienced an accident such as knowing somebody who has got hit by a vehicle of some sort. The video can also connect with the audience because the majority of people can connect their emotions with a song and video based around love and relationships.

Historic, Social and Cultural Context

The video represents contemporary issues such as ‘hit and run’ accidents that unfortunately occur on a daily basis. This relates to society, as many people today are careless when driving, particularly young drivers. The man in the video driving the car however, isn’t young so therefore contradicts the stereotype. You can also interpret the aspect of fate in relation to history, as astrology has emerged from many years and centuries ago. In the cultural context, there are several cultures displayed in the video in the background.

Jason Derulo - 'What If'

Key Media Concepts

      Mise-en-scène:

Mise-en-scène refers to everything that appears before the camera and its arrangement such as;

·         Composition

·         Production Design (sets, props and costumes)

·         Actors’ performance (including casting and make up) and movement (blocking)

·         Colour (present in both production design and lighting)

·         Costumes

·         Lighting

·         Framing including position; depth of field; aspect ratio; height and angle (but not movement)

·         Diagetic sound  (music that is not being played within the scene or a voice-over)

·          Location

It is also an expression which is generally used in theatre and film to describe the aspects of a production. This is generated through the construction of shots and the ways in which they lead to visual coherence flowing across the edits from shot to shot.

Location is an important aspect of mise-en-scène because it makes you contemplate: why was that particular location chosen, what atmosphere was it intending to create and what advantages/restrictions would you associate with filming there?  Henceforth, location is a key factor which contributes to the overall effect of a film/music video/theatre production which you need to consider before filming.

      Mise-en-shot:

Mise-en-shot refers to the process of converting mise-en-scène into moving pictures and shots which is usually done through the main factors below:

•     Camera position
•     Camera movement
•     Shot scale (LS/MS/CU etc)
•     Duration of the single shot
•     Depth of focus

Camera Shots:

•  Close-up (CU): This shot is generally used to show the reaction of a character.
• Medium Shot (MS): This shot is used to show the background and also the appearance of characters
• Long Shot (LS): A long shot is used to establish the setting/location of where the action will take place.
• High Angle Shot: This is usually used to create a feeling that a character is vulnerable.
• Low Angle Shot: Creates a feeling of power and superiority. It can also be considered as a point-of-view shot (P.O.V shot) on the part of the threatened character. The camera is tilted upwards on its axis.
• Extreme Close-up: This often creates a feeling of unease as we don't know what else is happening around it as the focus is on what's in the shot. It also shows us the emotion and reactions of characters.
• Point-of-View Shot (P.O.V): This helps the narrative and evokes sympathy in us as we feel involvement in the situation. It also shows the reactions of characters e.g. during an interview, or confrontation.
• Two Shot: A shot with two characters in the frame.

Camera Movement: 

• Tracking Shot: The camera follows the action and is often pulled backwards from a scene along tracks laid for that purpose.
• Panning Shot: The camera moves slowly across from side to side.
• Tilt Shot: The camera moves up and down.
• Rolling Shot: The camera moves diagonally making the image appear in a crooked position.
• Crane: The camera is positioned on a crane above ground level.

      Principles of Continuity:

     Continuity refers to the flow of shots used to convey realism. After all of the footage has been filmed and edited, the shots need to coincide with one another to ensure that the footage flows together in order to portray a sense of reality to the audience. This is vital to ensure that the audience are receiving the right atmosphere and sense of action. 

       Representation:

      Representation refers to the construction in any medium of aspects of ‘reality’ such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. Such representations may be in speech or writing as well as still or moving pictures.

The term refers to the main four factors; Class, Age, Gender and Ethnicity. Representation not only concerns how identities are represented, but also how they are received by people whose identities are different e.g. the issue of 'the gaze'. How do men look at images of women, women at men, men at men and women at women?

Narrative:

A narrative is a made up story that is created in a constructive format (as a work of speech, literature, pictures, song,  motion pictures,  television, video games, theatre, musical theatre or dance) that describes a sequence of fictional or non-fictional events.

In its simplest sense, narrative is the telling of the story. Narrative theory uses the term in a more complex manner: to point to such formal aspects as who tells the story, how much knowledge the teller has, the order in which the events are told etc.