Detailed Explanation:
I decided to split the details into 3 segments, the intro, middle and end.
Intro:
For my music video, I had previously explained a short summary in my treatment. Firstly, changes had to be made for my introduction as I considered shots of Paris however, the footage I recorded would have looked unprofessional so I decided to abandon the idea to give the video a more organised look. The video will start by focusing on the lead actor as he is the protagonist ( conventionally, he would be the lead singer of the band) and his excitement of returning home. Through different camera shots we will see he is travelling via train so out of the window we could see countryside etc. The camera will also capture the facial expression of the character. Looking exhausted, tired and moody. This is then juxtaposed when the camera focuses on his arrival where he looks excited. Throughout the different shots we focus on the main character and prioritise him as the centre of attention. He meets with his friends, 2 boys, James will be playing the driver of the car and the third actor is to be casted ( see above blog post) I decided for the cast to not include any female characters to avoid the stereotypes and conventions of male musicians over sexualising women. This has caused controversy in videos by artists in various genres, most recently 21 Savage and Drakes song 'Sneakin' However, there are elements of this video I have taken inspiration from, particularly the use of VHS style footage to capture characters faces, I am considering using this as the characters first meet up with Harry and load the boot of the car with a bag containing the smoke grenades.
Middle:
The middle of the video focuses on elements of travel to the woods. We see Harry smile to himself as the car pulls away; smiling to himself out the window alluding to the fact he was previously unhappy where he was travelling from. We want James as the driver to be portrayed as the exited happy character his personality in real life reflects. Using a car mount we can capture the whole group laughing and signing along to the radio (audio will be muted and footage slowed down in editing process) to connote friendship. If possible, the use of a drone would be an interesting camera angle to include as we see the car driving towards the countryside towards the woods. The footage in the car will take place for the second verse and as the cast approach the woods they get out of the car and lip synch the chorus sitting on top of the car and standing around it.
End:
The main focus of the ending is to present a genuine and authentic friendship to the audience. The audience should care for the lead actor and although the video is only 3 minutes or so there should be areas of character development for the videos protagonist. It should be evident that Harry has moved away unhappy or unsatisfied and is genuinely relived to see his friends. Flashbacks clearly indicate he has a degree of some kind as the scene will involve him outside the location of either Boughton house or the borough council buildings receiving a certificate. When the scene reverts back to normal time, Harry has been interrupted from his thought process by his 2 friends after he sat to one side and started daydreaming. They get his attention and set the flares of into the sky. Various shots will present colour symbolism, such as the red sky blending in with the red top Harry will be wearing in the video, through this we can blend the two colours to go from a shot of the smoke to a shot of Harry,which will zoom out and show him dancing with his friends. After this, time will jump forward and we see the sky fade with the smoke. Harry sits down with his friends enjoying a drink and smiling.
This idea had been changed from my original intention of a dream cliche. I had planned for Harry to be dreaming about his friends whilst stuck in a mundane office and for the theme of friendship to be ironic, however I decided against this idea as it contradicts the upbeat mood underscored by the tone and lyrics of the song.
Technique and Production Details:
Elements of my music video require me to purchase certain items regarding the scenes mies-en-scene to give the video an authentic look. This requires me to set a budget for purchasing things for my music video such as the smoke grenades which are an essential part of the video. Other props such as a car are also easily accessible for this production. The wardrobe design is not essential however I want elements of colour symbolism to feature. Red for Harry's t-shirt will blend with the red sky when the smoke is launched up.One of the two boys, James will wear blue - symbolising loyalty and trust. The other will wear green which has strong emotional connotations. Other than the t shirts the rest of the wardrobe can be chose by the cast as they comply with the generic teenage look for the indie rock genre.
The focus of the video is clearly on the main character, a convention not always employed by indie rock bands in music videos but one I decided to incorporate. Before casting Harry, I decided the character would have to look like the typical indie fan to make the video relatable to the audience. Some fans of music find it frustrating when artists present their wealth extravagantly, posing with money and attractive women. This is the style of video I am looking at avoiding.
I want my video to relate to the situations and themes my audience would struggle with in real life e.g. graduating for uni, struggling with work, seeing friends etc. Harry suits this as he is an average looking male with an average height, but has the confidence to appear in front of a character. He is a character that is not necessarily going to be a 'heart throb' for females in the way popular boybands function, but serves a similar purpose to The Royal Concept themselves as a band; delivering a good performance and making this the priority.
I want to use 2 different types of camera to film my music video. The majority will be film with the standard DSLR camera to capture the desired, professional look I imagine for the vide; the different types of lense will also be important for elements of the footage depending on the type of shot/angle I am filming from. As well has the camera I wanted to use retro footage as if It is being vlog-ed by Harry. To do this, I have downloaded an iPhone X app, already renowned for its ability to create retro footage, this will only be done for short periods of time as I don't want to become dependant on it. When filming lip synching ( which will all be done with the main camera) I will play the song an a loud speaker to ascertain the right speed for the editing process. I will the edit the footage and delete the audio file of the things i filmed replacing it with a downloaded version of the song. I want the cast to over exaggerate the song lyrics so it is easier to combine the clips in the editing process.
Certain editing techniques I would like to include in my video are cutting to the beat and combining text and video footage for the start of the video. I also want to be able to change locations smoothly by using jump cuts or directional blurs. My idea is to keep the video simplistic by which I mean if it is massively overly edited things will look confusing and the audience will struggle to comprehend the narrative as they are distracted by to much on screen. Another important aspect is to have an appropriate lighting when filming so I can properly capture the facial expression of the cast.
References:
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