Showing posts with label Sam Payne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sam Payne. Show all posts
Friday, 9 December 2011
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Director's Commentary: Editing Diary
Toady we filmed the director's commentary following the script (here). Overall the filming process went very successfully, we managed to get all of our points filmed in the 45 minute period we had available. Now we will begin to edit the clips, firstly arranging them and cutting them into an order that makes sense and follows the script. We also have plans to add in image from our previous work, screenshots or images from research to backup the points which are making in the commentary.
Evaluation - Sam Payne
In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge the conventions of real media products?
The music video that we have produced generally follows the conventions of a pop/R&B music video. This was achieved through extensive research of both the artists, their genres, and the technical elements of mise-en scene, cinematography, location and editing. It was crucial that we researched the artists themselves, this would give an insight into their personal and brand styles which have worked successfully in previous music videos. Also, aspects of Goodwin's theory were considered such as the incorporation of lyrics and selling the artist.
A major convention of the R&B genre is the strong focus on selling the artist through a narrative. Adele in particular uses narrative in music video, with many of the videos following as a key character within the narrative, lip-syncing is also commonly used in this genre, often there are two separate scenes for performance and narrative. However, in our music video we attempted to combine these conventional ideas giving the effect that the lip-syncing/lyrics are like a conversation between the two characters. This development would sell the artist as it would bring a new dimension to the narrative and the character, causing the conflict to seem more relatable and realistic. In relation to Goodwin's theory, this new development would show a strong sense of lyrical representation, where specific lines and lyrics are visually represented within the music video.
As well as Adele, another similar artist such as Amy Winehouse show a clear portrayal of the personality by using closeup camera shots, and centering specifically on the artist. This causes the audience to have a more personal and relatable connection with the artist, and is valid way of selling the artist. In order to support our new development of lip-syncing and narrative, we used a variety of angles focusing on the main artist, along with a voyeuristic shots.
The narrative of our music video is conventional of most music videos, it follows an equilibrium-climax-equilibrium pattern and follows a love story. We challenged the conventions here as we were inspired by the "Fight For Your Right Revisited" video, a remake of the original Beastie Boys music video which follows a movie-like theme and focuses heavily on the narrative rather than the music. Although we didn't follow this principle, we do feel as if this was a heavily influence on our decision to feature the narrative as the main element. Also, we did hint at some sort of domestic violence, or male domination in our narrative, which gave it more professionalism. In the real world many popular artists do try to include references to these sort of common issues, these could be very beneficial for the audience who are educated by the video or given a sense of support - this causes everyone to have some sort of connection with the narrative and widens the audience. For example, Pink made obvious reference to 'perfection', suicide, bullying and other struggles, through her music video for "Perfect". Adele is quickly becoming an influential artist, and therefore has increased responsibility with issues such as this.
Branding is another crucial element in selling the artists, we wanted to make the artist unique and therefore easily identifiable and relatable. Adele's character was portrayed through a young women, in the stereotypical 'love' narrative, whereas Kanye West is shown through his upmarket; gangster style and by the location of the alley in the city. The brand is more successful with two young actors as fans of these artists would be young, therefore it puts the issues at an evenmore relatable level through age.
Our camerawork also attempted to challenge conventions, we had an idea to have the entire video as a tracking shot that evolved and flowed together. But we found this to be unpractical and time consuming, and therefore adapted this into a chronological set of events, with had a very clear relation to the voyeurism in Goodwin's theory. Overall the types of shot were fairly basic and we decided to use more static shots in the hotel scene as this slower and more depressing. We followed the convention of camera angles and movements fitting the beat and music, along with this continually focusing on the artists. One artist we looked into was Eminem & Rihanna's "Love The Way You Lie", in the video the shots revolved around the artist and were very fast-paced to reflect the mood of the song.
Mise-en scene was ofcourse an important element in revealing the characters to the target audiences. Firstly, the location of the alley in the city is a conventional rap settings. Here we see the use of darker colors, and dull lighting which allude to Kanye’s stereotypical “gangster” style and the more “criminal” side of conventional rap videos. Typically, rap music videos do have a darker atmosphere with their urban settings which reflect the more mysterious nature of rap. On the other hand, the hotel scenes are brighter and give a more personal edge to the music video. R&B artists often feature more personal scenes in their music videos, for example, the narrative of “Love The Way You Lie” and Adele’s previous video “Make You Feel My Love” which takes place in a bedroom. By following the conventions of both genres we are targeting two audiences, yet are showing some unique contrasts. For example we have the gender, the location, the lighting and the colours, representing how opposing elements can work together to create something that is artistically unique and engaging.
Lighting was another aspect of the mise-en scene which followed the genre conventions. In the hotel scene emphasis is put on the use of artificial lighting, creating a more dramatic atmosphere. We drew inspiration from Adele’s earlier music videos which emphasise her vocal and uses lighting techniques as one method to do so. This follows the conventions of both the R&B and rap genres as they again focus on a contrast between light and shadow.
The costumes of Adele is very simplistic and elegant, highlighting her body and the sincerity of her personality, something which is reminiscent of R&B artists such as Beyoncé. The bright red lipstick is technically appealing as the colour stands out against the other dull colours of the video, in photography this striking use of colour can draw the audience into an image. Kanye West’s costumes matches Adele’s style, the suit causes the narrative to have good continuity and to make sense. However, we drew inspiration for a suit from our general knowledge of rappers fashion style. Jay-Z and Kanye West can frequently be seen wearing a white suit to awards shows or more formal occasions. In our video, we tried to add a “gangster” element by having the colour of the shirt up slightly, this symbolizing a rebelling nature of the rapper.
In editing we began by used simple cuts on the beat, which conventionally followed Goodwin’s theory. After watching Beyoncé’s “Countdown” music video we found that transitions could quickly make the project more interesting. We added fades and split screens to give a sense of parrellel editing and overall enhance the narrative. One editing technique which developed the conventions was to experiment with a rewind cross-fade idea, this turned out be more abstract than most R&B or rap videos. For the target audience the inclusion of something more experimental may heighten the appeal as it is fresh and different, making the music video individual.
Overall we had no choice but the challenge and develop the conventions of the music video, this is because we had to combine, and attempt to feature, characteristics from two genres successfully. This benefited the project as it gave a distinct identity and style to the music video.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary products?
The addition of ancillary products created an extensive and realistic aspect to our project. It was crucial for our product to follow a common; consistent theme that would be recognizable and brand-able in the real world. From a marketing perspective, the consistent blue tint and use of high contrast photo would form a sense of branding and identity for the prospective artists. As a result of this the products would better sell the artist, generate sales and create a higher revenue. Again we had to combine ideas for both genres of artist in order to make the products appealing to the target audience. Both products were very image focused, is would potentially help the target audience to become familiar with the artists and their brand. One particular image was used on both the magazine advert and the back of the digipack in an attempt to work like a logo, making it easily recognizable and giving the consumer the impression the artist is known and reputable. We also used the blue tint across our ancillary products to give a distinct theme that represented the depressing or nature of the original music video. In a marketing sense, having three products which have strong visual similarities will cause consumers to link the products and be interested in buying all three. Creating a recognizable and unique brand is very important in the music industry as it can make an artist stand out, and appear different to the competition. We believe our theme does this.
We researched products from both Adele and Kanye to find out what made them unique, and what was typically seen on these types of products. You will notice a focus on Adele in our ancillary products as she is the main artist of the products, the original song simply features Kanye West. An elegant font, simplistic font was used across the ancillary products to reflect Adele’s individual style. This also matched the previous music video which uses simplistic costumes and stylizing. The font is also effective as it is not too prominent, allowing more focus on the narrative of the images and the brand of the artist. Another effective aspect of our products was the blue tint, which was used after experimenting with many different colour schemes and edits. The blue tint matches the blue stylizing of the hotel scene in the music video, and in turn the depressive or somber atmosphere of the songs message. The photos themselves are specifically meant to look like the narrative of the music video, this giving a strong connection between the products and attempting to sell the artists. The poses of the actors give the photos a sense of narrative, this could intrigue the target audience give them connection with the characters. By combining two artists from opposing genres the target audience will also be interested to see the product, and the unique style or sound that could have been created.
The inspiration for the products came from in-depth research of the artists previous products. I found that R&B and rap genre products use generally dark lighting and emphasize light and dark to give a professional edge. In Adele’s most recent album “21” the images are all studio based and focus on the artist rather than the use of logos or fonts. By following this conventions we are able to appeal to a crossover of music fans, including rap, R&B, Adele and Kanye West fans.
What have you learnt from your audience feedback?
We received feedback at several different stages of the project, most of which came from peers in other groups. The first point of feedback was at the initial pitch of our idea for the song, after presenting the idea we allowed our peers to ask questions. This stage of feedback was incredibly crucial as it allowed us to prevent any problems before the filming even began. It was also helpful as the feedback from other groups was unbiased and offered further insight on things we might not have noticed. For our music video in particular, it was important to see that the narrative and mise-en scene was understandable and appealing for our target audience. The feedback definitely highlighted possible issues such as the original tracking shot idea, which we didn’t follow through in the end, yet we offered a good explanation and backup plan. There was also some concern over getting the hotel room, and most people recommend that we sort this out first.
At the rough cut stage we were given further feedback, this was perhaps the most important point of feedback. Our peers were able to give us advice and ideas as to making the music video more professional, and more successful from their point of view. As I said previously, it was also a test of the target audience to whether it was appealing to them. We also received feedback from teachers which was extremely beneficial as they have seen many music videos before, and clearly know what works well. Our teachers showed us how a simple music video, with hardly any narrative or meaning, can be incredibly visually interesting through the use of transitions and quick cuts. An idea that we implement was the use of further transitions or special effects, this improved the music video by giving it more pace. This also benefited the rap scenes which were weaker, and generally ‘flatter’ than the hotel scenes, causing it to appear more professional. Another idea was to improve the excitement in the rap scenes by using some non-lip-syncing shots, and finding shots with more movement as this will break up the other performance shots.
After consulting with the teachers we began to think of some further creative effects which might enhance the music video. The flashback or rewind effect, used on the long night before the instrumental, is one of those more creative effects which we think makes the music video more individual. The idea fits well with the narrative and would boost the interest on the outdoor scenes.
The final point of feedback on the music video was at the final edit. At this point we weren’t able to do any further editing, however, it did assist us in seeing if the video was successful with target audience. We also took elements from the music video and applied them to the ancillary products, such as the memorable hotel scenes and the blue tint used.
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Technology has been a crucial element in the creation of the music video and additional ancillary products. The internet was consistently used to research other music videos, conventions, Goodwin’s theory, the work of both our artists and the work of previous students. The internet also allowed us to contact the artists at one stage, requesting further information about the song, although they didn’t reply this does show the advancement of technology and the ease of contact.
Of-course the internet was also a useful tool as it enabled us to document and plan the entire project on the blog. The blog is beneficial as any member of the group can assess it and see all the information and research in our previous posts. I was able to do further research at home with the blog, and I could upload photos or edits from using Adobe Lightroom by using the blog. It also assisted us in planning as everyone was able to see the plan for the filming days through the location assessments and call sheets. The blog is helpful in the evaluation process too as I can look at previous posts or feedback to reference here.
During the filming process we obviously some camera equipment, the HD camera was the most important which offered good; professional quality for our filming. The camera gave us a high resolution which meant that the audience will get the best quality, even after editing occurred in Final Cut Express. We first experimented with the HD camera in the test footage, here we were able to see which shots worked successfully and those which wouldn’t work or weren’t suitable for the music video. The HD camera is small and offers a zoom function, these two features enable us to get the perfect shot as the camera can be easy placed and adjusted. This test allowed us to further our research and become more creative as we knew what was suitable and possible with the equipment. After finalizing our ideas, forming a shot list, storyboard and animatic we prepared for filming. On the two filming days we decided to use the HD camera, tripod, dolly and two artificial lights for the hotel room. After experimenting with the dolly earlier on, we deiced that the tracking shot idea wasn’t going to work, but the tripod allowed us to still create some steady shots for the music video. By using a tripod the experience for the audience is enhanced, giving the video a less ‘home movie’ look. The additional lighting in the hotel room was a key piece of equipment in creating a dramatic scene, we definitely benefited from using these lights, which caused a similar effect to Adele’s previous music videos. The lighting also prevented the hotel scenes from looking like ‘home movies’, instead giving it professionalism.
After filming the hotel scenes, we decided to take the opportunity for a quick photo shoot. I brought in my DSLR camera and knowledge from taking Photography to create some professional photos. This camera worked well as it enabled us to follow through with the professional look of the hotel scenes. We decided to do the photo shoot at this stage as we had the benefit of the extra lighting, which also created some interesting effects in these photos. These photos were later used in Adobe Lightroom, a professional photo-editing program, to create an equally interesting and effective style for the ancillary products.
For editing we used the Final Cut Express software, which is an advanced program professionally used in the real world. This offers us more functionality than a home-based program such as Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. The software enabled us to connect the visuals with lyrics of the song, turning our footage into an effective and successful music video. Through continual use and experimentation with the software we were able to find further feature, effects and transitions which could be used to enhance the music video. For example, we tried using the hue/saturation colour wheels for the tint, but later found that a specific colour tint could be added creating an artistic effect. There are many features and ways of editing the footage, but we had to find the correct style to suit the video, the artists and the conventions of the song. After getting feedback from our peers, teachers and looking at Beyoncé’s “Countdown” video, we decided to experiment with wipes and other professional looking transitions. This greatly improved the overall experience for the audience, giving the music video more movement and life.
When preparing for the ancillary products, I began to use the program Adobe Lightroom to edit the images from the earlier photo shoot. I experimented with many different styles, after consulting the group and researching other similar products from the genre, we decided on a blue tint. This became the main theme of our ancillary products, and so it was important to edit all the images in the same way. Adobe Lightroom is very good for photo editing as it has advanced options such as exposure, contrast, brightness and saturation controls, and is sometimes used by professional photographers. One crucial benefit of using this software was the ability to specifically adjust the exposure on areas of the photos, this helped on images which were particularly bright in areas due to extra lighting. Photoshop was used to construct the two ancillary products, this is a well-known and very advanced graphics editing program. We utilized the full capabilities of Photoshop by using the layers system to form a professional looking digipack and magazine advert. The fonts used were applied through Photoshop, which allowed us to change colours, sizes and the placement, this was important for the inside cover of the digipack which focused on lyrics. Photoshop also allowed us to easily change aspects of the two products, for example, the colours of the fonts or the placement of certain objects.
The music video that we have produced generally follows the conventions of a pop/R&B music video. This was achieved through extensive research of both the artists, their genres, and the technical elements of mise-en scene, cinematography, location and editing. It was crucial that we researched the artists themselves, this would give an insight into their personal and brand styles which have worked successfully in previous music videos. Also, aspects of Goodwin's theory were considered such as the incorporation of lyrics and selling the artist.
A major convention of the R&B genre is the strong focus on selling the artist through a narrative. Adele in particular uses narrative in music video, with many of the videos following as a key character within the narrative, lip-syncing is also commonly used in this genre, often there are two separate scenes for performance and narrative. However, in our music video we attempted to combine these conventional ideas giving the effect that the lip-syncing/lyrics are like a conversation between the two characters. This development would sell the artist as it would bring a new dimension to the narrative and the character, causing the conflict to seem more relatable and realistic. In relation to Goodwin's theory, this new development would show a strong sense of lyrical representation, where specific lines and lyrics are visually represented within the music video.
As well as Adele, another similar artist such as Amy Winehouse show a clear portrayal of the personality by using closeup camera shots, and centering specifically on the artist. This causes the audience to have a more personal and relatable connection with the artist, and is valid way of selling the artist. In order to support our new development of lip-syncing and narrative, we used a variety of angles focusing on the main artist, along with a voyeuristic shots.
The narrative of our music video is conventional of most music videos, it follows an equilibrium-climax-equilibrium pattern and follows a love story. We challenged the conventions here as we were inspired by the "Fight For Your Right Revisited" video, a remake of the original Beastie Boys music video which follows a movie-like theme and focuses heavily on the narrative rather than the music. Although we didn't follow this principle, we do feel as if this was a heavily influence on our decision to feature the narrative as the main element. Also, we did hint at some sort of domestic violence, or male domination in our narrative, which gave it more professionalism. In the real world many popular artists do try to include references to these sort of common issues, these could be very beneficial for the audience who are educated by the video or given a sense of support - this causes everyone to have some sort of connection with the narrative and widens the audience. For example, Pink made obvious reference to 'perfection', suicide, bullying and other struggles, through her music video for "Perfect". Adele is quickly becoming an influential artist, and therefore has increased responsibility with issues such as this.
Branding is another crucial element in selling the artists, we wanted to make the artist unique and therefore easily identifiable and relatable. Adele's character was portrayed through a young women, in the stereotypical 'love' narrative, whereas Kanye West is shown through his upmarket; gangster style and by the location of the alley in the city. The brand is more successful with two young actors as fans of these artists would be young, therefore it puts the issues at an evenmore relatable level through age.
Our camerawork also attempted to challenge conventions, we had an idea to have the entire video as a tracking shot that evolved and flowed together. But we found this to be unpractical and time consuming, and therefore adapted this into a chronological set of events, with had a very clear relation to the voyeurism in Goodwin's theory. Overall the types of shot were fairly basic and we decided to use more static shots in the hotel scene as this slower and more depressing. We followed the convention of camera angles and movements fitting the beat and music, along with this continually focusing on the artists. One artist we looked into was Eminem & Rihanna's "Love The Way You Lie", in the video the shots revolved around the artist and were very fast-paced to reflect the mood of the song.
Mise-en scene was ofcourse an important element in revealing the characters to the target audiences. Firstly, the location of the alley in the city is a conventional rap settings. Here we see the use of darker colors, and dull lighting which allude to Kanye’s stereotypical “gangster” style and the more “criminal” side of conventional rap videos. Typically, rap music videos do have a darker atmosphere with their urban settings which reflect the more mysterious nature of rap. On the other hand, the hotel scenes are brighter and give a more personal edge to the music video. R&B artists often feature more personal scenes in their music videos, for example, the narrative of “Love The Way You Lie” and Adele’s previous video “Make You Feel My Love” which takes place in a bedroom. By following the conventions of both genres we are targeting two audiences, yet are showing some unique contrasts. For example we have the gender, the location, the lighting and the colours, representing how opposing elements can work together to create something that is artistically unique and engaging.
Lighting was another aspect of the mise-en scene which followed the genre conventions. In the hotel scene emphasis is put on the use of artificial lighting, creating a more dramatic atmosphere. We drew inspiration from Adele’s earlier music videos which emphasise her vocal and uses lighting techniques as one method to do so. This follows the conventions of both the R&B and rap genres as they again focus on a contrast between light and shadow.
The costumes of Adele is very simplistic and elegant, highlighting her body and the sincerity of her personality, something which is reminiscent of R&B artists such as Beyoncé. The bright red lipstick is technically appealing as the colour stands out against the other dull colours of the video, in photography this striking use of colour can draw the audience into an image. Kanye West’s costumes matches Adele’s style, the suit causes the narrative to have good continuity and to make sense. However, we drew inspiration for a suit from our general knowledge of rappers fashion style. Jay-Z and Kanye West can frequently be seen wearing a white suit to awards shows or more formal occasions. In our video, we tried to add a “gangster” element by having the colour of the shirt up slightly, this symbolizing a rebelling nature of the rapper.
In editing we began by used simple cuts on the beat, which conventionally followed Goodwin’s theory. After watching Beyoncé’s “Countdown” music video we found that transitions could quickly make the project more interesting. We added fades and split screens to give a sense of parrellel editing and overall enhance the narrative. One editing technique which developed the conventions was to experiment with a rewind cross-fade idea, this turned out be more abstract than most R&B or rap videos. For the target audience the inclusion of something more experimental may heighten the appeal as it is fresh and different, making the music video individual.
Overall we had no choice but the challenge and develop the conventions of the music video, this is because we had to combine, and attempt to feature, characteristics from two genres successfully. This benefited the project as it gave a distinct identity and style to the music video.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary products?
The addition of ancillary products created an extensive and realistic aspect to our project. It was crucial for our product to follow a common; consistent theme that would be recognizable and brand-able in the real world. From a marketing perspective, the consistent blue tint and use of high contrast photo would form a sense of branding and identity for the prospective artists. As a result of this the products would better sell the artist, generate sales and create a higher revenue. Again we had to combine ideas for both genres of artist in order to make the products appealing to the target audience. Both products were very image focused, is would potentially help the target audience to become familiar with the artists and their brand. One particular image was used on both the magazine advert and the back of the digipack in an attempt to work like a logo, making it easily recognizable and giving the consumer the impression the artist is known and reputable. We also used the blue tint across our ancillary products to give a distinct theme that represented the depressing or nature of the original music video. In a marketing sense, having three products which have strong visual similarities will cause consumers to link the products and be interested in buying all three. Creating a recognizable and unique brand is very important in the music industry as it can make an artist stand out, and appear different to the competition. We believe our theme does this.
We researched products from both Adele and Kanye to find out what made them unique, and what was typically seen on these types of products. You will notice a focus on Adele in our ancillary products as she is the main artist of the products, the original song simply features Kanye West. An elegant font, simplistic font was used across the ancillary products to reflect Adele’s individual style. This also matched the previous music video which uses simplistic costumes and stylizing. The font is also effective as it is not too prominent, allowing more focus on the narrative of the images and the brand of the artist. Another effective aspect of our products was the blue tint, which was used after experimenting with many different colour schemes and edits. The blue tint matches the blue stylizing of the hotel scene in the music video, and in turn the depressive or somber atmosphere of the songs message. The photos themselves are specifically meant to look like the narrative of the music video, this giving a strong connection between the products and attempting to sell the artists. The poses of the actors give the photos a sense of narrative, this could intrigue the target audience give them connection with the characters. By combining two artists from opposing genres the target audience will also be interested to see the product, and the unique style or sound that could have been created.
The inspiration for the products came from in-depth research of the artists previous products. I found that R&B and rap genre products use generally dark lighting and emphasize light and dark to give a professional edge. In Adele’s most recent album “21” the images are all studio based and focus on the artist rather than the use of logos or fonts. By following this conventions we are able to appeal to a crossover of music fans, including rap, R&B, Adele and Kanye West fans.
What have you learnt from your audience feedback?
We received feedback at several different stages of the project, most of which came from peers in other groups. The first point of feedback was at the initial pitch of our idea for the song, after presenting the idea we allowed our peers to ask questions. This stage of feedback was incredibly crucial as it allowed us to prevent any problems before the filming even began. It was also helpful as the feedback from other groups was unbiased and offered further insight on things we might not have noticed. For our music video in particular, it was important to see that the narrative and mise-en scene was understandable and appealing for our target audience. The feedback definitely highlighted possible issues such as the original tracking shot idea, which we didn’t follow through in the end, yet we offered a good explanation and backup plan. There was also some concern over getting the hotel room, and most people recommend that we sort this out first.
At the rough cut stage we were given further feedback, this was perhaps the most important point of feedback. Our peers were able to give us advice and ideas as to making the music video more professional, and more successful from their point of view. As I said previously, it was also a test of the target audience to whether it was appealing to them. We also received feedback from teachers which was extremely beneficial as they have seen many music videos before, and clearly know what works well. Our teachers showed us how a simple music video, with hardly any narrative or meaning, can be incredibly visually interesting through the use of transitions and quick cuts. An idea that we implement was the use of further transitions or special effects, this improved the music video by giving it more pace. This also benefited the rap scenes which were weaker, and generally ‘flatter’ than the hotel scenes, causing it to appear more professional. Another idea was to improve the excitement in the rap scenes by using some non-lip-syncing shots, and finding shots with more movement as this will break up the other performance shots.
After consulting with the teachers we began to think of some further creative effects which might enhance the music video. The flashback or rewind effect, used on the long night before the instrumental, is one of those more creative effects which we think makes the music video more individual. The idea fits well with the narrative and would boost the interest on the outdoor scenes.
The final point of feedback on the music video was at the final edit. At this point we weren’t able to do any further editing, however, it did assist us in seeing if the video was successful with target audience. We also took elements from the music video and applied them to the ancillary products, such as the memorable hotel scenes and the blue tint used.
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Technology has been a crucial element in the creation of the music video and additional ancillary products. The internet was consistently used to research other music videos, conventions, Goodwin’s theory, the work of both our artists and the work of previous students. The internet also allowed us to contact the artists at one stage, requesting further information about the song, although they didn’t reply this does show the advancement of technology and the ease of contact.
Of-course the internet was also a useful tool as it enabled us to document and plan the entire project on the blog. The blog is beneficial as any member of the group can assess it and see all the information and research in our previous posts. I was able to do further research at home with the blog, and I could upload photos or edits from using Adobe Lightroom by using the blog. It also assisted us in planning as everyone was able to see the plan for the filming days through the location assessments and call sheets. The blog is helpful in the evaluation process too as I can look at previous posts or feedback to reference here.
During the filming process we obviously some camera equipment, the HD camera was the most important which offered good; professional quality for our filming. The camera gave us a high resolution which meant that the audience will get the best quality, even after editing occurred in Final Cut Express. We first experimented with the HD camera in the test footage, here we were able to see which shots worked successfully and those which wouldn’t work or weren’t suitable for the music video. The HD camera is small and offers a zoom function, these two features enable us to get the perfect shot as the camera can be easy placed and adjusted. This test allowed us to further our research and become more creative as we knew what was suitable and possible with the equipment. After finalizing our ideas, forming a shot list, storyboard and animatic we prepared for filming. On the two filming days we decided to use the HD camera, tripod, dolly and two artificial lights for the hotel room. After experimenting with the dolly earlier on, we deiced that the tracking shot idea wasn’t going to work, but the tripod allowed us to still create some steady shots for the music video. By using a tripod the experience for the audience is enhanced, giving the video a less ‘home movie’ look. The additional lighting in the hotel room was a key piece of equipment in creating a dramatic scene, we definitely benefited from using these lights, which caused a similar effect to Adele’s previous music videos. The lighting also prevented the hotel scenes from looking like ‘home movies’, instead giving it professionalism.
After filming the hotel scenes, we decided to take the opportunity for a quick photo shoot. I brought in my DSLR camera and knowledge from taking Photography to create some professional photos. This camera worked well as it enabled us to follow through with the professional look of the hotel scenes. We decided to do the photo shoot at this stage as we had the benefit of the extra lighting, which also created some interesting effects in these photos. These photos were later used in Adobe Lightroom, a professional photo-editing program, to create an equally interesting and effective style for the ancillary products.
For editing we used the Final Cut Express software, which is an advanced program professionally used in the real world. This offers us more functionality than a home-based program such as Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. The software enabled us to connect the visuals with lyrics of the song, turning our footage into an effective and successful music video. Through continual use and experimentation with the software we were able to find further feature, effects and transitions which could be used to enhance the music video. For example, we tried using the hue/saturation colour wheels for the tint, but later found that a specific colour tint could be added creating an artistic effect. There are many features and ways of editing the footage, but we had to find the correct style to suit the video, the artists and the conventions of the song. After getting feedback from our peers, teachers and looking at Beyoncé’s “Countdown” video, we decided to experiment with wipes and other professional looking transitions. This greatly improved the overall experience for the audience, giving the music video more movement and life.
When preparing for the ancillary products, I began to use the program Adobe Lightroom to edit the images from the earlier photo shoot. I experimented with many different styles, after consulting the group and researching other similar products from the genre, we decided on a blue tint. This became the main theme of our ancillary products, and so it was important to edit all the images in the same way. Adobe Lightroom is very good for photo editing as it has advanced options such as exposure, contrast, brightness and saturation controls, and is sometimes used by professional photographers. One crucial benefit of using this software was the ability to specifically adjust the exposure on areas of the photos, this helped on images which were particularly bright in areas due to extra lighting. Photoshop was used to construct the two ancillary products, this is a well-known and very advanced graphics editing program. We utilized the full capabilities of Photoshop by using the layers system to form a professional looking digipack and magazine advert. The fonts used were applied through Photoshop, which allowed us to change colours, sizes and the placement, this was important for the inside cover of the digipack which focused on lyrics. Photoshop also allowed us to easily change aspects of the two products, for example, the colours of the fonts or the placement of certain objects.
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Director's Commentary: Script Ideas
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
- Our inspirations, other artists, the effects used? - We first looked at Kanye West and Adele's own work to find their own styles, but of-course there were other music videos that inspired us such as Pink's "Nobody Knows". This has similar narrative and message to our song.
- Locations - The hotel proved to be more professional setting, made the narrative realistic which was supported by the extra lighting. We did have to pay for it, but it was definitely worth the money as we got a lot of footage and had a lot of time to experiment.
- Lyrics - Analysed them and represented them through the narrative, we incorporated the lyrics into the music video for example "Right under my feet there's aid made of bricks" closely links with our outdoor locations. The lyrics are also relevant for the artist audience of women 16 - 25 who would be interested in the empowering message and perhaps the domestic violence hints.
- Why it's important to have a complete package? - marketing and a sense of branding.
- How they sell the artist? - the photos focus on the artists, relate to the locations from the music video, the colour scheme represents the mood of the music video.
- How we made the products professional and reputable? - The barcode, logos, website, copyright information and professional looking design.
- Initial pitch feedback - some people thought the hotel was a risk, and that it would be hard to get. However, we disagreed and made it a priority to get this location for our filming. It turned out to be one of the most successful elements within the music video, offering a more professional environment which was assisted by the artificial lighting.
- Improving the engagement of the audience - After the rough cut we decided to add in more transitions and effects, such as split screens and wipes which were inspired by Beyoncé's Countdown. We also had another idea, a rewind effect (explained by George).
- Feedback from teachers - This was the most helpful and most professional, they gave us advice on creating a more professional edge for both the music video and the ancillary products.
- Although we got good comments on the narrative and how the hotel scene was very successful. We tried to use the strengths of this to use in the ancillary tasks.
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
- Final Cut -
- Internet - this was very important for research and for recording our research and planning on the blog. We also used the internet to contact our artists, we hoped to get further information about the song and the lyrics which would have enhanced our representations of this visually.
- Camera equipment - gave professional quality to the music video, the lighting, tripod and dolly. Issues with dolly and initial idea of wheeling it.
- Photoshop and Lightroom - Both graphical editing software. Lightroom enabled us to create a constant blue tint across all the photos, and to adjust exposure, contrast and brightness in specific areas. Photoshop was used to arrange the different elements of the ancillary products.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Research: What is a director's commentary?
A director's commentary is an explanation and analysis of a product, these are commonly available on the bonus features of DVDs. The director usually adds his explanation with an audio track, these sometimes include actors and other members of the production team for further explanations. These can be very detailed explanations which will show how clips/shots were create, almost like a behind-the-scenes insight into the production of the product. The commentary will also include views on the narrative and the construction of non-cinematography related aspects of the product.
There are two types of director commentaries, the first is partial/scene specific which highlights specific parts of the products. The second type if a feature-length commentary, this is where the director and other speakers watch the movie from beginning to end and give thoughts on parts of the product as is it being watched. A feature-length commentary is the most common, and as I mentioned earlier this will include actors, production team members, writers and other important members.
There are two types of director commentaries, the first is partial/scene specific which highlights specific parts of the products. The second type if a feature-length commentary, this is where the director and other speakers watch the movie from beginning to end and give thoughts on parts of the product as is it being watched. A feature-length commentary is the most common, and as I mentioned earlier this will include actors, production team members, writers and other important members.
Evaluation: DVD Cover
We decided to go with a less conventional DVD design by using the gatefold shape. This does have the pitfall of looking like an album, however we focused on using other elements such as the text and track listing to make it more like a DVD.
The front cover of the DVD, on the right, follows the blue colour scheme seen the magazine advert and also represents the mood of the original music video. The artists name and a unique title for the DVD are also displayed clearly. The idea of using a sticker on the front cover was an important method in showing that this product was a DVD, it describes this product as including the music video featuring Kanye West. This is one element which helped to make the design look less like a album or single cover. On the back cover we used two images dissolved into one another, one of these images was used in the magazine advert which shows a sense of continuity. By using the same image it also makes the product easily identifiable for the consumer and creates a sense of branding. The last part of the design is the inside panel, on the left, we formed the idea to use lyrics from Adele's previous albums and to arrange them into an abstract pattern or design. This idea is particularly successful as the DVD is aimed at fans of Adele, therefore they would be interested in these lyrics and would find the design appealing. Another reason for the idea was because we didn't want to use screenshots from the music video, this is because it wouldn't follow the blue theme that we already had and the images would generally be poor quality.
In the future it would have been a good idea to try the DVD design instead, this would have prevented any uncertainty as to whether the product is a CD or DVD product. Hopefully we have been able to rectify this with other elements. Also, on this gatefold design, it would have been even more appealing if we had filled the lyrics panel completely so that there is a puzzle-like effect created.
Overall I am very satisfied with this design, combined with the magazine advert it creates a very professional and well planned set of products. I can imagine both being used in the real world.
The front cover of the DVD, on the right, follows the blue colour scheme seen the magazine advert and also represents the mood of the original music video. The artists name and a unique title for the DVD are also displayed clearly. The idea of using a sticker on the front cover was an important method in showing that this product was a DVD, it describes this product as including the music video featuring Kanye West. This is one element which helped to make the design look less like a album or single cover. On the back cover we used two images dissolved into one another, one of these images was used in the magazine advert which shows a sense of continuity. By using the same image it also makes the product easily identifiable for the consumer and creates a sense of branding. The last part of the design is the inside panel, on the left, we formed the idea to use lyrics from Adele's previous albums and to arrange them into an abstract pattern or design. This idea is particularly successful as the DVD is aimed at fans of Adele, therefore they would be interested in these lyrics and would find the design appealing. Another reason for the idea was because we didn't want to use screenshots from the music video, this is because it wouldn't follow the blue theme that we already had and the images would generally be poor quality.
In the future it would have been a good idea to try the DVD design instead, this would have prevented any uncertainty as to whether the product is a CD or DVD product. Hopefully we have been able to rectify this with other elements. Also, on this gatefold design, it would have been even more appealing if we had filled the lyrics panel completely so that there is a puzzle-like effect created.
Overall I am very satisfied with this design, combined with the magazine advert it creates a very professional and well planned set of products. I can imagine both being used in the real world.
Evaluation: Magazine Advert
Our magazine advert follows the blue theme which we wanted to use, this shows the mood of the original music video. By using dark colours and shadows we have been able to appeal to the rap genre, it's conventional to have dark lighting which represents mystery or crime, this is important as it is a product featuring Kanye West. The font is very simplistic and follows Adele's elegant style, yet it is also acceptable for the rap genre which we are trying to appeal to. The text itself is very clear, specifically the 'out now' text which is very important for marketing purposes, it stands out against the darker background and is a centre area of focus. The use of a 'star' rating has worked as planned, the contrasting colour of red again stands out against the background and will draw the attention of the reader. The photo itself fades into the black background which creates a very soft atmosphere to the image, again reflecting the genre and the artists style well.
In the future, if our group had more time to develop an advert there are several changes we would make. Firstly, the central image seems very dull and therefore the reader could easily ignore it. At this stage we are unaware of how bright the image/advert would actually appear when professionally printed, this is the reason we were unable to adjust the brightness. Another change would be to add some more information to to advert, such as price and few more logos as the bottom part of the advert seems fairly bland. The last change would be to have a review/rating from a source that the target audience would know. For example, NME magazine or Rolling Stone are two popular mainstream music magazines which are likely to feature Adele or Kanye West. This would simply make the rating more reputate for our audience.
Overall I believe the simplicity of the design is why is works so well. If it was printed professionally I think this advert would do a good job at promoting and selling the artist.
In the future, if our group had more time to develop an advert there are several changes we would make. Firstly, the central image seems very dull and therefore the reader could easily ignore it. At this stage we are unaware of how bright the image/advert would actually appear when professionally printed, this is the reason we were unable to adjust the brightness. Another change would be to add some more information to to advert, such as price and few more logos as the bottom part of the advert seems fairly bland. The last change would be to have a review/rating from a source that the target audience would know. For example, NME magazine or Rolling Stone are two popular mainstream music magazines which are likely to feature Adele or Kanye West. This would simply make the rating more reputate for our audience.
Overall I believe the simplicity of the design is why is works so well. If it was printed professionally I think this advert would do a good job at promoting and selling the artist.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Monday, 21 November 2011
Ancillary Products - 21/11/11
Today we began to experiment with the images in Photoshop. We have decided that all the images used should have a consistent blue tint, this will also work well with our music video which has uses a blue filter. We also feel that this colour reflects the mood of the characters and will create a 'moody' atmosphere in the photos that are used. This would be particularly beneficial in the real-world, it would create an emotive response from the audience and draw their attention.
I have done some further editing in Adobe Lightroom, this is because we wanted the 'Cyanotype B&W' effect on all our photos. After deciding on the three strongest photos, I edited them with this effect and then began to use the adjustment brush to 'dodge & burn' specific areas of them. Below is a screenshot showing the adjustments which can be made with the brush, alongside this is part of a photo with the dots which signify the adjustment areas.
Of-course the magazine cover will be an A4 shape, which is fairly basic to create in Photoshop. However, we have two options for the digipack, a standard DVD shape or a Gatefold shape. The gatefold is more common with CD covers, although it does offer very original approach to the digipack. The DVD shape will work with a lighter photo on the front cover, and the darker silhouette photo on the back, this effect would give the product depth and another visual dimension.
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| Standard DVD shape |
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| Gatefold shape |
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| Adjustment brush example |
One photo was well composed and was very dramatic but the Adele character's face was very harshly lit. I wanted to change this, so I used the adjustment brush again. You can see the change in the screenshots below, the exposure here is far better. You will also notice the dot which signifies the point where the adjustment brush was used.
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| Adjustment brush example |
After editing the three photos in Lightroom, I believe I have create some 'moody', consistent images which will work well in both our products. I have added them all below.
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Digipack Features
Here are a list of the elements which we must include in the digipack for success.
- The front image should show the artist and follow a theme, this can be a colour scheme or the use of specific images.
- There should be the artists name on the cover, and the title of the DVD (Right Under My Feet) in clear writing.
- Fonts should be unique and recognisable, almost like a form of branding or marketing. In our case, Adele has fairly simple and curvy font styles.
- The colour scheme is blue and black combination, this reflects the initial mood of the 'Melt My Heart To Stone' music video and fits with the stylizing of the music video.
- The front cover will also include a sticker/note to show that 'Melt My Heart To Stone' is included in the DVD which features Kanye West. This will prevent the product from appearing like a single cover of album cover.
- A video listing on the back. We are going to have several live videos, some behind-the-scenes videos and interviews with both the artists on making the track, along with the director's commentary.
- Barcode and other relevant logos on the back, such as the record label Columbia and the classification logo '12'.
- To add some professionalism we will include some copyright small print.
- Websites/contact information.
Magazine Advert Features
It is important to include these features in our magazine advert, as it will represent the artist and provide all the relevant information. Below is a list of these features and and details as to composition, placement and other ideas are all included.
- Artist image - It is important that the colour scheme used in our magazine advert matches the DVD design, this will make it more recognisable for customers and they will be able to visually match the two products. We are going to use a blue theme as this best represents the mood of the song, and also fits with our music video styling.
- Artist name - Adele's name is obviously going to be present on the advert, but it is also key to include Kanye West as a featured artist on the DVD. He was a prominent part of the both the song/remix and the music video which we have created. Using two artist on the cover of this advert will broaden the audience, and as a result of this create more sales.
- DVD title - The title will be "Right Under My Feet" which is a lyric from the song/music video of Melt My Heart to Stone. We didn't want to use the song title as this would make it appear more like a an album or single release, which would be misleading for the customer and of the artist. This lyrics has a down-to-earth feel, which would definitely represent the depressing mood of the lyrics used in Adele's original track.
- Release date - We will simply be using "Out Now" for the release date, this will be positioned further towards to the bottom of the advert. The reason for this is because it will be close to the review/rating, and album the logos of relevant shops or online store where it can be purchased. The idea is that the "Out Now" text will lead the reader onto these other pieces of information.
- Relevant logos - The customer will need to know where the DVD is available, so generic iTunes and Amazon logos will be placed at the bottom of the advert. These brands are well known and recognisable for consumers, and so they will be the most effective at showing what type of release this product is. A record label logo will also be placed in one of the bottom corners of the advert, this will give the DVD more recognition and professionalism.
- Quotes/Reviews - This is an incredibly important part of the advert as it will would be crucial for marketing. A quote from a reputable media organization with a 'star' rating will be given across the centre of the advert. Including the 'star' rating will grab the attention of consumers who glance over the advert as they look through a magazine. A 5-star rating would make consumers stop and see what as got such a good review.
Friday, 18 November 2011
Ideas for DVD & Magazine Advert
After analysing some covers from different artist as well as Adele and Kanye West, we have come up with the following ideas for both our products:
- Consistent colour scheme - blue tint and high contrast
- Simple editing
- A strong, unique and recognisable font for the artist.
- Make sure the front and back cover link together, and the photos represent the narrative of our music video.
Analysis: Student Ancillary Products
The Whip
Both products compliment each other and show a consistent them which the group have obviously thought about. The images and colours represent a 'David Bowie' or 80s style which fits with the genre of their music video. In the magazine advert we can see a slow up of the artist, this features heavy use of makeup that is reminiscent of David Bowie. The florescent colours of green, blue and purple show the wild, party aspects of the genre and the abstract nature of the artist. All relevant details are included, a website for consumers to find further information, the artists name, a release date and quote.
The second image is their digipack/DVD cover. Again the cover focuses on a this glam-rock style which portrays the likes of David Bowie, Elton John and Westlife. The bright colours used this cover are similar to the advert and show a sense of continuity and theme. A barcode, production logo, classification and track listing are all included on the back cover to give a sense of professionalism. The most successful part of this cover, in my opinion, is the flipped image which the reader focuses on when they see the design. It is the simplicity of their designs which make them so appealing and successful.
Feist
Here is another good example of two products which work well together. The photos themselves do look very professional, and have an abstract style to them which suits the genre of the Feist. The photos have been taken during the shooting of the music video and show have an artist, action atmosphere to them. This would certainly grab the attention of consumers as a vivid new idea, however it is conventional for indie artist to experiment in their music videos. This magazine cover definitely sells the artist well, and fits with with the music video. Again all the relevant information is included, although I think it is more successful than 'The Whip' details as this group have used more variation. The font sizes are varied and the group has though about the placing and composition of different features.
The digipack again has an abstract design, as we see the image continue for the front around to the back. Consumers could find this very appealing, again making the product stand out from other conventional designs. Also it is a clever marketing trick to get consumers to look at the back of the digipack, and causing them to spend more time looking at the product. Again the photo is an action shot which gives a behind-the-scenes insight into the making of the music video.
Analysis: Beyonce Album Cover
Beyonce has a very strong theme for all of her covers, music videos and other media products. The album cover for her new album 4, uses the same colour scheme on the outside and inside of the design to make it easily recognisable. The design also focues on Beyonce herself as she is an easily recognisable artist. Her name has been used on the front and back of the album as people will just buy the album because it's Beyonce.
Overall the outside of the album is very simple, although the essential information such as record label, management, copyright notices, producer, tracklist, websites and barcode are all displayed on the back. Whereas the inside focuses on professional; fashion-inspired photography, this again shows her power in the industry.
We think that using a consistent theme throughout the design will be beneficial to our design because it makes it look like a professional product such as Beyoncé '4'. We also think the simpilicity seems to be a convention of many popular R&B artists such Beyoncé and Kanye West.
Overall the outside of the album is very simple, although the essential information such as record label, management, copyright notices, producer, tracklist, websites and barcode are all displayed on the back. Whereas the inside focuses on professional; fashion-inspired photography, this again shows her power in the industry.
We think that using a consistent theme throughout the design will be beneficial to our design because it makes it look like a professional product such as Beyoncé '4'. We also think the simpilicity seems to be a convention of many popular R&B artists such Beyoncé and Kanye West.
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| Beyoncé "4" |
Analysis: MGMT Album Cover
We'll be analysing the album design/artwork for Oracular Spectular by MGMT. The album design is successful because it uses a consistence colour/image theme on the outside covers and inside they contrast this with a black and white image of the artist. The bright colour scheme represents the genre of music, and makes it easily recognisable for the the artist's fans. These colours have also been used on single covers from the album, and the music videos such as 'Electric Feel'. There is a tribal theme in the photography and the 'Electric Feel' music video which makes the band very unique, and again makes them easily recognisable.
The the simple logo has been used on the front cover, but also on the spine and on the inside. All the relevant information is included, the parental guidance sticjer, the barcode, track listing, the record labels, production, distribution, copyright notices and websites. On the inside there are details on directors and producers, the thank yous, and the recording location. These are ideas which we want to include in our music video digipak.
The the simple logo has been used on the front cover, but also on the spine and on the inside. All the relevant information is included, the parental guidance sticjer, the barcode, track listing, the record labels, production, distribution, copyright notices and websites. On the inside there are details on directors and producers, the thank yous, and the recording location. These are ideas which we want to include in our music video digipak.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Review: Music Video Feedback
It's important to get feedback from other groups, this will give an honest indication as to whether our music video was successful, and if we had improved since the rough cut.
Group 27's feedback was very satisfying, they liked our idea and thought that the general narrative correlated well with the songs message. They specifically commented on the lighting filters we used, I find this particularly encouraging as it was an idea the group had to improve the overall atmosphere. However they said that the rap section could have been made better with accurate lip-syncing. I disagree with this, as we are sure that it was lip-synced correctly, it way seem off-time as the rap is quite fast.
Group 28 particularly liked the first half of the video, in the hotel room, with the slow cuts being very successful in their opinion. The group also commented on the success of parallel editing which allows the audience to follow the narrative of the music video. This is crucial as the music video centres around the strength of the narrative.
Group 25 commented on the flashback idea which we added towards the end of the editing stage, we felt this was strength of the video, and so did group 25. Again they said this flashback made the narrative more clear and gave it some finality.
Group 30's feedback of our music video was particularly critical, however this honesty does show a different perspective. They highlighted the thoughtful editing, and the flashback clip again, along with the professionalism of the piece overall. Having said this, the group thought that certain parts of the music video began to drag or became less interesting - generally towards the end. I feel that this clips slow down here because the song is coming to an end, and we wanted to create a more intimate atmosphere.
Group 29 liked most aspects of our music video, including the lighting, location and costumes. However one area of improvement was to add more shots to the rap scenes. We are well aware of this and feel that in the future we would add more shots to the part, this would represent the rapper better and the general beat of the song at this point.
Overall the feedback was very good, and I feel that all the groups managed to comment on different aspects of the music video. This proves that many elements of our music video are successful and appealing to the audience.
Group 27's feedback was very satisfying, they liked our idea and thought that the general narrative correlated well with the songs message. They specifically commented on the lighting filters we used, I find this particularly encouraging as it was an idea the group had to improve the overall atmosphere. However they said that the rap section could have been made better with accurate lip-syncing. I disagree with this, as we are sure that it was lip-synced correctly, it way seem off-time as the rap is quite fast.
Group 28 particularly liked the first half of the video, in the hotel room, with the slow cuts being very successful in their opinion. The group also commented on the success of parallel editing which allows the audience to follow the narrative of the music video. This is crucial as the music video centres around the strength of the narrative.
Group 25 commented on the flashback idea which we added towards the end of the editing stage, we felt this was strength of the video, and so did group 25. Again they said this flashback made the narrative more clear and gave it some finality.
Group 30's feedback of our music video was particularly critical, however this honesty does show a different perspective. They highlighted the thoughtful editing, and the flashback clip again, along with the professionalism of the piece overall. Having said this, the group thought that certain parts of the music video began to drag or became less interesting - generally towards the end. I feel that this clips slow down here because the song is coming to an end, and we wanted to create a more intimate atmosphere.
Group 29 liked most aspects of our music video, including the lighting, location and costumes. However one area of improvement was to add more shots to the rap scenes. We are well aware of this and feel that in the future we would add more shots to the part, this would represent the rapper better and the general beat of the song at this point.
Overall the feedback was very good, and I feel that all the groups managed to comment on different aspects of the music video. This proves that many elements of our music video are successful and appealing to the audience.
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Final Music Video Feedback
Group 27:
We all thoroughly enjoyed the music video. The whole concept of the video was very well executed, and we liked it.
Did the piece meet the genre conventions?
We found that the video met the conventions of the genre very well, having a video as slow and sad as the song itself.
Did the piece use editting techniques well?
There was a wide variety of editing techniques used in the video - all of which we thought were well implemented, uses such as the split screen and light filters were well executed.
Does the piece sell or promote the video well?
Yes. The video follows the lyrics of the song very well and the video looks mature and professional.
Does the piece use effective camera angles?
The video uses a wide variety of camera angles all of which make it look unique and professional.
Some bits could be better lip synced as sometimes it looks a bit off time (on the bridge when Nick is rapping)
Group 26:
Genre conventions - we believed that the clip represented the genre well because the narrative fit into the genre type e.g. the slow pace, which was reflected through the slow cuts and clips especially at the start.
Editing techniques - the split screen technique was very effective, and allowed the audience to keep track of both artists and to see both characters point of views as well as their emotions at the same time. Also, the lighting was really well done.
Camera angles - they used a variety of camera angles, such as using props to create the angles like a mirror, which worked really well. however, more shot types could've been used to add another dimension to the storyline.
Sell or promote the video - the costumes sells the artist, e.g. the color represents the male
Group 25:
Really good lip syncing, aswell as storyline. Costumes were appropriate and fitted well.
very good editing techniques used like the flashback scene in the background to clearly represent the storyline to the audience.
cheesy ending let it down Nick.....
very beautiful and photogenic choice of actors
very
Group 30:
Very stereotypical video for the song and this seems to be the trend for slow hip hop video. The footage and lipsyncing also worked very well and look quite proffesional. The choice of shots was quite small and was generally filmed from a eye level and made watching it quite boring. The footage represented the genre well and stayed true to the conventions. The editing was done well with clear thought put into it and the montage that was emposed in the background worked well. started off really well but after that i lost all interest and it become a drag. this is a shame as it had high potential and better acting was needed and more tohught into the video as a whole.
Group 29:
Genre conventions:
We think this music video follows all the genre conventions. A very good use of costumes, props, lighting, costumes etc..
Editing:
We thought the editing was really good, The lip syncing was spot on and the use of effects was great.
The rap scene and some of the other scenes could have been edited a bit more with some more shots as some of these scenes lasted too long.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the music video. The whole concept of the video was very well executed, and we liked it.
Did the piece meet the genre conventions?
We found that the video met the conventions of the genre very well, having a video as slow and sad as the song itself.
Did the piece use editting techniques well?
There was a wide variety of editing techniques used in the video - all of which we thought were well implemented, uses such as the split screen and light filters were well executed.
Does the piece sell or promote the video well?
Yes. The video follows the lyrics of the song very well and the video looks mature and professional.
Does the piece use effective camera angles?
The video uses a wide variety of camera angles all of which make it look unique and professional.
Some bits could be better lip synced as sometimes it looks a bit off time (on the bridge when Nick is rapping)
Group 26:
Genre conventions - we believed that the clip represented the genre well because the narrative fit into the genre type e.g. the slow pace, which was reflected through the slow cuts and clips especially at the start.
Editing techniques - the split screen technique was very effective, and allowed the audience to keep track of both artists and to see both characters point of views as well as their emotions at the same time. Also, the lighting was really well done.
Camera angles - they used a variety of camera angles, such as using props to create the angles like a mirror, which worked really well. however, more shot types could've been used to add another dimension to the storyline.
Sell or promote the video - the costumes sells the artist, e.g. the color represents the male
Group 25:
Really good lip syncing, aswell as storyline. Costumes were appropriate and fitted well.
very good editing techniques used like the flashback scene in the background to clearly represent the storyline to the audience.
cheesy ending let it down Nick.....
very beautiful and photogenic choice of actors
very
Group 30:
Very stereotypical video for the song and this seems to be the trend for slow hip hop video. The footage and lipsyncing also worked very well and look quite proffesional. The choice of shots was quite small and was generally filmed from a eye level and made watching it quite boring. The footage represented the genre well and stayed true to the conventions. The editing was done well with clear thought put into it and the montage that was emposed in the background worked well. started off really well but after that i lost all interest and it become a drag. this is a shame as it had high potential and better acting was needed and more tohught into the video as a whole.
Group 29:
Genre conventions:
We think this music video follows all the genre conventions. A very good use of costumes, props, lighting, costumes etc..
Editing:
We thought the editing was really good, The lip syncing was spot on and the use of effects was great.
The rap scene and some of the other scenes could have been edited a bit more with some more shots as some of these scenes lasted too long.
Monday, 14 November 2011
Editing Diary - 14/11/11
Today was our final lesson to edit and complete the music video. We we're able to add in our rewind effect, this occurs on the long note before the instrumental. Originally there was a fairly long clip of the Adele actress holding this note, it seemed very awkward and almost boring. We thought this note could be used to symbolise Adele as she thought back over the trauma of the argument earlier in the video.
The idea of the rewind effect is to have all the clips from the hotel scene, and to play them backwards as if they are being rewound. All these clips were arranged as a separate layer under Adele's long note, all the clips were also sped up to three times the original speed. Using a dissolve effect, we made both the original clip of the Adele actress, and the rewind clips viewable. This works quite well, it's a very original effect and shows an individual style. This effect also feeds into the next clips well, as they use dissolve as well. It gives the video good continuity, shows off our skills, and enhances the narrative.
We we're also able to add colour correction to the rap clips, we thought that a slight blue tint would sharpen the clips and give them a dramatic atmosphere. It also shows good continuity as the hotel scene is stylized with blue colour correction.
The idea of the rewind effect is to have all the clips from the hotel scene, and to play them backwards as if they are being rewound. All these clips were arranged as a separate layer under Adele's long note, all the clips were also sped up to three times the original speed. Using a dissolve effect, we made both the original clip of the Adele actress, and the rewind clips viewable. This works quite well, it's a very original effect and shows an individual style. This effect also feeds into the next clips well, as they use dissolve as well. It gives the video good continuity, shows off our skills, and enhances the narrative.
We we're also able to add colour correction to the rap clips, we thought that a slight blue tint would sharpen the clips and give them a dramatic atmosphere. It also shows good continuity as the hotel scene is stylized with blue colour correction.
Friday, 11 November 2011
Editing Diary - 11/11/11
Toady we continued to add the finishing touches to the music video. After researching Kanye West's video effects, and colour correction styles, I decided to add some contrast onto the rap scenes which gives a similar effect. I also added in a few more transitions such as a split screen and dissolve to give the video more variety. The alley section of the rap was quite monotonous before, so I broke this up with an addition clip.
After getting feedback from the teachers we have been able to greatly improve our video, the variety, making it more enjoyable for the audience. On Monday, we will add in our rewind effect (explain in Monday's post) and some more colour correction to the rap section.
After getting feedback from the teachers we have been able to greatly improve our video, the variety, making it more enjoyable for the audience. On Monday, we will add in our rewind effect (explain in Monday's post) and some more colour correction to the rap section.
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