Planning Task 15 - Health & Safety

Planning Task 5 - Raw Footage/ Camera Movement Experimentation

Planning Task 14 - Planning For Advert

I looked at my research task into adverts and took some inspiration to come up with my own design. I have used the conventional style of having the album cover and an image of the artist as well. I used the artists personal logo so that the target audience will see an established and memorable design.

Planning Task 11 - Editing Plan

I will be using the software Adobe Premier Pro and Adobe After effects to edit my music video as I have had practice with them in previous Media Studies work like when creating a film opening and film trailer.  Premier Pro will be used for the main editing of the footage for example cutting clips down so that they are the correct length, fitting different clips together to form a variety of narrative and performance, putting them in order to fit to the song and also things like slowing clips or music down. The most important part of premier pro will be syncing the footage together with the song correctly to make the video look professional. Premier Pro will also allow me to experiment with different effects to add to my footage such as lighting and colour filters to make them more attractive and conventional. I can also make use of the effects like distortions, exposures , blurs, and slow mos to add a variety of looks to my footage. Abode After Effects will help me to create things like titles which haven't really been used in my genre but I could experiment and challenge the conventions.

Planning Task 12 - Timeline & Shot List

I listened to my chosen song I thought about what kind of shots I wanted as the song went on, I tried to fit them with the rhythm and beat of the song to match the pace and hopefully make my final video look effective. I also thought about how long I wanted each shot to last and did this by seeing how long particular parts of the lyrics lasted for and fitted shots in around that.

Planning Task 10 - Analysis Of Lyrics

Planning Task 7 - Contacting Artists Record Label

John Cabot Academy

Woodside Road

Kingswood

Bristol

BS15 8BD

Dear Island Records,

I am Parasko Kkolos and I am currently studying at John Cabot Sixth Form. One of my subjects is A level Media Studies and for my A2 coursework I have to plan and create my very own music video using an existing artists song. I am writing to you in request for the permission to use one of your signed artists Rizzle Kicks song and branding which will assist me in creating a music video that clearly represents the artist’s style and genre of music. The song and branding will purely be used for educational purposes to reflect the genre and style of music accurately and effectively. There will be no profits of any sort generated from my final music video and it will be used strictly for viewing by students, teachers and examiners. The branding will be used for a different aspect of the project which is creating my own digipak and advert and so I need it to create a conventional and professional design that will carry a highly recognised name and stylein the genre. Obviously just like the video, no profits of any sort will be generated from this and it will be used to gain marks in my coursework. I really hope that you will give me the permission I need to continue along with my A-level coursework and help me to achieve a successful grade.

Yours sincerely,

Parasko Kkolos

Planning Task 13 - Digipak Plan

I have taken a similar lay out to one of Rizzle Kicks albums but I have chosen different placement for text and added some key conventions such as the pictures on the disc of things you would associate with being young. I have got a two shot of the artists on the cover because this is a very common shot in their videos and album covers. The Rizzle Kicks logo is featured on each part of the digipak clearly to keep the focus on the artist and their style. The rear of the cover is the song list which is clear and easy to read. The last part is a shot of the artists website which is effective because once you buy the album you may want to buy other products from the artists and so you have a clear webpage to go to. The colours will be quite light and natural like creams, greens and whites to show the casual and everyday feel. The logos and other text will be in more solid and stand out colours such as black or grey.

Planning Task 3 - Costume/Styling Planning

 

When I conducted research into the style of my artist and other artists in my chosen genre I found a common style of hoodies, jacket and shirts in different combinations with skinny jeans and trainers which is quite a casual look but is conventional with the light hearted every day feel of the music. I have taken inspiration from these findings but I have also tried to add my own touch of what I think, based on my research, will look effective in the video.

Planning Task 9 - Storyboard & Ideas For Narrative

 I selected 12 different shots from my shot list/timeline that I thought were going to be key shots in my video and show a good variety of the settings and props. I then sketched them out showing roughly how the shots could be framed/composed so that I have a rough guideline to use when I start filming but also when I am trying to think of shots and ideas.

I created a mind map and asked various people what they remember the most from their childhood and what activities were the most enjoyable. I had a good variety of different things ranging from playing with toys to going on adventures. I will take some of these themes and try and work them into my ideas for the music videos as a key aspect of my chosen song is remembering back to your childhood.

Planning Task 4 - Photographs Of Locations

Also I will be filming in the same garden as the trampoline and rope swing using a sit on lawnmower and bike and also a pathway nearby for another shot. 

Planning Task 6 - Props List

PROPS LIST

Desk equipment - May be used in an opening shot of one of the artists before lyrics start.

Football - will be used to convey the playful childish element of the song and links with the "kicks" part of the name.

Tree House - will show the childish aspect well and will create an interesting shot of the grown up people inside a child's environment.

Cup of tea - often always used in my chosen artists videos so will keep the video conventional.

Lawnmower - will again be used to show the light hearted aspect of them acting like children/thinking back to "when they were youngsters".

Fire Extinguisher/Hat - literal interpretation of the lyric "wanted to be a fireman but i lost the desire man" so will link with the song and also show the childish theme.

Trampoline - Another props that will be used to create a light hearted and playful look.

Kids Bike - to use at the same time as lawnmower to show childish look

Planning Task 8 - Filming & Editing Schedule

The reason I have selected mainly Thursdays to film is because I have free periods all afternoon and so will have a lot of time to film but also because we will be editing during Friday lessons which means I can take my footage straight from the night before, into my editing session. I have also selected some weekend days because me and my actors will have a lot of spare time to plan and film. I have put in a range of deadlines to remind me on the time I have to complete things and keep on track.

Planning Task 1 & 2 - Initial Ideas & Moodboard

Research Task 1 - History Of A Music Video

Research Task 2 - Conventions Of Music Videos

This task has helped me understand the different conventions in songs such as the different range of shot types, key features of mise en scene and also editing. From this task I will take inspiration from conventions like the shot types that are common in all of the videos, costumes styles and also the type of settings they are filmed at and try to interpret them in my own way, into my own music video.

Research Task 3 - Research Into Existing Companies

From this task I have gained a better understanding of what kind of companies produce and distribute music from artists within my genre or similar to artists. I now know the kinds of companies that would produce or distribute my music video from looking into those that have done so for successful artists. It has also helped me realise how many companies all work together, for example how a lot of companies such as Island Records and Atlantic Records are part of bigger parent companies such as Universal Music Group and Virgin EMI to help distribute or produce on a bigger scale.

Research Task 4 - Analysis Of Music Videos

From this task I have learned about the different paces and editing in music videos including the different use of narrative and performance.In all three videos I have analysed I found that even though the different shots can vary in time, it will always be edited so that the cuts between shots match the beats and rhythm of the song therefore making it enjoyable for people to watch.I have also learned that every video will have either performance shots, narrative or a mixture. In some cases the narrative isn't a literal view of what we are hearing but just something other than the performance, in some case you will have shots nothing to do with the song. Mid shots are the most common shot type in the genre as it shows the artists well but also shows some features of mise en scene such as costume and setting. From this task I have gotten a better understanding of how timing and editing can be used in a video and I will make sure I take into account what I have looked at and found out from this task and use it when constructing my own music video.

Research Task 5 - Research Into An Artist

Research Task 6 - Style Influences

I have looked at a range of different styles such as artists within my genre, artists from different/similar genres, style for people in general and not just music and even past iconic artists for comparison. It gives a good variety of what the generic modern day and individual look is for artists, often denim jackets or t-shirt and hoodie combinations with skinny jeans and then also how it has changed or stayed similar compared to past looks. I think although the modern day look can be different compared to past artists, there are things that have continued on such as all black clothing in bands and leather jackets which are shown in the picture of The Beatles and Michael Jackson. I think that when filming my own music video I will go for a mixture of the modern day look and the individual look as well.

Research Task 7 - Research Into Genre

Research Task 8 - Theorists

When I think about how these theories link to music videos within my genre there are ones that do support them and ones that don't. Andrew Goodwin believes that what we watch is an extension of the lyrics but quite often in the genre there are videos that are quite abstract and have nothing to do with the lyrics such as Ed Sheeran's "Don't" and then there are some that have more of a metaphorical interpretation of the lyrics such as Rizzle Kicks "Miss Cigarette". I think Carol Vernallis' theory is more for my genre because she says that there are 4 key ways to look at a video, the visual is based on the lyrics and has performance, narrative or both, how a story is created in the video with elements such as shots and themes used to create meaning for the audience. These two ways to look at videos are accurate when looking at my genre, however her next point about certain shots that videos avoid is wrong as many videos feature mid shots. The rest of the point is true when looking at the camera moving in time with the beat. Finally she talks about editing and how videos cute between performance/narrative rather than continuity which is a valid point when thinking about music videos I have seen in my genre.

Research Task 9 - Inspiration And Influence

Research Task 10 - Analysis Of Past Students Work

This task has helped me identify features that work well in music videos and those that don't. It gives me an idea of what examiners will be looking for when marking my video so I can make sure I stay away from the bad things I picked out in thee students work and concentrate on what will get me marks

Research Task 11 - Audience Research

My target audience is a mainly male market aged 15-21. They are typically fun and outgoing people that enjoy light hearted music. Below I have created a voki that describes in detail, someone within the target audience...

I decided my target audience by thinking about people that I know listen to this type of music, looking into artist websites to see what audience they believe is their target and also people that will relate to the artists aka similar interests. I also created a questionnaire to show the different types of people that would answer and see what kind of answers they would choose. This task has helped me to identify a clear target audience so that I know exactly who I am creating a music video for. It also shows me the type of things that people within the target audience will look for and I can therefore put these ideas into my video.

Research Task 12 - Music Channels

When I create my own music video I would want it to be produced for the internet on websites such as Vevo and YouTube because from the task I feel like it is the most popular platform for people to view music videos and because the internet is such an interactive place in today's world, it will be easy for people to watch then share with a lot of other people.

Research Task 13 - Tracking An Artists Career

Research Task 14 - Research Into Digipaks

Research Task 15 - Research Into Digipak Adverts

Digipak

Digipak...

Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI-Shorewood. Digipaks typically consist of a gatefold (book-style) paperboard or card stock outer binding, with one or more plastic trays capable of holding a CD or DVD attached to the inside.
Since Digipaks were among the first alternatives to jewel cases to be used by major record companies, and because there is no other common name for Digipak-style packaging made by other companies, the term digipak or Digi-Pak is often used generically, even when the media holder is a hub or "Soft Spot" rather than a full plastic tray.

Album Cover Practice

Lip Syncing

 

 

Claude Levi Strauss

Before & After Composition Challenge

Composition Challenge

I took part in a composition and framing challenge set by my teacher. We were each given a certain theme to take pictures of and mine was spikey and soft. We were supposed to take pictures thinking about the composition, and to be more specific, certain techniques such as negative space and depths of field. Being a photography student, I had the upper hand as I knew exactly what these techniques are and how to use them effectively so I went out and took some photos. I started off by taking a picture of some pine cones because, although the spikiness of them is quite literal, I liked the idea of experimenting with a shallow depth of field. I then took a picture of the flowers using a shallow depth of field again. The flower looked soft and has mellow colours so was good to contrast the pinecones. I also used the rule of thirds by having the flower to one side which looks more pleasing and allows the shallow depth of field to show. The next picture I took was of the bike sprocket because the rusty spikes created a really effective look and the spokes of the wheel also linked in with the theme. The shallow depth of field puts more focus on the spikes and makes the spokes more obvious. I like the way the spokes branch out from the centre because it looks really interesting. Finally, my last picture was of a feather next to a row of flowers. It is really effective because you look at the feather and are then drawn diagonally across the shot because of the flowers. ~The colours are bright but soft which links to the theme and on the obvious side, the texture of the grass/feather is soft.

When I showed my pictures back to my teacher, she said they were all really good but that I should re take the pine cone picture because it has potential to be even better. I went back and took  more picture but this time I had my camera on the aperture setting and went in even closer. I capture the pinecones in more detail and it looks more effective but I think it could be even better if I had a macro lens.

Skills Review

Research…

During my research process I looked at, in depth, a range of different aspects of existing films within my genre. I looked into the main conventions of gangster films by analysing existing film openings and also looked on the internet using sites such as imdb to find which companies were involved in the production/distribution which helped me have a better understanding of what I needed in order to create an effective film opening that fits with the genre. The production/ distribution companies also gave me a better understanding of how the films were made and how audiences were able to view the film. One of my tasks was looking at the structure of films within my genre, like the timing of each title or credits so that I could use this in my film opening and make it fit like successful films. I watched a range of film openings from gangster films and made a timeline, plotting the different titles at certain points and for how long they lasted. This was really important because it meant that the timing of my shots/titles would be just like the films within my genre, and therefore fit in the genre more successfully. Looking at gangster film directors was important because it meant that I could determine the techniques and themes that each director uses in gangster films. One of the main things I got from this task was what the directors did to make the film successful and also the style of their films, for example the type of shots used, characters used and themes of mise en scene.

Task 6 was looking at influences of style. I looked at a lot of factors in successful gangster films such as the costumes, props, lighting, shot types and settings. From this I was able to interpret similar styles and themes in my own gangster opening, therefore making it more professional. When I looked into gangster films in more depth for task 7, I understood what made certain films the most influential and most profitable and why so that I could possibly take that information and put it into good use when producing my own opening. Looking at theorists was important because each one has different ideas about the way films work and it was interesting to see the difference between them. I tried to stick by some of the theorists but not just to one, I used a mixture of ideas from each one so that it would fit with my ideas. For most of my inspiration and influence, I looked at a few of the most popular and successful gangster films and took ideas of narrative and conventions to use in my own piece. Analysing past students work helped me out because I was able to see the type of techniques that worked or didn’t work well and take it into consideration when I created my work. Target audience research was important because I needed to have a specific type of person to aim my film at and produce it in a way that will appeal to them. I used a survey to gain information from a range of different film fans to see who would most likely watch a gangster film and what makes gangster films good for them. From this and other research I was able to come up with a target audience that would fit.

Planning…

I started off by creating an initial plan, thinking about the key areas I needed to work with. I needed to think about characters, costumes, props, setting and a narrative so I looked at some of these conventions in existing films and ideas started taking shape. I used a similar costume to films I looked at during the research process and the same with things such as props, lighting and shot types so that my opening would look authentic. From watching so many openings, I had quite a few narrative ideas and so I started to think about how the opening would look. I went out and got pictures of possible settings so that I knew exactly what I could work with and how it would fit in with the gangster genre. I also filmed some raw footage and even some rough cuts based on a quick script to allow me to see what lighting, shot types and general footage would look like. From this I knew what worked and what didn’t and I then knew what to improve on when I went filming again. We made a filming and editing schedule so that we kept on track with what we needed to do and how long it would all take. Once I was happy with my initial ideas and tests with setting etc, I started to create a script for the scene and also created a storyboard so that I could have a rough idea of what shots will look like. The script and storyboard came in handy when filming because I was able to look back at them and make sure everything was fitted in. One of the key parts of planning was the titles and music because if these were not done properly, it could ruin the opening. I looked at a lot of different music until I found an instrumental that fitted in with the genre and was similar to that of the music in successful films. I kept my titles quite similar to existing gangster films because they all shared similar themes and because of their simple design, it is hard to stray away from it.

Creativity and Conventions…

During the whole process of creating the gangster film opening, I relied a lot on the conventions of real media texts because they provided me with a lot of key information and ideas that I would then use when creating my work. Looking at multiple successful films I was able to learn what was good and bad, what worked well, what fits in the best and so on which made my film opening look professional and successful.  I think that I was always thinking creatively during the different tasks and always tried to think of the best ideas and improve on things if they weren’t good enough. Working with another person helps the creativity flow when thinking of good ideas because you have two minds thinking which gives you more variety and diversity. Over the different stages of the process I learned about things such as after effects and premier pro in more depth which allowed me to work at a higher standard.

Digital Technology…

From creating a film trailer in GCSE media, I was familiar with digital technologies such as Adobe Premier Pro and After Effects because ~I had to edit footage and add effects together. This meant that I already knew what I was doing when it came to piecing my opening together. However, the standard of work at GCSE was lower that what I wanted with my film opening so I looked at some booklets and tutorials to learn about new techniques which helped a lot when making my opening look professional and effective. I think there is still a lot more I can learn ready for my A2 project and I will try my best to improve my skills and produce at an even better standard.

Post Production…

I had to evaluate the different things I did during the production stages and this helped me identify what techniques and ideas were effective and what were not. It also allowed me to see what kind of things I need to improve on or do differently when it comes to my A2 project. When It comes to producing my work in A2 I can look or think back to the evaluation process and see what kind of things worked well and then fit that into my work. I can see what I did badly or where I made mistakes, and make sure I don’t repeat the same thing. Evaluation tasks will most definitely come in handy when I am stuck for ideas and it will hopefully help me out.