Lesson review 14/12/2010 - Alex Nugent

Today we began actually transforming our idea into a finished digipak. This process involved taking the photos we had taken yesterday and placing them up onto editing software and arranging it into the desired format. We divided responsibility evenly, I did the front panel which used the photo of the male character looking angry at the the gorilla and the female character. Firstly , I uploaded the photo's then dividing each photo equally in the group we edited each one to create each panel. We started to create 3 panels in today's lesson. I uploaded the image and then dragged it into industry renewed technology called 'photoshop'. This software allows images to be cropped , altered , change of brightness and colour, ect. Each image had to be extracted , taking each figure out . I had to extract the gorilla, female character , whilst Matt did the male character. The extraction was quite a strenuous process , we had to use a tool called a lasso which allowed me to whiten out the background of the image. Below is an example of what it looked like :



Here the images is taken out by drawing around each figure. Then copy and paste the image onto a template which was previously set up . It is also important to note i made the background transparent meaning we can alter layers of information . Then we took Matt's figure and placed it onto the same template and played around with it to make it fit. This process was quite straightforward , all we had to do was transform it to scale and drag the corners to make it smaller. The main problem i counted today was the fact we decided to extract each character from different photos. This was a problem as the lighting in each one was very different and you could tell it was two different images. Therefore, I used the 'brightness /contrast' setting which allowed us to lessen the differences between the two figures. Now it looks like the photo was taken in one as opposed to placed in separately. After this we then added in text on top for the title and the critics. Overall , the process was quite stress free, it took a bit of time to get my head around the software however I managed. I also found the change in idea a very good one as I think it will make the finish outcome look much better. Each member in the group did the same thing meaning we have successfully started 3 panels . We still need to the 'dedication to Joe Jackson ' , the back panel and the CD holder. After looking at the finish we might have to tweak the idea further as we feel using the white backdrop throughout may look boring and people might not understand the simplicity of the design emphasises the nature of the narrative.

Changes to the digipak

Today we began photoshopping our digipak . We did this using photos taken previously . One photo which we decided to alter was the front cover ; instead of the male character standing in the middle with the two characters on the outside we decided to change it . Now the male character will be standing on his own in front looking angry with the gorilla and the female together. We decided to change this as we feel it allows a better portrayal of what is going on . It is in keeping with the usual conventions as it uses visuals relative to the narrative and will also use the critics and the titles.

Development of digipak plan - 13/12/2010

During today's lesson we carried on the process of planning for the creation of our digipak. Firstly , we had to research the the dimensions of a 6 paneled digipak which then we uploaded to the blog with diagrams of what it looks like when it has been deconstructed. Again , the size of a digipak is one of the conventions which is common with every CD as it cant be too big to fit on a shelf if it is being sold. Today we also developed the first draft plan , adding colour and beginning to finalise the layout . Below is each individual panel of the digipak :


This is the front panel of our digipak . With each panel we stuck rigidly to the conventions in order to give us a good idea and also to make it look as professional as possible. Here , we have used the industry recognised size for a digipak , we did this using a CD case to draw around . This was important as it gave us as idea of what the size of it will be . However, the main convention which we have used is using an element from the narrative . The gorilla is looking at the male character angrily as he is trying to take the female character and the female character is dismissing him as she loves the gorilla. We placed the male character forward as he is the main element and focus to the video. Another convention we have used is a title of the song and the composer , which we have decided to put in black and place this on top of a white backdrop. The reason for this is that the narrative which we have used is straightforward, therefore did not want to over complicate with a disruptive colour. We also feel it allows an emphasis on the characters. Another convention we have included is the use of quotes from music magazines which are commonly used to attract buyers.



This is the inside front panel. Again the main convention used is the use of the element from the narrative. The photo is of the love interest dreaming about the gorilla. We decided this would be a good inclusion as it emphasises her love of the gorilla to the audience . Also as the digipak is opened , the narrative is told through the positioning of the image.


This is the next panel and like the one above it uses the element from the narrative. With this layout and order we wanted to be able to tell the narrative through the images , the first one was of the girl thinking about the gorilla. Therefore , we decided to do the same to place focus on the gorilla . The fact that he is thinking about a banana emphasises the spoof theme of the video and the jokey nature of it. The decision to use this highlights the gorilla role during the video .


This panel is where the CD will actually be positioned. This layout is commonly used with other digipak's which we have research. Again , we have used an element from the narrative with the use of gorilla fur as the background. We feel this again highlight the lighthearted theme but will also fit in well with the idea of the gorilla.

One of the advantages of using a 6 paneled digipak is the amount of information which you are able to place in theme . One convention which we depicted was the use of song lyrics within one of the inside covers. We have only mentioned Joe Jackson once so far on the digipak so we have decided to use this panel as an almost dedication to him , but also giving the buyer information as they will know exactly what the lyrics are . We will use a photo of him as the background with background information of him written over it.


This is the final panel and will be the back cover. One common convention which we depicted was the use of a track list , which we have also done. Furthermore, the use of a barcode and copyright information was also a common elements. We have therefore incorporated all of these into our digipak design. We will use a screen shot form the actual video of the women and the gorilla walking off. Our decision behind this was to again reveal aspects of the narrative and highlight the main aspect of the video . We also feel it fits in the with the jokey theme which we have used throughout.

Dimensions of a digipak

A digipak can comes in either 4, 8 or 8 panels allowing the inclusion of artists information in the form of a booklet or song lyrics. The digipak opens out and has slots within to include and accommodate this extra information . Below is a 4 paneled digipak which can is usually used for normal cd's:

4 panel 1 CD Digipak with tube pocket. Tray on right. 5.53" X 0.25" X 5"

Here below is the 6 paneled digipak which we will be creating , with this the artists is able to place more information about the song giving the audience more of an idea of background information:

6 panel 1 CD Digipak . Tray on right side. 5.53" X 0.31" X 5"

Planning of the digipak - 7/12/2010

During today's lesson we began to think about the best way to go about creating the digipak. We decided to brainstorm ideas (using the conventions list as a guide) . The conventions of the digipak almost created a tick list of what needed to be included so we then began to brainstorm ideas about layout, font, text and colours . We all threw in a number of idea which we feel related to the theme running through our video. Obviously the spoof theme of the video means we want to portray a lighthearted finish with the digipak. Therefore , we decided that having the gorilla on the digipak was important as it gives the viewer and idea of what is going on . We liked the idea of almost telling a story through the digipak , each panel revealing an aspect of key themes within the narrative. Therefore, we decided to finalise ideas from the list and then apply them to a template. Below is the template which we drew up and is almost a first draft of the digipak:
Front Panel and Front Inside Panel


Both Middle panel's


Inside Back Panel and Back Panel


Above is the first draft (as mentioned) . From here we will take the screeshots needed and then place them on photoshop to begin the editing process. During this we will finalise the font size and colours and layout , but this is useful as a guide and gives us something to refer back to.

Lesson review - 6/12/2010 by Alex Nugent and Georgia Briggs

During today's lesson we moved on from the editing process of the project on to the research stage of the digipak. Within the lesson we had to undertake in a number of tasks, which included depicting conventions of digipak's and evaluating examples of digipak's. Today, we also drafted and email to the record label that made 'is she really going out with him' by Joe Jackson. My individual role within the group was to research and display the common elements of a successful digipak. I did this by using the Internet, the main source of information came from http://www.slideshare.net/pieter1933/digipak-research-3344503, using the Eminem evaluation to depict key conventions. I then placed this onto the blog and acted as a guide of things to look out for when each person within the group evaluated their own digipak example. The next task was to then evaluate a digipak using the criteria, which I had collected. Again, the website mentioned earlier was very useful for the evaluation. The Internet allowed me to gain an example and then using screenshots i evaluated the success of the digipak. This was a useful task as it allowed me to gain an idea of what elements make the digipak successful.

(Georgia Briggs)

It was my role in todays lesson to help put together a list of what made a digipak successful, I looked at examples of digipaks and noted down what they had in common with each other and how they were different. It was evident that the genre of the music affected the appearance of the digipak significantly. I did this by using the internet as it was the most affective way of getting results quickly. We had to evaluate the digipak and state what made it successful and which of the conventions it included.

Digipak Evaluation - Megan Clarke

Madonna DVD single - Music

Madonna is a nationwide super star and has produced many albums. To enhance her merchandise Madonna created a DVD of her hit single - Music ,

that contained the songs music video. The digipak contained a direct link to the music video its self by taking images of subject matter within the video allowing for the audience to immediately relate it to the song. The digipak also contained other conventions;

• bar code
• Image of the artist
• length of video/song
• Artist logo
• related companies used i.e Warner Brothers
• Valid information regarding the artist/ DVD content.

Evaluation of Digipak by Alex Nugent

This is the CD digipak for nirvana's greatest hits, the front of the cover simply shows a picture of the band set amongst a black and white backdrop with the name of the band in the bottom corner. The photo of the band on the front is significant , the expression which they show is of anger and despair , which relates to the angst filled lyrics within their music. This again is emphasised with the use of black and white , a simple backdrop again emphasising the bands rejection of theatrics.

The back of the cover has a similar image as to the front , with an black and white image of the band's lead signer Kurt Cobain. The back also includes track listings , various logo's for the record label (bottom) as well as copyright information which is which is written in a very small font and also a bar code. This is a very simple layout which is common with most digipak's , however, the emphasis is on the almost motionless band member which again reflects the mood of the music and audience which they are targeting. Another common convention is the use of the CD case spine which in this case shows the name of the band and the name of the album which is very common occurrence.

Within the inside of the bak , you can see very dark colours are used , again allowing an emphasis of the anger and darkness which are portrayed within the lyrics. Unlike other digpak's , this one is very simple again highlighting the rejection of theatrics and their dislike of the mainstream . The CD within shows the name of the band and again the logo of the band and the record label and within information of the band and also the lyrics of the song.

Individual Log of Filming - Georgia Briggs

My main role within the coursework project was acting as the Gorilla.

Day One of Filming

Today, we decided to film the mirror scene when Matt tries to look like the Gorilla (my character). The main problem we came across this day of filming was the lighting. The location we were filming in was facing the sun so when the light came in through the window it was too bright to be able to see Matt properly on camera. We experimented different positions at the window and even tried to film in another room, however we found that after a while the sun had gone in and we were then able to film successfully. While we were filming we were aware that including a variety of shots was essential so we filmed shots from different perspectives and when the lyrics needed to be mimed, a particular part of the song was played so that the lyrics could be mimed exactly in time to the music. During the filming process we tried to keep to our storyboard as much as possible, but we found in some cases that the shots we had timed did not appropriately fit to the instrumentals of the song, we improvised as a group with how to solve this problem. So we decided as a group how to adapt the shot, this meant extending the length of the shot or inserting another one.

Day Two of Filming

Today we had planned to film the picnic scene outdoors, but because of heavy rain we were unable to do this. Instead, we decided to film the Male and Female introductions. Alex filmed Megan's introduction where she was getting ready and he then filmed Matt's introduction where he was getting ready for his date. These were both filmed in separate locations. Neither of the introductions involved miming, so it was a quick process.

Day Three of Filming

Today was the day we were due to film in the Cafe. Up until now our filming process had been easy because of the locations we had been filming in, as the cafe was a business in a public place we needed permission from the owner. I asked if it was possible for us to film in his cafe, and he was kind enough to give us an hour slot in the cafe to film what we needed. This put us under pressure because we had a strict time to be finished and out of the cafe. Overall the filming process went smoothly however we did come across some problems. We couldn't find the right position of where we wanted to film the "Where?!" shot. However, after trying out a few places and putting on the uniforms of the cafe workers we found the right shot. Matt was the main focus of today's filming as he had to mime a considerate amount and we needed to make sure that these were done properly otherwise the song would not be in time with the miming.

Day Four of Filming

As the weather had improved, we filmed the picnic scene at the park. In this location we had quite alot to get done which consisted of the banana feeding and Matt miming. The filming process today was a little harder than normal because we were filming in a location that is constantly used and despite the cold weather, there were alot of dog walkers so we were interrupted on numerous occasions. The glare from the sun was also a problem today, as we filmed early hours of the morning, the sun was out. We positioned the camera differently so that the glare would not affect the filming. We also had a problem with the tripod, one of the pieces that was needed to attach the camera to the tripod was missing we improvised and attached the camera to the tripod ourselves.

Day Five of Filming

Today was the final day of filming and it was the hardest day by far. We had a huge amount to film and not a great deal of time. We had problems with our location to start with, this was because of the time we actually got up to Chancery Lane, it was very busy and it meant that it wasn't really suitable to film there. Ideally we did want people to be in our surroundings but not to that extent. For me, this day was by far the most embarrassing, although i had got used to being in the Gorilla costume and having people watching me, I felt a lot more exposed this day and felt like people were watching me a lot more.

Digipak Analysis - Megan Clarke

The Killers Greatest Hits

This specific digipak has been made to case a bands greatest hits throughout their career. It is vital that this digipak tells the audience that this isn't a typical album and contains both old and new material.

In keeping with the idea of 'Greatest Hits' they have

shown images of their previous albums.

This provides the audience with a basic knowledge of what previous albums have been used to select the chosen songs.

This digipak follows other conventions such as;

• Displaying the record label logo.
  

• information regarding the band i.e. the band mates and their roles.
• They have i direct link between the album subject matter and the bad. Due to it being a 'Greatest Hits' album they have used images of the band in black and white enhancing the fact that the songs on the album are older and are more regarded as classics from the band.
• Band name / Band logo
• Album title

Evaluation of Michael Jackson by Matt Boulton

There are many conventions of a digipak. The example I am evaluating is Michael Jackson Greatest Hits. I chose this example as it will give me ideas on what is to be included in our CD digipak.

The artist name and album title is clear on the front cover, also showing an image of Michael Jackson. For the front cover, the background is just white, this works well because it makes the image of Michael Jackson stand out, also making the artist name stand out, being in red font. As you can see by the images of the other albums from the inside of the digipak, this is not unusual for Michael Jackson album covers, however comparing it o other artists greatest hits covers, this is not the conventional method used.

As you can see the inside cover has got a brief statement about Michael Jackson's music, for example, giving dates when the songs on the album were created. This is a good thing to have on the CD digipak as it gives the consumer information they may want to know.

At the end of the brief statement it gives the consumer pictures of the covers of all the songs albums in this greatest hits digipak.

The background picture for the inside cover is the legendary white shocks thats Michael Jackson wears. This picture is used as it is a picture that represents Michael Jackson through out his career, even though this is the greatest hits and that was the image from one of Michael Jackson's first albums.

The CDs are made to look like vinyls, which is another convention used. This works well because it gives the album a dated fell however is still a modern product.

Song Permission Email

Due to copyright limitations concerning usage of our chosen song 'Is she really going out with him' by Joe Jackson we sent an email to A&M records regarding permission;

To whom it may concern,

I am sending this email in regards to using one of your songs in my A2 media coursework at Trinity Catholic High School.

For our media coursework we had to produce our own music video along with a digipak and advertisement campaign. We have chosen to use one of your featured artists - Joe Jackson 'Is she really going out with him'.

Our final music video must be uploaded to youtube for people to view and for it to be further uploaded to our blog.

I would be very grateful if we had your permission to use the featured song.

Many Thanks

Megan Clarke

Evaluation Of A Digipak by Georgia Briggs

I chose to evaluate the Harry Potter Digipak. I chose this one in particular because it is in DVD format and as our coursework project is a Music Video, it will be presented on a DVD. I thought that using this example would be useful as I will be able to get an idea of what needs to be included.

As part of my evaluation I will breakdown the elements of the Digipak and compare and contrast them to typical conventions of a Digipak .

These conventions are:

- The name of the Artist (it will be the name of the Actor/Actress)

- The name of the Album (in this case it will be the name of the film)

- Tracklisting (include bonus extra's such as 'behind the scenes' and/or 'making of' features) (this will include scene selection and bonus features included with the DVD)

- Website and Myspace addresses (will be the official website of the DVD)

- Record Label branding (in this case it will be the name of the producer e.g Warner Brothers)

This is featured in the trailer to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

- Pictures of the band members or relevant visual imagery to sell the band (must be a different image to those used on the magazine ad) and it must be manipulated in some way (effect) (for this particular example it will be pictures of the characters, Harry Potter.)

- Price (normally positioned by the barcode on the back of the case)

- Website (will not always be included with the digipak)

- Credits (will be positioned on the back of the case)

- Who wrote the songs (Director, Producers and other staff.)

- Logo (there will normally be a typical logo that will be carried on throughout all the films)

- Barcode

- DVD logo

- CD logo

- Website banner

Conventions of a digi-pak

A digi-pak is a patented style of compact disc or DVD packaging which is often used for CD singles or special editions of CD albums. The conventions of a digi-pack alter according to artists however below is a list conventions which are commonly used :

• Logo of record label in the corner.
• Copyright information in small print on usually on the back of the cover.
• Intertextual references.
• Bar code on the back.
• Artists name and title on spine.
• Art work which reflects themes within the music of the artist.
• logo of band.
• For music with inappropriate language or themes there is an age rating for the song.
• 'Explicit lyrics' written on the top and 'Parental advisory' written on the bottom.

These are the most common conventions used however they differ depending on the type of artists and the type of music being created.


Below are two examples of digipak's :

Individual Log Megan Clarke

Prior to the filming and editing process we began planning our music video. Throughout the planning process I tried to bring forward as many creative contributions as possible. This included ideas about costume design, setting and narrative. Having four people in our group allowed for vast amounts of creative contribution and so the planning process became easier.
Following the planning process was the tricky task of filming our music video. On our first day of filming we decided that it would be beneficial for each member of the group to have an individual role. I played the role of the narratives 'Love interest', I also gave active contribution in the event of improvisation. Several times throughout filming a change in location or uncertainty in our narrative had occurred, meaning that we would need to improvise on the day. This bought out many of our skills as a team and emphasised our understanding of what we wanted to achieve overall. I personally found the filming very enjoyable however, our last day of filming was very hectic and busy. We were filming the end scene which was located in the heart of London. We was under a tight schedule for completion and the sun was going down very quickly. Once it was completed I felt we had been very successful in being creative and using individual locations very well to suit the narrative.
After two weeks of intense filming we begun our editing process. We all took it in turn to try our hand at editing. As our music video contained a vast majority of miming we felt it was vital that we used the latest technology to help us time the miming with the song. When at the locations of filming we played the song out loud for Matt to hear and mime along to. This use of technology allowed for our miming to be nearly perfect and so making our editing process a lot easier. We had few implications when it came to our editing. Some of our shots were not long enough or did not contain enough shot variety. To overcome this creative ideas were proposed such as, using transitions black screens or editing different shots and combining them.
Overall, I enjoyed the process of making our music video and i believe it has come together as we had hope.

Digital Technology

Throughout the entire process of producing a music video we have come across several different designs of digital technology for different purposes.

Using blogger to constantly log our process, changes and limitations we came across when undergoing the tasks involved in creating our music video allowed for use to enhance our digital technology knowledge and become creative in our presenting.

Further more, we have used the internet many times. Using the internet for research of conventions, example music videos and information regarding our song and record label 'A&M' has enabled us to produce a detailed and precise log. Gaining this valid information from websites such as www.wikipedia.org/, www.aandmrecords.co.uk/ and www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/theressomethingaboutmary/isshereallygoingoutwithhim.htm havehelped us to full understand what we wanted to achieve when creating this music video is regards to the genre, narrative and content.

Individual log of the filming process by Alex Nugent

1st day filming

As director/camera man my job was to position shots and ensure they were being shot correctly and also similar to the animatic storyboard . With the first days filming we wanted to get a substantial amount done so I decided to shoot the mirror scene where Matt's character would try and make himself look like the gorilla. We wanted to start inside in order to a bit more freedom and make the actors feel more confident within a comfortable environment . The process was generally hassle free however i personally encountered a few problems . Firstly , we realised as a group that we would not have enough time to use the planned routine of Matt walking into the bedroom therefore decided to allow the previous chorus to play over and then go straight into the miming with the first line of 'tonight's the night...' . I personally found the main problem was the lighting . We were shooting in front of a large window , meaning each shot was affected by the glare from the sun . I decided to wait a bit in order to allow the sun to set a bit , meaning the glare was not as strong. Other personal problems encountered was ensuring the tripod was level as i found it hard to adjust the setting to keep it level however , this was only a small problem . I felt the miming was done perfectly as we had decided to play the track out loud , allowing actors to know when exactly to mime. In order to make the editing process straightforward I ensured we had plenty of footage meaning we could have a number of alternative shots. The creativity of this shoot came from the variety of shots which we used , for instance the 'look over there' shot with revealed the gorilla and Megan walking down the street from Matt's perspective. I want to be creative as possible with these shots in order to execute the idea well.

2nd day filming

Originally we had planned to shoot the picnic scene however , due to adverse weather conditions we filmed inside and I shot the 17 second introduction of the male and female character. This process was very stress free as it was very straightforward and only entailed short , quick close ups and no miming . Therefore, I decided to get a variety again for the purpose to make the editing process as smooth as possible.

3rd day filming

Over the last few days the filming process has been very straightforward as we have been in indoor location which we are familiar with i.e my house and Megan's house . However, today we had to book out an hour slot in the cafe in order to get filming done. This in itself made the process less straightforward as I had to take a few things into consideration. Unlike previous days we didn't have to account for member of the public however today I had to film around member of the public and staff of the cafe. The shots which I took were aided with Megan who didn't need to act much within this section of the project. This made the shooting process slightly easier, we decided to account for members of the public and ensure the shot was framed correctly and also ensure the miming was in time with the song.

4th day filmiming

Today we filmed the park scene where the picnic occurs with the main event of the slow motion banana feeding . This again , for me , and the rest of the group was made slightly harder as it was out in public and we were being interrupted a bit by the members of the public. In my view the filming was ok, my task again though was made harder by the glare again from the sun . This was a problem as the glare made the faces darker on the camera making it very hard to record the mime. To overcome this problem I had to place the camera closer to the face and ensure the sun was behind me whilst I was shooting it. I tried to be creative with this shoot and I emphasised the idea of the strangeness of the video , therefore tried to show as much of the gorilla and Megan together having their day in the park.

5th day filming

This was the final day of filming and it was the hardest and probably the most stressful shoot of the whole project. Originally we stuck rigidly to the storyboard however, today I found the shoot quite hard to stick the original idea as some of the shots which we had decided to use were quite long so we came unstuck trying to create enough footage to match the song. Therefore, i decided to use a technique from throughout and shoot plenty of footage so when we edit it we have a lot of footage to play around with. I took the original idea of a confrontation but , with the help of the others in the group came up with an idea allowed for this to occur. We decided to make the Gorilla and the love interest look like tourists asking for a photo as opposed to the original idea of the hair picking on the bench. I tried to be as creative as possible with this shoot and one which stood out was the use of the low angled shot of Matt being grabbed by the gorilla whilst Matt mimed the lyric of ' I get so mean around this scene'. I placed the camera as low as possible to show the fear of the character as he is being beaten up by the gorilla.

Roles within the project

During the planning process we decided to choose roles for each member of the group allowing for equal participation and contribution to the overall outcome of the video. We decided to make Matt the main character of the filming as it would entail him to mime, we knew that he would suit this role as he mimed in the prelim task we had to complete which he did well and confidently so we knew this was the best option, and we had learnt was an important aspect with this role. The other acting roles would be taken up by Megan (love interest) and Georgia (the gorilla), they would all have to act/perform in public which meant that they had to be confidant.

(Georgia Briggs) - We felt as a group that Alex would be the best person to film as he proved in the prelim task that he was good at filming different varieties of shot to make the video look effective. Although the prelim task was a group effort it was evident that he could film at a high standard and we were happy with starring in the production.

Video analysis - Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel) by Alex Nugent

This is the music video for the song 'Sledgehammer' by Peter Gabriel :




This music video contains a number of music video conventions and they are as follows:

• Dramatic lighting
• Miming (performance)
• Changes of location
• Pace matches the beat and pace of the song

Throughout the music video there is a use of strange characters and situations which are emphasised with the use of dramatic lighting. This alters throughout the video with a variety of different lighting ranging from a spot light to a contradiction between fire and a black backdrop. This dramatic lighting , as mentioned allows for an emphasis on each strange instance within the video :



Above are two instances of the dramatic lighting . The one on the left is a black backdrop with the use of fire , the bright colours from the fire in the backdrop illuminate the ice sculpture allowing and emphasise on it. Similarly, the spotlight allows for a more literal approach to the dramatic light as again the use of the dark backdrop with a bright light allows attention to be drawn to the peculiar figure of the chicken dancing. The video also uses bright colours which make the video interesting to look at.

Throughout the video , the artist Peter Gabriel is miming the lyrics of the song which is a common convention with any music video. However, throughout the song there are actions which match in accordance to the lyrics which he is miming:



Within these two instances above , the signer incorporates the lines of , 'bring your blue sky back' and 'all you do is call me ' . This works well as for each line it allows a new and wacky action to be shown , again relative to the video as a whole. This technique of miming and incorporating the line of the song is something we wanted to do with the lyric 'something going wrong around here'.

The changes of location within the song are quick and allow for a flowing movement to the video. The use of stop motion throughout is significant as it creates a distorted movement of shots again representative of the idea of the video as a whole . The changes in pace allow for a unconventional movement between shot but as mentioned throughout , i think , allow for emphasises on the strangeness of the video. This idea is further emphasised with the length of the video. Usually, music videos are about 3-4 minutes long where as this is about 5-6 minutes long again highlighting the unconventional nature of the video.



Above, the use of stop motion allows the movement of fruit across his face . The nature of stop motion suits the pace of the song as the distorted movement matches the loud and constant beat in the background of the song. Overall a very successful music video and fits its purpose very well.

Creativity during the project

During the last 10 weeks we have spent much time on planning every aspect of our music video and we tried to leave no stone unturned. This process meant us depicting aspect from real media texts and then applying it to our own idea and then finally editing the video in order to make the final outcome look professional. Within each process we have been creative and used equipment effectively and efficiently.

Firstly, as mentioned we have used sites like Youtube in order to get an idea of what conventions are used within music videos, how they can be specific to each genre of music. We looked at a range of examples yet we felt the idea of doing a spoof was the best idea and also incorporating miming. We decided to choose a song, which we felt this was possible so when we choose one we wanted to go against the norm and do something different. Therefore, the project as a whole was creative, instead of using a normal love story we decided to use a gorilla as a rival within a love interest. The creativity came with the development of an idea, which is unique and different and suited the genre of music, which we used. We were also creative with the use of mise-en-scene as we placed the characters in certain situations and managed to twist them in order to suit the unconventional plot line. For instance, on specific lines of the chorus of ‘something going wrong around here’ we used banana feeding as a way to emphasise the strangeness of what was going on within the video. We were also creative with costuming, trying to make the main character look like a geek. We also used things like make up for a fight scene to make a black eye again showing our creativity with mise-en-scene.

During both the filming process and the editing process we also tried to be creative in order to emphasises the spoof theme within our video. We used quite straightforward shoots but managed to use them creatively, for instance we used close ups to introduce characters. The use of the tripod during the fight scene allowed us to get overhead shots with the camera looking down at the floor, again emphasising creativity as we tried to avoid using medium shoots throughout The editing process was important and we tried to make great use out of the software. For instance, we used slow motion over a few clips in order to emphasise the stupidity and also the bizarre nature of what was going on in the shot. This software was important during the fight scene at the end. As well as slow motion we also used still frames to show Matt’s character motionless after being beaten up and also fades in and out in order to make the piece flow. Overall we feel we were creative with quite a lot of the video.

2nd day of editing - 23/11/2010

Today we began editing the second half of our music video Like yesturday we again used the Imovie HD editing software which allowed us to cut clips down to fit , place in transitions and apply slow motion. Again, like yesterday, the process was generally hassle free with the main problems arising from the miming sequences. However, after taking a bit longer on each one we managed to place each one correctly and accordingly to the music. Like the slow motion clip we edited yesterday, we had a problem trying to fill in the fight scene. We realised some of the shots we had used were not suitable so to overcome this we used still frames and black outs in order to emphasise the fact that the character has been knocked out. We did this by creating a still frame of a blank screen and then using the editing option placing a 'fade in and out' on the clip in order to allow it to flow as it then moves on into the miming. Over the last two days we have completed quite a lot and we feel we are nearly getting to the end of the process. Overall, we are all pleased with how it has turned out.

1st day of editing - 22/10/2010

Today we began the process of editing, which entailed us uploading and placing the clips together. This process was all done using the Imovie HD editing software. Firstly , we had to upload the clips by importing from the camera , then dragging shots into an order. Then each individual clip was cut in order to take out any mistakes within each individual clip . Finally we extracted the sound out in order to allow for the music to be applied.

Overall, the first stage was successful we managed to edit the first half and didn’t really have many major problems with the process. We again like with the filming process stuck as rigidly as possible to the animatic storyboard, which we used as a guide to place each of the clips successfully together. The first few sections were quite straight forward as they didn’t match over the lyrics and didn’t have to be placed over. The hard part came when each miming section needed to be edited as if the placement is only slightly off it looks silly. These sections were difficult, yet we successfully edited each clip accordingly. The main problem with today’s editing was the banana feeding section as we didn’t have enough footage to make up the first chorus. Therefore, instead of re-shooting we decided to be creative with the clips we already had and using the editing software managed to apply slow motion over this particualr section in order to fill the space. We were pleased with this outcome.

5th day of filming - 16/11/2010

Today was the final day of shooting and we had to complete the fight scene, which is undertaken in London. Like the last days of filming we have used industry standard equipment which were a camera and a tripod. Originally we had wanted to film in Carnaby Street however, after review we decided this was not the best idea as it is too busy which would disrupt the filming process. Therefore, we changed the location to a place, which is up London but does not have as many people to interrupt the scene. We moved the location therefore to a side street in Holborn. This is the first major change of the day, which was impromptu and was altered on the day. When we began filming we stuck to the storyboard and included miming the chorus. However, originally we had decided to get the gorilla to pick at Megan’s hair when the lyric ‘there’s something going wrong around here…’ but today we decided to change it. Instead, Matt walks past the camera and as he passes his love interest asks a member of the public (Alex) to take a photo of her and the Gorilla together. This incident then leads on into the fight. We feel this was a better idea as it allowed it to flow and allowed for an exaggerated confrontation. Also, we have decided to not place in the miming during this section as we feel it allowed for a better participation in the fight. We then decided to pick up the miming again during one line of the fight. This could seem confused however we feel the mix between miming and acting allows for greater variety we feel. It also was done in order to make the editing process easier as it gave a benchmark to refer back to if we needed to place more footage in. We hope the footage we have obtained will be perfect for editing.From the line of 'is she really going out with him' to 'I get so mean around this scene' will have no miming in it. The miming commences in the final chorus and verse of the song.

4th day of filming - 15/11/2010

After today we are now coming up to the final stages of filming and the completion of the task. Today, we filmed the picnic scene (the first chorus) where the male character runs into the Gorilla and his love interest having a picnic in the park. Again we used both a camera to film the shot and a tripod in order to keep the camera still and allow for tracking shots to be made. Overall, the shoot was successful however; we had a problem with the lighting as the glare from the sun made it hard to see the miming. We overcame this problem by reconstructing the scene and moving each character around. Again, like previous days of shooting we have tried to stick to the storyboard, which again proved a big help as it enabled us to get the shots done quickly and efficiently. The main element of the scene is the slow motion banana feeding. However, after filming it we have discovered we might not have enough time in between a verse to place it in. Therefore, we might alter it slightly and keep it in normal time.

3rd day of filming - 9/11/10

Today we filmed the cafe scene in which the male character thinks he is waiting for his love interest but in fact he finds out she is in love with the gorilla. Originally we had decided that mimed everything, however, we feel now that it would be better t to mime a few lines and allow the music to play over scene of the Gorilla and Megan together. We have decided to do this for the purpose of the narrative as it makes it easier to follow.

We had a little trouble with filming today. During the verse there is a section where it switches between Matt saying 'there' and someone else saying 'Where?' which we have done wrong as we missed out a section where the miming was supposed to go. Therefore, we will have to go back and film this small section but it shouldn’t take to long as we know what we're doing. Another aspect which we decided to alter was instead ofmiming 'There's a lady that I used to know' we have decided to show Megan walking with the Gorilla to emphasise there in love and then switch back to Matt in the next line saying 'She's married now or engaged or something so I am told'. Another problem we had was at the end where Matt us is supposed to get up and walk out however, we filmed it too slowly meaning it doesn’t fit with the song. To overcome this we will have to edit it down to the allotted 3-4 second gap.

2nd day of filming - 8/11/2010

Originally we had planned to film the picnic scene , in which one of the chorus' takes place . Within this part the slow motion banana filming was going to occur - however, due to heavy rain and strong winds we were not able to film outside. Therefore, we decided to complete the indoor shots - we decided to do the character introductions where the man and women are introduced. This is done to make the audience think that the two members are going on a date with each other. The filming was relatively stress free; it's only a small 17-second part and we stuck pretty much exactly to the storyboard.

The part where Male charcter is introduced did not take much time so we decided to shoot from a variety of angles and then piece together the best ones when we come to editing. We have used a variety of shots. These include: close up, medium and the mirror reflection, which we used frequently later on in the video. To ensure that each shot was correct we filmed them twice. The second section of filming was the same thing but for Megan who plays the love interest. Again, we paid close attention to the storyboard however we changed it slightly. We used a close up forward shot to the camera when she is putting on her lipstick and placed in a medium shot of her walking to the camera.The use of the tripod allowed us to track movements well and show each character leaving a specific location.

1st day of filming - 2/11/2010

Today we began actually filming our music video. Over the last 6 or so weeks we have been planning this with depiction of music videos to get an idea of what the video should look like, analysis of past A2 level videos but mainly through the creation of a storyboard. This was important to us today as it acted as a guide for the shots we were going to carry out. However, we always wanted to be flexible with this and not stick too rigidly to it. We used camera to capture footage which would film onto a tap allowing us to upload later and alos a tripod to rest the camera onto.

Today we filmed the scene where the male character tries to look like the gorilla. Originally we had planned for him to walk in and place object down on the bed however, we decided to cut this down as when we filmed it we found out that the 6 second instrumental was not enough to compensate for this. Therefore, we’ve changed it to him walking into the room, closing the door and beginning to mime. We also cut out a few close ups as when we were filming we thought they were unnecessary. During the planning process we wanted to have a variety of shots and today we tried our best to do this. However, the main problem we have with this is ensuring there is enough time between each line as it all needs to fit in order to allow the mime fit easily. Therefore, today we have used quite a few medium shots but have been creative with them, i.e. tracking shots with matt walking over to the mirror. In addition to this we changed the final part of the verse; originally Matt would look to the camera looking clearly upset after seeing the girl and gorilla together. Instead of this we decided to show him taking off the fur and walking away from the mirror. We feel this allows for the piece to flow as now everything has been done in time. One shot we were quite creative with was the inclusion of the close up of looking into the camera giving the illusion that he is looking into the mirror. The changes we have made from the original idea have been quite distinctive, however, we feel they have been needed in order to ensure each piece fits in with the song.

One big problem we had was the way the male character and the gorilla appeared on camera. We originally had planned to film straight in front of the window; however, the sunlight made this difficult and created a glare on the camera. Therefore, we improvised and had to shoot at and angle, one shot which stood out was the line of ' ' where we managed to film Matt's (male character) reflection in the mirror. From this we now realise that changes will be made at each stage and that the technique of playing the track whilst filming worked well as it meant we were able to ensure miming was perfect and that the instrumentals were filled in correctly.

Guilty Conscience' Video depiction By Alex Nugent

This is the music video for the song 'Guilty Conscience' by Eminem and Dr Dre:



This music video carries the conventional elements of a music video :

• Performance : During the song Eminem and Dr Dre are signing the lyrics.
• Narrative based: The nature of the song matches well with the video , the movement of the video is highlighted with the use of a narrator
• Changes of setting: These changes of setting alter with each confrontation of the conscience and are created with quick cuts.
  

These are some of the elements which i have manage to depict. However , the choice of this music video was due to the freeze frames which mean everything stops whilst the two performers carry on . This is something which we wanted to use in our video with when Matt's character is being beaten up ; he is held up off the floor and turns to camera and sings . The idea was included in our animatic storyboard and we don't know whether it will work but is something we want to try out. Below are screen shot showing the freeze frames:



These are just a few screenshots revealing how the video freezes. Another reason for its inclusion is the many examples of the characters within the video reciting to the camera. This is important as this is what we hope to do with Matt miming the lyrics as opposed to speaking to the camera which occurs in this instance. Within the video the narrative unravels like a story being told by this man (shown below).

Locations for filming

After completing the animatic storyboard we wanted to start thinking about locations for filming. The first actions within the video involve Matt and Megan getting ready for their date ; this will be done using two different house. We wanted to be as creative as possible with both our video idea and concept so we want locations which match this creativity. Therefore , we wanted find locations in and around London as we feel it will suit the unconventional approach and allow us to get the reaction of the public. We also feel it allows for many options . For the picnic scene we will use Hyde Park we feel it is large and open as is a better idea than using a local park as it shows time and effort has been placed into filming the video. Obviously, Hyde Park is a large place so we will choose the precise location on the day.



Another location is Carnaby Street , where the fight seen happens and where the man and the Gorilla finally confront. This location has been thought up as like Hyde Park it is quite open and will hopefully allow for us to get the publics reaction meaning we can emphasise the strangeness of the topic which is used within the video.

Lesson review - 19/10

As mentioned, our animatic storyboards allowed us to see how the video will look and asses the timings of shots and the lengths at which they are set. After watching it back we were slightly alarmed by the length of some shots and decided to try and incorporate more shot variety . Therefore, at some of the longer periods i have decided to include a few screen shots of what shot we want to break up the longer shots. Earlier in the blog we saw that in this music video there will be double the amount of shot that there would be in an opening of a film so this exercise of assessing the animatic storyboard again allowed us to be creative. As mentioned earlier it is important to remember that this is just a base to build from , when filming we may change shots or add some new ones in .

• At 30 seconds there is a shot which is 5 seconds long which is too long especially for a close close up . Therefore, we think there should be a few shots too emphasise the happiness of Matt's character. The shot on the bottom is of Matt smiling to a waitress generally looking ecstatic. The shot on the top is a contrast and is shown at 38 seconds to show Matt's shock at what he has seen . These will be quick 1-2 second shots and will be fast flowing but as mentioned will increase shot variety.

• These new shots will be added in during the first chorus at 45 seconds and have been included in as originally Matt is walking towards the camera miming which is quite simple. Therefore , the left shot shows Matt looking at the camera between the two lovers. This shot is important as it highlights the love triangle showing the three members in a row but also again allows for a change to Matt walking straight on . The second frame has been used in the same light to add variety

• These frames are to be included at around the one minute mark. It shows a shot reverse shot between the two lovers and reveals the banana feeding. We feel the mixture of shot reverse shot is key as it allows a portrayal of the love between the two characters. This shot will be done in slow motion making creating emphasis on the change in shot. With this we can emphasise the notion of the banana feeding which is meant to portrayed as strange. It also allows a break up of using one shot and will be a quick cut.

• The shot on the bottom has been included as a shot reverse shot type , giving the view of Matt , seeing the gorilla grabbing him . It is a quick 1 second shot which again (like all the others) allows for variety but is a quick solution to break up the extension of shot. This would be included at around the 2 minute 38 second mark. The frame on the top will be just past the 3 minute mark and again allows a point of view but also think is an effective way to change the drawn out miming frame which last for 7 or 8 seconds .

• This is the final shot and will shot the two lovers walking towards the camera showing Matt up against the bin . Again , it highlights the love triangle and ultimately Matt' failure at obtaining the women. These changes have been made to break up the longer shots and of course are only approximations . As mentioned earlier changes will be made on the day and we will try not too stick too rigidly to it.