Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment from Michael The above slideshow shoes the risk assessment that we have produced in order to establish possible risks and how to prevent them. This is important for our planning as we want to plan ahead for any possible risks that could put us at harm or damage anything. 

Call Sheet

Call Sheet - Location: Industrial from laura-davies

Location Planning

Location Planning

Now that me and my group have decided on the content in the video in terms of camera, mise-en-scene, narrative etc. it is time that we think of some locations that we are going to use in our final product. We are aiming to use at least 4 different locations so that the video is kept interesting and the audience can relate to the narrative from the use of different locations. The use of difference locations will be extremely important i our video as it will separate the narrative out as well as give character familiarity when the different characters are in certain locations. 

We have already planning on having a male and female relationship narrative in our video that shows them separately trying to be together. To further enhance this idea we have decided that we are going to use two different starting locations for each character whilst they are separate. When they finally find one another this will be in the third location - somewhere different with a different atmosphere to reflect the change of the storyline in the video. These three locations are going to be outside in different types of environments. To fit in with the style of our genre and to support generic media conventions of the genre we are also going to use a studio location that shows footage of band members playing the song when the footage cuts away from the narrative in the video. 

As we have already discussed the idea of using nature elements in mise-en-scene we have decided to use locations that portray this as well. When the two characters start separately we are going to use juxtaposing locations to show the differences between them. 

The first location we have decided to use is an industrial setting. This has come from inspiration from other rock music videos that we have analysed in the research process of our project. We have decided that we will film close ups of the male character in this location, in a shallow focus so that he is in focus and the background is blurred. The reason we have decided on this industrial location is because it is quite rural as well as having connotations. The idea of mans affect on the landscape is important in our video as it fits in with meaning and what we are trying to portray. 

These images are taken on Tees Road which is close to where me and my group live so they are an appropriate location for us to film. 

The female location that we have decided to use is going to be a beach setting. This is because is contrasts the industrial setting perfectly and shows a difference in characters and familiar locations. Also, the beauty of the beach fits in with our natural theme throughout the video - using earth elements and sand and sea reflect these in the video. As well as this shots of the ocean and waves in our video are going to reflect change - so when the narrative changes and the characters are reunited the locations make sense. There are also many connotations with the sea, one being anger. This fits in with the narrative of our video as the female is going to be shown to be angry in the video as she is being kept away and trapped. 

Our local beach is Seaton Carew so we have decided to use that beach as our filming location. 

As a third location when our characters are together we have decided to use a woodland environment to reflect closeness. For example the closeness of the trees and protection of trees connotations will be important in this part of the video as it will be when the mood and atmosphere in the video changes and the lovers are reunited together. Also, the leaves and trees will fit into the theme of our video of nature and earth elements as well as matching the costume and masks that we have thought about and made. 

The woodland area we have decided on using is a local park that has many trees and greenery - Ward Jackson Park.

In our video we are also having many close up and arty shots of nature, for example small streams and sunsets. This is to reflect the mood and overall tone of the video as well as fit in with the narrative we are going to portray. To do this we have decided on getting this footage whilst at the above locations mentioned.  We also discussed using the studio at our college to create a low key lighting environment for the band members to play. When we decide on the filming date of these shots we will book out the studio and carry out the filming. 

Costume & Props Planning

Costume & Props Planning

Mise-en-scene is vitally important to the success of our video as whats on the screen determines exactly what the audience are being subject to. In order to make sure the mise-en-scene of our video is good as well as following generic conventions of the genre we have chosen we have decided to think about the types of costume and props that we are going to be using. 

When researching different videos and discussing initial ideas the idea of combining nature and portraits  was what we decided upon. This is because when researching into some of Sigur Ros' other music videos we found that this idea fits in with the idea and theme of the song. We have decided that the people in our narrative part of the video shall we wearing masks, a different for the male and a different one for the female. 

 The first mask that me and my group have made comes from the nature idea of trees and leaves. To incorporate greenary and earth type elements we have produced this mask by sticking leaves onto a plain mask. It is going to be important in our video as nature elements have certain connotations that the audience will refer to when watching the video. The idea of thid was inspired by the original video for Sigus Ros' Brennisteinn which has a lot of nature scenes in it. The final mask will be important in the video as it will also fit in with the costume that the actors/actresses will be wearing. We are also going to have black and white scenes in our video with splashes of earth colours for example greens, browns, yellows and keep a lot of our footage unsaturated. This again fits in with the nature elements of the video and will strengthen the mise en scene in the final video.  This mask will be the mask that the female actress will be wearing in the video. 

The second mask that the gorpu have produced is a mask that is made from clay and paint with brissels attached for eyebrows to make it more life-like. This mask is going to be the mask that the male actor will be wearing in the video. The purpose of this mask is to create distorted facial features which contrast the idea of beauty of nature. 

These masks will hopefully result in the mise-en-scene being graphic and interesting which will strengthen our video as well as relate to the genre and narrative shown in the video. Both masks have eyeholes in them so that when filming we can include extreme close up shots of the facial features with the masks but keep the eyes shown in the footage to make it more real and personal. 

When discussing costume ideas me and the group have decided that we want the costumes worn in the video to incorporate earthy, natural elements again. The image to the left shows an idea for the female costumes which is a cream dress, and a matching jacket and top. The colours are natural and not bright which fits in with our theme that we have discusses. Also the material is quite floaty and an interesting texture which again reflects the genre we have chosen as well as fitting in with the style and theme of our ideas for the idea. 

Treatment Sheet

Treatment Sheet

Song Choice

 

The band we have decided to make a music video and digipack are Sigur Ros who are an Icelandic post-rock band. They have an ethereal sound and combine classical elements with bowed guitar and distortions. We have chosen the song Brennisteinn, which is the single from the bands 7^th studio album Kveikur.

 

 

Concept

 

The song Brennisteinn has more of an aggressive style compared to the bands other back catalogue. This has inspired our group to produce a very dynamic, vibrant video. We have decided to split the video – having a narrative and story in the video, whilst having band members play instruments to the music. We believe that this will suit the genre of the video as well pleasing the audience as it conforms to their conventions and expectations. The original video of the song by the band includes the band playing on stage and switching back and forth to the narrative; which includes the capture of a prisoner, his escape and chase. The full video is black and white with edgy colour splashes used here and there with contrasting colours of yellow and green. As a group we are taking inspiration from the original video and have decided to use the idea of escapism for our narrative, which also relates to the lyrics and meaning behind the song.

 

Performance & Narrative

 

The narrative we have decided on is combining elements of escapism with romance and loss. We are taking influence from the original video of having a captured prisoner, but also having a captured woman who is the prisoner’s lover. The two lovers are kept apart and are trying desperately to escape to reach one another. This idea came from interpreting the lyrics: Now drag and stretch ones self, and drag out the arm, try to receive, and brake over falling places, running blood in the veins. We have decided to end the video with an unclear resolution leaving a rhetorical question at the end to interact with the audience and have them guess the ending. This not only meets audiences expectations but reflects our chosen genre.

 

Location

We have decided to use juxtaposing locations in our music video. Ideas for this include an industrial location as well as woodland nature areas. This is to link in with our narrative of two different people trying to escape, i.e. in two different locations to be with one another. The locations we are going to use contrast one another as they are different types of environments that link the mise en scene in the frames to different connotations associated with these locations. Our nature ideas for location have been inspired by the original video which also has a lot of this in. We are also going to have a studio location where the band will be playing in low key lighting to relate to the concept in our video as well as follow generic styles of the genre we have chosen. 

 

 

 Shot List

To fit in with our genre we have decided to use a lot of extreme close ups in our video as well as cantered angles and interesting compositions. We are also going to incorporate a combination of high angle and low angle shots in our video. In terms of editing we are going to include a graphic match in our video as well as a lot of jump cuts to mix up the video when flicking back and forth between narrative and band. When exploring the pace of the actual video we have decided to combine slow long shots with fast jump cuts. The jump cuts are going to occur when a drum beat in the song is heard. This follows the theory of thought beats and makes the video follow in time with the music. In this we are going to include jump zooms as well as multitakes. When editing we are going to make sure that our shots make sense so that the narrative in the video is easy to follow. 

 

Lighting

 

To make our video artistic and make the mise en scene reflect our chosen genre we have decided to make our video quite dark and gloomy to also imitate the storyline in the song. To do this we are going to film in dark locations with natural light, as well as use the studio to create a lot of low key lighting shots of the band. However, despite having most of our video dark there are going to be parts with bright flashes of light to fit in with the storyline in the video.

 

Live Performance

In terms of live performance in our music video we are having shots of band members playing along to the music, recreating a live performance. To suit our chosen genre and style of the video we have decided to use a studio location for this, creating a low key lighting environment to produce dark edgy shots that reflect our chosen genre.

 

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is extremely important in our video as we are having a mixture of narrative and live performance. Things that I have already discussed such as lighting, location and live performance already come under this heading but to elaborate we are going to incorporate a lot of costume, props and colour. For example we are going to produce monochrome unsaturated shots in our video with splashes of light and colour to fit in the stylistic elements that the genre reflects. In terms of costume we have decided to have fairly plain colours and fabrics so that the audiences attention is not directed from other factors such as facial expressions and live performance. Costume also has to reflect our genre and be fairly artistic and different. We have also decided to embark upon masks in our video, taking inspiration from photographer Matt Wisniewski who combines portraits with nature elements. For this we are going to try creating double exposures between portrait footage and landscape footage.

Song Modification

Song Modification from Michael Rowell
As we only have a certain length of time to create our music video we agreed that the original song length was too long and that we should shorten it. The above slide show shows how we have done this.

Sigur Ros: Brennisteinn Lyrics Breakdown

We cut            
The look
Now it stings in
Blinding light

Now it melts
At last
And flow in
Daylight

Now drag and stretch oneself
And drag out the arm
Try to receive
And brake over falling places (?)
Running blood in the veins

On the skin
All over
Hitch claws in
And scratch in[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/siguinn-lyrics.html ]
Now drag and stretch oneself
And drag out the arm
Try to receive
And brake over falling places (?)
Raise by the abdomen
Spine
Running blood in the veins

Don't tell anyone
Don't tell anyone

Don't tell anyone
Don't tell anyone

Don't tell anyone
Don't tell anyone

Now drag and stretch oneself
And drag out the arm
Try to receive
And brake over falling places 
Raise by the abdomen
Spine
Running blood in the veins

The lyrics seem to be talking about escape and freedom especially when shown in conjunction with the visuals. Also the lyrics carry a semantic field of physical body parts e.g. “arm, skin, abdomen, spine, veins” this gives a very organic, corporeal impression to the narrative rather than Sigur Ros’s regular spiritual sentiments. The primordial animalistic language such as  “ Claws” make the song seem almost carnivorous, in the sense that it deals with people as vicious animals. Also the line “Don’t tell anyone” which is repeated for effect, shows a conversation between two parties; possibly lovers kept apart? The fact that it is repeated means it has a certain gravitas to the narrative, a certain importance as it shows trust and secrecy. As the song is sung in Icelandic the English speaking audience will struggle to understand the impact of the Icelandic lyrics (right). Therefore we will need the make the visuals more vibrant and clear.

As far as ideas for our own music video are concerned we will be focusing heavily on the separation and surreal elements of Brennisteinn. For example, our group intends to mix industrial settings for one character with natural settings for another to show the contrast between the two individuals. The lyrics really talk about secrets being hidden then revealed and people being trusted then turning on you, admittedly it being quite a twisted scenario at first.

Because the primary connotations with the lyrics are about 2 people being kept apart and feeling trapped we have decided to base our final video around this idea. We are going to use 2 locations and 2 characters being isolated from one another and then have another location in which the two lovers are reunited. 

Advert Analysis (Sigur Ros - Brennisteinn)

To progress with my research I need to analyse a magazine advert to gain knowledge of what they include as i will need to produce one for this project. The advert below is for the song that me and my group have chosen to do so is very relevant to our full project and not just the genre of the music.

Brennisteinn was the single released from Sigur Ros' 7th studio album,  Kveikur.

The artwork used on this advert is typically 'Sigur Ros style' and by that I mean it follows their generic unusual that reflects the genre of the music. The background appears to be a dark murky image that is blurred and out of focus. This is important as it doesn't distract the audiences attention from what is important on the advert. The image used on the advert is in green/yellow tones, which links in with the music video having a lot of nature elements. These colours can symbolise the earthy elements and ambient sounds in their music. The image is strong as well as we can see an eye peaking out from behind the mask. This relates to other Sigur Ros works that the target audience will be familiar with - masked faces and nature connotations. 

The layout of this advert is simple, yet effective. 2 images used accompanied by text results in the advert being clear and getting the message across. The typography is white which stands out against the dark background so that it catches the audiences attention. The title of the track 'Brennisteinn' is in a different font to the rest of the advert which immediately attracts the attention from the target audience. It is also large and bold and situated at the top of the advert which increases the chance of the audience noticing it straight away. The advert also advertises the band from which this single is taken from. Even though this is an EP, the album title Kveikur is in italics and a different colour so that it also stands out. 

This advert also has media convergence used. The option to download on iTunes is given as a link for this webpage advert. The download now button is in a boxed background which separates it from the rest of the advert and makes it easy to find. The Apple brand logo is also visible in the advert however it is in grey to not distract attention form the bright white text. 

Unlike a lot of other rock/alternative music advertisements the band do not feature on this. This goes against the theory of star image, demanded from music industries. However, when doing audience profile research we discovered that many fans of this genre of music prefer artistic album artwork and advertisements, rather than loads of images of the band. 

From conducting this research we have decided as a group that we are going to combine the idea of having masks and nature elements along with shots of band members. For example some ideas we now have for adverts are combining portraits with landscape images to create an artistic portrait that suits the genre we have chosen. 

Digipak Analysis (Arcade Fire - The Suburbs)

To gain a more developed understanding of the features and context of a digipak me and my group have decided to analyse another one, this time of the band Arcade Fire and the album The Suburbs. We have chosen this band as they also fit under the genre of alternative rock, and have a similar style as Sigur Ros. 

Artist: Arcade Fire
Album: The Suburbs
Genre: Alternative Rock
Released: January 2010

The above image shows the album cover for 'The Suburbs'. The album front consists of an image showing a parked car in a location showing palm trees and a caribbean style environment. The warm tones in the image of reds and oranges suggest summer, which is also represented by the palm tree in the left side of the image. The image also looks fairly grainy like an old fashioned film photograph. The way the car is composed in the image makes the viewer feel like they are inside of the car looking out at the scene in front. This links in with the album title "The Suburbs" as it suggests being submerged into the suburbs themselves. 

Again, like other similar musicians and artists of this genre the band themselves are not pictured on the album cover. This meets the audiences expectations and fits in with the style of the "arty" genre. This album cover is interesting as the title of the album is not on the front cover. This is unusual for bands as normally the audience distinguish the album by scanning for its name. The bands name Arcade Fire is not eye-catching at first as it it scrawled at the top right hand side of the cover. It is however, in white font that stands out against the blue and red colours in the background image. 

The image to the right shows the full CD jacket and inside cover of the digipak. A landscape image covers both sides of the jacket giving it a panoramic feel. The colours are slightly desaturated fitting in with the stylistic elements of the genre. A digipak like this one inspires our group to perhaps try have a landscape image of nature and earth style photography combined with portraiture in our digipak. 


The image to the right shows the back cover of the digipak. An usual design technique is used here that features the title of the album on the back cover of the CD case. Nevertheless, the title of the album stands out as well as the band name as a lighter shade of red has been used on a dark, textured background. The barcode is situated in the bottom right corner so that it does not distract the audiences attention from the main focus of this side of the digipak.

The image to the left shows a variation of the album cover and complete digipak. Again a car is used in the image to give a submerged feel to the viewer, however the locations in the images are all different. This technique has been used by the record company to increase the chances of the target audience buying more so that they can have all the different variations. Techniques like these are used a lot in the music industry, another would be released remastered editions of albums, or released a deluxe edition with a couple of added tracks. 

Digipak Analysis (Biffy Clyro - Opposites)

In my groups project we are required to produce a successful digipak (CD cover and jacket, and album artwork) advertising our final media product. To gain insight further into what makes up a digipak we have chosen to analyse some examples that reflect our chosen genre. 

Artist - Biffy Clyro 
Album - Opposites
Genre - Alternative rock
Release Date - January 2013

We have chosen to analyse the digipak of popular alternative rock band Biffy Clyro. We have chosen this as it fits in with our genre of alternative/post-rock rock so it can give us creative ideas when it comes to constructing our own. The album cover shows what is supposed to be the oldest tree in the world, situated in Chile. It is a reference to the strength of the band. There was a 3 year gap, the longest since any Biffy Clyro album, which meant the band had to deliver something spectacular. This image on the cover suggests that the band are as strong as they always where, having strong roots. The bones hanging off the tree have connotations with age, but this can be seen as development of the band as they have grown older. The composition of the graphic images and text on the cover is interesting as the tree is centred on the cover making it the first point of observation, the way it bends makes it fill over half of the frame. 

The text on the album cover shows the name of the band and title of the album. It is situated in the top left hand corner of the album which increases the chance of it being noticed. It is bright yellow in colour which stands out a lot from the sky blue background as they are fairly opposite colours. The typeface for the band is the same as the one that has been used on recent albums so that the audience can easily distinguish the album from other rock albums where browsing. 

This image shows the deluxe version of the album where the DVD is also included. We can see that the back of the CD jacket has another tree, again symbolising strength and growth of the band. The side that shows the track listing has a close up shot of the branches of the tree. Again, yellow font is used to make the titles and important information on the cover stand out to the audience. At the bottom of this side is the familiar barcode as well as the copyright and licensing information in smaller print. This is so it doesn't distract the audiences attention from the main parts - the track listing. The spine on the album cover again has the yellow font displaying the band and title of the album. This is so the CD can be stored perhaps on a shelf or CD rack but its owner and located easily and quickly. 

The print on the CD's themselves also have this ages tree on them. This is interesting as it shows the design is following a certain style, keeping ideas simple yet using nature to symbolise  the characteristics of the band. 

Analysing this digipak gives us creative ideas and influences us to use similar techniques that many bands do of this particular genre. We have decided to follow a certain style when creating our digipak as well as use images to represent things. 

The image above shows the front page on the Biffy Clyro website. Straight away the option to buy the album is shown before entering the site. The website displays the full digipak of both forms of the album (CD and vinyl) showing the different album artworks for each. Offering two formats of the album increases the amount of sales as the company is giving the audience options of what platform to listen to the album on. 

9 Frame Analysis: Radiohead- Just

9 Frame Analysis: Radiohead - Just from laura-davies
In order to expand our knowledge on key concepts of genre shown through camera and mise-en-scene and how they portray narrative in a music video we have analysed a music video, looking closely at 9 frames in the video. The song we have chosen to look at are a band that fit in with our genre (post-rock/alternative) called Radiohead. We are analysing the song Just that was released in 1995 from the album The Bends. 

In the presentation below I have captured screen shots of 9 frames that I think are important in the video and reflect the narrative and meaning behind the video. The video was directed by Jamie Tharves, a director that specialises in short, experimental films. As well as Radiohead - Just, Jame Tharves has also directed a number of other music videos that fall under the category of rock/alternative. These include: The Verse - Lucky Man, Blur - Charmless Man, and  Razorlight - Somewhere Else. 

Audience Questionnaire Analysis

Audience Questionnaire Analysis

After collecting our questionnaires back in from the people we gave them to, we have been able to analyse the results and come up with some conclusions that will be important in our final music video. With the answers to these questions we are now able to build an audience profile in which we can establish the type of people that are more likely to buy our product. 

Please note:- Pie chart in question 1 has not worked on the above slideshow. Below is an image of how it should look. 

Audience Survey Analysis from laura-davies