1) State the song and genre you have chosen for your music video.
Song: 'I Know' by Dallask
2) Choose at least three music videos similar to your song or concept and watch them several times. Make bullet-point notes on everything you watch, commenting on camerawork, editing and mise-en-scene.
Mise-en-scene:
German DJ Alle Farben makes wonderful use of the clothing and other aspects of mise-en-scene to create a very eye-pleasing music video. The Andy Warhol-like colour scheme makes for a postmodern feel. The positioning of the props, including the plants and the set of steps further pushes the 'perfect; aesthetic. The costumes worn by the actors is a mix of retro clothing, shiny trousers and harshly angled glasses. This makes the audience feel empowered as the brash style of fashion almost boosts confidence. The lyrics also support this message. The use of no low-key lighting relates to the genre and is expertly shown by the bright colours featured. The camera guy is dressed to suit a comical perspective where the sweat stains enhance his 'funny' appearance. The chequered shirt makes this feel like it's a music video from the 80s. The video almost plays itself as both artists involved in making the song star in the video as a performer and a set director. The actor movement is meant to be minimal but the use of the bike makes this video not completely static. The constant pink and blue background is noteworthy because not much is changing part from where the actors are and what they are doing.
Camerawork:
'The Nights' is a cult classic from Avicii making use of the different camera angles and filming techniques to create a beautifully put-together video. The video uses a lot of mid-shots and POV shots to make the viewer to feel like they can live through the actor's experiences. The long shots of the city skyline and a rather cool pool divebomb shot are also present. The handheld camera shot simulates a vlog-style video where it's filmed on a selfie stick. The shaky shits make for a much more grounded shot, making it up-close and personal. The selfie-stick shot is also accompanied by a little twirl which could also be interpreted as a 360 shot as well. The side shots add a certain accent of art and finesse to the whole product as it gives a different feel to the shot, making us see more angles makes us feel like we're seeing something exclusive. The long shots of the night sky, peppered with stars, is a very nice shot which makes use of the time-lapse moments which portray the stars to be moving in a dazzling fashion. The handheld camera, as well as the tracking shot, adds a certain element of time progressing. This puts it in great sync with the lyrics.
Editing:
'Tremor' makes use of very simple footage but adds pace and effects to make this a great experience for the listener. The track has no lyrics apart from the add-in of a few words. This makes it a bit easier to match the pace of the song with the editing. The thumping beat acts like a metronome as it acts as a breaker for each scene, which is just snippets from the DJ's various shows. The slow fade-to-fade cuts, alternating back to an actor which is staring at screens, is like the beginning of a rollercoaster as this is as slow as it will get. From the moment the beat drops, the pace of the editing as well as the effects picks up massively. ALternating between the artist's shots, consisting of long, mid and close up shots. The flash editing makes you feel like you're there at of of their shows. The 'glitchy' effect is supposed to make the song, much like this subgenre, a very gritty and alternative feel. The use of black and white shots are significant as this draws more attention to the music. The genre of EDM is meant to be energetic anyway, this song amplifies that energy into something tangible.
3) Write or edit your treatment just to include the 30-60 seconds you will make for this preliminary exercise.
4) Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing. These additional shots are often close-ups, cutaways, alternative angles or similar. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word to set out your shot list - you can find an example here.
Art Room
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Shot No. |
Shot |
Filmed? |
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1. |
Establishing shot of
whole classroom with text “In collaboration with Sony” |
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2. |
Slow pan to mid shot
of me sitting down, drawing |
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3. |
OTS shot with
drawing, sharpening pencil |
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4. |
Close up of me
pausing the song |
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5. |
Pan out to see me
standing up *this and above should last 15-20 seconds minimum |
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6. |
Maintain mid shot to
me in middle frame, making sure my upper half is in frame |
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7. |
Maintains angle and
frame, looking bored by clothes, jumps and switch to next scene |
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Outside/Green
area -Ruislip fields
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Shot No. |
Shot |
Filmed? |
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1. |
Match cut and
mid-long shot to me outside, switch to a colour filter, switch to bright
yellowish clothes among other accessories with cardboard cards |
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2. |
Jump cut with boards
held up, center mid |
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5) Plan your mise-en-scene: what iconography are you including to ensure your audience understands the genre or narrative? Plan your cast, costume, make-up, props, lighting and setting. For this preliminary task, use just one location to keep it simple.
6) Plan a shooting schedule that will ensure everything is filmed by the deadline. Include when, where, who is required and what shots you will complete at each time/location. Remember: social distancing!
