JT - Auteur videos.

I have studied and looked at many auteur videos throughout this term of us developing our ideas. None of them directly have changed our ideas regarding our music video as we had a fixed idea of what we wanted in our music video and knew there wasn't any other music videos similar to ours. Even so I still found them extremely interesting and inspirational, these are videos made by some of the biggest bands on the planet such as Radiohead and use some of the most experienced directors. These include videos such as Radiohead-Street Spirit and Aphex Twin-Window Licker. By studying videos such as these it has prooved to me that music videos are most definatly and should be considered by everyone as being a piece of art.

Give Get Given Storyboard Animatic

Ping Pong Pratice Shots

Pitch Evaluation

After showing our pitch to the class we have realised that we can potentially face more challenges than we thought. However our idea was said to be good and was cleared. Our feedback told us that our idea had alot of potential but there are a few things that we have to do in preperation for storyboarding and filming. For example we needed to film pratice shots of the table tennis ball so we are then able to see if it will work as well as we had planned. Also we needed to test the quality of the slow motion shots using the school cameras as we were not sure if it would remain in good quality. However our ideas of costume and locations had very good feedback and we do not need to work on this anymore. We were given some ideas of how to shoot the table tennis effectivly. For examlpe we can film different table tennis shots in any order and them put them into an effective sequence so it looks as though a continuous match is being played, rather than trying to film a continuous match and just rely on our skill. Overall i think our pitch covered all aspects of the video and the feedback that was given will enable us to shoot the video more effectivly and effeciently giving us a better final product.

Pitch

Pitch

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Product Analysis- Flobots 'Handlebars' Jack Clark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuK2A1ZqoWs&feature=channel

Genre and Narrative

For my music video deconstruction I have decided to do Flobots ‘Handlebars’. I have chosen this because I think it has a very interesting video and it portrays very interesting messages. The group probably belong to the rap genre more than anything but they do have a link with the indie genre as well. The video is all narrative although it is done using animatics. There are no real life shots involved it is all in cartoon. The notion of looking is used however as we can see the two cartoon characters faces through a mobile telephone. There are also very obvious strong links between the lyrics and visuals. For example when the song lyrics say, ’I can ride my bike with no handlebars’ for the first time it shows the two characters riding on a bike with no handlebars. These kind of strong links appear often in the video when something similar is ever mentioned. Also the editing is timed so the different shots cut in on the beat of the song. Using Goodwins critical framework I am able to distinguish the style of video this is. I have found it to be an illustrative video as it portrays most of what is being said in the vocals through images. This is done to allow the audience to gain a clearer understanding behind the meaning of the song. This video could certainly be considered art due to the way that it has been created. The ideas presented through the song are about human beings having so much potential to be destructive or to be creative. It is about how tragic it is that Americas appetite for military evolution is endless. However when it comes to taking on a project like ending world hunger, it is seen as outlandish. It is not treated with the same seriousness. This makes the video very post-modern as it is not just an advertisement for the band but it is an advertisement for a protest against the government. This video directly challenges the government thoughts and ideas very openly.

Media Language

The visual techniques used in this video are very interesting and different for a music video. This is because the video is animation. The camera shots are full of motion. Almost each different shot in the video pans around or tracks in and out. The motion is usually sped up in between different distances of shot. For example there is a MLS of a crowd and then a sped up shot of the camera tracks through the crowd of people to a MLS of a woman and a man. The camera then tracks forward again to a MCU of the woman sitting on the floor. This constant motion of the camera add to the energy of the song and it contributes to its influence because adds to the connotations of witnessing different horrors within society. The editing is time in a way so that the shots change in time with the underlying beat of the music. There are very many intertextual references to culture within the video as it shows the paths of two different people. One person is shown to be walking though a poverty ridden area whilst the other is seen to be walking through a wealthy area.

Representation

The band are not shown at all through this music video so it adds a very strong sense of mystery to them which is very appealing I think. There are two social groups which are shown in the video. One group is seen to be very poor working class, however this group is seen to be kind, friendly and innocent. This in in contrast with the wealthy people shown who are seen to be vicious, spoilt and cruel. This idea reinforces the underlying meaning of the song that the wealthy people are too power hungry and are neglecting the real issues in the world such as poverty. This also reinforces the tension between people due to socio-economic status. However gender, age and race are not referenced very much at all during this video. I think that the governments dominant values are being challenged by the peoples values and beliefs are being reinforced in this video. I believe that the artist has done this to instil their beliefs into the listeners and get a powerful message through to their audience subtly.

Institution and Audience

I believe that this video can be consumed through focused and ambient viewing. However I think that people will watch this video in a more focused environment because of its intriguing visuals. Also because it is a protest song the focused viewers will be interested to see how they portray their views through imagery. The record label I believe will not have very much say in what the artist wants from the video. Due to the songs nature the band will probably take control and put in what they want to emphasise their message as powerfully as possible. The song is anti conformist so it would be hard to see them being controlled in this way by a record label, especially with their rebellious persona.

Location Reccie Plan and Evaluation Jack Clark

Our video is going to consist of far more narrative than performance. The narrative however will only need to be shot in two different locations. A changing room and a gym. For this narrative sequence we tought that the school gym and changing rooms would be perfect. this is because they look quite run down and old and this is a contrast to our mock table tennis match where the players are taking the game very seriously. For the performance aspect of the video we have decided to shoot it as if it was an intimate performance. We thught that my shed would suit this very well as we will not need alot of extras and we should still be able to make the performance look crowded and very energetic.




These images of the gym are exactly what we were looking for and the gym is big enough for us to experiment with different camera angles and shots to improve our video. Also because it has a long row of windows it allows alot of light in which adds to the overall look of bright colours that we are going for.



These shots are of my shed and once we have cleared everything out for the performance aspect of our video it should look how we wanted. there is space for us to put lights in and also thelight bulbs at the top add to the gritty effct we are looking for in the performance. if we shhot this in the corner of the room the performance will look ver energetic and crowded.

JT - Video Deconstruction 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9I9VBKPiw

Genre and Narrative

The video ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ by Arctic Monkeys, an alternative rock band, is one which is based on a narrative rather than the performance of the band. The narrative consists of a gang of clowns and a gang of gangsters fighting at an abandoned warehouse, with the two leaders, past friends, attempting to kill each other. The genre of this music track is made evident through several conventions of indie music videos. The lighting used and also the location, an abandoned warehouse, give the music video a very gritty British feel and makes it clear it is a low-fi music video. The music video ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ is an example of disjuncture between the lyrics and visuals. The video does not illustrate what the lyrics are saying as there is no talk about a fight between a group of clowns and gangsters. They have done this to make the music video unique and stand out when people are browsing through the music channels because of the bizarre concept for the video. This music video could easily be considered as a piece of ‘art’. This is as it is very stylistic with the use of lighting and camera work, and could have even been an extract from a film apposed to a music video advertising a band and their work. This video is postmodernism as it has blurred the boundaries between a music video and a short film, as subconsciously we as viewers are being shown an advertisement trying to promote a band or song, but we consider these music videos to be pieces of art in a way we would with a film. We do not realise that this music video is an advertisement as it is not inherently commercial as it offers a very unique idea, one which is very different from the rest of the market. This creates a new type of media which has not been seen before.

Media Language

At the start of the music video a POV shot is used which positions us on the side of the clowns. Throughout the video a handicam is used following the action closely, this makes the viewer feel like they are actually involved with the action which creates a bond between the band and the viewer. The viewer is often placed in with the action such as when the gangster is smashing the windscreen of a car with a chain the camera is placed within the car which makes it feel as if he is attacking us. This feel is also created through the use of MCU shots at eye level as the viewer is able to see everything which is going on. The lighting and colours used are common in indie music videos, these are yellows and greens which give a feeling of warmth but makes the video look very gritty and clearly British. Slow motion shots are used throughout this music video such as when one of the gangsters attempts to hit a clown with a chair but misses and it smashes on a pillar. By using these shots it creates a contrast between the fighting scenes and the scenes with don’t involve fighting. The speed of the editing stays consistent throughout the video, not often speeding up or slowing down. Even when the music becomes livelier the editing does not match this. There is no link between the lyrics and the editing but instead the editing is linked with the music, often changing shots as the music changes. At one point in the music video the camera looks up one of the gangsters swinging a chain, this begs a question, are we meant to idolise these people through the violence they are carrying out? It is clear that the leader of the clowns and the leader of the gangsters have a history together, even after 25 seconds over shoulder shots are used from both perspectives as the two are squaring up. Later on in the music video a POV shot is used from the viewpoint of the gangster leader as the leader of the clowns is punching him. During this shot text is used to anchor the image which reads ‘How could it have come to this?’, this clearly shows that previously these two were good friends and how possibly could it end up in them fighting. This creates an enigma for the viewer as they wonder what happened between the two of them. A question which is not answered in the video but is left to the viewer’s imagination. Straight after this sequence the video cuts to a clip of the two boys as youngsters on a swing, with the clown still dressed as a clown the viewer can make the link between the past and the present. This shot is faded in after it shows the face of the clown so it gives the sense that he is reminiscing back to the old days. After the clip of the two youngsters on the swing there is a sequence of still photographs of the band members when they were younger enjoying themselves. This shows the contrast between childhood and the adolescence and young adult years as they are now carrying out acts of violence in large gangs. This music video ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ is extremely low-fi with the absence of any special affects or anything more than a simple colour change. This is a video that could be made on a very low budget. The mise-en-scene used helps to add a lot to the music video. The music video is carried out at an abandoned warehouse next to a river which helps to add to the gritty feel of the music video. By using this location the colours seen in the majority of the music video are greys and greens, this making the video very gritty and British. With the use of mise-en-scene it is evident that this is taking place in a large city, this is as when the clown is throwing a man in the river in slow motion large buildings and tower blocks are seen on the horizon. At the very end of the music video the clown leader is shown blowing up the car with the gangster leader still inside of it, then the video cuts to a flashback of the two men as children dancing around in the sunlight. This creates a large contrast between a childhood and adulthood. The actor Stephen Graham is used in the music video ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ who is a very popular actor and appears in films such as ‘This is England’ which is a very gritty British film which also involves violence. When viewers then see this actor they think of the roles he’s played and in what sort of films and they automatically link them to this music video.

Representation

From this music video ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ the band Arctic Monkeys are represented as being very creative and original. This is as the concept of the music video is very different, one which has not been done before, so therefore on a larger scale this could mean that they are like no other band musically. The band do not appear in this music video, this shows that they do not need to advertise themselves in a music video to gain recognition. This to a viewer who has never seen or heard of the band could show that they must be quite a big band and even credible if they do not feel the need to advertise themselves to get fans but let the music do the talking. This could add to the meta-narrative of the band Arctic monkeys as being a credible band, as they have also used a large actor in the music video, and shows the band as clearly being British. This can help sell their product as the band are represented as being credible, very creative but still, with the use of a gritty video, shown as being normal guys. The different social groups shown are young adults who are represented through violence and shown in a negative light in contrast to when they are shown as youngsters who are pictured enjoying themselves. This clearly is used to represent a wider topic in society of the change between childhood and adulthood. Within this music video there is an ideology on male ego and pride through violence and standing your ground. This is as there is no females present in this music video but a bunch of men, some being a lot older, carrying out organised violence. This shows the two groups fighting for pride and is not shown fighting for an object or money. There is also an ideology regarding childhood and adulthood. This shows the change, from when a child is young and innocent out playing to a young adult taking part in violence and holding hatred against other people. This could be reinforcing a view in society of how children change for the worse as they go through their adolescent years. Using Dyer's critical framework on 'Stars' it is evident that the band have used this video to be shown as both ordinary and extraordinary. The band are shown as being ordinary as the video has a very gritty and British feel as apposed to using CGI and other post-filmic effects. But they are shown as being different and extraordinary, people who we would admire, with the use of a very famous actor playing a large part in the music video and the general concept of the music video being very unique.

Institution and Audience

The music video ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ would be aimed at more focused viewers as apposed to ambient viewers. This is as there is a slight narrative throughout the music video but viewer, if an ambient viewer, would not understand the past between the two leaders and why they were fighting. This video would be mainly used to appeal to their fans rather than to gain many new fans. This is as the band have not appeared and advertised themselves in this music video as their current fans would already know what they are like and what they look like and also shows them as being unique and original. The band Arctic Monkeys belong to EMI who are the fourth largest business group regarding record labels and also Warner distributors. Therefore they would play a large part in these promotional texts as these are big companies and the band are also representing these companies so they would want to be shown in a positive way.

Audience Research Results and Evaluation.

Yesterday we carried out our focus group. At the start we gave out questionnaires to the group to fill in, and then showed them a clip from the film 'Balls of Fury' and finally had a small discussion regarding ideas. We found from the questionnaires that the indie genre was very popular wish gives us an idea of the target audience we want to appeal to when making our music video. One of our questions asked if the respondant could think of any music videos which made them laugh and only one music video was suggested between four of them. This shows that what we are attempting to do is very original and probably would stand out from a lot of other music videos. We found that the most popular films with comedy similar to what we are attempting to do were Anchorman, Step Brothers and Superbad. But we found that Balls of Fury was not so popular, but some of the respondants had not seen the film. This means that we may have to carry out the table tennis idea differently to how the film Balls of Fury does it. Included in the questionnaire was a picture from the film of Balls of Fury of two players playing table tennis, all resppondants said they would find this idea funny as it had not been done before in a music video but it had to be executed well. We wanted to find out how the band would be represented if we attempted to make a music video like this. We found that they would be represented as funny, creative, original and credible. This is a very positive thing as these are what we wanted the band to represented as. We found that the most popular comstume idea we came up with was one which consisted of a head band, glasses, t-shirt, shorts and sweatbands round the wrist. We then showed an extract from the film 'Balls of Fury' to see if people found it funny. This extract had a positive response with everyone finding it funny, this shows that our video, executed in the right way, could be amusing and appeal to a wide audience. Finally we carried out a small discussion to finish off the focus group. We put forward the challenge we faced that none of us could play table tennis to a high level and how we could get round this problem. One of the respondants suggested that we put the ball on a piece of string with someone holding it moving it from one side of the table to the other, this would also add to the comedy of the video as it is clearly fake. From the discussion we also found that for the costume it would be best to dress and act as geeky as possible wearing short shorts, skimpy vest, long socks and sweatbands. We proposed the idea to the group of using the school gym as the location to carry out the music video, the response to this was positive as it is quite a run down gym and would add to the comedy of the video. Overall the focus group has helped us to develop our idea and give us an idea of what to leave out and put in, we found that people would find our idea funny and thought it was original, but this is if the video was executed in the right way.

Audience Research Planning and Evaluation of Method

As we already had a strong idea of the concept for our music video we decided to test our idea to our recipients rather than using it to try and develop a concept. We will ask them about films which have similar comedy to what we are trying to do, including Balls of Fury, Step Brothers and Superbad. We also wanted to test how the band would be represented if we did make a video like this, because the band are unsigned and could potentially use this as an advertisement we need to make sure the band are represented in the right way. We have decided to carry out a focus group containing 4 people, aged 17-18, as this is the target audience for the band. Within the focus group we are going to tell them about our initial idea for the music video and see what there response was, and also show them a bit of the film 'Balls of Fury'as this contains comedy foccused around table tennis. We can finally have a quick discussion and listen to ideas which the foccus group have, things that we could change and things that we could add.

Brief Video Plan

We have broken down the song into different sections and have allocated different parts of the narrative and performance to different time slots.

0- 34 secs: Pulling up socks, getting psyched, not showing face. On 34 secs show Give Get Given written on headband.

34- 54 secs: Starts to walk into gym, shadow boxing with teamates, more getting psyched.

54- 1.02: Performance shot it shed.

1.02-1.23: slow motion shots of pouring water down face and shouting, staring out each other, opponent lip syncs ' are you ready for some more'.

1.23- 1.52: Start playing match, performance to finish.

1.52- 2.09: Start of new game.

2.09- 2.26: Slow motion shots, show crowd.

2.26- 2.55: plays shot, freeze before return shot. plays shot, looses, gets angry and smashes up everything.

2.55- end: Performance, put dowm instruments, MCU of ping pong ball bouncing in the middle of performance area.

Video Idea

This picture is from a film 'Balls of Fury'. This film is a a comedy about table tennis and so it could give us some very good ideas. This picture shows a look similar to the one we would like to go for.

JT - Technical Analysis Evaluation.

The Kooks- Naive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-KnNVoFsCc

From carrying out a technical analysis of this music video i learnt a lot which can help Jack an I when making our own music video. It is clear from studying this video that a lot more shots are used for example in a three minute music video than a three minute opening to a film. Therefore we need to bare this in mind and make sure we capture a large variety of different shots and a lot of them. The video 'Naive' by The Kooks shows an example of a video which we could easily make ourselves. This is a very British video and extremely low-fi. The editing in this music video is very slow paced with a lot of shots in slow motion. This is useful as in our own music video we plan to use slow paced editing in parts with longer shots and especially slow motion shots of CU's of the artist. A steadicam is used throughout this music video and there is very little evidence of a variety of shots such as tracking or panning shots. Within this music video there are a lot of shots showing the artist and the majority of these being CU's or MS' to establish the artist with the audiece, which is also done with CU's of the artist lip syncing to the camera in the first person mode of address. All through the music video there is a repition of the shot of the artist walking through the club looking about which is slowed down. This is useful as there is going to be a lot of time to fill in the music video with a lot of shots so therefore by repeating a shot the video becomes more recognisable to an ambient viewer and fills the time well. When studying this video I noticed that no transition effects or any special effects are used, apart from maybe a yellow wash which makes the video look very warm, gritty and British. No transition effects are used as each shot just cuts to the next and with the lack of special effects this is a video which Jack and I could easily learn from. This is as it has clearly been made on a low budget which is the same as us and also the genre of this track is very similar to the genre of the track we are making a music video for.

Technical Analysis Evaluation: 3oh!3, ‘Don’t Trust Me’. Jack Clark

Although this genre of music is very different to the type of music we are doing, I feel that we can gain a lot from one of the sequences within the video. As our video is going to be a mock table tennis match, I analysed the sequence in the video when the two performers are in a mock wrestling match. There were not a vast amount of shots used in this sequence, however there were lots of jump cuts to allow the visuals to flow with the fast pace of the track. The fish eye lens was used for most of the visuals, however when the shots cut to different performance aspects of them the fish eye lens is not used. There is only really one camera shot used which is a MLS however the artists move closer and further away from the camera in its fixed position. There is only some movement involved which was a small pan up to keep the first person mode of address within view. There is a yellow filter used over the top of the footage to give it a bright and warm feeling during the wrestling.Also the brightness jas been turned up to increase the amount of light seen within the sequence. The shots cut back and forth from the wrestling sequence to MCU’S of the two performers lip syncing into the camera in a different environment. Only a steadycam was used in this sequence as the shots were very still and the was no shaking of the camera. By looking at this video I have thought that some performance aspects could be used during the table tennis match. Also that the fish eye lens could be a very effective look for the shots. I have also learnt that not using lots of different shots can be very effective and that the performance could keep the tempo of the song apparent in the visuals.

New Idea for Music Video.

Together as a group we previously came up with an idea for the music video. The orginal idea was to use POV shots for the majority of video following the 4 band members through the day and then finally meet at the end of the video for the performance. But we decided there would be a lot of different locations we would have to use and a lot of filming if we were to follow all four band members through their day as obviously they would all have to be doing different things. Therefore we have changed our idea. The new idea is to a carry out a humerous table tennis match. This will consist of the players coming into a gymnasium like a boxing fight with a gown on over the top of a comedy outfit of short shorts, long socks and a vest. The idea is that the band will perform and act like this is a very serious match and there will be people watching. A lot of slowmotion shots will be used of the players getting rallied up, such as water being poared over them, slapping them in the face and getting physched for the match. We believe this is a very oringal idea which would be possible to carry out as it only takes place in one location and we have a number of people we could use in the video including the band themselves as the main players. We could also put some performance shots in there of the band performing in Jack's shed as filler shots so the viewer is able to establish who the band actually are.

Reccie Proposals.

Together we have come up with a number of places we wish to carry our a reccie and could possibly be used in our final music video. These are:
1) The school gymnasium
2) Jack Clark's Shed
3) St. Johns Sports Centre

Brighton Trip Evaluation. Jake Tomkins and Jack Clark.

We managed to learn a lot from the trip to Brighton, mainly from our own mistakes. Our attempt to carry out the sped up shot of the performer in a crowd did not come out the way we hoped it would. While the camera was filming us we were also moving quite a lot as the people walked past. This also speeded up our movements a long with the people walking past. If we do choose to use a shot like this in our final music video we would have to stand perfectly still for an extended period of time for the shot to be effective. Also a lot of our shots came out quite shaky when we captured them. So in the future we will have to use our tripod to enable us to keep the shot steady rather than using handicam. During the trip to Brighton we found some very promising locations that we could potentially use in our final music video. This is as Brighton is a very diverse place with many different types of locations, and very British looking locations which would be ideal for an indie music video. It was very helpful using the cameras once again after a year and I believe it was important to get this practice in so we can learn from our mistakes before we carry out our final music video. It was also good to refresh our memories on using the editing software Premier, which will come to good use when we come to editing the final piece as we will have prior knowledge. It was important for us to get a reality check of how good the cameras where and what equipment we have to work with. This as we can understand what we could possibly and not possibly do in our music video on a very low budget and a lack of equipment.

Brighton Trip. Shots.

Brighton Trip Photos

Here are some photographs we managed to take on our trip to Brighton.

Feedback #1 Deadline 21/9

Well done Jake/Jack
Thorough, meaningful research to deadline. Keep up momentum! Can you post a link to the track once it is ready on Youtube perhaps?

JT - Mood Board on band.

From putting together this mood board i did learn several things which may be useful when putting together our final music video. The colours used within this genre are very gritty looking, with the use of yellows, black and greys. There is also a pattern regarding the clothing the how the band look. They are often dressed casually, in jeans or skinny jeans, a jacket and fairly long hair. There is also some iconography present such as smoking, which would make the video look very gritty and British.

JT - Advert Analysis.

The genre of the band and the album is not evident from looking at this advertisement for the album ‘Journal for Plague Lovers’ by Manic Street Preachers. This is as there are no conventions of a rock band on here such as showing the band themselves. The way in which the genre could be known is by what magazine the advertisement is in, in this case the magazine Q. This shows that this band is probably going to be a rock band or something very similar.
The main part of this advertisement consists of the album cover in which it is advertising. The image used on the album cover is an original painting by Jenny Saville. This is a painting of a young boy staring slightly to the side with blood covering his face. This painting would have been used for a number of reasons. Firstly the painting is very striking and connotes child abuse which is a very sensitive topic within society and when used in a magazine it instantly catches the reader’s attention. Also the album is comprised of all songs written by Richey Edwards who was their lyricist but disappeared in 1995. This image could also have a link to his death and represent his death. But the interpretation of this advertisement largely depends on the person viewing it as someone who wasn’t a big fan of the band would not make the link between the picture and Richey Edwards whereas a fan of the band may do. Everything else on the advertisement is very plain and small in comparison to the image. This would have been done on purpose as the image would be seen as the most important part as that is the bit which first grabs the attention of the reader. The name of the album is ‘Journal for Plague Lovers’ which could have certain connotations. ‘Plague Lovers’ could mean people who are so in love it could be called a disease and it is like a diary of these people. All the text is either in black or white which are very neutral colours so they don’t stand out too much on the page. The band name and the album name stands out more as it is in white at the top of the page and is over the boy’s hair which is black so they are contrasting. The other information given on the advertisement is the release date of the album, who has done the music, produced and the lyrics for the album, in what way the album could be brought and also the bands website. The bands website is vital as people can go on here to find out more information about the band and the website would also contain information about other albums and tours.
The band ‘Manic Street Preachers’ may be represented as quite a deep and political band from looking at this advertisement. This is as the subject of child abuse is shown which is a large talking point within society and this band may be shown as tackling this issue. This makes the band seem more credible as they are singing about political and social issues which also makes them different from other bands. This also helps the band sell their product. Using Dyer's crtical framework on 'Stars' it is evident that band want to use a range of different materials to construst their star image, this being through a magazine advertisement. By doing this and using the image they have it makes the band feel both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. It shows that they want to tackle common social issues but as a band makes them maybe look more credible as apposed to some other artists.
This advertisement would be consumed very differently depending on who the consumer was. This is as child abuse is shown in this advertisement which is a topic in which everyone has different views and opinions. It also depends on how much the viewer knows the band and who they are or if they are a fan or not.

JT - Digipak Analysis.

The genre of this band and the album is evident through a number of conventions of punk rock. One of these conventions is showing the artists themselves on the album cover and also in the state these artists are in. They appear to be heavily intoxicated which is largely linked to the punk rock genre.
The visual techniques of this album cover help convey different meanings which can be interpreted differently depending on whom is looking at it. The rule of thirds is used on this album cover to place the artist’s faces at the start of the dominant reading path. By doing this it focuses the viewers attention to the artists straight away which shows the album will be largely about them. The lighting used creates a large contrast between black and white, which makes the artists seem pale skinned and their hair very dark. This creates a gothic look of pale skin, long black hair and very red lips. From looking at the artist on the left hand side it is clear that these men are intoxicated in some way. The idea of rebellion is used throughout this album cover with the use of iconography; starting with the way the artists look. Tattoos on both of the artists are on show, one of these being a skull and cross bone which connotes rebellion. The artist on the right, Pete Doherty, is pictured with a cigarette in his hand which also ties in with the rebellious look. The way the artists are dressed makes them seem very ‘normal’ and accessible. This is as they are not dressed in anything special; one is wearing the vest and the other an open-buttoned polo shirt, so therefore they appear as normal lads. Drugs are largely related to this band and especially Pete Doherty, on this album cover Pete Doherty looks as if he is passed out which could connote he may be on drugs and plays along the perception everyone would have before hand. The two band members are also very close together which could signify that the album is about their relationship or a lot to do with their lives and what they do. The letters on the album cover stating the band name and also the album name are not in a straight line and have no order which could connote rebellion and also the use of black and white. The word ‘libertine’ itself means someone who ignores accepted morals and behaviour so it is clear that the band are rebellious and want to be seen in that particular way.
The way the band is represented in this album cover adds and conforms to the stereotype of the band and their ‘meta-narrative’. This is as everyone believed they were outlaws and were largely related to drugs. This album cover denotes Pete Doherty passed out with a cigarette in his hand and both artists looking intoxicated in some way. They are also shown as normal lads which make them accessible to their fans and others as they can relate. This helps to sell the product as people believe they are investing in a real band as apposed to a completely commercialised one and also by showing the artists in the way they are people can relate to this and see a sense of normality in them which the buyer can relate to. Using Dyer’s critical framework on ‘stars’ it is evident that the band are being made out to be ordinary, through the clothes they are wearing, but there is something about them that make them seem extraordinary which appeals to people. This is as they look they have been out or are out and having a good time in some peoples eyes and shown as being able to live a normal lifestyle of going out but also live the life of a famous artist.
This album cover could be consumed very differently depending on who is consuming it. Someone who is older and has not experienced the current youth culture they may look down at the artists and say what example are they setting for youngsters etc. Whereas someone who is part of the current youth culture may think these artists are ‘cool’ and perhaps idolise and see them as role models. The target audience demographic would be between the ages of 16-24 which is an important time in which people discover things about themselves and are also caught in this youth lifestyle.

JT - Video Deconstruction 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQClR22WV0Y

Genre and Narrative

The video ‘Fire’ by Kasabian, an alternative rock band, is one which is based on a narrative and is less about performance of the band. As this video is narrative based and contains meanings and has a story line which must be followed, this offers repeatability as new things can be discovered on further viewings and certain elements may be missed. The notion of looking is used during every verse as the main singer, Tom Meighan, is pictured looking into a window and the singers reflection is shown. But the reflection of the artist is blurred which could connote a sense of unknown and maybe the audience not knowing everything about the artist/band. Also by looking at himself in the mirror the artist could be reflecting on himself and what he is going to do. The concept of the music video is an example of disjuncture as the there is no talk in the lyrics about a literal bank robbery. But there is some link as the artist is shown in the reflection lip synching the lyrics. This video could easily be considered as art. This is as this film is more like a short movie with music over the top rather than a commercialised music video which is similar to many others. Whereas this video has a fresh idea that has been made with the view of creating a short stylistic film. It offers challenging views in regards to the music industry and what people in the music industry are perhaps more driven by rather than the actual music. This music video is certainly postmodern as it blurred the boundaries between a short film and an advertisement for the band and the song which essentially what all music videos are. This creates a new type of media which has not been seen before. The visual style of this video is very stylistic by using long timed shots with a yellow wash to give it a western feel such as in the opening shot.

Media Language

The editing during the verses is very slow paced such as when the singer is looking in the window and the CCTV shots; this matches the music as there is not a real heavy or fast beat. This could also be used to add anticipation and build it up slowly up to when the robbery takes place. When the robbery is taking place the editing does speed up to match the music to show a sense of excitement and urgency. The close up shot of the singer in the reflection of the mirror is used frequently within this video with the use of first person mode of address which makes it feel as if the singer is singing to us personally. By doing this it establishes the singer with the audience and creates a parasocial intimacy between the two. A close up is also used of the driver of the car; this is used to build some anticipation as there is clear determination in his eyes. Another technique to build tension is before the song has even started there is a sound of ticking and also a voice over to give the feel as if this is building up to something. A medium shot is used at the start of the video which enables the viewer to start to build an idea of what is going on and where. Long shots are also used to show a crossroad, within this shot the bank the band is robbing is visible and also the viewers are able to see the police cars turning up. This shot gives a deserted feel as there is not much life or industrial buildings. As the band escapes the building the camera looks up to the characters so we as viewers automatically are placed with the band and look up to the band as if they are the good ones and we should idolise them. The mise-en-scene plays a large part in this music video. The costumes and the lighting give the band a feel of messiness, rebellion and shows they do not conform to the norm which links in to the message of the video of the band focussing on music not the money. All members of the band have fairly long hair and are not clean shaven. The costumes are not conventional clothes you would expect a band to wear. A sense of aloneness and desertedness is portrayed all through this music video. This starts from the very first shot where large countryside is shown and it is clearly daytime but there are no cars or people seen. This is also shown when a tracking shot is used from the car driving alongside one of the band members as all the shutters are up and there is no other life. But once they get into the bank to carry out the robbery there is quite a lot of people within the bank. The post filmic effect of slow motion is used on a number of occasions in this music video. This is when the bag is thrown against the wall and it is revealed that the band stole sheets of music rather than money; this shit is repeated twice within the video. Also just as the band enter the room where the safety lockers a dream like effect is used by slowing down the music, slow fading between the shots and putting an eerie sound behind the music. With the use of mise-en-scene it is clear the band want this video to come across as American, but the band are from the UK but they may do this to appeal to a wider audience. A yellow wash is used throughout this music video; this is done to create the style of a modern western film. This shows intertextuality between western films and music videos which is evidence of music videos being post-modern. These colours used give a feel of warmth and again make the audience feel closer to the band and less distanced.

Representation

Within this music video the band ‘Kasabian’ are shown as being anti-heroes and the audience are positioned on their side. This is as we are positioned with the band before they carry out the robbery and with them as they escape and have a shoot off with the police, as this is being carried out us as an audience are placed on the bands side against the police. But the robbery which the band carries out is shown as a good robbery as we are placed with the band and they steal papers of music rather than money and use guitars as weapons replacing guns. This shows to the audience that the band is more intent on making music and music they enjoy than doing it solely for the money. This is also clear through not too glamorous locations, the clothes and messy look to the band members and also the use of music symbols such as a tattoo on the driver of the car and also a symbol hanging up in the car. This helps the band to sell their product as they are shown as being a real band that are focused on music rather than commercialise themselves and try to make as much money as possible. This would sell themselves to true music lovers who appreciate bands and artists for their music. Also the video is like a short credible film as apposed to a performance video which shows that the band themselves have some credibility and originality. The ideological discourse within this music video is on fame and wealth within the music industry. It can be argued that in this day and age artists are now forced by record labels to make music the way the record label want them to to enable them to make as much money as possible. This video challenges this belief as the band is shown to put music over money and show they are in control. The band Kasabian may do this as they do not wish to be labelled as another band which does focus on money, they want to break away from this and clearly get away from any such label. Using Dyer’s critical framework on ‘Stars’ it is evident that the band are shown to be ordinary yet extraordinary. This is as they seem like normal guys from the way they dress but as they are carrying out this unordinary act of a bank robbery they are shown to be extraordinary and the audience shown idolise these characters.

Institution and Audience

The music video ‘Fire’ by Kasabian would be consumed by focussed viewers as apposed to ambient viewers. This is largely due to the narrative within the video which would be difficult to follow unless you were focused on the video. This music video would appeal to the fans of the band as there is a message within the music video which would only be understood by a focussed viewer and the deeper message would show to the fans they are a real credible band. The record company, Columbia, would play a significant role in a music video like this. This is as Kasabian are a very large and well-known band across the world so the record label would want them to be shown in a positive way. Also they want them to be shown on the music channels they want as they represent the band and obviously pay them a lot of money for them to be on their record label.

Rough Ideas for Digipack Cover. Jack Clark

These are just some rough ideas that I have come up with for the Digipack cover. I have photoshopped both of these pictures to make them more gritty and to allow certain colours to pop out. These pictures give it more of a British feel and a very gritty feel.

 Cage the Elephant ‘In One Ear’ music video                                Jack Clark
 
 First version out of two
 
            This video is a performance based video with no signs of narrative or concept. The video starts off with a POV shot of somebody walking down a street to a bar.  This uses the notion of looking and makes the audience feel as though they are walking to the bar and are part of the video. This POV shot however is dropped as soon as we feel we have entered the bar. There are also other examples of the notion of looking as the singer is seen to be staring into the camera singing which allows us to feel as though he is singing to us on a personal level. There are no real links with the music and the visuals besides the lip syncing with the music. Also the crowd are seen to be dancing in time with the music. There are no links however between the meaning of the lyrics and the visuals. The only link I could possibly see is that the performance is a small protest against the people being described in the song. There is an example of disjuncture in this video as the video does not enhance the story or portray the story in any way. This video could in my opinion be considered art although it does not really present any challenging ideas through visuals. It does however through the lyrics. The lyrics challenge the opinions of certain people who are criticising the band. However it is classed as post modern because it blurs the boundaries between advertising the track and the art form of the track.
 
            There are very many visual techniques used such as MCU’s CU’s etc to establish the setting and to establish the members of the band and this helps the audience see that they are all real musicians. The rule of thirds is used a lot in this sequence to show the singer or other members of the crowd and band. The editing in this video is very fast pace although some shots are in slow motion. There are fast tracking and panning shots used and some shots are done using a hadicam. These techniques are all used to increase the energy in the video and make it feel like a live performance and to make us feel as though we are there. The mise en scene has distinct connotations of rebellion and anarchy. For example the location is a bar which implies drinking alcohol which is linked to forms of anarchy. This is backed up by the crowed jumping around vigorously and almost out of control suggesting that they are all intoxicated by alcohol. The band also have long hair and are sweaty which reinforces my statement about rebellion and anarchy as people who have long hair are seen to be more scruffy and more rebellious. There are also flashed of skulls which suggest anarchy and death. At the beginning of the video you can hear sirens which again have strong connotations of rebellion. Also being in a bar connotes a cliché rock and roll image and is stereotypical iconography of a rock band. This rock and roll image is seen to be a very rebellious lifestyle influences by alcohol and drugs. A warm filter is used to increase the high levels of energy by showing heat. Also it shows a comforting side which could suggest that all the audience and the band are united in the protest. No star image motifs are really shown in this as they do not have any particular visual preferences. The individuality of this band comes from the sound of their music.
 
            The band is represented in a more realistic light than most artists. The band doing a small performance in a bar suggests that they are just normal people who love music and have not been changed by fame. Also by doing the performance in a small bar it shows that they are not in it for the money. This helps them sell their product because they are shown to be very down to earth and it shows that they have a real love and passion for what they do. There are two different social groups represented in the video. One is the rebellious youth. And the other is the older more criticising people shown to be just sitting at the bar. They do not look impressed and they look quite complacent. This could represent the type of people that the song is about. They represent more middle age middle class people while the band and crowd represent more rebellious working class youth. This video could be representing and underlying tension between two different social classes. Gender is not an issue in this video as they are both represented equally. This is showing the levels of equality that music should bring.
The dominant values in our society are being challenged in this video. This is done by showing that both sexes are equal. This challenges the traditional views of women being inferior to men and that they should just stay and look after the family. Race is not an issue in this video although the people in the video are predominantly Caucasian. Age is represented in this however as the younger people are seen to be jumping around and pushing each other around suggesting that they are uncontrollable. However the older men are seen just to be sitting at the bar looking almost disgusted at the younger generation. Also there are no older women at the bar which could show that the older men still conform to traditional view on gender as their wives could be back at home. The band may be doing this to show that these views are no longer valid in a modern society and that the younger generation are beginning to taking over society.
            I think that the video would suit ambient viewing more as it is just performance with no in depth narrative. However I think that it is capable of focussed viewing as it has very good technical aspects within it. I believe that the band would have more control over the video and the record label would help the ban to create what they wanted. I think that this has been done like this because the record label want to add authenticity to the music and promote the idea that the band are capable of doing everything themselves and that they are true musicians. Also the band are not that well known so the record label may spend less time with them compared to some of their bigger artists. However now the band has broken into the music industry more they have released a new video for the song. This could be the record label wanting to take more control over the band to create a more successful brand image for the band.

Mood Board for Give Get Given. Jack Clark

Give Get Given. Jack Clark

The track that we have chosen is called 'You're Not Alone' by Give Get Given. They are a local band that we know and so we have chosen to use their music to create the video as it will not only benifit us but it will hopefully be something that they can use to advertise themselves. Also we have chosen a local band because it will add authenticity to the video because we will be able to use the band members in our video. This should also add a sense of realism to the video. Their genre of music is indie rock with a British feel. This is perfect for us as this can easily suit the environment we are in and nothing should really look out of place in our video. We will meet with the band to discuss ideas for the video to allow us to have an insight of what they are looking for. Their ideas will help us develop the video into something that has authentcity and originality.

Album Cover Moodboard

These album covers are all from the same genre of music as the music we are using to make a video. Most of the album covers are more artwork rather than pictures of the artists themselves. This is why we have chosen to do artwork as the album cover rather than pictures of the band.

Deconstruction of Advertisment
Arctic Monkeys meet Zane Lowe
Jack Clark
The advert shows the Arctic Monkeys sitting on a sofa being interviewed by Zane Lowe. By allowing us to see the artist we are able to distinguish a vague genre which appears to be indie rock. We can establish this by simply looking the clothing being worn by the artists. They are wearing very simple clothing with dark jeans which have connotations of rebellion as two of the band members are wearing white t-shirts.
The rule of thirds is used very well in this as it captures the artists sitting down on the sofa which allows us to see who is being interviewed. Also just above the artists heads is the MTV icon which instantly lets us know where this interview will be being showed. On the other side however the rule of thirds captures the word Gonzo, which is the name of Zane Lowes show. This allows the audience to see that the interview will be being shown on this particular show. Just below this there is some text which lets us know who will be being interviewed. The dominant reading path from this leads to a small speaker icon on the bottom right area in the rule of thirds. This then leads towards MTV2 icon which allows us to see the channel. This then leads to the bottom left of the advert which shows which website you should go on if you would like to see the pod cast of the interview. The colours used are fairly bright. Some of the text is in white because this is the information about the interview and the rest is in green as the less important information is shown. Also they have chosen green as white stands out much more than the green used. The text is quite sketchy and gives us the idea that the band are from an indie rock background. The linguistics shown suggest a relaxed interview but at the same time it gives us all the information we need to be able to watch it.
The band are represented as very calm and relaxed as they are only seen to be sitting on a sofa. Using Dyers critical framework on stars it is evident that the Arctic Monkeys are seen to be ordinary in the sense that they are sitting down having a talk with somebody but extraordinary in the sense that they are on television and that they have information that the audience doesn’t know. However with this linking to parasocial relationships the audience want to find out this information and so will watch the interview so that they can find out as much as they can about the artist in order to feel closer to them. They are represented as creative and talented and youthful.
The preferred meaning of this text is that the band the Arctic Monkeys are being interviewed on Gonzo by Zane Lowe on MTV2. It would most likely be consumed by a reader flicking through the pages of a magazine. This make the consumption of the advert passive. There is only a small chance that the consumption of this advert would be focussed. This would only occur if the reader has a strong parasocial relationship with the band and want to find anything about them to gather more information. Or if they had heard about an interview and want to find out more details.

Deconstruction of Album Cover
Arctic Monkeys- Favourite Worst Nightmare
Jack Clark


The album cover suggests an indie rock genre with a very British sound. We can gather this by looking at the colours and images used. The colours suggest a non glamorous lifestyle which is a typical picture we get from indie rock artists.

There are many clever visual techniques used in this artwork to enhance the look of the cover. The rule of thirds is used very well as it has captured the two windows on the right which are filled with bright colour which is in contrast with the darker colours used for the rest of the artwork. Also it has captured the bottom right of the text which immediately attracts our attention. There is also a leading line used which runs along the roofs of the houses. This technique leads to the text in the top left corner. These techniques all show that the text is a very important aspect of the cover. The text is used to anchor the image. The linguistic device suggests ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’. This is reinforced by the image lacking cheerful colour which suggests a nightmare. Also the picture is dark suggesting that it is night time to reinforce the nightmare aspect of the text. The favourite part is shown through the interesting and fun colours used in one of the houses. By doing this we are able to understand the concept of a favourite worst nightmare. The dark council looking houses add grittiness to the feel of the art and it also adds emphasis to the fact that the band is very British with a very British sound. The graffiti style of the art inside the windows of the house is not very representative of the band themselves; however it does have connotations of the ‘favourite worst nightmare’ aspect as is used to reinforce the statement. The grittiness shown is very representative of British bands nowadays and the look which most of them aim towards.

The band is represented as a working class group who came from nothing. They are represented as a band that have a passion for what they do and are not just in it for the money. The album cover can portray many traits of the band such as youthfulness by using the bright colours in the windows in contrast to the dark colours. It also portrays creativity and talent because the houses shown indicate to us what they came from. This suggests that they did not have a very privileged upbringing and so talent is the key to their success to allow them to breakaway from this lifestyle. This album cover conforms to paradox 1 of Dyers theory that the artist is ordinary in the sense that they come from a working class background but extraordinary in the sense that they are able to produce a well recognised album and that they are recognised nationally. This helps the band sell their product because many people can form a parasocial relationship with the band as they feel as though they have something in common with them. Due to this happening the audience will want to find out more about the band therefore purchasing more merchandise.
The text can be consumed in various different ways. However I believe that the preferred reading of the text is a rags to riches tale. This adds authenticity to the band allowing them to appeal to a larger audience. Also it allows people to understand the concept of a ‘favourite worst nightmare’.

Role of We Media. Jack Clark

We media is a website set up to provide news and analysis to help anyone create, operate and sustain ventures in a media-centric culture powered by everyone. This includes analysis and commentary on business models, partnerships and opportunities for innovation. They write about transformational ideas, brands, activities and people, as well as businesses, policies and breakthroughs that influence how they access and experience media. The company We Media is produced by the seven26 group. A company founded in 2007 by media visionaries Andrew Nachison and Dale Peskin. The company produces media insights, conducts live conferences and live events, designs digital business strategies, and provides proffessional services for commercial and nonprofit clients worldwide. We Media however is not just seen as a website. It is seen as a movement. It is about how they know what they know through almost every kind of media, be it through social networking or new forms of story telling which surround us in a digital landscape. It is about politics and the power of us as people. It is about choices about how we live learn and care for each other. We Media is at the forefront of web 2.0. You are able to download podcasts of various different conversations between members of this and other figures such as Al Gore. Also you can schedule meetings online with people all over the world to discuss certain subjects of importance. We Media is at an infinite quest to harness the power of media, communication and human ingenuity for the common good.
Other examples of similar companys to We Media are YouTube, Teevo, MySpace and various other video watching sites. Even Google are starting to allow their members to post videos up. These websites are a huge market for music videos as many people come on the these websites specificly to watch a music video or various music videos. People can then comment on the videos and publicly post their opinions. These postmodern websites act as an archive for artists work. Due to the capacity of the music video audience on these websites the artist can use these sites alone to promote their video and track. Artists have become famous through websites such as Myspace and YouTube. This Web 2.0 is the future of music.

What Role does the Digipack play in constructing brand/ promoting artist? Jack Clark

The digipack is seen to be a very valuable piece of merchandise for an artist. This is due to the potential make or break of the artist. The digipack is constructed in such a way so that the artist can appeal to a certain audience. The digipack allows alot of space for any type of graphics the artist chooses, this can help the artist appeal to any type of audience he chooses. The digipack also allows different sizes. This can allow more customisation for the artist and help the overall appeal of the cd. The digipacks can also allow certain spacial touches such as flashing lights which add a sense of individuality to the artist. The digipack also allows a small booklet to fit inside which can consist of anything the artist chooses such as song lyrics, pictures or thank you's. This means that the artist has a very tricky job of choosing the content and style of the digipack to attract as many people as possible and create a positive image for themselves. The digipack has to stand out from the rest to allow the artist a fighting chance of success. The digipack constructs the brand by allowing the audience to see what the artist and the music created could be like. This gives the audience information which can relate to the artist and that they will use to refrence the artist. This is how the artists brand is formed. So if the wrong content is put on then it could construct a brand which they do not want and it may have negative effects for the artist.

JT - Procedure of Making a Music Video.

The procedure of making a music video is one which involves a number of intricate steps and more than people first expect. There are also a number of people which are involved with the process of making a music video. The very first step of the whole process consists of the label, the artists and management agreeing what song to release as a single and then a music video can come from this. The video comissioner then has two very important jobs to do in maing a shortlist of possible directors for the video and then sending the track with a broad brief summarising the ideas of the project to these shortlisted directors. These directors then devise an outline treatment based on the information they have received and then send these back to the video commisioner. From here a director is chosen and the budget for the video and certain deadlines are agreed. The idea for the video is developed by the director with the use of storyboarding and pictures of possible locations. Then enlisted is the director of photography, art director and the wardrobe people and then the locations can be booked and the sets for the video can be designed and from there they are made. After this shooting can then be carried out which generally takes one or two days with all the personnel on the set. Once all the filming is completed the film is transferred to the tape for editing. Over the next three days the editor produces a rough-cut which is then viewed by the artists, record label and the manager and they comment on this. Changes are talked about and agreed and these changes are made before visual effects are added to the video. Finally the finished video is passed on to the record label to release to TV stations and airplay in advance of the single release.

Why are videos considered as post modern? Jack Clark

Music videos are regarded as post modern due to a number of different reasons. One of these is because music videos blur the boundaries between advertising and short films for consuming. Music videos ultimately are made as a form of advertisement for viewers to unconsciously consume. Another reason for the music videos being post modern is because people use them to construct their image and to define their identity. They become a part of who people are and help reinforce their personal views and beliefs. The music videos do not necessarily have to follow one particular path. They can use a range of styles and ideas. They can reintroduce old styles or carry more modernist styles. This makes the boundaries very vague for post modern work and it is because of these vague boundaries that music videos are considered post modern.

JT - Consuming Music Videos.

There are very different ways in which audiences can consume music videos. There are casual or commited viewers in regard to music channels. A casual viewer would surf between channels and look for content more than contiunually using specific channels. Whereas a commited viewer would stick with a certain channel rather than search for content, also they may have decided what they were going to watch before turning on the TV.

Whilst watching music videos there are two types of viewers, these are either ambient or foccused. Ambient viewers tend to use the music channel in the background and when in communal settings, possibly to get everyone in the mood before they go out or even when there is nothing else to do or there doing something else. Whereas focussed vieweing is when the viewer is attentive and has a deeper relation with the programme. This type of vieweing is mainly atributed to recent videos videos which have come out or peoples favourite artists being on a music channel. There may possibly be other reasons also such as watching a specific programme, watching music they wouldn't necessarily buy or watching concerts etc.

When making our own music video we need to take these into account and we must decide whether we want to target ambient or foccused viewers. If we were to focus on ambient viewers we would have to use techniques such as repitition and possibly audio triggers to get the viewers attention. But if we were to focus on focussed viewers we would have to come up with a video idea which was entertaining and we keep the viewer entertained by possibly introducing some form of narrative.

JT - Responding to a track.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL-f9o1-YUA

2. The track ‘Protect Me From What I Want’ by Placebo belongs to the rock genre. This is clear because of the use of drums and an electric guitar.

3. This track would defiantly represent a lo-fi video. This is as the song is of the rock genre and generally this genre would produce lo-fi videos. Also the band was formed in London so therefore a lo-fi gritty British video would be ideal for this song.

4. Videos which would be comparable to this track would obviously be other songs by Placebo as from these you can study the style of video this band makes and which kind of videos match the bands music and image. Other videos which would be comparable to Placebo is songs such as Numb by Linkin Park and I Don’t Love You by My Chemical Romance.

5.

6. A male character appears to be very dazed and confused, giving the feeling that he is on drugs. The song is called ‘Protect Me From What I Want’ so therefore all the things he wants is bad such as drugs which would be harmful to him. Also drugs play a large part in the rock genre, influencing and inspiring bands to make their music. The video is at night so it is very dark and there are a lot of blurred bright lights coming from the busy strip such as nightclubs, bars and shops. The character could be stumbling down this busy strip late at night when everyone is starting to leave which would link in with the lyrics ‘alone at the end of the rave’ and ‘catch the last bus home’. Therefore the video would be mainly performance based but there would also be some form of narrative behind the performance.

7. The beginning of this video could possibly be shot on the inside of a club or bar. Then the central part of the video could be shot along a busy strip of nightclubs as the main character walks through it and then finally possibly on a bus as that fits in with the lyrics.

8. Considering the grain of voice the character I would use would be a quite fashionable but messy white male character. He would be messy as the appearance I would want is that he is on drugs so he is in a bit of a state and had been out all night raving. This character would be about 22 years old.

9. The pro-filmic affects I would use would be a handicam to give the feeling of drunkenness or on drugs. Possibly a green screen could be used at points. Affects which could be used in post production are black and white to make the video seem more gritty and dark. Also speeding the video up would give the effect of a head spinning and not fully being in control, and then in certain parts slowing the video down to show the downside after being on a high.

10. Within the video a main actor to play the central character would need to be employed to fit the plan. Also maybe a few extras may need to be employed to carry out certain parts of the video.

Response to a Track Jack Clark

The track that I have chosen is ‘Can’t Start Again’ by Give Get Given. www.myspace.com/givegetgiven
This track belongs to the British indie rock genre. This is easily established due to the grittiness of the singer’s voice and typical indie sound of the instruments. Also the band manages to crate a very British sound through the instruments and the singer which adds to the genre of the track.
This track is capable of representing both lo fi and high fi video sequences due to its lyrical meaning and sound of the song. This is due to the gritty sound of the track which could be emphasised through lo fi sequences, or high fi sequences which could emphasise the meaning behind the lyrics.
I think that Cage The Elephants ‘In One Ear’ video would suit this song perfectly and their could be many aspects of this video that could be taken and used in Give Get Givens video. Also some aspects of various Arctic Monkeys videos would suit the song very well.

The video would start off with the band starting a live set inside a private house party. Everything can be fairly calm until the burst of the song. Once the burst of the song occurs the video becomes very high energy. This will be done through the acting in the video by using the very lively crowd and band. But also through camera work. This is where some of the Cage The Elephants filming techniques would be used. The camera will make its way through and around the crowd until it is on stage behind the band facing the crowd. This will then cut to a shot of a camera shot behind the crowd facing the band. Throughout the video there will be many different shots with quick paced editing and jerky lo fi cameras.
Only one location is really needed for this video and that could be a house party or another live performance in something like a warehouse. Either way the performance will have to be very intimate with the crowd so the venue cannot be very big. This will add emphasis to the high energy factor of the video.
To give the video a true sense of reality the only characters that we would use would be the band themselves and then a live audience who are all fans of the band. This would be very beneficial to the idea of the video as people would be genuinely reacting to the music in that way rather than acting.
The only suitable effect that I can think of is a grainy filter over the shots to add to the grittiness of the video. Maybe a red filter could go over the top to add to the sense of high energy. During filming the camera could be very jerky and quite unstable to add a sense of very high energy.
We would not need to employ anyone as we would use the band and their fans to set up a genuine performance. All of the filming and editing etc we are capable of doing our selves. However we would need to find a suitable location with the owner’s permission.