Friday, 27 September 2013

PLANNING: SHOT LIST

This is what we have come up with so far for our shot list. During the process, we might add and make changes to this table

SOUND VOICE_OVER
VISION
ACTORS
PROPS
NOTES
INTRO OF PRECUSSION
ESTABLISHING SHOT, TWO PERSON SHOT OF A COUPLE FACING OPPOSITE EACH OTHER ON A DINING ROOM TABLE
JO + TJ
CUTLERY, PLATES, TABLE CLOTH, DINNING ROOM TABLE
TO THE BEAT, SHOT REVERSE SHOT OF GIRL AND BOY  NEUTRAL EXPRESSIONS
‘ WE CLAWED’
CLOSE UP ON GIRL
JO
N/A
NEUTRAL EXPRESSION, MOUTHING THE WORDS
‘WE CHAINED’
REACTION SHOT OF BOY
TJ
N/A
QUICK EDITING TO THE BEAT
‘ OUR HEARTS OM VAIN’
SHOT REVERSE SHOT GIRL
JO
N/A

‘WE JUMPED’
REACTION SHOT OF BOY
TJ
N/A

‘NEVER ASKING WHY’
LOW SHOT; SHOT REVERSE SHOT
JO
N/A

‘WE KISSED, I FELL UNDER YOUR SPELL’
FLASHBACK TO THE BEAT. LOCATION (FOREST) WHERE THEY FIRST MET

CLOSE UP OF THEIR HANDS COMING TOGETHER. BOY HANDS HER THE LOVE POTION
TJ/JO
LOVE POTION, LITTLE BOTTLE WITH LABEL
LOCATION HORSEL WOODS – BOY HANDS HER LOVE POTION
‘A LOVE NO ONE COULD DENY’
DREAM LIKE, FAIRY LIGHTS _ SILHOUTTES OF THEM AND THEIR HANDS TOGETHER
JO/ TJ
FAIRY LIGHTS

‘DON'T YOU EVER SAY I JUST WALKED AWAY I WILL ALWAYS WANT YOU
BOY MOUTHS “I LOVE YOU” SHE DOESN'T SAY IT BACK
N/A

DOES LOVE HIM REALLY BUT DOESN'T SHOW IT SO BOY LEAVES HER
I CAN’T LIVE A LIE, RUNNING FOR MY LIFE
BOY AND GIRL CHASING EACH OTHER THROUGH THE WOODS
JO/ TJ

SLOW MOTION

LOW ANGLE SHOT OF FEET RUNNING ON GROUND
I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL
CUTS TO SLOW MOTION ARGUING OF COUPLE TRASHING PLACE, THROWING CUTLERY, SMASHING CHINA, SLOW MOTION

CUTLERY, CHINA, TABLE

------




‘ALL YOU EVER DID WAS WRECK ME, YEAH YEAH YOU WRECK ME’
REALITY- CLOSE UP OF GIRLS TEARS- BOYS HANDS CLENCHED



I PUT YOU UP IN THE SKY
PERFORMANCE CLOSE UP OF LIPS > MATCHING THE LYRICS
JO

DARK LIGHT ON FACE BUT DARK ALL AROUND< LIKE A SPOTLIGHTS ON FACE
IT SLOWLY TURNED, YOU LET ME BURN
GIRL STANDING BEHIND FIRE, MEAT TO LOOK LIKE SHE IS BURNING  METAPHORICALLY INSIDE
JO

REALITY
AND NOW YOUR ASHES ON THE GROUND
CUTS TO 2 CIGARETTES, BURNING DOWN INTO ASH IN ASHTRAY
CIGARETTES, ASHTRAY, TABLE

CLOSE UP
DON'T YOU EVER SAY –I JUST WALKED AWAY
SCRUNCHING HAIR (BACK INTO DREAM) AERIAL SHOT OF HER IN A DREAM< HER HAND STILL HOLDING THE LOVE POTION



I WILL ALWAYS WANT YOU
SET OUT LIKE MAD HATTERS TEA PARTY, EVERYTHING HAPPY, SMILING AND POURING EACHOTHER DRINKS


NAPKINS
TABLE CLOTH
CUPCAKE STAND
TEAPOT
------




I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL
(DREAM WORLD) RIPS OFF ALICE IN WONDERLAND COSTUME, TO REVEAL AN EDGY LOOK (SHORTS, CROP TOP BUT NOT TRASHY)
JO


I NEVER HIT SO HARD BEFORE
CUTS TO POWDER PAINT BEING THROWN, SLOW MOTION, DRUM KIT BEING HIT WHITE ROOM (SONY XPERIO ADVERT)


POWDER PAINT DRUNK KIT

----
POWDER PAINT SLOW MOTION



“YEAH, I JUST CLOSED…..YOU WRECK ME’
RUNNING THROUGH WOODS IN CLOTHES



I NEVER MEANT TO START A WAR
SHOT REVERSE SHOT BOY + GIRL, CAMERA FOLLOWING MOVEMENT ON A ROUNDABOUT, CLOSE UP



----------




DON’T YOU EVER SAY…WANT YOU
DROPS LOVE POTION + WALKS AWAY


EXTREMEM CLOSE UP OF LIPS AND MOUTHS THE LAST LINE





PLANNING: Alice in Wonderland

To follow the Alice in wonderland theme we wanted to construct our own version of the Mad Hatters Tea Party. In order to make this look realistic we have chosen different patterned china to present a quirker image. An idea that also came into mind when looking for plates, was to use stop motion from the broken plates to form a heart.






Wednesday, 25 September 2013

RESEARCH: TRENDS What has been really popular this summer?

During these past few months, we hopefully partied hard, slept in late, ate as much barbecue as we could stand, and listened to a song or two that will undoubtedly end up being a part of the soundtrack that plays in your mind when you think about May-August.

"Blurred Lines"-Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell Williams & T.I.
"Treasure"-Bruno Mars
 "Can't Hold Us"- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton
"Get Lucky"- with Pharrell
 "Wake Me Up"- Avicii's-"
"We Can't Stop"- Miley Cyrus'
"Come & Get It"-Selena Gomez's 
 "I Need Your Love-Ellie Goulding's melody on Calvin Harris 
"Radioactive"-Imagine Dragons-
"Best Song Ever- One Direction
"Clarity- Zedd feat. Foxes 
"I Love It"-Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
"Holy Grail"-Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake
"F For You" Disclousure 

This summer it seems that there has been a common theme been shown in Britain of the popular music genre that is pop. However abroad it has come to my attention that House is a common genre that has been played in many clubs and bars around Europe, which attracts the more outgoing party people rather than the mainstream pop that is very common in Britain. 

RESEARCH: MORAL PANICS

According to The Guardian on 1st September, 2012:


BBFC reviews policy on music and factual videos :

-The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will this week close a three-month consultation that most observers believe will end a loophole which means DVDs with titles like'The Bitch of Buchenwald' and 'Britain's Bloodiest Serial Killers' can claim exemption from being given age guidance by the British Board of Film Classification.

As things stand, most sport, documentary and music videos can claim an exemption from classification. "The great majority of exempt video works are fine," said the BBFC's head of policy, David Austin. "They are not going to harm anyone, but there are a significant number of titles that are potentially harmful to children".

Austin showed the Guardian examples of videos that have claimed exemption but would have been classified. They range in seriousness. One of the more shocking is a documentary about the American heavy metal band Slipknot "which, actually my son bought when he was 10 and I confiscated", said Austin. "He's waiting till he's older to get it back."
-A music video by the Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth, which was rated X in Germany but is unrated in the UK, shows topless women being crucified with blood running down their breasts.

-Austin said: "Given concerns about knife crime in this country, that really is how to kill someone. If that came in for classification, we would not classify it – we would cut that."


Other potentially problematic DVDs include wildly violent cage fighting DVDs and ones that instruct in krav maga, the combat techniques developed by the Israeli army.

Examples-
  • A performance by Rihanna on The X Factor in December 2011 attracted 4,500 complaints to Ofcom.
  • I Like the Way She Do It (sexually explicit language)
  • If I Can't (strong language)
  • PIMP 50 Cent (offensive images of women)
  • What's My Name Rihanna (body thrusting, striptease)
  • "Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke
  • Wrecking Ball Miley Cyrus

Moral panics are not only expressed through the increasing amount of explicit material shown in music videos but also the lyrics themselves that often express sexual references and unpleasent language such as swear words. Video games have also became more violent with young children being able to play games such as 'Grand theft auto' where the game focuses on a gangstar. This game often has violence, bad language and often encourages the player to carry out violent acts. 

MUSIC AND STARS TODAY PUSH THE BOUNDARIES ON SEX AND VIOLENCE.

Tuesday, 24 September 2013

RESEARCH: MUSIC TV CHANNELS

Music television is a type of television programming which focuses predominantly on playing music videos from bands, usually on dedicated television channels broadcasting on satellite or cable. Music TVs may host their own shows charts, award prizes. Examples are 4MusicVIVA,ScuzzJBTVMuchMusicKerrang!VH1Fuse TV, and Palladia Wigan Pier.

MTV is a 24-hour general entertainment channel operated by Viacom International Media Networks Europe, available in the United Kingdom and Ireland
  • Homegrown shows incude:

  • Geordie Shore
  • The Valleys
  • My Super Sweet 16
  • Pimp My Ride
  • Plain Jane

Viva is owned by MTV which is owned by Viacom.



4Music is a music and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and available on some digital television providers in the Republic of Ireland. The channel launched on 15 August 2008, replacing The Hits. It is the only Channel 4-branded channel within the Box Television network. It is available onFreeviewVirgin MediaSky and Smallworld Cable.

Channels include: 'Your Official Top 20'

A chart is compiled of songs from a particular artist that has released at least 20 singles such as Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera and The Black Eyed Peas. The public vote for their favourite song on the 4Music website and the results are shown on the results show.

Monday, 23 September 2013

RESEARCH: THEODORE ADORNO

Critic, Theodore Adorno, argues that popular media and music products are characterised by standardisation,  (they are basically formulaic and similar)  and pseudo- individualisation ( incidental differences make them distinctive, but they're not). Adorno said that the culture industries produce 'unsophisticated' products that replace critical art forms which then makes people forget about the important things such as the question of social life and the meaning of it altogether. He also said that people are too materialistic and like things purely because of how much they cost, or if everyone else has one.


Our music video is also characterised by standardisation and pseudo- individualisation.  We have incorporated ideas form the story Alice and Wonderland, adapting and modernising them to fit into a modern day context. We have also researched and looked at many other music videos, getting ideas and using pesudo- individualisation to create our own individual video. 


sources: Adorno, Theodor W. (1991), The Culture Industry: Selected essays on mass culture, Routledge, London.

Friday, 20 September 2013

RESEARCH: Codes & Conventions


Here is my detailed slide share on music video codes and conventions.


RESEARCH: LAURA MULVEY: VISUAL PLEASURE AND NARRATIVE

Today we revised theoretical frameworks that you may draw on as you research music videos and write about your own. In the A2 exam, you will need to do this for both sections of the exam paper. For example, you will need to analyse your own production work with critical distance.
Daniel Chandler writes about film spectatorship and Laura Mulvey's gaze theory:
'Film has been called an instrument of the male gaze, producing representations of women, the good life, and sexual fantasy from a male point of view' (Schroeder 1998, 208). The concept derives from a seminal article called Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema by Laura Mulvey, a feminist film theorist. It was published in 1975.
Mulvey notes that Freud had referred to (infantile) scopophilia - the pleasure involved in looking at other people’s bodies as (particularly, erotic) objects.
Rita Hayworth
In the darkness of the cinema it is notable that one may look at someone without being seen either by those on screen or other members of the audience. Mulvey argues that various features of cinema viewing conditions help for the viewer both the voyeuristic process of objectification of female characters and also the self-centred process of identification with an ‘ideal ego’ seen on the screen. She declares that in patriarchal society ‘pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female’ (Mulvey 1992, 27).  
Traditional films present men as active, controlling subjects and treat women as passive objects of desire for men in both the story and in the audience, and do not allow women to be desiring sexual subjects in their own right. Such films objectify women in relation to ‘the controlling male gaze’, presenting ‘woman as image’ (or ‘spectacle’) and man as ‘bearer of the look’. Men do the looking; women are there to be looked at. The cinematic codes of popular films ‘are obsessively subordinated to the neurotic needs of the male ego’. It was Mulvey who coined the term 'the male gaze'. 
Both Steve Neale and Richard Dyer (1982)  challenge the idea that the male is never sexually objectified in mainstream cinema and argued that the male is not always the looker in control of the gaze. Since the 1980s there has been an increasing display and sexualisation of the male body in mainstream cinema, television and advertising (Dolce and Gabbana)
Michel Foucault, who linked knowledge with power, related the 'inspecting gaze' to power rather than to gender in his discussion of surveillance.

We also looked at Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball (2013)  as a very recent example.
  

PLANNING: OUR TREATMENT OF MILEY CYRUS 'WRECKING BALL'


We have decided to do our music video on Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus. Although this is a typical love/break up song about a girl and boy, we have decided to take an innovative approach to it. We are still following the concept of a girl and boy love story, but instead, turning it into a narrative that alternates between a reality and  fantasy world. The fantasy world is going to follow the concepts of the fairy-tale novel, Alice in Wonderland. Lyrics such as "I fell under your spell", "high up in the sky" and "running for my life", help represent the  fairy-tale  dream world the girl falls into. Nevertheless, during the chorus,  lyrics such as "never been hit so hard before" and "wrecking ball"  bring the girl back into reality. The reality represents her true feelings about the break up, whilst the fantasy world is used as an escape from all these feelings.

Establishing, two person shot, of a couple facing opposite eachother on a dining room table
To the beat, shot reverse shot of girl and boy neutral expressions

We clawed (girl), we chained (boy), our hearts in vain (girl)
We jumped (boy), never asking why (girl)
We kissed girl kisses the boy, in normal clothes when she pulls away she suddenly appears in an Alice in wonderland costume (dream world)  
I fell under your spell- Flashback to the beat. location (forest) or somewhere romantic where they first met. close up of their hands coming together. boy hands her the love potion, Alice in Wonderland type theme
A love no one could deny-(dream like), (fairy lights) 

Don't you ever say I just walked awayBoy mouths 'i love you' shes doesnt say it back (does love him really but didn't show it so boy leaves her) 
I will always want you
I can't live a lie, running for my lifechasing through the woods
I will always want you

Chorus:

I came in like a wrecking ball-cuts to slow motion arguing of couple trashing place,throwing cutlety, smashing china, slow motion. 
I never hit so hard in love. All I wanted was to break your walls-(reality)
All you ever did was wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me- cuts to reality, close up of girls tears, boys hands clenched

I put you high up in the sky-(performance, me singing) close up
And now, you're not coming down
It slowly turned, you let me burn-
girl standing behind fire, mean't to look like she is burning and metaphorically inside
And now, we're ashes on the ground-
cuts to 2 cigarettes, burning down into ash in ashtray

Don't you ever say I just walked away-
scrunching hair (back into dream) arieal shot of her in a dream, her hand still holding the love potion
I will always want you- set out like Mad Hatters tea party, everything is happy, couple smiling and pouring eachother drinks
I can't live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you

I came in like a wrecking ball- (dream world) ripps off Alice in Wonderland costume, to reveal an edgy look (shorts, crop top but not trashy) 
I never hit so hard in love-cuts to powder paint being thrown, slow motion, drum kit being hit, white room (song xperia advert) 
All I wanted was to break your walls
All you ever did was wreck me

I came in like a wrecking ball-powder paint
Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung- running through woods in clothes
Left me crashing in a blazing fall
All you ever did was wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me


I never meant to start a war-
shot reverse shot boy and girl, camera following movements like on a roundabout, close up
I just wanted you to let me in
And instead of using force
I guess I should've let you win
I never meant to start a war
I just wanted you to let me in
I guess I should've let you win


Don't you ever say I just walked away- drop love potion and walks away
I will always want you- extreme close up of lips and mouths the last lines