Today, we got the whole of our sequence laid donw in pretty much it's final order - bar a few tweaks that will have to be made. It was quite a stressful day as we were restricted by time limits, but really wanted the sequence complete so that we could have the whole of next week to polish and neaten it all up. Despite this, we all pulled together and distributed jobs evenly, so in the end we managed to finish.
We have realised we haven't stuck so strongly to our storyboards, as some of the shots we were hoping to include did not fit the conventions/didn't quite work with the rest of the video, whereas some of the candid/experimental shots we got were much more dynamic and relevant. This has in turn made our video more natural and convincing, which is the vibe we were aiming for initially. We watched it through a few times, noting down things which could be improved; we all observed that it still didn't 'feel' quite right.
We concluded that this was however, down to the colour grading within our film, which we will be working on over the whole of next week, so we decided to leave at that today and re-evaluate once we had colour graded all of our footage.
Friday, 13 December 2013
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Powerful Video
I came across this short film whilst doing my usual social media rounds, and couldn't forget it for days.
I think the message it is conveying is so so powerful - it has a lot to do with the contrasts between the first and third world. It has obviously been designed to make an impact on people so that they realise they should apprieciate what they have rather than complain when things do not live up to their personal standard.
I observed that a large number of the comments were to do with technology, "I hate it when I leave my phone charger downstairs" and , "When I can't walk and text at the same time". This really got me thinking; we have become so absorbed by the innovation of technology that we now expect certain things as standard; everyday these standards are rising and I wonder, when and where will this chain of greed and competition end?
Of course I cannot be certain of what lies ahead, but if our technology develops at the rate it is, it is logical to predict that one day we will be completely controlled by technology. This of course has its pro's and con's and I imagine you could battle it out pretty well either way; only time will tell what will actually happen, but in the meantime we can but debate. I cannot deny that technology is an amazing outlet; I'm using it at this very moment in time! However I feel like we need to learn that it is not something to be abused, and we should embrace and perfect the technologies we have available before developing more.
Anyway, I decided to research into how this concept was thought up, and discovered that it was central to a hastag on social media site, Twitter called #firstworldproblems (click to view feed on twitter). The hashtag is made up of tweets from people living in first world cultures expressing their everyday issues with a touch of sarcasm and a dash of ignorance. Examples include,
" I haven't even had my nails done for 24 hours and have somehow managed to already break one"
"My dad got new wifi for our house and didn't tell me the password"
"Did an intensive hair mask yesterday and now my Skullcandy headphones keep slipping off head"
Additionally, I found the picture on the right accompanied by the caption, "Well, which one is right?!?!"
This video made me realise the strength and impact of contrasts. If you put one entity beside it's opposite, the effect will become exaggarated, when really all you have done is extend the process. It has inspired me to ensure we have plenty of contrasts within our music video, and also to make similar content on a personal level - maybe reverse the effect and have first world people saying third world problems, or a look into commercialism etc.
"First world problems are not real problems" - Water Aid.
Tuesday, 10 December 2013
Editing Update: All Footage Complete!
we are now at the stage whereby we have filmed all of our footage we will need and imported it into Final Cut Pro. The powder paint and studio shoots were already uploaded, but this still left us with some gaps we had to fill, or our existing footage had started to become repetitive - losing the audiences' attention, which is why we chose to add more shots.
We can now focus on embedding the clips from our final two shoots (lip syncing and plate smashing). After the sequence is fully laid down and complete, we can start to add the finishing touches like colour grading, letter boxing and logo. It really feels like it's all coming together, and we are aiming to be finished by the end of next week. We have been spending any spare time we can find to work on our project so it's a mix of relief and excitement to see it come together.
We can now focus on embedding the clips from our final two shoots (lip syncing and plate smashing). After the sequence is fully laid down and complete, we can start to add the finishing touches like colour grading, letter boxing and logo. It really feels like it's all coming together, and we are aiming to be finished by the end of next week. We have been spending any spare time we can find to work on our project so it's a mix of relief and excitement to see it come together.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Smashing Plates Shoot: Review
This was a really fun setup to shoot, despite the difficulties we had during our research in terms of safety.
One of us stood on a chair whilst the other filmed with the camera. Then, when everything was in place, the plate with the powder paint was dropped from a height and fell to the floor where it - on most occasions - smashed. Sometimes it landed too flat which meant the energy was absorbed by the plate so it didn't break.
The shots looked really cool, as there was so much movement in the explosion of china and paint; I think it will work really well with the rest of our footage as it gives that extra 'oomph'.
One of us stood on a chair whilst the other filmed with the camera. Then, when everything was in place, the plate with the powder paint was dropped from a height and fell to the floor where it - on most occasions - smashed. Sometimes it landed too flat which meant the energy was absorbed by the plate so it didn't break.
The shots looked really cool, as there was so much movement in the explosion of china and paint; I think it will work really well with the rest of our footage as it gives that extra 'oomph'.
Sunday, 1 December 2013
Smashing Plates Shoot: Research
GENERAL LOGISTICS
We will have to be prepared to clear up the pieces of broken glass after it breaks so we will have a hoover and dustpan/brush to hand. We will also have to make sure no pieces hit us or they could cause injury. We did look into either acquiring or making some sugar glas plates but it was too costly and time consuming.
LOCATION
Again we need dark, black surroundings so we are going to use the dark room in the photography suite.
COSTUME
No costumes will be needed.
ACTORS
No actors will be needed.
HAIR/MAKE UP
No hair/make-up will be needed.
PROPS
We will need powder paint as well as the plates which we have bought.
LIGHTING
We will use the LED light that attaches to our camera on full brightness to light the shots.
We will have to be prepared to clear up the pieces of broken glass after it breaks so we will have a hoover and dustpan/brush to hand. We will also have to make sure no pieces hit us or they could cause injury. We did look into either acquiring or making some sugar glas plates but it was too costly and time consuming.
LOCATION
Again we need dark, black surroundings so we are going to use the dark room in the photography suite.
COSTUME
No costumes will be needed.
ACTORS
No actors will be needed.
HAIR/MAKE UP
No hair/make-up will be needed.
PROPS
We will need powder paint as well as the plates which we have bought.
LIGHTING
We will use the LED light that attaches to our camera on full brightness to light the shots.
Thursday, 28 November 2013
Lip Syncing Shoot: Review
The shoot for the lip syncing was a great success. We splatted powder paint n the lips at first by simply throwing it at the actors' faces, however we realised that although this is effective, it would look better if the lips were fully coated with the paint. So we used a paintbrush to lightly fill in any areas on the lips the paint had missed. This immediately improved the look as it appeared sophisticated yet spontaneous.
We shot the sequence with the 75mm lens so that it was close up to the lips and so you couldn't see any other features of their face apart from their nose. We also tested out different shots without them singing which we thought might be useful as extra fillers to use during the music video's sequence.
The final footage looked really effective as we used carefully experimented with the lighting levels which made the powder paint stand out really well.
We shot the sequence with the 75mm lens so that it was close up to the lips and so you couldn't see any other features of their face apart from their nose. We also tested out different shots without them singing which we thought might be useful as extra fillers to use during the music video's sequence.
The final footage looked really effective as we used carefully experimented with the lighting levels which made the powder paint stand out really well.
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
Lip Syncing Shoot: Research
GENERAL LOGISTICS
We have decided to shoot the close-ups of the lips in order to add the element of performance. We were worried we'd have to order more powder paint but we are now confident we have enough, as we only need a very small amount to use on the lips.
LOCATION
All we need is a black background so we are going to hire our drama studio which has black walls. We would use the studio again but we cannot justify the cost when there is something equally as effective, but for less.
COSTUME
We will only see the actors' mouths so costumes are not necessary as such, but we have asked them to wear black tops just in case any head/shoulders slip in - in which case, they will all be the same.
ACTORS
To help keep the storyline consistent and easy for the audience to follow, we have used actors from the powder paint fight. We have also used an external actor too, though it still meets conventions and flows so this does not disrupt the theme at all - you can hardly tell!
HAIR/MAKE UP
Again, this will be a very small element of this shoot. On one actor we will be filming half her face so we will keep the make up style similar to that used in the powder paint fight, but other than very light foundation, barely any make-up/hair will be seen.
PROPS
The only prop we will need is the powder paint.
LIGHTING
We are using the lighting which already exists in the drama studio. We are lucky that it has a range of spotlights and backlights we can use. We will ensure the lighting is bright enough in order to achieve good depth within the footage.
We have decided to shoot the close-ups of the lips in order to add the element of performance. We were worried we'd have to order more powder paint but we are now confident we have enough, as we only need a very small amount to use on the lips.
LOCATION
All we need is a black background so we are going to hire our drama studio which has black walls. We would use the studio again but we cannot justify the cost when there is something equally as effective, but for less.
COSTUME
We will only see the actors' mouths so costumes are not necessary as such, but we have asked them to wear black tops just in case any head/shoulders slip in - in which case, they will all be the same.
ACTORS
To help keep the storyline consistent and easy for the audience to follow, we have used actors from the powder paint fight. We have also used an external actor too, though it still meets conventions and flows so this does not disrupt the theme at all - you can hardly tell!
HAIR/MAKE UP
Again, this will be a very small element of this shoot. On one actor we will be filming half her face so we will keep the make up style similar to that used in the powder paint fight, but other than very light foundation, barely any make-up/hair will be seen.
PROPS
The only prop we will need is the powder paint.
LIGHTING
We are using the lighting which already exists in the drama studio. We are lucky that it has a range of spotlights and backlights we can use. We will ensure the lighting is bright enough in order to achieve good depth within the footage.
Friday, 22 November 2013
Editing Update: Decision Making
After importing the footage from the two shoots we have done and editing it together, we still feel like it is missing something. To solve this, we decided to brainstorm as a group how we could solve this, and after going through more dance music videos, saw that there is often an element of performance within the piece.
So we have decided to do a third shoot which will mean we can embed the element of performance into our music video. We will film close-ups of people's lips covered singing the lyrics, covered in powder paint splatters so as the theme is continued and maintained throughout. We are going to use females only for this shoot as the paint will look more striking and lipstick-like rather than messy.
Additionally, to give the music video even more energy, we are going to do a shoot where we smash china plates. This action holds many connotations to do with love and relationships. We also think it would look really effective if we put a little mound of powder paint on the plate before we drop it, so as when it hits the ground, it is an explosion of colour and glass.
We think this will help break up the sequence a bit, as currently the powder paint fight and studio footage looks very dynamic and striking at the beginning, but it feels a little repetitive at times. It also means we will have employed narrative, concept and performance into our music video which broadens its appeal.
So we have decided to do a third shoot which will mean we can embed the element of performance into our music video. We will film close-ups of people's lips covered singing the lyrics, covered in powder paint splatters so as the theme is continued and maintained throughout. We are going to use females only for this shoot as the paint will look more striking and lipstick-like rather than messy.
Additionally, to give the music video even more energy, we are going to do a shoot where we smash china plates. This action holds many connotations to do with love and relationships. We also think it would look really effective if we put a little mound of powder paint on the plate before we drop it, so as when it hits the ground, it is an explosion of colour and glass.
We think this will help break up the sequence a bit, as currently the powder paint fight and studio footage looks very dynamic and striking at the beginning, but it feels a little repetitive at times. It also means we will have employed narrative, concept and performance into our music video which broadens its appeal.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Studio Shoot: Review
We had booked the studio for 2 hours as we thought this would give us time to take all the shots we needed. We took all the shots we had storyboarded and tried to get the most out of our time slot by experimenting with different shots.
When we imported these clips into Final Cut Pro, we were happy with the general framing and composition, however agreed that they would need colour grading in order to make them fit in with our previous footage so as our conventions are maintained.
So overall it as a successful shoot for which we will not need to re-shoot, meaning we can move forward with the editing process.
When we imported these clips into Final Cut Pro, we were happy with the general framing and composition, however agreed that they would need colour grading in order to make them fit in with our previous footage so as our conventions are maintained.
So overall it as a successful shoot for which we will not need to re-shoot, meaning we can move forward with the editing process.
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Studio Shoot: Research
GENERAL LOGISTICS
We have decided to shoot the second part of our music video in a stylistic medium, whiich we will do in a photography studio. The one we have found is very local and offers a discount to students - which is always very helpful on the finance front!
LOCATION
We are shooting our video in a local studo used for all kinds of photography projects. They offer a white, black or grey backdrop so it is fabulous to have a choice - however we are going to use black as it will maintain our contrast of white/black/colour theme.
We are going to set up a stereotypical but simplistic dining table setup, so will need to bring plates, cutlery and a tablecloth etc and we have been informed that there is a table available at the studio which we can use; this definitely helps logistically as we do not want to have to hunt around for a table!
COSTUME
Costume-wise, we want to stick quite closely to the theme of black and white/representation. Therefore the girl will wear black leggings and a plain white top, whilst the male actor will wear jeans and a T-shirt. This will mean that it won't take away from the concept we are trying to focus on, which is a fight for love between a couple.
ACTORS
To help keep the storyline consistent and easy for the audience to follow, we used one of the same couples we had used from the powder paint shoot.
HAIR/MAKE UP
Again, we wanted to keep this stylistic and simple, so are having the girl's hair in a typical half up/half down style and the male's hair normal.
PROPS
We will need a table and chairs which is being supplied by the studio. We are bringing the extras, including the plates and cutlery as well as the mobile phone and magazines. There is nothing too extravagant so it should be quite a straightforward setup.
LIGHTING
We are using the lighting provided by the studio, which has 2 brilliant bright white spotlights which will give our shots great depth. This is key as the background is dark, so it is essential that the actors and props are well lit in order to avoid shadows and out of focus shots.
We have decided to shoot the second part of our music video in a stylistic medium, whiich we will do in a photography studio. The one we have found is very local and offers a discount to students - which is always very helpful on the finance front!
LOCATION
We are shooting our video in a local studo used for all kinds of photography projects. They offer a white, black or grey backdrop so it is fabulous to have a choice - however we are going to use black as it will maintain our contrast of white/black/colour theme.
We are going to set up a stereotypical but simplistic dining table setup, so will need to bring plates, cutlery and a tablecloth etc and we have been informed that there is a table available at the studio which we can use; this definitely helps logistically as we do not want to have to hunt around for a table!
COSTUME
Costume-wise, we want to stick quite closely to the theme of black and white/representation. Therefore the girl will wear black leggings and a plain white top, whilst the male actor will wear jeans and a T-shirt. This will mean that it won't take away from the concept we are trying to focus on, which is a fight for love between a couple.
ACTORS
To help keep the storyline consistent and easy for the audience to follow, we used one of the same couples we had used from the powder paint shoot.
HAIR/MAKE UP
Again, we wanted to keep this stylistic and simple, so are having the girl's hair in a typical half up/half down style and the male's hair normal.
PROPS
We will need a table and chairs which is being supplied by the studio. We are bringing the extras, including the plates and cutlery as well as the mobile phone and magazines. There is nothing too extravagant so it should be quite a straightforward setup.
LIGHTING
We are using the lighting provided by the studio, which has 2 brilliant bright white spotlights which will give our shots great depth. This is key as the background is dark, so it is essential that the actors and props are well lit in order to avoid shadows and out of focus shots.
The lighting and colour is also very important in this scene because we have to get it to mirror that of the colours and tones within the last shoot so as to provide consistency. This means we will have to experiment with the lighting levels quite a bit in the studio to make it the same brightness. If we don't get this spot on during the shoot, then we will have to try and sort it out in post production by altering the colour and brightness filters.
Saturday, 9 November 2013
Editing Investigation: White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
I haven't counted the cuts in Seven Nation Army as such because it is pretty much one smooth panning zoom shot which fades into different scenes. The editing in this song was truly iconic for it's time - and still is now. It must have taken great skill to put it all together with a number of clips being overlaid and precision timing in place.
What I love is how the visuals build up with the song and are exactly to the beat everytime - it really gets the audience into the rhythm of the already-catchy beat. The white and black theme with splashes of red relates to the band name, 'White Stripes' It is very disorientatiing at tiems because you do not quite know ehere to look as it is so fast oaced there is a lot to take in, but this is what makes the video so unique.
Thursday, 7 November 2013
Editing Investigation: Animals - Martin Garrix
The editing within this music video has been effectively carried out to match the upbeat, club anthem sound of the song. There are approximately 144 cuts throughout which proves the fast pace and makes for choppy cuts.
The effect of shrinking time is used within the whole video and reasonably choppy cuts are employed.
There are also points in the video where cinematic time has been expanded, for example the shots of the group of men walking/dancing down the corridor has been put in show motion to match the build up of the song.
Following on from this, the visuals don't always match the music beat-for-beat, but they certainly follow the general pace of the song. There are more dynamic, choppy cuts that quickly switch between two scenes when the music is at its climax, then when the beat drops it goes back to the more static, representative shots the video started off with.
Overall, the editor(s) have created a successful dance video whereby the visuals which have been put together suit the music and make it aesthetically easy to watch and pleasing for the audience.
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
Editing Investigation: Spectrum - Florence & The Machine
In Florence & TheMachine's, 'Spectrum', I have observed that there are 122 cuts, which at first glance seems like a large amount whereby we would assume it is a constantly fast paced video, however considereing the song is over five minutes long, comparitively it is not quite as fast paced as initially thought.
A notably unique element of this music video is the fact that the first cut of Florence sitting on the Atlantis-like throne holds for 40 seconds. This is a huge amount of time in music video terms, and would usually have taken up a good third of the video in a more average three minute music video.
However the music video does fit in more cuts following this powerful opening scene which acts as a huge build up alongside the soft, harp chords which are the backbone of the song. The pace of the visuals speeds up immediately as the song bursts into the more instrument heavy chorus when , "Say my name" is sung.
Not only does the content within the video speed up - for example, the dancers become increasingly more fluid and dymanic, starting in textbook ballet shapes but evolving into more abstract shapes as the song develops - but the actual cuts themselves do too. The most cuts occured during the chorus and teh least during the more toned-down verses which demonstrates how the editor(s) built in this mirror-like set of visuals, as it makes it easy and interesting for the audience to watch; it makes sense for them and fits conventions.
A notably unique element of this music video is the fact that the first cut of Florence sitting on the Atlantis-like throne holds for 40 seconds. This is a huge amount of time in music video terms, and would usually have taken up a good third of the video in a more average three minute music video.
However the music video does fit in more cuts following this powerful opening scene which acts as a huge build up alongside the soft, harp chords which are the backbone of the song. The pace of the visuals speeds up immediately as the song bursts into the more instrument heavy chorus when , "Say my name" is sung.
Not only does the content within the video speed up - for example, the dancers become increasingly more fluid and dymanic, starting in textbook ballet shapes but evolving into more abstract shapes as the song develops - but the actual cuts themselves do too. The most cuts occured during the chorus and teh least during the more toned-down verses which demonstrates how the editor(s) built in this mirror-like set of visuals, as it makes it easy and interesting for the audience to watch; it makes sense for them and fits conventions.
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