Evaluative Commentary of our Music Video

Directors commentary script

Q1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms + conventions of real media products?

Livvy:         The genre of the song we chose was folk rock/ indie, which gave us a wide range of possibilities for our music video, as the conventions were very open. The main convention was it could be artistic and very creative, but also we had to avoid mixing it with the genre conventions of pop music. We decided to emphasis the main convention by our main character in the narrative being a mime, which is a very profound and skilful art form.

Rachel:    Our music video is controversial to many conventions of real media products as usually there is a link present within the video to the lyrics of the song. Although some actions of the mime are featured in the lyrics, for example the mime making a heart shape with his hands to the lyrics ‘loving somebody doesn’t make them love you”, the plot of a mime love story is totally unrelated to the song. This gives a unique twist to our music video that perversely conforms to conventional music video requirements of selling the artist and attracting viewers.

Maura:     By shooting a lot of our footage in a natural environment like the park scene we also followed the other conventions of a folk rock video as many include natural instruments or just singing so the setting goes well with what the music is about such as in Bon Iver’s video Holocene where it is set in a very natural outdoors setting.

Rachel:     Our music video uses the conventions of other music videos by using footage of the artist throughout quite a lot of the video and shows them singing to the camera so that it is clear who the artist is to the audience. A lot of these shots are close ups so that we could comply to the demands of the record label which are to sell the artist as a product and to ensure the audience knows who the are. We also used notions of looking (voyeurism) as the mime is looking longingly at the girl within the video as he is trying to get her attention, which is similar to other music videos.

Maura:     Although I think to improve we could have used more props for example a guitar as they are usually included in folk rock videos and I think it would have made it even clearer what genre it came from.


Q2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Livvy:         Our music video and ancillary products (a magazine advert and a digipak) have a very strong link, even though we didn't directly use images from our music video. We thought that it would be better if we used a strong theme that linked the two products with subtle reference to the music video, as if it is a complete package. We chose the theme of circus advertisements, but not modern times advertisement, but older, almost Victorian style. In the planning phase we found a film called "Les Enfants du Paradis" which we found had a really nice feel to it and this made us choose this style.

Rachel:     The aim of this style is to make the audience feel as if by getting the digipack they are being admitted to the weird and wonderful world of Jack Johnson the artist and would get access to exclusive behind the scenes action such as on the video set and tour, which we have included as two of the special features of the digipack. All three products work together to create a slightly eccentric view of the artist that encourages them to want to find out more by buying the products.

Rachel:    The unique and unusual theme of mime artistry promotes the artist as he is shown to stand out from other conventional artists that may conform to regular music video ideas.

Maura:     We could have however done a lot more with this and added more to our DVD by creating and inside design which used the juggling balls in more focus which I believe would have worked well in the place where the DVD itself would go as the shape of both would fit together. But overall I feel that we were able to create three products that when seen next to one another it would be clear that they were all related to the same video.


Q3. What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

Livvy:         The feedback we got from our audience was in general positive, they said our lip-syncing was of a high standard, which has taught me that the method of putting markers on our music track, to mark when the beginning of versus and choruses, worked well. Although they said our music video was to narrative heavy, so it would have been useful if we had filmed more scenes of the artist singing.
They also enjoyed our use of multiple locations because they found it made the video more varied and interesting, thus making it more watch-able.


Rachel:     The feedback from the rough cut showed us that we needed more close ups on the artist as we hadn’t got and it wouldn’t sell the artist enough but the lack of close ups until the end did make the ending where the two mimes meet very powerful. Our final cut feedback showed us that although we had increased the number of close ups there was still not enough so in future products we need to include more.

Maura:     I think we have developed our video a lot from when our rough cut had feedback as one of the main points for that was to change the tone of the video and we done this by using filters so the whole mood of the video is changed. They also said that they did not see enough of the performer so we added some shots of him so that it would break up all the scenes of the mime.




Q4. How did you use media technologies in the construction, research and planning and evaluation stages?

Maura:     Throughout the process I have learnt how to use many different types of technology and been able to develop skills on those I have used before. The first thing I used when in the planning and research stage was ‘blogger.com’ this is where all my research and planning would be displayed. To research into music videos I used youtube.com which was able to give me so many music videos and ideas as to what kind of thing is usually included in different music videos.

Rachel:    Final cut was used a lot during the production of our music video and it helped a lot to create the old style atmosphere of the video because of the wide range of effects it has on offer such as the noise filter and colour corrector we used to make it look dark and grainy and in the style of old mime films. Photoshop was useful for creating the digipack as it allowed us to edit the circus poster and ticket we found to show the information we wanted to include.

Livvy:        In the construction of our music video we used HD handheld cameras, which were easy to use and gave use the opportunity to film close up shots without the camera feeling overpowering over artist and mime.
Having a blog was also very useful to us in the research and planning stage, and the evaluation stage, because it meant all our work was online so we could look at home, or in college, or blog articles where ever we were, if we suddenly found inspiration or found a good location etc. Using a blog also meant our work was neatly stored, and made it easier to link all our products together as we could get inspiration for work we'd previously done for the Music Video.

Evaluation of music video

1.

It is clear by looking at the conventions of Folk Rock that our products fit in well with the genre. Firstly my having the artist in normal clothes for example jeans and a t-shirt it shows the audience that he is just a normal man that likes to get his points across through music. This is very common in the genre for example Frank Turner who is another Folk Rock artist is usually seen wearing similar types of clothing in his videos. By shooting a lot of our footage in a natural environment like the park scene we also followed the conventions of a folk rock video as many include natural instruments or just singing so the setting goes well with what the music is about such as in Bon Iver’s video Holocene where it is set in a very natural outdoors setting. Although I think to improve we could have used more props for example a guitar as they are usually included in folk rock videos and I think it would have made it even clearer what genre it came from. When looking at Goodwin’s points it is also clear we have met some of these while making our music video.

 Throughout the music video we have shown a lot of the artist both on his own and with the mime character which would meet the demands of the record label as they may want the audience to see that the artist can have a relationship with someone different and help them through bad times which is a good image to have. We have also made sure that the lyrics and visuals go well together and especially at the end of the song when the mime is taken to his new love as the lyrics state “No I can’t always be waiting waiting on you, I can’t always be playing playing your fool, fool”. This link is very clear through the shots we have got using reaction shots of both mimes brings the audience into the scene and it marks the end of the story which has been playing out throughout the video.

While editing we were also able to make the video look more like a folk rock video. By using final cut we added effects and filters on every scene to make it have more dull colouring as this is a key feature when watching other folk rock artists.

 We have also added an extra layer to our video by including the mime throughout. When looking up the history of the mime we began to take ideas from where it came from and what it represented. We have used both the ‘sad clown’ and the ‘happy clown’ two of the possible five types of mime there is. The love story within our music video goes with the generic mime plays where love plays a big role.

2.

When looking at all our products together it is clear there is a strong link between them all. Firstly we have carried the idea of the mime across to both our magazine advert and DVD case which helps the audience relate the music video to both these products. We felt that by taking the mime from the music video and making that as well as the artist the main focus of all the products we could then develop other ideas to expand on which we were able to do. We decided on a circus theme and because the colours and filters we used in our video made it look like an old film we could go with an old style circus theme. By collecting knowledge from the internet on what kind of things were included in circus posters we found some images that we really felt we could edit to make them fit with our ideas. The mime as the main concept brings all our products together as juggling is often connected with the circus and therefore if we were to make any more products we could use this theme. It also allowed us to come up with some ideas on what extra features we could have on our DVD so we used the circus theme to come up with a circus tour which was included on our DVD. We could have however done a lot more with this and added more to our DVD by creating and inside design which used the juggling balls in more focus which I believe would have worked well in the place where the DVD itself would go as the shape of both would fit together. But overall I feel that we were able to create three products that when seen next to one another it would be clear that they were all related to the same video.

3.

The feedback we received was very helpful as it gave us not only positive feedback on the video but what could have been improved. The feedback shows we made good links between our lyrics and visuals and because of this the story we have used is easily worked out when watching the video. The feedback also commented on our locations and they said that because we changed locations a lot the audience did not grow bored and it therefore kept them interested. This was one of our main goals and if we hadn’t have filmed in so many different locations it would have affected the way we edited as there wouldn’t have been as much choice when it came to shots. They also said that the mime was a good idea and it kept them interested throughout. The feedback also stated that there could have been more shots of the artists lip syncing. This was helpful to know so that if done again we would add in more shots of the artist so the audience feel like they see them enough and we really sell them to the viewers. I think we have developed our video a lot from when our rough cut had feedback as one of the main points for that was to change the tone of the video and we done this by using filters so the whole mood of the video is changed. They also said that they did not see enough of the performer so we added some shots of him so that it would break up all the scenes of the mime.

4.

Throughout the process I have learnt how to use many different types of technology and been able to develop skills on those I have used before. The first thing I used when in the planning and research stage was ‘blogger.com’ this is where all my research and planning would be displayed. To research into music videos I used youtube.com which was able to give me so many music videos and ideas as to what kind of thing is usually included in different music videos. The blog we made shows the stages we went through to get our final idea which is great because it means when looking back we can see the stages we went through. At this stage we also used cameras to take pictures of where we were thinking about filming which meant that we could have a clear image in our mind before moving off to start shooting our video. In the planning stage I was able to use Photoshop which enabled me to get used to where many things were and how to use it on a basic level although it was only to make a mood board it gave me some knowledge that I would be using later to make the other products.

The filming stage of the project can be seen as one of the most important and by using the HD camera we were able to get the best out of it. I felt that I already knew how to use the camera which was a benefit as this meant we could start filming right away. We got the best quality shots which then made our music video look even more professional.

The editing stage I believe is the most important and the different technology that can be used makes the process even more exciting. Using final cut at first was a little confusing but after getting used to the program we started layering our clips on and then lip syncing. Lip syncing was a vital part of the editing stage and if it was not done right with precision then the whole video would not have looked at good quality. The effects we added when in final cut meant that the rendering time for our video was over 2 hours which then meant we could not watch the footage in full before it had to be uploaded on the blog. Although I think in the end the video came out well it could have been a little more improved by just going back through one more time and re adjusting the filters.

When using Photoshop this time I was able to use in more depth. When making the DVD cover and advert I was able to work out how most the tools worked and by using them I took an image and completely transformed what it looked like originally and then was able to add in our own images to the template so that our ideas could come to life. Although I did look on font websites we decide that the best one we felt fitted with our ideas was one of the ones on Photoshop so by using that we made our products really have the circus theme. 

directors commentary info

the directors commentary is used to add extra information that would otherwise not be know and it can also add entertainment to the viewer.

there are two types of commentarys the first being partial or scene-specific this only covers part of the film and sometimes they are recored without the speaker seeing the film so genral points may be made. the other type is called feature length which i recorded in one session. the speaker gives their comments on what is happening in real time on the screen.

a commentary track normally includes a commentary from the films director, cast and sometimes the writers. in some commentarys the chartacters get into character and perform their commentary in that way.

magazine advert

Digipak

This is our final digipak cover

Idea for digipak and Magazine ad!

Theme : Mime/ Circus

Basically for our magazine ad and digipak we want to emphasis the use of the mime in our music video. In other words for our magazine ad, we would like to create an old style circus poster, which we think will be interesting and eye-catching as well as linking to the video.  Here is an image of what sort of style of circus poster we want to create.

For our digipak, we'd quite like to link the idea of the old style circus, on the front we'd like to create another circus style poster with an image of the artist of it, and on the back, we'd like to have it in the style of an old ticket to a circus with all the information of the digipak on it, such as a barcode, age rating, what is on the DVD etc. On the inside of the front cover, we'd like to puts some reviews and

 possibly the lyrics to the tracks, possibly on a scroll included in the digipak. The inside design will be a tea-stained colour with lots of references to circus stuff.  Heres an image of the ticket, similar to the one we wish to create for the back cover of our Digipak:

We will use images of the mime on the back cover.

Final Music Video

Where did mimes comes from?

Mime is considered one of the earliest mediums of self expression. After the spoken language was developed mime came a form of entertainment. The scenes they would perform in early times would teach moral lessons.


Mimes first originated in Greece and then Italy where they were formally know as Commedia dell'Arte. in the middle ages and 16th century it reached its peak in italy. It originated in the market place in the early 1500's. by wearing masks with exaggerated comical faces they drew attention to themselves so that their acrobatic skills were noticed. the characters they created became known as Zanni and when two of these performers joined up it became an established genre. The subject matter was always contemporary and by wearing masks they were able to ridicule all aspects of society. 


Another name used was dei maschere because the actors wore masks. there was originally five different mimes; the sad clown, the happy clown, the villain and two others. the actor would choose which character to specialise in and then play that character throughout the play. 


The mime in our music video takes on the role of the sad clown as he tries to get the attention of his love. The story line goes with the generic mime plays where love plays a big role. during the end of the music video it is clear that the mime character changes to become a happy clown as he meets with his mime love. although there it is a music video so therefore contains music and words the mime himself never talks which also goes well with the generic silent films mimes were often a part of. 

Feedback from Amar and Andrea

Camerawork - All camerawork good, but need more close ups of artist and mime, and more shots in general of artist. We will possibly do some more filming in class, on site, so we can have these close ups. On the other hand, the lack of close up does make the end scene more powerful, but all the shots at the begining are very similarly framed, so there is need of some variation.

Editing - Possibly a change of tone, so that the music video doesn't look too "concrete" because most of the buildings are grey or beige. Our shots on mill pond are alot better because of the bright greens or the grass and trees, makes the colours seem alot bolder. More frequent shots of performance.

Concept - both really like the idea, and thought thats the ending was beautiful, but we need more close ups.

Feedback from rough cut video

Goodwins points:

• Visuals, lyrics all linked really well together
• The pace of the song fitted well with the camera work
• Lyrics and visuals 'waiting for you' shown well by mime waiting for the girl to take notice

Editing:

• All the cuts were on the beat and natural transitions and filming
• All the footage is filmed smoothly and the camera work was effective 
• Shot reverse shot
• Use more interesting filters and different shots

Mise-en-scene:

• Good costumes and makeup, and location
• Convincing man
• Utilizing natural light well

Creativity:

• Original, a very unique video
• The story link will keep the audience interested because they will never have seen any thing like this
• Good use with vocalist meeting up with the actors. Makes a good effect 
• Not boring!
• Overall very good :)

ROUGH CUT!

Jazzeh.

Keep, Grow, Change - music video intro task

Overall I feel that our music video intro went well but there are things that I would change and other things I wish to grow on.
Firstly in the research and planning stage it is clear from our blog that we did not do enough of this. Although we did look up the lyrics I would have liked to do more research into the artist and how he as a singer put himself across to other people because I think this would have helped us in the filming stag. I would also plan our video more even though we did have a rough idea as he how we would go about filming our intro we did not do a story board and prop list which would have been helpful.
The filming stage went well and I would keep the way we filmed in different locations all the way through the song so when it came to editing we could pick and choose what we could keep I would also keep the different shot types we used throughout. However I would now try and use more locations maybe use some outside to add a bit of variety to the video. We had a music problem so I would change the way we got the music; instead of using our own track I would Bluetooth the track from the computer to a phone so the editing and lip syncing would go together well.
We did not do an evaluation of our intro so I would definitely add this in the future as I thing it would show what we learnt throughout the process.
I learnt many skills throughout the project one was the lip syncing on the computer which was something new and will be very helpful in the next music video we do.   

folk rock genre

these are some videos from the folk rock genre by Bon Iver. This style of video is common in this genre. The lighting and colours through out the video are dark showing the emotions of the songs and the way in which the artist wanted to show his feelings through a video rather than just the music itself. 

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing original video

This is the video by Jack johnson of his song sitting, Waiting, Wishing. We looked at this at first to get a genral idea of the style of the song and then we have adapted the lyrics to come up with our own idea for a video.

Moodboard for 'Sitting, Waiting, Wishing'

Location Shotlists

 

Because we had so many different locations with different shot, which appear at varying times in the music video, we grouped the shots together in which location they appeared in, so our filming was more organized and ran smoothly.

Possible Magazine ad Photos

These are the pictures we took on a still camera while on the video shoot in Cambridge. They will be used in our digipak as images for our magazine advert and the other products.

StoryBoards

lyrics for sitting, waiting, wishing

Well I was sitting, waiting, wishing 
You believed in superstitions 
Then maybe you'd see the signs 

The Lord knows that this world is cruel 
I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool 
Learning lovin' somebody don't make them love you 

Must I always be waiting, waiting on you 
Must I always be playing, playing your fool 

I sang your songs, I danced your dance 
I gave your friends all a chance 
But putting up with them 
Wasn't worth never having you 

Maybe you've been through this before 
But it's my first time so please ignore 
The next few lines cause they're directed at you 

I can't always be waiting, waiting on you 
I can't always be playing, playing your fool 

I keep playing your part 
But it's not my scene 
Want this plot to twist 
I've had enough mystery 
Keep building it up 
Then shooting me down 
But I'm already down 

Just wait a minute 
Just sitting, waiting 
Just wait a minute 
Just sitting, waiting 

Well, if I was in your position 
I'd put down all my ammunition 
I'd wonder why'd it taken me so long 

But Lord knows that I'm not you 
And if I was, I wouldn't be so cruel 
Cause waitin' on love aint so easy to do 

Must I always be waiting, waiting on you 
Must I always be playing, playing your fool 

No, I can't I always be waiting, waiting on you 
I can't always be playing, playing your fool