Evaluation of The Planning Stage

The planning stage of my coursework was essential in giving me ideas on what to include and what not to include on my music video and subsidiary products. 

The first thing I did was create and conduct a questionnaire. This was for my potential target audience (listeners of indie music) so I could determine what they expect and want in the products that I was about to make. I analysed the results and it gave me information on what I should do for my products. It was very helpful. it also give me a hint as to what music videos/artists/bands I will analyse that would be inspiration for my final products.

Information I received from this research:

• Main colours of genre- Red, Black and White
• Guitar needs to be prominent in video
• Narrative with concept video
• Female vocalist
• Medium tempo
• Acoustic instruments
• Song needs to have meaningful lyrics as well as good music to accompany
• Needs to look professional and smooth and fulfill purpose. 

The next thing I did was analyse 3 different music videos that related to the genre and audience that I wanted to appeal to. This showed me that in making a music video, there were so many different ways that I could go about it. This confused me a little at first, but then I identified what worked and what didn't and what was more appropriate to the song that I had chosen. My song is Satellite Heart by Anya Marina.

Information I received from this research:

• A range of camera angles and movement is needed
• Needs to have good concept/story
• Needs to be Engaging
• Needs to flow well with the song
• Needs to look professional

Another part of my research was my interview with an industry expert. This was extremely helpful as he had first hand experience in the industry and told me important information and given me some ideas about the products that I was planning on making. The next step that he recommended me to do was make a mood board so that I would have more of an idea of what I should include in the products and doing an 'indie inspired' mood board would give me more imagery and ideas to work with. Creating the mood board helped me a lot. It showed me the similarities in all indie artists and the common vibe and imagery that had been used over and over again. Although i want to create products that are unique, it need to look like it belongs to a particular genre so that the audience doesn't get confused. This was another thing that the expert said that was very helpful.

Information I received from this research:

• Colour scheme - Autumn colours with black
• Video needs to tell a story but shouldn't be obvious, make the audience think
• I will be casting one female actress

The digipaks and advertisements/posters that I analysed came from mostly the same artists- Arctic Monkeys, Death Cab for Cutie and I had analysed the digipak from Lykki Li because it was an eye catching digipak and i found a very clear image of it whereas I couldn't find a clear digipak layout of Haim's albums and also thought that Haim's digipak would be as effective. Not being able to find a Lykki Li poster made me choose to analyse a Haim poster instead. Analysing these opened my eyes to the different kind of digipaks that were out there and how effective they were. It also got me thinking about the added things that i could add within it such as a mini poster, a lyric book etc.

Information I received from this research:

• Needs to look like a part of the artist i.e. needs to have consistency across all 3 products
• It has given me ideas about my advertisement and digipak
• Needs to look professional 
• Needs to be visually interesting
• Can be either portrait or landscape

All of the points that I have gathered together from my product research will be heavily refereed back to and be shown in my Music video, Poster and Digipak. This because I think the research that i have conducted is very valid and are the starting points of 3 substantial products.

Advertisement for Death Cab for Cutie

Advertisements for 'Narrow Stairs' Album.

Advertisement for Haim

Advertisement for Haim tour

Advertisement for Arctic Monkeys

Advertisement for the "Suck it and See" Album. 

Digipak Analysis

Arctic Monkeys

Death Cab for Cutie

Lykke Li

Music video analysis

No Sunlight- Death Cab for Cutie (Concept and Narrative)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vss_DUeTAd0

Camera works
The use of night vision camera is essential in the making of this video as it is filmed in darkness.
Fast cuts show sudden changes of shots. This makes it visually appealing because it is fast paced and we expect something significant to happen on the screen.

The range of shots and camera angles not only add much more interest to the video but also helps tell the story more for example, there is a shot where it is taken from the angle of the wheel and you can see the wheel moving as the boy is riding his bike this deepens the fact that it is a journey because we literally see the boy going on a journey to his destination.

Another camera technique that is very useful in the narrative is the pan movement. This makes us feel like we are on the bike with the boy because it replicates the height and speed. It can also be said that it is like a POV(point of view) shot because we she the things that the boy would see.






Editing
An editing technique that is most used in this music video is the use of short takes. This creates a rushed effect or that the action is fast paced or that there is a lot of things going on within the world of the video that to capture everything you would need short takes and more cuts. For example, from the beginning, we see an alarm clock beeping. This suggests that time is important and so when we see the boy getting ready, jump cuts are used to symbolise that no time can be wasted so we see an activity presented in a fraction of the time.

Sound
Sound is non-diagetic in this music video except for in the very beginning where the alarm clock beeps. The song matches with what is going on on the screen in relation to the rhythm and the tempo that fits in with the short takes and fast paced film.

Special Effects
The main special effect in this video is the use of night vision cameras. It gives it an unnatural feel when you watch it because the colors on the screen are green, black and white.

Another special effect could be the actions of the actors and how they act on screen. We know it is dark and it is night however the actors are doing activities such as swimming, washing their car, having a picnic and playing tennis as though it is a hot summers day.

They also use their acting skills to depict that it is hot and sunny even though we know it is not. This acting juxtaposes with the scene and the setting. This could be seen as confusing or creating visual interest.

At the end, the boy that is the center point of the video looks at the time and everyone panics and rushes inside to escape the morning. This shows fear and again could add to the confusion or visual interest on behalf of the audience. Time lapse shots are shown at the end of the video showing the sun rising and setting again, showing the passing of time.

Mise-en-Scene

Props- Props needed to be used to make the film more realistic and to illustrate the activities accurately. Here are some of the props that were used in the music video:
Bike, tennis rackets, alarm clock, deck chair, guitar, food, basketball

Location- This music video is located in a American small neighborhood.

Composition- A range of composition is used in this video. This adds interest and variety to the scenes.

Lighting- As it is night, torches are used in some parts and a night vision camera is used as well.
Night vision, corners darkened. Vignette

Costume- The actors are acting like it is a hot summers day and their costume shows that too with the use of swimming costumes and sunglasses. As the concept of time is important in this song, the wristwatch that the boy was wearing was significant too.

Mood Board Analysis

My Mood Board Focusing on Indie Music