Location Photos

As the chase sequence of our video is set in Camden, I decided to take pictures of where we could shoot our footage.
I found an interesting looking doorway, which is featured in the first slide, where our character could wake up and as there are lots of bridges in this area, I thought it would be good for a chase scene.

Storyboard

This is a slideshow of the storyboard that I drew out from Becky's Script.

Script - First Draft.

I have worked on the first draft of the script.What is written here is not yet final, as details need to be decided on, but this is the main idea of what our video shall be about.

Proposal

As there aren’t many lyrics to the song that we have chosen, I think that we’d need to make a narrative video to keep the audience engaged. When I listen to the song, the rhythm is quite disjointed and disconcerting and as the pace is quite fast and it increases at the end of the song, I think it would be ideal for an on foot chase scene.

The lyrics make me think of drug addiction, ‘I fed you again and again and again and again’ suggests to me that the character of the video has tried to feed their cravings for drugs, but, as they still want more, they are becoming desperate and see their addiction as being painful. Therefore, I think our video should disconcert the audience and should be distorted and confusing.

For the narrative of the music video, the setting will be somewhere dark and dimly lit. I think somewhere with winding corridors would be ideal, or perhaps a car park, as they are generally quite dark and have a lot of litter and the character could be chased down the stairs, from the top level down to the bottom.

I personally see this character as a young man, who is dressed scruffily, whose clothes are dirty after sleeping outside and whose hair is messed up and greasy, but that is not a final idea and we could challenge the audiences preconceptions by having a smartly dressed, middle aged woman, for example.

The character would wake up at the location not knowing where they are or how they got there. The editing would make it look distorted, as if we’re looking through the eyes of this person who is under the influence of drugs. For a while they’d be walking around, trying to make sense of their surroundings.

Then, if they were at a car park, they would try and call for the lift to take him down to the bottom, but then the lift opens and two men in white coats with masks on would be inside, causing him to run away. They then chase him, until finally the song ends and they catch him and push him to the floor.

The narrative could also include flash back scenes from the night before, perhaps of him visiting somewhere like Soho and interacting with the people there, going to the bar and drinking or taking drugs in the bathroom, with the men in white coats following him wherever he goes. These shots should also be distorted.

For the performance parts of the video, the band will play in a dimly lit room, both separately from each other and together as one unit, with a light swinging above their heads as they play their instruments. They could be wearing white coats and masks as well. The shots of the band will be mixed in with the narrative. For some of these shots, I’d like to have them moving in slow motion, such as in the parts where the singer sings ‘self addicted pain’, as the notes of the song are slow and drawn out at those parts.

Proposal

After looking at the different videos that had been analysis and looked at in terms of the way the different artists were represented within their work, from the costumes, to the performance, lighting, the camerawork (angles, shots used) to keep the audiences entertained and create a wider audience by appealing to different age groups, races, and classes.

The band that we have chosen to work with are a indie rock band who can be related to bands such as the horrors, joy division, but also the prodigy who are pshycodelic, with huge success with attracting audience with their outrageous and in your face performances in there videos and live showing the passion that they have for their music. This inspired me as I want the audiences to be able to connect with the band and enjoy the music.

The lyrics for the song that we chose are very limited but still very important and meaningful for the audience to connect with the band and the song, I personally think that some of the viewers will be able to relate to the lyrics more than others as the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the song is drug abuse, relating the headache with drug abuse and this will give us the opportunity to mess with peoples minds and show that even though it is bad for them they feed off this drug and it takes over their lives but they still want more. This make me want to create a video which will shock the viewers and have them think ‘WOW’ what just happened.

I then came up with that idea that the video will start off with slow paced flashes of the bands members, panning between the different members and the instruments, with shots from live performances to the band playing in an abandoned room, to them on the beach. The flashes then turn into a point of view shot in the lead singer’s perspective where he starts to things such as blurry people walking pass in masks, laughing and pointing creating an atmosphere of confusion. The people who are pointing and laughing in the masks are shown to the audience in stop motion which creates a flashing montage of memories. The clip ends with the lead singer waking up on the side of the road realising it was all a dream.

The location that i would be using for the filming of the video would be camden at night to create a gloomy look to the shots with natural lighting from the stalls and shops.

Proposal

Based on all of the research that our group has documented, the genre of our chosen band and the lyrics in the song we have chosen to use for our music video, this is my personal proposal for our music video. This won’t necessarily be the final idea but some aspects of it may be used along with ones from my group members.
As our chosen band can be categorised within the rock/indie genre I initially looked at bands like You Me At Six and 30 Seconds To Mars. But after listening to the song and realising that the song didn’t actually include many vocals I started looking at bands such as The Prodigy and Pendulum because they’re both widely known bands with more than one music video for their songs and compositions. Most of their videos are surprising and outrageous; out of the ordinary which, based on our research, can actually help gain publicity. Controversial videos and ideas have the majority vote as a way of gaining publicity due to the audience being curious to see why a video could be so shocking or amazing.
The lyrics, even though simple, still have an importance within the song so I have tried to base some of my idea around them. “Self addicted pain. I fed you again and again.” Now, at first I thought of a drug addicted or someone that self harmed but that may offend some viewers which is not what I want to achieve. So like The Prodigy, I begun to think out of the box and slightly obscure. Our chosen song would suit a Contemporary styled music video so I didn’t think it would necessarily have to tell a story. I thought about the idea of using a pet, preferably a dog, as a main subject. The lines “I fed you again and again” brings across, to me, a message of anger toward the dog for having to look after it. Someone could eat the dog or mess around with it’s insides, creating a slightly horrific and gory show. As crude as this sounds it’ll definitely get publicity. Toward the end of the song you’ll see the dog walking around again like nothing has ever happened, attempting to bring the audience at ease as well as leave them in shock.
I understand that this idea seems a little vague, but I’d like to share the views and discuss the ideas with my group members before going into details.

Censorship of Music

Censorship of music is the restriction of complete freedom in musical works. This censorship may stem from a wide variety of motivations e.g. moral, political, military or religious reasons. Censorship can be authorised from a huge range of sources, such as government-enforced prohibitions, or the voluntary removal of personal content. A prime example of these being the radio edit. In order to allow songs to be played wherever possible, it is common to censor certain words, particularly ones promoting vulgarity. Some music labels or artists produce censored versions themselves, sometimes with alternative lyrics, to oblige the rules set by the specific radio and television programs that they wish to broadcast on. Some stations decide to censor songs themselves using one of several methods:

- Blanking: When the volume is muted for all or part of the word.

- Bleeping: Playing a noise, usually a "beep", over all or part of the word.

- Resampling: Using a like-sounding portion of vocals and music to override the offending word.

- Resinging: Replacing a word with a more appropriate word.

- Backmasking: Taking the offending word and reversing the audio, sometimes the whole audio is reversed (often because it is a home-made job), but more usually only the vocal track is reversed.

- Repeating: Repeating the word just said before the explicit word was used.

- Skipping: Deleting the word from the song without a time delay.

- Echo: Instead of saying a word, it echoes the last word(s) said in the line.

- Disc scratching: In hip hop, scratching on the word, making it sound like another word, or make the word said faster or slower.

- RoboVoicing: Making the word totally non-understandable by overpowering a robovoice effect (usually used as a last resort for home-made jobs).

- Distorting: Usually in Hip-Hop, less offensive words such as "shit" or else is distorted. It is usually done by shifting down the pitch.

An example of radio censorship would be with Rage Against the Machine's 1992 song "Killing in the Name," towards the end of the song, the frontman, Zack De La Rocha, screams out "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" sixteen times before the screaming of "Motherfucker!". Some radio stations block out the whole part, some just censor the word "fuck", and others play a shortened version (clocking at 4:06) which removes this section (going straight from the end of the guitar solo to the outro) along with the intro. However in the same year, BBC Radio 1 was flooded by 138 phone call complaints by offended listeners after DJ Bruno Brookes accidentally played the uncensored version of Killing in the Name on BBC Radio 1's Top Forty Countdown show on a Sunday afternoon.

Censorship can occur for many other reasons as well. These include:

- Censorship of misheard words: When all or part of a word is mistaken for an inappropriate one, thus being censored.

- Censorship due to copyright infringement: Sampling without permission from the original material's copyright holders and record labels are forced to reissue material with anything ruled to infringe on existing copyrights removed.

- Political censorship: When more authoritarian governments censor music deemed critical of the government, the military, stores, TV stations, or other authorities.

- Censorship of artwork: When album artwork or additional artwork for a single/album is deemed explicit or unsuitable it is either censored or changed.

- Self censorship: When artists or record labels choose to censor themselves in order to avoid negative publicity or a Parental Advisory label.

- Criticism: When the total censorship of a song is reported in the mass media and often has the effect of drawing more attention to the song than it would have received, had it not been banned.

Examples of artists/bands that have received some form of censorship:

- Marilyn Manson: His release of (s)AINT is banned in many countries due to its content including BDSM, cunnilingus and drug use along with masturbation.

- Rolling Stones: When they were to perform the song "Let's Spend the Night Together", Ed Sullivan famously challenged the Rolling Stones to change the line to "Let's Spend Some Time Together."

- Bad Religion: Often singled out by religious groups for their logo.

Funding and Distribution

There are two types of record labels the first is major record labels and independent labels. Major record labels • Roadrunner record label • Warner bros record label • Vagrant record label • Elektra record label Roadrunner Records, who have worked with different bands in the genres of heavy metal and death metal. Some of the bands that are with this label are Slipknot, Stone Sour, Dream Theater, Trivium, Alter Bridge, Nickelback, Killswitch Engage, DragonForce, Murderdolls, Machine Head, Kiss, Rob Zombie, Airbourne, Black Stone Cherry, Lamb of God, Slash and many other showing a slight mix within the genre of rock, indie, heavy metal, and death metal. Below I added in a link to the Roadrunners website where it shows that current release from different bands who Roadrunner records are working with. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/newreleases/ Rob Zombie- Dragula I chose this video as it shows different visual effects which combined with the hair and make up and wardrobe added a high quaility and professional feel to the video creating an interesting piece to go with the bands style, of outrageous and in your face looks and stage presents.
Warner bros record label has a number of different genres such as comedy, alternative, rock, hip hop, pop and country. Artist such as Avenged Sevenfold, Arctic Monkeys, Disturbed, Goo Goo Dolls, Deftones, The Used, Serj Tankian, Metallica, HIM, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The White Strips, Oasis, Cher, Jack’s Mannequin and many others are under this record label. Avenged Sevenfold have a vast variety of different videos some of which are live preformances showing the interaction and dedication presented between the band and the fans showing the stage presents that they have and the reactions that they get from their performance. in some of the videos which are of performances you hear the fans as well as see them adding a contrasting effect that shows the fans are like family. Then they also create interesting and well throught out narrative videos which are a combination between shots of the band members and the story behind the song where they create some gorey and abstract shots/clips. Nightmare is an example of one of the interesting narrative pieces which Avenged Sevenfold have done. the video is below:
Avenged Sevenfold - Burn it down http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNOgvZRzwP4 Above is a link to the performance video which shows the bond between the fans and the band but still looks and feels professional. Vagrants record label is also a major record label with current bands such as Rammstein, Placebo, Alexisonfire, and in the past have worked with bands such as Alkaline Trio, EELS, and many other. They have worked with different languages/cultures such as Rammstein who are a German band formed in Berlin in 1994 creating a wider audience attracting different cultures. Rammstein-Amerika
Elektra record label is an American record label which is owned by Warner music group and was merged into WMG's Atlantic records group. Elektra records was a label which concentrated on folk music in the 50s and 60s recording and releasing a number of albums by Judy Collins since then they have grown into a major record label recording and releasing music from different artists within the genres of psychedelic rock from the 60s signing different artists such as Paul Butterfield blues bands with Mike Bloomfield other bands that were signed included The Doors, Tim Buckley. Paul Butterfield Blues Band "Oh Pretty Woman" live
Some other artists that have worked within this label include- AC/DC, Anthrax, Aphex Twin, Tim Buckley, Damageplan, Pantera, Dream Theater, Motley Crue and many others. Dream Theater - Constant Motion
Pantera are a good example of a band who have many hit with performance videos have many shots of different members and the fans adding lighting effects from the live shows/performances to create a simple but effective and professional looking video. i think this video shows that its not about the video but its about the music and the fans and that they dont need any gimics, dancers, or any extras on stage with them to get the crowd excited. Pantera-walk music video
Independent record labels • XL records • Cooking vinyl records XL Record Label is an independent British record company who with the success of bands such as The Prodigy who are electronic, Late 1990s the record label started expanded into other genres which included freak folk, alternative rock, hip hop and UK garage alongside the original genres which were rave and dance. They have a range of different artists including the likes of Radiohead, basement Jaxx, Dizzee Rascal, friendly fire, Adele, vampire weekend, amongst other. In March 2008 they signed the horrors who fall into the genre of indie. The Horrors – Whole new way

This is a video from the prodigy's 1992 album which was was released under XL records showing the huge differenece between the bands work then and now with there latest album invaders must die which was under cooking vinyl record label in 2009. The Prodigy- Warrior dance
The prodigy then moved on from XL records where they had released five albums to cooking vinyl record label who are also a independent British record label where they produces and released their latest album in 2009 invaders must die. Cooking Vinyl Records Label who produced the latest album by the prodigy – invaders must die are an independent British label who originally set out to produce bands within the genre of folk music with artists such as Billy Bragg and Michelle shockeds. The label has grown and become diverse when it comes down to the genre of the music creating a stronger and bigger company attracting more artists and a wide range of consumers. They have branched out into the genre of rock with the likes of The Lemonheads, The Donnas (to name a few), indie with The Charlatans, Idlewild, punk with the Buzzcocks, Blondie, The Undertones, and electronic with The Prodigy and The Orb. Billy Bragg-New England
The Lemonheads- Mrs Robinson
Distirbution There are different ways in which the albums/music can be promoted and distirbuted by the record labels such as record sales, concerts, commercials via radio, internet, TV, billboard, posters, and magazines, computer games, films, and mobile phones. Different music channels distribute on the TV (scuzz, kerrang!, Q, NMEtv, etc) and internet (facebook, youtube, myspace, etc) can play and promote the different bands. Some of the channels mostly play major label successful bands/artist, whereas the internet allows the consumers to tap into both mainstream artists and non mainstream, making the internet a more successful way of receiving different music from different sites.

Having researched different record companies both major and independent I have I come to the conclusion that for our band we should go with an independent label such as Cooking Vinyl Records as they have worked with simular bands and can give Wolvves( the band that we are using for our music video) a kickstart in the right direction working with a label that has past experience with the genres that Wolvves dab into, knowing what to expect and how to deliver and promote the band attracting audiences of a wider range. Wolvves could be distributed amougst different channels such as scuzz, mtvrocks, kerrang!. It can also be distirbuted via the internet using youtube, facebook and myspace amongst other.

At the moment the band are promoting themseleves via the internet on fecebook which is attracting fans. link is below:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Wolvves/183191635049089

Song Lyrics - "Hardest Question": Arms of Mexico

These are the lyrics from the song: "Hardest Question" by our chosen band: Arms Of Mexico. The intended song to use for our music video.

Verse:
Self Addicted Pain (Repeatedly)

Chorus:
I Fed You x3
I Fed you again and again and again and again

HARDEST QUESTION on all major download s by Arms of Mexico

Representation Issues - Conclusion

Indie music has originated from alternative rock during the 1980’s. controversial on weather indie rock deserves to be successful as the term come from rock artist’s who work with independent record labels, this is extremely important as enables them to maintain complete creative control ensuring they are true to their music. However in recent years promotional tools such as the internet, album sales, mp3 sales and word of mouth maintain their careers. However many acts have now signed onto either major or subsidiary labels which has created controversy on their title of being Indie. However this subgenre has enabled more artist to emerge. Representation of artist can be perceived in various different ways depending on the; artist, genre and most important how they want to construct them selves. The main aspects that control representation are; props, location, gender, lyrics/soundtrack/music, performance type and wardrobe styling. which is then generally constructed in to stereotypes with in genres. The typical rock image is to be edgy, individuals, who want to stand out and be unconventional, and show creativity in different ways, ironically in many wanting to perceive this different stature they tend to be more alike then different. On the other hand representation of characters in hip hop videos differ to rock videos, as it is very male dominated as they claim to have the high life with ‘money, cars and women’ which are essential conventional tools in promoting a hip hop video. This is displayed extremely well in videos such as ‘Tip drill’ by Nelly as he swipes a credit card between a women’s bottom, reflecting they can be brought and are only there to comply men’s sexual desires. Music videos are a essential tool in representing star image and power as it reinforces the artists ‘Iconography’. the artists image Is just as important to them as there music. Styling of artist are very conventional within genres as in rock conventionally; dark, gothic, black, leather boots, which contrasts to hip hop videos using baseball caps, vests, baggy clothing large jewellery and women. The mise-en-scene is crucial as lighting location and props construct a visual image of the artist. It is essential to understand this as we will need to represent the band in a way that will be able to promote them.

Representation Issues - Ideology of "Indie Rock" Music

Indie Rock, originating in the United Kingdom and the United States (1980’s), is a sub-genre of alternative rock. The term is challenged today by many musicians, fans and commentators as no one is entirely sure whether musicians/bands using the genre of “indie rock” really deserve to become successful.

It is used to describe any rock music produced by artists working within a network of independent record labels and underground music venues or by artists that are unsigned and wished to class themselves within a specific genre. Others see indie rock as a distinct genre of rock music with a specific artistic set of principles, and care less about the context in which it is made. Many believe that both re intertwined; that the art and the meaning behind the music production are paired.

Indie rock artists are known for making it a priority to maintain complete control of their music and careers, releasing albums on independent record labels and relying on touring, word-of-mouth, airplay, independent radios and, in more recent years, the internet for promotion and fame. However, in recent years, many acts with a musical style identified as “indie” have signed themselves us with major record labels or their subsidiaries and began promoting themselves through more traditional media outlets, ones used by famous bands/musicians within other genres.

This has led to the confusion of the meaning of the term, resulting in the ideologies of “indie rock” being something of a more personal opinion rather than a stated, factual meaning. After reading multiple forums and personal views from others, the true ideology of indie rock music is inconclusive. Some people don’t agree that indie rock should be considered a genre altogether, whilst others believe that the greatest indie rock artists were created in the 1980’s during the time that indie rock began with many following on in their footsteps today.

I personally believe that the creation of indie rock music has allowed many more artists to be discovered, opening new opportunities and musical cultures. For example, a new band may not be “rocky” enough by rock music fans, or “poppy” enough by pop music fans, so wouldn’t have been promoted enough if classed in either of those genres. But if their songs were a mix of the two then the introduction of “indie rock” music would allow their music to be listened by people who would really appreciate their style.

Representation Issues - Star Image and Power.

Music videos are essential in reinforcing an artist’s ‘iconography’, the image that they have created for themselves in order to become recognisable by the general public. Artists may consider their image to be as important, if not more important, than the music that they create and they generally concentrate on creating a style and a look that fits with their genre of music, but which also has a sense of easy recognition. Usually this style is quite stereotypical and predictable, because when it isn’t, there is generally some backlash.

For example, in the video by The Horrors, which I analysed, the band members had a clear and consistent style, which connected them all together as one unit, something which is important for a band. Their dark, gothic style easily fit in with their dark, gothic music and it is also something that they will be recognised for.

With artists such as Lady Gaga, there is not a clear link between her music and the image that she has created and she often faces criticism for being too over the top and eccentric. Artists generally stick to stereotypes, as it is easier than breaking away from the conventions.

For example, a rock band would usually wear clothes that are associated with rock music, such as black, leather trousers and thick, heavy boots. They may wear eyeliner, or ‘guyliner’, as it is referred to now. A hip hop artist would generally wear a bandana or baseball cap and heavy gold jewellery, with a vest and baggy jeans or tracksuit bottoms.

The setting of the video can help establish image as well. If the artist wants to come across as wealthy, they’d film their video in a luxurious location, as is the way with a lot of R’n’B music. If artists want to associate themselves with darkness and evil, they’d film it in a dark, dirty looking location with skulls or gore and other symbolic imagery. The mise-en-scene is important in showing what the artist is trying to represent as their image.

Division of power in videos can also help reinforce the artist’s image. In a lot of rock, R’n’B and hip hop videos by male artists, women have a much lower status than the artist and the other men in the video. Hip hop artists often take the image of being a ‘pimp’ to a literal level, being dominant over the women, who are usually dressed in revealing outfits or are actually completely topless.

Women are often treated as if they were just objects – different parts of their bodies are shown separately, so the audience doesn’t see the whole woman, just parts of her body, such as her breasts.

These videos use voyeurism as a selling point and as a way to gain notoriety and popularity. It also reinforces the image that these artists build for themselves. They want to come across as tough and manly and even frightening. They want to show that they can get any woman that they want and still have others throwing themselves at them.

Even when a female artist is representing herself in a music video, her image is usually similar to the way women would dress in these videos, regardless of the genre of the music. Most female artists use their bodies as a selling point, even if they are more dominant in the video than males. They generally wear revealing outfits to show that they are attractive, to show their bodies off to those watching the video and even if they wear non-revealing clothing, they are still made to look attractive and appealing in order to sell their music.

Representation

Representation of different characters within the music industry changes within each genre creating stereotypical characters for males and females and in some cases age changes the way they are represented in the videos. The characters are also represented by their social group, race, and surrondings.

Different genres are represented by different aspects within the video such as

• Props
• Locations
• Gender
• Lyrics/soundtrack/music
• Narrative/storylines
• Performance type
• Wardrobe/styling

All of these aspects change the feel of the video and create/attract certain audiences. Some videos are based on performance such as Nickelback –burn it to the ground showing the performance footage from a live show and made it into a video. Showing the energy and commitment from the fans at the show and the chemistry between the band and their fans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l4i-ernOKk

Going against the forms and convention of the genre/stereotype, attracts a larger audience in some cases showing the artist/s are not concerned if it is not part of the image that they should portray but want to show the creativity in different ways. This might represent different types of people male or female, young and old. For example some artists at live shows like to change it around and surprise the audiences. I have a video which was from the 31^st October 2010 at Hammersmith Apollo of stone sour where the lead singer Corey Taylor poses as a woman in a white tutu with a purple wig, this also added to his stage presents and added humour to the performance.

Watch from 0.48 seconds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIZoekhY5NI

Other bands like kings of Leon create different videos such as use somebody which almost everyone can relate to, this song to me created a wider audience for them due to the bands creativity and music. This video shows different cities where they played different shows mixed in with abstract shots of the band on tour getting ready for shows with many props such as the shower, a car, and beer. These where put together in different ways some fast motion montage shots, footage from different shows showing different parts of the song and concept shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWhairF_DS8

Compared to 30 seconds to mars with closer to the edge, where fans were part of the video the album making appearances in the video at shows and speaking their minds on during the video.

Also from the same album by 30 seconds to mars the song kings and queens showed a group of people cycling through downtown la and toward Santa Monica pier with the lead singer showing the band interact with the fans and allow them to be a part of the album in many other ways including being on the cover of the album which had a different fans face on each cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTMrlHHVx8A

Avenged sevenfold show, props that were used added to the performance of the genre. Props used were metal gothic gates with a backdrop of an old abandoned house/mansion creating a cemetery feel, also the fire in the background added to the gothic feel where it was used in time with the beat creating an effect look and a gives the audience a well throughout performance.

Females in the rock genre are represented in a number of ways compared to hip hop of r’n’b where the women in videos are usually shown as sexy, and usually prance around in the back of the video shaking their body parts to appeal to the audiences. The men in hip hop videos tend to be presented as gangsters with props such as guns, cars and women. Whereas in rock videos the band usually star in the video showing different creatures and get involved with the fans.

The lyrics of different songs in the rock genre are about different issues in reality in the video by stone sour sillyworld which combines politics and real opinions and feelings about war and other topics. In hip hop videos the lyrics are mostly about drugs, sex, money and cars sending the message to audiences that to have these elements in life all you need is money and you will be content with your life, but what they don’t show is that with money comes a dream world full of fake relations and material items.

Stone sour-sillyworld

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2R8Q685Bz0

Role Research - Camera Person

The camera man is responsible for physically operating the camera and maintaining composition throughout a given scene or shot. In filmmaking of any sort, the camera man will collaborate with the director, director of photography, actors and crew to make technical and creative decisions. In this setting, a camera operator is part of a camera crew consisting of the director of photography and one or more camera assistants (however as we are a group of four this will not be the case during this production)

The role of cameraman is required in a vast range of settings from studios to live events. A cameraman uses his specialized training to manipulate factors like angle, lighting and psychographic effect in the career field.

Important camera operating skills consist of; choreographing and framing shots, knowledge of and the ability to select appropriate photographic lenses, and other equipment (dollies, camera cranes, steady cam, etc.) to portray dramatic scenes. The principle of a dramatic story telling and film editing fundamentals are important skills as well. The came operator is required to communicate clearly and concisely on film sets where time and budget constraints are ever present.

Role Research - Editor

As an editor I have to work closely with the director to portray his/her vision and to help to produce the best possible video, which will appeal to a wider audience. In this case the band’s input is also important to a certain extent as they may have a certain look or vision of how they want to portray themselves for their audiences. Using final cut pro I am going to be editing the different shots to create interesting and attention grabbing combinations within the video. Some of the other

The skills that and editor is required to have are:

Organisation skills and an eye for detail, from the sound and the shots keeping them in time with one another making a professional and perfected video for the band, which can be used to promote them. As the editor I will have to have good communication skills with others in my group and the band to put together a video that we are all happy with and believe looks best for the band.

This video is not a music video but is a very good example of stop motion and it shows how long it took to make with all the stoping and painting over and over again till they had a moving image, using a still camera, creating a interesting and effective video. With this type of filming/video making the editing is what brings it altogether to create a professional and interesting video which resembles a flick book.

Role Research - Lighting

Lighting.

Three Point Lighting.

While filming a video, the use of three lights is important. The key is the main light and is the most important one. It is usually placed at about 45 degrees from your subject and the light is aimed down, rather than directly at the subject. As it is the main light, it is the main source of illumination on the subject and as a result may cause strong shadows.

The fill is usually set at about 45 degrees from your subject on the opposite side to the key and is broader and usually about two or three stops dimmer. The job of the fill is to keep the shadows from the key from being too strong.

The backlight is aimed at your subject from behind and above and is also set at about a 45-degree angle. It gives the subject a glow, which gives some separation between the subject and the background behind them. This is often called a "defining edge". This is particularly useful for shooting someone with dark hair against a dark background.

Light Modifiers

• Barn Doors: These are used to control the path of the light and also the direction it is coming from. They don't diffuse light normally, but there are heat resistant diffusion materials that can be clipped to them.

• Reflective umbrella: This is an umbrella that is painted white, silver or gold on the inside. They collect light from the bulb, diffuse it, and aim it towards the subject.

• Shoot through umbrella: This is a transparent umbrella and the light travels through the fabric and diffuses. It also reflects back towards the lamp, giving a lot of spill behind, too. These are particularly useful for lighting large areas of a room.

• Softboxes: These are similar to reflective umbrellas, but are box shaped and completely enclosed. One or two additional layers of translucent material make the light even more diffused.

• Snoots: These are cone or tube like devices and are used to focus a beam of light in a very tight spot - often used on backlights to keep light from spilling onto the background.

• Grids: They can be made of cloth, metal, or plastic. Grids tightly focus and soften a light. They are often used to create a small soft circle of light against a backdrop.

Using natural light.

The sunlight, when it is a sunny day, will be quite harsh, causing deep shadows on the subject. Shady areas, beneath trees, can be used to lessen the harshness of the light. Reflectors are important when shooting outside, but as they can be expensive, sunshades can also be used. Because the sunlight only falls at one specific angle, reflectors are necessary in distributing the light to other areas. Reflectors catch the light and send it in the direction you want it to go. This creates two sources of light and creates more of a studio environment outside.

Increasing light.

When in a studio or somewhere else with electrical lighting, if you find that the lighting on your subject is not strong enough, the easiest way to combat this is to simply move the light closer to your subject. Also, the location of the subject can be changed so that the light falls in the right places. When indoors and using natural light, make sure all the blinds or curtains are open so that the maximum amount of light comes in. Turn electrical lights on to maximise the amount of light in the shot and lessen the amount of noise that will show on your footage.

Role Research - Director

The director is responsible for making sure the subject or subjects know what they are supposed to be doing, for organising the production crew’s tasks and directing them as to how to complete them and also, for controlling the artistic aspects of the production, making sure that it fits in with their creative ideas as well as the script. They work under the producer – the person who oversees the project and delivers it to potential audiences and clients – and the two members of the team work towards mutual, workable ideas. The director takes charge of the creative aspects of making the production, whereas the producer works on funding, casting and other practical sides to the project. Both are actively involved in the production process. Directors are in control of developing the production from simple ideas on a script to actual camera shots, deciding on camera angles, lighting and set design, as well as the tone and audience of the production. They are driven by the tone, rhythm and sound of a musical track and usually use storyboards to help them with the filming process. Notable music video directors include Chris Cunningham, Marc Webb and Jonas Akerlund.

Chris Cunningham is a British director from Reading, Berkshire. His work is more underground than that of the other two. His first endeavours with video work involved model-making, prosthetics and illustrations – some of which have carried on to his current work, such as the video for Rubber Johnny by Aphex Twin. His music videos include Bjork’s All Is Full Of Love, Madonna’s Frozen and Aphex Twin’s Windowlicker – all of which have reached critical acclaim and have received various awards. Marc Webb is an American director from Indiana. He has produced music videos for rock acts, such as My Chemical Romance, Green Day and The Used, as well as popular music acts like Hilary Duff, Pussycat Dolls and P Diddy. His work is aimed at a mainstream audience, like Jonas Akerlund’s but unlike Chris Cunningham’s, and he has a large budget for production. Jonas Akerlund is a Swedish director, based in America and he has worked with mainstream acts such as Lady Gaga, Madonna, Metallica, U2 and Britney Spears. The video for Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi received five nominations at the VMAs and won the awards for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects. The follow-up video, Telephone, was inspired by Kill Bill – Tarantino even let them borrow the car which Uma Thurman drives in the film – and received critical acclaim and awards for Video of the Year and Best Collaboration.

Role Research - Producer

A record producer works within the music industry and oversees/manages the recording i.e. the production of an artists music.

The professional record producer's aim is to produce a recording which will appeal to many thousands of paying customers. To achieve this aim the producer requires:

- Good judgement
- An understanding of the type of music
- Awareness of current trends in the industry
- Knowledge of the market

A producer has many roles that may include gathering ideas for the project, selecting songs, selecting musicians/bands, coaching the artist in the studio, managing the recording sessions and supervising the entire process through mixing and mastering. A producer also often takes on a wider role by taking responsibility for the budget, schedule and negotiations.

Today, the recording industry has two kinds of producers: executive producer and music producer; they have different roles. While an executive producer oversees a project's finances, a music producer (who can be compared to a film director) oversees the creation of the music.

There are numerous different technologies utilized by the producer. In modern day recordings, recording and mixing tasks are centralized within computers. However, there is also the main mixer, outboard effects gear, and the recording device itself.

During the recording and “mix down“, a producer will also work closely with the sound engineer and should be aware of his or her objectives.
An experienced producer will:

- Use the expertise of the sound engineer
- Incorporate most suggestions from that source
- Not interfere with the operations of the recording
- Only overrule the engineer if absolutely necessary

In the process of contributing to the creation of a sound recording, a producer may have to acquire a variety of legal rights. Shared ownership of the rights in a recording could make it difficult for a record company to effectively exploit a recording which it has commissioned. A record producer's contract will therefore, among other things, assign any rights they might acquire in the recording to the record company.

Interviews - Conclusion

1. What do you think makes a music video effective?

This open question could have many diverse answers depending on the person and there style, however I began to discover that the answer to this question to be rather similar between all of my interviewers weather they be male/ female, young or middle aged. The simplest way to reflect there thoughts, were; instant visual impact, it to be striking, and an original concept, the most essential thought was to create something that had not been done before, a new concept so I believe in order to take this aboard, in the most effective way would be to challenge the conventions. One candidate even said that it was not even that important weather the story had any relation to the song, giving us an open option to then therefore do as we please making it as extravagant as possible not restricting us in any way.

2.do you think a music video needs to be controversial to gain publicity?
For this question I had mixed opinions however the thought behind were similar as if it is controversial it is instantly recognised and publicised hence generating more viewers. However for the people that said it was not essential for it to be controversial, did believe ‘that videos that provoke strong reactions will be discussed and receive more publicity than run of the mill ones. However an original idea will get people talking more.’

3.what’s your favourite music video and why?
Once again I had mixed thoughts as I got various videos and reasons, however one thing that was agreed upon amongst the candidates was that it is difficult to choose a ‘favourite’ music video as new ones are constantly being produced, so your options are constantly changing, which will effect you depending on your mood or your thoughts during periods and how you develop as a person will effect your thoughts at different stages of your life, however saying this the videos that were chosen were done so due the viewer believing that the video was shocking and had a sense of originality and excitement of some form. Once again I feel this conveys that it is essential that we construct something that is unpredictable and unconventional in order to capture the viewers attention.

Interview

Henry McDermott- 17 years old

1. What do you think makes a music video effective?
In my opinion having a unique and interesting music video is the must effective as this gains the viewers interest. Using different ideas that other artists haven’t yet thought of often gains the music videos popularity and therefore creates an overall positive outlook on it. However, I also think it’s important to original ideas with what a lot of people want and expect with music videos as long as it can relate back to the song or the target audience. For example, this could be violence, parties or references to sex.

2.do you think a music video needs to be controversial to gain publicity?
Yes
-Why?
I do think a music video needs to be controversial to gain publicity as it is an easy way to get viewers attention.

3. What is your favourite music video?
- why?
My favourite music video is Akon and David Guetta- Sexy Bitch as it put you in a good mood to party and attempt to get laid.






Fliss- 45 years old.

1. What do you think makes a music video effective?
Instant visual impact or something that tells a story regardless of weather it has any relation to the song. Something that makes me laugh.

2.do you think a music video needs to be controversial to gain publicity?
I don’t think a video has to be controversial but there is no doubt that videos, that provoke strong reactions will be discussed and receive more publicity, than run of the mill ones. I think an original idea will get people talking more.

3. What is your favourite music video?
- why?
Sid Vicious- My Way. My reaction to it has changed so much over the years. At the time it was made it was quite shocking but now it strikes me as slightly amusing and also poignant because he didn’t really do anything his way and was dead within a few months.






John- 19 years old


1. What do you think makes a music video effective?
Two things;
i. striking/ new visuals/ good storyboard idea.
ii. Strong musical track.

2.do you think a music video needs to be controversial to gain publicity?
No but it helps because people in the wider media will be disusing it and as they say ‘there is no thing as bad publicity’

3. What is your favourite music video?
- why?
I haven’t really got one but I liked Prodigy’s Smack My Bitch Up I thought the camera work created a high energy/ confused style, there was lots going on and it had a good twist at the end.

Interview 3 (Hana)

I think that the current music videos appeal to the younger generation more so then any other generation. I think that the use of fashion for me is very important it appeals to me showing me the creativity and the inspiration which could have been taken from older generations such as lady gaga and Cher who are from different generations but lady gaga was inspired by Chers fashion style but took it to the next level making the outfits more and more outrageous creating different impressions on all of her fans.

I also think that the lighting makes the videos exciting and different and creates a different mood. The way the music and the light sequences go together for example in ushers-omg video which is a performance video and creates a sense of hard work and shows the fans that he stays true to himself as a artist and a performer. Using dancer routines and special effect lighting to resemble a club scene created a simple but well thoughout performance and different angle shots cut up and put together to create a interesting and abstract piece.

I think that artist in this generation do have to be controversial in any way that they want to be weather it is through their wardrobe their make-up or the performances in the videos, which the fans/ audiences would be into and would inspire people to follow them and be even more controversial through their music and fashion.

My favourite music video would have to be Katy Perry California girls whom I like because it is fun and playful and the sets are amazing and new as they were based on will cottons paintings of these fantasy candy land images. I also like that she has stuck to her style and has stayed true to her fans/audience.

http://http//www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=will+cotton&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=zHrRTL-0OIqRjAeNxMWiDA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&ved=0CDAQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=530

Interview 2 (Janay)

I believe that to make a music video for me it has to be exciting interesting I prefer to see the performance combined with the narrative showing me a part of both and I think the more creative the larger the audience. On the other hand I think that special effects sometimes spoil the videos and in most professional videos they don’t use a lot of special effects.

By keeping the audience entertained by the lighting and costumes and fantasy make up or location in the narrative it give the audience different aspects to concentrate on and find an element that they can relate too.

I think that as long as the artist is good enough and is just creative and inspiring in the way they may dress or the way that they move and work the audiences through their videos then they don’t need to be controversial to gain publicity. I like that some artist may go against stereotypes and like to be different as they stand out and send a positive message to the younger audiences.

My favourite music video has to be Michael Jackson –remember the time which I found really creative and I loved the location of the video showing that there was a lot of planning and care taken when coming up with the details of where and how the video will be shot. The location of the video was in Egypt with all the different costumes and colours a lot of yellows and gold’s with the rich blues and reds, which all added to the Egypt theme and added to the video in a positive way. ‘I want to be entertained’ is said in the beginning by the women and this is exactly what the audience gets, entertainment. The video was a mix of narrative and performance which is one of the elements that I like to see in a music video. The narrative part being revolving around the Egypt theme and the performance more of an original Michael dance with different and amazingly created costumes and hair and make-up.

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BEPgeNessg&feature=related

Interview 1 (Julio)

I believe that to make a music video for me it has to be new and fresh I don’t like to see the same thing for different artists I like to see new and excitingly creative performances and videos. I like to see a performance but also like the narrative part of the videos. I don’t think that special effects have a positive or professional affects on me as I feel the video loses the professionalism if not done correctly.

The main part of the video for me is to keep the audience entertained by the lighting and costumes and fantasy make up for example when we all first saw lady gaga and her style and passion for the music and every little aspect was through of in the videos creating interesting new and fresh ideas.

I think that as long as the artist is good and shows the audience that they are passionate and creative and show they have thought about the videos and if their fans would like it or not. I also think that it is important that the artist sticks to their true passion and what they want to create for the world to hear. I think that the artist doesn’t need to be controversial to gain publicity as I think that from the performance they give the music should be the most important part of what they are doing as artists not the publicity. I believe that the artist to stick to what they want even if it attracts bad publicity or good. I like that some artists go against their typical stereotypes in the videos and create something new for the listeners. For example I would love to see a hip hop video which has not got flashing lights and guns all the time and to show me something new and fresh. Music stands out for it-self you don’t need to be controversial.

My favourite music video would have to be electric relaxation by a tribe called quest which is from the movie Wayne brothers. I like this video because I can relate to it as it is set in the city of New York but looks really simple like it could have been done with a group of friends, which helps not just me but other relate too. It is mostly set in just two locations within New York City one of which is in the taxi and the other is in the café.

Interview 2

Gender: Male

Age: 28

1. What do you think makes a music video effective?

Well... The editing has to be fast paced; preferably the same as the tempo of the music otherwise it just gets boring or confusing. Something that works with the music allows me to get a feeling of the song and the message or vibe it’s trying to give off. Special effects also help in this modern day and age because it’s new and brings something that the audience has never seen before. Technology is improving, not just for games or for movies, but for music as well. Showing that within a music video can show how creative technology can be.

2. Do you think a music video needs to be controversial to gain publicity?

It doesn’t necessarily have to be controversial. Publicity is key, yeah, but universal websites and mainstream methods of publicity may be more successful. You Tube, chain e-mails, social networking site posts, etc; spreading it around! It also depends on how famous or well-known the artist/band is to be fair. An unsigned band won’t get the publicity that say, Madonna would.


3. What’s your favourite music video?

O.K. Go – “This too shall pass”.

- Why?

Because... I can’t explain... I’m not even sure why I completely like it; you can just tell that a great deal of planning has been put into it. It’s so creative and you just can’t keep your eyes off of it! The idea seems so simple but the method used to make it shows difficulty, with practise behind it. The band has performed for their fans and has given them a truly entertaining video, making the song it has been used for unforgettable.