Sunday, 3 February 2013
Music Video Collage
Student Videos
I have also decided to look at some of the work of previous students to evaluate what works and does not work so well in a more realistic portrayal of what I might be capable of creating myself.
In this first video we see that all of the scenes are filmed at night with a poor source of lighting. Consequentially this affects the quality of the clips and perhaps is not completely necessary. One of the largest issues I feel this piece has is the lack of close ups on the singer, there were moments especially at the beginning of the video where it seemed to need some form of cross cutting with close-up shots to keep the interest of the viewer. Another weakness of the video is the fact that the camera is not moving that often. Around the end we see more variation in camera angles and movement, however for the first half of the video it is very static, something which makes the video drag on a little.
The video began by keeping the shot changes very solidly on the beat of the song. This worked nicely, helping it to match the pace well and establish a tone. Some clever editing techniques were used which included splitting the screen to have multiple copies of the main singer and having several still shots of him appearing on a different park bench. These shots worked nicely and added a contrast in pace to the other slower clips.
As a contrast, this student production is more successful. The shots change more frequently with a great variation of transitions and the camera moves with the singer. These techniques used to combine lots of shorter shots work far more effectively than simply using one long lasting shot. The variation holds the viewer's interest and we see a good use of story telling alongside the constant of the black screen in the background returning for parts of the verse and the chorus. The shots flicker and change to match the music, and this changing in pace does not only match the music but it also builds up the suspense to go along with the story being told in the background. There are a great deal of close up shots used, allowing us to see more of our singer and her expressions.
In this first video we see that all of the scenes are filmed at night with a poor source of lighting. Consequentially this affects the quality of the clips and perhaps is not completely necessary. One of the largest issues I feel this piece has is the lack of close ups on the singer, there were moments especially at the beginning of the video where it seemed to need some form of cross cutting with close-up shots to keep the interest of the viewer. Another weakness of the video is the fact that the camera is not moving that often. Around the end we see more variation in camera angles and movement, however for the first half of the video it is very static, something which makes the video drag on a little.
The video began by keeping the shot changes very solidly on the beat of the song. This worked nicely, helping it to match the pace well and establish a tone. Some clever editing techniques were used which included splitting the screen to have multiple copies of the main singer and having several still shots of him appearing on a different park bench. These shots worked nicely and added a contrast in pace to the other slower clips.
As a contrast, this student production is more successful. The shots change more frequently with a great variation of transitions and the camera moves with the singer. These techniques used to combine lots of shorter shots work far more effectively than simply using one long lasting shot. The variation holds the viewer's interest and we see a good use of story telling alongside the constant of the black screen in the background returning for parts of the verse and the chorus. The shots flicker and change to match the music, and this changing in pace does not only match the music but it also builds up the suspense to go along with the story being told in the background. There are a great deal of close up shots used, allowing us to see more of our singer and her expressions.
Award Winning Pop Music Videos
Below are two Music Videos which won Best Pop Video in the MTV Video Music Awards 2012. By watching these I hope to pick up key conventions used within popular music videos within the pop genre.
The videos play close attention to rhythm, the shots often changing on the beat of the song and these changes speeding up and slowing down to match the varying pace of the song. Chorus is often used to bring to song back to a familiar point, the shots from the chorus are sometimes the same and the setting used for the singer to sing the chorus in remains fairly constant. The star, or main singer is often very much focused on, we see this in both videos as they hold the majority of the screen time in comparison to the other people in the video.
The visuals do relate very much to the lyrics in both videos. The theme of the first song 'We are Young' by FUN is very much about living life to the full when young and enjoying yourself. The video corresponds to these lyrics, showing a bar full of young people being destructive and acting recklessly for fun. In the second video 'Boyfriend' by Justin Bieber we see the focus of the song is on relationships and couples. Therefore to match such a topic, we see the singer surrounded by couples, along with a girl at his side to sing to.
Both videos show the singer playing an instrument (the guitar), and both use a variety of slow motion shots and close-ups. The close-ups often used in cross-cutting different shots. Another common trend to be observed is that the singer is not always lip-synching throughout the entire song. Often the focus can be away from the singer as we still hear them singing.In fact, few of the shots focus on the lip syncing at all.
The videos play close attention to rhythm, the shots often changing on the beat of the song and these changes speeding up and slowing down to match the varying pace of the song. Chorus is often used to bring to song back to a familiar point, the shots from the chorus are sometimes the same and the setting used for the singer to sing the chorus in remains fairly constant. The star, or main singer is often very much focused on, we see this in both videos as they hold the majority of the screen time in comparison to the other people in the video.
The visuals do relate very much to the lyrics in both videos. The theme of the first song 'We are Young' by FUN is very much about living life to the full when young and enjoying yourself. The video corresponds to these lyrics, showing a bar full of young people being destructive and acting recklessly for fun. In the second video 'Boyfriend' by Justin Bieber we see the focus of the song is on relationships and couples. Therefore to match such a topic, we see the singer surrounded by couples, along with a girl at his side to sing to.
Both videos show the singer playing an instrument (the guitar), and both use a variety of slow motion shots and close-ups. The close-ups often used in cross-cutting different shots. Another common trend to be observed is that the singer is not always lip-synching throughout the entire song. Often the focus can be away from the singer as we still hear them singing.In fact, few of the shots focus on the lip syncing at all.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
History of the Pop Music Video
I am going to look at popular music videos from the pop genre over the last ten years. I am going to see how they have changed and developed whilst looking to see any common conventions shared between them.
2004- Avril Lavigne - So Much for My Happy Ending
The focus in this video seems to be split between cross-cutting between a story-telling scenario and the singer singing alone. There is also a heavy theme of playing instruments at intervals alongside the telling of a story. Mis-en-scene seems important in this video as the shots often work to establish the dark places she is in to match the hopelessness of the song.
2005 - Backstreet Boys - Incomplete
This music video also uses an empty setting to convey the song's message of pain and being alone. Slow motion shots are used of the sand and leaves blowing. Light shining from behind the singers is also used. The playing of instruments is also a running theme in the video.
2006- Gwen Stefani- Hollaback Girl
The video here also uses slow motion shots of the gymnasts falling. Close ups of the singer are frequently used and musical instruments are also being played at parts of the video, too.
2007- Nelly Furtado - Say it Right
We see in this video either the shots or the people in the video move to the beat of the song. The shots have a fast changing pace and lots of close ups and extreme close ups are cross-cut in around the main body of the video. The camera movement is smooth but fairly constant to create a sensation of rhythm to the video.
2008- Katy Perry - I Kissed a Girl
The video here also uses slow motion shots of the feathers falling alongside very brief inserts and cross-cutting of close ups and extreme close ups. This helps the video to flow and tailors it to match the varying pace of different sections of the song.
2009-Owl City- Fireflies
This music video is fairly simple in comparison with the constant changing setting on many of the others. There is a running theme of light and the video focuses on all the different points of light in the room as things begin to come to life. The playing of an instrument is again a very large part of the video.
2010- Ke$ha- Blah Blah Blah
In this video there are lots of close ups of the main singer and her expressions. Some scenes are sped up in pace and set to match the beat or mix of the song. The singer is often shown in the same place as she she cross-cut in singing the chorus and some lines of the verses. This holds the video together nicely as the clip of her in the same place gives a structure to the video.
2011- Maroon 5- Moves Like Jagger
In this video the focus is very much on the singers themselves in a simple unchanging setting. Instruments are played and dances are used. The contrast of colour and no colour also add to the effect of the video. Extreme close ups are used of women's eyes at point which work nicely around the shots of the dancers and band.
2012- Calvin Harris- Feel so Close
This video follows the stories of many different characters. Many different settings and kinds of people are used. A great deal of slow motion shots are used on things such as hair blowing in the wind and people dancing.
2013- One Direction- Kiss you
In this video we see the importance of setting. The video itself is a montage of making a video. The content fits the energetic theme of the music and the pace is fast with the scenes changing quickly to keep the watcher's interest.
Overall by watching these videos over a progression of time I have noticed many themes within pop videos:
2004- Avril Lavigne - So Much for My Happy Ending
The focus in this video seems to be split between cross-cutting between a story-telling scenario and the singer singing alone. There is also a heavy theme of playing instruments at intervals alongside the telling of a story. Mis-en-scene seems important in this video as the shots often work to establish the dark places she is in to match the hopelessness of the song.
2005 - Backstreet Boys - Incomplete
This music video also uses an empty setting to convey the song's message of pain and being alone. Slow motion shots are used of the sand and leaves blowing. Light shining from behind the singers is also used. The playing of instruments is also a running theme in the video.
2006- Gwen Stefani- Hollaback Girl
The video here also uses slow motion shots of the gymnasts falling. Close ups of the singer are frequently used and musical instruments are also being played at parts of the video, too.
2007- Nelly Furtado - Say it Right
We see in this video either the shots or the people in the video move to the beat of the song. The shots have a fast changing pace and lots of close ups and extreme close ups are cross-cut in around the main body of the video. The camera movement is smooth but fairly constant to create a sensation of rhythm to the video.
2008- Katy Perry - I Kissed a Girl
The video here also uses slow motion shots of the feathers falling alongside very brief inserts and cross-cutting of close ups and extreme close ups. This helps the video to flow and tailors it to match the varying pace of different sections of the song.
2009-Owl City- Fireflies
This music video is fairly simple in comparison with the constant changing setting on many of the others. There is a running theme of light and the video focuses on all the different points of light in the room as things begin to come to life. The playing of an instrument is again a very large part of the video.
2010- Ke$ha- Blah Blah Blah
In this video there are lots of close ups of the main singer and her expressions. Some scenes are sped up in pace and set to match the beat or mix of the song. The singer is often shown in the same place as she she cross-cut in singing the chorus and some lines of the verses. This holds the video together nicely as the clip of her in the same place gives a structure to the video.
2011- Maroon 5- Moves Like Jagger
In this video the focus is very much on the singers themselves in a simple unchanging setting. Instruments are played and dances are used. The contrast of colour and no colour also add to the effect of the video. Extreme close ups are used of women's eyes at point which work nicely around the shots of the dancers and band.
2012- Calvin Harris- Feel so Close
This video follows the stories of many different characters. Many different settings and kinds of people are used. A great deal of slow motion shots are used on things such as hair blowing in the wind and people dancing.
2013- One Direction- Kiss you
In this video we see the importance of setting. The video itself is a montage of making a video. The content fits the energetic theme of the music and the pace is fast with the scenes changing quickly to keep the watcher's interest.
Overall by watching these videos over a progression of time I have noticed many themes within pop videos:
- The characters often have a strong light source behind them in some shots
- The camera is NEVER stationary
- The use of many close-ups and cross-cutting them into the video is essential.
- The playing of instruments or having them in the video is highly common
- Some forms of dancing are often included
- The setting is often reflective of the mood of the piece. If sad, a darker area, if happy the setting is bright with a great deal of colour.
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Chuck Norris - Izzy Marie Hill
Here is the song we have chosen to use by Izzy Marie Hill - Chuck Norris.
We have given the lyrics of the song to our friend Kate who has agreed to perform in our music video after taking part in our lip syncing practice.
When I'm down I wanna hear your voice so,
Talk for hours and hours don't wanna let you go
Cause only you can put a smile back on my face.
Just one word can change me for the better,
Makes me wish we could stay like this for ever
so why did I have to go mess it up?
Chorus
Its like falling asleep on a railroad track
Or baiting Chuck Norris just to make him mad
Skinny dipping in the pouring rain
Or sending drunk texts to your boss' phone again.
Swim with sharks just to feel the danger
Or flipping the bird to a mean State Ranger
No - the dumbest thing I could do,
Is say that I didn't love you.
Sitting here I swear I heard a pin drop
What you said just left me in a heart-lock
I kinda froze when you told me that you loved me.
So please take this song as my apology,
A love letter to you but as an MP3
So listen in cause I think I found a way to show you I need you,
tell you I love you.
Chorus
Middle 8
Need to catch my breath for a minute.
I'm obsessed so caught up in it,
No point denying the feelings that I'm hiding,
I've gotta tell you boy I'm so excited.
So would you hold my hand for a second?
Come close cause a whisper's all you're getting,
I was dumb and I know I took a while,
But I'm finally admittig that I'm so smitten.
Final chorus
Its like falling asleep on a railroad track
Or baiting Chuck Norris just to make him mad
oooh skinny dipping in the pouring rain
Or sending drunk texts to your boss' phone again!
Swim with sharks just feel the danger
or flipping the bird to a mean state ranger
No - the dumbest thing I could say, is 'I don't look at you that way'.
Yeh the dumbest thing I could do, is say that I didn't love you.
We have given the lyrics of the song to our friend Kate who has agreed to perform in our music video after taking part in our lip syncing practice.
When I'm down I wanna hear your voice so,
Talk for hours and hours don't wanna let you go
Cause only you can put a smile back on my face.
Just one word can change me for the better,
Makes me wish we could stay like this for ever
so why did I have to go mess it up?
Chorus
Its like falling asleep on a railroad track
Or baiting Chuck Norris just to make him mad
Skinny dipping in the pouring rain
Or sending drunk texts to your boss' phone again.
Swim with sharks just to feel the danger
Or flipping the bird to a mean State Ranger
No - the dumbest thing I could do,
Is say that I didn't love you.
Sitting here I swear I heard a pin drop
What you said just left me in a heart-lock
I kinda froze when you told me that you loved me.
So please take this song as my apology,
A love letter to you but as an MP3
So listen in cause I think I found a way to show you I need you,
tell you I love you.
Chorus
Middle 8
Need to catch my breath for a minute.
I'm obsessed so caught up in it,
No point denying the feelings that I'm hiding,
I've gotta tell you boy I'm so excited.
So would you hold my hand for a second?
Come close cause a whisper's all you're getting,
I was dumb and I know I took a while,
But I'm finally admittig that I'm so smitten.
Final chorus
Its like falling asleep on a railroad track
Or baiting Chuck Norris just to make him mad
oooh skinny dipping in the pouring rain
Or sending drunk texts to your boss' phone again!
Swim with sharks just feel the danger
or flipping the bird to a mean state ranger
No - the dumbest thing I could say, is 'I don't look at you that way'.
Yeh the dumbest thing I could do, is say that I didn't love you.
Permission to use our chosen song
We emailed Izzy Marie Hill's management to ask for permission to use her song 'Chuck Norris'.
The management team responded quickly and enthusiastically to our request. After speaking to them on the phone we were given permission to use the song in our music video and they kindly offered to send us a higher quality version of the song.
Friday, 18 January 2013
Stop Motion Animation Tutorials
In order to be able to make a stop motion animation of my own I started to do some research into some techniques on making them. To find some helpful tips I watched videos such as this one on Youtube:
After looking at various different types of animating, such as using figures, playdough, cut-out drawings and whiteboard drawings I came to the conclusion that the style I liked the most was the whiteboard one as it looked much cleaner and easier to manipulate. However, as I did not have a whiteboard available to use for my practice I decided to try the pencil method with cutting out and moving images. This seemed like an easier method to start with, too, so I decided to practice in this way.
After looking at various different types of animating, such as using figures, playdough, cut-out drawings and whiteboard drawings I came to the conclusion that the style I liked the most was the whiteboard one as it looked much cleaner and easier to manipulate. However, as I did not have a whiteboard available to use for my practice I decided to try the pencil method with cutting out and moving images. This seemed like an easier method to start with, too, so I decided to practice in this way.
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