Costumes

Costumes

We now as a group have many ideas on the costumes that we will use within our music video. We have tried to use costumes that will emphasise the theme that we are trying to create through our video. One idea we want to stick with in the creation of our music video is the wolf costume we spoke about in previous group discussions. 

An example of one of the costumes we plan to use

Here you can see a screenshot of one of the props/costumes we plan to use. we want to continue the scary/creepy theme which we started with the locations and song choice. We feel this costumer suits our idea well and can be used effectively. Although we are aiming for costumes to be creepy, we would also like them to have a smart, clean cut look to the ones used within the band member scenes. Smart shirts and bow ties are also seen as attractive or sexy from a female perspective, we feel this helps to convey a professional look and feel to our music video.

These images show what we plan our band members to wear during the music video, we feel this will add a smart professional look to our music whilst not taking any feeling away from our theme of being creepy and scary. These costumes consist of white long sleeve shirts, black trousers and bow ties. During our research we found that this is not a first as many other music videos have used this idea before, were they will mix smart well fitted outfits within a scary or mysterious theme.

Locations

Locations

There are a range of different location that we plan to film in. The majority of the music video will be taking place within horse stables, these will however be changed to suit the theme of our video and compliment the track. One part of the stables contains metal bars which we plan to film through. This will give a creepy/dangerous feel to the audience. This will be instantly recognisable through the use of the bars and darkness behind. The rest of the stables provides a good location for all of the band equipment allowing us sufficient space to film and perform. The stables will be decorated with signs with the logo that our group has come up with as well as lights to ensure that it provides a professional looking location to film in. As well as the stables we are also planning to film within woods located near the stables, these at night would greatly emphasise the creepy feeling we are trying to convey. This location would also provide us with a lot of room to film. When filming within this location there will be very little light, to compensate for this we must ensure that we take some kind of light source in case the camera can not pick up the group members well. it is also free from power points meaning that we must ensure that the filming camera is properly charged before filming commences. Although we wanted to film within a local graveyard, we are unable to as in order to do this we would have to apply for permission from the local council and this would take to long. i prance about like a girl

Permissions

Permissions

Here is a screenshot showing that i sent the owners of the track we are using a email asking them for permission to use the tack within the music video. I obtain this email address through their website. If we did not ask for permission then we are likely to be going against copyright issues, by doing this we are ensuring that we are not breaking any laws by using the track on our music video.

Key influential music videos - Intertextuality

Key influential music videos 

After research a large range of music videos we have found a few which have inspired us with the creation of our own music video. The music video which have an an influence of our own are Thriller, by Michael Jackson, the official heads will roll music video, various videos from the jabbawockeez dance group. We have taken a range of ideas from these music videos to use within out own. these ideas include lighting affects were dark and bright colors are used together. We also would like to use masks similar to those which are used within the Jabbawockeez dance group as we feel these masks help to add to the feeling we are trying to create.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is where a text, in this case a music video alludes to or references to another text. A good example of intertextuality in the past is from the film gentlemen prefer blondes staring Marilyn Monroe, this was then was then portrayed in the song 'Madonna material girl' You can see from the screenshots below that the two shots are very similar.

Here is a shot from Madonna's 'Gentlemen prefer blondes' 

here is a example of intertextuality, a shot from 'Madonna material girl'

Intertextuality can be used in a range of different ways to convey a variety of different meanings. One way it can be used is within a parody to make fun of or mock another media text. We have looked at a number of different examples of intertextuality during our research however we do not feel like we will use a intertextuality, however we have used a few ideas from other music videos which we want to use in our own context. An example of which is from the original 'Heads will roll' music video by the yeah, yeah, yeah's. We have decided to use a similar scary/creepy theme which they managed to convey through the use of a wolf character/costume and specific lighting effects.

Narrative, Performance and alternative based music videos

Narrative based music videos 

Here i have uploaded an example of a narrative based music video

A narrative based music video is video which follows a story line thus getting the name 'narrative. In narrative music videos there will typically be a main character which is often played by the main singer of the song. This character will often be fictional, made up for the sole purpose of creating a story within the music video. The character will typically have a problem or journey which will be accompanied by the lyrics of the song sung by the singer or band explaining to the audience either how the main character is thinking or what they are feeling. Due to the lyrics of the song helping to tell the story the character within the video is often silent, thus helping the audience to concentrate on the lyrics of the song telling the story. 

Above i have shown the music video 'swim good' by Frank Ocean, this video shows the main character within the video on a long journey across the country, the lyrics explain that he is broken from old relationships and past loves so the video of him on the journey represents him trying to get away from what happened before. Like with most narrative based videos the character within the story is silent allowing the audience to focus on the lyrics of the song.

Performance based music video 

Here i have uploaded an example of a performance based music video.

Here is the official music video of "Basket Case" performed by the band "Greenday" it is an example of a performance based music video. For a large portion of the video it shows clips of the band playing together, however whilst doing they are within a location and wearing costumes which are relevant to the lyrics and the video. I feel this works well as it allows the audience to see the band performing as if they were their. The video shows clips of the different band members performing different parts of the songs. With the majority of performance based music videos you will find that there is a lot of camera movement as well as wide range of camera angles used in order to keep the video entertaining and exciting. This influenced the making of our own music video as we wanted to ensure that the video was exciting and entertaining as well as being fast paced. By creating a performance based music video or using elements from them we are able to promote the band. This is because our audiences will be able see the band members as well as the band logo of the mouth and the band title.

Other Videos of the Same Genre 

As part of our research we decided to look into music videos of the same genre, after analyzing them it then gave us the opportunity to gather any ideas or conventions which we found and apply them to our own music video. 

 Heads will roll falls under a few different genres, the most common one of which is synthpop or also known as electropop or technopop. After researching this genre i found that there were many songs that i knew which i would not of previously of thought would fall within this genre. 

The song i have analyzed which falls into this genre is 'in for the kill' by a band called La Roux. after analysing the music video for this track i have noticed a few genre conventions which are common song synth pop music videos. One for the first conventions i noticed was that dark colors and backgrounds are often used, for example at the start of 'in for the kill' the interior of the car is very dark, however brighter more bold colors are used for lighting techniques to highlight detail. We want to use similar lighting techniques within our own music video. Another convention i noticed was that they almost always use either performance or narrative based music videos. We will use this convention in our own music video by using a mixture of these two types of music videos. 

Here is a print screen of 'in for the kill' for La Roux, this shows how they use both dark and bright colors to highlight details.

If we could do something different with this particular music video we would have more shots other than the narrative shots performed from within the car. We feel this would help to add to the story of the track and help tell this story to the audience as well as making the video more entertaining. 

How meaning is created within music videos

How Meaning is created within Music Videos 

Mise-en-scene

Meaning can be created within a music video through the use of mise-en-scene. Mise-en-scene can be split up into a range of different areas, these areas are as follows: set design, costumes and props, lighting and character blocking. These can all be used in a range of different ways to convey meaning within videos. We will have to use these areas within the creation of our music video to project the meaning we want our audience to feel. 

In terms of Set design we have prepared a large range of sets and locations for us to film in, i previously mentioned using a graveyard for one of the locations of the video however to do this you need permission and due to time restrictions we were unable to do this. We plan to film the majority of the video within horse stables, there is a fence which from the right position looks like a prison cell, the idea of this is to keep whoever is inside from escaping. We want this to add to the feeling we are creating. Inside of the bars will be a range of different props such as  drum kit, keyboard, microphones, special lighting. We have also created a board with a mouth on with the name of the track written across it. the lips of the mouth a deep red color, we have done this because it symbolizes danger and thus projecting a image to the audience that whoever is inside of this cell is dangerous.  As well as the props i have just stated we have also obtained a model head which we will use in sections of the video, we feel that this prop matches the title of the track 'heads will roll' very well and will be able to create a variety of different scenarios, with this prop we feel we can create good meaning to the video. 

One music video that uses Mise-en-scene well to convey meaning is 'find your love' by Drake. Firstly it uses good set design to add to the feeling of the video. it is set within the slums of a LEDC, from the scenery within the video it appears to be within part of brazil. The music video uses a range of different lighting and color techniques to constantly change the mood and feeling within the music video. When the male character is searching for the girl within the video the slums appear dark, dingy and dangerous, this is emphasized through the use of dark lighting effects. On the other hand when he meets the girl within the video a different lighting technique is used. Colors become more bright and calming to convey his feelings for the female character. Costumes are used to help the characters fit in within the location, all of the characters apart from the main male and female characters are dressed in plain simple clothes. The main two characters are dressed in brighter, more bold costumes to emphasizes that they are in sync with each other. 

Here is a print screen of one of the locations used within the music video 'find your love'

Here is another screenshot from the same video showing how they have used lighting to make the main male character stand out from the rest of the actors.

Editing is another way in which meaning can be created within a music video. For this technique i have edited another music video, the music video i have decided to analyze for this technique is 'She' by 'Tyler, the Creator' This video uses a range of different editing techniques. Editing pacing starts off slow at the beginning on the video and picks up pace towards the end.  This works well in relation to the story line of the music video where it builds up to the main character getting arrested. the increase of editing pace emphasizes the panic and tension felt. Once he has been arrested the editing pace starts to slow down again. Another technique used within the editing is the use of two video sections at once. It displays two seperate locations and two seperate characters next to each other to fit in with the lyrics and conversation within the story line of the song. 

An example of some editing techniques used within the music video 'She'

Shot choice is another important aspect to consider when trying to convey meaning to audiences. I have chosen to analyze the music video 'Payphone' by maroon 5. After viewing this music video i feel it uses a good selection of camera shots to emphasizes meaning within the video. The first camera shot i noticed which noticeably conveyed meaning was a extreme close up. This is used at two main parts of the beginning of the video when the bank is being robbed. it shows the two main characters faces closely emphasizing the fear they are experiencing. this also conveys this feeling to the audience. 

Here is a picture of one of the close ups used within the begging of the 'payphone' music video 

This shot also shows the other female character. this shot emphasizes the fact that they are together within this video. We plan to use a range of shots within out own music video to convey meaning. Close up shots of characters within the location of the horse stables will show the dark aggressive side of the characters. Long shots will also be used to show the audience the range of locations we will be using. in terms of the stables and woods this will give the audience a sense of fear as these a dark, creepy places.

Research - Institutional issues

A2 Research

Institutional Issues

There are three main types of music labels in which music videos are funded from and made. These labels are Independent labels (alternative), Major labels (mainstream) and homemade (consumer led) These different labels provide audiences with different styles and grades of music videos, this typically depends on the budget of the company for example a major music label will have a much larger budget compared to an independent label or a homemade label. Smaller labels such as independent companies may go to major labels and ask for funding or the borrowing of certain equipment.

The first type of label we will analyze will be an independent label. An independent label is a company operating without outside funding.  A large majority of new groups and artists will appear first through independent labels. These types of music labels have a history of generating popular music. The independent music label we will be analyzing is ‘Boy Better Know’ this label was founded IN 2005 by Jamie Adenuga who is commonly referred to as ‘JME’. The label consists of a number of popular UK artists such as ‘jammer’, ‘Frisco’, and ‘wiley’. Boy Better Know or BBK have gained their success within the Grime music scene and have often appeared on a number of pirate radio stations. BBK have produced many well known singles such as ‘Private caller’, ‘Duppy’, ‘Too many man’ and ‘Hello good morning’ As well as making their money through a number of singles and performances BBK have also started their own appeal range and their own mobile phone network. The music video we will be analyzing for this record label will be for the track ’10 man roll’ here below is some screen shots of different parts of the video. 

A technique used within an independent music video 

A similar technique used within an independent music video 

Here are two screen shots of the music video for ’10 man roll’ they both show a similar type of editing. The screen shot on the left shows a template of a book with a left side showing a video edit of them singing the track. The writing within the book relates to the genre of music they are singing, this helps to create meaning to the audience telling them that what they are saying is knowledgeable and meaningful.As the article is laid out in a similar manor to a newspaper it also conveys the meaning that they feel that their music is big news and it must be presented to the public. The screenshot on the right shows a similar effect; in this shot it is the screen of the cash machine, which displays the artists singing, this allows having an external effect in this case the boy watching the screen. This can be used to emphases to the audience that what they are saying is important, this is shown by the young boy watching a listening closely. By showing the music video within the cash machine screen it also tells the audience that this genre of music can appear anywhere. This music video comes across professionally made, edits are clean, lip-syncing is on time and props and locations seem to match the song very well. Although this comes across well made it gives the impression that the label funding the music video does not have a large budget compared to a major music label. This can be seen through the lack of more costly effects such as special affects or costly props and locations.

The next type of label I am going to analyze is a major label or otherwise known as mainstream labels, these organizations typically have very large budgets are thus are able to produce high grade music videos with a range of special affects. These music videos will contain effects, props and locations in which we probably either wont be able to purchase or obtain, however I think analyzing these types of labels music videos to be very important as they have a large variety of different styles of music video techniques, these techniques are able to influence our group ideas. The major label I have research is The Warner Music Group, this major label as continuously been in the top 3 or 4 major labels in the past 5 years. This major label was founded in 1958 and its headquarters is situated in New York United States. Being one of the big four music record labels it has signed a large amount of music acts as well as helping to develop subsidiary record labels. One modern day artist that Warner music has singed is Jason Derulo. In 2009 he released his number 1 single of ‘whatcha say’ which sold over 5 million digital downloads.  I feel this track would provide a good standard of music video for what major record labels produce. After analyzing the music video, I took note of a few things. Firstly the picture was sharp and crystal clear, this is likely down to the quality of the camera the label are using and also the software they are using to edit the video. I did also notice that the video was very simple, the video was set within a house. The two characters within the video where they based in different rooms. One thing the music video did do very well is use the effectiveness of light very well, it used a range of lighting effects to emphasize costumes and location to the audience. Even though our music video will be based in more of a darker environment I feel that we could use lighting techniques such as the ones used within this video to emphasize the surrounding environment and character positioning.  

This image displays the use of lighting effects within a major music video

The key differences I found between the different labels were down to the funding they use to finance the music videos they make. The major labels with more funding produced clearing music videos with more expensive location and props. They also tend to use more special effects such as lighting to emphasize meaning within their videos. The research we have carried out has impacted the content of our music video. We have been strongly influenced by the lighting effects and want to use a range of lighting effects within our video to add to the theme of the video.