Polydor Records Talk

In todays class we had a visit from Emily and Henan from Polydor Records. Polydor is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group and is based in London. The pair work for the label and are involved in commissioning and producing music videos for both new and well established artists working under the label. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to listen to two individuals working directly in our area of study - in the real world. They were able to discuss the process of getting an idea off the ground and allowing it to form, under their supervision. I was keen to make notes throughout the session, of which I can review and pick up any information that might be useful for our project; 

- They explained that the label brings the artist in, and is likely to already have a clear image of what they hope them to become. This then goes to the marketing department who have their imput and also consult the artist and ask what they would like.

- Emily stated that "The video is the biggest marketing tool at our disposal”.

- They both talked about how it’s often a mash of different opinions. They are keen to make sure the artist has an opinion and is heard. If the artist doesn't know who they are then how can they?  Some artists  can be very specific also. Henan has worked numerous times with The 1975, and mentioned that the singer Matty always puts a large bulk of their ideas together and has great input into the final product.

- Part of their job is to put together a brief and then send this to various different directors. This document has to include the track, artist, budget and describe the elements desired (narrative, performance based, animation, conceptual.) Some times they will leave these purposely lacking in description in order to gain new ideas from directors.

- They described how it’s most difficult to make a video for brand new artists as it is the first images that many people will see of the artist, so you have to get it right.

- The label will then be sent back treatments that they must go through with the artist and the label. They choose a director, iron out any problems and then give it the green light. They then shoot, edit, and deliver. The entire process  takes around a month. Usually, a 1-3 day shoot is needed, based on budget and concept. However, 1 day is most common. Budgets range between 5,000 to 150,000 with the average being 10,000-15,000.

- They told of how it is possible to get sponsorships from companies such as car dealers. However, it is often not worth the money as you then spend half your day making a commercial for a car, and you have to worry about getting their branding right. Unless the sponsor is ideal for the specific video, then it is best to steer clear from product placement as long as the funds are sufficient.

- Most music videos from Polydor go onto VEVO, as they get funding from the them. VEVO will then push viewers up on Youtube and this will then help the song get radio play.

- We then watched an Ellie Goulding video that the Emily and Henan were involved in producing. We were also handed the original treatment for this video to compare to the final product. I was surprised by how similar the video looked to the treatment despite being at very different stages in the process. The video was filmed in a one-day shoot. Henan was keen to use the director they did, as they felt they hadn't mastered Ellie’s video performance yet, and felt that Kinga Burza  (director) would do that as good artist performance is characteristic of his work.

- They then showed us another of their videos, for new act Bipolar Sunshine. They went for relatively unknown director who was yet to have paid work as a music video director, but showed a lot of passion. At this point, I asked if they would have made the same decision if it was a bigger name such as Ellie Goulding? They responded by saying they "wouldn’t do the same for a bigger name, as it would be easier to attract a corresponding name in a directorial sense". I noticed that the video has a dense amount of content and was surprised this was all captured in one day and on a low budget. Apparently, this is due to the young director’s enthusiasm for the project, he wanted more and more. The same director has gone on to make 2 Addidas commercials, after going up against high profile, more renowned directors for the job. Polydor importantly gave him the oppurtunity to showcase his talents.

- When asked about creative decisions, they stressed that they own the rushes for the video and if the director strays from the idea that was pitched originally and cant come to an agreement, then they are well within their rights to take the footage and give it to a different person to edit. This is the last thing that they want to be doing but will make the decision if necessary for the good of the video.

- Lastly, we watched the La Roux video 'Kiss Don't Tell'. This is a fun take on adult chat lines of the 1980’s. It was a big art direction job for the team. The director was insistent on having telephones to punctuate through the song and give it it's musicality. The marketing campaign that accompanied the video included a real phone number where you could ring up as a fan and hear a message the artist has left. This creates a talking point for the fun and cheeky video. Emily mentioned how they really wanted her relaxed personality to come across, as it hadn't yet in her previous videos.

- Seen as The 1975 have been a primary source of inspiration for me, I thought I would take the opportunity to ask about the creation of the 'Girls' video, as it shares similar concept ideas to our projected video. Henan said that it was Matty's (lead singer) idea, and Adam Powell directed it along with some of their other videos. Matty had written a detailed idea already and the director came in brought a different take to it, making it a collaborative process. She said it is a clearly mocking the 'music video' concept. She also told me of how they were worried at the time as One Direction had recently done a similar 'mick-take' with their video for 'Best Song Ever'. This was troubling from a marketing perspective as they didn't want the band to be seen as in the same category as One Direction. This point just highlighted the emphasis there was throughout the talk on the 'image' for each artist and how integral this was in order to comply with the style of the video you are creating.

Initial Location Ideas

When devising a concept for a video, an important thing to always bear in mind is the feasibility of your ambition. This easily applies to location choices as it has to be considered 'achievable'. This means we had to have preliminary thoughts about where we could stage our video just to check that it is all within the realm of possibility. 

Thankfully, a large bulk of our video will be studio based therefore making it perfectly feasible with the   facilities that Hurtwood has on offer. The school has a fully functioning film studio with a workable space, a vast array of lighting and background settings. The 'gag' of our concept is the drastic change of setting that occurs during the video. We have a fairly clear idea of what we want this transition to look like, an idea that is largely informed by the videos that we have seen in previous years. To reinforce these images we took a look at the time lapse recorded by a camera left in the studio during the filming of last years music videos. This footage speeds through every single pop promo that was shot allowing us to see the full range of potential the studio space has.

We wanted to shoot within a built up studio area that almost creates a box for the artist to perform within. At the start of the video this space would be furnished very minimalistically with as little props  or decoration as possible. The band would be surrounded by one-tone white or black walls and possibly a patterned flooring at the very most. This resembles the set up we can see here from one of 2013's music videos; 

However, this set has to evolve during the video into something considerably more striking and what one would expect from a commercially successful video. We can see from this screen shot below, from a video from the same year, that this is achievable with the facilities we have. This was only a short segment of a video in which they experimented with lighting and smoke in really interesting ways to create something visually exciting, just as we can in the future.

I also thought it would be interesting to find a visual reference point from bands that have utilised these two opposing set designs in the real world. Miraculously, I found them both from videos created for the same band. The 1975, who are a great source of inspiration for our band in terms of star image, use both types of sets in two different videos, showing their full stylistic variety while also confirming to us that these ideas are realistic in the music industry for bands like ours.

With our video, we hope to show two opposing sides to the band. One where they are being ruthlessly manufactured, and the other where they are casual friends doing the thing they love. For the later we need another set. In terms of location for the home-video cutaways we were thinking of them being in a recording studio environment, as this displays them in a very stripped back way while they enjoy what they considerer to be the best part of their profession - actually making music. For this we thought the schools in-house recording studio would be ideal. While having all the necessary equipment that a professional recording studio needs, it is also a fairly mundane and cramped space which is very realistic for a band making their first album on what would be a limited budget. It seems like an appropriate place for us to get handheld footage of the boys larking around while also recording their track. I went down their earlier to take some photos; 

We also had the idea of blending this footage with some more handheld shots of the boys walking down the street in a city together. This is to give the impression that they are on tour, another aspect of their job's that they prefer to filming music videos. For this we would be likely to use Guildford as its the nearest city to the school and if shot effectively could easily replicate London or some other major city a band would exploit for touring. Honing in on this location and finding a suitable place to film within the city is something that would come later in the process. However, we have sufficiently laid the groundwork for our locations and therefore established that there are no major issues. It is positive that two of our locations are on campus meaning we can gain easy access and will not have to waste any time travelling and transporting equipment on shoot day. 

'Hard Days Night' - The Beatles

As a reference point and source of inspiration, I thought I would look at some of The Beatles videos. The Beatles essentially created the 'boy band' as a genre and were a global phenomenon. It is interesting to see that even in the 1960's when music videos were still a relatively new feature of the industry, comparisons can be made with them and some aspects of our idea. When discussing the extra element for the video, having decided that it was going to be footage of the band in a relaxed atmosphere enjoying themselves as friends, this made me think of the video for 'Hard Days Night' by The Beatles. This video shows the foursome stripped back, going around in their classically mischievous manor, while still maintaing their iconic look. Although our band wouldn't be chased by a hoard of adoring fans, I think it might be interesting to see them in a city environment like with this video. The video is of course more produced and conceptual than it may seem. Despite it being a dated image to create for band, I hope that we are bringing it originality with the way we are staging it and adding an element of satire. 

Casting

Now that we have somewhat settled on an idea to move forward with, an appropriate step to take next is casting. Considering the level of performance in the video, casting is simply vital. It could easily be the deciding factor in the success of the video, and has proved to be in the past. It is even more important with this particular video, as the boys have to be of a certain look to comply with the star image of the band. If any one of them looks out of place in the context of the group, then it is ruined. You then have to pair their look with their ability to perform realistically and confidently in front of camera. To find a mixture of all these factors is difficult, and it may ultimately require you to take a gamble with an individual. However, from the students available to us in the school, myself and Rachel managed to whittle down to a list of our preferred four. These are;

Chris, lead singer.

Chris has a strong jaw and dark, brooding features. These are characteristic of lead singers. If he is styled correctly I believe he will look quite effective as a front man. Knowing him personally, I am confident he possesses the charisma to give it his all in front of camera. The only issue may be his ability in lip-syncing, something we are likely to screen test and determine whether it is something we should work on. 

Callum, guitarist.

Callum carries the right look that would work with the band. I know he is a performer and is also a prolific guitarist meaning he will look comfortable giving the impression he is playing along. Callum is also a singer which may be useful in terms of backing vocals. He could easily be seen as the co-song writer of the band, as is often the case in real life.

Joe, basist. 

  Joe is steriotypically 'handsome' and would provide variety for the band with his blonde. As far as I know, he is not musical but this is something that be worked around filmically. I was part of a music video last year where one of the guitarists and never played in his life but was made to look competent. The look of the cast is deemed more important as it is not something you can fake, unlike the ability to play guitar. 

Ben, drummer.

 Ben is a good friend of mine and an excellent drummer in real life. This is slightly more important as the drums are considerably harder to imitate effectively than the guitar. He also has a very strong look with his dark features and alternative hair cut, which would help us to create an 'edgy' persona for him.

Despite being happy with who we have chosen, these are only preliminary casting selections that could easily be subject to change. The song may play a factor in altering the band dynamic as the look of the singer may not suit the song. Also, these individuals are likely to be in high demand from the rest of the year so securing them to our project may prove difficult, despite us having had conversations with them all. Also, casting sessions may follow this decision to comprehensively discover that who we have chosen is correct for our video and they can perform sufficiently. 

First Timeline

From a production perspective, an essential part of creating a music video is completing a timeline. A timeline allows you to display all your ideas together. Despite only writing them down on paper, it allows you to see the depth of actual content that you have in mind and in later editions helps you to match that content to certain moments and seconds in the song. In order to complete this task both I and Rachel had to get off the 'fence' in terms of song choice. We decided to choose 'Stand By Your Gun' by George Ezra as we felt the Vampire Weekend song was slightly too well known and already has a well made video. The chosen song is upbeat, alternative and suit the concept. This is our first timeline and the idea is still in its development stages, however it does show us that we certainly have something to work with.

‘Stand By Your Gun’ – Geogre Ezra – Initial Timeline

• 4 male band members in straight line, front of shot. Plain white studio background. Empty.
• One member of the band addresses an imaginary production manager behind the camera “Are we gonna start or what?”
• Jump cut to the band in roughly the same positions. Song starts.
• Boys stand in same spots. Look bemused. One nods his head to the track. 
• Typography appears over the screen in personalised font displaying the title of the song.
• Another member acts as if he is being directed, told to move to the back of the room where the stool is. Same for two other members who assume positions as guitarists.
• Band looks dissatisfied and confused. Jump cut to same formation with certain members having alternated their positions.
• Still not right, assistant director walks on set and switches the position of the guitarist and the lead singer by literally moving him.
• Crew member then returns with a microphone on a stand and places it in front of lead singer. He is then is chucked a leather jacket from off camera which promptly puts on, slight disgruntled. He gestures towards the microphone questioning, and when given confirmation joins in with the track and begins to lip-sync – ‘We don’t need’ (00:32 sec)
• Two other crew members then follow, one carrying an electric guitar and the other a bass. They hand these to the boys either side of the lead singer. Once assembled they then join in with the song.
• The drummer at the back (who already had drumsticks) is left tapping away at his legs. One by one, pieces of the drum kit are brought in and assembled around his stool. He plays on what he can until he eventually has the whole kit and plays normally. Can be jump cut together for speed. (All instruments should be in shot by 00:58 sec)
• We then cut to ‘flat-on’, portrait head and shoulder shots of each band member. Cut through these individually before making a collage of all four (01:06) for backing vocal line.
• Stylist comes on and we see her fiddle with the hair of the lead singer (putting wax/hairspray in it and styling it with comb). He is visibly frustrated as he is trying to sing the song.
• Cut to crew members trying to set up lighting rig in corner of studio. Drummer looks, distracted.
• Back to wide. We see the assumed director come in to shot to demonstrate to people in the background how he we wants to size up a shot of the lead guitarist’s playing.
• We then cut to this shot where we see the guitarist do two firm strums of the guitar for the chorus line (01:23). And identical video is referred back to for the same melody later in the chorus(01:31). In between this is a similar shot but with the bass instead and lead singer on vocals.
• ‘Flat on’ waist up shot of bass player who is stood at an angle. We see him playing along on the bass to the chorus.  Drummer is visible in background but out of focus. Stylist comes on  and puts a pair of sunglasses on his face, and an already lit cigarette (fake) into his mouth. Bassist is surprised as if he doesn’t even smoke. Powerless as he is using his hands to play.
• Shot of drummer playing. Cool and moody. However, distracted again by crew members around him setting up neon lights/smoke machines.
• Cut to home video footage of band. Handheld, creates contrast with the camera work we have seen thus far. Messy and possibly slightly grainy as if it could have been shot on an iPhone. The band show their playful, nonchalant personality. Messing around in music studios while recording the actual track. Unpacking their own merchandise from the box and making fun out of it. Walking down the street together looking trendy. Laughing and joking, possibly even within the film studio they are in. ( Lasts roughly 00:30 sec – 01:39 to 02:12)
• Cuts back to the studio setting that looks largely different with more lights and set design. Band still play, drummer and guitarist contribute backing vocals for rest of the track.
• We are shown a ‘birds-eye view’ shot of the whole studio to fully stress the façade being created as we can clearly see the cameras, crew/producers/directors and backstage. Manufactured.
•  A pretty girl is shoved onto the stage next to the lead singer. She looks outwards slightly ditsy and awkward. The lead singer gestures behind camera, slightly bemused as they are suggesting that he needs to interact with her despite only literally having just met her.
• Cuts to a ‘flat on’ two shot of them, where he gives in throws his arm round her shoulder and kisses her on the cheek. Afterwards he looks back to ask if that was enough?
• Back to wide. Band continue performance. They look slightly more comfortable as they move around the space more. The camera work changes and becomes less flat. Experiments with different angles, depth of field and pans. Lighting works in conjunction with the track. Looks like a music video. Producers have achieved their product.
• This plays until the end of the track. Entertaining in a commercial aspect.
• Extreme close up from 02:57 to end of track as lead singer concludes with the lines ‘Waste your time’ straight to camera.
• Final shot of two anonymous hands pulling a part a large industrial, electrical blog as the screen blacks out. Video shot, product made, job done.
  End

The Pitch: 2

With the reformation of a second group, this of course meant a second pitch to Luke. I was understanably less worried about this one as it was in private and we had been through the process before. I also felt more confident about the idea I was bringing to him this time. Much like the first pitch, we were able to film his immediate response to the idea after I had explained it to him;

This was the beginning of what actually turned out to be a half-hour conversation with Luke which was great as this private meeting granted us much more time than we had pitching conventionally with the rest of the class. This meant we were able to go into detail about the ideas for our video and he was able to respond at length. After doing this the first time, I found making a summarised list of his comments very useful in helping us to evaluate the idea. Therefore, I decided to do the same again. 

Luke's Feedback

- Luke immediately understood the concept of the video and the big ideas about the criticism of  the manufacturing and commercialisation of the music industry.

- He, like us, thought the the video needed a further element and started to suggest possible avenues we could take. He thought our suggestions for this were completely workable.

- He suggested one possibility was to show the people behind the manufacturing process such as producers and managers. Myself and Rachel, weren't as keen on this idea as we thought that it would be difficult to find appropriate casting for these roles. We preferred his idea of a "freedom scene" which linked in with the thoughts we were having.

- He found the personality we were creating for the band very realistic as he has seen bands act the same in his experience as a director.

- He warned that our 'gags' won't take up as much time as you might think so it needs to be planned well using timelines and storyboards.

- I later discussed some ideas I had regarding shooting certain sections using a specific brand of slow motion were through adapting the speed of the song, some people move at normal speed where as others can either be faster or slower. He fully understood the process of the making this happen and said despite it being ambitious, it is perfectly possible. However, upon discussion we both agreed that it might not be in-keeping with the tone of the video and runs the risk of not looking exactly right. 

- He suggested that the video could actually start with another lead singer who begins to lip-sync before being swapped for another band member by an executive. I really liked this idea but thought that it shouldn't go as far as the false singer actually beginning to lip-sync. However, I feel it captures the plasticity of the people behind the video really well.

- In general, he responded really well to the video and said it was different while still containing some really recognisable themes.

- He also stressed how it is an idea that it is largely dependant on well it is executed by us as a team.

I felt increasingly positive after coming out of this meeting with Luke. He was progressively more enthusiastic about the idea as he discussed and raised some important issues for us to consider, while also letting us in on some of the practicalities of things such as lighting and what cameras/lenses we could use for specific moments. We were also able to establish a plan for shooting a further element for the video which will include handheld, home-video footage of the band 'off duty', having fun as friends. This shows the true side to the band when they are not bound to their contractual obligations. We can see them messing about/touring and actually recording the track in the studio. This creates an interesting contrast while also developing the star image of the band. It helps us solve a problem in terms of having enough content to fill the video. For the first time since this project began, I now feel an element of stability and assurance in an idea that I feel is within our reach, that we can develop make happen. 

New Concept

Due to the slightly unpractical arranging of the groups, this has placed myself and Rachel behind some other groups in terms of development meaning we were under pressure to form and agree on an idea together before we can move on to the next stage. Thankfully, I feel we have managed to do this.

Our new concept still centres around an indie boy-band. It was a genre that both myself and Rachel showed and interest in and felt comfortable working with. Having a band as opposed to a solo artist obviously allows for more visual stimulus, which is likely to prove useful when cutting the video as there is always something you can revert back to in times of need. After what was quite an effective brainstorm, we had an array of elements at hand that we just needed to sew together with a concept. I went home and listened to the songs we had in mind repeatedly to see if I could find any inspiration. I did come up with something, that was well received by Rachel the following day.

The idea is to essentially create a music video based around the production of a music video. The video would start with the band in a studio setting with one-tone walls, no furnishings or decorations. The band are in the positions you would expect to find them in for a performance, but they have no instruments and they are wearing basic clothing (white t shirt/black jeans). The music then starts and the lead singer begins to lip-sync and the band begin to mime their instruments. Over the course of the song, 'crew' members then appear in shot and start to dress the band, the set and manually give them there instruments. The band carry on nonchalantly as if the is normal, and if anything slightly annoying. Once given they're instruments the crew and dressers continue to pester them by styling their hair, putting extra clothing items on them. This is all happening while other crew in the background are bringing the studio to life (e.g. painting the walls, rigging neon lights.) The band are bemused by this as they are just trying to play their song. If done well the we should have two totally opposing images at the start and end of the video, which the audience should find pleasing. The majority of the shots would be long and held to show the process, with some cutting to the emotions of the band. They're will be bits of handheld to make it look purposefully messy at times and possibly even a birds-eye shot so that the fact they are in a set is clear, which in turn overtly shatters the facade of the 'music video' concept. This is largely a visual concept idea as opposed to being narrative based. Some audience members may find it entertaining as well as effectively creating an interesting star image for the band. This is that they clearly find the process of making a heavily commercial music video draining and boring, and really just care about the music.

There are two songs that we currently have in mind for this concept. Both are quite bold and we feel they both suit the concept to some extent. The benefit of this idea is that it not totally dependant on the song due to its lack of narrative. This means that our decision in this respect is malleable. Our final decision can be made once we have assembled a cast for the band and considered both the pros and cons of each. The songs are 'Oxford Comma' by Vampire Weekend and 'Stand By Your Gun' by George Ezra.

  

Thematically, this video bears resemblance to The 1975 'Girls' video which attempts to effectively create a similar star image of a nonchalant boy band who care little for their own marketing as artists;

Both myself and Rachel understand that the basis for this idea is interesting, but it needs another element to make it sustainable for a three minute video. Furthermore, I have already done preliminary research into the conventions of an indie/rock band for my former idea for my previous group, so therefore have a head-start with this work. Tomorrow, we plan to hold a another private pitch with Luke to gain his opinion and see if he has any supplementary ideas that could bring it forward. We will hear this before acting any further.

Group Issues

Unfortunately, I happened to miss the Monday of this school week. I later learnt that in my absence the class encountered some serious problems in regard to groups. Various different members of the class were seemingly discontent with either the groups or concepts they found themselves working with. Despite this being unprofessional behaviour, it undoubtedly created rifts and tension in some of the groups meaning the class required a reshuffle. I was able to return of the Tuesday and play some part in this decision. As it turned out, the best possible solution where everyone in the class would be happy would be to create an extra group so that a certain four members would be able to work together. This involved my and Rachel forming that supplementary. This obviously seems very detrimental as I now have less people to work with but I am happy with the way things have turned out. Myself and Rachel are good friends who share similar ideas and work ethic. We are also both photography students meaning we will be able to utilize this set of skills later in the course.

Being in a new group, this meant we had to start devising a relatively new set of ideas. Rachel immediately wasn't sure on the stickman idea, which also suited me as I had seriously began to doubt the feasibility of creating the animation. However, we could both agree that we wanted to work within the genre of indie rock. We started discussing songs in order to use these as a springboard for possible ideas. We created a brainstorming sheet and set each other homework to go home and try to invent doable concepts. We are now in a position where decisions have to be made quickly. Despite this, me and Rachel are comfortable enough to be completely honest with one another which certainly speeds up the process. I am now looking forward to what we can create from here.

The Pitch

Today was the day of our pitch to Luke, where each of the class's separate devising groups had to stand up and pitch their two ideas, via the Prezi's they had made previously in the week. This, as we know,  is an absolutely key stage of the process as it is decisions made in this time period that will really make a difference to the project in the long run. This was a slightly nerve racking process as we all knew about Luke's knowledge of the subject, and were keen to hear his feedback.

We managed to film around half of Luke's extended response to our pitch, including the immediate discussion we had with him at the time;

 

 Furthermore, I was able to note down his key points regarding the concepts and create a summary;

'Girls' - The 1975

- Luke immediately understood the star image of an indie rock boy band with attitude.

- Raised the point that stickmen are used to communicate things everywhere in the world (e.g. toilet signs) and you can play on that in the video.

- To continue the theme the band could possible wear stickmen costumes.

- Luke responded well to the idea of possibly carrying the stickmen narrative into filmed footage of real people where the story is continued.

- Suggested that throughout the video the drawings could become more worldly and real before making this step to real footage, in order to give it some gradual development.

- He mentioned that almost everyone plays on a 'love story' in some way, but liked how we have approached it in an original way.

- He went into detail regarding the technical practicalities of creating animation, and how long a process that is.

- He then continued by saying that despite having an understanding of the principles, he is not an animator. Therefore, an animator may have to be sourced in order to help us learn the art.

- He suggested we should also search the internet for digital software that allows you to animate as an alternate solution.

- Showed some concerns that the stickmen may become boring and might need something else to sustain the viewers interest.

'Bang Bang' - Wil.i.Am

- Bought into the image we planned to create for the artist.

- Liked the dancing ideas in combination with authentic costumes.

- Was really interested by the idea of the cartoon clips.

- However, he raised legal issues about relaying other peoples footage. It can be worked around but it means that you have to display the footage you are using in an original way (e.g. Projected onto someone, through a prop television.)

- Furthermore, questioned the video quality of the clips we would be able to find.

- He said that the tracks for both the first and the second concept are fairly well know, which could be a problem.

- Openly said he liked both ideas, but preferred the first as he saw more potential problems in the second.

Having a comprehensive list like this can help us summarise ideas in a very structured way that includes the input of someone with industry experience. Due to Luke stressing that the first of the ideas ('Girls' The 1975) was his favourite, and considering that we as a group largely agreed with the points that he made - we have decided to continue our development with this idea. Without doubt the concept still needs to be developed further and we need a better visual image in our heads of what it will look like. Furthermore, we need to make a conclusive decision on song choice for the video and whether our current proposition is viable. These are decisions that need discussion, creativity and a good group ethic. Most importantly however, is that the pitch gained a positive response meaning we move forward with confidence.

Creating Prezi's Around our Concepts

Today in lesson we divided immediately into our groups to start assembling our two final concepts and then making them ready for display via the presentation tool - Prezi. Prezi is useful for such tasks as this as it allows you to distribute your ideas in a very visual way. With Friday's pitch to Luke looming, we had to consolidate our ideas and research into two separate presentations, both quickly and efficiently. We managed to do this and now feel ready for our pitch, and more importantly for Luke's critique so we can then build from there.

Genre Conventions

After working in our new groups and discovering what ideas we would develop, we set about researching the genre's that those music videos fall under. Just like films and music itself, music videos also have genres each with definable characteristics and conventions, that normally coincide with then style of the song. The genre's for the ideas we will be pitching on Friday are indie rock and the hybrid genre of jazz/synthpop. We divided the group and started to look into to what makes videos for these two genre's of music recognisable, learning what an audience would expect to see shown through various different elements. I created a Powerpoint to display my findings;

Music videos genre conventions powerpoint from hurtwoodhousemedia5

Seperating into Groups and Forming Ideas

Today we were separated into 4-man groups with which we would continue this project with. My group consisted of myself, Edie, Tabby and Liv. I am somewhat outnumbered as the only boy in the group, but this was inevitable as I am also the only boy in the class. Initially we found it difficult to generate and merge our ideas together but with a little push from Phil (teacher) this became easier. We all have different interests and talents meaning we can all bring something different to the table.

At the start of the week we were tasked with the challenge of formulating a pitch by Friday in which we would display two ideas that we wish to carry on from this stage. This pitch would be directed to Luke, a man with industry experience in this field and an integral cog in making the videos happen and helping us to achieve them to the the highest standard possible. Considering we all had 3 initial ideas of our own that we created over the summer, this meant we had to crunch down 12 ideas to only 2. This proved to be a mean feat and was quite an exhausting process. A helpful method was to try to merge some of the elements from different videos together not only as a form of compromise, but also to make the videos stronger and with more content as a whole. After agonising over ideas and songs we eventually settled on two as a group and began to make two separate brains storms. We devised one video of the indie-rock genre, and one that falls within the hybrid of jazz/synthpop. The information from these thought showers would then be converted into two separate Prezi's which we would use to visually display our ideas to Luke on Friday.

Using Feedback to Develop Ideas

Having received feedback from the group, it is important not to neglect comments in favour of your own preference. This doesn't mean you should change everything but it is important not to be blinded by your own ideas. For example, Phil believed that it may be difficult to stage and create some of the suicide attempts from IDEA 1 and suggested that they should be replaced with more stylised images instead. However, I know that some actions such as the hanging of an individual can be achieved as I have seen it in some AS thrillers and it has been quite effective, when shot sensitively. Without doubt, some others would be challenging but I personally feel with good planning and resources they could be achievable. 

In reference to IDEA 2, I thought my first step in responding to the comments should be to watch the suggested music video. That was 'Red Morning Light' by Kaiser Chiefs;

I really enjoyed watching this video and found the links between this and my concept interesting. Considering this video was made in 2009, there was clearly better quality cameras at the production companies disposal that the one featured. However, much of the camera work is purposely handheld and with added grain to give a un-produced, hap-hazard in order to give the impression that the band don't care for marketing and revel purely in making music and performing it live, with authentic footage from gigs featured in the video. This very much coincides with image I would want to create for the band and the video has acted as a stimulus and helped generate ideas on how I would create this. 

I really understood and took on the criticism in relation to IDEA 3. I have now realised that the song is not appropriate for this coursework task as it is too identifiable and has become iconic through an international artist, therefore making it inappropriate for it to be remade in a school with teenage actors. The video would consequently lack credibility. I also appreciated Phil's comment about it becoming a 'short film' instead of a legitimate music video. I think this is something to be weary of as videos that become too centred around a deep narrative often detract from the key selling point - the song. At this stage, this is the idea I would feel most comfortable about disregarding but I will wait until teaming up with a group before making any crucial decisions.

Pitching Intial Ideas to Class

Today was our opportunity to pitch our 3 initial music video ideas to the class. We did this directly from the blog posts that we devised during the summer. This was an interesting exercise as at this point we are still working as individuals on this project, but at some point we will join forces with other members of the class to form a group with which we will continue. This means we could potentially being pitched an idea by another classmate that will eventually become our own. It was also very useful from a development perspective as it allowed us to gain useful feedback on the ideas from our peer group and iron-out any issues.

 Picture of me pitching to the class;

I decided I would make a video recording to document my class's immediate response to my ideas. Unfortunately, towards the end of their response my phone unfortunately ran out of memory. However, I was able to quickly scribble down any more comments from then on.

As you can see, the response amongst the group was a mixture of positive comments and constructive criticism. This is good as it gives me a clear direction with the way I can edit my concepts before joining a group. Here are some of the key points raised;

IDEA 1

- Bella believed that the Idea 1 was a really interesting concept that was well suited to the music I had chosen.

- Liv said that Idea 1 reminded her of another video she had see by 'The 1975', which carries a similar self destructive individual theme. She also mentioned how she believed it was rather origional as she couldn't recall seeing anything quite like that before.

- Phil (teahcer) mentioned how he thought the idea for the video might lend itself to more stylized strands as opposed to narrative strands. He thought this as he believed that some of the aspects of the story might be difficult to achieve so I should attempt to find those through imagery. He also described how the self destructive genre of videos are often very appealing to a wide variety of audiences.

IDEA 2

- A few members of the class claimed that this idea was in fact their favorite of the three, including Phil. He said it was common for the genre and recommended a video for me to watch.

- Claudia said that it also wouldn't be overly demanding on a organizational front yet would be quite effective as a finished product in achieving the right image for the band.

- Edie thought that the idea might be slightly cliche, especially considering the 'One Direction' influence.  

IDEA 3
-  In reference to my final idea, Phil mentioned you should be careful with such a dense narrative as it can almost become like a short film to music as opposed to looking like a music video.
- Some students mentioned they like the concept but weren't sure on the song. Phil reinforced this by saying it's wise to avoid really well known songs for this task, like 'Rolling in the Deep', as audience members are almost expecting to see Adele in the video and when they don't it simply looses an element of seriousness and integrity.
- Lauren said that the faltering relationship concept is something she has often seen in music videos but felt as though this was refreshingly different due to the way the narrative structure is altered.

Target Audience - Research Task

Before getting under way with creating our music videos, we thought we would do some more research into the idea of target audience. Each member of the class chose a music video that they personally admired. Theses were then handed into the teacher and each person remained anonymous as to they're choice. Three off the list were then chosen at random and played to the class. We were all told to take notes regarding our thoughts on the videos and then nominate somebody that we thought had chosen it, giving us some idea about our interpretation of what kind of person the music video is targeted at. At the end of the class the individuals who chose the videos that we had all seen were revealed, and it turned out that large portions of the class had guessed correctly with some even succeeding with all three. Some were able to guess through the fashion choices of the person they suspected showing how key clothing style is in relation to popular music. Also, some people were able to put two and two together based on how mainstream or 'indie' the music was, matching some of the videos with those who appeared to be more likely to listen to alternative music. This only goes to show the relevance of the topic this exercise is based around.

Here is a picture of the rough notes I took in class, followed by a summary of the key points;

'Holding Onto Heaven' - Foxes

-Camera movements are free roaming which helps to create a dizzying, other-worldly effect. This coincides with the voice of the artist which has a similar grandeur and is reminiscent of Florence and the Machine.
-Abstract dancing
-Stylistically interesting. Colour pallet is heavily directed towards pastel colours. The dress code of the artist is very alternative and possibly 'cute'. They're is certainly no example of 'male gaze' featured in the video as the artist is not dressed in a manor to appear sexy.
-Thematically unique with the kaleidoscope effect where we see the scene replicated and upside down within the shot. This possibly has some metaphorical relevance to the artist and her lyrics.
-The video is inviting to the audience. It is not obvious, however. This suggest the song has depth and is mature connoting it may be directed at an older female teen (15-19).




'Crazy in Love' - Beyoncé

-The video is fast paced and high intensity to coincide with the nature and rhythm of the video.
-It creates a fantasy image surrounding the singer and her body. A artist has been created that a person of almost any sexual orientation will be enticed to look at, either in a sense of idolising her or being sexually attracted to her. This acts as a valuable distraction from the fact that the video is extremely thematically dry and lacking in any real plot or substance.
-Important elements include the artists use of dance choreography and its relationship with the camera shots that have been chosen for specific times. Also, the variety of different outfits add interest and induce her persona as an 'icon'.
-Undoubtedly this video sells - both the persona of the artist and actual records. She is marketing not only through her talent but also her physical assets.
-Jay-Z goes some way in attracting a heterosexual male audience to the video while also creating controversy and talking points through the flirtatious and physical relationship seen with him and Beyoncé in the video, at a time when they were not confirmed as a couple. This inevitably creates hype.



'Up in the Air' - Thirty Seconds to Mars

-High concept and heavily stylised video. Reliant on abstract, overt imagery.
-Using a wealth of different elements/themes that add interest in a visual capacity - (Lion, wolf, dancers.)
-The cutting between shots at the beginning of the track is deliberately coinciding with the beat and pulse of the music creating a punchy atmosphere that is in the audiences face.
-Aims to be 'extreme' in various aspects such as set and content of the video. This helps it to connect with the high intensity sound of the song.
-In its tone it could be said to be raunchy and audacious which creates an aura of confidence around the band with the sense that they are being bold and sending a message of some kind. This is strong star image for a band to have as it suggests they are driving the way they want to be seen.
-I feel this video would target quirky teen girls with an interest in alternative music with a slight rock feel.

On reflection, this was a useful exercise honing in on the idea of target audience and further allowed me to watch some more genre's of music video that can potentially fuel my own ideas at a later time.