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