Production Diary Ten

Throughout the last week we have started to gather all our potential ideas on a name for our institution which will represent and promote our music video. After collating our best names I decided to personally transfer them into the form of a mind map so that I could expand on them, with reasons why they would be effective to our production. After narrowing it down we decided to put them to a vote by 10 people ranging from ages of 16-50 to find out what our potential target audience thought of our chosen names.
After this we next started completing a few simple shots on the green screen including lip syncing of verses that gave us ideas of what might be in our production. Along with this it acted as test footage which we could go back, review but also use for some editing testing.
Lastly I found an actor release form which was given out to the artist and all the potential actors that could feature in the music video asking for there permission to be used within our music video.

Lip Sync Practice

This was me personally practising how to lip sync effectively. It was abundantly clear from the start that my knowledge of the lyrics of the song was poor and that I lacked a lot of confidence. The lack of confidence was portrayed through my poor, slumped body language. I was showing very limited expression's, more specifically from the face as I often looked down at the floor during the duration of  the practice.

Actor Release Form Template

Green Screen Practise

From this green screen practice we decided to use a very simple close up but fixed camera angle at the front of the artist so that it would have a very bold and clear appear when it is applied the green screen filters and effects. From this we decided to simply used some very basic backgrounds which are compatible with the green screen so we got a understanding of how we could actually use a green screen to add effect but also drama to our production. 

Audience Feedback On Institution Names and Ideas

From the survey in which we conducted concerning our Institution names we asked 10 different people ranging from ages 16-50. The reason for this wide age range in which we asked was so that we could get various people opinions from different cultures and backgrounds. There was two clear favourites from the list of names in which we narrowed it down to, these where Thorecords with 21% of the vote and popular records with 23%. From this after some discussions we decided to label our institution name Popular records due to the simplicity and catchy aspect associated with the name.

Institution Names

Mind Map created by Jamie Friend with GoConqr

Production Diary Nine

Since the last production diary there has been a strong main focus on filming/production element of the music video. This has meant we had started to create a crew list, shooting schedule, costume/props list update, and a risk assessment. The reason for this was to clearly outline within the group exactly who had what roles within the music video and the time/dates in which we would be carrying out these specific tasks. On top of this it indicated to us what the artist should be wearing, what props we need for that scene of filming and the equipment that was need to help us achieve our aim within the scene. Lastly we decided to create a risk assessment which helped us before we went filming to identify any potential risks or hazards which we might be presented with and also exactly how these risks can be minimised/eliminated. Consequently it would ensure we followed the correct procedures to overall benefit our safety as a group.

Risk Assessment

Location List Examples

London Underground

Hyde Park

Tower Bridge 

East London - Brick Lane

Southbank Skate Park 

Location List

List of Props

Due to the fact of using keeping are artist very fashionable but also someone that would blend in to society very easily, we decided to keep the props very basic to give our production a very relatable feel. On top of this we decided to focus our production more around aspects such as editing, locations and the concept of binary opposition. 

Outfits / Costume which are artist will be wearing;

• Black Hoody
• Navy Bomber Jacket
• Blue Jeans
• White Trainers

This style is appealling to the modern, trendy, up to date pop genre audience within recent times. 

Shooting Schedule Day 2

Shooting Schedule Day 1

Crew List

Production Diary Eight

Recently I have been putting together and producing a digital written copyright permission letter in which I have finalised, but also now sent to Syco music requesting their permission to have rights to use their song by James Arthur 'Get Down'. The reason for this is to prevent any altercation's in the production stage our music video production in regards to copyright laws. As a result if permission is granted it will allow our group to have editing rights, publishing rights but also general usage rights in relation to the song.
Also we decided to spend a short amount of time creating a very small props list consisting of what our artist will be wearing costume wise throughout the production. By doing this it will allow us to keep track of what the artist is wearing at all times throughout the filming stage of the production to keep the consistent look throughout.
In spite of this, casting and auditions took place to help us as a group to eliminate who we was going to choose to be the actor featuring in our music video. After this and by reviewing some the footage we took of the decisions we decided as a group that our artist would be Wilson Wood, who is also one of our team members.

Casting and Auditions 3

Wilson was the last of three people who auditioned for the role of the main actor in the production and it was clearly evident from the start that he would be the best candidate for the role.The way in which he presented himself in the audience was that he was very confident, fashionable young man who clearly spent the time learning the lyrics. Wilson showed large amounts of enthusiasm and was engaging with the camera in real depth which would help build the relationship between himself and the target audience. He clearly used a lot of facial movement and expression's within the audience which matched up simultaneously with the soundtrack .

Casting and Auditions 2

This was my audition for the actor role in our production in 'Get Down'. It was rather clear that my lip syncing in places was evidently out of time and did not match up with the soundtrack. From this footage it indicates that I lacked confidence when it came to me lip syncing the track due to me vastly looking down at the lyrics and engaging quickly but for small periods of time with the camera. One of the strong reasons in which this occurred in the audition was due to be not reviewing or knowing enough of the chorus , well enough to perform it. Despite this from an audience point of view they would get the impression that I did not strong want to be involved in the production as the main actor, down to the lack in my enthusiasm.

Casting and Auditions 1

From this audition video by Will lip syncing the chorus of 'Get Down' it was instantly evident of the lack of confidence in which he had in front of the camera. He was also very unenthusiastic from the strong lack of facial expressions, lack of body movement and there was poor exaggeration on certain lyrics within the verse. On top of this throughout the whole audition he looked at the floor which in turn prevents the audience from being able to engage with him. The only clear positive of this performance is indirect,but relates to the actors age of 17 being he will be relevant to the target audience we are addressing our performance towards.

Copyright Permission Letter

This screen shot is the email in which I sent to Syco music to personally ask for permission to use the following content by James Arthur 'Get Down' for my A2 media project.

James Arthur - Get Down Lyrics Annotated

Production Diary 7

Recently I have been conduction research and have been recording the elements in which will be included amongst our production. This consists of things such as the camera techniques in which may be useful for us within our production and generic conventions which typically appear in the genre of pop in which we are operating within. From this we can use these different typical pop conventions and camera techniques for new inspiration to interpret into our music video. A long wth this we have been making a record and uploading information onto our blogs regarding the equipment, Mise en Scene which we will be using and test footage in which we have conducted.

Equipment List

Camera

The camera is a critically important piece of equipment to enable us to complete and produce our music video. It will allow us to capture a range of different shots and scenes in which we will need to be able to distribute a high quality music video.

Tripod

Through using a tripod, it will enable use when filming as a group to keep the camera extremely stable which will reduce the amount of movement when filming. This added stability will mean that the overall quality of our music video will be considerably better.

Dolly

The use of the dolly will mean that we can have smooth movement when filming whilst the camera will remain fixed, which will give us overall stable footage. A key shot in which the dolly will be used for is a tracking shot, when the artist is being followed.

Microphone

By using a microphone which is separate to the camera’s attached audio function it will mean that there will be a much better sound input, making the video a much better quality.

Computer

The footage and audio in which we gather will be transferred onto the computer where we can start to compile all are shots together. After this we can start the editing stage to give the music video a stronger appeal to an audience through added effect.

Editing Software

This will be vital in the production stage to add transitions, filters and to piece are footage together. On top of this we can make the music video much smoother through ensuring that the lip syncing in perfectly in time with the audio soundtrack.

Editing Experiment

Here I gathered a few scenes of footage in which we recorded in London, Hyde Park.  From this I decided to put some of the different camera angles together with transitions and effects to get an idea of what we wanted to perceive from this scene. A long side with this I also decided to gather certain backgrounds which are compatible with the screen scene footage which we have pre recorded so that we would get an idea of what the layout would look like. In the end I decided to do a mini review of the editing experiment a decide that certain elements such as the cut shots, black and white effect but also the starting verse of lip syncing will have a strong possibility of featuring in our end product.

Mise en Scene

Camera Techniques

Aerial shot

A shot taken from an airborne device, generally while moving.

Dollying or Dolly shot

A shot in which the camera moves toward or away from its subject while filming. Traditionally dolly shots are filmed from a camera dolly but the same motion may also be performed with a Steadicam. Tracking in and out is also commonly used in a dolly shot

Point of view shot (POV)

A shot which shows an image from the specific point of view of a character in the music video.

Tracking shot

A shot in which the camera moves alongside or parallel to its subject while filming.

Close-up

A framing focusing on the human head or an object no larger than the human head.

Medium close-up

A shot showing the human figure from approximately the chest up.

Long shot

A shot in which the human figure would be relatively small compared to its surroundings.

Extreme close-up

A shot emphasizing on a portion of the face or of some object or detail smaller than the face. 

Through the research in which I conducted into different camera techniques which are used within an music video, I picked out the key ones in which will be the most useful in our production. From this I got a strong understanding of which each shot illustrates and what shots will have a particular effect within our music video. This meant that I could use this research on camera techniques and furthermore apply certain aspects in the planning stage to help improve the quality, but also the effect that as a group we are trying to achieve within our music video.