Filming Log - 17/11

We finished our final shoot today by filming within the drama studio, effectively using laser lights and noise controlled disco lights. These were borrowed by myself from a peer. We initially booked the drama studio because you can create complete darkness which is prime for the sort of lighting we were using. We set up all equipment ourselves and finished setting up, filming and setting down within an hour.



 E-mails requesting permission to shoot with borrowed equipment in our chosen workspace

We will now include this footage by superimposing the clips with other shots featured in the video already. We will ensure not to overuse it, but we think it is vital at a certain point of the song to include the lights.

Georgia testing the lighting prior to shoot

Test Shots

We could probably use this contrasting psychedelic-esque image for an inside cover, representing the 'green' that the artist sings of; as well as portraying our knowledge of shutter speed use through our work.

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Test Album Shot

A close up of the artist is essential for an album shot. Even though there is a distinct patterns and colour in this picture, the subject of the image is still obvious because of the type of shot it is and due to the use of the rule of thirds too.

2nd Draft - 13/11

Today we managed to finish the second draft of our music video. This is excellent news as we are completely up to date with our work and it gives us time to comfortably shoot and edit more footage optionally before Christmas. After this shoot we will be completely done with all planned shots that were originally chosen. Here is the 2nd draft which was submitted early because we have managed our time perfectly.

Cover/Advertisement Post - 13/11

Marc has taken most of the control over CD covers/album advertisements. He has the most knowledge and experience with programmes such as Photoshop. We have developed ideas as a group, using influential work from our Revised CD/Album Cover Ideas. However, Marc has created an artistic, personal adjustments and modifications on all pieces of work within the ancillary task, consequently resulting with unique and original CD covers.

Our ancillary projects included creating an advertisement and CD covers for our music video. For our CD covers we had to design 6 different covers. Marc began by creating two of the inside sleeves.

Inside Sleeve

We used a shot from Boxhill and then layered the images back on each other. This created an aesthetic compliment that we thought would suit our CD cover concept. Marc then added a colour overlay over it, so the image was darker.

Inside Sleeve

For this cover we took a picture of myself standing infront of a tree. We then took a picture of just grass and then cropped me out from the original picture and underlayed the picture of grass so that it would take my shape.


For our final CD covers, we may:

• Use a different background for the grass underlay 
• Re-adjust the width and depth of each overlay of the tree shot.

Editing Post - 10/11

Today I managed to clean up all minor mistakes that were featured within our first draft. This was very precise editing and it tested my editing skills more than having to determine new ideas or planning. This ensures that we can see a journey through the process of production. Within the first section of our video there were some shots that were especially long. As a result, I have cut them up with other performance shots so that everything runs smoothly. I had to do the same with black sections of the video too. There was some footage we shot using the green screen that didn't look great in the first draft, as well as some shots that weren't even used. We mixed them up a little bit and changed the length of some of the shots, resulting in the video looking a lot better aesthetically throughout specific points of the video. Whilst looking back at our original storyboard, we realised that there was no use of laser/disco lights either as originally planned. This may mean that we will have to do our first re-shoot next week. On the other hand, other shots that show hands connecting and reaching out have now been featured too. Finishing touches of fading images and stylistic blackouts have also been perfected. Below is a clip of a section of our video we are especially proud of due to a variety of minor improvements.

Superimposed fade at the end, tidy green screen shots, ripple effect using crop & opacity

1st Draft

Here's a copy of our first draft:

Looking in hindsight, there were quite a few adjustments that needed to be made to maintain a consistent through throughout our video. Self-assessed and peer-assessed improvements included:

• Long shots

• Black bits

• First few shots

• Lip sync not in time 

• Unused shots

• Shots durations too quick (cutaway)

• No use of lights Bad shots of green screen

• No blackout in the correct spot

• Milliseconds of blackness at around 2:04

• No use of fade at 2:48

Peer Assessment - 1st Draft

Today we have evaluated each others work and displayed our first drafts to the class. It was a great success and our group received some really useful feedback which was beneficial to us. Each peer marked us using the actual criteria, so all tips and advice were relevant. Below are tables depicting the average strengths and weaknesses, trends, scores and grades delivered to us as a whole within our feedback.

Exemplar Peer Assessments

Editing Post - 3/12

Throughout our lessons this week we finally finished our first draft of our video. There were a lot of final touches that we needed to do in order to submit our work. To do so, we had to non-stop work on the footage and cutting for 2 solid hours in lesson, followed by a couple after school too. This included:

• Superimposing the same footage within Central London. We then stretched one layer very lightly using the crop tool, and then adjusting the opacity of both images to create a blurry, psychedelic effect.
• Ensuring that shots were precisely on the beat as a brief few weren't perfect.
• Reinstating the idea that our piece stays strong throughout, with a variety of techniques being used throughout.
  

Whilst reviewing our initial storyboard, we can see that there has been a certain change of plan, but we have stuck to many of our ideas. The storyboard has been extremely useful, as we have never felt stuck or like we have ran out of ideas. Due to the vast amount of great footage from each shoot, we currently feel like we don't have to film any other planned shots. There is a clear motif and concept shown throughout which we are very proud of.

             A preview of our first draft will soon be uploaded.

Editing Post - 29/11

Today I completely focussed again on editing, as our first draft is due in for next Tuesday. I have started to edit the London footage, which is a lot more difficult than the first section, as it features a lot of editing techniques. This includes a lot of opacity adjustments, drastic speed adjustments to specific clips, and cutting to the beat. I am especially proud of a complex section where I cut from 2 shots in London and the cabin. This section is very fast and it meant that I had to listen to each specific snare hit to make it look perfect. This was a lengthy procedure, but the outcome is brilliant. I didn't manage to do all that I had planned to in lesson, so I stayed after school for a couple of hours to finish it off. Whilst I was doing this, Georgia contributed by starting the post-production process of the green screen footage, and Marc started off our album advertisement brilliantly on Photoshop. Our album cover is initially influenced from album art used by The Internet & Tame Impala. Below is a short clip showing some of the editing techniques that I used today.

  This is how the footage looked on the timeline with Premier Pro

Editing Post - 26/11

Today I successfully managed to assemble the first minute of our video within the timeline in our project on Premiere Pro. Some of our shoots have come out perfectly, with a great crisp quality to them. On the other hand, a few of our shots have been a bit shaky or out of focus. This was especially frustrating when one of our main performance shots were out of focus in Box Hill. Fortunately, we took a number of shots twice to ensure we can work around this. We have been lucky enough to not have to go and re-shoot yet like some of the other groups. We have stuck to our planning section and everything is currently up to date and on time. We have included a variety of long shots and close up cutaways taken in Box Hill, as there was a lot of naturalistic beauty to film when we were out there. There will be a visual change of location shots within the video. There will be a switch from nature shots to shots within the cabin, followed by rooftop and Box Hill shots, and then finally the London shots, with a montage fusion at the end which includes numerous locations. Below lies a low quality extract from the current first section of our video.

Editing Log Post - 22/11

Today we started the long process of editing our video. We concluded that there was already a lot of footage that needed to be arranged before even considering to shoot anymore. This was not foreseen, as  we originally planned to include a small amount of other shots within our storyboard. Although we did not completely stick to it, there was a vast amount of shots we took that were not planned and came out exceptionally well.

The software we are using is the latest version of Adobe Premier Pro CS6. This was new software to all members of our group, as we were all familiar with using Final Cut Express last year. I personally prefer Premiere Pro a lot more, as is it is quicker, more user-friendly and you do not have to render each time you want to preview your work.

The first step in our post-production process was to gather all performance shots of me lip-syncing either certain parts of the track or when I perform the entire song. We then assembled then to be perfectly in time with the song. This was a lengthy procedure as you had to trim, cut and place each clip  to the precise millisecond at where it needed to be. It was difficult to manoeuvre at first, but after about two hours and our computer crashing midway, the task had been done.

Filming Log - 15/11

         One of many unused shots where public entered on screen

Our most recent shoot was located in Waterloo, Central London. We conversed as a group and decided that we'd film within the infamous Leake Street tunnel that was filled with artistic graffiti. The shoot was a great success and we maintained so much useful footage that we may not need to shoot anywhere else in Central London. All of the main shots on our storyboard had been shot and the footage fortunately fused with the Box Hill shoots, creating a beautiful contrast. The miss en scene created a dingy, city-like feel to it that really juxtaposed the nonchalant essence that is delivered to the audience throughout the beginning of the video. We found some brilliant background drops and the location was completely ideal. The only problem we faced was the fact that the public could go through at any time, causing people to walk into our shots and often be distracting. This came to an advantage in one case, as there was a woman running whilst I was lip syncing the entire track. However, in hind sight it appears as if the woman is running from something scary, and we have decided to currently keep that shot within the video as it seems to fit in with the miss en scene.

Filming Log - 12/11

Here is a sped up section of our shoot this week using the green screen. We set up and put down all of the equipment ourselves before and after our booking of a classroom. We are aiming to have an aesthetic visual effect of the artist falling within the video. This connects with the lyrics of the song and I believe that it will work very effectively if this is successful. We have also included other songs of segmented body parts including the symbolic reach out for another hand. We may use the green screen again to develop more performance shots which we will include within our final product.

Test Shots - 08/11

Here are some tests shots of what we did today. We experimented with different shutter speeds to create the blurred facial image for our artist. We understood that the darker the room, the more effective the outcome of our picture will be. We also explored the use of light with a slow shutter speed. However, although it could be effective, we decided that it would be irrelevant within our video or CD cover. The superimposed image of grass that has been stencilled to my body image was created on PhotoShop. We thought that this worked exceptionally well. The next step for this shot is to plan what we will actually use within the stencil body image as well as determining the background. I think that a backdrop of forestry within Box Hill would be a lot more aesthetically pleasing.

Filming Log - 24/10

This was our first big shoot, where we travelled to Box Hill by car to shoot in the cabin. Within about 3-4 hours we managed to maintain all shots within the cabin which was a real success. It was a really bright, sunny day; depicting the refreshing start that the artist will possess by the end of the music video. A lot of graphic, abstract cutaways were taken here to really ensure that our video will have that slick, professional edge to it after post-production has taken place. Whilst shooting we managed to retrieve a brilliant shot whilst driving. On the other hand, we may have to travel back there to take more performance shots outdoors.

FIlming Log - 22/10

Today our group travelled to Sutton to shoot on a rooftop and the underpass of a shopping centre. The shoot was extremely successful, due to retrieving some useful footage. Things that were beneficial to us on the day included the lighting. This is because the weather was quite foggy and cloudy, consequently resulting to a forecast that promoted pathetic fallacy. Shots taken that day included the lip-syncing on the roof, the shot of the lift and stairs going up and down and cutaways that we may include such as a broken mirror and alarms.

Revised CD/Album Cover Ideas

Above resides our reviewed CD/Album cover ideas. We originally had other thoughts for the images we would use for our album cover. However, after thorough research, we decided to use influences from these images whilst creating our final album cover.

NB: The last image is a use of out of focus lights. The use of bokeh provides an aesthetic quality of the use of blur. This connotes unimportance and connects with other themes and messages used within our video and other images which will be created for the album cover.

Photo Shoot Plan

These are the plans me and my group made in advance to shooting the music video and taking the photographs for the ancillary tasks. This makes the group more organised and we all know when and where we are shooting so that we can ensure we are punctual and run to schedule. We will then also know what we are going to need to bring in (including props). The more we plan now, the easier it makes for us when we come to shoot the music video.

Talent Release Forms

Here are the two talent release forms created to abide by all legal actions that need to be taken. This is due to the need of consent/permission for the appearance of any artists/actors that are featured within our final product. We have ensures that the forms are signed by the appropriate subjects.

Track Permission Letter

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Above lies the letter written by our group to Eglo Records. The track we are using for our music video was released under this record label. Evidently, we have clearly stated the reason of the use of 'Lonely Town'. Acquiring permission consequently results in all legal actions that need to take place have been processed.

Location Permissions Letter

The two letters below were written asking permission for the use of locations which will be shown in our music video. This was written by a member of our group.This first letter is intended for the owner of the cabin which we intend to use to film, together with the landowner of the section of Box Hill where we plan to film.

Below lies the reply that officially grants us permission for use of the cabin

Planning Schedule

Shooting Schedule

Photo Shoot Plan

 Above is the shooting schedule and the photo shoot plan. These are the plans me and my group made in advance to shooting the music video and taking the photographs for the ancillary tasks. This makes the group more organised and we all know when and where we are shooting so that we can all make it. We will then also know what we are going to need to bring in (props wise). The more we plan now the easier it makes for us when we come to shoot the music video.

CD Cover Ideas

We were set the task of creating rough sketched ideas of what may be featured on our CD covers.

Top Left: This image could possibly be our front cover. It features our artist central on the cover but from a distance. This ensures he is the centre of focus, whilst his identity isn't completely clear, creating a mysterious approach when it comes to the terms of artist image. There could also be 4 superimposed spheres, each with a detached segment of an ECU of the artist's face. Both main images reflect an isolated persona, connecting with the single.

Top Middle: This is a slow-lens shot of a street with stretched lights, symbolising that everything could be passing the artist in a blur, this indulges confusion and dilusion.

Top Right: The top right tunnel depicts a metaphoric escape (or return) to something different. This leaves the audience thinking as to where this tunnel could lead and whether it's a positive or negative concept.

Bottom Left: The back cover could feature the artist looking round, as if the back of the cover is also behind him, the long shot also finally gives a clear view of the srtist for the first time on the album. This signifies that what he looks like isn't what is necessarily important.

Bottom Middle: My thoughts on having an eye for the CD holder are that it portrays that this could represent an 'all-seeing eye' that could speak truth. This could maintain similiarities with what is recorded on the CD. In addition, the spherical shape of an eye could aesthetically link with the CD.

Bottom Right: This reinstates the idea of avoiding to clearly release what the artist looks like. Furthermore, this could be a powerful image if edited and shot correctly, as it could personify the fact that the lyrical meaning behind some of the artist's music implies that his surroundings stand out and glisten a lot more than the artist personally finds that he does. This shot of a silhouette with lights will also be included within our video too.
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Other group members ideas:

Above is Georgia's idea of an album cover. I especially favour the use of colour and his idea of textual layout. You can clearly see the artist, which is ideal as our artist is predominantly new and upcoming. However, we may not need to have the artist within 4/6 of the images.

 

Here lies Marc's album cover, this looks extremely conventional with a distinct vacant theme. It features a variety of close ups and long shots. I think that we should use ideas such as the slow-shutter speed and use of nature within the album cover, as we will use such ideas within our video, henceforth connecting the two.

Album Advertisement Idea

Other group members ideas:

This was a great idea by Marc, who has included the forest theme idea that was originally instated within our video. He has kept to the rule of thirds and stuck with all album advertisement conventions.

This sketch from Georgia, fuses the faces of both characters found within our video. This is a very abstract concept, with an interesting idea that could possibly work within our final product.

Props

Above is a mood board portraying everything that we will need to create our video. Most of the props are to suit the mise en scene and pathos that the video illustrates. However, including props like a high-hat will be needed to suit the conventions of a typical music video, such as including classical/non-electrical instrumentation featured within the score of the soundtrack. Furthermore, embracing characteristics of smoke ensures that we emphasise lyrical meanings throughout different sections of the song too. However, we have tried to keep the use of props to a minimum, consequently resulting on the audience completely focussing on the artist and his surroundings.

Costumes

Above lies our final decisions on the costumes that the artist in the video will wear. These are the same as what we planned within our concept post, and after conversing we decided to finalise these notions as they were already thought through thoroughly at a previous time.


Dressing Gown: This is what we are thinking of using inside of the cabin. The use of a dressing gown implies the depressing mood put forward by the character. The colour of the dressing gown also connotes a negative portrayal. We'd also like to represent how the cabin in which he wears this costumes symbolises his metaphorical pitfall and how he is currently at rock bottom within this specific strand.

Purple Camo Fur Coat: This is what the character will wear within Central London. It will contrast with the surroundings on screen. It's also effective how it has a camouflage design, which insinuates that the character should blend in, although the unique colours culminates it to stand out. The fur collar additionally restores the seasonal wintry atmosphere as this too connotes loneliness and bad weather, consequently resulting in pathetic fallacy which reflects the mood of the video.

Khaki Parka: This is what the character is going to wear whilst walking around Box Hill. As well as looking like something you could wear whilst hiking, it also compliments the background, reinforcing the fact that he blends in within the lonely town in which he resides. The fact that I will always wearing a coat within the video in either Box Hill or London reinstates the cold ambience we are trying to display throughout the video, as this justifies the pathetic fallacy that has been used.

Grey Suit with Red Shirt: In addition, we have also decided to include a change of costume within the last scene of video. This includes our artist changing from the dressing gown, and finally leaving the cabin whilst wearing a suit. This represents how he is taking a step and moving on with his life, in search of something new and starting fresh. The use of red connotes the love and possible anger/hatrid towards his past lover.

Animatic

Above is an animatic presentation of our initial outline of our video. Master shots have been included towards the beginning and end of the video to give our piece a bookmarked beginning and end. There is a clear incentive shown throughout, with  cross cuts of our artist travelling between both variations of a lonely town. Generating this moving storyboard has given our group an aesthetic hypothesis to consistently follow whilst filming. Cutaways and special effects will be included throughout post-production too. The image below the video features our group holding up the storyboard, evidently showing this work has been entirely created independently. 

Locations

Concept

Through debate and conversation within our group, these are the main concept ideas that we have came up with.

• We have established that there will be 3 main strands of where the video would be set
• These will reside in a rural area, with shot locations such as Box Hill, cabins within that area, as well as possibly Kingston or Merton Abbey Mills
• This will consistently be cut with the performer travelling around Central London in less busy areas such as back streets.
• Locations within Central London include the South Bank, Piccadilly & Soho.
• Cross dissolves, superimposing and slow motion are the 3 main post-production effects/techniques that we'll use.
• We ensured that key shots have been visualised too, such as linking key shots to the lyrics, and when scene changes will occur. (See scanned image)
  
  
  
  

Lyrics

Image Analysis

Lyrical Ideas

Roles

Above we have created a gif representing who will be partaking in each job role.

Below are enlisted details of all features and aspects of individual occupations.

 

Sterling: Director, Performer & Editing

Due to my job roles, I will ensure that I have planned out and developed ideas for the entire video. We have also decided to use me within the video, because we thought the vocals would suit me best, as well as the fact that I made the final decision of the song. I will ensure that there is a concept and that all stylistic features of a conventional video will be in use. I also have experience using FinalCut (the programme where we will edit all of our footage), as does Marc, so we both decided to share the role of editing together.

Georgia: Mise en Scene & Lighting

As I am doing the mise en scene of the video, I will be choosing the different locations we will be shooting for our music video. I have also chose to do lighting, which means that I will be making sure the locations and the shots are correctly lit to suit the concept of what to have shot.

Marc - Camerawork, Sound & Editing

As I'm doing sound for our music video, I will have to make sure that there is no sound in the video other than the music itself. For editing, I will be working with Sterling to ensure that our clips cut to the beat of the track and we will have to have stylistic features that a conventional video will use. For camerawork I will be have to ensure that all shots are framed correctly, that the camera is recording correctly and that everything needed is in frame.

Song Details & Initial Ideas

Soul Questionnaire