Music Video Preparation - Props.

Here are some of the props I intend to use for my music video. Most of them are instruments, so it creates a realistic feel to the music video that my actors are actually playing. After listening to the song I have worked out that there is a keyboard, drums, a guitar, a vocalist. So to make it look as realistic as possible I will make my band use this instruments. 

Here is a picture of an old retro purple push bike. This is the bike I have and I intend to use it in my music video, after looking at a few music video's for example, The Bike Song and the Lucozade advert they have both inspired me to have my main singer on the bike riding, whilst miming the words to the song. 

Music Video Preperation - Hair Styles.

Below are three hairstyles I would like to display in my music video. The link that all these three styles are how they are messy and careless styles, or another word to describe them would be 'bedhead' this term meaning, it looks like they've just woken up and therefore not altered there hair from the sleep. This style of being slightly careless and grubby looking, fits in perfectly with the codes and conventions for my indie genre music video. 

Music Video Preperation - Costume.

In order for my music video to look typically Indie, I am wanting a particular style in which my band members can portray this genre look. These pictures of some outfits below are in fashion at the moment. 

All the shirts above are example's of the costume I would to put my band members to wear. I am trying to achieve a particular look of the stereotypical look of an Indie / Rock band member. These shirts are all typical of an Indie / Rock. The fashion for this stereotype is to wear your top button to the top. 

 

Here are some examples of some coats which would look good on my band members. The first, Parker jacket is something that has been in fashion particularly from the 60's. The leather jacket is abit more aimed at the Rock Genre. The duffle coat again links with the typical sterotype of what a band member in this genre would wear. 

Skinny jeans or straight legs again are orginally coming into fashion in the 60's, and have come back in fashion. There usually worn less tightly at the bottom of the trousers so it gives more of a straight leg look. 

Boat and Desert shoes again have come back into fashion from around the 60's. Whereas the Vans are more modern but still in fashion. 

There is a pattern with the clothes as they are usually from the 60's when they first started the fashion. This gives an old fashioned almost vintage feel about it. 

Music Video Preperation - Setting.

Here are my initional ideas for the locations of where I am going to film. As you can see I the interier is  one being the young boy's bedroom, in which the change is going to happen between the main singer, being a young boy to an young adult. The other shots of in the street is the domiant location and most of the music will be filmed out on the street, where the lead singer rides his bike through the streets. 

PreProduction Details.

In order to get organised for my music video shoot one, I sent an email out to the four band members asking letting them know the time and place, what to wear and also what props they will need to bring if necessary. One of the boys told me the night before that he couldn't make it and after re-arranging the shooting date twice already, I had to go without having four band members to having three. 

A couple of days before filming I made a folder and printed out four sheets with the lyrics on in size 12 font. I did this so all of my band members and me can have a copy of it, and when they were sat on the rocks, they had the sheets hidden in the rocks, just incase they forgot the lyric's. This was a useful way and also a way to take less time filming. And another copy of the lyric's but in a big font. I printed the big font out just incase they didn't have there sheets on them and I would then need to hold the lyrics up. I found that I didn't use this big font as after my band members had listened to the music they seemed to remember the lyric's quite well. 

In order for my band to recognise the tempo of the music in order for them to sing in time, I recorded the song from my computer to my phone, I didn't download the song as it wasn't free. This took a couple of attempts as there was a fussy sound from the background when I recorded it. I felt that this wasn't a good idea, and I should of just downloaded the song, as when I played it to the band it was too quite. So Matt, had to go on YouTube on his phone and play the song that way. The problem with this was it was taking along time loading the music video and if I wanted to stop the song and play it again, we would have to wait for it to load then play it from the start, this was extremely time consuming, and It would of been better if I would of brought some portable speakers, so the band members could hear the song, and if I downloaded it, then that would of been alot quicker. 

The previous night before filming I went to check my camera, and it wasn't working. And then realised the battery had broken from the previous time I used it. But luckily we have another camera, It is lighter and also alot better quality so I had to charge my camera up the night before, and in the morning I turned it on and checked that it was working. 

Influences - Simular artist image.

The libertines are an English band that include four members, Carl Barat (guitar / vocalist), Pete Doherty (guitar/ vocalist), John Hassall (bass) and Gary Powell. Doherty and Barat created the band in London 1997, and they both were the main songwriters also. 

Around the 2000's the band started to gain popularity but this was always limited as the genre is specific. But they manged to gain a  No.1 for there album and a No.2 for there single. In 2004 there album self-titled achieved the rating of second best album of the year. Although there great musical success, they were also put down by Doherty's well known drug addiction, which later caused the band to spilt, although he claims it wasn't due to his drug addiction, but because of the bad relationship he had between Barat. In 2010 the band reunited to preform a special performance at the Reading and Leeds Festival, they got good publicity and a positive reaction from the audience. 

By watching and listening to the The Libertines - Dont Look Back Into the sun, I can notice some simularities between them with the Stockers! I noticed that both songs start and continue to use a fast upbeat tempo thoughout. The intruments of drums and bass guitar are most significant and also the way the songs are sung, it's almost as if there speaking or not holding on to long notes, keeping them short, rather then holding onto a note for a long time. They both share the same music genre and therefore follow simular conventions. 

Orginal Pitch.

Take 1 - Long sot from behind of little boy in pyjamas holding hands with mum going upstairs to bed.

Take 2 - Quick close up/extreme close ups shots of little boy getting into bed, Mum kisses him goodnight, shot of little boy asleep.

Take 3 - Special effects to indicate the little boy is dreaming, maybe spinning stars or flashing lights.

Take 4 - Little boy wakes up not so little. He has changes into an older boy, aged about 17/18, still wearing the same pyjamas, which are not too small for him. Shots are now in a dreamlike edit, to show that the little boy is dreaming.

Take 5 - The boy gets opens his wardrobe to find Indie/Rock clothes, then changes into them.

Take 6 - The boy walks out of the house and Finds his bike is now a lot bigger and gets on his bike to ride it.

Take 7 - Various different shots of boy singing the song whilst riding the bike. Over the shoulder shots, front shots, extreme close ups, hand held shots, camera shots, point of view shots.

Take 8 - Different band members walking into the shot aside the bike playing musical instruments. Again a wide variety of different shots, are used here.

Take 9 - The boys dream ends when the boy falls off his bike. The effects of the stars indicate that the little boy is returning from his dream.

Take 10 - Shot of the little boy awake from his dream and he is laughing.

Stockers! Lights Vs Vanish.

There were two songs I liked from the stockers band and was finding it hard to choose from Lights or Vanish. For a little research to decided which song to chose I created a tally chart and asked them which song they liked. The results were from the following below. 

In total I asked 50 people to listen to the two songs, as you can see from the results, Lights got 12 votes and Vanish got 38. I thought by asking my friend which song they would like best, it would be a better song to do my project on as I wouldn't get board of it like the last song from Area. I think it is important to really enjoy the song you've chosen as you wont have much drive to do the work if it's a song you don't really like. 

Stockers!

Claudio, Thomas, Franz and Damien create the indie band STOCKERS! All four of the boy's are from Helsinki, Finland, and all in there twenties. The instruments included in the band are the guitar, bass, drums and vocal. The music consist of an fast paced rhythm to create an upbeat feel to there music. 

Here is a email I sent to the band, to ask the band if I could use them as my unsigned band. 

"Hello Stockers! I am an A Level Media student, studying at Christ The King Catholic School In Nottingham, England. For my media project this year, I have to contact an unsigned band and ask them if I could create a music video for one of there songs. For the music video I will be replacing you guys, with some of my friends from sixth form. I also have to create an album cover and analysis the lyrics. I was just emailing in hope that you would agree with my request.

Thankyou, 

Charlotte Crogan."

Lights.

When the music plays, I feel away from you, 

surrounded by the friends trying to catch you.

When the music plays, I hope you would be coming soon. 

All what we do Is something new. 

Turn off the lights, just take me there.

Only you and I, get ready tonight. 

Turn off the lights, tell everyone, 

put the day behind, and get ready for tonight. 

Star crashing down, god knows it's something more,

I'm standing in the skyline ready to fall. 

Left, left, right, I think I'm lost for you, 

You can't find before, until the end.

Turn off the lights, just take me there.

Only you and I, get ready tonight. 

Turn off the lights, tell everyone, 

put the day behind, and get ready for tonight. 

Get ready, feel alive,

Get ready, tonight.

Get ready, Get ready, Tonight.

Ahhhh, Auhhh, Ahhhh, Ahhhh, Auhhh, Ahhhh

Ahhhh, Auhhh, Ahhhh, Ahhhh, Auhhh, Ahhhh

Ahhhh, Auhhh, Ahhhh, Ahhhh, Auhhh, Ahhhh.

Turn off the lights, just take me there.

Only you and I, get ready tonight. 

Turn off the lights, tell everyone, 

put the day behind, and get ready for tonight. 

Only you and I, Only you and I. 

Only you and I, Only you and I. 

Vanish. 

Bye, Bye my white shoes, they told me too much about you.

And I don't wanna know, dont wanna know,

how did I end up with you. When I gave you some flowers, 

they were my only happy hours, oh, how could I know, how could I know,

weather emotions died. 

Days are all, been held at the doors, rain is dry after your calls, 

are you home, I hope you are alone. 

A thousands words are melting my heart, no one takes it back to the start,

in your home, I hope you are alone. 

Bye, Bye my black shoes, you give me only bad news, 

and I don't wanna know, don't wanna know, anything eles about you.

Can you walk away, out of my life,

Can you walk away, out of my mind,

Can you walk away, a different side of the street.

Can you walk away, Oh can you walk away, 

Oh can you walk away, Oh can you walk away. 

Because, Days are all, been held at the doors, rain is dry after your calls, 

are you home, I hope you are alone. 

A thousands words are melting my heart, no one takes it back to the start,

in your home, I hope you are alone. 

Ohhhhh Ouhhhhh Ohhhhh. 

Ohhhhh Ouhhhhh Ohhhhh. 

Ohhhhh Ouhhhhh Ohhhhh. 

Ohhhhh Ouhhhhh Ohhhhh. 

Days are all, been held at the doors, rain is dry after your calls, 

are you home, I hope you are alone. 

Days are all, been held at the doors, rain is dry after your calls, 

are you home, I hope you are alone. 

A thousands words are melting my heart, no one takes it back to the start,

in your home, I hope you are alone, I hope you are alone, alone.

Oh I know, you are alone.

In your home, you are alone, in your home, In your home. 

Change of Band.

Although I have started to research into my band, and started to draw the animatic for the music video, I was starting to get board of my song choice already. As I was explaining this to my friend Alex he recommended this unsigned band he liked, "Stockers!" so we listened to there music, and it seemed a lot more upbeat and fresh. He found the band on MySpace, so that night I searched and looked into the band and also listened to there music. I preferred this band as the music was more upbeat, and the songs were catchy. 

Area - Lights Animatic

I started to do an story board for my music video preproduction, And I began to draw in a club at night time. I then realised that it would be hard to organise this and I would have to get permission and sort out times and dates of when I would film it. And you can see I have brought the bike idea into this, so it is a different scene and a different narrative. In the middle of completing my story board, I changed my band so I didn't finish it, but here is the story board what I began to do.

Area.

The band formed in 2005. They have recently gigged across the UK, playing anywhere and everywhere. Area has supported bands such as, Twisted Weel, The Holloways, Glasvegas, Scouting For Girls, The Hooisers, Lady Hawke, Just Jack, Haduken, and the Bombay Bicycle Club are just a few. The Gigs include, the Camden Crawl, Love music, Hate Racsium, In the City, Liverpoole sound city, Skins Parties, Redbull Bedroom jams, Universities, Barflys, and Academies. The band has been on a various different TV shows such as Sky Music channels, including channel 4, Pop world, and BBC switch. The 


Band members include  -James Shield - Vocals/Guitar
                                      -Steven Thornton - Guitar
                                      -Matthew Brown - Bass
                                      -Lee Cope - Drums.


The four band member band are all from Yorkshire in England, and their genre of music being, Indie/Rock/Alternative. 

My chosen song for my music video is 'Lights.' The reason why I have chosen this song is because I like the introduction of it. 

I can't see the time,

but I know that we're deep into the night.

And it's not right espically when you've got all that time,

I can't feel my skin,

cause when I'm around you I feel so cold,

and this shrade is growing so old,

and my patience's is wearing thin.

It's far too late,

And I don't want to be the one to watch you escape,

I don't wanna see you going out the gate,

and i dont want you to forget my face or my name,

I dont wanna have to take it back or play this game again.

You lock me away in the darkest room,

to see if I can find your point of view.

And if it's true, I'd rather find you in the end and gloom.

And my bad luck usally lands me in a place I can't stand,

so I bury my head deep inside the sand,

and note to relate the time you've took.

It's far too late,

And I don't want to be the one to watch you escape,

I dont wanna see you going out the gate,

and I don't want you to forget my face or my name,

I don't wanna have to take it back or play this game again.

Don't let me catch you.

Wow, cause you could loose what your running away from,

as I want you to be the one that's safe,

you could choose between the situation,

or you could throw it away.

Hold me down untill my soul comes down,

and you could bring me round or so I found.

I can't see the time,

but I know that we're deep into the night. 

And it's not right espically when you've got all that time,

I can't feel my skin,

cause when I'm around you I feel so cold, 

and this shrade is growing so old, 

and my patience's is wearing thin.

It's far too late, 

And I don't want to be the one to watch you escape, 

I don't wanna see you going out the gate, 

and i dont want you to forget my face or my name, 

I dont wanna have to take it back or play this game again. 

You lock me away in the darkest room,

to see if I can find your point of view.

And if it's true, I'd rather find you in the end and gloom.

And my bad luck usally lands me in a place I can't stand,

so I bury my head deep inside the sand, 

and note to relate the time you've took. 

It's far too late, 

And I don't want to be the one to watch you escape,

I dont wanna see you going out the gate,

and I don't want you to forget my face or my name, 

I don't wanna have to take it back or take the blame again. 

• 
  

Mumford & Sons. Little Lion Man video analysis.

The video opens with a medium shot of two light bulbs hanging from the celling of what looks like a pub. When the music kicks in the lights shine bright and get to see the surroundings a bit more as the camera tracks backwards allowing us to see more of the scene. The shot then cuts to a close up of somebody playing the guitar which switches from this shot to other band members playing their instruments. A pan shot shot behind the band members cut with close up shots of them playing their instruments is almost mysterious in a way as we still haven't met the band members as a band, they have only been shot separately. 

Suddenly its cuts of an extreme long shot of the band playing on a stage with lots of lights surrounding them. Still switch from extreme close ups of the band playing, the lead singer singing, it again cuts back to the band members from behind playing there instrument. As the chorus is sung by the band members the long shot of them from the front turns into a zoom as we get to see the band members sing altogether. It the quickly cuts to the guitar being strummed and the main singer singing before cutting back to the band playing there instruments extremely passionately. 

As the words to the music kick in after a the music being played it takes you to a shot of the main singer singing in a tilt camera shot this could  because it relates to the emotion of the lyrics. Again the shots are constantly switch with different focus' different compositions from extreme close ups of instruments being played. The camera is never sat still in this part of the music video, even when the camera is focusing on one thing, like the instrument or a band member the shot is either slighting moving slowly from side to side or zooming in and zooming out. 

This time as the chorus kicks in, the camera doesn't constantly focus on the lead singer singing it but the other band members singing. As the camera zooms into them performing on the stage it then changes from a shot of the band members behind, and it is zooming outwards making the band members be the focus of the big empty space in front of them. As the tempo of the music gets faster the quicker the shots get, quickly switching from between the usual main singer and instruments. 

As the tempo of the music gets slower, so does the shot lengths. These shots are still of the same things but are for longer periods of time. One shot cuts to the lead singer high on top of the balcony of the theatre showing him to be dominant and powerful. As the music gets faster the shots do exactly the same. When the music comes to a quick stop it shows the lights turn off with the music then turn back on again when the music quickly kicks in. 

When all the music has stopped being played and its just the band members singing there is a various of close up shots on the different band members to show this, and switched from the main lead singer and them altogether on the stage. The end finishes with a shot of the band members from behind with a   pan shot going upwards facing the ceiling then fades out to black. 

The interesting thing about this music video is it has been shot in the same setting all the way throughout, it doesn't have a narrative, and it follows the same shots throughout, but as an audience we don't get board of this which I think is down to the wide variety camera shots, and angles. 

Influences - Skin heads.

Skin heads, are another subculture, that orientated from working class youth's in London in the 1960's, which later lead to other countries. Skin heads were known for there closely cropped or shaven heads which were based on the elements of not politics or race. 

From a fashion point of view, skin heads follow off from the Mod subculture, a soft touch of punk as well as hard-core influences. Skins heads are known for wearing polo, or button up shirts, from brands like Fred Perry and Ben Sherman. Collarless grandad shirts, V-neck jumpers, fitted blazers, bomber or demin jackets. Crombie style jackets, parka's or sheepskin over sized coats. Skinny jeans usually worn short from brads like Levi's, Lee or Wrangler. Hats such as Trilby hats, pork pie hats, flat caps, and a bowler hat, influenced by clockwork orange which were a little less popular. Most Skin heads wear boots, like work boots, Dr. Martins, but also known to wear, brogues and loafers.