Final Video

Thomas Adcock UCAS Personal ID Number: 1067277075


Feedback and Comments from Youtube

three little words mostly used a maz zing wow awesome xx:) ;) sexymeceye

Love it guys, fab x from annaneale (The actual artist who sings the song!)

Love the video, very authentic and realistic. Good use of lighting and really impressive camera angles from AthenaSky093

<3 Love it! Sockett123

Wow factor is huge!!!! Great visual story, amazing lip synch. Loved it!!! from donandgerlinde

Final Digipack

CD Cover and Booklet

Insert Image

CD Back Cover and Side Panels

Digipack Opening Video

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Website Final

Evaluation Question Four

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Throughout the project a variety of different media technologies have been used at all stages to aid the construction of our media products.

Research and Planning Technology has played a key part in the research and planning stages. At the research stage each member of the group individually conducted their own research into different genres of music, conventions of music videos and research on the music industry using the internet which we then brought back to the group. This helped us gain an understanding of the different types of music so we could decide what sort of song we would choose to create a music video for and the types of features we would need to ensure were included in our video such as the style of camerawork and editing. For this research we used our schools learning portal which contained links to various sources of information from different theorists. We also used the Google Search tool and looked at websites such as wikipedia, artists sites and record label sites. Therefore we used a variety of different sources to find the best amount of information and this demonstrates the importance of technology and the internet in conducting research.

Furthermore we used YouTube to search for and watch a range of existing music videos to analyse, to gain a better understanding of how they are exeuted and what they look like and should include. Youtube was a very useful source in research as it allows almost immediate access to the video you want, without it a lot of time would be spent trying to find the video. We used artists websites and the Google Image search tool to find and analyse existing artist's websites and album covers, which again develop our understanding of the style, features and purposes (promotion, star image etc) of these products so we can reflect this in our digipack and website. In addition, the use of Excel allowed us to visually present the results of our questionnaire in graphs much quicker than we could hand drawing them. Therefore time is is saved and we can look the graphs and spot the popular trends that helped us know what to include in our music video. Overall technology and the Google search tool in particular were very important in the research of our product as it allows an instant result from a search, meaning we can find a lot of information with relative ease.

During the planning stage we also used the Google search tool to find websites that featured unsigned artists for which we could search for a song to make the music video for. Each member of the group chose a different website to look for songs individually but we eventually all searched the site http://www.totallyunsigned.co.uk/. This site offered a useful search engine that allowed us to filter different artists and songs to specific genres of music and offered previews of songs and downloads, so we could listen to lots of songs to find one we liked. Therefore we had immediate access to search for songs, which meant the group was efficient in selecting the track and no time was wasted searching sites that were not helpful or not suitable. Without the internet this stage of the project would have been impossible as we would have had no practical and efficient means to find a suitable song to use. Furthermore presenting my work on Blogger has played an integral part throughout research and planning. Whereas in English or History work is presented in a straight essay format, Media involves a lot of other practical areas that are not easily incorporated into just writing without losing some of their effect. The use of Blogger aids this style of work as it allows direct inclusion of modern technology features such as website links and video embedding. This allowed me to visually present the items I am researching or analysing. Therefore Media work is being presented in a practical and technical way that suits the style of subject. Blogger also allows me to easily present the hand written work completed as group in lessons such as brainstorms and storyboards so that all areas of the project can be displayed in one area rather than in seperate sections of folders. In addition the post format of Blogger reflects modern trends of social networking and so keeps it interesting for me working on a project. Moreover, the Blog displays our research and planning to the final products, so the viewer can see the stages of production and what has gone into the construction of our products in chronological order. Therefore the viewer sees the working process and journey the group has gone on and reflects the working process in the actual Media Industry. However, Blogger also has some drawbacks:

• A lot of frustration occurs when trying to include pictures and videos as the post box is relatively small. This creates problems when inserting lots of pictures to aid the text and make the post more aesthetically pleasing because it takes a long time to drag the pictures down the box and position the images where you want them in the post and often inconviences can occur. Furthermore it can take a long time to insert videos that you cannot embed and often it has been uploading a long time and an error can occur meaning the upload has to start again. Overall, inserting pictures and videos is very time consuming. (The image below demonstrates the small posting box)
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• As blogger is on the internet work can be deleted easily if the post does not save and the connection weakens and pages cannot be displayed. Therefore time has to be taken to redo the work.Furthermore if mistakes are made there is no undo button on the post box, so you have to start what tou made a mistake on again.

Construction During the creation of our music video we used the Sony Video Camera we were equipped with creatively to capture a wide range of different shot types, angles and movements.

Evaluation Question Three

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Music Video

After completing the draft edit of our music video the group used several methods to recieve audience feedback. First of all, a screening was held to view every group's music video, after I video was seen we asked everyone to give us feedback, including points that they liked and thought worked well and areas that they thought could be improved for the final edit.

Postive Points

1. Lip-syncing was in time with the music and realistic. From this feedback we learnt that made a good decision by Sophie actually singing the lyrics while we filmed the shots because it translated in the lip-synching seeming much more believable in the final edit. As her mouth is moving appropriately to how it would when actually singing rather than small miming movements that would have looked fake.
2. Performance was very believable and the confidence of Sophie, as an actor, was shown, therefore making the character believable and the video interesting to watch. From this feedback we learnt that involving members of the group in the acting of the video made a difference because of the acting experience from GCSE and A Level Drama making the performances believable. This experience allowed confidience in the performance because Sophie is use to adopting a different character and performing it to an audience.
3. The lighting in the music video was appropriate and showed the shots clearly. From this feedback we learnt that small technical details make a difference and if included are noticed as contributing to the overall intentions of the video. We tried to use a range of lighting- bright natural sunlight in the house setting to show the happy style of life the character has lived and contrast with the arguement on screen. Darker, natural light in the streets to reflect a darker mood, stronger character and autumn time of year and bright light with shadows in a black room to create mystery and create a seperate symolic section. Therefore we learnt these creative decisions effectively aided the purpose and narrative of the video.
4. The narrative was easy to follow. From this feedback we learnt that our planning and editing was effective as it ensured the narrative had a clear beginning, middle and end and the idea of a girl changing her personality was clear through the locations, costumes and lighting chosen.
5. Variety of Shots and Camera Movement make the video interesting. From this feedback we learnt that the variety of angles and shots we filmed the sequences from paid off in making the video seam more interesting and avoids it being static and boring. It also demonstrates our ability to control the camera to capture a high quality shot.
6. Well edited that creates the music video style. From this feedback we learnt
7. Black and white worked well and suited the track and narrative. From this feedback
8. Good use of symbolism mannequin. From this feedback

From this session we learnt that the most common areas of praise were the lip-syncing, acting and performance and variety of shots. These comments linked to what the group personally found the strongest aspects of the video so we felt a sense of achievement that others agreed. We also found that the narrative of the troubled relationship and the character changing her personality was clear to the audience and the song choice plus its topic was relatable and enjoyable by a teenage audience both math and female- which was another of our aims.

Constructive Points

1. Pre-song material - the track wasn't appropriate
2. Sophie smiles at the end of the window scene
3. During the Zoom in the arguement sequence the camera distorts
4. Photo album - could be more specific and show who is in them.

From this screening we found that the errors in the video we knew we had to correct for the final edit did not go unnoticed by the audience reinforcing that we definitely needed to remove them to ensure a perfect quality video. These errors were two sections where we had extended the clip a little to much by accident, causing the shots to overrun and show Sophie coming out of role for a second, for the final edit we removed these. In addition, the audience found the white noise annoying in the pre-song material with one comment that it sounded like 'hoovering', therefore we downloaded a new wind sound effect that sounds much softer. Although this sound effect is better than the original, casting over a critical eye over our video I still believe it could sound better as it now sounds a little too windy. However this sound was the best we could find after an exensive search of the internet. The final apsect people picked out to be improved was a section where the camera distorts as it zooms towards the window in the arguement sequence. We were aware of this and for the final edit we tried various methods to remove or hide the error however they brought more attention to it. Therefore it unfortunately remains in the final edit because we thought the rest of the shot was the best quality for acting and controlling the zoom so we did not want to insert any of the other clips we had filmed. It would have also been too much time that we did not have to organise returning to the location to film the one shot. However I believe it is only a small quick error that the rest of the video more than makes up for. The feedback recieved was very postive with the only negatives being small technical errors that we were aware of, therefore the criticisms were fair and tha we agreed with them. The group was happy that the feedback showed a like for the performance and variety of shots included because we aimed to achieve multiple shots to avoid long takes from the start of the project. It is this area that makes our work feel most like a video. In addition each member of the group went away and showed several people the video, asking for comments. The feedback we recieved was similar to in the screening. Therefore only technical errors and faults were criticised rather than the content of the video.

Furthermore, we recieved several comments on Youtube giving us feedback on the video, these are displayed below:

1. Love it guys, fab x from annaneale
2. Love the video, very authentic and realistic. Good use of lighting and really impressive camera angles from AthenaSky093
3. <3>Sockett123
4. Wow factor is huge!!!! Great visual story, amazing lip synch. Loved it!!! from donandgerlinde
5. Wow factor is huge!!!! from donandgerlinde
6. Omg Love this video :) from
   

Evaluation Question Two

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

The groups ancillary texts of a Digipack and Website make an effective combination with the Music Video due to the similar themes, costumes and locations that create an overall image for the artist that would promote the album in an instituational context.

Digipack

Our digipack effectively uses many of the typical conventions of existing CD Covers and mimics some of the areas found from my research of CD Covers. The large cover image clearly displays the artist and is a simple but effective image that looks professional due to not being overcrowded. This is a style many cover images use including Lady GaGa's Fame Monster album which I analysed earlier in the project. The shot is framed so the audience can clearly see the artist's face and some of her body. We chose to lay her down over a guitar as this links with the acoustic style of some of the songs on the album and therefore contributes to creating the image of the artist and album. The insert image is also used to do this, this image is portrays a more sexy, confidient and rock style through the use of the corset costume, the brick wall background and the serious look upon the artists face. Furthermore, the back of our pack lists the tracks on the album in a column in the middle, this conforms to the style of CD Covers because many existing albums do this and it is the most common form of track presentation. Therefore if the album were real it could easily sit alongside other albums and be viewed by the audience as a believable product because it appearance conforms to what they would expect of an album. In addition, the background location image of a street that we chose blends well with the list of tracks in the middle and they do not clash. The image links to the location in the music video, so the audience may recognise it and links to the name of some of the songs on the album such as September and Waterloo Bridge, through the fallen leaves and wet ground, creating the feel of autumn, depression and other serious or 'moody' topics that are present within the songs. The CD booklet contains a range of images of the artist laying, sitting, standing and posing using a variety of close ups, long shots and high angle shots to portray her from different angles and positions. This is often used by artists to portray the look and image of the album and themselves in that particular era of the career, this is what we have tried to reflect here.

Website

Our website effectively creates a realistic

Star Image

Richard Dyer has noted: “a star is an image constructed from a range of materials”. For pop music these materials include:

1=The songs and their lyrical themes and musical structures/ genres
2=The record covers- singles and albums display a large part of the image the artist wants to create and present to an audience
3=Music videos, which may draw upon the image presented in each of the other aspects.

The group have conformed to this theory by creating cohesion between the three products we have made to create star image. In an institutional context an artist releases a song and music video as a lead single from an album before the album is released. This is a crucial time to set up and maintain the style of music and image of the artist throughtout this album and period in our career. Our music video for what would be the 'lead single' 'Not Made for This sets up the idea of different and distinct personalities through the two different costumes and locations- casual and corset and house and street. This refers to the narrative as the character the artist plays goes on a journey to try and change her life and escape the troubles of her boyfriend. In the digipack we use the same costumes, locations and split personality style in a variety of different images in the booklet to continue the idea over from the music video to create the whole image and theme of the album. The left side pictures in the booklet are all set in the garden from the music video and and the casual costume, this links to the innocent side of the character in the video and to the acoustic tracks on the album such as 'Touch', 'Emotional Baggage' and 'Tired of Holding On'. The right side pictures use the corset costume and wall settings to link to the stronger, performer aspect of the character from the video and link to the more upbeat rock songs on the album such as 'Mannequin' and 'Rock Chick'. Using the same locations and costumes from the music video in the digipack allow the audience to recognise the features between the video and album, this can be used as selling point as it conveys what they can expect from the album if they have seen the video. Therefore a diverse and versatile image has been created through the combination of these products as they portray how the artist can perform slower, emotional acoustic songs as well as upbeat, fun pop songs.

Evaluation Question One

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenges forms and conventions of real media products?

A music video is a crucial source for an artist to promote their songs and albums and provide a display of the star' style and image as well as their creativity and versatility- all of which are needed to remain fresh and original in the music industry and exciting to an audience. A music video allows a song to be visually represented on screen and and can support the intentions for the narrative in a song. They also create scenarios that aid live performances where aspects of the video are recreated.

When planning our music video the group wanted to ensure it felt as authentic in its style as existing music videos so we paid careful attention to incorporating all the typical conventions we found in our research and try to conform to many of the theories behind music videos.

Narrative and Performance

Our Music Video has a strong narrative that creates a link between the visuals and the lyrics of the song and so effectively includes a typical convention of existing music videos. Firstly, incorporating a section of pre-song material immediately creates a cinematic feel that gives the music video and an initial depth, making it more believable and realistic. This was an aspect that the group wanted to achieve at the start of the project and we have successfully met our aims. The establishing shot of the house allows the audience to see where some of the action takes place, setting the scene and inviting them into the girl's world. Furthermore the zoom through the window with the couple arguing inside sets up the main narrative of the video song that relates the lyrics that describe a girl's unhappiness with her boyfriend. From this point all the locations and costumes were chosen deliberately to sustain the narrative of an innocent, naive and vulnerable girl singing about her unhappiness and frustration towards her boyfriend from the comfort and safety of her bedroom and big garden before the music becomes more upbeat and she becomes fed up of being weak and 'transforms' herself visually to becoming more confident and vent her anger out at the world. This is an effective narrative as it allows the girl to progress along a journey throughout the song with which the audience goes on with her and is an interesting interpretation of the lyrics that goes beyond literally representing them through the visuals, this enables us to conform to the narrative and performance theory by Steve Archer.

“Often, music videos will cut between a narrative and a performance of the song by the band. Additionally, a carefully choreographed dance might be a part of the artist’s performance or an extra aspect of the video designed to aid visualisation and the ‘repeatability’ factor. Sometimes, the artist (especially the singer) will be a part of the story, acting as narrator and participant at the same time. But it is the lip-synch close-up and the miming of playing instruments that remains at the heart of music videos, as if to assure us that the band really can kick it.” (Steve Archer 2004)

Our video conforms to this theory because the artist is a participant in the story, she plays the girl in the troubled relationship and goes on the journey from the big, luxurious house to the dirty streets transforming her personality as she goes. The video also cuts between narrative sections such as the arguing sequence, looking through a photo album and looking upset to performance sections such as manipulating the mannequin and performing by the wall or cage. Therefore we conform to Steve Archer's theory effectively and the audience watching could believe it was a real music video because it incorporates the typical features that define what a music video is. When showing a member of family- who is often very critical- the video they thought it looked like a professional video. This thought has been expressed by others in the feedback stage and I believe this is because we conform closely to the style and conventions of existing music videos.

However our video also develops upon the theory of narrative and performance as our video actually combines both together in the same shots, instead of being totally different sections. The singing at the bench, cage, wall and streets are performance sections however they are all part of the narrative as well because the girl is on a journey singing about her boyfriend and her anger in those locations and situations. Almost like in a musical where song, story and acting is combined where performance is used to tell the story. In addition, the shots with the mannequin introduce ambiguity and symbolism to our video as it has multiple meanings. It represents her boyfriend, it represents that she wants to have the model, perfect boyfriend as it is an actual model and her moving it around in the video represents her taking charge for once in her life, wanting to change her boyfriend and her life. This allows the video to have the repeatability factor because the audience will want to watch it again to work out what it means. It also conforms to the reception analysis theory because the audience can have their own individual interpretations of what the mannequin represents, which could all be different depending on the person. Furthermore, other conventions and theories suggest:

'Music videos allow an element of acting, which could include facial expressions, eye contact and mise en scene which allows the performer to be accessed by the audience in various ways, like the use of close ups and panning so everything is seen. This adds a story to the song which can match the lyrics or explore other meanings. As with star image this makes the song memorable and allows connections and implications the song would not have without a music video for people to see the song visually depicted'. (Pete Fraser)

Our music video involves a lot of acting as Sophie, the member of our group who plays the singer and girl in the video performs realistically the emotions of the a girl tormented by an unhappy relationship. The video opens with the argument sequence that includes myself playing the role of the boyfriend and I think our experience in GCSE and A Level Drama comes through as we portray anger and frustration in our facial expressions and body language. I come across as quite threatening by getting close in the girl's face shouting. Sophie then leans on the window sill with a really believable expression on her face that displays the emotion of upset and torment. Then Sophie conveys a range of emotions throughout the music video. In the slower sections of the song she sings with more upset, vulnerable and reflective expressions on her face such as on the bench where she looks up whilst singing to reflect her wishing her boyfriend would be better. Then in the choruses which are more upbeat and set in the cage fence or wall she uses her body language and gestures that move wildly and her facial expressions to convey anger, aggression and frustration. The acting really portrays the emotions of the song and character and make the story much more believable, I am really proud of the acting and performance in our video and believe it is one of the strongest elements that all of the group had a part in. Sophie performed on her own instincts and experience and myself and Andrew directed her on what else would look good, for example more emotion and upset in the slower sections and more aggression and movement in the choruses. Beyonce's If I Were a Boy video is very narrative driven and is about the same concept as our music video with a women unhappy with her relationship- with this one focussing on how he does not understand what it is like for a woman. The video involves a lot of acting and scenes rather than just singing and targets a female demographic as many women complain about their men, therefore it is a popular and relatable to them.

Overall, I believe the narrative and performance is one of the strongest aspects of our video and has the repeatability factor because of the emotions and journey of the character that create an engaging story for the audience. It is also a topic that the teenage part of our audience can relate to because they are often perceived to be involved in troubled relationships.

Camerawork and Editing

'A variety of camera angles and movements of different locations featuring the artist are used in quick succession to create the unique music video style that differs from how a film operates. This style of camerawork gives the video a more dynamic feel and vibe that promotes the song and generates interest by leaving an 'imprint' or memory on the audience so whenever they hear the song they will have an image of the music video in their head'. (Pete Fraser)

From the planning stage of our music video the group knew we wanted to avoid long takes of shots and locations because it would make the video seem very static and would be dull, boring and repetitive to watch and It would capture the style of music video. Therefore we conform to this convention because when filming the different sequences in various locations we captured them using different shot types and from multiple angles to make the sequence more dynamic and interesting to watch. For example we filmed the bench sequence for the first verse four times using a close up, a side on mid- shot, a long shot and a high angle shot. All serve different purposes- the long shot sets the scene, revealing the location and the close up allows the emotions of the artist to be portrayed clearly as well as creating the vital connection with the audience to attract their attention. The side on mid-shot offers a different angle (where the girl is facing in the close up), reveals more about her location and allows the emotions to be further conveyed through her body language and the high angle shot represents her vulnerability and innocence. Then in the editing stage we used sections of each of the shots to cut between during the first verse to incorporate the uses for all of the shots and make the sequence varied for the audience to watch. It also demonstrates our ability to put a sequence of shots together and maintain continuity by ensuring the girl's position is the same between the shots and when she moves her head the camera cuts to where she is looking. Therefore we create an authentic video as the camerawork is true to the style of actual music videos by including different shot types and angles of the same location. The multiple angles we use in each section also makes our video conform Pete Fraser's opinion that 'the camerawork telling a story is essential and needs various angles to make it memorable'. Rihanna's Disturbia video features many locations that are displayed from different angles. For example the start of the video cuts between a long shot of the room Rihanna sits in to set the scene and then cuts to close ups of the different parts of the room and the people around her to display more detail. In addition the section where she is in the cage features long shots and close ups of the same location. The video has other simalarties to ours in its use of a mannequin.

In addition, the shots we use conform to the typical shot types explained by Pete Fraser below: 'Camera angles often accompany performers as they walk, sing or interact/ engage in different scenarios or events. Fixed long, wide angle shots are used to show dance rountines with a varitey of shots close to the artist to recreate the moving feel of dancing. Close ups are often used in music videos, to show the artist singing and to increase the connection with the audience to help the engage with the video'.

Throughout filming we captured a wide range of shot types, angles and movements to create a varied and diverse music video that is dynamic and exciting to watch and to demonstrate our proficiency with the camera and ability to use shots for different purposes. In addition it conforms to the conventions of music videos, which incorporate a variety of shot types to cut between to create the fast paced display that fits the music. Our video opens with a wide angle pan of the house to set the scene and a slow zoom into a window that focusses on the girl upset after an arguement to set up the narrative. The moving shots immediately bring a sense of movement to the video, conveying that it won't just be static and dull. From there we use close ups in the bench and wall sequences to create a connection with the audience and allow a detailed portrayal of the artist and her different emotions- from upset at the start to anger and aggression near the end. We use high angle and bird's eye view shots of the bed and mannequin to create intimacy and represent her vulnerability. Furthermore we include more long shots later in the video in the mannequin, wall and cage sequences so the audience can see the girls growing aggression by seeing the movement of her body. They also represent her getting stronger and more confidient- at the start of the video more close ups are used to show she is quite weak, upset and self-consicous however once she 'transforms' into the corset costume she becomes stronger and confident, so more of her body is shown. We also use shots where the camera looks into a mirror and reflects the image of the girl looking into it, this is another dynamic and original shot that differs from standardly showing the artists face and represents the audience looking into her life. Finally, we use a pan around the artist singing in the street and a zoom out as she walks towards the camera at the end of the video to show her venting her anger out at the world and further include movements into our video to ensure it is not too static. Therefore we have a great range of shot types and angles which effectively mimics the conventions of camerawork in real music videos and make the video more interesting to watch, giving it the repeatability factor.

In the editing stage, we spent a lot of time and effort ensuring the lip-syncing was accurate and in time with the music. This was made easier in filming because Sophie sung the words clearly out loud in all the shots and so avoids looking fake and miming when put to the song. Therefore another one of the strongest aspects of the video is the lip-synching as she is actually singing the song and makes the video much more believable. Moreover, we filmed in different locations with different costumes to create multiple sections for the music video that had their own visual style. There is the casual costume of white top and jeans and big house, garden and bedroom that represents vulnerability, there is the corset costume that is sexy and confidient in the wet and dirty streets and the sophisticated dress with the mannequin. Not only does this add variety to the video but in editing it allowed us to cut between these sections to show the progression from different locations throughout the video, displaying the journey in the story and song. Furthermore it conforms to the editing style of many existing female pop videos that feature the artist in different costumes and locations as the video progresses. There are sequences at the start that are not necessarily at the end- this holds true with our video. For example Lady GaGa's Telephone video starts off with sections of her in prison in multiple locations and costumes and then moves to a cafeteria and escape sequence whilst she wears various outfits.

In addition, we also included effects in the editing such as fades to black on some of the heavy beats of the song to match visuals with the music and fades between shots in some of the slower sections of the song to create flashbacks. The theory above suggest music videos are edited so that shots move quickly between each other, our video also does this, with no shots being very long and this is another key area of how are music video is successful as this is one aspect that determines what a music video. Therefore we effectively conform to this convention, however we challenge the part that of Pete Fraser's theory that says 'the most common form of editing associated with the music promo is fast cut montage, rendering many of the images impossible to grasp on first viewing thus ensuring multiple viewing'. This is because we edited our video by where we cut between shots between the lines of the lyrics or at points in the beat of the music, therefore the song dictated the editing and shots. We chose to do this so the shots moved between each other at the pace of the music, rather than going quicker than the music. Also when we tried quick flashes of shots they looked much to quick and not very professional. In all I think the editing of our video is strong because the shots and their transitions run smoothly and link naturally with the cues from the song.

Voyeurism

'This convention means, looking promiscuous in order to gain sex appeal/ pleasure. Camera angles and editing techniques sometimes emphasise certain parts of the female artist to enhance their sex appeal and to attract viewers, mostly men, in being attracted to not only their video but their albums and other merchandise as well'

Our video effectively conforms to this convention by our use of various different outfits, particularly the corset costume as it attracts sexual appeal to it it being reveal and having sexual connotations. In addition the shot that shows parts of Sophie's skin as she puts on and takes off the corset.

Changes and Corrections Made for Final Edit

Although the draft edit was near enough as perfect as we could get it there were a few changes we knew needed to be made to improve the quality and make the final version as good as it could be. In addition feedback from the draft edit gave us some areas to work on. So in the final edit the following areas were changed.

Pre-Song Material

• Originally we used the sound from the footage of the house pan and arguement zoom in the pre-song material however our feedback told us that the background noise sounded like hoovering and was very annoying, this was the building works on the house opposite the street. You could also hear the noises of the camera moving and zooming in, which was distracting and unprofessional. For the final edit we downloaded a background wind sound effect to play over the images. We also downloaded some bird noises that we placed together and manipulated to add another ambient sound. Unfortunately when trying to export the video we realised one of the bird sounds had a copyright on it and could not use it. The other bird sound was to short to use on its own as it sounded artifical and annoying, so in the end we did not use any bird sounds. (Me and Josh executed this change)
• We increased the length of the 'Suffolk Lodge' sign shot because it cut between it to quick in the draft edit. (I executed this change)
• We cut a section at the start of the arguement sequence off so as the shots comes up the couple are already arguing whereas before we were still and started arguing- making it look as if we were waiting to start. (Sophie executed this change)
• We tried to find a way of hiding a part where the camera distorts for a second in the zoom towards the window through fades and other effects however this just made it more obvious so we just have to live with that one error being in there- it is quick and not too obvious. (All of the group tried to rectify this)
• We cut the end of the argument shot sooner as before we uploaded the draft edit we extended the clip too much by accident and you saw Sophie come out of role. This has now been rectified. (Andrew executed this change)

Other Changes

• Opening instrumental- we extended the shots of the garden as they were cut between to quick before hand. We then shortened the mid-shot of her looking through a window so the footage stayed to the original timing with the music and avoid being out of sync. (Sophie executed these changes)
• In the draft edit at the end of the second verse another clip was to long and you saw Sophie come out of role- we extended the fade to the next shot so you cannot see this anymore. (Andrew executed this change)
• In the draft edit at the end of the second verse we cut to a walking shot we had already used that did not make sense. We placed it there quickly before uploading, we replaced this with a side on mid-shot of Sophie on the bench where she sighs and looks down, this links to the narrative and further conveys her emotions. We placed fades to black before and after the shot as it his suits the slower tempo of the song. (Me and Andrew executed this change)
• In the bridge of the draft edit the camera cuts to a low angle shot of Sophie and she looks away almost immediately. For the final edit we extended the clip before where she looks towards the camera and then placed the low angle shot again and she returns from looking away to look at the camera in this postition. This makes it flow better. (I executed this change)
• Near the end of the song the camera cuts to a pan around Sophie in the street, however at the start of the shot Sophie looks like she is waiting to start. Therefore we extended the clip and fade before this shot so it cuts to this shot just as she starts singing. (I executed this change)

Deleted Scenes

The following video contains an array of scenes that we filmed but did not use in the final video. Many of them were garden or locstion shots that were too shaky or not needed, some were extra footage between the couple that we felt was not acted to an appropriate standard and looked too static. Other shots were the original street shots that were re-filmed because of the poor white balance. This demonstrates the range and amount of extra footage that we filmed in our sessions but how we have to cut out parts or use better quality versions of the shots. One of the shots where Sophie is performing by the wall with movement and agressive performance leaning closed to the camera- as if it was her boyfriend is a really good shot. However when we refilmed she did not wear jeans, so unfortunately we had to cut it out to avoid continuity errors.

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Audience Feedback

Music Video Draft

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Digipack Draft

CD Cover

Back Cover

Inside Insert Image

Website Draft

Final Filming Sessions (16th/17th November)

Location: Suffolk Lodge- Bedroom, Garden and Streets
Sequence: Shots for all the different sections of our video

Today and yesterday the team completed our final sessions of filming for our music video. This included some new footage from a new idea I created during last week and re-filming of the cage, wall and street sequences from the second filming session. We decided to re-film these sections because we were not happy with the quality and white balance of the original shots and want everything to be of the highest quality in the finished product. Josh was absent from both of these filmings sessions for unknown reasons and unfortunately was not involved in the filming of the new shots or re-filmed sections, but although we were one member down the group worked well and achieved everything we had aimed to do.

Bedroom and Transformation Sequence During editing last week we realised the transition the girl makes from vulnerable to stronger and confidient was too quick with no explanation to how it was done. Therefore the audience would not notice what we intend them to, which is the girls journey and changing character- the main narrative throughout our video. To rectify this I came up with the idea of the audience seeing her get fed up and then changing into her new persona and costume. To start with we filmed some shots of her looking out of the window and looking through a photo album of her and her boyfriend to deepen the narrative of the song and the relationship with her boyfriend. These will be placed in the opening instrumental after the arguement sequence. We then filmed some shots of her singing the section before the first chorus on her bed, which showed her getting fed up of being mistreated by her boyfriend (linking to the lyrics Here goes another night, I sit and hold on tight). We chose the setting of her bedroom because it deepens her initial vulnerability and how she has lived a sheltered life with her big, colourful bedroom. Singing on her bed is also a symbol of intimacy and where someone feels safe. In addition it is a domestic item that everyone can relate to and reinforces how the girl is normal- before she changes to become stronger. I filmed her using a high angle shot and bird's eye view shot to represent vulnerability and so she could look at the camera and further make a connection with the audience. To film the bird's eye view I placed the camera on the bed, and pointed it down to look over Sophie. This was tricky because the bed was unstable and bouncy but I managed to keep it still to capture a steady shot. We tried to film Sophie getting off the bed singing as the girl gets fed up and starts to become stronger however it was difficult for Sophie to get off the bed whilst performing so we decided to not include this shot. We then filmed a series of shots that act as the girls transformation from vulnerable to strong, confidient and sexy. We film a close up of her hand snatching the corset out of the wardrobe, a shot that looks into a mirror reflecting her putting the corset on, a shot looking into the mirror which reflects her putting her make up on and a close up of her zipping her heels up. Each shot introduces a new part of her new persona- the costume, the look and the shoes and we intend for these to flash up and down to the beat of the fast section before the chorus before revealing the new image as the first chorus starts. We chose to film into a mirror because it reflects the audience looking into her life, creates an interesting visual image of seeing the back of her in the corner of the screen and the front of her in the mirror and it literally links to her looking in the mirror putting her clothes and make-up on. In the shot of her putting the corset on the audience will see part of the artist's back, this will futher create sex appeal that a male audience will enjoy and mimic what many female artists portray in their videos.

Re-filming of Cage Sequence The original footage of the cage sequence was really good and we were happy with the quality of the shots but the reason we re-filmed this section was because we felt that we needed more of it to place throughout the music video. Therefore Sophie sung the section before the second chorus and the second chorus in this setting to add to the footage we had of her singing the first chorus here. We also filmed outside of the 'cage' section against the fence a little further on for a new sequence where Sophie climbed onto the fence and lent towards the camera to show the artist's growing agression and to match the song becoming more upbeat. This shot when put to the music and the lyrics 'For being so, for being so twisted!' will look really effective.

Re-filming of Wall Sequence After this we went back to the streets we used for filming before and re-filmed the shots with Sophie at the side of the wall, leaning against the wall and moving around with the wall behind for the second verse and chorus sections of the song. We re-filmed these shots because we were not happy with the quality of the original shots. It seemed when Josh put the white balance setting to 'auto' the camera did not seem to adjust well automatically to each setting like it should and as a result the shots were very bright, particularly round Sophie's face and so they were not very clear. This time I made sure I manually set the white balance every time we changed the setting and the angle of the shots to make sure the quality of the shots was a lot better. Looking back on them now it seemed to work. (For a full description on these shots and how they were filmed see the second filming session post where we originally filmed them)

Instrumental and Bridge Sequence After I filmed all the shots mentioned so far Andrew took over as cameraman for the next shots. He first re-filmed the handheld walking sequence for the final chorus Josh filmed in the second filming session as again we were not happy with the quality of the white balance or clarity of the shot. Like before I aided Andrew by reminding him to move back at the same time as Sophie stepped forward so the shot remained as a mid-shot and did not get futher away. Whilst filming this shot the wind was blowing the leaves on the ground which looked effective, in an effort by me to make the leaves more obviously blowing so they could be seen by the audience I threw some in the show however when watching it back it looked very artificial so we filmed the shot again without me doing it. After this Sophie and Andrew had the idea of Sophie walking through the leaves that were on the ground and kicking them at the camera to be used in the lead up to the end of the song as the agression of the artist comes to a climax as the song becomes more upbeat before it ends, so Andrew filmed this shot. With the leaves flying toward the camera it will look exciting and effective- almost like a 3D effect but without it coming out the screen! They also had the idea of Sophie sitting on the curb in the leaves not singing (the setting can be seen in the third of the pictures above)<> and filming this at several angles to be placed in the intstrumental. We also filmed her singing the bridge section of the song before the final chorus in this position. We filmed the shots using a side on (camera on the right looking to the left towards Sophie) mid-shot and a low angle shot to reflect how the artist is now in a more powerful position to the vulnerable state before. The wind was blowing whilst these shots were being filmed and gave a great effect of Sophie's hair blowing in the wind, this will look really effective in the final video. We chose the sitting in the leaves position because it conveys the journey the artist goes on through the video- as she goes from vulnerable to strong she moves from the safety of her big house, bedroom and green garden to a murky street with brown leaves.

Preparation for the Final Filming Session

In preparation for the final filming session tomorrow I have created a task sheet and check list with all the shots we need to complete and the sections and lyrics they correspond to. Hopefully this will make the session run smoother and more effeciently which should ensure we achieve everything we aim to and be ready to complete the video. Below is a copy of the Shot List Sheet I made for the team:

Shot List for Final Filming Session- 16th November 2010

Opening Instrumental Film some shots to be placed here?

Section One
Here goes another night, I sit and hold on tight.
Listening to my half circle preach.
Can never get it right, they stay or leave in fright.
Maybe I'm just not made for this.

Because I'm not designed for this,
I wasn't made for this.
I'm not designed for this,
For being so twisted, yeah.

‘Transforming Shots’ (Possible shots do not have to use all)
• Mid- Long Shot- Sophie on bed looking annoyed, she gets up after having enough
• Close up- Hand reaches into wardrobe removes corset
• Mid-shot- Through mirror see Sophie apply makeup
• Extreme close up- Puts a heel on her foot
• Long shot and Mid- shot- Re-film dance sequence in the cage X2
• Long shot- grabs coat off a fence hanging up and walks onto street


Section Two
Look at me, and see what you can achieve.
Don't, doubt your insecurities.
Money is power, and I have everything.
But I think you forgot the meaning of happy.

• Re-film Close up of Sophie at the side of the wall in widescreen and correct white balance
• Film another scenario that could be cut to in this section?- Looking at pictures, upset etc:
• Re-film the mannequin shot that goes in this section on another day if possible

Section Three- Important

I need a break from this, cause I just can't process it.
It wasn't like that from the start.
Can never get it right, they this I’m dull or bright.
Maybe I'm just not made for this.

• Re-film singing of this section- back against the wall(movement to beat, aggression)
• Sing this section in the cage as well- to add extra shot in (dance/movement)
• Another scenario to cut to in this section?
• Re-film singing this section with mannequin if possible?

Because I'm not designed for this,
No I wasn't made for this.
No I’m not designed for this
For being so, for being so, twisted!

• Re-film singing this section back against the wall- widescreen and white balance correct (More movement and aggression)
• Re-film- walking towards camera- handheld shot with correct white balance
• Narrative- arguing, aggression between couple

Instrumental
• Film some shots for this- need some ideas!

*Section Four-Most Important*
No I'm not, cause I'm not, no I'm not made for this.
No I'm not, cause I'm not, no I'm not...

I'm not designed for this,
No I wasn’t made for this.
I’m not designed for this,
For being so twisted.

No I’m not designed for this,
No I wasn’t made for this.
I’m not designed for this,
For being so twisted.

No I’m not designed for this
I wasn’t made for thi-ehhhhhhhhhhh-is!

• Re-film running section
• Climax to story- revenge on boyfriend, show him stronger, fighting, smashing...
• Another scenario
• Movement and aggression- coming to a climax so needs to be BIGGER than other choruses!

Filming Session Three (9th November)

Location: Drama Room
Sequence: Shots with Mannequin to be placed throughout each section of the song

Location, Mannequin and Costume Choices After the half term holiday and a week of initial editing we carried out our third session of filming. We filmed in College after the end of the day in our drama room. We chose to film there because of the room's blank black walls and stage light which could be used to create various lighting effects. In addition it supplied a studio like setting to film in as only the floor and walls were needed, with no surroundings in the mise-en-scene that could distract from the artist and mannequin. It also created a dark, atmospheric and mysterious setting which with an unknown feeling it contrasts with the other locations in the video. These shots are seperate from the main narrative of the girl's journey between personalities but offer a seperate section of narrative in which the girl sings to a mannequin and moulds and moves him.

The mannequin symbolises the perfect or model boyfriend and the idea the girl would like to design her boyfriend to be better than he is to suit her (linking to the lyrics 'designed for this'). The mannequin can also represent the boyfriend himself as the girl sings to him. In addition it creates an intriguing and mysterious theatrical aspect to our video that links to the darker and rockier side to the song. We chose to have the mannequin bare and naked in all the shots because it makes it look vulnerable and powerless and gives the impression that the girl is now in the stronger position and is controlling/manipulaing him whereas before she was controlled by her boyfriend. This prop was chosen so that Sophie could physically move it around and because is easily breakable, therefore as the song progresses she can become more agressive and remove parts of the mannequin to symbolise taking him apart and hurting him for revenge. Sophie had three costume changes during these shots to create different looks and enhance the variety of appearances and add to the voyeurism of the artist. Moreover, a range of costumes is evident in all female music videos as they portray different emotions and characters of the artist and enhance the visual appearance of the video. To make the lighting more atmospheric in these sections we used the strong lights from Media and re-adjusted them in every shot to create shadow effects and avoid it being too bright on certain areas within the shot.

Bird's Eye View- Mannequin Sequence To start with we cleared the room so we had as much space as possible and to avoid seeing anything you are not suppose to in the shot. A blank room creates the effect that the setting is nowhere and perhaps within the girl's mind or a mysterious setting unknown to the audience. We then placed a black sheet across the floor (so there would be a blank black background rather than the blue carpet) and placed the mannequin lying down on top of it with Sophie next to it. We filmed this sequence using a bird's eye view shot to clearly show her laying down on the floor and it adds further variety to the shot types in the video. To create the bird's eye view we placed the camera on wooden block from drama that was large enough and heavy enough to hold the camera which we then pointed towards Sophie laying on the floor. We precisely lined Sophie up within the shot and showed her how much she could move without leaving the shot. I filmed her looking at and hugging the mannequin without singing to start with. This was to fill the instrumentals throughout the song and to portray more of her emotions and character to the audience. I then filmed her singing the first verse from this position so when we edit it can be placed with the bench shots we filmed in the first session. For this sequence Sophie was dressed in a black dress with a cream coloured bow at the chest. This costume is more sophisticated and adds another image alongside the vulnerable and confident/ sexy styles. As Sophie could move easily in this dress we only used it for this sequence as she was laying down and little movement was involved.

Another shot we filmed was of Sophie singing the chorus as she turned over onto her side whilst laying on the floor, this shot was at ground level and showed her shoulder quite provocatively therefore increasing the voyeurism of the artist in the video and again adding to the range of angles the action is seen from. In addition we also filmed Sophie sitting up against the mannequin with camera to the right of her using a long shot from a high angle . Here she sung the parts of the second verse and chorus and manipulated parts of the mannequin. However on reflection we will not use this shot because it highlighted too much attention to the groin area of the mannequin so people may be distracted by it and you see the end of the black sheet and some of the carpet which revealed the look of the filming location.

'Dance' Sequence with Mannequin The next sequence we filmed we moved the mannequin to a standing position against one of the walls of the drama room. This was all black which again created the plain and dark background that creates the mysterious and darker setting for this section of the music video. The mannequin did not stand freely so we had to lean it against the wall for support. For this section Sophie wore a shorter black dress with a lacy pattern/ material at her neck and chest. This costume looks sophisticated like the longer dress she wore in the bird's eye view sequence but gives her much more freedom to walk around in. She also wore the classic black slip on heels here which further create a more sophisticated image to contrast with the vulnerable and sexy costumes in the other parts of the video and create another voyeurism angle. I filmed this sequence using a long shot so you could see most of Sophie and the mannequin and her moving around it to the beat of the music and moving its arm around. This sequence will be used for the section before the second chorus, the second chorus itself and parts of the final chorus. I also filmed Sophie looking away from the camera and manipulating the mannequin for a shot that will be placed in the instrumental. Sophie performed well in this sequence, we told her to really go for it with the singing and performance. We said to improvise moves that would fit with the music and interaction with the mannequin such as singing to it and holding it to convey a connection between them and symbolise her relationship with her boyfriend. Andrew also played around with the stage lights in the drama room, pointing them at the mannequin and trying a blue colour to add variety to the colours and lighting effects in our video (however we intend to screen the video in black and white).

Sitting and Singing with Microphone The final sequence we filmed in this session was of Sophie sitting on a block (which we covered in a black cloth to maintain the darker feel from the rest of the shots) singing with a microphone while parts of the mannequin were placed around her dismantled (implying she has broken him apart). Shots of the artist singing with a microphone are often used in music videos to create a performance of the song within the video and this is something we have tried to recreate here. For this sequence Sophie wore a long pink dress with flowers on it. Although the pink will not show up once in black and white, this type of dress highlights a change in mood for the girl in the video. This shot will be used in during the final section of the song leading up to the final chorus where she is perhaps becoming happier after getting revenge on her boyfriend- symbolised by the pink and flowers. The colour and flowers also contrast with the act of revenge, dismantled mannequin and darker surroundings, so therefore an interesting juxtaposition is creat visually created. I filmed this sequence using a long shot- so the audience is introduced to the new surroundings, props and costumes and a close up for more intimate moments where you can see the artist's expressions as she sings with the microphone. This perhaps recreates the feel and style from the start of the music video with the close ups on the bench but now she is in a stronger position- illustrating the journey she has come on throughout the video. Overall, another great filming session with lots of interesting shots filmed, including new angles and costumes that add varitey to the music video. I think the mannequin is a strong idea as it brings symbolism/ representation to our music video. In addition it allows our video to have the repeatability factor because it has a sense of mystery around it, therefore the audience may have to watch it several times to understand its purpose and what it symbolises.