Anna, our actress playing opposite Tom in our music video, has dyed her hair a different colour without realising the effects it will have on continuity of our video. No of us had seen this coming and considered any kind of warning against this, assuming it would all look the same for re- shoots! This means all scenes with Anna have to be re shot, in order not to lose continuity. A lot of shots had to be redone anyways, but this will cause a hindrance to our filming as this could all have been avoided if we had anticipated it happening. However on the plus side, we do now know to look out for these sorts of things when checking continuity for the rest of our video and we can move on knowing we have learned an important lesson.
George
Friday, 29 October 2010
Monday, 25 October 2010
The Footage
We went back over our footage, and we had some lessons to learn. We had not realised that the camera would record outside of what we could see on the cameras monitor. This meant that the mis-en-scene of some shots was not what we would’ve hoped for. Also the lack of having a lighting kit caused some shots to be too dark to use. Luckily we have been through our mistakes and now know what we must change. We are going to make a detailed list of what is needed to improve each shot and start planning the days when we will re shoot the necessary shots. We have learned that in order to get the shots we want we must all plan more carefully and take more care in the mis-en-scene of the scenes but ultimately, the learning process will make our final product that much better.
George
George
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
2nd filming day
We finished our second day of filming earlier today, which consisted of shooting the scenes involving the bedroom. This was done in Marwa's bedroom, as this was the most appropriate setting we had due to its neutral colours and generic look once I and tom removed all the furniture from it. The use of a pink bedspread stood out against the white walls, and with pink stereotypically being a popular female colour, we felt it represented Anna’s dominance over Tom, in that she gets her way on every detail. It easily offered enough space for us to get our required shots. Removing all the furniture proved a difficult task but we managed to hide everything effectively in order for it to not be seen in the shooting.
Once again we did not have a lighting kit and had to make do with the same lamps we had used at mine. We again successfully got all the shots we had hoped to get. The use of close ups we did give tom’s reactions when seeing Anna has cheated on him makes the audience focus more on his face, and gives the audience a sense of the shock he feels, which I think helps portray how he feels to the audience.
Using me as the man Anna is cheating on Tom with was an idea we had based on the fact that I am also in the band as the lead guitarist. The point of this was to emphasise the pathos the audience would feel towards Tom’s character, as even his close friends and band members are treating him like rubbish and doing stuff behind his back.
With this being the last of our filming over half term we just have to wait to get back to school and go over what is hopefully some very good footage!
George
Once again we did not have a lighting kit and had to make do with the same lamps we had used at mine. We again successfully got all the shots we had hoped to get. The use of close ups we did give tom’s reactions when seeing Anna has cheated on him makes the audience focus more on his face, and gives the audience a sense of the shock he feels, which I think helps portray how he feels to the audience.
Using me as the man Anna is cheating on Tom with was an idea we had based on the fact that I am also in the band as the lead guitarist. The point of this was to emphasise the pathos the audience would feel towards Tom’s character, as even his close friends and band members are treating him like rubbish and doing stuff behind his back.
With this being the last of our filming over half term we just have to wait to get back to school and go over what is hopefully some very good footage!
George
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Our first day of filming
We finished our first day of filming and managed to get all the shots in we had hoped to get. The location we chose was my house basically as it was our only option that offered a kitchen that backed onto another room. Obviously working with no real budget we had to work with the best options we had and this stood out far more than any other choice we had. This large space allowed for a bigger variety of shots and meant the track we wanted to use for one of the shots could be done.
The use of the kitchen leading onto the living room I think proved effective in establishing the relationship between tom and Anna, as tom is in the kitchen doing the work in making the sandwich, and Anna in the living room is casually watching TV, not bothering to make herself food but leaving it to her partner. This showed the relationship contrast we wanted, and makes Anna appear the dominant one in the relationship.
The major problem we faced was that there was no lighting kit as we were unable to book one due to all the schools kits being taken. Having no lighting kit meant that Yussra had to fashion lighting for us using lamps we had stashed around my house, tracing paper to dim it so there would be little shadow, and hair clips and tape to hold it together. This managed to work, just, but it clearly would have been a major advantage to us if we had a real lighting kit.
Another problem we faced was the scene where we wanted to Anna to eat the sandwich tom had made and drinks the beer in a disgusting brutish way as possible. It needed essentially to be done in one take as once the sandwich had a bit taken out of it continuity was lost as when it was bought to her it was whole. It initially took a long time to get and caused a lot of havoc as we didn’t feel we got the desired effect we wanted at first, however eventually we got the shot.
Anna and tom’s commitment to our filming was shown by the slapping scene. We had asked Anna to fake the slap but neither seemed bothered about making it real for authenticity in that scene. It was pleasing to see toms commitment to the filming that would ‘take one for the team’ in order to help establish the dominance Anna has over him in the video.
Overall a great success and we are pleased with how the filming went. Look forward to more filming in the coming days!
George
The use of the kitchen leading onto the living room I think proved effective in establishing the relationship between tom and Anna, as tom is in the kitchen doing the work in making the sandwich, and Anna in the living room is casually watching TV, not bothering to make herself food but leaving it to her partner. This showed the relationship contrast we wanted, and makes Anna appear the dominant one in the relationship.
The major problem we faced was that there was no lighting kit as we were unable to book one due to all the schools kits being taken. Having no lighting kit meant that Yussra had to fashion lighting for us using lamps we had stashed around my house, tracing paper to dim it so there would be little shadow, and hair clips and tape to hold it together. This managed to work, just, but it clearly would have been a major advantage to us if we had a real lighting kit.
Another problem we faced was the scene where we wanted to Anna to eat the sandwich tom had made and drinks the beer in a disgusting brutish way as possible. It needed essentially to be done in one take as once the sandwich had a bit taken out of it continuity was lost as when it was bought to her it was whole. It initially took a long time to get and caused a lot of havoc as we didn’t feel we got the desired effect we wanted at first, however eventually we got the shot.
Anna and tom’s commitment to our filming was shown by the slapping scene. We had asked Anna to fake the slap but neither seemed bothered about making it real for authenticity in that scene. It was pleasing to see toms commitment to the filming that would ‘take one for the team’ in order to help establish the dominance Anna has over him in the video.
Overall a great success and we are pleased with how the filming went. Look forward to more filming in the coming days!
George
Friday, 15 October 2010
MOOSE
We had decided the name after hours of debating, arguing and intensive discussing, we came to a conclusion which we all liked. The choice for such a name is that in our choice of band name we wanted to show the quirky side and aspect of music videos, which is what we are trying to attempt. So in that idea we wanted to match it and be a bit different and out there. And out of the list we had made it was pretty much the only one in which we all liked. MOOSE.
But now there was a bigger task on our hands and were still debating it and unless there's another post we haven't decided. But our band name needed its logo. Something which the world would recognize as moose. Something that would take over the world. Again it had to be different, yet not too much that it didn't just fit. We looked online at the different types of fonts however i felt that it wasn't an exciting way to make our logo or funk out our name. It was time to get the pens out.
We first had a few doodles looked at them debated, one was to curly the other was just to much 3D, other thin.
We then came with the idea of maybe being able to manipulate the shape of antlers, it was a difficult on but something we all liked and if it could be accomplished than it was definetly something we would go for. This was the outcome.
It was something. But as a group it didn't seem like we could go ahead for sure on it. The next time we meet this will be discussed in further detail.
Yussra and Marwa.
But now there was a bigger task on our hands and were still debating it and unless there's another post we haven't decided. But our band name needed its logo. Something which the world would recognize as moose. Something that would take over the world. Again it had to be different, yet not too much that it didn't just fit. We looked online at the different types of fonts however i felt that it wasn't an exciting way to make our logo or funk out our name. It was time to get the pens out.
We first had a few doodles looked at them debated, one was to curly the other was just to much 3D, other thin.
We then came with the idea of maybe being able to manipulate the shape of antlers, it was a difficult on but something we all liked and if it could be accomplished than it was definetly something we would go for. This was the outcome.
It was something. But as a group it didn't seem like we could go ahead for sure on it. The next time we meet this will be discussed in further detail.
Yussra and Marwa.
The Band Name!
Me (George) and Tom sat down today and created as many ideas as we could think of for names whilst Marwa and Yussra continued on the storyboard.
We decided on three different approaches to this:
1. In the style of many bands, particularly indie Bands which is the genre our band fits best, we thought of Simply putting 'The' in front of a random noun e.g 'The Smiths' or 'The Cure'. We did however feel this to be quite bland and not limited names we could have seeing as so many have already been used, but it was quick and simple to do and if correctly done would sound catchy and rememberable.
2. Our second approach was to use a perculiar name in order to gain recognition through something rememberable and distinguishable, such as 'Vampire Weekend' or 'Everything everything'. This can also work by using something basic, but catchy such as bands like 'Foals' or 'Klaxons'.
3. Our third approach is one adopted by some bands whereby a band name is based on or borrowed from a song e.g 'Radiohead' were named after the song of the same name from a 'Talking Heads' album. We both looked at bands that inspired us and took ideas for names from them.
We made a list of 20-30 names, then gradually reduced it six. The six were
France
Moose
Mexico
Shanghai Boat Club
Stripped Sunset
NY Youth Society
In the end we chose... Moose!!!!
Moose was chosen as we felt it was short, effective and easy to remember, whilst fitting in with the genre of band that we are directing Moose. We felt it would be easier to market this name as it would not be to outlandish to put some people off, although it could have been said to have been quite bland. In spite of this we all agreed it was the best direction to take our band in.
Stripped Sunset was taken out early as the group decided that it sounded a little flimsy and not fitting in with the bands demographic. It did not give the image we felt was fitting for our band, and that it didn't give the right impression.
France and Mexico were considered but we thought they seemed a little too bland and unimaginative. It was agreed that maybe naming a band after a country seemed a bit too simple, and that they just didn't quite have the ring to it that we wanted our band to have.
Tom had a simple idea for Shanghai Boat Club. Choose an obscure location and then follow it with an obscure method of transport e.g Bombay Bicycle Club. However, the group felt that the choice was too similar to the said band and would simply sound too much like a cheap knock off.
So now we have settled on this we can begin to build our bands image and how we want them marketed!!
George
The NY Youth Society wasn't liked by Marwa and Yussra as they felt it just didn't sound right, and that it probably is already an actual organisation. This was my personal favourite but as the rest of the group were not happy about it, so it was scrapped.
We decided on three different approaches to this:
1. In the style of many bands, particularly indie Bands which is the genre our band fits best, we thought of Simply putting 'The' in front of a random noun e.g 'The Smiths' or 'The Cure'. We did however feel this to be quite bland and not limited names we could have seeing as so many have already been used, but it was quick and simple to do and if correctly done would sound catchy and rememberable.
2. Our second approach was to use a perculiar name in order to gain recognition through something rememberable and distinguishable, such as 'Vampire Weekend' or 'Everything everything'. This can also work by using something basic, but catchy such as bands like 'Foals' or 'Klaxons'.
3. Our third approach is one adopted by some bands whereby a band name is based on or borrowed from a song e.g 'Radiohead' were named after the song of the same name from a 'Talking Heads' album. We both looked at bands that inspired us and took ideas for names from them.
We made a list of 20-30 names, then gradually reduced it six. The six were
France
Moose
Mexico
Shanghai Boat Club
Stripped Sunset
NY Youth Society
In the end we chose... Moose!!!!
Moose was chosen as we felt it was short, effective and easy to remember, whilst fitting in with the genre of band that we are directing Moose. We felt it would be easier to market this name as it would not be to outlandish to put some people off, although it could have been said to have been quite bland. In spite of this we all agreed it was the best direction to take our band in.
Stripped Sunset was taken out early as the group decided that it sounded a little flimsy and not fitting in with the bands demographic. It did not give the image we felt was fitting for our band, and that it didn't give the right impression.
France and Mexico were considered but we thought they seemed a little too bland and unimaginative. It was agreed that maybe naming a band after a country seemed a bit too simple, and that they just didn't quite have the ring to it that we wanted our band to have.
Tom had a simple idea for Shanghai Boat Club. Choose an obscure location and then follow it with an obscure method of transport e.g Bombay Bicycle Club. However, the group felt that the choice was too similar to the said band and would simply sound too much like a cheap knock off.
So now we have settled on this we can begin to build our bands image and how we want them marketed!!
George
The NY Youth Society wasn't liked by Marwa and Yussra as they felt it just didn't sound right, and that it probably is already an actual organisation. This was my personal favourite but as the rest of the group were not happy about it, so it was scrapped.
Monday, 11 October 2010
The Band
Space was an indie/alternative rock band hailing from Liverpool, England. They became a well-known mainstream band due to a number of popular hits including “Female of the Species” and “Neighbourhood”. The 4 piece band were all male, who were predominantly influenced by fellow English rock pioneers, The Who. In 1996, their debut album Spiders reached platinum success, especially with the music video of “Female of the Species” being shown regularly on MTV both in the UK and USA. Also, the song was used as theme song for popular 90’s TV show Cold Feet.
We all decided that we wanted to choose the song “Female of the Species” for a
number of reasons. Firstly, the melodic tone of the song gave as an idea of a satirical video, particularly as the song had very strong meanings within the lyrics. As well as this, the lyrics tell a story of a ‘deadly’ female who is dominant over the lead singer. We felt that we could incorporate this onto the screen and could develop a storyboard that would relate to it.
Tom
We all decided that we wanted to choose the song “Female of the Species” for a
number of reasons. Firstly, the melodic tone of the song gave as an idea of a satirical video, particularly as the song had very strong meanings within the lyrics. As well as this, the lyrics tell a story of a ‘deadly’ female who is dominant over the lead singer. We felt that we could incorporate this onto the screen and could develop a storyboard that would relate to it.
Tom
Costumes
The costumes we have decided to choose for our music video are simple but they keep to the idea of dominance and control over the male. Firstly, for my outfit, I have been asked to wear a shirt with a black tie and smart, black trousers. We decided on this because it shows my lack of authority and how I am more aware of my appearance. AS we are subverting stereotypes, we have also changed the fact that males will spend m,ore time improving their appearance than the female of our video. It has been suggested that I wear fluffy slippers, rollers and apron in keeping with gender conventions, and the fact that I am the character in the kitchen rather than the female character.
Anna's outfit for the video is that of a lazy, slobbish person. We felt that just a simple black vest and a pair of track pants would be most suitable because it shows how she is more relaxed and in control if I am subservient towards her. We may also try placing food stains on her top in order to give the impression that she is lazy and that she is not fussed about her appearance, compared to the normal stereotype of women trying to make a good impression by the way they look.
Overall, I believe that these tactics will work well when it comes to filming.
Tom
Anna's outfit for the video is that of a lazy, slobbish person. We felt that just a simple black vest and a pair of track pants would be most suitable because it shows how she is more relaxed and in control if I am subservient towards her. We may also try placing food stains on her top in order to give the impression that she is lazy and that she is not fussed about her appearance, compared to the normal stereotype of women trying to make a good impression by the way they look.
Overall, I believe that these tactics will work well when it comes to filming.
Tom
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