This is Sasha, she is 18 years old and a freshman in University, studying Graphic Designs. Her favourite type of music is Dubstep and Electronic/Funk inspired bands. Including, Basement Jaxx, The Chemical Brothers, Skrillex and Fatboy Slim. She also enjoys watching comedy and action films, and hanging out with friends and going to the cinema. As well as going to clubs and dancing, where her favourite genre of music is usually very popular!
This is the type of person i think would appeal/relate most to the type of music video i am planning on creating. As the people featured in my video will also be dancing and having fun, which is ultimately what people like Sasha enjoys doing.
I plan on having a very broad target audience. My genre of music is not a very niche genre, and i believe it is a very popular type of music. Often, Electronic/Funk is played in clubs as it is very 'dance-y' and 'energetic' music. Therefore, i feel i can include a varied age group in my music video and represent all different stereo-types of people, for example: typical dancers, gangsters, school students, teachers and parents. I will also film in many different venues/locations to add some variation to my production.
I have come to the definite decision in that i would like to base my music video creation to 'Praise You' by Electro/Funk band 'Fatboy Slim'. I am very pleased with this song as it has everything i was looking for:
-repetitive and constant beat
-limited lyrics
-long instrumental interludes
-lyrics that could act as a narrative base
I have included a video i found from YouTube. I thought this was a particularly amusing clip that represents a group of people having fun and dancing/laughing...enjoying the music. This is the general vibe i would also like to represent in my own production as i think it compliments the song as it also is upbeat and energetic! I could also use this video as an inspiration for the type of dancing i could include in my own music video.
This is a copy of the lyrics that are included in this song, by Fatboy Slim. As you can clearly see, the ratio of instrumental over lyrics is much higher. However the lyrics, though limited, could help to base my narrative for my music video.
1) A perfect song choice that links in very nicely with my chosen genre 'electronic/funk'. It has a good constant beat; this would be particularly good if i was to produce a montage of dancers/lip syncing (which is my plan). The limited use of lyrics would also be quite good, as it is simple and effective...not too confusing if i wanted to base the lyrics on my narrative structure. This video highlights the limited lyrics and if i was to chose this song, i could have my characters lip-syncing and play around and experiment with the different editing tools available to me.
2) Possibly my favourite song, i really love the lyrics as it could be represented as people dancing and jumping around...This would also fit nicely in with my chosen genre, and could depict a very energetic and enthusiastic vibe.
3) This song, i feel has a very fun and energetic vibe to it. This therefore, i think would work very well with my idea's as it is also quite well-known and therefore, alot of my audience would appeal to a song they can sing and dance along to. I also like that it has an almost even balance between lyrics and instrumental interludes...this would be ideal for what i plan to produce.
I have created a brief mind map on the online tool 'SpicyNodes'. This is just to highlight the important conventions i will need to consider when creating my music video. To ensure i appeal to the correct audience and represent the genre of music i have chosen appropriately... SpicyNodes: Sample nodemap
The online presentation tool 'Prezi' allows me to creatively illustrate the direction in which i have chosen to follow for the creation of my music video. This includes the 'costume', 'makeup', 'location and 'editing' with links to iconography and genre theory.
Similar to my original plan on focusing on 'pop' music, however 'Electronic/Funk' is much more fast-paced and electronically altered to my other initial genre of 'acoustic'. Allowing more attention to be paid to the beat and tonal changes within the song. This therefore, enabling many possible interpretations and angles of which I would be able to follow up if I was to choose any of theses song listed here to create my music video. As a highly electronically altered genre choice, this will allow me to be experimental with my video editing when it comes to that stage.
1) A fan-made music video, and i think it is so well made. Ive included it here as a source of inspiration, because of the makers use of fantastic camera angle and movements. The subtle editing effects throughout are also effective yet not too over-powering. Helping also to depict the narrative of the video as it is used in such a way to add supernatural themes to a seemingly normal scene.
2) This was the original video that first sparked my desire to focus on the genre of 'Electronic/Funk'. Although the moving images don't quite relate to what i would like to produce myself, i still like the beat to this 'Blue Monday' song. Recognizing instantly that although the motion is quite distorted and unreadable, the use of contrasting, bright, bold colours has been used in such a way to compliment the music and almost bringing it to life.
3) The use of camera angles, movements and editing throughout this 'Chemical Brothers' video are used in such a way to create a movie-like narrative of a girl who goes off into a supernatural day-dream. Although the music counteracts for the dialogue, you can still understand what is being said through the expressions and editing techniques used. I also quite like this song due to the repetitiveness of the constant beat and limited lyrics.
4) Not only is this a great song that fits in with my 'electronic'funk' genre of music, i absolutely love this filming effect! Its so simple, and i like that it is a natural and subtly-edited piece of film. I plan to include this filming technique in my own video production. I could even possibly stand a camera on a tripod, film the sky on a cloudy day, and speed up the footage...creating an unnatural and creative perspective.
5) I've included this video into my list as i really like the song and also the black and white effect (this adds mystery and the sense of distortion). The director has used children to challenge the stereotypes of 'gangaster/rebels' by making the characters young children with painted faces. This could be quite shocking to the viewers and therefore, adds enigma to the video clip. It is also very interesting that half way the mood and atmosphere is changed as the footage suddenly changes to colour. I really like this as it can instantly change the mood of the video.
6) Although this video is quite unrelated to my genre, and it doesnt exactly include any worthwhile codes and conventions, i really love the multiple split-screen effect used here. I plan to include this editing technique into my own video..this could be used in such a way to illustrate the many different people (and theire individual style) in my video. I could have about 20 extreme close-up shots of my characters lip synching the main lyrics to my chosen song.
7) This video, i found after alot of browsing through YouTube in search of something to gain inspiration that was much similar to what i would like to create myself. Thankfully, this is quite close enough...I i LOVE the use of colours and the multiple split-screen effectused. The costumes also perfectly connotate the happy and ecstatic energy provided by the music.
From this early stage, i have decided to put together some research on some possible song choices. These will be included in one of my next blogposts and i shall be deconstructing the official music video for each of these songs. Looking closely into what made these videos so successful; focusing also on the lyrics of the song and how these have been applied to the narrative of the video. As i feel that the lyrics help to act as the foundations of the narrative and the beat helps to set the pace.
Therefore, to ensure i am fully aware of what needs to be included in my own creation, i shall learn by closely analysing professionally made and successful videos and how they have applied 'the five theories'.
From this stage also, i have decided that i would like to include the following editing into my creation:
These will ensure the video/story is 'pushed forward'...
I got the inspiration to include 'multiple split-screen' editing as i felt that electronic/funk is quite an artsy genre of music, therefore i instantly thought of pop-art and Andy Warhol style pieces. This could be a source of inspiration when i'm at the editing stage as i could include similar contrasting, bright coloured scenery and clothing.
For the fast-track editing, i plan to film the sky, on a cloudy day, and the sun rise/set to act as a closing and opening scene to my video. This, will then add a sense of narrative to my video and act as a kind of motif to my creation as it signifies the beginning/end of the song.
The photographic cooperation 'Magnum Photos' has powerful individual vision, Magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret people, events, issues and personalities. Providing photographs to the press, publishers, advertising, television, galleries and museums across the world.
"Magnum is a community of thought, a shared human quality, a curiosity about what is going on in the world, a respect for what is going on and a desire to transcribe it visually."
Whilst i browsed their official website, i found these few images that could act as inspiration to my music video production:
Paolo Pellegrin
Cairo, Egypt
2011
This image by Pellegrin, i thought was really amazing as he has managed to capture the characters emotions and this acts almost as an insight into what was happening the time that the image was shot (an anti muburak demonstration). I really like the black and white effect, as this also gives the sense of panic and distortion...connoted also through the expressions of the men, and the out-of-focus image quality, is this sense of mayhem and outrage.
Abbbas
Mali, Bakodjikorone
1994
I think that this shot by Abbas, links in with my ideas for my music video. As the children are shot in the moment having fun, and it isnt too overly staged and unnatural. The children are imitating the photographer in this shot, and i think it has the connotations of carefree and happy characters which i really would like to portray in my own production.
Eve Arnold
USA, Nevade
1960
Possibly my favourite shot, by Eve Arnold. I absolutely love the limited distractions of a plain blacked out background. This highlights and brings to focus the two characters shown dancing in the centre of the shot. This has been achieved supposedly by the placement of the lighting, which i shall may a mental note of for when it comes to the creation of my own video. As this reiterates the importance of lighting placement. I also really want to achieve the same kind of emotion presented through this image, in my own shots. The happy and joyous expression on the mans face is just great!
These next few images are not taken from the 'Magnun' website. However, they are each a source of inspiration to me, and i felt was worth including on my blog to remind myself and others the types of techniques i aim to include in my own work:
Jérôme Turblin
France
I simply love the expression shown on this man's face! I would like to include some similar shots like this as i feel it could add a little bit of a jokey vibe to my production. I also love the low camera angle, this was taken from which acts to intimidate the viewer and to give the sense of empowerment. Though, if done correctly, i think with the character being shot showing an appropriate expression would only add to the overall light-hearted and playful connotations of my video production.
Don McCullin
Mad Day Out
1968
Don McCullin
Mad Day Out
1968
Photographer Don McCullin (my grandfather), took these light-hearted and fun images of The Beatles in 1968. I just love the natural poses of the singers, giving a real 'caught-in-the-moment' feeling to the shots and i would very much like to include this technique in my own work. Aiming to achieve a natural-happiness and as un-staged/narrated as possible.
I chose to browse 'Spotify' for some final song choices, as i felt Youtube was a little too distracting as i was focusing more on the visual elements of music videos as opposed to the music itself. Therefore, i have put together a playlist of the tracks taht appealed to me most. Allowing me also to demonstrate to you the type of direction i am going in for my final production.
