Evaluation
Vibe Productions asked us to produce a music video for the Raindance Film Festival. The video had to be under 6 minutes and must be submitted on February 3rd 2017. The film festival are looking for quality of narrative and production values as well as independent nature of the production. The music video should not suggest any drug use or unnecessary or excessive bad language. We worked in small groups to create an effective music video.
Our group chose 'Mona Lisa' by Nat King Cole, originally written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston in 1950. We chose the song because we noticed many members of the class, when deciding on a song, looking through the charts for song ideas and choosing songs from the past decade. So instead we decided it would be a good idea to find a song from another era and see how we could use the skills we have learnt in Creative Media to gratify a modern audience. As we wanted to target both older and younger audiences we included elements expected in a music video from the 1950s as well as music videos of the present day. To do this we included visuals of one of few Nat King Cols live performances of Mona Lisa overlaying a narrative of a girl who has no self confidence without make up. We chose this idea because Nat King Cole compares his love to the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The Mona Lisa if famous for her smile and her mystique, as the portrait has become one of the most famous works of art in history. Leonardo Da Vinci spent years perfecting Mona Lisa's smile which suggests it may not be quite what it was when he started the painting, and this is where we devised our idea from - a girl who paints herself into something she isn't and that is what gives her self confidence.
To plan the music video we started by pitching our idea to the other members of the class. This included findings from our research on target audience, genre and conventions used in similar videos. This was followed by a production plan where we completed; a detailed shooting script with a description of visuals next to the song lyrics, a storyboard that featured 32 shots and a brief description of the action, a prop list, a crew list, location recces with images, clearances and confirmations for actors and permission to use locations, a contingency plan, and a shooting schedule. When this was complete we were ready to film.
I think I researched topic substantially, and this bettered my intelligence when analysing music videos and considering how artists portray themselves to their audience. I also feel my understanding of target audience for the chosen genre has improved; we did not just decide on one main audience, instead we looked at how a music video for an old song can appeal to audiences of it's time and audiences of today. I used many sources that influenced my understanding of how the music video industry started and how it has evolved in all sorts of ways such as what content features in the videos as well as what platform they are viewed on. I feel my LO1.1 - LO1.2 research page is organised with correct references and images and shows a clear development of my investigation into music videos. If I were to do this research assignment again I would have spent more time on the Primary Research task; we were asked to analyse the image that artists were trying to create for themselves in two videos provided. As a group we did this task to a good standard, however I think analysing another more relevant video of our choice would have benefited us as we could have have explored how other artists from the 50s and 60s created an image for themselves in their videos, instead we took how modern artists create an image and applied this to Nat King Cole. I believe my LO1.1- LO1.2 page was successful, but with this extra research I feel we would have had a more clear image we wanted the video to create for Cole.
We completed our production plan early in the week so we had a lot of time to prepare props and set while negotiating time schedules with our actor. This meant we were well equipped and prepared to film on the Monday the following week. Our actor was not coming to shoot until 12:30 so we had the morning to prepare our set and work out where our cameras would be positioned in relation to the storyboard. When it came to filming we were well prepared with our storyboard as well as a shot checklist. This meant we could tick off each shot as they were filmed and we did not miss any shots or record them more than necessary.
During the filming stage we came across one problem; one of the members of the group forgot their SD card to their camera. We were using up to 3 cameras in a shoot so the shots that interchanged were true and we only had 2 SD cards. Fortunately we were able to contact the Creative Media department who provided us with an extra SD card and we continue with our shoot. During planning we ensured all our SD cards were clear so we would not run out of space however we did not consider if SD were forgotten. In future we should ensure we have more than enough SD cards before the shoot as this will cover both problems we could face - running out of space and not having SD cards. Also on shoot we wanted to film a smooth pan (featured at the start of the video when the girl enters, and the end of the video when she exits) but we realised this could not be done without an object with wheels as there was too much room for human error. We explained to one of our CMP teachers that we would bring a skateboard into create this movement, but he suggested borrowing the dolly the department own. This meant we could attach the tripod to a dolly and get a smooth pan as well as save a day filming. During production planning we should have asked if there was any sort of dolly available instead of allowing for an extra day of filming.
Our group chose 'Mona Lisa' by Nat King Cole, originally written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston in 1950. We chose the song because we noticed many members of the class, when deciding on a song, looking through the charts for song ideas and choosing songs from the past decade. So instead we decided it would be a good idea to find a song from another era and see how we could use the skills we have learnt in Creative Media to gratify a modern audience. As we wanted to target both older and younger audiences we included elements expected in a music video from the 1950s as well as music videos of the present day. To do this we included visuals of one of few Nat King Cols live performances of Mona Lisa overlaying a narrative of a girl who has no self confidence without make up. We chose this idea because Nat King Cole compares his love to the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The Mona Lisa if famous for her smile and her mystique, as the portrait has become one of the most famous works of art in history. Leonardo Da Vinci spent years perfecting Mona Lisa's smile which suggests it may not be quite what it was when he started the painting, and this is where we devised our idea from - a girl who paints herself into something she isn't and that is what gives her self confidence.
To plan the music video we started by pitching our idea to the other members of the class. This included findings from our research on target audience, genre and conventions used in similar videos. This was followed by a production plan where we completed; a detailed shooting script with a description of visuals next to the song lyrics, a storyboard that featured 32 shots and a brief description of the action, a prop list, a crew list, location recces with images, clearances and confirmations for actors and permission to use locations, a contingency plan, and a shooting schedule. When this was complete we were ready to film.
I think I researched topic substantially, and this bettered my intelligence when analysing music videos and considering how artists portray themselves to their audience. I also feel my understanding of target audience for the chosen genre has improved; we did not just decide on one main audience, instead we looked at how a music video for an old song can appeal to audiences of it's time and audiences of today. I used many sources that influenced my understanding of how the music video industry started and how it has evolved in all sorts of ways such as what content features in the videos as well as what platform they are viewed on. I feel my LO1.1 - LO1.2 research page is organised with correct references and images and shows a clear development of my investigation into music videos. If I were to do this research assignment again I would have spent more time on the Primary Research task; we were asked to analyse the image that artists were trying to create for themselves in two videos provided. As a group we did this task to a good standard, however I think analysing another more relevant video of our choice would have benefited us as we could have have explored how other artists from the 50s and 60s created an image for themselves in their videos, instead we took how modern artists create an image and applied this to Nat King Cole. I believe my LO1.1- LO1.2 page was successful, but with this extra research I feel we would have had a more clear image we wanted the video to create for Cole.
We completed our production plan early in the week so we had a lot of time to prepare props and set while negotiating time schedules with our actor. This meant we were well equipped and prepared to film on the Monday the following week. Our actor was not coming to shoot until 12:30 so we had the morning to prepare our set and work out where our cameras would be positioned in relation to the storyboard. When it came to filming we were well prepared with our storyboard as well as a shot checklist. This meant we could tick off each shot as they were filmed and we did not miss any shots or record them more than necessary.
During the filming stage we came across one problem; one of the members of the group forgot their SD card to their camera. We were using up to 3 cameras in a shoot so the shots that interchanged were true and we only had 2 SD cards. Fortunately we were able to contact the Creative Media department who provided us with an extra SD card and we continue with our shoot. During planning we ensured all our SD cards were clear so we would not run out of space however we did not consider if SD were forgotten. In future we should ensure we have more than enough SD cards before the shoot as this will cover both problems we could face - running out of space and not having SD cards. Also on shoot we wanted to film a smooth pan (featured at the start of the video when the girl enters, and the end of the video when she exits) but we realised this could not be done without an object with wheels as there was too much room for human error. We explained to one of our CMP teachers that we would bring a skateboard into create this movement, but he suggested borrowing the dolly the department own. This meant we could attach the tripod to a dolly and get a smooth pan as well as save a day filming. During production planning we should have asked if there was any sort of dolly available instead of allowing for an extra day of filming.
I thought the lighting in the production was not as successful as I had hoped. Many shots appeared dark and grainy from high ISO such as this one. During the editing process I tried to increase the exposure and saturation to counter the grain but the image did not come out as clean as I had hoped. If we were to light the production again we should keep the scene well lit, and then work to make it dark in post production, after all it is easier to colour correct a scene darker than lighter.
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However I think the lighting in this shot is successful as the actors face is clear and contrasts with the dark background behind the mirror as well as her clothes. A camera light was used in this shot but this would have not been practical if it was used to light the entire stage. The light gives a warm feel to girls natural look, while the saturation is lost as she adds more make up.
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The mise-en-scene in our production I believe was successful. I think the placement of our actor in this shot accentuates the lonely nature of the character as she is centred between the two large curtains while the camera moves away from the subject. This expresses to the audience the emptiness of the scene and the possibility that there is no one to stop our character from altering her image.
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I also think the mise-en-scene in this image works extremely well for a shot with two exposures. Nat's position in the frame fits perfectly along side the character while she applies her make up and breaks up the video in a way that makes it more visually entertaining. I also think the absence of the actors face enhancers our focus on Cole in this shot, but adds character to the words Cole is singing.
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If we were to re create the production there are a few thing I would change to ensure the mise-en-scene is effective. Firstly, at the start of the video we see a long shot of the actor with the make up bag in front of her. This is easily distinguishable by its deep red shade. However I do not think this bright colour fits well into the scene as the majority of the shot is dark and the curtains are a deep maroon; this makes the bag stand out and contrasts with the mood of the frame.
In this second shot from 1:08, our character is applying the eye make up. The aim of this shot was to create a focus on the girls face in the mirror while her hair and body would be out of focus. This would create the impression to the audience that the girl in the mirror is becoming clearer to us while her true self is dissolving away. Unfortunately the camera was not positioned above her shoulder high enough to focus on her face. This was not considered at the time as we had another camera pointed at our actor so the shot does not create the meaning we had hoped. In the final shot of the video the dancer walks off stage just like she entered at the start. I think this shot could have been framed better if the girl stayed centred the entire time she walked off stage. This would have given the shot a cleaner look and added some symmetry to video as it would have replicated the camera movement in the first shot. Overall I think our mise-en-scene was successful and the majority of the shots we looked created the meaning we had aimed for. |
During the shoot I thought our camera work was efficient and professional and that showed in most of shots we took. The subjects that we had intended to draw the audience's attention to were in focus, even in the shots where both the camera operator as well as our actor was moving such as at 1:55, shown here.
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As the setting we were filming in was rather dark, the ISO number was raised on our cameras which caused a lot of digital grain in some of our footage. I think this was the worst decision I made during the production as it affected the entire video especially at 3:30, the large curtains are very grainy, and this weakens the final spin the girl does. As we can see here, there is ISO grain running up the backdrop in the frame.
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I also think our use of camera movement was very effective in this project, as without them some of the action in certain shots would have slowed the pace of the video and the audience may have become bored quickly. The pan away from the stage in shots at 0:30, 2:18 and 2:27 accentuate the emptiness of the scene while movement in the shot at 1:55 gives the video life so the audience are not bored of stills due to constant use of a tripod.
When reviewing our first rough edit, James suggested that we use a wider range of shots to break up the dance so the pace of the video was not lost. We had multiple shots of the dance however we had not yet combined them. To ensure the transition between shots of the girl dancing were accurate and smooth, we filmed with 3 cameras at once, all recording at the same time. This was a smart move as it meant we could easily switch between footage and decide which shot works best and when. For example, at 2:16, the girl is mid spin while the shots change. As we filmed at the same time the movement she makes is identical and the cut is smooth. This is shown above.
When deciding how to shoot the over shoulder mirror shot, we wanted to create a image where the girls face would be in focus but her hair and body blurred. I suggested we use a 50mm prime lens with an aperture of f/1.8, giving us a shallower depth of field so we could achieve this look. This then meant the ISO could be lowered and I believe this created the best looking shot in our production. The camera is positioned correctly while the focus and the lighting create the image of the girl in the mirror we were trying to achieve, with darkend shapes of her hair and body which are out of focus.
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I believe the narrative of our video suited the jazz / swing / classical genre we researched for a number of reasons. Firstly, the production was set on a stage and featured little props like many jazz music video in the 1950s. The audience usually watched a jazz artist on television to enjoy the music over the performance and we tried to capture that alongside an idea that can be understood by all audiences. Our narrative also suites the genre because modern artists who produce jazz such as Bruno Mars, like many music videos of today, give their video a storyline their audience follow. I think this combination of old and new conventions in one music video has worked really well to suit the jazz genre and would appeal to both older and younger Nat King Cole fans.
During this project I have learnt a skills through the planning, production and post production processes, as well as learned more about members of my CMP class who I had not really interacted with up until now. At the start of the project I learned how to storyboard effectively which resulted in a very well organised shoot as the shots were clear to follow and were combined with a checklist which made tracking our progress a lot easier. During the shoot I also learnt how to function a Nikon DSLR; I have been used to my Canon DSLR for some time now so this was a big step in terms of interface but I got the hang of it after several test shots and help from my group members. When it came to the editing process, I learned a new skill in Premiere Pro which allowed our footage to transition from colour to black and white as the video progresses. I was already familiar with key framing, which allows you to set a function for an effect on a video/audio and then allow that function to change at another point in the video/audio. As the video moves along from the first keyframe to the next, the function transitions to how you have set it in the following keyframe. This can be done with effects, scale, crop, position as well as many more options you intend to change on your video/audio. To achieve the colour transition in our video, I had to keyframe the saturation at the start of so it stayed as it was, and then add a keyframe at the end of the video, turning the saturation to 0. This meant the saturation decreased from start to finish and the look we wanted was achieved.
I think our group really worked well as a team; all three of us contributed to the production so that we worked efficiently and progressed quickly. The planning stage was set up into seven tasks. We decided it was fair if worked on two tasks each and one task together first. The task we worked on together was our shooting script so we all had a clear insight and input into what visuals we intended to see alongside the lyrics. Once we had finished and were happy with our idea, Brienne worked on the crew list and location recce, India worked on the props list and contingency plan, and I worked on the storyboard and the clearances /confirmations. We then ensured Brienne had all these items so she could complete the planning and pre-production document and email it to both India and myself for our own websites. This made the planning process a lot quicker and also ensured we all had our own input into the production. During post production I did the majority of editing myself, however in no way do I believe I took control of this process; Brienne and India would sit next to me and said what they wanted to see happen to the footage and I would do all the editing in front of them. I also ensured Brienne and India knew what I was doing when editing; I would explain each process and the outcome so they could learn new editing skills and continue to give their input. I spent some time explaining how key-framing works to both of them highlighting how frequently it can be used to improve the quality of the production. Brienne and India both learnt quickly and we then learnt together how to change the colour of our production via the use of key-framing. Overall I think the group had an equal say in all aspects of our production and I feel we have all learnt some new skills we can now take on to the next production.
Due to our organisational skills and teamwork we had time to play around with our footage as well as complete all our work on time.
During this project I have learnt a skills through the planning, production and post production processes, as well as learned more about members of my CMP class who I had not really interacted with up until now. At the start of the project I learned how to storyboard effectively which resulted in a very well organised shoot as the shots were clear to follow and were combined with a checklist which made tracking our progress a lot easier. During the shoot I also learnt how to function a Nikon DSLR; I have been used to my Canon DSLR for some time now so this was a big step in terms of interface but I got the hang of it after several test shots and help from my group members. When it came to the editing process, I learned a new skill in Premiere Pro which allowed our footage to transition from colour to black and white as the video progresses. I was already familiar with key framing, which allows you to set a function for an effect on a video/audio and then allow that function to change at another point in the video/audio. As the video moves along from the first keyframe to the next, the function transitions to how you have set it in the following keyframe. This can be done with effects, scale, crop, position as well as many more options you intend to change on your video/audio. To achieve the colour transition in our video, I had to keyframe the saturation at the start of so it stayed as it was, and then add a keyframe at the end of the video, turning the saturation to 0. This meant the saturation decreased from start to finish and the look we wanted was achieved.
I think our group really worked well as a team; all three of us contributed to the production so that we worked efficiently and progressed quickly. The planning stage was set up into seven tasks. We decided it was fair if worked on two tasks each and one task together first. The task we worked on together was our shooting script so we all had a clear insight and input into what visuals we intended to see alongside the lyrics. Once we had finished and were happy with our idea, Brienne worked on the crew list and location recce, India worked on the props list and contingency plan, and I worked on the storyboard and the clearances /confirmations. We then ensured Brienne had all these items so she could complete the planning and pre-production document and email it to both India and myself for our own websites. This made the planning process a lot quicker and also ensured we all had our own input into the production. During post production I did the majority of editing myself, however in no way do I believe I took control of this process; Brienne and India would sit next to me and said what they wanted to see happen to the footage and I would do all the editing in front of them. I also ensured Brienne and India knew what I was doing when editing; I would explain each process and the outcome so they could learn new editing skills and continue to give their input. I spent some time explaining how key-framing works to both of them highlighting how frequently it can be used to improve the quality of the production. Brienne and India both learnt quickly and we then learnt together how to change the colour of our production via the use of key-framing. Overall I think the group had an equal say in all aspects of our production and I feel we have all learnt some new skills we can now take on to the next production.
Due to our organisational skills and teamwork we had time to play around with our footage as well as complete all our work on time.
peer responses
edward hearn |
Good about lighting
I like how most of the lighting is on the mirror and the lighting is quite dark but most of the lighting is focused on the dancer. improve Due to not having a lot of lighting it has made the quality of the video a bit grainy. Editing The way Nat King Cole comes into the shot and out of the shot I thought was really effective. improve Add sound effects Mise-en-scene Yes because of the way its focuses on the characters face in some of the shots Improve In the last shot she wasn't centre but instead was just in the shot |
Catherine O'Loughlin |
Lighting
Everything was clear. Improve The light could focus more on the dancer. editing The fades between the singer and dancer were effective. improve There could have been a variety of cuts and maybe some colour grading. Mise-en-scene It was effective because the stage setting was appropriate. improve The background could have been more exciting. |
Matt sear |
The lighting in your production was good as it wasn't too bright and was bright enough for the audience to see what they needed to.
To improve the lighting you could have a placed a light in a place that would've cast shadows or have the light predominantly on one side of the character. I think this would've provided more depth and add a film noir like aspect to the film, strengthening the vintage theme the video follows. Your editing was very good as it made all the scenes look like they were all consecutively after each other on a realistic time scale. You used effective transitions that weren't abnormal or distracting. You could have used different changing camera angles to provide more depth to the setting of your video. I think that your mise-un-scene was very effective as there were no features of the production that seemed out of place or contradicted your theme. You could have used more extravagant features such as vintage props and costumes. I think this would've helped as it would've made your production more eye catching. |