Lip Sync Task

 

What did you do to prepare?

I prepared for the shoot by learning the lyrics and thinking about what shots might look good by watching the original video and similar videos. However I did not know what sort of set we would be dealing with so had to prepare the shots that may be used against a simple blank wall. 

What did you do in the studio?

In the studio I thought about Dyer's star theory and how the acts should be shown and what sort of audience would listen to the song. Therefore we all portrayed a happy and smiley image by dancing energetically and singing directly to the camera, similar to what Taylor Swift does.  

What did you learn?

I learnt that confidence in front of the camera is key and for an act to be believable they have to be sure how they are going to perform to convey the message they want to an audience. In addition I learnt how to use a camera on tracks and the techniques to get a steady shot such as keeping the actors eyes in the top 3rd of the screen and always look at the camera screen. I also learnt that on a clapper board the reading at the end are frames as we recorded at 25fps.  

What did you do in the editing suite, what steps did you take to cut the video?

We first brought the clips onto the timeline that we wanted to use/were interested in using and matched them up to the clapper bored programme we used so the video we filmed was in sync with our lips. We then chose the clip we wanted to appear at the beginning of the video and dragged the other clips back so they were ready to be used next. Following this we chose our second clip and continued to drag the other clips further back keeping them in order and still sync-able to the music. We repeated this step and cut at every beat/place we felt was the most appropriate and interesting to cut. 

What did you learn about editing a music video?

I learnt that it is absolutely crucial to get the mouths to sync up with the music otherwise the video will look fake and unprofessional. In addition, I learnt that a good moment to edit is on a beat/at the end of a phrase otherwise the video may become jumpy and disorientating for the audience.

Did you make any mistakes on the day? How could you shoot or cut the video more effectively next time?

The main mistake we made was not knowing what the set was going to be/look like as we could have planned choreography around the small set areas to look more professional. In addition we could have had more experience with the cameras we were using as one I had never used before and therefore was unsure how to gain a premium focus for the camera. This would have led to a quicker and more efficient shoot which I can bring next time. 

Why have I made these decisions to the website- Annotations

I have kept with the green theme to contrast with Ed’s current album, ‘Multiply’ which has a large green cover. In addition, his tour is promoting the green aspect and has green staging so as he is an organic artist (following Negus’ theory) I believe that he would have corresponding colours which he is known for. I have put acommunity page as Ed is known for having a tough upbringing so will want to communicate with his global fans through popular social networking sites as well as the fact this is free advertising for the artist. The banner across the top of the homepage has been carefully selected to show Ed looking directly into the camera, meaning that when fans log onto his website they believe that they are being loyal to him as they may be manipulated into thinking that he knows they are on his website and are showing commitment. They also may feel more involved with the artist, but still not knowing enough due to his absence, following Dyer’s star theory. Likewise with the photos page that I have included, it shows how Ed is just a cheeky chappy who fits the boy next door look enabling fans to relate to him and feel close to him by following what he does. I have included an about and gigs page to show fans who Ed is and enabling them to see him live by following his gigs which is making Ed money. Finally I have included a STORE page as most famous artists have a store and merchandise shop such as t shirts as it is a great way to make money as well as free advertising for the artist such as an Ed Sheeran T-Shirt that is worn around a busy area. In addition it helps fans show their commitment to the artist in which they can boast about how much they love their favourite band/artist. 

Wordpress Homepage- Ed Sheeran

Homepage

Advertising his new tour dates and music videos

Here is the link to my website for Ed Sheeran. Visit this to read why I have chosen the layout and tabs for this particular artist.

Wix Homepage

Here is the link to the website I have created using WIX: http://maxboast.wix.com/rudimental

Homepages- Chase and Status & One Direction

The point in a website and homepage is to give fans of an artist/band information about them and lots of detailed information including: news, gigs, dates, pictures, contact, community, about the band and more. This is used for sales and promotion to make fans aware of an artist and lets people know everything about the band. Successful and popular artists will likely have a merchandise shop where hard core fans are able to purchase products from the artist including: mugs, t-shirts, mouse mats etc. Since the increase in social networking sites and youtube, the websites are likely to include music videos and links to their twitter and/or Facebook page. You are raising awareness for the band and it is free to access. The people who actively look for the websites will be a fan of the band/artist whilst allowing for technological convergence. The most important thing of a website as a medium is the fact that it can be constantly updating, allowing fans to constantly buy into the product of the band and allows the artist to stay trending, cool and current. 

Chase and Status

Chase and Status are an upcoming successful drum&bass/ dance duo who produce tracks that are often played at parties and clubs around Europe. Their target audience is 16-25 year olds as this is the age teens and young adults go on holiday/party. The point in Chase and Status' homepage is that it enables fans of their music and/or dance music to see what they are all about and follow Dyer's star theory by knowing enough to like them but not knowing enough to make them seem mysterious and interesting. Their website features everything you'd expect from a successful bands/artists website including news, social networking, gigs, releases and a store. They need to have all of these aspects so fans can know the minimum they want/need to know about an artist to fall in love with them and find out as much as they can about them. It also helps with the promotion of the band as they can advertise new albums/merchandise on the website meaning this can be updated at all times and constantly evolving and keeping up with the times. Technical elements of their website include a blurred image of themselves with a logo covering them becoming symbolic. In addition video clips have been used enabling fans to watch what they are currently producing. A photos page displays some more technical and symbolic representations. The overall message and ideologies of their website is that they are showing their fans that they are a cool and new band which is shown through their bold colour scheme and text but they don't need to show they care tremendously about their fans like One Direction do as their target audience isn't small-teenage girls.

One Direction

Keeping fans updated with 'Extra Tickets' leading to a great form of cheap promotion

One Direction are currently the biggest boyband in the world with a target audience of young-teenage girls. The people visiting their website will likely be teenaged girls as they will have a lot more access to the internet than younger girls. They are likely to be ‘fan girls’ and their main interests will likely be following bands and using Twitter. Technical elements on their website include the selfie the boys have taken on the stage, a close up with smiling faces to look like they are happy and constantly enjoying what they do. It also includes their fans in the background to show to the viewers of the website that they really care about their fans. The fact that the fans are screaming behind the band reinforces Dyer's star theory making them look godly and is helping to construct them as a 'star'.  The website is making fans feel close and connected to the band such as being able to read their 'journal' making them feel like the guys next door. The overall message the site is trying to portray is that they are a current, popular boyband who care about there fans tremendously to manipulate the teenage girls emotions. 


The comparison of the websites from two completely different artists and genres show how a target audience and conventions form a band and therefore their website. 

Goodwin's Narrative Theory

Illustration

Illustration is where a music video tells a narrative story that is related to the song of the lyric. It follows the story line of the song and the video is there to help an audience understand the story. For example, Thriller by Michael Jackson. 

I believe that 'Thriller' is an illustration music video as the whole way through a narrative story is being told through Michael Jackson becoming another creature. The full length of the music video is 13 minutes and 42 seconds so acting also takes place before during and after. At 4 minutes 13 seconds, the song starts to play which shows how their is a long narrative. Whereas at 10 minutes 50 seconds the music stops and further acting and credits continue until the end.

Here we see a scream which directly relates to the song 'Thriller' as the song itself is about staying away from the monsters and zombies themselves and 'realising theres no where left to run'.

Likewise, this is wear Michael turns into a creature himself, before we find out that they were watching a screen after all at the cinema. This directly follows the narrative theory as the lady is following him.

This shows the dance break from the monsters showing how they have taken over the city and do not care about frightening the civilians. It constantly is playing with the audiences minds as they are wondering whether the characters are dreaming this or this is actually happening in the world of the video. 

Amplification

The images amplify the lyrics as a narrative and may be used to convey a deeper meaning that would not be picked up from the lyrics alone. The artists may take on fictional roles within the narrative such as Lady GaGa: Judas. 

Here we see GaGa wearing bright colours portraying her as God like being the leader of the pack on the bikes with all the bikers having names of the disciples showing the disciples following GaGa.

 This is the dance break that Judas is portraying, with backing dancers once again portraying GaGa's god like appearance.

 Here we see GaGa leading the dance connotating how GaGa is the leader of the pack and everyone wants to follow the pack. She is in love with Judas but currently with Jesus, but the dancers are showing their love with Lady GaGa.

As the video is called Judas, this part shows GaGa in the water being overwhelmed by the flow of water, symbolising her being baptised as she has taken is in love with Judas.








Disjuncture

This is where there is little connection between the lyric and video or where the video contradicts the lyrics or has no meaning to the song at all. For example Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford & Sons due to there being no narrative and famous comedians taking their place. 

We begin seeing the lead singer of the band not knowing that it is Jason Sudeikis the famous comedian. The video does not follow the narrative of the song as the video throughout is the comedians playing instruments outside and singing too the camera, addressing the audience.

Similarly here, Ed Helms is shown playing the piano outside. Despite the song being called 'Hopeless Wanderer' the video has no narrative.

Here we see the band play the banjo, doing silly dances, once again not relating to the video and singing to the camera.








Following this band are pictured in another random place, such as this boat however still playing huge instruments such as the chello, being slightly irrelevant. 

Album Artwork Comparison

Word Cloud- Genres of Music

Here I have created a word cloud on 'Tagul' with many different genres of music that I may use for when creating the music video.

Textual Analysis of a Music Video- Madonna 'Like a Prayer'

The beginning of the video opens with an elegant lady running towards the camera in panic as the technical diegetic sounds of sirens convey how she has done something wrong instantly letting the audience in on the action and not leaving them confused. The symbolic darkness with the contrast of the burning barrel show how this lady may be rebelling but does not want to reveal herself to an audience. Non-diegetic technical electric guitar is playing as she plummets to the floor to convey the lady rebelling against something as the sound of guitars is stereotyped with rock, misbehaviour and rebelling. We then see the slamming of a door followed by the burning of a cross instantly making it a controversial music video by playing with peoples beliefs. Fast paced editing reflects this, however, the cross is still made obvious to the viewer. The symbolic references continue as it shows Madonna heading into the church where she stumbles across Jesus, who in this video is of the black ethnicity. This is offending christians and subverting their beliefs that Jesus is of the white ethnic group. 

From the video we gather that Madonna is heading to the church for help and to send a prayer to God after what she has just witnessed, such as the symbolic scene of white men beating up a lady. However, Madonna is wearing a thin black dress sporting a sex appeal while she sings to Jesus. A slow zoom is used as she sings ‘I hear your voice, like an angel sighing’ to show her love for Jesus. However, she is then shown to be kissing his foot whilst dreaming of landing in heaven by being met by a black angel, once again subverting beliefs of christians. Furthermore, we are then shown that Madonna has set Jesus free from the gate, where he kisses her and then leaves the church. This suggests that Jesus does not want to be kept in the church and is happy to have been set free, once again subverting stereotypes and beliefs. From this a pan is used to reveal an upbeat black choir, shown to be happy, which is suggesting that this choir is happy and relieved that Jesus has been able to leave the church. 

The video then moves on to see what we were teased with at the beginning of the video which is the fight scene. White men are pictured beating up a white women, subverting the stereotypes of white ethnicity being heroic. A black man then jumps down and tries to save the girl from the men but he is the one who gets arrested by the police adhering stereotypes of black ethnicity being criminals. Straight cuts progress the video further revealing Madonna singing in front of five burning crosses. This may suggest that she doesn't believe in religion and thinks that it may be fake concluding in the fact that the video is so controversial and offensive to many people.  Additionally, Madonna is dressed in a black lacy dress pushing a sex appeal which contrasts the religious approach. During this she is shown by parallel editing singing with the black choir promoting a family approach and unity as they all celebrate Jesus’ departure of the church. Furthermore, Madonna is pictured kissing Jesus which will offend many christians and create controversial comments. Parallel editing is used at this point during the up beat part of the song as a technical term to remind the audience of the burning crosses, the black choir and the kissing of Jesus to further promote the controversial factors of the music video. 

It is then revealed that Madonna was dreaming of Jesus and her kissing as its shown with him behind the gate with the non-diegetic sound effect of a gate closing despite the fact the black choir are still in the church singing. Furthermore, Jesus is then pictured behind bars in a police station with Madonna looking very happy with herself speaking to the police guard, suggesting that Jesus shouldn't have his say and is worthy of jail, once again pushing controversy and beliefs. The final part of the video reveals that all of the stunts were just acting pulled in this video as the cast take their bows with a large red curtain behind them resembling a theatre, putting a light hearted approach on it. The curtain then falls and writing shows ‘The End’ to show the telling of a story. 

In conclusion, Madonna’s video of ‘Like a Prayer’ has used technical and symbolic approaches to deal with beliefs and stereotypes through camera, editing, mise-en-scene and sound. 

Little Mix and Metallica- Music Video, Album and Website Comparison