SHOT LIST

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

COSTUMES, ACTORS AND PROPS

FINALISING MY IDEAS

Finalising My Ideas

In regards to my music video, as I have already touched on briefly in my previous post, I hope to construct a music video that conforms to the links of a narrative genre. I hope to have a light storyline throughout my music video with additional lip syncing and brief conceptual ideas.

Story line…

Through the song ‘Bird Set Free’ I hope to show the events of a mysterious event which is unknown to the audience. I then shall show the female (the victim) finding confidence and expressing herself through a journey of movement.

The music video will begin within the black studio space which I have described within my Reece assessment. The female character is clearly awoken by something that jolts her from her sleep.  She then begins her journey for expression and dance through the forest during the chorus. She then next verse begins, we then see the female character back in the original studio space.  To finales the video I hope to use the likes of special effects to physically transform her into a bird. I additionally intend on using the likes of smoke to create more atmosphere and insure the video is interesting. 

Further development...

A mysterious event occurs and the female lead is supposedly dead. The music video follows her motion when she wakes in a 'dream' like state. At the end she then transforms into a bird. Thus allowing the female lead to represent her as a 'Bird Set Free'. 

Scene 1=

• Verse one
• In the studio
• Lip sync 

Scene 2=

• Chorus
• In the forest
• Show movement and expressions (by herself- she can’t be controlled).

Scene 3=

• Verse two
• In the studio
• Throughout the whole of this song it is about progression and becoming more confident, this is not only reflected within the lyrics but also within the beat and rhythm of the song.

Scene 4=

• Last chorus
• Within the forest
• Show confident moment and expression
• Use of smoke 
• Turns into a ‘bird’ herself at the end of the song

Costumes

• In regards to the choice of costumes I have decided to cloth the male actor (the ‘abusive’ boyfriend) in all black clothing to reflect his mood and ultimately create a ‘dark’ atmosphere.
• In regards to the female costume, she shall be clothed in light- coloured clothing within the studio scenes and then dressed in all white for the chorus scene to show her true self and innocence’s.

Location

I have deliberately chosen to use the links of the forest and ocean as my main ‘chorus’ locations as they contrast greatly with the like of the studio location. This, I hope insures that the audience understand that this location is one to allow her to be her true self and not have to worry about her assumed ‘bad’ boyfriend.

Actors

When choosing the actors for my music video I wanted to insure that both where confident and able to work together well. 

STORY BOARD

Story Board

Here is my story board where I have fleshed out my ideas regarding my music video.

FLOOR PLAN

Floor Plan

 Here is my floor plan which I have scanned in. This represents my location and the positions of my camera that I will use during my music video.

PRELIMINARY MUSIC VIDEO TASK

RECCE PHOTOS

Recce Photos

Here is a word document, illustrating all the locations in which I shall use for my music video.

Reece… from penfolde

RISK ASSESSMENT

Here is a risk assessment I have completed so I insure I am safe when I go to film my music video...

IDEAS DRAFTING

Ideas- Drafting 

Within this post I have attached evidence from my peers who have listened to my chosen song 'Bird Set Free' by Sia and have therefore provided me with helpful ideas in which I can use to aid my music video ideas. I found this exercise extremely helpful as I find producing ideas very difficult and this therefore allowed me to have the inspiration to then begin drafting new ideas which can be used within my music video. I additionally found this useful as it then allowed me to insure that the ideas were coming from my target audience. This therefore means that the basic creation of my music video (if inspired by these ideas) will meed and conform to the needs and wants of my target audience. Receiving this information has additionally created great excitement and inspiration in which I hope to incorporate into my work...

Ideas from Peers

• Dancing piece 
• Narrative 
• Conceptual- walking through unusual environments 
• Actor is dressed as a bird
• Daydreamer 
• Experiment with a combination of different objects 
• Flashbacks 

I really like these ideas and believe that by gaining ideas from my peers I will be able to insure that I can incorporate them into my one ideas. In regards to my initial idea I would like to incorporate the ideas of dancing, conceptual, the actor as a bird and the element of the day dreamer within my media film. I will have my actor seeming as through she had fallen out of the tree where she then wakes up and explores her surroundings. She will then be presented as if she were a bird where elements of a flashback will be apparent. Ultimately by using the likes of my peers ideas I have been able to then aid the development of my own. 

PROOF TO USE THE SONG

Here is a screen shot of an email I have sent to Greg Kurstin (the producer of Sia's song 'Bird Set Free') seeking permission to use the song within my media coursework...

Dear Sir,

I’m writing to ask permission for the use of the song ‘Bird Set Free' by Sia. This will be solely for educational purposes. My task is to create a music video which is then uploaded onto my blog for my A level Media coursework. Our task has no budget attached to it therefore no profit will be made. My music video will be reachable via my blog where the examiner will see it and school YouTube channel only.  I would greatly appreciate it if you could respond stating whether this would be acceptable.

Yours faithfully, 

Eleanor Penfold

I have additionally tweeted Sia in regards to having permission to use her song.

ANNOTATED LYRICS

Annotated Lyrics 

Below are some examples of the annotated lyrics I have completed. The first one I have evaluated in regards to how the song can be related to me. Moreover I have physically described what the lyrics mean. I have then begun to annote the lyrics in regards to what I could use within my music video. The song has very powerful lyrics and therefore I needed to insure that the film in which I take reflects the lyrics and confirms to the genre and meaning of the overall song. 

MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

DIGIPAK/POSTER ANALYSIS

TARGET AUDIENCE

AS Music Video- Initial Ideas

Sia- Brid Set Free 

Why I chose to use 'Bird Set Free' as my song for my music video...

Within this project I have decided to use the song 'Bird Set Free' by the artist Sia. One of the main reasons why I have chosen to use this song is not only because Sia is one of my favourite artist, but because all of her music is very powerful, moving and meaningful. This I then hope to incorporate into my work and produce a music video which reflects the meaningful and inspiring work of Sia. 

My initial idea...

In regards to what my music video is actually going to consist of, I have decided to base it on a narrative formate. This is because  the lyrics within this song are extremely powerful and I believe the best way to present the song would be through the use of a storyline. 

The song itself is about an abusive relationship and thus is represented through a captive bird. This is an extremely sensitive and important element to address. Moreover I hope to have a moral running through my music video... I hope to show that even if you find yourself within an abusive relationship you can always find a way out and be free. 

My initial idea is to focus on a female character and show events of an abusive relationship within the first section of the music video. I then shall follow the steps of the female role where she then escapes and becomes a 'Bird Set Free'. I would really love to use the likes of costume, smoke and special effects to make this music video even more exciting and thought provoking. I hope to connect with the audience and make them really feel for the characters within the music video. 

A little bit about the artist...

Sia is a forever growing Australian artist who has produced lots of material which follows the same formate of the song 'Bird Set Free'. All of her music is very powerful and moving and thus has insured she is now a very well known and respected artist. Sia's music genres create her unique style: pop, electric pop, indie pop, trip hop, and acidic jazz. These are all elements on which help to develop Sia as an artist. The song 'Bird Set Free' was supposedly went to be used for the Adel album through never made the cut therefore this become one of Sia's songs. 'Bird Set Free' is the first song on her new album 'This Is Acting'.

GENRE RESEARCH

Here is a Prezi, representing all the research I have gathered, regarding the 'pop' music genre.

Genre Theory

Media Language

Applying Theorists To A Music Video

Narrative Theory- Applying Theorists To A Music Video 

Taylor Swift- Blank Space

Propp: Within this music video, the storyline follows the likes of Taylor and her 'boyfriend'. It shows a brief summary of there relationship before he supposedly cheats on her. Ultimately there are limited characters within this music video, however both characters still have the appropriate features which can be related to Propp. Propp suggests that all characters have a specific role which can be shown within this music video. Taylor is posed as the hero (the character who seeks to find love), with the male character posing as the villain who cheats on her and results in Taylor going 'insane'.

Todorov: Todorov believed there was a sequence that occurred within music videos. It begins with the initial equilibrium... this is the set up of Taylor meeting her 'boyfriend'. There then follows a disruption to the equilibrium whereby this is shown when her boyfriend seems to be messaging other girls. This then triggers the recognition of the disruption which is shown when Taylor begins to argue and with him but his actions seem to repeat themselves. An attempt to repair the damage then follows where Taylor frantically tries to get his attention by distrosying his stuff and seeming upset. To finalises the video the new equilibrium is formed and Taylor is shown as a new person, similar to how she was in the beginning of the video waiting for the next man to enter.

Bathes: Bathes believed that a music video can be broken down into 5 different elements which help the viewer understand the text. To begin with the action code is represented in the fight between Taylor and her boyfriend. This is made dramatic through the use of lip syncing and accented beats. The referential code shows how the boyfriend is texting on his phone whilst Taylor is looking up at him. This gives the audience the information they need to fully understand what is going on. Then the enigma code is what teases the audience. This is done at the end of the music video where the boyfriend quickly drives off and Taylor is waiting for the new boyfriend to enter.

Levi-Strauss- Levi's theory can be used to determine the opposition within the text. For example, within the Black Space video, there is Taylor as a clam, sweet and loving girl vs the insane, jealous, and crazy girlfriend. This can then be applied to the boyfriend when he is calm and collected and then becomes the cheater. This theory ultimately picks out that the characters grow and change showing how there character has developed during the video.

Narrative Theory

Preliminary Task- CD cover and poster

 

Audience Theroy

AUDIENCE THEORY

What is an audience?

• All media products have a target audience
• They also sometimes (particularly in the case of propaganda) try to construct an audience.
• Products can have a mass audience or a niche audience.
• The products texts need to know the importance of their audience when making products.

The first audience theory… The Frankfurt School

• The Frankfurt school (a group of media theorists in the 1990s and 1930s) were concerned about the possible effects of mass media.
• They proposed the ‘effects’ model, which considered society to be composed of isolated individuals who were susceptible to media messages.
• The Frankfurt school envisioned the media as a hypodermic syringe
• Content was accepted without question.
• Linear communication theory
• Passive audience
• No individual difference 

The Two Step Flow

• Developed by Lazerfeld and Katz in the 1940s and 1950s
• Two steps…
• First- Opinion leaders get information form a media source
• Second- Opinion leaders then pass the information along with their interpretation to others (friends, family, acquaintances, etc.).
• More likely to be influenced by other people rather than mass media (The People’s Choice- Lazerfeld).
• Katz created a book called Personal Influence where he presented further evidence to this theory.
• According to the study news on twitter finds its way to people through a diffuse layers of opinion leaders.
• We’re more likely to buy a product if it’s been recommended by a member of the family or a friend.
  Strengths…

• Audiences are active and seen as a part of society
  Weaknesses…
• More than two steps on the flow of communication?

Moving on from the two step flow audiences becoming active

• During the 1960s, as the first generation to grow up with television became grownups, it became increasingly apparent to media theorists that audiences made choices about what they did when consuming texts.
• Far from being a passive mass audience were made up of individual who actively consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways.
• This later become the ‘Uses and gratification’ theory
  Uses and gratification’ theory
• Researchers Blumer and Katz expanded this theory and published their own in 1974 stating that individuals might choose and use a text for the following purpose (i.e. uses and gratifications).
• Diversion- escape from everyday problems and routine
• Personal Relationships- using the media for emotional and other interactions e.g. substituting soap operas for family life
• Personal identity- finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values from texts.
• Surveillance- information which could be useful for living e.g. weather reports, finical news, and holiday bargains.

Since then the list has become longer… instant messaging, relaxation, to be entertained, for inclusion, sociability, fashion, escape, affection.

• For heavy users are most affected by affection and sociability, whereas light users are more motivated by fashion.
• Women chat long and more sociability reasons.
• Men chat less and more for reaction.
• Online gaming… for success

David Morley (more modern)

In a very significant study of audience response to a popular news magazine programme in the early 1980s, The Nationwide Audience, David Morley suggests that there are three main different kinds of ‘reading’ audience member can produce…

David Morley: The Nationwide Audience, 1980

Suggests there are three difference kinds of ‘reading’ audience members can produce:

• Dominant – The reader shares the programme’s code (the meaning, system of values, attitudes, beliefs and assumptions) and fully accepts the programmes ‘preferred reading’
• Negotiated – The reader partly shares the programmes code and broadly accepts the preferred reading, but modifies it in a way which reflects their position and interest
• Oppositional – The reader does not share the programmes code and rejects the preferred reading, bringing it to bear an alternative frame of interpretation

Andrew Goodwin

Alanis Morissette- ‘You Oughta Know’

Within this essay I hope to evaluate Andrew Goodwin (1992) and his theory regarding ‘how to analyse music videos’. His theory consists of five different elements. Firstly he suggests that we should look at the beat of the music itself. Within Alanis Morissette’s music video ‘You Oughta Know’ the artist voice is represented as extremely unique. This forms an identification, creating a star image, which the audience find easy to connect with. This allows the music video to become more appealing to the audience. This music video is additionally focusing on the performance rather than the narrative within the video.

His second analyses element consists of evaluating the narrative and performance within a video. In regards to this video, Alanis is constantly walking through the desert and changes outfits from black to white. Moreover the song fails to give a complete narrative, ultimately leaving the audience to decide what is truly happening. Alanis is additionally shown throughout the whole video (acting as bothy the narrator and the participant). However we don’t get a complete image of her face suggesting that there is an element of mystery. This helps to draw the audience in further. This acts as his third element to his theory whereby music videos have a ‘star image’.

His fourth element to his theory analyses the reaction of visuals to the song, this is done through illustrating, amplifying or disjunction. Within the music video the use of ‘amplify’ is used. Alanis’s image is repeatedly used throughout the video to create atmosphere and ultimately help to capture the audience.

The final element to his theory is the technical aspects within a music video. Throughout this music video a range of close ups and frequent cuts are used to create atmosphere and emphases the motif behind the music video. Mise-en-scene is additionally used to create meaning and suggest an edgy feel to the video which matches its genre. Moreover engaging the audience further. In conclusion by using Andrew Goodwin’s theory, we can analyse music videos in more depth and begin to determine why particular features were incorporated into the music video.

Andrew Goodwin's 6 parts and 5 key things in a music video...

Music Theory

Andrew Goodwin (1992) media theorist

His book… Dancing in the distraction factory

The element in which he observed…

He came up with this theory that there are 6 key elements to a music video and 5 ways to analyse a music video.

6 key elements to a music video…

• Visuals that fit the music- The cuts and edits of the video are in sync with the rhythm and beat of the song- matching the overall atmosphere of the video.
• Genre characteristics- Dependant on the genre there will be different representation of gender, ethnicity e.c.t.
• There is relationships between lyrics and visuals- This can help portray the message of the song to the audience.
• The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motif which reoccur across their work- this allows the label to set a certain image which will help to target a specific image.
• There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body- The ‘male graze’ is often used to attract a male audience. The male graze is a focus on presentencing things that appeal to males. The emphasis on looking also includes the artist looking directly into the camera helping the audience connect with the artist.

 Three parts to the male gaze…

1. Men looking at women
2. Women looking at themselves
3. Women looking at women
    

• There are often intertextual references (to films, TV programs, other music videos etc.)

Goodwin’s ‘how to analyse music videos’…

1. Thought beats- ‘Seeing the sound’

• Set 1- to look at the music itself. We must take into account the structure of the song.
• Set 2- The voice of the song. The artist’s voice is extremely unique and can form identification or trademarks that work well within the star image.
• Step 3- Goodwin points out the artist’s mode of address. Songs can be seen as stories and the artist is the storyteller.

1. Narrative and performance.

• Songs fail to give us the complete narrative. We only tend to get a gist of the meaning of the song and then tend to make up our own idea of what is being told.
• Music videos should have coherent repeatability- easier for the audience to watch it over and over again.
• The artist acting as both narrator and participant helps to increase the authenticity however the lip sync and other mined actions remain the heart of music videos.
• The audience need to believe this is real.

1. Star image-
   This is a vital aspect of music videos. Meta narrative (which is a ‘big story’ that describes the development of the star over time) has an important part to play in the music video production process.
2. Relation of visuals to the song-
   There are three ways in which music videos work to promote a song.
   Illustrate amplify disjunction…
   Illustrate- Music videos can use a set of images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics and genre, this is the most common.
   Disjunction- this is where the meaning of the song is completely ignored.
   Amplify- this is similar to repeatability, Meanings and effects are manipulated and constantly.
3. Technical aspects-
   Through camera angles, movement, angles, mise-en-scene, editing, sound, lighting, colour, special effects. (What holds the video together).

Music Video

Narrative

Narrative music video's normally have qualities which tell a story. This can be completed through inspiration from lyrics which aid the creation of the music video.

Example...
Blank Space by Taylor Swift.
This music video incorporates elements of performance but ultimately tells a story hence why this is a narrative music video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg

Music Video

Conceptual

An idea that runs throughout the whole thing. This can be done/shown in editing, however is commonly not very easy to relate to.

Example...
Ellie Golding- Dead in the water.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkI0znzpwS0
This music video has an editing technique that runs throughout the video, where there are frequent cuts which creates a flash back effect. There is also an element of frequent prop use (the post cards) which is used as a stimulas throughout the whole video

Media Vidoes

Performance...

Performance within music videos- The concept of performance includes element such as, Lip syncing and instrumental usage/featuring.

Example...
DNCE- Cake by the ocean.
This music video incorporates lip syncing and the use of instruments to help create an effective music video.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaRiD5ym74