Pre-Production of the Single Camera Short

Style, Conventions and Techniques of Music Videos

As music videos are now the main way music artist project their music into the public and a good music video can really help the artist as it will be something that audience will remember and come back to and watch it again. But every music video is although different often do follow the same conventions or style for that type of genre of music. An example is "In-Concert footage", which is when the artist use footage from a live performance and use that footage in order to create a music video around that.

The reason why this is song for this example is because it's not directly a live performance recording instead it is played out like that to give it that impression. This gives style of music videos a new element by making it seem like a live performance and then actual providing other styles of music videos within it, especially when zooming in on people's "demons" and then coming back to the "live performance".

Narrative and Interpretive:

This is one of the most used conventions in music videos as they give some sort of visual representations of the lyrics that the artist has created. The basic premise of it is that the audience have something to follow when watching it, even if the music videos doesn't actually follow the lyrics fully. So narrative music videos can either follow the lyrics fully or take the premise of it and develop it from there.

 

The reason for me choosing these two music videos is because one of them is narrative structure and the other is the interpretive. For the narrative music video I chose "Kindest Regards" by Witt Lowry, the reason why it is a narrative music video is because when listening to lyrics of the song throughout the video , the visual elements on screen will more or less be the same as the lyrics or close enough to it. For the reason why the other is my chosen video for the interpretive music video is because the song "Black Spiderman" by Logic although the music video doesn't follow the lyrics throughout or show images related to the lyrics, but instead takes the theme of the music videos lyrics which in this case is racism and how we should live in harmony and the music video projects images about that instead.

Surrealist/Absurdist:

Surrealist music videos are the weird or strange ones, which don't have sort of connection to the original lyrics, the strangeness of it makes them very unconventional to most music videos, which causes viewers to be more surprised and intrigued by it.

 

The reason for me choosing "Disturbia" by Rihanna is because throughtout the music video you can see the visual are disturbing and strange compared to the artist other music videos and the visual don't also match the lyrics of the song.

This is a good example of the strange things in this music video, for instance the hair and make up of the artist, Rihanna, make it look unrealistic and strange, which also suits the same term of the outfits in this shot, both being the artist clothing and also the extra's clothing in the background, which seems to be a prison outfit of sorts.

Impressionist:

The difference between a impressionist and a narrative is that a narrative will focus on making the visual of the lyrics themselves where as an impressionist music video try to focus on capturing the emotions that go with the song and try to visual that instead.

The song I chose for this section was "Sick Boy" by The Chainsmokers. The reason behind it is emotion that it projects on the audience when they watch this music video, as it makes the audience think about how parts of a country treat people in different ways and the effects it causes people. the way it is shown in the music video shows off the effects by making it so the singer and musicians are these effected people and making themselves look like monsters.

Intertextual:

An intertextual music video uses it visual in order to show off another product that has little to no relation to the song or lyrics.

The reason for me choosing this music video by Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors and Bebe Rexha called "Home" is because it ties in with this section very well as the music video shows off the visual and the character of the Netflix movie "Bright" in which this song was made for.

Animation:

These music videos that are used have either the whole project be animated or in have some part of it animated whether it be stop motion animation of CGI rendered effects.

The animation that is used in this music video is used creatively as the the animation projects what the lyrics are saying in the song and gives the music a different dynamic other than just a guy confessing his feelings for a girl and the animation also allows the interaction of both of the characters in the music video. This type of animation is good balance between not enough animation to too much animation and really makes the music video unique to the genre.

Lip-Synch:

Some music videos performances might require the artist to mime the lyrics instead of actually singing them and make sure they look like the work with the actual vocals of the song.

 

The reason for me choosing these to different music videos if because it shows off the difference between a professional and amateur music video, as Rag N Bone man is a well known artist so his music video was given a large budget and allows time to get the lip sync in the video to be exactly right, but with the amateur, although they are known and have got a large fan base, but they had to pay for the music video by themselves and in order to get more creative and be able to standout in the music industry, they did the music video backwards to allow the music video have a different element, but this also add to the difficulties to the lip syncing as they had to sing the words backwards in order to make it look right, which causes some mistakes in it.

Editing:

Cutting to beat:

This is when in post production the editor cuts the video to the music in order to help establish a rhythm with the music.


This is a great example of a music video cutting to the beat as throughout the video when a beat hit happens in the song the music video will change to a new locations or footage or something will happen in the music video which corresponded with the music video's beat.

Post Production Effects:

Some music videos can be edited in some unconventional ways and sometimes challenges the classic way of editing music videos. The main reason why it's used is to attract the audience with the editing, by trying to impress the viewers or a different audience might be interested by the effects and might enjoy the complex nature about them.

 

Like for cutting to the beat this is also a great example for the post-production effects as the whole music video is covered in different and unique effects that would take a long time to actually edit in and gives the whole music video a different feel, than the just the regular footage put together would. But trying to pick a specific spot that really shows off the post productions effects would be very hard as throughout the entire music video the visual effects are amazing and give the rap song a whole different feeling like I said before.

Split screen:

This editing technique that isn't use as much as the others are but it shows off different events on the screen at the same time. This effect is used to show of the multiply different meaning of the lyrics in one video, so the user can easily discover whats it's about.


This is the perfect example for split screen because almost all of the music video is using the split screen effect. The music video also uses the effect in a creative way of making it seem like the two split screen video strangely fit together. This shown let alone by the music video's thumbnail as the rockets strangely look to be connected to the statue at the top and it's things like that through the entire music video being its main theme of it.

Chroma Key:

This effect is basically the green screen effect or blue screen effect and the block colour is then replaced by a wanted image or video, making the characters seem to be in a different locations to where it's being filmed. This is used for music videos to save money on not having to travel to locations and instead they go to a green screen studio and make it seem like it the proper location. Another reason is the ability to make the background look different and fit in with the rest of the theme of the music video.

Although the green screen or the chroma key effect isn't used that much in this music video but when it is used it is used in the best way to make the the music video look to match the song's lyrics and the artist, Tyler the Creator's style, which comedic and unrealistic at times especially like shots with the cat, where Tyler the Creator is supposedly riding it, which is impossible without the use of chroma key editing.

This is the shot which really shows off Tyler the Creator's style for music video, which as I said before is comedic and involve unrealistic scenarios like the one above, as this scenes doesn't provide any visual aid to the lyrics of the song but just towards the artist's style.

Camera Movements:

Using certain camera movements, like pans tracking shots, tilts and crabs shots in order to create a different feeling to the music video which isn't created by having a static camera for the entire music video and this can also create a nice flow for the music video as well as creating a sort of excitement for the audience as well.


The reason for me choosing this song by Logic, called "1-800-273-8255", is because the different ways that the camera movement is used really add to impact of this music video and the message it tries to get forward towards the audience. This again is shown in the opening shot of the music video when the main character in the narrative story is running away the camera and the camera is seemingly chases, which symbolizes the music video theme of being suicidal and the opening scene shows the main character running from his problems or towards the light or "heaven" which is shown by the street light, which gets brighter and brighter as the main character gets nearer towards it.

Camera Angles and Shot types:

The reason apply for this as well from camera movements, as they use the angles in order to add some dynamic features in the music video, with angles like canted, low and high angle, mid shot, etc. The use of the angles can also give music videos meaning and a tone as well and the different shot type can also show different elements of the mise-en-scene.

 

This music video called "rockstar" by Post Malone, uses the camera angles and the different shot types in creative way, which really shown in the fight scene that takes place in the music video, it uses them in a way which intrigues the audience about the fighting in the music but not too much to distract the audience from listening to the actual song.

But the image to the right is a good example of the shot type and the camera angles that are used in this music video, as its not an overly complicated shot but it still draws in the audience's attention to the music video and makes them want to watch till the end. This part shown at the start of the music video.

Mise-en-scene:

This convention is everything that in the scene of the music video, from things like lighting, objects, the setting, etc. The mise-en-scene also helps with the mood of the song and help to create what atmosphere the director of the music video wants, whether it be desire, glamour, passion, anger.

The reason for choosing this as my Mise en Scene example is because although it doesn't have much in the scene but what it has is used very creatively to show off the lyric's meaning. For example with the blank paintings, that surround the location are blank, which tries to show off that people will buy pointless stuff to try and ignore whats happening around them or that the artist feels that record labels will rather look at rubbish artists rather than him and that they only care when something happens to him and that's only when they want to get money out of him and won't actual do anything to help him with his problems and they don't care what happens to him as long as him earns them money. The box also shows off that he being used like a exhibit like in a museum and no one really cares for him. The shot is also really creative as the lighting is only on the main aspect of the music video, which is the artist in the box.

Research and Planning of a Music Video

The song I have chosen to use to make my music video is one called "Suicidal Thoughts by Jake Hill and Josh A. The reason for me choosing this was because when I listen to the song it is quite impact and it will give a challenge to try and make the music video have more impact than the song does and even add to it by the visual effects that will be added to it and because the artist doesn't usually do music videos, then it gives me the creative freedom to create something new for it.

• The whole song's meaning is that people who have suicidal thoughts, are always trying to make their lives better and get rid of them thoughts but only for something to go wrong again and make the fall back into those thoughts and never really getting better and eventually end up giving up on trying to make themselves better. It also shows that people with these thoughts have to try and act normal in their everyday lives to try and fit in with society and when they're alone is when their true selves come out.
• The pace of the music video is slow mostly throughout the song, these is mostly at the chorus, which gradually increases in tempo with the music, but the versus done by Josh A are mostly quite slow and the song really picks up the pace when Jake Hill verse comes in and goes back to the steady pace at the end of the song.
• The duration of the song is only three minutes long, making an average sized song and fits in with the brief given to us, in which are song has to be between 2 and 4 minutes long and mine selection is right in the middle, its long enough for creative potential and this is different from both artists as they mostly do songs around the 2 minutes long but with their collaboration the time has increased.
• The style of the song is rap or more specific realistic rap
• There is a narrative in the song although it has no music video that goes with it, but the narrative is like the meaning that I discussed before and its about how they have suicidal thoughts and don't want to commit suicide but the even though they try to get rid of the thoughts and in the end something happens that resets the suicidal thoughts and make them worse.
• imagery

Step 3
Both Jake Hill and Josh A are both small time artists with quite a lot of views on their music but not loads compared to a mainstream artist. Both Artist don't really do music videos and usually upload the song by itself, but Jake Hill has done some music videos which are mostly just him in a certain locations and just rapping the song to the camera and it shows the key aspects of an amateur music video.

• The clothing in all of the music videos of Jake Hill are him wearing his everyday clothing and nothing that is out of the ordinary or spectacular, this is mostly because of his very low budget he has for them and also to show some sort of relation with the listener by wearing the same clothes they do in his music videos in order to show that the lyrics are more relatable. 
• No makeup is used in Jake Hill's music video or their is some used by applied by either himself or a close relation and no one he's hired to do it professional due to budget he has.
• The tone of his existing music videos are very similar as they are quite amateur filming and shows quite obviously that's low budget. 
• The locations used in the music videos aren't at all mainstreams as its either a location like his home or a public place which is mostly likely abandon and contains hardly any people like a parking lot or on top of a hill during the winter season.
• The narratives of the most of the Jake Hill's music videos are the same concept in each one with a few difference like the clothing or the location and obviously the song. 

Because both Jake Hill and Josh A haven't got many music videos I have the ability to try and invent a new music video concept for them as well keeping to some of the ones they have like using my everyday locations like my house and wearing causally normal clothes that aren't flashy or extravagant.

Step 4:

Synopsis:
My music video will consist of multi things that are to do with "suicidal thoughts", things such as self harm, confusion, frustration, etc. It will also consist of having the main character in the music video trying to do stuff in order to overcome the thoughts like boxing and it all being reset when something bad happens in this case would be him being bullied

Single Camera Production Diary

20/02/2018:
Firstly we managed to divide up the scenes of the project to equally fit each person in the grup as well as deciding on most of the location ideas and the costumes as well as getting some ideas of who will play who.

23/02.2018:
We began do to our storyboards and making good progress through it.

06/03/2018:
We are still on storyboarding when getting lots of progress being made for the section of the screenplay i will be responsible for.

07/03/2018:
We still on storyboarding but are moving towards other parts of the pre-production work.

09/03/2018:
We have got most of the pre-production done

10/03/2018:
Almost all preproduction paper work is and filming shall start on Friday.

27/04/2018:
We have done a lot of filming up to the point it's almost done, the editing are going well but I'm worried trying to film the last remaining scene and the mock up shots and then getting edited. As the writer it's not what I imagined but using our accessible resources and knowledge we have done really well.

Single Camera Techniques

Single Camera Production Techniques:

Introduction:

This essay is to show the difference between different production, depending on what set up the production team are using either it being a single camera or multi camera production. This essay also will show difference of the other parts of the production like lighting, sound etc.

Camera:

With single camera production of course only one camera is used to film the production, unlike a multi camera production which uses at least three camera in order to capture what the director envisioned But with single camera production they have to keep doing the same scene over and over again in order to get it in different angles , where as the multi camera production will only have to if the scene didn't go right. But production that use a single camera often do you more cameras when the scene is had dangerous stunt they shouldn't repeat or that the scene is full of dialogue that is complicated.

Lighting: 

With lighting especially in single camera production the lighting can be easily changed to fit the shot and scene no matter the angle, due to having to redo the scene over and over. But with multi camera productions the lighting is different because most multi camera production have weekly episodes, they don't have time to change for every shot, so the lighting must be great for every angle that the director uses. An examples is the lighting used in the "The Dark Knight" making the whole film feel more dark and depressing to the audience, this is done by only lighting coming from only one side or like the video below the light sources during the interrogation is from the desk lamp and the light in the back, giving the scene a serious and dark feeling with it, especially when the lighting is on the Joker. But it all changes when the lights turn on to Batman to symbolize that everything will now be known and nothing can hide in the dark now.

Sound:

Sound in multi camera productions is very much easier to mic the characters in the shot as the things that this is for is mostly shows like the news or talk shows, when in doesn't matter if a mic is shown, but single camera production can't do this as these are things like films or dramas type television shows that only use one camera and the audio starts to be recorded before the filming begins and also finish it after in order so transition in the final product don't look forced and jumpy. But with both most of the sound effects are added in the post production. But with most scenes the audio is not always the same audio from the shot your seeing and is from a different shot from before and use the over the shoulder shot and cutaways in a creative way to hide the change in the audio. But in some situations a mic can be visible shown in a scene and have function for example, in the King's Speech scene below the main character has mic that is used, which could be used as the actual mic recording the audio for that scene and because the shots are quite close in this scene of the character it would be easy to hid a boom mic of scene but close enough to get good audio, this is why the sound and cinematography need to work close together in order to get the best results from both parties.

Editing:

Because multi camera production are usually live shows like the news or the a talent show like "X Factor", then any editing done has to be done during the broadcast like switching camera, but with single camera production editing is all done in the post production and allows any mistake to be changed for the better. But with the amount of re shooting the production team will do, then amount of footage the post production team would have to go through would make it take a long time to edited everything together quickly. An example of this taking a long time is the montage in "Hot Fuzz" because of the amount of shots probably taken and the level of detail that the director Edgar Wright likes to go into would make it have even more to go through as well as making it fast paced enough to be quick enough to not use to much time and also so the audience can still understand what is happening with the narrative.

Single Camera genres and formats: 

For single the different genres that single camera production usually affiliate with are genres on a more serious side of the media industry with some exception in comedy settings, with comedy shows like "Black-ish" which a sitcom which is about a family that is trying to be black but slowly turning into the stereotypical white american family, it also utilizes the single camera to make it seem more realistic and make the audience feel like they're part of the sitcom's family. Another genre is dramas or the different types of dramas like a period drama which is like "Ripper Street" which focuses on the crime of Jack the Ripper in the Tudor times in 19th century and this allows you to feel like that your back in that era and that you are in the same situations of the detectives in the show. The most used one is the Horror genre as like before it allows people to feel even more emotion when watching it and allows more control and like the movie "Halloween", puts the audience in the eyes of the killer, especially during the iconic starting scene of the first movie, which allows more creative use of the camera to get different emotions from the audience, in this case of regret and remorse for having to watch a heinous crime be committed. But for multi camera production this can differ as like I've said before the shows usually contain game shows or contests like "X Factor" or "Britain's Got Talent" or the even more popular like a Soap Opera, which is multi cameras, these includes multiply different stories trying to intertwine and allow the audience to make sense of it.

But the formats of these two different productions can also differ, as single camera production usually only formats things like series which has a different story line with each episode for instance this could be like a show like "Black Mirror", which story line changes each time and is very immersive with its single camera usage, but the story lines also connect in some way in the background as they all fall in the same universe. Another format is serial which develops over the episodes until the conclusion either at the end of the season or the end of the series all together and the audience sees the characters develop as the episodes go on. An example is "Daredevil" on Netflix, you see all of the character develop like the main character go gets his iconic suit, new friends and develops as a person like the rest of the characters and even the main villain who changes from a lonely person to someone who finds love. A single episode drama is also one as the budget for these are usually low and can only afford one camera and they only last five minutes. . But the advantages of having a single camera production can range from the director having more control and makes the production feel more personal as well as different used angles and movement of the cameras, but the disadvantages of it is because of it being very time consuming and long and more expensive as well and also continuity problems arise more as well. An example is a short called "A Thousands Words" which plays with the single camera to really feel the perspective of the main character on his quest to find the girl he saw on a train.

Multi-camera techniques:

With multi camera production the techniques can differ as not all scenes in a production can be filmed with just one camera and need the use of more than one like a really dangerous stunt that can't be repeated, but like I've said before the main use for multiply cameras in like talent shows, game shows or sports events in order to capture everything happening with having to repeat anything. The advantages of this are that the fewer shoots are needed to get everything so the production is cheaper than single camera production and continuity errors occur less and action scenes don't have to stop mid way in order to change angles, but the disadvantages are the lighting have to be fixed perfectly and be the same for each camera and the director doesn't have as much control over whats being shot and locations are limited due to lack of space the amount of camera takes up.