Planning

Music video - Ideas brainstorm:

Carrying out an initial ideas brainstorm has helped me reign ideas that I gathered over my research process and was a helpful starting point for making the final decision as to what my genre, artist and song choice would be. It has also helped me generate ideas to include in the visuals of my final product. 

Mood Board for chosen genre (Hip-hop/hip-pop) and artist (Childish Gambino):

Analysing my chosen genre and artist will help me establish how to create a music video according to the individual conventions of this genre and artist, or how to stray from these convention if its relevant.i thought it would also help me to understand the artist's already existing brand and products in more depth so I can create a music video that is true, or contradictory of their style.

Lyrics analysis of chosen song:

I have chosen to use the song 'Pop Thieves' by Childish Gambino for my music video. The reason for this is because I wanted to focus on a song that was upbeat and allowed me to use colourful lighting and effects that would enhance the music and lyrics (a convention that Goodwin discusses). This was something I was really keen on using before I had even started thinking about a song as i had drawn inspiration from my research on two music video directors. The two directors I studied were Hiro Murai and Hannah Lux Davis and they both featured a lot of lighting techniques in their work and this sparked a lot of creative idea for me as I really liked the overall look and aesthetic the lighting created in their videos. Previously, I had made the decision that I wanted to use a pop song for my music video because I thought that this genre of music would allow for the use of these effects much more. When deciding what song to use I was struggling to find a pop song that would fit my ideas for the visuals of the music video, I couldn't narrow down what song I wanted to use. However, when looking back over my research I recognised that Hiro Murai had directed many music videos for Childish Gambino. I personally like Gambino's music which made me certain that I wouldn't end up hating the song after filming and editing my version of the music video! I settled on the song pop thieves because it had the perfect tempo and beat for what I wanted to do, I also thought that the lyrics and the music would both fit perfectly for the few ideas I had. Even though the song fits in the hip-hop music genre I believe it allows for a lot of creativity and interpretation in how to represent the song through visuals. The overall mood that the song inspired was one that I was keen on representing in my music video. When it came to analysing the lyrics many ideas I had began to come together and I knew this song would be perfect for my music video as just listening to it was making me enthusiastic for actually creating my final product.  

Getting permission for song use:

It is important to get permission from your artist, or their correspondent, to ensure that you are fully allowed to use the song, despite it only being used unprofessionally. This is because it will allow for me to create a product that is legally sound. It was difficult for me to get in direct contact with Childish Gambino because he has proven to be an exclusive and hard to reach artist. So, to combat this I decided to email his record label, 'Glass Note Music', because I thought that these would be the people who would normally handle this type of enquiry. 

Audience Profile:

The process of defining my audience specifically has helped me alot thus far as it has helped me concentrate on appealing to this audience member/group. I think it will allow my final products to be much more successful as they will appeal to this audience group specifically and therefore they are more likely to enjoy and like my final products. 

Location and Actor Research: Unfinished

Risk Assessment:

Hazards	Level of risk	Controls to manage risk
Actors or anyone on the set tripping on equipment (tripod, lighting, backdrop) equipment cords/wires in the dark/low light. Illness/injury Fire in building or on set If filming outside and the weather is bad	Medium Low Medium Low	Ensure that when filming no one is moving around as to not trip up on the equipment if they cannot see where they are going. Tuck all equipment wires and cords away so they are not in anyone’s footpath. When not filming I can turn the main lights on to ensure everyone can see where they are going and be fully aware of potential obstacles. If any actors fall ill I will replace them if I can or if not see if I can work around not having them there and using footage without them. If neither is possible I will film at another time when they are not ill as I do not want me or any other actors falling ill. If someone gets injured whilst filming I will check if they are okay, if it is serious I will either call someone for them or the ambulance. Before filming in an enclosed location make sure that everyone on set is aware of where to leave the building and gather if a fire occurs. Ensure that no one misuses any fire hazardous equipment or lighters/matches. Make sure that no equipment goes near lighters/matches in case of flammability. Keep fire making objects away from clothes. I will make sure that the equipment does not overheat as to ensure that nothing is at risk of bursting into sudden flames. Ensure actors and crew members wear coats and other warm clothing (such as hats, gloves and scarves) to make certain they don’t get too cold. Make sure we check the weather forecast before going on set so actors/crew members can bring said appropriate clothing. If it is raining, make sure to get the equipment in cover/shelter so no damage is done to them.

People at risk: Students

Safe system of work – control measures required to avoid or minimise risk:

1.    Before filming: -         Check the weather conditions and ensure everyone involved appropriate precautionary clothing -          If anyone has a medical condition, make sure they bring their medications (e.g. someone with asthma brining their inhaler) -          Bring a torch or a smart phone with a torch in it in case of a blackout -          Make sure all the cords for the equipment are tucked away and all the equipment are in a safe and stable position -          Ensure that the actors are fully aware of what they are doing so nothing goes wrong -          Tell all the actors/crew members the potential hazards and the precautions they must take -          Make certain that everyone is aware where each bit of equipment is so they don’t accidently walk over it in the dark and they are wary of where they walk. -          Ensure that someone has a working phone available in case of emergency

2.    During filming: -          Don’t have anyone walking around on set in the dark conditions -          Ensure the equipment/lighting are not overheating -          Make sure everyone on set is calm so the atmosphere is calm and collected -          No running on set

3.    After filming: -          Ensure every piece of equiptment is properly put back or packed away safely and cautiously. -          Make certain the location is exactly the same as when we got there, e.g. no objects that could cause potential injury to others left lying about.

Music video Treatment:

Summary of the journey through the music video – what will the audience see?		Summary of the response to this journey – what will the audience feel?
Narrative/sequencing	Technical (i.e. composition, movement, editing etc.)	Desired effect
Beginning: Show the audience an introduction to the actors. Show them not singing and simply standing facing the camera. Each with a different lighting colour scheme representing an emotion. These colours will be: red to represent passion and the initial ‘fiery’ start to love, blue to show the calmness that many feel when they are with their partner and the easiness of the relationship, and either green to represent the safety that each person feel around their partner and joy OR pure white to depict the innocent and pure side of love and the true perfection in love.	Slower paced editing as a beginning (it will build throughout the song). Because the beginning of the song is already high tempo and the beat of the music is as quick as the rest of the song, I will keep the editing slower as to not startle the audience. I will use a long shot to show the entirety of the actors so the audience are given a full introduction to them and are fully aware that they are the main focus of the video.	However, despite the slower editing it will still feel quick because of the music, this will cause the audience to relate it to the feeling many get when they first start a relationship, which is exciting and new. It may cause the audience to think about the saying ‘sparks fly’ that many describe when they first fall in love. This is fitting with the theme of the music video which is the emotions that being in a relationship cause.
Middle: Throughout the video I will use semiology to show images that symbolise the lyrics that Gambino, and my actors, will sin. For example, when Gambino sings ‘and your hands in mine’ I would like to show two people holding hands or at least have hands shown in soft lighting. I don't want to conform to Laura Mulvey's 'Male gaze' theory when including shots of the female actor as not only do I not think my target audience is one that wants to see this, but also because I am against the objectification of women. When I saw this from Hannah Lux Davis I was especially shocked to see it from a female creator, which is why I don't want to follow this trend.  I will heavily feature images of the male actor’s lip syncing to the lyrics of the song.	Close ups will emphasise the actions and draw the audience’s attention to what I am trying to convey I will potentially use a slow motion effect on these show, this is something I will experiment with when it comes to editing. I will film each actors lip syncing to the song from both a close up and wide shot to ensure that I definitely have enough footage, and footage to use as filler shots if it is needed. Here is when I want editing to feature heavily. My plan here is to edit the footage of the boys lip syncing so closely together that it creates an effect similar to a time lapse or stop motion. Again, this is something that I would like to experiment with before finalising my product.I may feature a slow pan of the boys walking towards the camera whilst lip syncing.	The close up shots creates an intimate vibe that fits the lyrics and overall vibe of love and relationships that I’m hoping to convey. This will emphasise the upbeat-ness of the song and will create a vibrant mood for the audience. As well as this, hopefully the quick paced lighting depicts to them how fast love changes and grows and how you can feel all these emotions at the same time (the emotions that are individually represented by the actors). This will also make the audience understand how sometimes the feelings in love can be quite overwhelming.
End: For the ending of my music I want the male actors to be lip syncing and maybe even moving freely in a dance like manner. I would also like to include more shots of the female actor in order to visually match and put emphasis on the change in lyrics 'make YOU feel good' rather than 'make IT feel good' as at the end of the song Gambino is speaking directly to his lover.  When the music ends I want a clear shot of one of the male actors with the female actor and coming together from different sides of the shot.	As the end of the song approaches I want the editing to speed up and be a harsh jump cut which will hopefully match each emphasised beat in the song and  then suddenly come to an end. This will perfectly match the abrupt ending of the song, therefore making this technique conventional according to both Goodwin and Vernallis.  I would like the shot of the female and male actor coming together in a wide shot as this would not have been used to show the females entirety before and therefore would be a nice conclusion to the song and music video.	This will show the audience how ultimately love is something joyful and happy and that no matter what, you always end up focusing more on your lover and partner and care much more about their happiness than your own.  I want my audience to walk away from watching my music video with the overall feeling that love is a whirlwind of emotions and that a relationship is an intimate thing that might not ever be understood by outsiders. Furthermore, it will hopefully show that ultimately the relationship is about both people rather than individual and that love brings two people together as one.

Initial storyboard:

I decided to draw up my first storyboard on post it notes because I thought it would be helpful when planning out the basic structure for my music video. It allowed me to have a play with the shots I had in mind and re-arrange anything if I saw it fit. It was a great starting point for planning the actual visuals of the music video and I hopefully will be able to develop it after carrying out some audience polls and getting some insightful feedback from my target audience. 

Audience Polls and feedback:

Lucy Jenkins:

The first person I pitched my idea to was Lucy Jenkins, who fits my target audience profile almost exactly. I knew this as when I asked her if she knew the song, which is off of a rather niche album, she immediately said she did. This suggests to me that she is the perfect person to pitch my ideas to and get helpful feedback as she would understand how my ideas would correlate to the song and how they would fit and enhance the music and lyrics (Goodwin). I also thought it would be useful to get a females perspective on my music video idea as their view may alter from that of a males. When I pitched my idea to her the general response I received was positive. As I explained my key concept she initially said that "it sounds a bit schizophrenic". However, after I thoroughly explained and gave her a run through of my ideas and proposed concept she was much more enthusiastic. A notable point that she made to me was that the concept sounds like it would be "insightful into the dynamics of a relationship" as well as mentioned how she thought that it's "good to depict different emotions of such a broad topic".

When I have been planning my music video I have been worried that the subject that I am covering (love and relationships) may be a bit cliche and overdone. But, when I asked Lucy what she thought about this she discussed with me how despite it being the subject of many songs, the way I have proposed to present it is very different from others and original which would make the subject seem less overused. She suggested to me that the way in which I plan to convey this topic would not seem over dramatic or come across as soppy and not something my target audience would like to watch. From this I have gathered that my target audience would definitely appreciate and gain something from my music video, such as 'knowledge' and 'personal relationships' (Blumler and Katz' Uses and Gratifications). 

Aaron Hodge:

Aaron is basically the embodiment of my target audience which is why I thought he would be perfect for getting feedback on my proposed music video concept. At first I found it difficult to explain the main ideas for the visuals of my music video because I believe that the aesthetic focus of my music video will be in the editing in post production. However, I overcame this and I managed to get some really positive and helpful feedback from Aaron. His main point was that the idea sounded good and that he would definitely want to watch it after its production. But, he also mentioned how that the success of the video would completely depend on how its made and that the editing must be done to the best of my ability otherwise it would not be worth watching at all. 

I explaining to Aaron how the music video would consist of footage of the actors lip syncing and close ups of the female actor and visuals relating to the lyrics. In response to this he pointed out that one of these factors should be dominant. For example, the footage of the boys lip syncing should be more prominent in the music video in order for it to be successful. He suggested that despite the fact that one of these music be dominant, it would not be worth having just one or two shots of the other part of the music video. 
In regards to the overall concept of the music video he said it was original and should be interesting to watch, which suggests to me that my music would be something worth a watch in the eyes of my music video. A notable point he made that I found would significantly help me in the planning process for my music video is that, regarding the signs of conveying the emotions through the male actors and lighting, that it should remain as subtle as possible. He said that as long as it is not completely obvious to the audience it will work well and won't come across as cliche.   

Storyboard 2:

Since carrying out my audience polls, not only have I added to my storyboard but I have also developed and enhanced it as well as changed some things around. In light of a point that was made to me in my audience feedback, I decided to ensure that one part of the music video comes across as much more significant. I decided that this would be the boys lip syncing as I wanted to draw attention to the lyrics in my music video. This is something that I added to my second storyboard to convey the changing ideas. 

Animated Storyboard

For my animatic storyboard I decided to use the pictures from my second storyboard and edit them int Serif Movie Plus in the way that I expect to for my final product and footage. This process will help me with filming process as it will give me guidance into how much footage I actually need rather than just the shots; this means that I when it comes to editing I won't be lacking in any shots and will have enough to fill the entire song. Furthermore, it will help me most with the editing process as it will give me a guidance as to what I actually have to edit and how I will go about it, which is something that my previous storyboards did not allow for. 

Script:

“Childish Gambino – Pop thieves]” Music video By [Beth Hall] Video audio lyrics/narration/music/fx 1.  0:00 – 0:10 – long shot of actors sat on a white/black block with a black background – studio setting. Each boy has a different coloured lighting on them to represent a different emotion, wearing a white shirt will accentuate this. Close up shot of girl’s face 2.  0:11 – 0:30 – edit between close up and long shot of the boys lip syncing 3.  0:31 - 0:36 – medium close up shot of smoke coming out of the girls mout. White, high key lighting – tripod keeps camera stable 4.  0:37 – 0:43 – close up of male actors lip syncing – red lighting 5.  0:43 – 0:45 – medium shot with quick tilt downwards 6.  0:46 – 0:48 – male singer close lip syncing 7.   0:48 – 0:53 – medium close up of female and male actors moving to, and eventually at the end of the shot, holding hands. White lighting = purity 8.  0:53 – 1:37 – varying ‘filler’ shots of the boys lip syncing to the lyrics or making dance-like movement Medium close ups of girl actor doing her thing and dancing/playing with her hair 9.  1:37 – 1:40 – medium close up of girl actor doing gasping motion 10.1:42 – 1:44 – close up of globe being spun around whilst the lyrics are being sung. White Lighting. 11.1:46 – 1:48 – medium shot of phone falling through the air with high key lighting. 12.1:48 – 1:55 – shots of the boys’ lip syncing 13.1:55 – 1:57 – extreme close up of female actor mouthing to the lyrics 14.1:58 – 2:40 – lip syncing/filler shots 15.2:40 – 2:44 – long shot of actor spinning around 16.2:45 – 3:10 – lip syncing filler shots 17.3:15 – 3:29 – long shot, two actors (male and female) walking towards each other 18.3:30 - 3:32 – medium shot of couple finally together Instrumental – beginning of the song “now that we have found this love, baby i can’t explain my feel, oh. Now that we have found this love, baby. i’ve never felt this real, oh. Loving you is all i know baby”  “you make me feel so high, oh no.” Slow motion will be used here in order to make the shot of the smoke appear for the entire lyric “i just wanna feel your love baby” “you know im down to ride” “when your song is on” “and your hand’s in mine, And I’m holding you tight” Pre Chorus – “Let me hold it down, I’m so glad we found. It’s whatever you like, make it feel good Chorus – Make it feel good, make it feel good alright. Make it feel good, make it feel good Make it feel good, make it feel good, alright. It’s whatever you like, make it feel good. "I know you miss this di-love” “Let’s go somewhere far away, baby” Slow motion “Where we don’t need no phone” Slow motion “Cause now that we have found this love, baby” “You’ll never feel alone” [Pre Chorus] [Chorus] “All my friends are telling me” “You need to slow it down” Slow motion – sped up, slowed down then sped up again “But I’m so tired of wasting all this time I need your love right now. Give it to me right now, oh yeah. All that I want now, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. All that I want now, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. All that I want now, yeah. Oh, Give it to me now. Give it to me now, oh. Oh yeah give it to me right.” Chorus No sound

Mise en scene list:

Aspect	Description	Responsibility – source of props etc.
Location	I will have one location for my music video which will be the dance studio in Sidmouth College. I have chosen this location as it has a simple background that will allow me to manipulate it to how I see fit and what I think will be appropriate for my music video. This is because the walls of this are plain and aren’t covered in posters that will disrupt from my ideal aesthetic and therefore be unconventional. I want to have a plain black background as I believe it will add a tense atmosphere that is usually seen in hip-hop music videos. Furthermore, when analysing my chosen artist’s music video’s, I noticed how none of them had a white or bright backdrop, which is another reason I chose to use a dark background.	It is my responsibility to ensure the location isn’t occupied at the planned time of filming and that I have full permission for using the location and being there.
Props	Most of the props I have chosen will be featured in the close up shots that will coincide with the lyrics of the song. I won’t be using many props simply because it is not conventional of my music genre. I noticed in my analysis that either a lot of props are used to create a claustrophobic atmosphere or, on the other hand, there is a very minimalistic approach to props. The latter is the style I have opted for. -          Globe: when the lyrics ‘Let’s go somewhere far away, baby’ are heard I want to include a slow motion, close up shot of a globe being spun so the visuals correlate with the lyrics. I plan to borrow this prop from the Geography department in our school as the globe they have spins with ease and is a perfect size for my music video. -          Mobile phone: I need a phone for the medium close up shot of a phone falling through the air, which will coincide with the lyrics ‘where we don’t need no phone’. The phone I want to use will be an apple phone because this is a brand my target audience associate themselves with buying regularly and owning. -          Cushion: for the phone to land on to ensure it does not get broken. -          Vape Pen: I have opted to use a vape pen to create the smoke that I want to show for the ‘you make me feel so high’ lyric match, close up because it is much safer than using a real cigarette or even a herbal cigarette as not fire or lighters have to be used. It is the safest option, also I think that the vape will create smoke that will show up better on the camera. I will use a vape that contains not nicotine to ensure that I am not damaging any of my actors in anyway.  -          White boxes: this is what the male actors will sit on whilst they are lip syncing. I have chosen plain white, square boxes as these will contrast with the black background nicely and make the actors sat on it stand out more, thus they become the main focus of the shots they feature in. -	It is my responsibility to acquire all the props that I need, whether this be from what I already have at home or other sources. I will get the globe from the geography department in school. I will use one of my actor’s phones. I will bring in the cushion from home. I will borrow the vape pen from my friend Charlotte and return it to her immediately after filming. I will be using the white boxes that are used in the drama studio.
Lighting	I will use no natural lighting in my music video as it will be shot in a room with no windows or doors that allow light to shine through. I aim to use only two lights that create both coloured and white lighting. -          For the close up shots of the props or the female actor I will use white, high key lighting because I think this will create clear and clean visuals where the props are in complete focus. -          For the lip syncing shots of the boys I will use different coloured lighting that will match each intended emotion. I will use red, green and blue. The lighting may appear chiaroscuro, however this will fit the conventions of hip-hop music videos as it creates a dark and intense atmosphere.	I will acquire the lightin
Character movement	For the majority of the music video the actors will be either stood or sat still and doing little movement, this is because the focus will be on the lip syncing. However, the final shot consists of two actors walking towards each other and I chose this as it will add a romantic mood to the ending of the music video. As well as this it will add a final conclusion and a satisfying ending where the diegesis of the video becomes clear (as Vernallis describes as conventional).	It is my responsibility to ensure the directions I give through the script, storyboard and general directing are followed precisely by my actors.
Costumes	Female actor: -          I want to stray from the music genre I am creating a video for convention of dressing female actors in provocative and sexualised clothing, therefore not conforming to Laura Mulvey’s Male gaze theory or stereotypes. I would like her to wear plain bluish jeans and a baggy t-shirt of either grey or black. This is so she contrasts with the outfits of the boys but appears casual and effortless, which is the vibe I am going for. This is something that I think would appeal to my target audience as they don’t want to see an over sexualised female. Male actors: -          I want the male actors in my music video to all wear the same thing. This is because I want them to each represent the different feelings that are seen in all relationships. I want them to each be wearing a plain white t-shirt as this will easily show up the colour of the lighting, which will thus emphasise the coloured lighting. I also want them to wear plain black jeans, ideally skinny, and black and/or white trainers. In the case of my male actors, branding is not an issue, in fact I would prefer to have brands shown on their outfit such as Nike or Adidas shoes. My reasoning behind this is that this is something that is not only conventional of my music genre but also something that is a regular thing for my target audience meaning they will easily relate to my male actors.	I am relying on my actors to come to the set or filming with these outfits, it is there responsibility to bring these clothes, however, it is my responsibility to ensure that what they choose is exactly as I want.
Hair and Makeup	Female actor: -          The only noticeable makeup I want on my female actor, hopefully the only part of her costume that will come across as promiscuous is red lipstick. I want her to have simple, yet nicely done makeup, no dramatic eye makeup (eg. no black eyeshadow and huge winged liner). I want my female actor to have soft and gentle, beachy waved hair that seems relaxed and like every day wear. Again, this is because I want her to have a casual aesthetic. Male actor: -          I don’t want my male actors to have any makeup at all. The most I want to use on the boys is a little bit of powder if their face is excessively shiny. In regards to hairstyles I want them to have no dramatic hairstyles, which is part of the reason I chose the actors I have because of their lack of extreme hair styles. I want it to appear casual and an almost, straight out of bed but clean hair looks. This is something that my target audience will identify with	I will provide the red lipstick for the female actor, but I will expect my female actor to come prepared with mascara, foundation and concealer on to ensure there is no risk that my own makeup will give her eye infections or give her anything she is allergic to. I will supply the face powder for my male actors if they need it and will bring a clean brush along to the filming. I expect them to do their hair beforehand.
Equipment	-          Camera -          Tripod -          2 artificial lights. -          Black backdrop with backdrop frame -          Chargers -          Power extension chord in case the power cables for the lights does not stretch far enough.	I will borrow my camera, tripod and lighting from the media departments own equipment as this is not only high quality equipment but also easy to get and inexpensive, which will fit my minimal budget. I will acquire the black backdrop and frame from the college’s photography department.

Filming Schedule:

Digipack and Magazine advert - Drafts and photoshoot experiment:

Font trials for Digipack and Magazine Advert:

Current ideas for ancillary - face with red and blue lighting - magazine advert ---- heart with different lighting for digipack

Second Experiment fort Digipack and Magazine Advert images: