Framing and Composition - Brick Lane Shots

We framed our Brick Lane shots carefully so that our artist was the focus of each shot.



We thought about perspective and diagonal lines when framing this shot, the lines created where the walls meet the ground lead towards the focal point - the artist's face, emphasising their importance and reinforcing the 'star image'.





We centralised the focal point of this shot whilst also surrounding the subject, in this case with graffiti, this frames the subject and draws the viewer's eye whilst also balancing the empty space to create a more interesting shot.

Brick Lane Filming

Today we filmed Brick Lane. We wanted a shot of our artist (played by me) in front of a graffiti wall. We were unable to find the particular wall that we wanted, however, we were able to find other suitable locations. We wanted as bright a wall as possible in order to contrast the white outfit that I was wearing, we also wanted this location to contrast Camden as much as possible - the bright, vibrant colours of Brick Lane compared to the dark, night-time shots of Camden. Whilst we wanted these locations to contrast each other with their distinct styles, we wanted some common elements, for example, we wanted both locations to have a 'grungy', neglected look that helps to symbolise the disorientated mind-set of the character in the music video. We also managed to find graffiti (below) that was in keeping with our previous colour palettes, the contrast of the orange and blue similar to the lighting by the Camden river as well as the light filters used in the studio, thus tying all of our locations together.

 

We filmed some impromptu, unstoryboarded shots after seeing an interesting location (below). We were drawn to this doorway because of its particularly dilapidated state. I feel that the torn paper and grimy bricks help to add interesting textures that capture the atmosphere of the location whilst also mirroring the protagonist's deteriorating emotions as she tries to escape. It has also added to the feeling of being trapped as I am standing in a corner with my hands against the walls, appearing boxed in.

We continued the theme of being trapped by filming in front of this graffiti (below) that had two perpendicular walls extending out towards the camera, again, creating a boxed in effect. We liked the leaves on the floor as they added to the overall decayed feel of the location and, again, help to establish the colour palette - the orange leaves and blue graffiti.

We managed to get a successful tracking shot (below) that we had previously planned. We filmed this by hand, this has lent an intentional unsteady look to the shot. We didn't want the shot to be completely smooth as we wanted to mirror the rough look of the location. The unsteady shot also helps to mimic my movement as I walk towards the camera, making the shot appear natural and unstaged.

Below are some behind the scenes photographs from the shoot:

Here is our vlog where we talk in more depth about the events of the day:

BFI Visit

Today we visited the British Film Institute where we received a talk from Tom Woodcock about the history of music videos. I think that this was very beneficial as I have learnt more about how music videos have progressed, the videos shown also provided inspiration for our own music video.

Here is the presentation that we were shown:

 

I found the video below, dating back to the 1930s, particularly influential. I really like the repetitive geometric shapes. I think that it has a very psychedelic, 'hypnotic' feel, relating to our song and music video. I think that the bright colours would work well in our Brick Lane location, we are hoping to film there on Friday. I think that we should keep this video in mind when explore the area on Friday as we will be looking for striking graffiti, I want to find something similar to the brightly coloured repeated shapes in this video.



We were also given tips on how to create a successful music video, this was helpful as we were able to see what tasks we have completed and what we still need to do. The 10 steps are as follows:

1. Asses Resources - Performers, technical kit, locations, props/costume (we have completed this step as we have researched all of these aspects and have made firm decisions that have been stated on our shooting schedule)

2. Warm Up - Lip synch practise, preliminary task (we have completed both of these tasks)

3. Recce - Limit locations, photos and footage, access to light and power (we have limited our music video to 4/5 locations, all of which have been researched, we are also using a battery powered light in order to avoid power supply issues)

4. Pitch - Treatment, moodboard (we have already pitched our idea and created moodboards)

5. Planning Beats Idea

6. Plan Everything - Storyboard/animatic, actors/locations and costumes prepared in advance, shooting schedule (we have thoroughly planned our music video, including all of the factors stated)

7. Shoot - Multiple angles (the locations that we have already filmed in were shot from many angles multiple times)

8. Edit - Synch up footage, upload rough cut and get feedback (as we haven't reached the editing stage we will have to refer back to these tips, it was useful to be told this in advance so that our editing process will be slightly easier)

9. Evidence - Research, photos, test footage, behind the scenes (we usually do all of these whilst we're filming)

10. Evaluation

Existing Digipaks

I have started to look into existing Digipaks and album covers in order to understand their conventions. I used Saussure's theory of semiotics to gain a deeper understating of why certain images have been used, this will be useful when I come to design my own Digipak as I will be able to select specific signs to convey a desired meaning.

Bastille - Bad Blood

  

Multiple signifiers within this Digipak signify the idea of danger, for example, the colour yellow that has connotations of warning, the headlights that that signify a sudden danger, as well as the running figure and night-time atmosphere. The idea of urgency has also been signified by the signifier of the blurred image. The triangle used to replace the letter 'A' also signifies danger as this is the shape of warning signs. It also signifies masculinity, with upwards triangles being associated with men and upside-down triangles being associated with women, this can also refer to the fact that this is an all-male band. The all capital text signifies strength and fearlessness, juxtaposing the ideas of danger presented. Mystery has also been signified by the night location as well as the black disc.


Lana Del Ray - Ultraviolence:

  

The idea of depression has been signified by the signifier of the black and white colour palette, creating a drained atmosphere, her sullen expression also signifies this. The idea of vulnerability has also been signified by the gripping of the car door paired with her solemn expression in the close up (on the back of the Digipak). There is also an unpretentious and simple feel to the Digipak , signified by her casual clothing, inexpensive car and the clear, simple, easy to read font. Her wavy hair and full makeup signify femininity and beauty, this is enforced by other signifiers, the narrow font that appears less bulky than a 'masculine' font and the slight rounded edges of certain letters. The floral pattern on the disc also signifies femininity whilst also signifying ideas of relaxation due to the bright and exotic look of the flowers.


Imagine Dragons - Night Visions:

The idea of loneliness has been signified by the signifiers of the extreme long shot of the lone figure, making them seem even smaller, and the small font of the track list that appears against a plain background. The feeling of despair has been signified by the grey colour palette, emphasising the idea of loneliness. There is a dream-like atmosphere that has been created by the signifiers of soft colours and soft lighting. The idea of spirituality has been signified by the clouds, mountain-like setting and the bright light emerging from the top left-hand corner.

Erving Goffman

Goffman's theory describes how men and women are usually presented in advertisements. Typically, men are presented as superior and dominant through strong body language whilst women are frequently presented as weak and submissive, usually seen in sexual poses. He also highlights the prevalence of female dismemberment, individual body parts, such as legs or lips, are shown with little regard to the person they belong to, thus, turning women into sexual objects. He also states that male authority is presented through voiceovers, usually sounding powerful and confident. Voiceovers are predominantly by men.

The advert below by 'Gucci' is an example of Goffman's theory in practice. The man is presented as powerful and professional as he is wearing a suit, compared to the woman who is wearing an extremely short dress. Furthermore, the woman is also in a provocative position, emphasising her sexuality.

Roland Barthes

Barthes likened a text to a ball of threads needing to be untangled, each thread standing as a different approach to how a text can be interpreted. A text can be open (with multiple approaches) or closed (with one clear approach). Barthes' 5 narrative codes are as follows:

Hermeneutic Code:

Any element of the story that is not fully explained and hence becomes a mystery, this is achieved by avoiding the full truth or providing partial answers.

The Enigma / Proairetic Code:

Builds on tension, referring to any other action or event that indicates that something else is going to happen, this gets the reader guessing as to what will happen next.

The Semantic Code:

Connotation within the story that provides additional meaning over the basic denotative meaning.

Symbolic Code:

Similar to semantic code but acts at a wider level, organising semantic ,meanings into broader and deeper sets of meaning.

Cultural Code:

Refers to anything founded on some kind of canonical works that cannot be challenged and is assumed to be a foundation for truth.

Ferdinand de Saussure

Here is a useful Slideshare that I found that explains Saussure's theory of semiotics:

Applying this to music videos:

In this shot from 'Snap Out of it' by the Arctic Monkeys, the signified is the idea of sadness, this is shown through the signifiers of the black nail varnish (black has connotations of death, mourning, sadness) and smudged makeup and tears (showing that the woman has been crying).

In this shot from Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud', the sign of the dancing woman signifies femininity and sexuality, the silhouette emphasising her body. The sign of the colour red also signifies sexuality as red connotes passion and love. 

Digipaks

A Digipak is a style of optical disc (CD, DVD, etc.) packaging typically made from cardboard with one or more plastic trays attached that can hold discs, it is an alternative to the standard jewel case packaging.



Digipak - Loud (Rihanna)

Jewel Case - Born to Die (Lana Del Ray)

The advantages of Digipaks over jewel cases include:

. More eco-friendly as less plastic is used
. More compact as they are made out of cardboard instead of thick plastic
. Easier to store and transport as they are lighter and thinner
. More hardwearing - jewel cases often shatter or snap
. More room for graphic display

Digipaks are also a lot more versatile than jewel cases, made from 300gsm card, they can have a matte, gloss or spot varnish, with lamination and embossing also available. The standard dimensions of a 4 panel Digipak are 139.5mm x 6mm x 125.5mm, they are also available with 6 and 8 panels.

Digipaks will usually contain:

. Album name
. Artist name
. Track list
. Featured tracks
. Logo
. Parental advisory label (if necessary)
. Social media information
. Reviews / Quotations
. Copyright information
. Produced / Written by information

Tame Impala - It Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

'It Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' perfectly fits all of the key characteristics of an abstract music video - there is the clear repetition of images as well as a vivid colour palette whilst not containing a perceptible narrative or lip-synching.

Applying Andrew Goodwin's theory, this music video is typical of its genre. As expected for a psychedelic rock/pop song, there are bright colours and geometric shapes and patterns. The constant movement within the shots also helps to add to the 'trippy' atmosphere. There are also multiple links between the lyrics and visuals, for example, when the lyric 'It feels like we only go backwards' is heard, the shot zooms out and the images move further away, they appear to be 'going backwards'. 'Call my name' is accompanied by the visual of a talking mouth. The repetitive lyrics are mirrored by the repetitive images, particularly the reoccurring 'human head' motif. There is also a link between the music and visuals, for example, the shots are cut on beat and the movement of images is in time with the music, matching its pace. Whilst there are no close-ups or shots of the artists, the name of the band appears at the start of the music video, reminding the audience of their brand and enforcing the 'star image', albeit in a more subtle way.

Even though this music video is of a different genre to the one that we hope to create, I have found it inspirational. The video has a psychedelic feel and repetitive images link to our song choice, particularly the lyric 'hypnotic taking over me'. The bright colours would also suit the upbeat tone of the song. I think that the group could find similar images in our Brick Lane location that have been graffitied on walls. I also like the spiral movements within the video, I think that we could incorporate this technique by having spinning camera angles, this would add to the theme of hypnotism.

Below are stills from the music video displaying the bright colour palette and geometric shapes that I want to emulate in our own music video:

    

Categorising Our Adience

After analysing our audience survey results, we have decided to target 16-24 year old females. Whilst our survey provided a lot of information about this group, I thought that I could further analyse the likes and dislikes of this demographic by applying various audience theories. it is important to have a thorough understanding of our audience in order to create a music video that they would find appealing, this is crucial for our product's success.

According to Young and Rubicam's Psychographics Theory, our target audience would be described as 'aspirers' and 'explorers' as these categories included younger people and students. 'Aspirers' are described as materialistic and orientated towards appearance and fashion, whilst 'explorers' are described as individualistic. For this reason, we are using fashionable locations, such as Brick lane and Camden, and fashionable costumes that channel the 'individualistic' grunge style.

Our survey revealed that our audience mostly watches music videos during their leisure time. This would mean that, according to the Uses and Gratifications Theory, our audience will most likely consume our product as a form of entertainment and escapism (diversion) as well as to form a sense of 'personal identity' as a result of relatable characters. As we are using locations and costumes that would appeal to our audience (as described previously), our music video will become more relatable and therefore, satisfy the audience's needs on a greater scale.

Framing and Composition - Camden Shots

Whilst filming in Camden, we spent a lot of time framing each shot, ensuring that each had interesting visual elements that conform with framing and composition rules, such as the rule of thirds and diagonal lines.

We used the rule of thirds when composing this shot. The main focus is the clock so we made sure that it was at one of the intersecting points of the grid. I like the black space on the right-hand side that contrasts the bright orange and blue lights on the left, the clock in the centre of these two sections, I feel that this places more importance on the clock as the focal point. I also like the repetitive aspect of the vertical lights that draw the viewer's eye across the frame, again, leading to the focal point.



Perspective was the most important element of this shot. The high angle combined with the lines created by the edges of the walls lead the viewer's eye to the centre of the frame, where the focal point of the artist is.





We used the eyeline rule for this shot, my eyes are exactly 1/3 of the way down the shot. We also centralised the focal point to emphasise its importance.





We used leading space on the left-hand side of the subject (our artist) to add fluidity, the diagonal line created by the bottom of the wooden door also helps to add movement as the eye is drawn across the frame, from left to right, towards the focal point. We also used the idea of surrounding the subject as a way of drawing attention to it, the painted 'Jack Daniel's' image acts as a frame whilst also helping to balance the empty space around the subject.


I like the repeated diagonal lines within this shot, created by the lights on the tunnel ceiling. This adds movement and draws the eye across the frame, this element of movement is also supported by the ripples in the water and the off centre positioning of the focal point (the artist).





Again, we used the eyeline rule for this shot, ensuring that my eyes were 1/3 of the way down the frame.








We used the rule of thirds to make this shot more interesting. The tunnel ceiling lying 1/3 of the way down the frame and the railing starting 1/3 from the bottom of the frame. We also ensured that the boat was roughly where the grid lines intersect. Diagonal lines were also used to add movement.




We contradicted the eyeline rule in this shot as we wanted the character to appear more vulnerable and lost, fitting with her mindset and the music video's theme of escaping.







We played on the perspective of this shot in order to create movement across the image. The diagonal lines help to emphasise the movement within this shot (the shot actually pans across the bridge).

Framing and Composition

In today's lesson we learnt about framing and composition and how it can be used to compliment the focal point of a shot. Using different techniques can make shots more interesting. We will be able to apply this knowledge whilst filming in order to make our music video stand out and look visually pleasing.

Eyeline Rule / Headroom:

When filming a close up of a person there is a general rule that the eyes should be kept 1/3 of the way down the frame and should almost never be allowed below this point. Below, on the left, is a still from Adele's 'Hello' adhering to this rule, on the right is a still from Beyoncé's 'Pretty Hurts' where her eyeline is lower than the halfway point. I think that deviating from this rule has made Beyoncé appear smaller and more vulnerable as opposed to Adele who is taking up a larger portion of the frame.



Leading Space:

Leading space is a term used when an object or person is on the very left or right-hand side of the frame, usually looking sideways. This allows room for movement and adds an element of fluidity and openness. In this particular example below from Taylor Swift's 'Blank Space', the leading space combined with her outstretched arm draws the viewer's eye across the frame.

Surrounding Subject:

Surrounding the subject with other objects helps to frame it, highlighting it as the focal point of the shot. This is evident is the shot below from Ed Sheeran's 'Lego House'.

Centralising Focus:

Centralising the focal point of the shot is a simple way of drawing attention to it. The empty space around the subject also helps to create balance whilst also making the shot appear quite formal yet authoritative. Below is a still from Lorde's music video for 'Team' that shows a central figure with empty space, this immediately draws the eye to the centre of the shot.

Diagonal Lines:

Diagonal lines help to draw the viewer's eye across a shot, usually to the focal point, this also adds an element of movement and makes a shot more exciting. They also emphasise perspective, adding more depth to the shot. Below is a shot from the music video for 'Lean On' by Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MØ that shows a diagonal line across the frame leading to the focal point (the artist).

Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds describes the idea of splitting a shot into a 3x3 grid with the object of interest lying where the grid lines intersect. The off-centre focal point creates a more interesting shot. This rule can also be combined with other rules such as leading space and surrounding the subject, the empty space around the subject creates balance and can also serve as a frame, drawing more attention to the focal point. Below is an example of the rule of thirds, taken from the Arctic Monkey's 'The View from the Afternoon'.

Here is a very informative video that I found about the rule of thirds:

Camden Filming

Today we filmed at our location in Camden. We wanted to film when it was dark in order to contrast the bright shots that we intend to film at Brick Lane and the Capel Manor Maze, I also think that this will make our narrative easier to understand as it shows that time has passed, thus helping to tell a more fluid story. We feel that the grittiness of the location is complimented by the darkness as well as the grunge-influenced costume, these elements work together to create a mysterious atmosphere and portray the character as reckless.

Originally, we had planned to film the character running across a bridge, however, it was too dark to be able to see me clearly. The darkness also led to us compromising another shot - a reflection of the character's face in the river, instead we decided to film just the water as we liked the coloured lights that were being reflected.



    

We found this really beautiful location under the bridge by the river (above), the colour palette is in keeping with the colours that we used in our studio location where we shone blue, orange and yellow lights against a black background. I think that this will help to make our music video look more professional as there is a level of consistency, it also will help tie our video together as there will be recurring elements.

We managed to film the other shots that we needed, like me walking  past and singing by the river. We also found other interesting locations that inspired us to film impromptu shots, for example, close up shots of a clock on the side of a building, a panning shot of a bridge with writing saying 'Camden Lock' as well as close ups of interesting patterns, all of which could be used in our music video to capture the atmosphere of Camden. We also saw this graffiti on a wooden door (below), I really like the contrasting textures of the peeling paint, old wooden door and brick wall as this creates an exciting visual.



Here is our vlog from the shoot:

Elle doing my eyeliner - We wanted winged
eyeliner to complete the 'grunge' look

The group out filming

 

Audience Survey Results

We have collected the results of our audience survey in order to analyse them, this will help to determine which demographic we should be targeting our music video at.

The majority of the participants were 16-24 year olds. The most popular music genre was pop, with R&B following closely behind. By looking at individual responses we were able to discover which genre was preferred by which age group. It is clear that pop was the favourite genre amongst 16-24 year olds, it was tied with the indie genre. As our chosen song 'Hypnotic' is an indie-pop song, we should be targeting the 16-24 age group. The results also showed that the 25-35 and 36+ age groups preferred R&B, thus eliminating these demographics from being our target audience.

The fact that the majority of people questioned were 16-24 years old is reflected in the occupation answers (below left), the most common occupation being 'student'. This information will be helpful when we film our music video as well as when we design our digipak as we can keep the needs of students in mind, allowing us to create a product that would appeal to them. Nearly 90% of the participants were female (below right), meaning that we should also be targeting our music video at women.

   





62.5% of the participants stated that they watch music videos, therefore, placing more importance on the quality and success of our music video.

Editing techniques was voted the most important element of a music video, our group will now try to incorporate interesting and exciting editing techniques in order to appeal to our audience. Mise-en-scene was voted second most important so we will have to pay close attention when choosing costumes and locations as this is something that our target audience cares about. Artist and performance were voted above narrative, which is beneficial to our group as our music video heavily features our artist and lip synching with only a subtle and symbolic storyline that relates to emotion and escapism.

Below are the results to additional questions that we asked in order to learn more about our audience's music habits. we discovered that YouTube was the most popular platform on which people watch music videos, as well as mobile phones being the most prominent devices used to watch music videos. This has shown us that our target audience frequently spend time online, and are therefore, probably quite social (shown by the use of mobile phones). This will help us, particularly when creating our Digipak, as we will be able to target their specific needs, for example, the online presence of our artist. The results also show that the majority of participants listen to music in their leisure time, this will help us to create a music video that is suitable for viewing during this time period, for example, some music videos may be unsuitable for work or school due to graphic content. As our video will probably be viewed in our audience's leisure time, we will have less restrictions.