Framing and Composition - Capel Manor Shots

We used the rule of thirds when composing this shot. Typical of a performance video, we wanted the performer to be the focal point of the shot, and therefore, she appears along one of the 'thirds' lines. I like the balance created within this shot by the foliage emerging from the left-hand side of the frame, this also serves to accentuate the performer as she appears in the only open space in the shot. We felt that the structure of the window was grid-like so we used this to make the shot more interesting, by having the performer appear through a gap, a frame is created around her. This framing technique helps to draw the viewer's eye to the focal point - the performer.


In this shot, we wanted to centralise the performer to identify her as the focal point. The simple background also helps to draw attention to the focal point. We used the rule of thirds to calculate the composition of this shot so that we left a proportionate amount of headroom.





The interesting lines and angles within this shot help to lead the viewer's eye to the centre of the frame that contains the focal point - the performer. This was a hand-held tracking shot, these lines that 'draw you in' help to accentuate the camera movement.




We used the idea of 'leading space' in this shot. Whilst the subject is not facing sideways, as is typical of this type of framing, the large open space on the left-hand side adds openness and makes the performer seem smaller. This adds an element of vulnerability which is fitting for our narrative that explores the idea of feeling trapped.


We used the rule of thirds to draw more attention to the performer, as she appears along one of the dividing 'thirds' lines. I particularly like the balance within this shot, the dark green on the right-hand side contrasting the very pale, almost colourless performer. The idea of 'contrast' adds to our narrative as we wanted to present two contrasting sides of our protagonist.

Capel Manor Filming

Today we finally filmed at the Capel Manor Maze, marking the completion of filming our music video. This was an incredibly important location as it helps to make the narrative clearer, with themes of escapism being shown by the performer being 'trapped' in a maze. Unbeknownst to us, there were other interesting locations on the Capel Manor grounds that we discovered whilst trying to find the maze. These included a variety of gardens and an derelict church. Due to the weather, the gardens were not suitable for filming as they appeared dull and dead, however, we decided to film in the church as its decaying exterior reflects the deteriorating mind-set of our protagonist, adding further symbolism to our music video. Overall, I am really please with our footage and am excited to continue editing our video with our new shots, which will, hopefully, make the video flow better.

Here is our vlog from the shoot:

Spiral Staircase Filming

Today we filmed in a car park on Oxford Street as it contained the spiral staircase that we needed for a particular shot. We went in the evening as this was a less busy time, allowing us to film more easily with little disruptions. We wanted to film the staircase as its spiral shape enforces the idea of 'hypnotism' linking the visuals of our music video to the lyrics of the song. The location also helped us to portray our narrative of escaping as the protagonist, played by me, can be seen desperately running up the stairs, the spiral aspect making it seem as though her hopes are in vain as the staircase appears to have no end. The majority of our shots from previous locations were purely shots of the artist lip-synching, this made it difficult to start editing the footage as we were unable to show the narrative and the progression of the video. Today's shoot was extremely successful and we now have many shots that will help to tell the story of our music video, hopefully we will be able to edit the footage soon. We have one more location left, the Capel Manor Maze, we are planning to finish filming by the end of the week.

On the left is a shot looking up the staircase, capturing its spiral structure. I like the disorientated look of the shot due to the difficulty in distinguishing whether it is looking upwards or downwards, this mirrors the confused mindset of the character. By making the audience feel disorientated, they will be able to empathise with the protagonist on a greater scale.







Here is our vlog from the shoot:

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:

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).

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

 

Capel Manor Maze - Filming Permission

Before filming at the Capel Manor Maze, we checked their website for details about their filming and photography policy. It stated that we should email them about our reason for filming, below is the email that we sent. We are still awaiting a reply.

First Day of Filming

We had originally planned to film in Brick Lane today, unfortunately, due to an issue with the dispatcher, our costume that we ordered has not arrived yet. In order to stay on schedule and not waste the day, we decided to film our studio shots as this is an easily accessible location. Inspired by the video for Calvin Harris' 'How Deep is Your Love', we wanted close up shots of our protagonist with flashing, strobe-like coloured lighting against a black background.

In preparation for the shot, we had to set up a black screen and adjusting its height by balancing it on some chairs in order for it to be tall enough to fill the frame. We turned off the lights in the room to make the background as dark as possible, however, this meant that it was too dark for me to be visible on camera. To overcome this we attached a light to the camera and adjusted the brightness until we were happy with the results. We used multiple coloured filters on a separate handheld, battery powered light to achieve the desired effect. Whilst filming, we played our song,' Hypnotic', out loud so that I could lip synch in time as well as for us to change the colour of the light with the beat of the music.

We were successful in obtaining the required shots so we decided to upload the footage and practise editing it on iMovie. This gave us an idea of what effects we could do on iMovie and also helped us to understand the difficulty of synching the song precisely.



Costume - Choosing makeup

Marking position

Setting up the camera

Framing the shot



Filming

Uploaded footage

Editing on iMovie

Editing on iMovie

Here is our behind the scenes vlog from the shoot:

Shooting Schedule

Filming Animatic Storyboard

Today we filmed our animatic storyboard. We decided to enlarge each shot so that they could be easily seen on camera and then placed them on individual steps of a staircase. We wanted to film on a staircase as this relates to the idea of spirals and hypnotism, linking to our song 'Hypnotic', it also made it easy to film fluidly from one shot to the next as we held the camera whilst walking up the stairs.

We played our song out loud whilst filming so that we could get the timing correct. As I filmed the shots, the rest of the group directed me when to move as they looked at the original storyboard. The first take was too shaky and didn't focus correctly so I tried harder to hold the camera still on the second take, this turned out well. We still need to edit the footage, so hopefully we will be able to upload the final animatic storyboard soon.


This task was extremely beneficial as it allowed us to see whether our storyboard suited our song and whether our proposed timings worked well. It also showed that filming without a tripod is harder than we thought, we will have to keep this in mind when it comes to filming our final music video should we choose to include handheld shots.

  

Filming for Lip Synch Practise

We have practised lip synching to our song 'Hypnotic' so that we can learn more about filming for a music video as well as allowing us to practise editing. We decided to play the song out loud whilst lip synching so that we would be singing in time, I think that this made it easier to film and made it look more realistic. We filmed each of us separately so that we can see who suits the song best, allowing us to choose who will star in the music video.

Filming for Prelim

We started filming our prelim today, focusing on the group shots. We wanted our prelim to be as similar to the original as possible so we carefully chose our costumes so that we resembled the characters, we wore the same colours and sunglasses to match our corresponding character.

I think that one of the hardest parts of the shoot was learning the dance routine and performing in time with the music, it took a while to learn and, also, to then stand in the correct places and hit the correct marks that we drew on the floor. It was quite difficult to compose the shots as we needed everyone to be in frame, even as we walked closer to the camera. We only have a few more shots to do, we are planning to finish filming by Friday. Below are some photos from the shoot:

Us in costume

The group watching the footage back