Casting

Casting - 
I chose my original actress because she is not camera shy and willing to help - also fitting the age bracket.
I know I will still be looking for an actress as the song is covered by a female artist, as well as my website layout being stereotypically feminine with colours such as pink and purple which represents a female performer.
She will be wearing makeup which conforms to stereotypes of female appearance and it is likely that the video could become more geared to females as a result of such a focus on her, with no elements of male gaze.

Risk Assessment and Planning

Risks  -
Tripping over a cable - Make actors and anyone nearby aware of the cable and tuck it away wherever possible.
Tripping over tripod - Don't walk or run around the shooting area. Keep everyone aware of the tripod.
Knocking tripod over - Again, don't run near the tripod during filming. Be cautious around it
Knocking lighting over - Try to put lighting in a non-invasive place. Don't mess around near it.
Burning self on lighting - Turn off the light long before taking the bulb out. Don't let anyone get too close to it if they don't know how it works.
Electrocution - keep wires and lighting away from areas that it may get wet, such as by sinks in the kitchen where some scenes are being shot.
Tripping over outside objects - Settings in a public space such as a forest or a public house will have objects that cannot be controlled.
Paper cuts - Handling small photos could result in paper cuts if rushed. Don't rush.

Permission to Shoot

Permission -

I shot the majority of the video (the performance) in a family member's house. I printed a location contract as filming can take up space and disrupt activity and I needed to ensure it was okay to film.



Other locations were more public, such as the woods. I haven't obtained permission for these locations because it is not private land. Similarly, I filmed at a beach which is another public area.

The Webpage

Mindmap of possible artist names

I wanted to use unique names - either as a standalone name (e.g. Beyonce or Drake) or with alliteration to make a nice sounding full name (such as Foo Fighters); some call this an alliterative alias. For example, using the names I created, I thought Alyse Adler could be a good idea.

Research Into Websites

Attaching a photo until I know there are no improvements to be made, then I will embed the finished version

There are certain elements of the above webpages that I have tried to implement into my draft design. For example the header is permanent so it stays in the same position even when the user scrolls down the website. 

(The logo and photos will be changed to my own material)

I liked the dark element like in Coldplay as the song I am using for my music video is fairly nostalgic and sad in terms of mood therefore a colourful and vibrant website might not match the tone. However I liked the idea of cascading style sheets and unique fonts. 

Link to the my webpage

Creating The Website - First attempt 

PHOTO - I incorporated an image that is my own of a recording studio in order to add to the sense of professionalism. I feel this works because it adds an element of 'behind the scenes' and also can make the website appear more realistic if the audience can see performers.

COLOUR - I have been experimenting with colour schemes for my website that effectively match to the music video. I originally wanted a pink logo to represent the femininity of the singer, and decided to make the website match this. However I didn't like how it looked and felt it took away from the mood of the music video I have created. 

A white background looks sophisticated and could work, however I am unsure if it matches the video's mood yet again due to it being a sad song and dark video. I feel the pink/purple seems like a token representation of femininity rather than being genuinely suitable for the branding, therefore I want to reconsider my use of colours. 

New ideas - reinvention

COLOUR - I have decided to change my colour scheme to green, as this is fairly dark which can be connected to the sad song but also nature as the video has a lot of scenery. I feel green fits the brand much more effectively and is now much more convincing. 

FONT - I chose a serif font due to the fact that it appeares more traditional and formal, also looking sharp and adding to the idea that the music video is serious and sad. It is similar to the 'courier' font which is used in my music video, therefore this creates a sense of branding across the music video and the website. 

IMAGES - I chose certain images on my website due to the fact that I wanted it to appear as though she is a professional artist but with a personal touch. Young people nowadays enjoy being able to relate and interact with people they like (which is why YouTubers are so successful) therefore I wanted to create a sense of friendship rather than the idea that she is a huge celebrity. 

I included a photo from a recording studio as this creates an element of 'behind the scenes' and can therefore make the audience feel that they are getting a deeper insight into the making of the album, possibly building more excitement too. 

I also wanted to use a high quality image to create a sense of professionalism, and therefore it presents her as a successful artist who has been in photo shoots. In this image there is no direct address which is important as it still keeps it informal. 

Evidence of organised use of props, costumes and locations

Initial Ideas

Location

These photos are my initial ideas for location (from google). I want to use multiple locations to represent time passing by, such as those above, but I would also like to have certain moments of a dark background. This would not only reflect the dark mood of the music video at certain times, but have an intertextual link to the artist Janelle Monae in Cold war. The photos above are slightly lighter representations as I would be using low-key lighting, however they do accurately show the specific areas I would like to try and film. Most of them are at either my house or my family member's house so I know I do not need to ask for permission on these locations. However if I decide to film on a field I may have to research whether it requires any permission, and also check the weather forecast in case it is too cold or rains during filming in the winter months. 

Costume

 

These are some ideas for costume (from google) that I have for the two characters in the music video. The branded clothing such as adidas may be important due to the AB socioeconomic audience which would be able to relate to owning these clothes. The other costumes may be worn by the secondary character, particularly the colour scheme. The clothing should change in colour slightly through the video (from light to dark or dark to light) to represent the changing of mood. These are good ideas as they are typical of what a female would likely wear in modern day.

Makeup

The main performer will most likely be wearing makeup but not too much as it needs to be realistic for the audience. It will most likely be a natural look so that most young females are able to relate to the video without feeling put down by high beauty standards. It is also more realistic for the performer to be appearing more natural when she is upset. 

Props

Prop List

• Normal household items (e.g. books, pillows, furniture) in the background
• Perhaps a phone
• a chair (the performer is sitting down, but this might not be visible to the camera)

Ideas after test shoot

Ideas about makeup and costume have remained the same. I think it is important to have makeup as it is a young female and therefore this is more relatable to the audience, and also enhances appearance. Makeup on the eyes is important as the video has direct address and these are often a focal point. 

I want to use trendy or branded clothes in future shoots as these target the demographic socio-economic status C1 and above. 

Location has changed quite a bit. Many of my locations were nice, but boring due to not having much action. Also, the performer is often in the way of the location therefore it was hard to see them. 

These are my ideas for locations on the re-shoot. (from google)

I think a graveyard is good as it emphasises a narrative which wasn't very clear before. I also want to use woods because moving through them with the camera allows immersive shots and connotations of a forest can contribute to feelings of loss and sadness. 

I would also like to find a busy location, such as the town or a party, so that I am able to create the idea of being stuck in a crowd and looking for someone. 

Statement of intent

Statement of intent from elleguyan

The contents: 

Media representation will be present in my music video as the main protagonist is a white female, wearing makeup and a standard outfit. This conforms to stereotypes of femininity (McRobbie) and can therefore create the idea that females should appear like this. As it is a sad song, she may have various sad or angry expressions which can conform to the idea of females being weak in patriarchal society (Van Zoonen). Media language will be used in terms of mise-en-scene, particularly lowkey lighting. This is to portray a negative mood and influence the audience into feeling this also - this may appeal to a struggler audience (Young and Rubicam). I also will use camerawork in terms of panning between two different shots; this is to keep the audience interested through the one take. Editing will also create stimulation for the audience as there will be events in the background such as fading, changing of location and key frames to change certain visual effects. Media industries will be present alongside my website to promote the singer. The use of credits at the end would help to highlight any form of synergy or intertextuality in the video if any is used. I would also need to consider media industries and how it relates to product 2, such as use of logos or the band's name so that it matches those present on the website. Media audiences are 16-25 aged and in the category of AB. It may be more relevant to other white females as seeing the protagonist can fulfil personal identity needs (Bulmer and Katz), but overall the narrative arc of the story can be applied to anyone within the age range.


Media representation should be evident on the website, particularly as the singer's in the band are evidently female from the song (cover of original) and therefore this can portray females as successful, acting as a countertype for ideas about partiarchy (Van Zoonen). Media language will be evident in terms of Barthe's semantic code, using a colour scheme that represents the band in a positive way. Also many photos and links to songs on the website make it accessible and focus attention on the band themselves. Media industries will include logos and an easily navigated website to links of other songs by the band or perhaps chances to win a competition as these can make the band quite successful with the audience, promoting other opportunities. Media audiences would likely be young people who use websites much more often than older adults who could find it confusing. It may also be predominantly girls if I decide to use 'feminine' colours such as pink or purple, however I think it would be good to implement aspects that can include other social groups - such as competitions to win tickets for a football match.


I intend to link my products by portraying that there is a female artist in order to match the female singing in the music video. I would also like to have the band name and logo in both products so that there is mutlimedia convergence present. The website should have an embedded video link to the music video, suggesting it is popular and making it accessible for the audience. There could also be a trivia page where the different elements of intertextuality in the video are discussed, and another page where future concert dates are available.

Storyboard