Proposed Star Image And Costume

Which stars have inspired your ideas?:

For me detailing exactly where I draw inspiration from can be difficult. Often there are some examples that really come to mind however my intended star image is built up from years of watching interviews, reading magazines, idolising musicians, watching music videos & films and paying close attention to different cultures. Despite that there are certain people who I will actively reference in the presentation of my stars. Unlike with the music videos for "pop stars" where there tends to be one person who plays the role of the star, my video is of a band and therefore the band will all be stars with equal significance. Therefore whilst planning the portrayal of my stars I have tried to draw influence from famous guitarists, drummers, bass players and front men. Whilst building up each character I have picked out an icon that that actor will have to embody. Obviously I have thrown in other influences to avoid any direct comparisons. Whilst putting together these character profiles I have tried to avoid focusing on genre. Within bands there is a common ground however the different members will naturally have personal idols and influences which is then reflected in the costume, hair, props and movement.

Drummer: 

To decide on how to present the drummer I have made a collage of appropriate drummers. Although these drummers all play in different genres and sub genres they are all valid influences. At first glance it is noticeable that there are a real range of hair styles. Obviously they don't really have clean cut office worker hair cuts, with the exception of Carney and Helders. For Example Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl have shoulder length hair. This is a look I will go for because for decades it has been a haircut of choice for drummers and musicians. John Bonham perfectly illustrates this point. Obviously he was wearing this hairstyle 20 years before Grohl or Hawkins, thus proving that this hairstyle is a staple.

The portrayal of the drummer from a cinematography perspective is hugely important due to the fixed position they adopt. Obviously drummers tend to be more animated than not due to the physicality of the instrument however that energy would be diminished if the camera was perfectly still and mounted on a tripod the whole time. Therefore I will have to add in movement. Unlike with the guitars where the instrument is pretty small, the drumkit is fairly obtrusive therefore I will have to be very spacially aware.

Costume:

For the costume the drummer will be wearing black skinny jeans. These are fairly nondescript but they also have the musician connotations. As well as this he will be wearing a black t shirt with the Miami Marlins logo on it. The t-shirt has a slightly worn out, second hand look which would work well because musicians tend to not be the most wealthy. Therefore wearing really expensive looking clothes would misrepresent my character. Also the Miami Marlins are a baseball team. Therefore by the drummer wearing a t-shirt with their logo it implies American heritage and culture. This is an extremely attractive culture to belong too. Obviously over the last century America has been a cultural hotspot, producing movies, music, artwork, photography and more. Therefore the connotations of the t-shirt are that the drummer and therefore the band are apart of that world. 

Clockwise: Patrick Carney (The Black Keys), Johnny Radlet (Gary Clark Jr), John Bonham (Led Zepplin), Joey Castillo (ex Queens Of The Stone Age), Jon Theodore (Queens Of The Stone Age), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Matt Helders (Arctic Monkeys), Dave Grohl (Nirvanna, Foo Fighters). 
Center: Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters)

Guitarist:

As with the drummer I have made a collage of guitarists who will influence the portrayal of my guitarists. For this section I will first write about the main guitarist and then go onto the second.

Costume Analysis: 

Obviously all of the below guitarists play in slightly different bands that fall into different genres. However when considering what costume my actors should wear it's a good idea to compile a collage and see common themes that run throughout. For example simple un-patterened shirts are a common ground. Three of the guitarists are wearing simple stripped t-shirts.  All of the trousers they are wearing are simple jeans either black or dark navy, with the exception of John Frusciante. 

Clockwise: John Frusciante (ex Red Hot Chili Peppers), Joff Oddie (Wolf Alice), Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters), Dan Aerbach (The Black Keys), Harry Koisser (Peace), Gary Clark Jr (Gary Clark Jr), John Mayer (John Mayer), Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys).

Star Image:

For me the traditional star image I think of when considering a guitarist is Keith Richards. Obviously his fame is a separate entity to that of the Rolling Stones . In a sense his fame has overtaken him and is now a bigger being than himself. For example in the picture on the left Keith is shown without his guitars or his band mates however he carries himself like a star. He manages to create a certain careless, anti-hero air without even saying a word. However in the context of my video that traditional rock star image isn't entirely appropriate. To a certain degree I have to reinvent the star image of several genres, thus merging them and as a by product creating a relevant star image.

As a result I want my guitarist to be wearing a striped long sleeve t-shirt. Obviously in my mood board several of the guitarists are wearing them. These guitarists come from a variety of genres and a variety of levels of fame. Therefore it would appear that a striped t-shirt is fairly universal within the music world. Obviously the above pictures don't clearly show the trousers the guitarists are wearing. However I've decided that dark jeans are what the guitarists should wear. They are understated and as such wont make a specific statement. Traditionally Jazz guitarists dress in a more smart refined way. However to challenge the conventions the guitarist wont be dressed like this. Instead he will reflect the more contemporary styles. For example in some of the shots he will be seen wearing a hoody. Obviously there is a stark difference between a hoody, jeans and a t-shirt to a suit. The movement and comfort of my actors is key therefore to make them wear suits would make the footage look awkward. Also because I am reflecting contemporary influences the hoody in question is a David Choe design. Choe is an American artist of Korean descent. Obviously for a guitarist who was born in London and whose family are Moroccan to be wearing a hoody designed by a American Korean artist adds a depth of culture and cross continental influence. I also want my guitarist to change into a shirt and to change between two items of footware. The two in question are a pair of Nike Roshe's and then a pair of Timberland boots. By presenting himself in two different costumes it will appear as though the video has been shot on different occasions. Also because he will wear two different outfits it will make him seem more relatable to a wider range of society, thus increasing my potential audience.

Second Guitarist:

For the second guitarist I want him to have a slightly smarter/indie look. For this I am going to have him wearing an olive green shirt. He will also be wearing black jeans and some small smart casual boots. Obviously this costume is more similar to the traditional more smart outfit jazz musicians would wear. However I have slightly updated it and added a modern twist. 

Hair:

My second guitarist will be showcasing two different hairstyles. He has long wavy hair therefore I will get him to have it down and up in different shots. That will give a sense of time whilst also portraying him differently and therefore making it more interesting to the audience. Whilst it is down it will have numerous connotations of long haired musicians. Whilst it is tied up in a top knot or bun it will have more contemporary references. At the moment the "man bun" is an alternative hairstyle. By wearing his hair like this it will give him alternative connotations which will be balanced by having his hair down. 

Bass Player:

Costume:

For the bass player I have decided to just reference the above two moodboards. This is because there wouldn't be a stark difference between costume and portrayal of the bass player and the guitarist/drummer. For my video I want my bass player to wear a shirt. Obviously a smart shirt would be inappropriate, therefore he will be wearing a casual shirt. This is more appropriate to the genre, however it will also give the stereotypical jazz artists outfit a more contemporary appearance. As with the other members he will be wearing black jeans and then a pair of Vans. Vans are a very popular shoe and have connotations of the American skate/surf scene. Therefore as with other costume choices they embed a certain level of culture and heritage.

Song Choice Development

Since my last post on the song choice there have been a few changes. Originally the plan was to take a track and work to it. After narrowing down which genres and which artists I would want to work from I decided I would use a local artist. As I play drums for local singer songwriter, Shaun Colwill, it made sense to ask him. Unfortunately due to legal reasons Shaun wasn't able to give me a track to work with. Instead he suggested that we would write a piece. At the moment this is my "Plan A" because this shouldn't take too long to produce and it would also mean I could tailor the song to the video and vice versa. However, should this not come to fruition I have been trying to find a backup track that I will use if plan a fails. For this piece I wanted to find something which mostly consisted of instrumental playing. Due to the location, lighting, actors and other factors that were pre-decided, both by me and by circumstance, I wanted the piece to work with those factors so that If the worst case scenario occurs I can seamlessly transition and adapt my work.

For these above reasons I have settled on the artist Tycho. For a while now I have listened to their work. Tycho is predominantly Scott Hansen, however there are other contributors and live touring members. Hansen is hugely interesting to me because he does what I love. He works on music and photography, amongst other things. Because I consider the whole creative sphere very linked I would imagine that through touring and photographing his surroundings Hansen has been influenced. Therefore I feel like his music has a certain depth that would work well with my video concept of having a part performance part abstract shot video. Obviously this concept would somewhat mirror Hansen's main interests and passions, therefore actually complimenting the piece of music. Tycho also uses a very clear graphical aesthetic, which is something I appreciate and also aim to do. For example I am thinking of having his track Spectre as my plan b. This track works well as it isn't as long as most of his work however it is atmospheric and also includes all of the instruments that I have access too. The album artwork for Spectre is typically minimalist and uses very beautiful muted colours. I could very easily use these colours in my video. So far I have been exploring the effect of monochromatic lighting. In my Editing Test post I explored applying a specific colour way to my footage. With Spectre I would potentially use the colours used on the album artwork as they all compliment the music greatly and also have the intertextuality of referencing the artwork.

This picture on the right is a shot of Tycho performing live. From a live perspective I think they have hit a new high in terms of performance by using projectors and lighting to add an abstract element to the live show. This is why I feel a part abstract part performance video would be hugely appropriate. Before deciding on having Tycho as my backup plan I had referenced them in my Lighting Examples. 

So far I'm feeling pretty confident about this project. Obviously I want my first choice to come through however now having found a more than viable alternative I'm not so worried. I do need to produce a storyboard, pitch and treatment within the next week, by the end of September, therefore I need to secure a track from the first source sooner rather than later however there is a bit of leeway.

Star Image

Star image is the concept of an artist becoming a product, brand or construct. It is the idea that after prolonged public exposure an artist becomes a recognisable brand or icon in their own right regardless of the music. Theorist Richard Dyer describes a star as "an image and not a real person". A star's image becomes instantly recognisable.

Arctic Monkeys: Alex Turner

Early on in the career of the Arctic Monkeys, front man, Alex Turner was established as the star of the band. Although since the beginning Turner's appearance has changed he is as recognisable of a symbol as he was from the beginning. In the screenshot below, taken from the music video for "Teddy Picker", front man Turner can be seen playing a Fender Bronco. At that time his image was focused on a mod look referencing the likes of the Stone Roses and Oasis.

As the bands career has furthered Turners image has developed and evolved. Currently Turner references a more 50's influenced approach to his image. Although it has changed, the rock and roll image established in the early days has remained despite the slight deviation throughout the evolution of the band. Below is a more recent photo from an Arctic Monkeys concert in 2014. Obviously Turner has changed his appearance however as an icon or star he is just as recognisable.

In most of the Arctic Monkeys music videos Turner is seen performing. With the odd exception Turner is playing guitar. Obviously the shape and iconography embedded within the guitars turner plays adds to the star image of him. For example in the top screenshot turner was playing a Fender Bronco. The Fender guitar shape is so iconic and instantly recognisable that because Turner is playing it he inherits the years of heritage that the Fender brand is associated with. In the bottom screenshot Turner is playing a Gibson Les Paul Custom. Again the image of that guitar gifts him the rock and roll heritage and lifestyle associations.

From a cinematography perspective Turner is shown through a range of camera angles and shots throughout his career. In some of the bands videos there will be close up shots of Turner's face to show his facial reactions to the music. Close ups are also effective as they add to the alternate and indie vibe because they make the audience feel slightly closer to the performer. Also from the viewers perspective close ups make the performer or start seem larger than life. This is hugely important as it gives them a god like connotation as when they watch the video the performer, Turner appears bigger than them. Mid and long shots are also used frequently to show Turner in a bubble. It helps create the star image as it makes him appear untouchable. Obviously it takes time to develop skill on a musical instrument. By using long and mid shots it makes it feel like the audience is watching a master at work as they can see his whole body going through the motion of playing guitar.

As the Arctic Monkeys are a band the other members are also portrayed through the conventions of the star image, just not as heavily or frequently as Alex Turner. For example the shots of the band walking together very physically demonstrate the dynamic within the group. Alex walks in front in most shots in the "You & I" video. In some shots there are exceptions where Turner walks along side the rest of the band. The variety of dynamics displays that although Turner is the prominent star in the band they are all stars in their own right.

Within all of the Arctic Monkeys videos there appear to be very conscious choices in costume, hair and props. Obviously because the Arctic Monkeys are a rock band all of these areas of appearance are being used to further reinforce the idea of the infamy of the band. In the early videos, such as "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" the Arctic Monkeys had an ordinary late teen look of t-shirts and polo's. Since then they have slowly evolved and developed a more rock and roll look that draws influence from the history of rock music since the late fifties. In the still, on the left, showing the drummer, Matt Helders, riding a motorbike he is wearing a denim jacket with

ripped sleeves, a classic white t-shirt and a bandanna. Obviously this isn't the standard attire for a 25 year old. This look is more commonly associated with outlaws, musicians and people on the fringe of society. This is very deliberate as it makes Helders appear different to the audience, and because the audience like the bands music they then look at the members as hero like figures. Because of the clothing being different it isolates them and makes them appear like god figures. Generally people are somewhat attracted to people who are anti-hero's. Therefore the bands more recent videos that present the members as rock and roll western outlaws work really well to enforce the star image. During the video the motorbike still is taken from Helders is shown wielding swords and guns. This further enforces the star image as it makes them appear in a dangerous way that none of the audience would be able to relate to. By making the video unrelatable the star is separated from the audience, thus making them a star.


Aside from the musical impact that the Arctic Monkeys have had there are other reasons for the popularity and fame they have garnered. Within fashion and pop culture there has been a renaissance which has seen a wave of public figures trying to reference style icons of the 1960's and 1970's. Very cleverly the Arctic Monkeys have tailored their fashion and appearance to fit into this trend. In terms of the music they have a raw, cutting, gritty English sound. Any creative product is influenced by the weather, food, environment, culture etc that exists in that area. Because the Arctic Monkeys are from England they have a sound that speaks to people. Also they rose to fame whilst in their late teens. This meant that the lyrical content of their songs was and is relevant to the main target market within England. And by having a slightly classic rock infused sound they also appeal to an older demographic of people who grew up in the time when that music was the new sound.



Outside of the UK the Arctic Monkeys are popular in continents such as Europe and North America. This is probably partly because of the way they market themselves as English Rock musicians. It is often the case that outside cultures and influences are attractive to people as they offer an alternative to the culture that is readily available to them. Therefore the Arctic Monkeys have hit a gold mine around the world by playing on their English heritage. For example the photo on the left shows Matt Helders drum kit. Obviously it is decorated in a Union Jack wrap. When touring around the world he promotes this subconscious idea that the band are quintessentially English. Embedded within that imagery is a certain romanticism that the band plays on. Even the manufacturer of the drums Helders plays is English therefore the die hard fans that obsess about everything to do with the band will subconsciously galvanize the view that the Arctic Monkeys represent England and English culture. Also the home support makes them more appealing around the world and at home. By having a very loyal home fan base people who don't listen to them feel as though they are missing out or aren't part of a trend they should. Similarly to my earlier point, people in other countries who actively pursue different culture to that of their peers want to join into the hype and hysteria that builds around them. All of these factors combined give the Arctic Monkeys current appeal.

Editing Test One

Because I have shot some test footage I wanted to produce a quick mockup or how Im currently visualising my final product so that I can see how realistic it is for my final outcome to turn out how I imagine it. The findings beneath are valuable as they will inform me as to what lighting, colour grading and camera setup I use.

Below is a screenshot of four colour grading techniques I have tried. The bottom right is the most neutral out of them all as It was a basic contrast, saturation and colour alteration with a fairly balanced look. The bottom left is after I balanced the footage and then tried to match it with some of the footage of Warpaint in the studio. The Top left was the result of me applying the colour grading before balancing the footage. The top right is the result of unbalanced footage with me applying a red colour correction and then dropping the saturation and upping the exposure.

Overall I have mixed feelings about these experiments. There is something really nice about the raw footage with basic colour grading in the bottom right. However the bottom left frame is very vibrant and quite interesting to the eye. I think the next step is to do the same test with different lighting conditions. Because the walls of the room are yellow the light tends to be warm. The test footage was shot in golden hour at 17:47 therefore the light was also warm meaning the footage isn't at all neutral, therefore when it comes to applying the colour grading the colour wont be built on an even foundation, so to speak. Consequently I think, as stated above, I should setup a tripod and capture a shot earlier in the day with overcast sunlight, a shot with incandescent downlighting, one with incandescent lamps and one with bright floodlight style lights inside and outside with and without diffusors. With the walls being yellow the incandescent light will naturally create a very warm look, which can be balanced out to a certain degree in Final Cut. The more fluorescent light that the flood lights give off might make the footage more neutral which might be better when it comes to the colour grading. Another important factor to take into account is that within my camera is a white balance setting. With that I can manipulate how warm or cold the footage appears. Obviously the most ideal situation would be for me to properly configure the white balance setting and then change the temperature in the editing stage, unless I want that warm saturated look that I achieved in the bottom right frame.

Analysis Of Music Videos

The Strokes: Reptilla

The video for Reptilla focuses on selective cinematography to keep the concept of a performance video interesting.

Mise-en-sène:

The mise-en-scène in this video is very limited because of the extreme close ups throughout.

Cinematography:

Compositionally this video is built up of close ups and extreme close ups of body parts of each member whilst they perform the track "Reptilla". A lot of the shots in this video use the pulled focus effect to shift the attention of the audience. It is often successfully done from elements of the instruments. This is an effect that I will use as it adds interest and energy into the shots. The movement varies throughout the footage. The majority of shots are motionless which adds emphasis to the movement of the band members however there are some acceptions where slight motion is added in to liven up some of the more still shots.

Editing:

The editing in this video follows a rhythmic approach. All of the cuts are to the beat. As the video develops the cuts become more frequent. This culminates at the end where the cuts become extremely fast. Another note worthy editing technique is the way that towards the end of the video a split screen effect is applied. This shows two or at one point four perspectives of the musicians performing. Both the split screen and the cuts add pace and energy into what would otherwise be very dull motionless footage.

As with many music videos this video breaks the rules. Within the indie music genre this video follows the conventions fairly steadily however in general most genres have a certain element of voyeurism, this video doesn't have any typical form of voyeurism. Some could say the very selective framing and slow reveal of each band member creates a slight voyeuristic undertone.

Jeff Buckley: Grace

I love the video for Grace because it follows the formula that I want to use. The video is hugely successful in my opinion because it strikes the fine balance between performance and abstract. With videos that are majority performance there is a negative connotation as the majority of people tend to assume that performance videos aren't interesting.

Mise-en-scene:

The mise-en-scene is hard to distinguish in this video because of the very dim lighting.

Cinematography:

Within the video there is a huge amount of movement. Obviously not every shot is shaking but throughout the video there is a range in level of motion. Some of the shots are relativly steady with a very slow track or pan being used whereas others have more of a handheld feel. Although there is a range in the level of motion throughout the video, there is a general level of energy that the repeated use of motion achieves. The framing within this video is interesting. With many of the shots of Jeff Buckley only select portions of his face are in the frame due to the use of extreme close ups. This makes the performance aspect of the video far more engaging and interesting as it adds mystery because the star of the video is slowly revealed. Obviously the polar opposite would be if there were motionless tripod long shots. Although that could work it would be impossible to achieve the same level of intrigue with that approach. Some of the shots of Jeff are from head on however there are a lot which show his head from a profile perspective. This contributes to his star image as it makes his outline appear like an outline. Many recognisable products and people are recognised by their silhouette. That is the intention behind a shot like this. Obviously this is a technique that I will be using except as my video will be of a band I will use this technique on all of the members.

Editing:

One of the obvious editing techniques that has been applied to this footage is the very strong colour grading. Unless the video was actually filmed on film with a sepia tone a very conscious decision has been made to give the footage an inherently vintage look. Also within the editing is the cutting of the sequence. Each clip is cut to the beat with the shot duration varying. The shots that are held for the longest are the ones of Jeff Buckley, the star of the video. 

Generic Music Video Analysis

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Scar Tissue

This video holds a special place in my heart because the Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of my all time favourite bands and this hands down is one of my favourite tracks, in part because of the music, but also because of what the track means and specifically what the video captures. The track Scar Tissue is off the first album guitarist John Frusciante played on since his exit from the band in 1992. During his time away from the band he got stuck into the world of drugs and alcohol nearly dying from his addictions. That time period was also a rough time for the rest of the band as the music they were producing wasn't as true to them as the music they had previously produced with Frusciante. To me this video physically translates the emotional scar tissue very tangibly through the mise-en-scène, costume, props and location.

In terms of location, being shot in a desert works because the band are all alone in this wasteland on this seemingly endless road. The road symbolises the journey of the band and the path that they are on. It shows that they are now back on track, but with very visible scars, however they are together as one. Close Up shots are used to emphasise the injuries on each member. For example one of the first shots is of Anthony Kiedis's hand covered in bloody bandages. Obviously the connotations of that are that he is hurt or wounded but the bandage would connote healing. This theme runs throughout to emphasise the state of the band.

Foo Fighters: Best Of You

The video for Best Of You has a lot of similarities with my plans for my video so far. The video is a mix of performance and abstract shots that could potentially be tied into a underlying narrative however to most of the audience they just appear to be abstract shots. 

The performance shots use really strong motion to convey the energy within the video. Because the setting has the band members relatively spread out the motion and use of mid to close ups help make the video engaging for the audience. At the start the first shot is of the singer, Dave Grohl, singing into a microphone. This shot is a from a profile view perspective and is extremely close up only showing Grohl's mouth. Obviously the microphone is a really strong icon and is embedded with pop culture connotations spanning decades. That particular microphone looks like the microphones used in the 1950's. Because they have used that particular microphone the connotations are far more historic and deep routed. Interestingly there are mid shots of the band members feet moving. These are used to convey the motion and the physical involvement in the music each member has. Some of the shots of the drummer, Taylor Hawkins, pan up as he plays across the drum kit. These obviously introduce a level of pace and energy that stationary tripod shots wouldn't have. They also have used several different perspectives of each member playing and cut them together very quickly to create a bubble round each player. This effect is really strong because it gives the idea that each member is untouchable because they each have their space.

Editing wise the cuts in this video are extremely rhythmic and fast. They, coupled with the movement, make this a high energy video.

Prop List

Below is a comprehensive list of all of the props each actor will use or be shown to be using in my video. This is the list I will hand to each actor but I will also use this to make sure I know what equipment is being brought on and off set. Some of the items on this list are functional and therefore will be used by the corresponding actor however some will be placed around the set to add to the mise-en-scène.

Youness Elharrak:

Guitars:

• Fender Jaguar
• Fender Stratocaster

Pedals:

• Line 6 DL4
• Ibanez WH-10
• Boss DS2
• Boss CE2
• Boss PS2
• Digitech PD 1002
• Electro Harmonix English Muff'n
• MXR Micro Amp
• MXR Phase 90

Keyboard:

• Novation Impulse 49

Amp:

• Marshall JCM 900
• Marshall 1960A Cab

Miscellaneous: 

• Guitar Leads x2
• Guitar Pics

Microphones:

• Blue Bluebird
• Shure SM 57

Shaun Colwill:

Guitar:

• Fender Telecaster Thinline

Pedals:

• Boss TU 3

Amps: 

• Fender Roc Pro 700
• Fender Acoustasonic

Anthony Trueman:

Bass:

• Fender Jazz Bass

Pedals:

• Electro Harmonix Big Muff W/ Tone Wicker

Ben Moore:

Drums:

• Tama Rockstar Custom 

Cymbals:

• Sabian AAX

Guitars:

• Epiphone Casion Coupe
• Squier Stratocaster x2
• Epiphone SG
• Fender Telecaster

Key:

 -  - Denotes items already on set

Locations

Performance Locations:

Obviously due to my lack of budget and my inability to drive I have to use locations that I can easily access and the band can easily access. Originally I was thinking about using a drama studio at my school, called "The Pit", because it is equipped with a lighting rig. This would allow me to really easily control the lighting in the shots. However at this point I'm not sure it would give the look I wanted. Also logistically it could prove more difficult than using my second choice of space. One of the other problems with using the school drama studio is that I would have to borrow instruments from the school to use as props. Last year I did this and the quality of the instruments is bad which comes across on film. Also the music department weren't compliant and at times proved extremely difficult to work with. Another issue I ran into last year with using The Pit was that from the end of school, 3:20pm, to lockup, 5:45pm, only left me with two hours and twenty five minutes to setup, check lighting continuity, make sure the props were all in the right place, setup the camera, shoot and then pack down. Also with my actors coming from up to 30 miles away my time on set would be so minimal that I would spend so much more time setting up each time. This meant that I ended up doing many more shoot days than were necessary and each time I would run into difficulty with borrowing prop instruments from the music department. All of this considered I decided that this would probably not work as a location.

My second location idea is the studio and rehearsal space that me and my band use. Logistically its much closer to home meaning I can spend a greater amount of time setting up and I can leave the mise-en-scène, props and lighting etc, all setup for days on end. Obviously The Pit is used as a drama studio so I would of had to pack down every time. Obviously the studio has a completely different vibe which dramatically impacts my choice of lighting techniques and camera angles and movement. The studio is far smaller than The Pit. This means I wouldn't be able to do as big movements with a dolly because the floor space is limited and will have cables and instruments on it. In a way that could be a shame however due to the movement and motion I want in my shots that shouldn't be too much of a loss at all. Because the space isn't equipped with a lighting rig I will either have to use natural light, incandescent ceiling lights or bring in my own lights. At this point these are all options. When I practise drums in the studio during golden hour it has the most beautiful light, in part due to the yellow walls and the way the light reacts with that. Also because there is a hedge outside the windows the light that comes through is slightly defused in an interesting way. Because the space is small I will have to make sure it doesn't negatively impact the range of motion and range of shots. However I'm mostly going to be using close ups and mid shots so this shouldn't be an issue.

Abstract Shots:

For the abstract shots that I use in my video I am planning to shoot them in New York. I will be in New York staying in upper Manhattan for the last week of October. Whilst I'm there I will be visiting specific locations and doing other activities however I will be taking my camera with me with me as I walk around the city. New York obviously is famous for being full such a photographic locations so whilst I travel the city I aim to capture street scenes and shots that would sit well with the performance. Besides walking round and collecting unplanned shots I also have specific locations that I want to include because of the imagery, iconography and colours as I feel that they will aid the themes and sentiment that I am trying to convey. Below are some images sourced from the web of locations I have in mind.

Top Left: Obviously a hugely famous icon as well as the flag of one of the most important countries when it comes to the recent music history.
Top Right: The subway is where real people travel. In New York the real New Yorkers, from all walks of life, travel from home to work every day using the subway.
Bottom Left: Times Square is obviously a huge tourist attraction and could work well to inject some more energy into my video.
Bottom Right: Another shot of the subway actually showing the people who ride it.

Song Choice

Originally I hadn't narrowed down to a specific genre, instead I wanted to see what visuals and colours came to mind when listening to a variety of music. Naturally from day to day I listen to a range of music so this led me to coming up with concepts for artists such as A$AP Rocky, Alt-J, Arctic Monkeys, Jamie XX, Radiohead, Shaun Colwill etc. When coming up with the concepts I wanted to not limit myself therefore I naturally came up with some pretty complex and interesting ideas however once I had developed some of these ideas I naturally had to consider the constraints that I have to work with. 

For example, with the Arctic Monkeys I wanted to use the track "Crying Lightning". As a piece of music its a beautiful melancholic sounding song with some very clear visual elements to be taken from the lyrics. One of my ideas for that track was that I could construct lightning by using a camera flash outside of a window and and filming the flashing light on the window frame from inside. I would of also sprayed a hose up into the sky so that the water rained down and ran down the window. The performance aspect of the video would of been styled like the backlit photos I attached to my lighting research. 

For the Alt-J track "Bloodflood" I had a concept which had really strong imagery embedded within a very narrative driven idea however to pull it off I would of had to of had a lot of good convincing actors and access to a lot of locations. Unfortunately I do not know many actors and actresses so therefore I discarded this concept.

Whilst I listened to Jamie xx's latest album "In Colour" there were some really strong visuals that came to mind. Some of them could of worked however a lot of the tracks were double the minimum time limit and I want an engaging video, therefore with limited cast, minimal crew and no budget it would of been a struggle to realistically develop those ideas any further. Because most of the music is instrumental I would of focused on abstract, performance and some minor narrative shots to fill the video. Because Jamie xx is from London and to me a lot of the music evokes images of London from when I lived there I would of had to shoot a lot of it there which would of cost me a lot of money in travel expenses and some of the areas I would of wanted to film would of been dangerous areas to take camera equipment.

I play as the session drummer for Shaun Colwill so I approached him to see if I could use one of his tracks. Unfortunately I couldn't due to legal agreements. After talking through my brief with the band we decided we would record a track. When we get together to record we always improvise and jam which sometimes spawns interesting ideas. One of the key benefits of us recording a track for the video is that it will look like its our music in the video. Music is so directly connected with the clothes the musicians wear, the hairstyles, the instruments and mannerisms that for me to get the band to act as the Arctic Monkeys or Radiohead, well established artists, it would naturally look contrived and would probably give away that this video is being made by an eighteen year old media student. Instead because we will be playing us it should look more natural, and also because the band members aren't actors they wont have to try and adopt other peoples images, instead being themselves which will create a far more comfortable vibe on set and hopefully in the finished product.

Another benefit of us recording the track is that it will allow me to slightly tailor the sound to the concept of the video and the video to the sound. Throughout the first week or so of the project, and prior commencing it, I've had a mental look book of themes, colours, scenes, shot types, movements, colour grading, lighting, etc, etc that I want to include. Therefore being able to slightly shape the track to that is ideal for me as it will hopefully allow me to create a video that supports the track.

Lighting Examples Research

For lighting I'm drawing influence from a variety of areas and aspects of the creative field. 

Example 1: Warpaint, Hammersmith Apollo

This is a photo that I took when I went to a Warpaint concert at the Hammersmith Apollo on the 26th of March 2015. I'm really happy with how the photo turned out, however looking at it now in the context of lighting it has inspired me to further research and develop backlit ideas. Because the majority of the light in this scene is coming from behind the members all appear as silhouettes apart from the bass player, Jenny Lee Lindberg. I love this affect because it adds intrigue as apart from an outline, you are left wandering what the members look like. Also because of the iconography of the instruments the members are playing the backlit approach emphasises these symbols. Obviously most people looking at this wouldn't know that Theresa Wayman, second from left, is playing a Dakota Red Fender Mustang, but the headstock shape is so iconic within the world of music that it immediately identifies this as band orientated music. Within my video I will aim to include shots that show parts of the instruments being played such as the guitar headstock and body, drums, microphones because of the implications embedded within those icons. After considering this it led me to think about other examples of backlighting in a music based context.

Example 2: The 1975

The above shot is taken from a 1975 concert. They use a rectangular shaped logo for the album artwork on their first album and as a lighting element live. Again as with the Warpaint photo it gives an interesting backlit silhouette look. Traditionally because of the way bands pose, dress and are depicted in videos etc they have a "gang" like quality. In an interview the drummer from Wolf Alice noted that thats what drew him towards playing music in the first place. From an audience perspective the backlit technique really aids that mentality because the musicians and their instruments are all the same colour, they stand out as a unit. 

Intertextual References

Warpaint: Yours Truly Session

Yours Truly is a company focused creative people and the creative lifestyle. They tell stories through editorial pieces as well as session videos where they film musicians performing. On the 12th of February 2014 Warpaint uploaded a video of them performing Love Is To Die, of their latest album Warpaint. This video was produced and shot by Yours Truly. Although not strictly an official music video it is a video of musicians performing music. I think its one of the most beautiful examples of a performance video. Because it is a session it is purely performance, which is considered by many as not that engaging or interesting in the context of a music video. However this video defies that, despite not being a music video. The way that it is shot keeps the audiences attention and makes it interesting throughout. Because none of the shots are traditional tripod mounted motionless shots the movement makes the video far more interesting. Also compositionally only select portions of the scene are in frame. For example when the drummer, Stella Mozgawa, is shown a majority of the shots are of her hands and the drums. When her face and head is in shot that is the only part of her in the frame. By being really selective about what is in the frame it makes video far more intriguing. If the whole video was shot with long shots with everything in focus it wouldn't have the same effect. During the video the focus is constantly being shifted and pulled which shifts the attention. For example during the video when the bass player, Jenny Lee Lindberg, is in frame the focus shifts from the body to the headstock of the bass which adds energy and motion into the scene. Below are some stills taken from the video that demonstrate specific techniques that I am going to incorporate into the video. 

Warpaint: Recording Studio 2010

The next area I am drawing influence from is a video of Warpaint recording some tracks in 2010. Although I don't know the intention of the video there are some stunning lighting techniques coupled with beautiful shots that make the video one of my favourite sequences. The lights in the studio are fitted with red bulbs so the whole video, minus a shot of a bus driving by outside, has a monochromatic red colouration. This is really interesting as it is different to normal incandescent room light. Although they potentially chose this lighting option for that effect, it is more likely that it was a coincidence that those were the lights in the studio. However if I was to intentionally use that effect in mine it would make a clear distinction between shots of the band performing and unrelated more abstract shots. During the video there are also some really beautiful shots of the members of the band playing. For example I've attached some screenshots of specific shots below. Although the video follows a more documentary styled approach it has a very natural look. As I stated above I'm not sure the band members knew it would be released, but it certainly has the feel of a fly on the wall documentary. In a sense this is the kind of environment I want to create on set as this will allow my actors to be comfortable and most importantly perform from a very true perspective, thus avoiding my footage feeling contrived.

Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways

Sonic Highways was an eight part documentary miniseries that showed the band putting together their eighth studio album. The main body of each episode consisted of the band recording the instrumental tracks. This was coupled with shots of Dave Grohl interviewing musicians. These interviews would then be used to put together the lyrics. For the final few minuets of each episode the band would perform the finished track. Although not strictly music videos these were 100% performance videos. Because during the episode the studio would be shown in normal day to day conditions the performances emphasised the attention to putting together the set and lighting etc. For my video I'm going to draw influence from the lighting, editing and movement that they use. My video wont be 100% performance so these are perfect examples of how to make performance sequences interesting. 

The top left still is taken from early on in an episode whilst the band were running through the parts. The top right is from the performance of that track in that room at the end of the video. The bottom two are from a different episode and are both from the final performance at the end of the video. The lighting on those shots links with one of my concepts for lighting which can be found here.

Test Footage + Test Shots

One of my potential locations is the studio/rehearsal space where I rehearse with the band I'm in. At our last rehearsal, September 12th, I took some stills and some short sequences to see what the lighting would be like and to start to get an idea of shot types and how I would set the scene. Above is an example of one of the shots I took that evening.

This shot was taken at 17:47 on a relatively sunny and warm day. Because of the warm light and the yellow coloured walls it gives the shot a warmth. This is something I want to incorporate in my music video however by the time I start to film my video it will be past the time of year when the weather and lighting creates this effect. Due to this I may end up using some of the footage I shot on the 12th and for the video I may have to artificially light it with incandescent bulbs to still create that warm feel.

Music Video Analysis: Andrew Goodwin

Arctic Monkeys - Evil Twin

The music video for Evil Twin strongly complies with Andrew Goowdin’s theory. The track is, roughly speaking, a piece of rock music and as such has characteristics that are relatively common throughout the genre. Obviously rock music has an outlaw image. During the video Matt Helders, the drummer, is seen with a bandana over his face whilst aiming a double barrelled shotgun. This looks similar to when criminals try to disguise their identity by covering their faces. During the video there are voyeuristic segments where Helders’s characters partner is shown in minimal clothing. Furthermore there are shots taken under the water of her swimming which have a hugely voyeuristic feel. The music video could be inspired/making intertextual references with a huge number of other texts, however in particular the shots of motorbike riders draw parallels between the video and the film Easy Rider. The film is a cult classic and is now looked back on fondly as it depicts a romanticised notion of the 1970’s. This time was obviously hugely important in rock music culture and as such it is hugely likely that the band are trying to reference this and make the audience consider them like the bands etc from that time period.

Lana Del Rey - Ride

The music video for Ride is not traditional to the pop side of soul influenced music. Musically the track is more Soul (“Blue-eyed soul”)/ Rhythm and Blues however Lana Del Rey herself is more of a pop music figure. Pop music videos tend to heavily feature the artist because they are so associated with their music. In that sense this video could be considered typical of the genre however overall I wouldn't say that it is. It starts with a monologue by Lana Del Rey set to footage of her. She has had a slightly troubled life and in pop music most of the artists are made to look squeaky clean, however the intro is her basically defying that convention. There are parts where the video takes on a sexualised voyeuristic, such as when Del Rey is bent over a railing and the camera pans across her legs. Overall there is a voyeurisitc undertone however it isn't as overtly prominent as with artists such as Miley Cyrus where the sexual element is used to try and sell the product. With the music video for Ride the there is a romantic/sexual undercurrent that occasionally surfaces. It may be being used to sell her albums etc however it seems more likely that that is part of how Lana wants the video to go and that it isn't an exploitative approach to selling the artist. The lyrics have a strong relation to the video throughout. The track is titled Ride and at several points Del Rey is shown riding on the back of a motorbike in the mid-west of America. Again like the Evil Twin video there are visual links to films such as Easy Rider however culturally the links go further. The video is full of shots of Del Rey on stage. These shots have been edited to give a certain semi vintage aesthetic that could link to numerous other texts.

Tyler The Creator - Fucking Young/Death Camp

Tyler The Creator has a history of creating music/visuals/clothing that challenges perceptions of what makes those products. Fucking Young is no exception. To anybody who is familiar with Tyler and who he is/how his mind works the video is typical of him however to anybody else the video may seem extreme. There are parts of the video that seem semi typical of the genre. For example at the start when Tyler is shown with a group of his friends. The track is alternative hip hop. Within hip hop videos where there are lyrics the video will often depict the rapper and his crew/friends etc. This creates a gang like aesthetic. So in that sense the video is fairly standard, however in other areas it strays from the genre characteristics. In classic hip hop tracks such as Still Dre by Dr Dre the rapper is shown with performing amongst a gang in a rough neighbourhood in the city they are from. This is to make them appear tough and hardcore. Tyler however doesn't follow this route and instead sticks with continuing his specific aesthetic. Fucking Young doesn't really use a voyeuristic approach. The lyrics don't necessarily correlate with the meanings and as such its hard to draw a comparison between lyrics and the visuals. It is unlikely that the label specified that Tyler had to be in the video. He likes to control/direct all of his creative output and as such its likely he wanted to play the lead role in the video.