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.
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.
