Planning Music Video

Camera Angles & Movement
Throughout the ﬁlming for my music video I used a large variety of camera angles, shots and movement
to produce a piece of creative and engaging content. Attempting to challenge myself with the shots I try.
Close-Up: A lot of the close-up
shots I took are of the prop and
my female character. Being able
to create an audience focus on
the important prop.
Medium Close-Up: Being able
to establish the surroundings as
well as give the audience a clear
understanding of the situation.
Creating effects with lighting and
costume more deliberately. Worms Eye View: Very low
angle looking straight up at
her as she walks out of the
forest, the rise in her frame
position reﬂects the sudden
powerful nature.
Birds Eye View: The
downwards angle creating
a looking-down imagery;
the audience placed in a
position of power, but still
relating to the female.
Extreme Close-Up: Used in a
transition, keeping the focus
while also presenting the
circular narrative structure.
Over-the-Shoulder: Positioning the
audience with the female lead,
relating to her and being able to
establish a personal interpretation
of what the plant symbolises.
Low Angle: Camera
placement low along with the
plant, keeping it in the centre
of frame and attracting
themes attention to it.
High Angle: Looking down
onto the female subject, her
blending into the forest
location, looking almost
irrelevant amongst the trees.
Point-of-View: For the
very brief opening shots of
the video, I’ve used a
P.O.V shot, although
voyeuristic, it establishes
the location and situation.
Wide Shot: Having to position
myself far back from the sea to
achieve such a wide angle. My
actress walking across the frame
with the beat of the music,
complimenting the lyrics.

Camera Angles & Movement, Theory & Intertextuality
Tracking Shot: Following my female
character out of the house and into the car,
tracking was difficult with stability, but I think
the technique of voyeuristic following makes
the audience feel physically involved with
the surroundings and that character.
Third Screening: Using the technique of
the viewer visually seeing the frame divided
into 3 sections. Throughout my video, I’ve
experimented with character placement,
whether that be centred or off-centred.
Background: Very few of my
shots include the female as a
background, but I tried to be
experimental and creative with
my shot design, in this image
drawing the focus away from
my female character.
Vanishing Point: I shot a scene through the
beach huts in Southwold, the shot creates a
vanishing point with the angle. Using third
screen, character positioned in the left third,
drawing the viewers eyes to the character.
Foregrounding: The majority of my
shots throughout my footage include
my female character being in the
foreground and focus of the shot,
emphasising the idea of her being the
main, centre of attention.
Intertextual Links…
The shot types and camera angles I used have
stemmed from various forms of media which have
inspired me. Referencing ‘Goodwin’s Theory’ once
more with the idea of ‘the notion of looking’ my use of
close-ups and tracking shots do create a voyeuristic
audience, which is the case with film in general, I don’t
sexualise my female character though. The notion of
looking and this voyeuristic camera style references
Joe Wright’s 2007 British Drama ‘Atonement’ with the
young female character Briony Tallis being a figure of
voyeurism, ‘spying’ unintentionally on her sister. This
sense of looking is where the audience are placed
throughout the production.
Linking to Theories…
Some of the shot types and camera angles that I
have included in my music video production link
to ‘Goodwin’s Theory’. The close-up of the
sapling motif; emphasising the significance of the
prop throughout my music video. The close-ups
of the undeveloped tree constantly reinforce it’s
importance and symbolism to the audience.
The overall narrative plot line to my piece is
something I would consider more thoughtful and
ambiguous, the strong underlying plot-line allows
people to interpret it differently. Referencing
‘Barthe’s Codes Theory’ my production is an
‘open text’ where the audience are able to create
their own meaning from the plot, the ambiguity
gives the audience the opportunity to access
different interpretations from the same content.

Props
Throughout my music video, the motif prop of my production is the small, growing sampling of a plant.
The sapling is undeveloped and not yet growing into a tree. Following the narrative of the music video;
she first picks up the small tree in a forrest, swamped by the other fully-grown trees, taking the sapling
with her as she travels.
Complimenting the literal song lyrics of the song: “If you dig up your roots.” The
small, undeveloped sapling remains with her, until she returns to the forrest, the
narrative returning to the beginning The end of the music video is where the
female then plants the tree back into place again. The tree then grows fully; into a
tree, reflecting her own growth. The small prop itself is made from plastic, but from
Travelling around having to ensure the fake sapling doesn't get broken or ruined
a reasonable distance appears realistic, I cut a cardboard roll as a stabilising
method to secure the prop in place. My actress then was able to hold around the
cardboard small cylinder to keep it stable when moving, also allowing the soil to
sit easily around the plastic tree sapling as my actress carries it.
was difficult, trying not to lose it. The cardboard holding the plant up had to be replaced multiple times, due
to the soil resting on it, it often became too weak, the plant falling. However, I’m really happy with how the
shots are turning out. Especially some of the footage where I’ve tried really hard to challenge myself with
creating a different lighting design. Having silhouettes and lens flares all added to the ambience and look of
the video, during post-production I may modify this to be even more obvious, possibly having to colour
grade during the edit.
The only other assigned prop that I used was the train ticket while
filming a short scene in the production. The very brief appearance of
the ticket was to portray the journey that the female character then
embarks on, the use of the prop to establish to the audience her
motives. I thought it was a subtle way in order to confirm, the audience’s
thoughts of her pursuing this journey.

Props Theory & Intertextuality
With reference to of there being close relationship between
lyrics and the visuals from ‘Goodwin’s Theory’, this is evident
throughout my own music video. My music idea linking
explicitly to the lyrics:
“So, if you dig up your roots
Then I'll dig up my roots
We can take them with us
Wherever we go”
The inspiration from my lyrics really dictated the visual
imagery of my music video, the choice of my sapling prop
being symbolic of her ‘roots’ something essential to her, an
insecurity or an ambition, depending on the individual viewers’
interpretation. I wanted to be cure to to create visuals which
complimented the lyrical style of the track.
The symbolic representation of the sapling prop is subjective;
however, whatever the audience perceive it to embody,
researchers ‘Blulmer and Katz’s Theory’ reflects the concept
of content being desirable due to personal identity. This is the
idea that the viewer can find themselves reflected in the text, I
think my production has the ability to be relatable due to the
ambiguity and collective factor that we all have a sense of
insecurity. At some point, I think it’s human nature to be self-
reflective and have a sense of insecureness, which I’ve
characterised by the undeveloped sapling. The sapling
representing hope, as my female character transports the
plant around, preventing it from growing and having this self-
conscious nature about it, this is resolved once re-planted
again, allowing it to grow and develop. Jumping forward
years, the plant has completely grown, both the human and
plant becoming something new and different.
The symbolism of a prop and it’s
importance is something which is
referenced and used in multiple films and
forms of media. Christopher Nolan’s
science-fiction thriller, features the totem
prop, which is an essential part of the plot
and narrative structure of the film.
My own production also relies heavily on the relevance of one
single prop. I think the use of this creates a simple idea, of
which complex and creative ideas can be built around. The
choice to clearly establish the importance and integral-ness of
the prop, through close-ups and prolonged screen time will
reflect to the audience its significance. In my case, the
symbolic interpretations of what the prop means to the
character.
Another intertextual link to my own use
of a prop in the music video
production, is from ‘Beauty and the
Beast’ with the idea of the enchanted
rose flower being a significant object
in the films’ narrative.
The films narrator explaining
“If he could learn to love another, and earn their love in return
by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken.
If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.”
The Rose being a symbol of love and hope for the character,
this links to my own production as my main character has a
close relationship to the plant that she carries, it being a
external representation of a part of herself.

Actresses
The main featured character in my music video production is the young female. She is played by my sister,
Megan, and has no dialogue or miming to the lyrics; instead the audience are placed as voyeurs but witnessing
her carrying this growing sapling throughout her life. The portrayal of the female character is very generic, with
her having no real backstory and there are no characteristics which are emphasised.
The concept of using an older woman at the end, portraying that the young girl has
now grown-up, but still goes back to where she first planted the sapling. I thought it
would be a fitting end to the music video to see how both the plant and the woman
have aged and grown older, yet she still cares about the plant, reflecting how even
though she may have grown out of her previous insecurities or maintained them,
they’re still important and relevant to her life, many years on.
I think that this concept of her being a rather generic character, can lead to the
audience to identify with her. The audience can apply their own personality onto
her; creating a concept which they can relate to. I think this is especially symbolic
with the small sapling of a tree is a metaphor for whatever the audience decide.
The external representation of the characters’ insecurities, ambitions or
personality traits (or whatever the audience can apply to it) in the form of the
small tree; the talents which she doesn’t recognise herself, which everyone else
can obviously see.
This trait is something she doesn’t recognise herself, and can’t identify until; the small tree grows into a tree -
when her character trait or ambition is able to flourish and grow in a suitable environment. Similarly to the small
tree sampling that she carries; which is only able to grow again when re-planted. When the sapling finally grows
into a tree, the female’s ambition, self-worth or whatever the plant is symbolic for, has finally grown and
developed into something more great.
The only other featured character is an older version of the main character, my Nan agreed to play the role. Her
part in the music video being very short, and right at the end. Transitioned by a close-up blink on her eye, then
the shots of her resting her hand against the now fully grown tree, before the credits.

Character Theory & Intertextuality
The female character that I’ve created is rather ambiguous in
her character traits, clothing and personality, this was
something I intentionally created. I felt that creating a
seemingly other ordinary female makes her more relatable.
Referencing ‘Lacan’s Re-Identity Theory’ which is
specifically aimed at researching the importance of audience
engagement in the content. “Audiences relate to texts where
they can identify with representations of aspects of
themselves.” This can be present in lyrics, music or the
musician themselves. In regard to particular social groups,
representation can allow them to be included or excluded.
While developing this character, I was aware the audience
would have to relate to her, interpreting the plant to be part of
her, her own weakness. As I was creating my concept, my
intention was that the sapling represented my female’s
insecurities and is symbolic of her hopes and aspirations,
which can only develop once she’s ‘planted’ them securely,
allowing them to flourish after.
In terms of my available audience, who would be able to
relate to the music video, ‘Neale’s Theory’ of the
construction of different identities in the mass media,
stereotypically their being masculine and feminine. However,
being faced with a modern and progressive audience, I think
that the state of audience can be passive and contemporarily
accepting of different readings of the text. My audience may
be obviously females being able to relate to the female
character in my production, I don’t think this excludes male
viewers; the social values of men being unable to express
emotions, yet I believe they will still have insecurities which
are projected onto my female character, the character’s
gender not relevant in this situation.
The character development of my music video was inspired
by multiple other characters in the media.
One of them is ‘Cassie’ from the TV Drama ‘Skins’. The link
that I formed between my own character and Cassie is the
prominent existence of their insecurities and how this affects
their life. My female character carrying the sapling reflects
her awareness of her insecurity, but also have hopes and
ambitions which challenge their insecurity. The two female
characters in comparison have the relatable aspect of
teenage insecurity, something that I believe everyone can
relate to.
My music video could be compared to represent some of the
generic characteristics of other singer-songwriter indie-folk
music videos:
In Ed Sheeran’s ‘A Team’ music video the young female
character is in a position of weakness and insecurity,
something which is also partially reflected in my own
production. My female character relates to this with her
wariness of the crowds, note a lot of my shots are empty of
any other people, creating this sense of isolation and
loneliness to the female, singling her out from everyone else.
The representation of female
youth can often be
objectifying from the wider
media. I intend to challenge
the sexualisation of the ‘male
gaze’ with my own music video. In Ed’s music video, the girl
having a tragic ending, while mine consists of a suggested
positive final note to the production.

Costume
Left is an image of the costume my actress wore in the music video.
The dark green top helped to blend her in with the scenic
environment, especially in the forest. The colour also having
connotations with nature and therefore the surrounding environment
of the music video. As well as black shoes and leggings, the rather
plain and simplistic outfit seemed a characteristic of lots of other
indie-folk music videos. I chose to replicate it in order for the
character to be relatable, so the audience can establish their own
similarities with the character easily.
The costume of the female in my production remains the same thought my music video.
This made the production somewhat more challenging, with having to ensure on the locations shoots that my
actress wore and had the right outfit present on the days of filming.
The rather basic and plain outfit adds to the generic character archetype; making it easier for the audience to
then relate to aspects of the character, allowing the viewer to project their own interpretations onto the character.
The choice of costume with my older female is a big contrast to the original younger female’s clothes; the choice
to do this was based around the idea that with her age has come personal progression. The contrast reflects
her change, being the same person at the core, but as her outward personality change may have occurred.
My sister, was with me throughout the majority of the holiday and because a few of the scenes are shot when we
were on holiday, it was reasonably easy to pack these clothes for the outfit to be available when we needed it.
The concept of the older woman finding the sapling that she planted,
which is now this fully-grown tree. The progression portrayed with the older
female now in the same spot resembles the change with age, how the now
older woman is different to the younger, but remains to be the same
person. She’s returned to the same spot, where she found and re-planted
the tree, looping the narrative back to the start and completing the story.

Costume Theory & Intertextuality
As ‘Gunther Kress’ Theory’ presents, genre is defined as “a
kind of text that derives its form from the structure of social
occasion, with its characteristic participants and their
purposes.” I think it remained important for me to establish a
character which isn’t out of the ordinary, creating a rather
ambiguous character in terms of what they wear and their
persona through the screen makes it much easier for a
viewer to project aspects of themselves onto the female.
Referencing ‘Mulvey’s Theory of the Male Gaze’ which
discusses the appropriateness of female objectification, the
voyeuristic treatment of a woman’s body. I was very cautious
when developing my music video concept that I was not
going to objectify or dehumanise my female character with
misogynistic sexualisation of her. So ensured that this wasn’t
the case. However, Mulvey discusses the representation of
women through the ‘male gaze’ elaborating that mainstream
film “coded the erotic language of the dominant patriarchal
order” through objectification, and therefore oppression. Still,
a large majority of people in the film and media industry tend
to be male, but as a female portraying another female
character, I hope to have challenged the idea of the ‘male
gaze’. The task being difficult as the concept of film is
voyeuristic, with the audience being in the position of
voyeurs, but I chose to ensure at no point the audience are
placed in a position of control against my female character.
No exploitation or sexualisation of the female body in order to
be progressive in my attitudes.
Another female character I was influenced by in terms of
costume, was from Lucy Rose’s music video; ‘Bikes’
One of the first places I got inspiration for my own characters
costume was from Gabrielle Aplin’s music video: ‘Home.’
Where she’s wearing this very normal
outfit, casual clothes which doesn’t look
like it has been intentionally designed of
chosen to be in the music video. This
casual style seems to be a characteristic
of singer-songwriter music videos,
possibly to reflect the rawness of their
work; with no record label or distinct
management control. The recurring idea
of the outfit not being designed to be
stand-out helped drive my idea in
costume style in my own music video
production.
The female from this music video also
has a casual characterised costume,
relating to what I created in my own
production. The idea of the costume
allowing the character to blend in with
her surrounding environment was an
idea I also used. My characters dark
green top connotes nature; linking to the
idea of the sapling she carries.

Locations
Earlier this year I made my own short film called ‘Nostalgia’ (left is a still from it) I
thought this would be a great location to return to in order to shoot for my music
video. So I went back to that location to shoot a few scenes for the music video,
as well as this, Southwold Pier was the main location for the rest of the filming in
Southwold. Under the Pier; shadows and vanishing points were created. Being
on the Pier also allowed for some scenic wide shots as well as close-ups to allow
a variation in camera angle for my music video. Southwold is a location
My music video was shot in multiple different locations, but the main places were in: Norwich, Southwold,
Orford and Winterton. Using numerous locations allowed me to achieve a wider variety of shots which are all
more varied to allow the music video to constantly be providing engaging and different surroundings.
Southwold:
Orford:
During the summer holidays me and my family stayed in Orford for a week, which
was a great opportunity for me to shoot some scenes while the weather was still
good. Orford provided me with great sunset footage, we had to time our shoot well
to film by the castle, then get to the Quay before the sun completely disappeared.
There was very few people around the town, making filming a lot easier without
interruptions. I was lucky to shoot the Orford footage on a really nice evening; being
able to use the sunset to silhouette my female character a well as create lens flare
in some of the shots. Having to use multiple camera angle to capture multiple
techniques and add variation to the shots. For me, Orford was a good location to
film in as it was convenient at the time, also, the town is quiet, lading to having
minimal disturbances while filming. As well as the fact of it having varied locations
in which I took footage for the music video.
which I regularly travel to with my family; I know my way around the place very well, which came in handy with
navigating the small streets and back-roads to find good locations which aren’t bustling with people, as well as
being time efficient with the shoot. I chose Southwold because I know it well, it is a beautiful town which has lots
of scenic places, the pier was something I wanted to include and it wasn’t too far to travel to.

Locations
Winterton:
We travelled to Winterton on a weekday, so it was less busy, and then walked quite a way along he beach in order
to achieve a wide shot which wasn’t interrupted by other people. After shooting on the beach, we went
Norwich:
The majority of shorter, filler shots were taken in Norwich, as well as the start and end of the music video.
stretch of beach, allowing me to achieve a wide
shot of empty beach with my actress walking
through. Right behind the beach there are some
over to the sand dunes and shot some more footage over in that scenery. The
ability to do tracking shots was incredible challenging due to the very even
terrain in that location. I had to walk backwards, trying to keep the camera
steady and my actress in frame. I chose Winterton as a location due to the long
sand dunes, which worked well to have some shots where the focus isn't on my
female character and instead is on the foreground. Also, the long stretch of
landscape with the town in the distance was a scenic environment.
There were lots of locations in Norwich in which I filmed; Damby Forest is where I filmed the beginning and end of
my music video. I filmed all this footage in one day, making it easier to organise my two actresses to attend the
filming. Having to move location slightly to have a fully grown tree included in the shot was made a lot easier by
just being able to move back slightly to have a similar background to the original shot.
I filmed at the marshes; being able to use reflections on the water, being able to use the
trees to frame my shots as well as being able to achieve a variety of angles.
Another location where I filmed was by a river, it was a convenient
location as it is very close to my house. I think visually it was a great
location; the trees acting as framing and I got some shots with the
light coming through the trees. Also, there are multiple shots of locations around Norwich.
Eaton Park is another location that I filmed in, this was one of the busier locations,
where I had to be aware of other people in shot. I filmed in multiple locations in the park for variation in the video.

Locations Intertextuality & Theory
I was also inspired by the shot types of featured in Tom Odell’s
music video ‘I Know’ although Odell’s video has a darker and
more surreal tone and look to my own production, the location of
the forrest is what helped build my own concept. The footage of
Odell wandering through the dark forest created this enchanted
and mysterious atmosphere, a sense of reality which is idealised, this is what I replicated in my own music video,
however, with my female seemingly unaware of her location and only focused on retrieving and re-planting this sapling.
The woods connoting this uncharted area of our imagination, mysterious but enchanting. With the stories of ‘Little Red
Riding Hood’ and ‘Hansel and Gretel’ being a link to this location type.
With links to ‘Goodwin’s Theory’ of links with visuals and lyrics; a focused section of my conceptualisation was with
the train station and train track sections:
“Let's get a ticket for those tracks” and “we can get lost between the rails”
The imagery of trains and travelling is what inspired my shots for these scenes, the direct and very obvious link to the
lyrics. The train-related locations being a clear link to the song lyrically.
Intertextuality:
Theories:
Another location I filmed at was Winterton, along with the wide
shots of the beach, I also captured this wide shot of the dunes
and the town on the horizon. The location looks desolate and
empty of life with the sparse landscape. Reminding me of the
thriller ‘Essex Boys’ that I studied last year, the secluded
landscape creating a contrast between emptiness of the
barren landscape and the claustrophobia of the woods.
The marshes was another location I liked specifically for the water
reflection, at first making it slightly confusing to split reality from the
reflection. Creating this sense of blurred reality, which is something
that is often relevant to music videos, creating a surreal effect. I
gained the concept of reflections from a scene in ‘Atonement’
where Robbie’s hand is placed against the water.

Lighting
Some of the specific lighting design features I want to create in my production are:
Ambient lighting through the trees in the forest. I’d like to create an enchanted-like fairy-tale effect with lens
flare and flashes of sunlight coming through the branches of the trees.
The lighting in the forest will hopefully by rather golden and light, casting shadows from the trees
themselves to add to the chiaroscuro contrast; the female character getting lost in the background, but
identifiable and clear in the foreground.
In the very early stages of filming, I was taking a few practice shots,
for additional footage, and thought this angle with the sun looked
great. It’s an example of the experimental lighting designs I’m
exploring. Due to my locations mainly being outside in secluded
environments, non-ambient lighting is very hard to achieve. So
instead, I’m using majority ambient lighting, but trying hard to pay
attention to it. As seen in the image (right) I’m using lens flare but
as well as shadows and silhouetted and rim lighting in order to
create variations in lighting.
Lighting design is something I want to challenge myself with throughout this music video; as the majority
will be ambient lighting from the sun, I intend to be creatively ambitious with my concepts and ideas.
While on the beach; my lighting design is mainly going to consist of
key or black-lighting to create a visible image of a defined
character. Having to position my actress with the sun in mind in
order to create these effects. Also, the time of day alters the shot
and how the footage is visually, so the time of day when we shoot is
something I’m going to be careful about. The more empty scenic
locations were the most challenging to shoot on, with no non-
ambient lighting and time limits due to the sunset occurring.

Lighting Intertextuality & Theory
The British coming-of-age film ‘Submarine’ (left) gave me inspiration
for shot in my own music video. The subject silhouetted in the dim
sunset ambient lighting creates a serene and peaceful atmosphere,
with the faded tones of the sky in the background, the subject in the
foreground is where the audience are positioned.
I tried to take advantage of the sunsets during the evening, the ambient
lighting being varied with the use os sunsets because of creating lens
flare. This adds lighting variation to my production, and challenged me
with a limited time-frame to capture all the shots and include the
movement I wanted from this location. Inspired by the very defined sunset
in ‘War Horse’ which creates a reflective atmosphere to the piece.
Intertextuality:
Theories:
Lighting was something I tried to challenge myself with. The environments in which I filmed were mainly lit with
ambient light, consisting of sunlight. The portrayal of some of my scenes involved; key, silhouetted and rim
lighting. These styles all have connotations individually, but as a whole, I aimed to position the audience
alongside the female character, relating with her as the featured subject. As ‘Stuart Hall’s Encoding / Discoing
Model Theory’ explores, my choice in lighting may be interpreted differently between audiences. Although the
content is encoded by myself, the producer director and editor, it is then decoded by the viewer. There may be
differences between the two different readings of the same code, so while conceptualising lighting design, I had
to be cautious that the backlighting and slighted figure of the female created didn’t connote with a villainous
character archetype, and instead the audience all agreed on the idea of her being a relatable character.
The idea of very sharp, defined lighting was inspired by a scene in
Joe Wright’s adaption of Ian McEwan’s novel: ‘Atonement.’ As the
young Briony sneaks into the library, her face split into two. The light
reflecting her innocence, while the shadow symbolising the lies and
heartbreak caused by what she sees. This strict lighting contrast
inspiring a very small section of my own production.

Planning Music Video

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Planning Music Video