Evaluation of my Music Video Production

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Scenario
This is the scenario we were given at the start of the task. We would then go on to complete 7
different tasks based around our scenario and eventually put them all together on our blog.
You are to commence the pre-production, production and post-production phases of your
music video. You will prepare all relevant pre-production materials and you will use pre-
production documentation to produce your music video footage. Prior to filming you must
ensure that you thoroughly understand your job role and the responsibilities that accompany
your role. To ensure the smooth running of the production process, it is essential that you do
not encroach on the job roles of others in your team. For this assignment you will need to
provide evidence of how you manage and deal with production (and any problems that may
arise) in the form of an evaluation. For this assignment you must produce individual edits of
your music video. This will help you to provide evidence of knowledge and application of
video post-production techniques.
We chose to do our music video for the song 'SAIL' by AWOLNATION. We thought this
was a good song to do a music video to as it has very meaningful lyrics and would be easy to
express through a video. After creating the storyboard and script we realised that maybe we
didn't have enough time or the skills to do everything we wanted, so we had to alter our ideas
slightly to make them realistic. We felt we had enough people within the group to achieve our
aims and were positive our idea would work.
TASK 1
Task 1 was split into 2 different sections. Firstly we had to 'produce a comprehensive word-
processed or voice recorded analysis of three music videos. Our examples had to be 3
different type of music video. They were performance, concept and narrative. I chose a music
video by Stormzy for performance, Nico and Vinz for narrative and Tenacious D for concept.
I think these 3 music videos show these types of music video well and clearly demonstrated
how different each type is. These music videos did help me gather ideas for our own music
video, which I put forward to the group.
Here is an example of the analysis I did. This is part of my work for concept based music
video which was KICKAPOO by TENACIOUS D. The analysis was broken down into 7
sections. These sections were:
Target Audience & Needs
Lyrics (Meaning Implied)
Tempo
Genre
Camera Technique
Editing
Use of Digital Effects.

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This picture shows just a couple of the sections we had to analyse and the amount of analysis
we had to do. We also had to include screenshots from the music video as examples to back
up our analysis. Not only did we have to analyse the on screen actions, we also had to listen
carefully to the lyrics and analyse the meanings of them. This was easier for the narrative and
concept songs as the lyrics tell the story, however the performance based music video was a
bit more difficult. Using subject specific terminology, we had to comment on how styles,
techniques and conventions have been used to appeal to a target audience. Analysing the
music videos helped explain what purpose or purposes our music videos served the artist and
the audience.
Analysing these music videos did help me with my own ideas, on what to include within the
video. It also gave me ideas for types of editing to use and what would suit the genre of
music video we choose to do. As we analysed 3 different type of music video, this kept my
mind open on ideas for our own video.
TASK 2
Task 2 focused on brainstorming ideas for our own music video. We did this in the form of
hand drawn sketches and an online digitally produced mind map. We also made a slideshow
of different images which represent different genres of videos and talked about the
conventions you would expect to see within that style of music video. Here is an image of the
mind map I created for my music video. I researched many different genres and sub genres
for my music video idea. I came up with the ideas under the sub headers Lyrical Meaning,
Camera Work and Cinematography, Editing and Digital Effects and Settings/Visual
Style/Lighting and Props. These helped me think and create my music video idea and present

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my ideas to the group.
We all created separate
mind maps but then
came together and
showed each other. I
created this using the
software ‘MindGenius
Education’.
This screenshot is taken from a slide show which I created to show different conventions of
different music genres. I
created numerous slides for
different music genres, such as
rock, pop and Grime. I got
images of typical things you
would expect to see in these
types of music video.
TASK 3
For task 3 we had to produce a report and budget that outlines the specific requirements for
our music video, with supporting research and staff and equipment costs. For this we had to
describe what job roles will need staffing; for example director, camera man and sound
recording etc. I also defined the responsibilities for each job role. This helped me decide
which job role would suit who better and helped me choose which I would be best at. I had to
consider health and safety aspects when looking at the different roles. As well as researching

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different job roles, we also had to create a budget list for a music video shoot. Within our list
we had to include equipment to film on, different light and sound equipment and also a
computer to edit the video on. The overall cost came to around £3700 from our £4000 budget.
Obviously it wouldn't cost this much to make our own music video, but thus was just an
example of what it can cost. Here is what each slide looked like for all the individual pieces
of equipment.
The equipment I included in my advert were the top equipment that proffesionals will use,
not the equipment we would be using. We could hire a camera and tripod from camera,
along with cases/bags for each and then also use the software on college computers to edit
our videos.
TASK 4
For task 4 we had to produce content, specific for pre – production planning for my chosen
music video idea. This had to include script, storyboard, location recces, production
schedules, production call sheets and risk assessments. We then had to upload each of
these documents to our individual blogs.
This task was helped by the previous task, in which we
learnt about job roles. We were able to allocate each
member of our team a job role, so that we all had
roughly the same amount of work to do. We would go
off and do our own part of the task and then save
them to a shared document in which we could all access. This means we could all be doing a

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part at the same time, which helped speed up the process. Within this we had all our final
copies of each task, from there on all we had to do was upload them to blogger.
I was allocated the location recces task, where I had to scout the locations we wanted to
film in and check they were suitable to film in. This included checking the safety aspects of
the locations, the accessibility, the amount of light etc. We had to make sure we could get
to our locations easily enough within our college breaks and that there would be enough
light to filmin. We also had to check the areas were safe to be filming in and we wouldn’t
be disrupting anybody.
This is what my location recces
looked like. I had taken pictures or
gathered images from the internet
of our location and analysed the
safety and other required
knowledge for each location. In total we had 6 different locations that were looked at and
deemed suitable to filmin.
After I had finished my location
recces I uploaded it to my
personal blogger and checked
everybody had finished their
task before uploading them
too. This helped our pre-
production as we were now
confident with where we
filming, what we were filming
and knowing we could film with
safety.

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TASK 5
For task 5 we had to use the pre-production documents to film our music video and record
any relevant sounds we needed. We had to make sure we filmed additional footage in case
we didn’t have enough to fit the song, or for any outtakes. We had to document the
production phase of making our music video through print screened music video shots and
photographs taken during the production shoots. We then had to look at the photographs
we had taken and add any information about what was happening during this photograph.
For example, here is one of the photographs I used for my photo diary. The text next to the
photo describes that this was Shakeel looking at our storyboard and informing the team on
what we needed to filmnext and where we had to do it. Obviously this is helpful for us as
we then knew what had to be done. The photo diary helps show anybody who wasn’t there
how we worked as a team and that we also enjoyed producing our music video.
TASK 6
For task 6 we had to produce our final edit of our music video. We each had to create our
own individual versions of our music video. For this is used the storyboard and script so I
knew which order each scene came in, which helped speed up the process of creating the
video. Once I had chosen the footage I wanted to use, I launched the Adobe After Effects
software and started importing the clips over to it. From here I cut down the videos to the
required length I needed them and added any effects to them. For my video, I wanted to
make the screen dark as the music video is quite dark and depressing. I used the effects
from After Effects to do this, using black and white and toning. If you look at the two
screenshots you can see the difference this made to my footage, once the effects had been

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added. Once I was happy with the effects I added I rendered all my footage to the correct
settings, and then imported them all to Adobe Premier. Using Premier, I cut down the clips
and edited them together. This means I could choose where I wanted the clips to go, how
long they would be there and the editing pace I
would make it. I found the editing of the videos quite easy as it is something I enjoy doing
and I felt this is the best piece of work I made. We had to make slight changes from the
original idea as we weren’t able to get all the shots we needed. We didn’t quite have
enough footage to reach the whole of the song, so I added some title credits at the end to
make up for the extra time. This worked well and looked quite professional.
There were many strengths and a few weaknesses throughout our time of filming. I felt I
edited my music video to the best of my ability, but having more footage would have
definitely helped, as I could have chosen from a wider range of clips.
One thing I thought was good about the task is that we all worked well together as a team.
We all were allocated a specific role to do, in which we all did to a high standard and on
schedule. We helped each other out when anyone needed advice and we had our music

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video created on time. We had lots of fun whilst creating our music video which is good as it
made sure we didn’t get bored. Another strength I thought was the editing I placed onto my
video. The black and white effect made it suit the lyrical meaning of the song, as it showed it
was a dark subject. The timing of the editing also fit in time with the song, as the majority of
the cut scenes were on the beat of the song. A weakness of the music video would probably
be the quality of some of the shots. We didn’t take numerous takes of each scene to give us
an option of which to choose; we only had 1 version of some scenes, meaning we had to use
them. Some of the scenes weren’t quite long enough, meaning I had to re-use a couple of
them.
CONCLUSION
Overall I think my music video production went well. I thought I completed all the tasks to
the best of my ability and have learnt a lot through the task. I learnt how to use different
editing techniques within After Effects and Premier. I also learnt about different purposes of
advertising artists and how they become famous. I enjoyed doing the whole production as
the team worked well together and had a good time whilst making sure the tasks were
complete. To make it better next time, I would make sure we had all the necessary clips
needed and had enough footage to reach the end of the song and spares so I could choose
which I preferred.