1. Overview of planning for music videos – page one Name:
In any piece of music,dynamics is important.The word refers to changes in the loudness of the music.In any song, you can expect there to be a dynamic range– from quiet to loud. If the
song has littledynamic rangee.g. it’s all very loud,or all very quiet, it can be monotonous to listen to. Most songs take you on a dynamic journey.
Your tasks
1. Listen to your song.
2. On the chartbelow, show the peaks and troughs of the dynamic range.
3. Label x axis with the song structure. Use the followingterms as appropriate:introduction,verse 1, 2 etc., pre-chorus (a groups of words that get used justbefore the chorus) chorus,
outro (a few bars of music that play between the end of the lyricsand the end of the song) middleeight (8 bars of instrumental which aresometimes used to build into a bridge)
bridge (a section of the song with different lyricsfromthe verse and chorus) the drop ( where you get a moment of silencebefore the rhythm and instruments come back in).
4. The visualsof your music video together with your editing need to reflect the dynamics of the song. Next to each section of the song, make some notes abouthow you’ll refl ect the
musical dynamicswith your visual dynamics.You might liketo consider howthe followingtechniques can create visual dynamics:paceof editing, useof different shot types, camera
movement, lighting,symbolism(e.g. a slowly setting/ risingsun;a candle, vehicles…) slow-mo, time lapse,cross cutting…
5. Scan the chartbelow and upload itto your blog.Make sureit looks beauti ful!
Dynamics
Quiet
Loud
Bridge
Chorus Chorus x2
Chorus
Bridge
Verse 2
Outro
Introduction
Verse 1
Song Structure
Overview of planning for music videos – page two Name:
Followinga filmic approach,a sequencewill
begin showingour protagonistviewinga series
of photographs. Slowediting to build up
gradually with the beat.
A grey filter used to
symboliseunhappy
times. Quicker editing
and potentialslow
motion.
This is the climax of the video. The editing
is atits most frenetic to marry with the
beat of the music,our protagonist
smashes up several photo frames and
bottles in ager reflecting on the
fragmented relationship hehas moved on
from. Sets fire to photos etc.
An endingwhichismuchcalmerto
marry withthe decreasingpace of the
track. Lightingis lightertosymbolise
the newfoundhope of the
protagonist.
Performance
shots
intertwined
throughout.
2. Over the last sixweeks, we’ve spenta lot oftime planning our musicvideos and studying the features ofmusicvideos.Remember: you’ll beanalysing your musicvideo in theevaluation and intheexam, so youneed toensureyou’ve
includedall thenecessary elements in your video. Fill in thetablebelowto giveanoverviewofhow you’ll fulfil each ofthedifferentareas. NB: I’mnotexpecting touse allthetechniques below, but youdo needto usea rangeofthem.
Topic Key terms / questions How will you include thesefeatures?
Goodwin How will yourvideo demonstrategenre characteristics? Key terms: Sub-genre, hybridity,codes and
convention,generic conventions, subversion, intertextuality, iconography, graphics, modeofaddress,colour,
symbolism, costume,mise-en-scene.
In order to comply with thegenericconventions ofIndie, wewillincludelowbudget andnatural
settings used inmusicvideos likeM83’s ‘Midnight City’. Furthermore, wewillusebeautiful
cinematography throughout withcolourbeing used tohelp portraysymbolism.
How will you showtherelationshipbetween lyrics andyourvisuals? Illustration, amplification, disjuncture We’ll seekto amplify the lyrics with symbolism being prominentthroughout. Furthermore, wewill
illustratelyrics to help comply with Goodwin’s theory ofmusicvideos,and ensureour video
translate ontoour target audience.
How will yourshow therelationship between musicandvisuals? Thinkabouttheworkwe’ve doneon
dynamics.
Cutting thesong with thebeat of themusic
Ensuring theclimaxofthe song is theclimaxofthe video
(How) will you includeclose ups ofthe artist? How willyou develop motifs? We will achieve this by intertwining performanceshots, thus achieving Goodwin’s theoryofbrand
identity, with our conceptualsections to achievethis.
(How) will you makereferenceto thenotionoflooking / voyeurism? E.g. screens within screens. Include someonelooking a phoneand wewill shoot our artist througha mirror.
Which intertextualreferences areyou going tomake? How areyou going to referto another media text? In our conceptualsection,we include a greatlooking housewhichresembles GreatExpectations
and also contain a quota ofshots which resembleJames TW’s ‘Whenyou lovesomeone’.Thesewill
add density to ourvideobut alsoallowtheaudienceto relatewithit.
Narrative How / which narrativetechniques areyou planning touse? Key terms:climax / crescendo, pre-echoofevents
that havenotyettakenplace,useofimages / photos to tellthestory, enigma,use ofcaptions / subtitles /
text, parallelnarrative(cross cutting), linear narrative,ellipsis,repetition, non-linear narrative,dream
sequences,reversal, circularnarrative, multistranded narrative, convergentnarrative, Interweaving narrative,
impressionist narrative,flashback, flashforward, real / compressedtime
We will use photos to tella story as our keyprotagonist reflects on a formerrelationship using
images which willcutinto video. Our narrative is linear andin chronological order whichwill help
our audienceconsume itas itis easier tofollow. Itwill contain flashbacks as our protagonistreflects
upon happiertimes (colour graded witha brightfilter) andunhappiertimes (shownusing a grey
filter).
Levi Strauss (How) will you use binaryoppositions? We show binary opposites in regards to happy/unhappy periods during this couples relationship.
Todorov (How) will you use equilibrium / disequilibrium? During a frenetic periodin which ourprotagonist begins tosmashup photoframes andbottles, this
will showdisequilibrium. Furthermore,a stateofdisequilibrium willbedisplayed by outnumbering
the happierperiod with negativeones.
Representation What macro issueswill be represented in yourmusic video? Consider: gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality,class,
status, physicalability / disability,regional identity,issues / events.
How will you create thoserepresentations? Consider:camerawork: angle,shot type,movement;
composition; mise-en-scene, editing, sound.
If your video features a performance, how willyou construct the artist?
What ideologies areyoutrying to promote/ critiquein your music video.
Our portrayal ofthe artist willbewarm and lovable, in a highlightin tohelp convey this senseof
approachability, relatability andwarmth inorder tohelp create a positive fanbase.
Technical
codes
How will you showoff your technical skills?
Lighting
Three pointlighting, chiaroscuro,softlight, hardlight,rimlight, backlight, low keylighting, high key lighting,fill
light, key light,non-diegeticlight,diegetic light
Camerawork
Cameraangles: low / high angle, eye level,POV shot,cantedangle/ Dutchshot,bird’s eye / overhead shot
Camerashots: extreme closeup, closeup,medium shot, long shot, over the shoulder.
Cameramovement: tracking, panning, tilting, zooming, handheld, Steadicam,craneshots…
Editing
Cross cutting, cross dissolve, cutin,cutaway,fade, jumpcut, non-diegetic insert, matchon action, montage,
parallelediting,shot reverseshot, wipe, 180degreerule, the30-degree rule, domination ofscreen time.
Composition
Avoid the middle, leading lines, usediagonals,depth offield,ruleofthirds,ruleofodds,make theshot
balanced, viewpoint, focus pulling.
Lighting:
We will use a mixtureofdiegetic, naturalistic lighting when shooting on location with carefully
considered threepointlighting andlow key lighting for our shots inside tohelp portray a sense of
isolation and loneliness. For our artist, hewill beshotin high key lighting and warm way.
Camerawork:
A varietyofcamera angles, shots andmovements to aid our portrayalofour narrative,this includes
staticcamerashots during happy moments andhandheld shots during unhappy periods to represent
the unbalanceoftheir relationship. For our performance elements, wewill include a rangeofclose
ups to ensurewecomplywithGoodwin’s theory ofbrand identity.
Editing
In order to sure our editing is exemplary, wewill ‘shootfor theedit’with involves a thorough plan
to ensurewe know wherewecan useaneyeline match, match ofactionetc. As for transitions,
these willbe simplisticandthecuts our protagonistwill dominatescreen time.
Composition
Ensuring we comply withthelaws ofcomposition is something wehave discussed anddecided to
use to ensureour videois top quality.
