music video project

2. I used a variety of media technologies in the
research and planning, construction, and
evaluation stages of my project. This year,
there was a need for a huger variety of the
media technologies, due to the fact that I
created a chosen genre music video, which
was more challenging than the year 12 brief.

4. Final Cut Pro:• One media technology we predominately used was Final Cut Pro
which was used for both years. But I used more techniques and
tools this year.
• We used Final Cut Pro to do a practise lip sync video of songs within
our genre. So we first lip synced and done a little dance
choreography to the song by Bruno Mars and it called ‘Uptown
Funk’, as we initially went for an just an Pop song. Then we chose to
lip sync to a song suited to our genre, so we chose Lana Del Rey’s
‘Young and Beautiful’ as it has the similar speed to out chosen song.
For example, like always we edited the relevant clips that we filmed
beforehand in Final Cut, but we had to make sure that speed of the
my mouth lip syncing is in line with the singing in the actual song.
• There would be times where I would be lip syncing a little bit slower
or faster, or I’m not enunciating the words clearly. Depending on
how off key it looks, we would re-film the clips, use other back up
clips or just change the speed using the ‘change speed’ option,
once you right click on the specific clip.
• Lip-syncing a crucial part of the music video and because we were
confident at this stage with final cut, it was fairly easy to do. This is
useful preparation for the actual construction stage and gave me
the skill to micro edit; zoom in into the timelines on the audio file,
to accurately sync.

5. • In final cut this year, I became much more confident in applying effects.
• I used the ‘Desaturate’ image control/ filter to make the close up shots
of the hands to be filtered in black and white, to illustrate this shot as a
symbolic message of intimacy and love, and to show this as a significant
memory of the singer.
• We initially used the ‘Sepia’ video filter for the older clips, but then
chose to delete them because there was too many filters in one music
video, which could work for a more upbeat pop song, with inter textual
references of comic books. We also brightened some clips. This is
because the clips that were viewed onto the ‘canvas’ window/ video
player (so this views the chosen clips that you add yourself) didn’t look
as clear or brighter, as it initially does in the ‘viewer’ window/video
player (all the gathered up clips that you just imported are viewed in
this window).
• We added a video transition in each clip; it was either a ‘fade in/fade out
dissolve’ or a ‘cross dissolve’ as it suits the slow and mellow pace of the
song. In our earlier drafts, we wanted to use the green screen tool or
‘Chroma Keyer’. We initially filmed the lip-syncing shots, and we got rid
of the green backdrop as a few trials. But when we added our own
photos and short clips of the backdrops for the green screen, it didn’t
suit the dark, gothic theme and slow pace in the music video. We also
used the ‘Desaturate’ tool for our lip synch practise video, as it went
with the song (Lana Del Rey – Young and Beautiful).
Applying Effects

6. Green Screen
• Another piece of technology that we used n the
construction was the green screen.
• There was some limitations about our access, the green
screen room was in use by another class for some of the
time. So we borrowed a green screen material and elastic
bands from my art teacher. We wrapped the material
around a smart board.. Then we used the elastic bands to
tie up the edges the material around the board.
• We realised that the green screen shots looked pretty
good when we added the ‘Desaturate’ tool, as it got rid of
the green backdrop. But when we put them in in the
actual music video,
• it did not suit the music video. This is because it looked like
a contemporary performance studio that is expected in
more Soul or Indie/Rock music video. For example, James
Bay – Hold back the River music video is filmed in a huge
performance studio throughout the whole music video.
• As well as that, the black and white are meant to be
illustrating the past, since the hands shot is in the black
and white filter for that reason and that lip sync is meant
to be set in the present tense. Overall, green screening
was much more difficult than we anticipated and I think in
order to master this skill, we need more time and practise.

7. Projector • Luckily, we all agreed with the idea of adding a projection scene
using a projector for the music video instead of the green screen.
The projection is used in few of the Indie/Pop music videos that I
researched on, as well as that
• we had tons of footage in Wapping that was filmed during the
earlier stages of filming, therefore it could be in use for the
projection. The projection scene smoothly fitted in the music
video, as we also included a wide pan shot of the Abney Park in
the music video, which is a different location but had the same
layout as the scenery in Wapping; tall trees everywhere, blue
skies, grass and mud everywhere, both locations had this
park/forest theme to it.
• Initially, for our earlier projection scenes, we used clips from
YouTube, but then we deleted, as it would be better to use our
own footage that actually suited the gothic/natural scenery in the
music video. For the projection, we played the chosen location
clip on repeat, as the clips were quite short.
• But it did look very nice overall because the colour of the sky was
dull yet picturesque, which suited to the genre expectations. We
had access our school Great Hall’s projection, which worked in
our favour, as the backdrop for the projection wall was big and
only painted in white,
• so there were any other disruptive displays that could potentially
ruin the music video. Using a projector was a piece a technology
that we planned to use but worked effectively for our video.

8. Stage Lights
• We initially used stage lights for the fairy lights and for the
earlier practise and actual lip-synching shots.
• The fairy lights were dimly lit and could barely light up the
big drama classroom/ studio. Also the natural lighting in
the green scene was too dark, which then would not flow
with the other brighter shots in the music video.
• We ended up not using the fairy lights shots because the
stage lights did not really help, as the shot was still too
dark, and the black curtains in the black with the fairy
lights were more suited for an more glamorous Indie/Pop
music video, rather than the Indie/Pop music video that
are more simpler and focus more on scenery and subtle
symbolism, which is something that we aim to illustrate.
• This then gave us a another idea to just focus on the
natural lighting on the shots of the natural scenery,
particularly at sunset, as the light from the sun will be
more direct and more abstract looking, as the cameras
lenses will get a flare, which looks very dream-like; which
links with the fairy-tale theme in the digipak yet visually
beautiful too.
• I think that our use of lighting was more effective this year
and we learnt the importance of using lighting to create
mood and atmosphere.

9. Photoshop
• Towards the end of the production, we used the photos
for the Abney Park filming; lip-syncing and particularly
the walking away from the sunset for the ancillary
tasks.
• I developed the ancillary tasks onto Photoshop. I used
the ‘Colour Replacement’ tool to add in and carefully
blend in the purple and subtle teal and emerald filter to
the bright green based natural scenery,
• to create a purple theme to the overall media products.
The font was carefully selected from Dafont, it was
chosen according to which font goes with the overall
artwork in the ancillary tasks.
• We picked a calligraphy based for the artist title,
because it illustrates the artist’s name well and it goes
with the fairy-tale theme to the ancillary tasks. I also
blended and smooth out my face using the ‘Ink
dropper’ and ‘Brush’ too.
• I was fairly advantaged to my peers because I was using
Photoshop prior to this project, however it was an
opportunity to refine my skills and I found it quite
difficult to connect the print editing with the video edit.
Initial draft of
magazine ad
Initial draft of front
cover

10. Cameras
• For the film opening last year, I used a standard camcorder
for all the clips and edited them in the simplest form
because we didn’t have to worry about matching any lip-
synching with the music. The score was needed for the film
opening, and it was repetitive to keep those mysterious and
muted actions to carry on.
• But this year, we used the DSLR Camera, as we wanted a
clearer quality for the scenic shots and the visual is more
important, whilst the narrative and ambiguity is more
important for the film opening.
• The DSLR had a focus tool in the camera, which benefitted
us hugely because we were able to film the focus pull wide
shots in Abney Park, which are our main camera shots in the
music video.
• We made sure that the shot were still and professional, as
tripod was wobbly and not sitting very well in most of our
outer locations, it was better to use inside; the projection
scene and the painting scene.
• I think our camera skills improved significantly this year,
having a camera with a more professional feel as well as
having to manually focus forced us to concentrate on the
quality for our camerawork.
• I think that it is clear that we captured more artistic and
creative footage this year and this is down to having a better
camera as well as the development as media students.
Focus
pull

12. YouTube
YouTube enabled me to upload my own clips relating
the coursework. I also had to watch a lot more music
videos for research purposes. I uploaded my lip
syncs, practise green screen, lyric video and the
drafts and rough footage onto YouTube.

13. SurveyMonkey
• We used SurveyMonkey in the beginning stages of the production and
during the researching because we wanted an insightful view from our
target audience on what they expect in an Indie/Pop music video,
• especially because our target audience watch Indie/Pop music video a lot
more than others in school. In SurveyMonkey, there is a template where
the overall questionnaire would laid out on,
• with additional options on what type of format will be needed for each
question; for voting questions, textbox based questions etc. This is the
same target audience that were then later asked to be recorded for
research purposes on their feedback on the earlier drafts of the music
video.

14. Keeping a record of my work
• Last year, I used Blogger to keep a record
of all my coursework, including the seven
evaluation questions. It had a simpler
form to organise each of your work. This
year I used Wix to put the music video
coursework as well as the four
evaluations.
• This web designing site is a lot more
better for presenting my music video
work, as the creative and visual is need to
be presented in sophisticated form. Wix
presented all my work that was then
uploaded in Slideshare, YouTube,
PowToon and prezi. in a clear way, which
benefitted me.
• Particularly when I uploaded the research
work, allowing me to refer back to
research in any PC/laptop.

15. Online programs and technology were
imperative to the success of our planning
and research stages. We would not have
had such a clear idea of our genre, have
we not had the easy access to existing
video through YouTube. And our planning
wouldn’t have been as efficient had we
not use online resource such as Wix.

16. Mobile phones and Convergence
• The mobile phones were the most useful form of media
technology. We were able to get direct contact from our
peers within the group, particularly when we hired the
actor; we would message him and make an agreement
to what days he will be free to film. The use of
WhatsApp has enable to make a compromise with what
days and time we should film, what costume to wear and
if any last minute cancellations. When my group and I
were looking for a song from an unsigned artist,
• we searched online; particularly on Sound cloud,
Unsigned and YouTube to research for the unsigned
artists. Recently, the majority of media hardware,
software and apps have converged; this benefitted us to
then ask for permission from our selection of unsigned
artists by contacting them through the social media
platforms, Instagram and through emailing them in
Hotmail which is already easy to access through using
the Wi-Fi in our mobile phones.
Based on
everyone’s
agreements
o what
time they
are
available

17. Producing & designing
my evaluations
• I used Prezi and PowToon and
Microsoft PowerPoint in my
research. I usually used Microsoft
Word to write up all my work for
Prezi and PowToon, as well as
create the table for schedule and
risk assessment. This was then
uploaded onto Wix, using the
HTML code.
• I used Slideshare to upload all the
work that was done in
PowerPoint and Word, so
Slideshare will give me the HTML
code, that allows me upload it
onto my Wix.

18. In my evaluation, I used varied type of
formats, which had different technologies. The
reason to use the different technologies so I
can use a range, which is required in the
criteria. Prezi and PowToon allowed me to
incorporate video and texts. Videos that I
uploaded on YouTube allow me to
communicate orally whilst text is a written
form of communication.