Mise en scene for my music video

1. Mise En Scene for
my Music Video.
BY HARRY WEATHERALL

2. Types of Lighting
 In general there is 3 types of lighting, high key, low key, and natural
lighting. My chosen genre is alternative rock music, following
generic conventions of this genre I will use both natural and low key
lighting. Music videos from this genre usually are shot in darker,
overcast conditions with grey sky's in urban areas, this helps to fit the
gritty nature of the actual music and sometimes dark lyrics of the
song. Filming this video in winter will help me to achieve this effect
for the narrative part of my video, taking advantage of the darker
and greyish natural lighting. The low key lighting will be applied
during my indoor filmed performance piece. Through filming this
indoors I can control the lighting too the exact levels id like in my
video, helping to create a realistic and professional look.

3. Creating something original
 Alternative rock music videos usually all feature similar techniques,
whether that be a black and white filter being used, a fight scene or
some on screen dark comedy; however the videos still always seem
to maintain a unique and original look and feel. By combing
techniques across the genre I hope to also create a unique music
video maintaining a professional feel.

4. Make Up
 No make up will feature during my music video on any of either the
narrative actors or band members. Make up isn’t a common
convention of the genre and I do not feel the need for its use.
Alternative rock music is generically about the average person,
particularly of a working class background, a type of person not
usually associated with make up. I shall follow convention and only
use natural looks.

5. Editing
 Speed of edits- This at times of my chosen song can be slow, but in
general the edits will be very high tempo, especially as the music
intensifies.
 Action points- on the songs various action points I will try and hit the
edits, through the use of jump cuts or various transitions e.g. when
the drums and bass guitar first come together with the electric
guitar.
 Filter- I will use a black and white filter over my footage in order to
create the usual look of an alternative rock music video.

6. Characters
 The characters In my video aren’t specifically refereed too by the
songs lyrics and so have no obvious identification, but the look they
will take will be that of the typical ‘hoodie’ or ‘youth’, people usually
committing anti social behaviour. The band members will be un
related to the narrative characters and during the video their paths
will not cross. During the video the youths will most likely be up to
trouble, again typical of the alternative rock genre, by not
conforming.

7. Props
 Alcohol- Cheap and stereotypical brands can be associated with
anti-social behaviour which will be seen in my video.
 Cigarettes- A lot of younger people from lower socio economic
backgrounds smoke, so that aspect of typicality will be portrayed in
my video.
 Instruments- Most alternative rock videos feature the band actually
performing and so I will use that too, obviously the props for that will
include guitars and amps, drums and bass guitars.

8. Camera Shots
 The type of shots I will use will include:
 POV
 High Angle
 Low Angle
 Panning
 Medium and Close up shots.
 The variety of shot is important to keep the viewer interested, and so
I will not use just one type of shot all the time, and further try new
things throughout the various scene of my music video.

9. Costume
 The kinds of clothing worn by narrative characters will be sort of
average clothing but be mainly based around things such as;
 Hoodies
 Tracksuit bottoms/joggers
 Trainers like Adidas sambas/ Nike Blazers
 Clothing worn in urban areas by the working class.
 This kind of outfit will be typical and working within the genre and help
identify what kind of person the character is to the audience.
 The band members will be wearing;
 Jeans
 Hoodies
 Dark Colours
 Band T-shirts I found the idea of bands wearing other band
t-shirts interesting in a music video by Sum-41, it is not completely
generic yet fits within the alternative rock genre and I shall use it for
something a bit different/original in my video.

10. Location
 The video will require an indoor sort of hall placement with spotlights
for my performance piece, the school has halls and studios with this
equipment in order to create my desired look for my video. For my
narrative I want to film in urban town locations, such as skate parks
or industrial areas in order to again match conventions of the
alternative rock genre. The industrial urban feel idea came to me
from music videos I had seen by Jamie T and the Arctic Monekys.

11. Conclusion
 The ideas of my production keep on coming and developing
everyday, and with that I hope my video becomes the best it can
possibly be. The narrative is meant to give insight into the life of
working class Britain and the struggles which govern many peoples
lives, e.g. alcoholism and other addiction, as well as violence. The
target audience is males and that is definitely who the video shall
be aimed at.