The document provides guidance for stage 2 of a music video production project. It instructs the reader to research potential production techniques from 3 related music videos and collect clips, images, or guides that could help with their own production. The reader is also asked to assess whether they can use the techniques they researched or how they might employ them. The document then analyzes 3 example music videos in terms of their production techniques, styles, and storytelling elements. It concludes by asking the reader to consider the conventions and characteristics of their chosen genre and artist and how they plan to employ these concepts in their own video.

1. Stage 2
Research + Experiments
Abigail Long

2. Production techniques research
• Research potential production techniques you might want to use or
feel would be most appropriate – these can be related to camera,
editing, story, sound, etc
• You should look at a minimum of 3 related products in your research.
• You should collect clips/still images/how to guides/etc that might
help you. When watching scenes from films, etc you could also ask
potential target audience what they think.
• You may need to add extra slides!
• With each technique you should assess whether you can use it or
how you might employ or why you may want to disregard it
completely
• Always think about your investigations links to your intentions and
production!

3. Product 1
• Earth, Wind and Fire- Boogie
wonderland
Video features band on the stage all wearing colorful clothes- along with some
backup dancers to make the video more exciting.
When the singing starts the dancers break away to reveal the singer.
Even as he’s singing, he’s constantly moving along to the beat, dancing alongside
everyone else to make the video more fun.
When song starts up again the camera cuts to the band dancing.
Other people join in for the chorus and the video shows several shots of people
singing and dancing. They look happy, which helps further the vibe the song is going
for.
There aren’t many effects, simple fade-outs between shots, however, one that is
noticeable is a cross dissolve which clearly shows a woman singing enthusiastically
while also showing the band in the background.
The dance style they seem to prefer involves a lot of arm swinging type moving and
swaying motions- nothing too extreme, maybe so the audience feels more inclined
to dance along.
Towards the end of the song the camera pans out so that the audience can see
everyone on the stage clearly.
There’s a sufficient amount of people, around 10 to 20.

4. Product 2
• Take on me- a-ha
Take on me was made by a band from Norway, which means some of their lyrics and
their styles will be different from American or English bands, and I mainly chose this
song for their unique take on the genre.
The video starts off as a black and white hand-drawn panels, which sets up the story
as this video follows a narrative.
The comic tells a story of what looks like a race between one character and another,
which will draw intrigue from the audience.
When it pans up to the real world to show a woman reading what we just saw, it
connects a link between these two things for the future.
When the chorus starts up the plot progresses more as the main female character
realizes that the man in the comic book is alive.
The cross of the two worlds by adding the drawings to real life is almost seamless,
and looks realistic- I’m still not quite sure what effect they used to get this technique
to work.
When the two cross over to the comic world the backgrounds and style becomes
much more interesting- these new styles done in such a good way will shock the
audience.
There’s the occasional cut to the rest of the band, but the focus is mainly on the
singer and the story.

5. Product 3
• OK Go – The Writings on the wall
This music video is all about perspective, things that you think belong
there don’t actually belong there, and it completely messes with the
audiences view on the video.
The camera is constantly moved around by the different members of
the band instead of just focusing on the main singer. It shows that
they’re all equal members of the band.
Though the video is extremely interesting, there are times when the
camera shakes or causes audio to go static. While it might put others
off, this actually tell me an important fact. That this was filmed in one
shot. More audience members will notice this fact, and realise how
much effort they put into the video.

6. Genre and artist breakdown
• Think about the conventions of music video and which of these you
feel are the most appropriate for you video and why
• Think about the genre characteristics for your chosen artist – how do
you plan to employ these?
• Which techniques and styles do you think fans of your chosen genre
prefer? What should you expect to see in that type of music video?
• Use the following slides to show your ideas and explain these using
good illustrative examples – this is where your research and
explorations should start. Remember to consider the aspects we
looked at in class [and the academic things from Goodwin, etc.].

7. Conventions
• I’ll use different camera angles to keep the audience on their feet and
guessing about what will happen next.
• I’ll try using different colour and lighting effects to make the video
look better and give it an interesting and unique style.
• There will be one main singer to define the band and give the video
something specific to follow.
• There will be a background band to make the video seem more
inclusive and not just focusing on one video.
• I’ll add some dancers to add flare and give the video a friendly feel,
there won’t be an overwhelming amount.
• There will be imagery of the singer looking at something/out of a
window to change the setting

8. Genre Characteristics
• For disco and pop, there is a focus on friendships and families so I’ll
add people in the background.
• The disco era had a very distinctive style of stylish and colourful
clothes, so I’ll try t find outfits that match this.
• There’s always a lot of people dancing, which I’ll translate over by
always having either the main singer or the background cast dancing
• There are a lot of bright colours and curvy, wavy backgrounds to
imitate that year, so I’ll try to emulate this style.

9. Chosen approach/justification
• I’m choosing a track with a heavy disco and funk feel from the 80’s,
as that’s my favourite era of music and the one I’m the most
passionate about.
• The filming will be mainly handheld as it’s difficult to film with
equipment is a staircase.

10. Experiments
Camera/Editing/Audio Experiments
This is for you to evidence the filming and editing tests we did.
Be prepared to add extra slides.
You can add more experiments as you do them as the project progresses.

11. Experiment 1 - Process
• I filmed some footage using my phone, which I then emailed to myself for later
use.
• I then searched for a song, something resembling the 80’s without actually
being from it. I found something with a simple eat and downloaded it.
• I put all of my media into premier pro so I could work on editing it.
• I only wanted part of the song, so I listened to it and cut the song off in a good
place so that It seemed natural.
• I then fitted all of my clips around this, duplicating some and deleting others
until I was happy with the layout and order.
• Next, I edited every clip so that it was a different colour and in different styles,
to make it look interesting.
• Finally, I added a cross dissolve to the final clip so that the footage would fade
out when the song did.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK8EV24w0gI

12. Reflection
• What elements of your experiments will you include in your final
product?
• Using the different colours to make the video more interesting
• Possibly duplicating some footage so that it flows more easily,
• Using beat drops/changes to the song to my advantage and using
that to set the scene
• Fitting the clips around the song instead of the other way around

13. Experiment 2 - Process
https://youtu.be/8Z6arKs2m2g
I drew up a storyboard for shots I was interested in taking and using a
booked camera I filmed some of them.
I searched for a disco themed song that was un-copyrighted and I decided to
use a popular song that I’d heard before and is well known.
This time I put all my clips in first and then the song deciding to try It the
other way around this time.
I ended up using the same technique as last time, as it’s much harder
getting the song to work around the clips then it is the opposite.
I used the same color techniques, making them richer as the video got
further in

14. Reflection
• What elements of your experiments will you include in your final
product? What about this process has been notable [positive and
negative]?