This document provides a checklist of tasks that need to be completed for an advanced music video portfolio by the end of September. It includes detailed requirements for analyzing similar music videos, researching conventions and target audiences, creating storyboards, scheduling shoots, and documenting the creative and production process. Students are encouraged to go above minimum requirements and be inventive to earn top grades. The checklist also provides links to online tools that can help with tasks like brainstorming, presentations, sketching, surveys, and video editing.

1. A2 Media studies
Advanced Portfolio Music Video
Preproduction Checklist
Task
All of these tasks need to be completed and uploaded to your
blog by the end of September. The list is a minimum.
Please go the extra mile and be inventive to get the top
grades!
(tick when
completed)
Analysis of similar media products- at least four music videos analysed in detail,
with links to the YouTube video embedded in your blog. These need to link with
the genre of your track and apply Goodwin’s and Archer’s analysis of music
videos. You may also want to think about representation theories such as gaze
theory, star theory etc.
A lot of ongoing evidence of research into other music videos that link to your
track – these do not need to be as detailed as those above, but do need to be
plentiful and to focus on things like editing, mise-en-scene, camerawork etc.
My advice is to look at as many as you can, even if just a few seconds of the video
are of interest. A good tool to edit YouTube clips is http://www.tubechop.com/
Examine the conventions for music videos, and the generic conventions for the
genre you are working in. Think about how music videos of the genre are
instantly recognisable to represent that genre.
Intertextuality in Music videos – what this is, examples, and what YOUR
influences are and how you might use these influences in YOUR video.
This part will help broaden your research where you can focus on (for example)
film, advertising, fashion, television, games, print media etc.
Detailed description of target audience- this includes age, gender, occupation
(social grouping) and interests in other media- what films, TV shows, other music
do they like (media grouping), you also need to include some audience theory-
Uses and Gratifications, Encoding/Decoding, oppositional/negotiated/preferred
readings.
You may want to produce a mock up for a music magazine which represents the

2. target audience. Or come up with something creative for this.
Questionnaire for audience finding out what videos they like, why they watch
music videos and why they like the ones which they have identified. Reflect on
your findings. You can also tell them about your ideas and get some feedback on
these. Comment on what you found out from your questionnaires and how you
will use this information.
This part is on-going especially during your planning and production process.
Maybe do some audio or video recordings of this.
Filmed focus group of this discussion – comment on what you found from this
and how you will use this info
Research into the music industry:
Who are the main television companies which show videos?
Where can you find music videos?
What are the purpose of music videos (think about the business side of music
videos)?
Research into record labels that are similar to your genre. How are their products
distributed? Through what avenues? Why is social media important for these
companies; how are they using social media?
You may also want to look into streaming sites such as LastFM and Spotify.
Research into Digipaks analysing at least four – focus on all elements of the CD
sleeves:
The fonts used for the artists etc
The layout
The use of images and their positioning
The small legal print information on the back
Do they label personnel and recoding information?
Research into websites for music artists/bands analysing at least four:
How many pages are on the site? How are they linked?
Is there are a shop? Your dates? Music embedded? Videos? Biographies? Links to
other companies that may sponsor the band?
Look at the positioning of the pages, the layout of text and images.

3. You may also want to look at www.wix.com as this is the site that you will
probably use to create your website (or you may find an alternative)
Documentation of equipment which you need
Documentation of props for the mise en scene
List of people involved, especially those who will appear in your video
Shooting schedule
Locations List and Recces. You need to have evidence of this before you go and
shoot – do recces of a variety of possible locations.
Representation of people/groups in your video – how are you representing
groups (think about your audience and representations which will appeal to
them)
Construction of the mise-en-scene in the music video
Storyboards and lyrics to the song (annotated with your ideas).
You may want to do a shooting script too.
An animatic of your storyboard
PRODUCTION BLOG ENTRIES –detailing the creative decisions you make on a day
to day basis about filming, editing, photoshop etc.. Explain how production and
editing is going etc..

4. ONLINE TOOLS
• www.wordle.net - an online tool to produce creative thematic word clouds/brainstorms
• www.bubbl.us - online brainstorm/mindmap creator
• www.prezi.com - interactive presentations
• www.pixton.com - an online comic strip creator
• www.scrapblog.com - online scrapbook tool
• www.mashuparts.com - the ability to combine multimedia to form another product
• www.sketch.odosketch.com - online sketching
• www.mindmeister.com - online mindmap creator
• www.smartdraw.com - create 3d graphs or spider diagrams
• www.spicynodes.org - online organisation tool for websites
• www.gliffy.com - flowchart creator etc
• www.evernote.com - upload photos and make notes on top to preserve ideas
• www.springnote.com - create group notebook online
• www.glogster.com - online poster construction
• www.my-diary.org - free online diary
• www.goanimate.com - create animations for free
• www.polljunkie.com - create online polls/questionnaires
• www.animoto.com - create short 30 second videos out of photos or video clips
• www.voicethread.com - upload docs and allow people to leave comments
• www.authorstream.com - upload and share powerpoints to blogs/websites
• www.slideshare.com - upload and share documents to blogs
• www.mixbook.com - create photo albums and share online
• www.timeglider.com - create online timelines for projects/research
• www.timetoast.com - create online timelines for projects/research
• www.voki.com - convert text to speech – online voice for websites
• www.prezentit.com - online presentations
• www.vcasmo.com - synchronise videos and slideshows side by side
• www.worditout.com - word cloud generator
• www.sketchfu.com - Create a drawing, save and play back as a movie of the drawing being
created. Embed into any webpage• www.a.freshbrain.com - decision making tool
• www.openstreetmap.org - online editable world map useful for location details
• www.tadalist.com - free to-do list creator
• www.video2mp3.net - convert videos from youtube to mp3
• www.wallwisher.com - online comments board
Some more here: http://ashfieldmediastudies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/some-useful-online-
tools.html

5. MARK SCHEME
Research and Planning
Level 4 16–20 marks
• Planning and research evidence will be complete and detailed.
• There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.
• There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
• There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
• Time management is excellent.
• There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.
• There are excellent communication skills.
• There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and planning.
Construction
Level 4 (Video)
The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the
following technical skills:
• shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera,
attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene
• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate
use of shot transitions, captions and other effects
• recording and editing sound with images appropriately.
Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction is
evident.
Level 4 (Print) – this will be for the print ancillary tasks
The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the
following technical skills:
• awareness of conventions of layout and page design
• awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size
• accurate use of language and register

6. • the appropriate use of ICT for the task set
• appropriate integration of illustration and text
• framing a shot, using a variety of shot distances as appropriate
• shooting material appropriate to the task set; selecting mise-en-scène including colour,
figure, lighting, objects and setting
• manipulating photographs as appropriate, including cropping and resizing.
Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction is
evident.
Level 4 (Website)
The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the
following technical skills:
• producing material so that it communicates clearly to the ‘reader’ and is appropriate to
the audience, using the conventions of web publishing to enable the ‘reader’ to navigate the
material appropriately;
• using ICT effectively to appropriately integrate images, written text, sound and video;
• using conventions of image, video and sound production appropriately and effectively
• accurately using language and register, showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts
and text size.
Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction is
evident.
Evaluation
Level 4 16–20 marks
• There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.
• There is excellent understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.
• There is excellent understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the
production.

7. • There is excellent understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.
• There is excellent understanding of the significance of audience feedback.
• There is excellent skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.
• There is excellent ability to communicate.