The document provides an evaluation of a group's music video project for their A-Levels. It summarizes the changes made from the original synopsis, including removing band performance shots and adapting to restrictions while filming in train stations. It discusses how the group effectively used visuals and editing to portray the lyrics and match the style of the band Iglu & Hartly. The evaluation concludes that the group was able to successfully capture the band's image and intended feel through Nick's natural acting and their improved filming and editing skills, though it suggests some areas could be improved like additional planning for ancillary tasks.

1. Evaluation Back Cover (Album) Inside Right Cover (Album) Inside Left Cover (Album)

2. Introduction : My group and I have completed the interview and commentary side of the evaluation and now I will evaluate all the aspects briefly before coming to a conclusion on this years project. Our main objective (briefed in the synopsis), was to give the slightly innocent impression of a boy in the country side being blown away after an invitation to the city of London. Front Cover (Album)

3. Changes We made some significant changes to the original synopsis. The band/performance shots we pondered and gave a go on more than one occasion, however they did not compliment or add anything extra. The beginning of the video set the standard for the rest and this was a tall order to say the least. Throughout the production days (illustrated in the attempted ‘Animatic’ and displayed throughout the blog), we had to compensate for many laws and restrictions we came across. The most significant of which was the train stations where we planned on shooting some very good shots that included the connotation of being in the busy rush hour. We started to film and instantly were approached by officers who told us that even though it was for our A-Levels, we could not use the tripod and must control the camera by hand. This was an original problem that we tackled and now became even more challenging. The feel we wanted from the shot really worked by not using the tripod and we later thanked the officers. Later that same production day we encountered the same problem between Embankment and Westminster train stations, but via some quick preparation of shots and working as a team we completed the shoot successfully. Apart from the extraction of the band shots and the legal issues we faced I believe we were able to use similar conventions of previous music videos we studied such as Chemical Brothers and Jason Mraz.

4. Playing with Lyrics and Visuals This song in particular opened up a great opportunity to play with the lyrics and visuals in the sense that they are sung slow enough to get an accurate representation without confusing the audience. ‘And I found that round here, that I won’t disappear, in this city’. Throughout our video we used the word within the chorus ‘disappear’ very effectively and used a series of in/out fades . The first section of the video was very good and to inject more pace as the lyrics and beat sped up we incorporated a series of very quick and effective still establishing shots of the country side, which then introduced our first intertextual reference to the chemical brothers, as Nick left the rural village of Eton Wick to tackle the big and intimidating feel that London gives off to many. Throughout the vast majority of the video we used quick cuts to the time of the music and this worked well with our main theme. In conjunction with the melody and continuous beat, synergy was used throughout once again by using a very quirky but easy to relate to collection of three cuts. Nick was used in many of the still frames when walking and using the software given to us, Final Cut Express, we managed to do this very easily with precision and exact timing. Furthermore with disappear having three syllables this made our lives a lot easier. Originally we were against using the in/out fades but after some trial and error periods we finally decided that it worked and added a great deal to the video. Finally the visuals that show Nick (Sam), rotating 360 degrees on the spot are a shot that really portrays the feel good factor we were after in this video. Effects such as the fades and perhaps more beneficially the ‘Flop’, we found useful and actually prevented another long winded trip to London. To keep the continuity and on one or two occasions preventing us from breaking the 180 degrees rule, which may not be spotted by many but one thing we ensured on keeping consistent.

5. Continuity with Iglu & Hartly’s image!!! This was the hardest objective to achieve and in turn one that we thought we could achieve with the band shots. Having failed to do this we relied on our shooting skills, that we have improved greatly as of from last year, Nick’s very natural acting and the finally our editing. The image they give off makes it easy to determine their specific target audience, YAKS who live very care free lives, similarly to many students to a certain extent. Certain demographics and personal representations within our growing genre were used throughout such as the ability to go to a neighbouring city, unvisited, and be totally transfixed by its beauty and overwhelming ora, and talking of London that is exactly what happens especially during darker hours. I personally felt that there was a slightly patriotic feeling that came with the song and therefore Buckingham Palace had to be incorporated within our video. The still shot of the British Flag fluttering in the stiff breeze, accompanied by the sudden introduction of a solo electric guitar grabs the viewer further, another unique aspect to our video.

6. Roland’s theory of The Snare I have previously mentioned the theory that Roland Barthes invented and furthermore the Hermeneutic and proairetic narrative codes. Within the codes there are sub sections and one that we used within our music video, perhaps challenging the norm of music videos today. A method used by many well known directors today named as the ‘Snare’, which essentially is leaving the audience in suspense and eager to find out a conclusion. Relating back to our story within the video, Sam played by Nick receives a letter inviting him to the city, and for the most part normally if the names are in the title you would expect the two characters to meet within 15 seconds. However the technique is open to interpretation and my group and I exploited this well. The letter of invitation will lead the audience to make guesses about the video, will they meet or not etc, and creates opportunity to cram in as much good footage as possible before the connection is made. We left it until the very last shot, where quite romantically some would argue Nick and the Girl, played by an extremely brave member of the public, come together between Big Ben in the background on London Bridge, with the build down further emphasised by a slow motion zoom out of Nick on the bridge, turning to a medium close up of him checking his watch, grabbing the reader to anticipate the coming together. We thank Roland for his theory and opening a great opportunity to use one of them within our own work.

7. The Technology Before we set off to begin our A2 project we were given access to a HD camera. At first this doesn’t sound that inspiring however comparing this years work to AS, where we used a regular camera without auto focus or any kind of night vision, it has been the difference between grades even. Putting the camera aside the software that was available on the Mac books provided were invaluable to our success in the end. Final Cut Express could not have been easier to use and from our preliminary task last year we have shown how far we come. Adobe Photoshop and Live Type helped further, and with these we were able to put the much needed ‘Kerrang’ logo on the visuals. The ancillary tasks proved to be quite a challenge and again we stirred away from the norm in the sense that used a solid block colour (purple), throughout as a background adding some continuity. As seen on the second slide of this presentation the front cover promotes Nick the main character and he is centralised with the album cover name, very simple, quirky and effective. I am sure on the shelves of any store similar to HMV etc it would stand out and be related to very easily. Blogger itself is a quick and easy way to post our progress and I am sure that this last post will do it justice. Amongst the confusion of USB cables and capturing the footage, which was the only long process, the technology aspect of our project went very smoothly and I was very pleased with how the project went.

8. The second of the ancillary tasks was to create a poster that promoted our artist and the band Iglu & Hartly, more specifically the album ‘& Then Boom’. The promotion stage is perhaps the most important and grabs the audience from the start. The commentary on the target Audience that a fellow colleague and I researched enabled the poster to take the form of the album covers, keeping the continuity further. A screen grab of the houses of Parliament, with an added fade again is another aspect the audience can relate to. The prominent line ‘You’ve Nothing To Fear In This City’ in displayed artistically down the centre of the page. Overall the image portrayed by the poster is very outgoing and care free, and image consistent with the entire project.

9. Suggested Improvements Mercury Records were the record label company and to keep them happy appears to be simple. They distributed similar Iglu & Hartly videos such as ‘Whatever We Like’ and the original ‘In This City’. They appear flexible and our ideas would be welcomed. If I could I would send a converted Quick Time file to them for feedback, however the feedback I received from my subject teacher was more than enough. The feedback we listened to carefully and went away, rectified any mishaps and then went on to produce an overall better product. I originally thought our music video would produce many aspects in which to discuss but fortunately there are only a few. Regarding the ancillary tasks and in particular the album covers, which in hind sight could have been designed and storyboarded before hand even more rather than just going straight in and going for a trial and error technique. The moment in the video that injects pace, including the moment when more instruments become apparent in the piece, I would much rather have had band/performance shots to inject further pace into the video and variation. Despite this the quality of the music video may have been compromised due to lack of natural and experienced actors, reduced time because it takes a weeks planning just to get the facility and the instruments, wasting time in effect when we could be re-shooting other sections of the music video. I feel that this years project went a great deal smoother and in turn we produced a product to be proud of. Nick should be highly commended for his acting because it is close to any high drama student, odd seeing as he doesn’t study it. Marcus and myself committed to lots of editing sessions and we were all very driven to get this years work done. Overall the music video has portrayed the image we were after and its personal representation linked to genre really has come through the medium of shots, lyrics and visuals.