This production diary summarizes the filming of a music video to Avicii's "Hey Brother" with friends. Various locations around Manchester like Irlam train station, a town center, and Irlam Locks were used. Different shots were filmed like the actors walking, interacting, and the surroundings. Additional scenes were shot at a cafe and forest. The climax was filmed at an abandoned house where the brother and sister reunite and share memories. Throughout filming, various angles and effects were used and the director provided guidance while roles of camera operator and director switched between takes.

1. This is a production diary by myself about my groups music video to Avicii’s ‘Hey
Brother’ with my two friends, Shauna E Leacy and Sarah Murray.

2. During the beginning shots, we filmed at Irlam train station. As
Ryan was the actor, we had him walk up the stairs of the
station, as if he was just arriving. Then the video cuts to Ryan
waiting for the train, while on his phone. We can see on his
phone, that he is about to play a song, which is where the
song kicks in and the train then soon arrives and he boards.
The next shot is of the sister (Shauna) getting off the tram at a
stop. We then see the tram leave the stop and the sister
walking down the ramp. With Shauna and Ryan acting in these
scenes, myself and Sarah took the lead with Sarah working the
camera and myself directing the shots. We used a variety of
different angles on the shots such as the camera zooming in
on the the brother pressing play on the song.

3. For the town shots, myself, Ryan and Shauna took a trip to
town to film the footage. Sarah couldn’t join us as she had
work. We filmed around town of Shauna and Ryan walking
about in different areas. We had the brother and sister
crossing streets, down alley ways, sat in a church square
and stood still for a period of time in a busy area, which
after being edited, is sped up to give the effect of time
passing by quickly by the surroundings moving fastly
around the actors. As Sarah was unavailable, I took on the
task of being the cameraperson and director. I had help
from Shauna when it was not her scene to film as Shauna
was a part of the group. Again, we used different angles
such as when Ryan’s sat on church steps, we filmed several
angles to keep the video interesting and not boring with
one continuous scene.

4. Myself, Ryan and Sarah took a trip to Irlam Locks to film
Ryan’s scenes. The first scene to appear of the Locks, is
Ryan stood on a ledge throwing stones. Myself and Sarah
decided to share roles of director and
cameraperson, giving each other input of ideas. I filmed
the shots of Ryan at the Locks with Sarah being the
director this turn. I filmed several angles again of Ryan
throwing stones into the Locks such as a side view, then an
over the shoulder view and Ryan playing around with a
stone in his hand. Sarah and I then had an idea from the
rough draft scripts of the brother clapping along to the
beat as it kicks in during the song, so we filmed Ryan
clapping at normal speed, a slower speed and a faster
speed and then we would decide which one we preferred.
I preferred the faster speed as I could then slow it down
during editing.

5. With all of our group an Ryan present, we went to a local
café and filmed with permission. During the brainstorming
process, we had an idea of the video referring back to the
brother and sisters childhood’s as they eventually end up
meeting up at their childhood home. So I drew a sketch of
the house as the sister would of remembered it which is
the one Shauna is sketching in the video. During the scene
in the café, we had an idea for the sister to have a drawing
of the house from when she was a child which is present
in this scene. Sarah took to her role of cameraperson
again and I, the director again. Sarah had an idea to show
the sister drawing from different angles which would also
show the audience the setting she was in, a café. Sarah
then went outside to film a shot of the sister continuing to
draw with café customers sat behind her which doubled
and myself and Ryan. We then went to Media City to film
the sister walking about after being in the café, which was
shot by Sarah and directed by myself.

6. For the forest scenes, myself and Sarah (Shauna was
unavailable) took Ryan to film scenes with. We thought that
since the sister had the two drawings, we would show the
brother having his own ‘thing’. We decided we would the
brother smoking as at the time, Ryan wanted a cigarette and
the smoke had a good effect with the camera. Sarah and I
both filmed a scene of Ryan smoking each as we were both
stood on either sides of him. We then had Ryan walk away
from the camera, with the shot focusing on the cigarette as
he walks away.
Another day, Sarah, Shauna, Ryan and myself walked down
Cadishead moss to film the ending parts of the music video.
The next few shots were of the sister arriving at the house
and walking towards the house. We filmed Shauna walking
towards the house, but during editing, I gave the clip an
effect to make it look like it was ‘jumping’ forward a bit to get
things moving forward and not dragging on.

7. Aforementioned, we went down to Cadishead moss to an
abandoned house/bungalow. As a group, we had an idea
that the sister could arrive in front of the house and show
the drawing from previous in the video. We had an idea to
show the drawing, finished in front of the house, then she
would lower the drawing to reveal the house now so it
gives the viewer the idea that its the same house. For this
shot, I filmed it and Sarah directed Shauna into moving the
picture to match the camera angle.
We then filmed Ryan walking towards the house to meet
Shauna, his ‘sister’. Again, we filmed him walking towards
the house from a distance but during editing, I gave it the
same effect as the sister walking towards the house, a
‘jumping’ effect to get the video moving along. I liked the
brother shot as the background setting was a field, a moss
road and the sun shining down on everything. I thought the
sun shining down gave the video a nice up-lifting effect .

8. The next few shots, we filmed as the previous slide. These
shots were important to film as it showed the brother and
sister finally meeting up at their childhood home. The first
screenshot is of the brother taking a picture out of his pocket,
to which he then gives it to the sister which is revealed to be
the two siblings when they were younger, sitting on a sofa
inside the house. Sarah filmed the two shots as I directed the
shots. Sarah and myself watched the picture swapping shots
back to get the right scene to happen again, but film from a
different angle. This was tricky as we had to keep attempting
to film again and again to get the right height and hand
movements as the first shot. The next shots were of the road
sign. This sign is the sign of the street the house is set on.
Sarah filmed these shots of a wide shot and close up. I think
she did a great job as they came out with great quality and
angles. During editing, I chose to use the two angles as it kept
the pace up for the video rather than showing one shot for a
long time.

9. After switching pictures, the brother and sister continue to
walk around the side of the house. Again, Sarah filmed the
two walking, and again during editing, I gave it the ‘jumping’
effect to keep things moving. I directed these shots, telling
Shauna and Ryan when to stop at the right spot.
The next shot was of inside the house. Sarah filmed a
panoramic shot of inside the house to show the audience
what the house had become since being abandoned. As the
panoramic shot got to the open bay window which the glass
has been smashed out of, I then assisted Sarah in zooming
the camera in to show the brother and sister stood outside
the house. The brother puts his arm around the sister and it
zooms in to them. I directed as well by telling Ryan when to
put his arm around Shauna.
The last shot I filmed by zooming out with the camera
attached to the tripod. This is the last shot of the video and it
shows the two drawings from the sister and the picture of the
two younger siblings brought by the brother, sitting on the
fireplace which has been slightly destroyed. With this shot, it
could’ve been filmed better by myself for if I didn't’t trip up
over the tripod and a door lying on the floor. I edited this clip
to be in slow motion to avoid the shakiness of the shot.

10. Through out the video, there are shots of buildings and surroundings
separating some clips of the brother and sister walking about different
areas. I filmed most of them with Shauna as it was during our trip to
town and because Sarah was unavailable. Sarah filmed the shots of the
Locks and the Media City Lowry. I decided to edit these clips into a
sepia / black and white effect as I thought it was easier to realize what
the shot was off and I thought it made it easier to realize what shots
were of the brother and sister. I also sped up some shots of the scenery
such as the Manchester Wheel so the clouds and the wheel would
travel faster. I also sped up the shot of the Church as it made the clock
and clouds move faster. I think surrounding shots help set the tone of
the video, and make it clearer to the audience of where the brother
and sister are walking about.

11. During filming, I took some pictures on my phone
and we took some pictures on the camera as a group
as well. These pictures are from scenery such as the
abandoned house, the café, Media city (in front of
the new Coronation set), in Irlam forest and at the
top of the Imperial War Museum looking out onto
Media City Lowry.