The document provides guidance for planning the visual elements of a music video through pre-production techniques like concept boards, storyboarding, and creating a shot list. It recommends exploring ideas and the "look and feel" of the video through concept boards. A storyboard should bring the concept to life by showing the sequencing of shots. Finally, a shot list is a working document for filming that lists each shot in sequence with details like framing, actions, and required props. The document uses an example music video concept to demonstrate how to apply these pre-production techniques.

1. Stage 4
Music Video
Planning and
pre-production
Ewan Wild

2. Visual Planning

3. Pre-Production: Visual Planning
• This section is concerned with the visual planning of your music video
• You should use this section to develop the sequencing or your video,
establish the relationship between the visuals and the track itself and
create a structure for you to follow when filming
• It is important that you ‘pre-visualise’ the video before you make it; it
will make filming and production a more streamlined process
• The following tasks are part of your visual planning
• Pre-visualisation and concept boards
• Storyboarding
• Shot list

4. Pre-visualisation/Concept Boards
• Tool for exploring the direction and visuals
• Provides inspiration and information for the “look & feel”
• Presents key moments in your video
• A means to sketch/plan ideas
• Information on colour/lighting
• Defining the “mise-en-scene”
• Include as much here as you like, but keep it relevant to the
production, the following slides have been left blank for you to
approach in your own way, add more as you need to
• Extension suggestion: edit a short sequence of clips that have
inspired or influenced your video [similar to this:
http://io9.com/5941145/this-directors-video-pitch-for-hunger-
games-might-be-better-than-the-real-movie]

5. Concept Board
I want mise-en-scene to play a big part in my music
video. The surrounding areas won’t just be the
background, it will have meaning. For example, a
doorframe could show that a character is closed off
from the outside world, a teddy bear in the
background could show how the character is in
touch with their childhood.
This shot on a bench will be done with a
nice view in the background. This isn’t just
done to create a nice shot, although that
is a bonus, but it can show the emptiness
that this character feels. A large, open
area will be very good to show this.

6. I will want a close up shot resembling this,
with a bright reflection of the sunset. There
won’t be any mise-en-scene in this shot,
however I think it would look very nice and
be a good addition to the video.
The first shot is very important. It will
start with the character sitting next to
the bed. It will have a clock next to it
showing the time, this all shows that
something is wrong because they are not
sleeping in bed at what would be late at
night.

7. Structural breakdown of lyrics
Who gives a fuck about my nightmares?
'Cause I can barely focus when I'm like this
And lately, forty winks would be just priceless
I wrestle with myself and with my vices
But no one gives a fuck about my nightmares
But it's nothing you should worry yourself about
(oh oh, oh oh)
It's nothing you should worry yourself about (oh
oh, oh ohhh)
It's all a bit of fun until somebody gets hurt
I'll take it with a pinch of salt, another lesson
learned
But I don't need to know what's real or not no
more
I don't need to know what's real or not no more
Who gives a fuck about my nightmares?
No use in moaning when they're right there
Face down on my pillow 'cause tonight there's no
surprises
You go ahead and get some sleep I'll take the night
shift
No one gives a fuck about my nightmares
The first verse has the character next to
the bed, looking gormless and not with it.
Plays a singular not on the keyboard over
and over again. But in time with the music
Walks out the door, stops for a second in
the doorway, looks around then
continues.
Another night, moving around in bed
unable to get to sleep

8. But it's nothing you should worry yourself about (oh oh,
oh oh)
It's nothing you should worry yourself about (oh oh, oh
ohhh)
It's all a bit of fun until somebody gets hurt
I'll take it with a pinch of salt, another bridge is burned
But I don't need to know what's real or not no more
I don't need to know what's real or not no more
Yeah
And now my best friends belling me like
(Hi) Hello (Hi) Hello (Hi)
What's your movements tonight?
Are you feeling alright, should we try and get a little bit
(Hi) Hello (Hello) Lemons (Hi)
I've never been so tired and lately I don't feel quite right
But It's nothing you should worry yourself about (oh oh,
oh oh)
It's nothing you should worry yourself about (oh oh, oh
ohhh)
It's all a bit of fun until somebody gets hurt
I'll take it with a pinch of salt, another lesson learned
But I don't need to know what's real or not no more
I don't need to know what's real or not no more
Everybody on the late-night shift
Everybody on a drinking crisis
Ain't nobody wanna feel like this
Everybody on the late-night shift
Everybody on the brink of crisis
No one gives a fuck about my nightmares
But it's nothing you should worry yourself about
Pre-Chorus and Chorus repeated
This part will be mimed over the phone
as if it was a real conversation with
someone. It will be done in darkness
(added in post)
Character staggering in darkness
until on the last line falls down onto
the floor.
After the song is over, character wakes
up, all the blood will have disappeared

9. Structural breakdown – 1/3
Section [e.g. verse,
chorus, bridge, etc]
Approx
duration
What happens, visual elements, shots Notes of technical aspects/requirements
Opening 22
seconds
Opens with character staring gormlessly
sitting next to bed. Pans from clock
which shows it early in the morning to a
close up of her face.
As the shot pans, it goes slowly
downwards to meet the gaze. It
should be in one smooth motion
diagonally.
Verse 1 30
seconds
Sits down on keyboard and plays a
couple of notes. One drop of blood falls
onto a key, pans to face again and eyes a
blinking heavily which is indicating
tiredness.
A medium shot will show both the
keyboard and the character.
Quicker cuts here focus on the
keys, then the eyes, and then the
keys once more. The cuts will
happen on the beats of the music.
Chorus 23
seconds
Short time-lapse of looking out the
window, camera placed in one position.
It will be one successive shot, and I
will speed it up for effect. If
needed, I will use the footage
twice to make the scene longer,
but make it look like it’s all at once.

10. Structural breakdown – 2/3
Section [e.g. verse,
chorus, bridge, etc]
Approx
duration
What happens, visual elements, shots Notes of technical aspects/requirements
Verse 2 32
seconds
Shows character in bed again. Restless
and unable to sleep. The shot is taken as
a birds eye view. Starts face down on
pillow as song suggests but shows
movement too as they cannot be asleep
I might speed this up too in post to
indicate the passing of time.
Chorus 2 21
seconds
Shot from outside the house of the
character standing outside the door.
They look like they want to go outside
but don’t. Close up of foot about to step
outside but goes back, then a shot to the
face. Finishes with a wide shot from
outside again of them going back inside.
The cuts here will be quicker as the
music does. As it is raining on
Sunday and I need to film outside
for this part, I need to be careful.
However an umbrella above the
camera should be safe.
Bridge 32
seconds
Shot to sitting in bed on the phone. This
scene has miming to the song in it like
she is talking to someone over the
phone, as the bridge is.
Cuts will happen consistently in
this part as it is in time with the
music, and the bridge is the fastest
part of the song.

11. Structural breakdown – 3/3
Section [e.g. verse,
chorus, bridge, etc]
Approx
duration
What happens, visual elements, shots Notes of technical aspects/requirements
Final Chorus 22
seconds
Shot through A slightly open door of her
staring at the wall goes to a close up of
the floor with several blood drops.
Either side is just visible, but will be
darkened in post to make most of
the colour be concentrated onto the
middle area.
Outro 25
seconds
The outro ends with her collapsing onto
the floor, clock in the background
indicating that it’s late. Goes to close up
of eyes as she falls asleep. Final shot is
still on the eyes, then zooms out to
reveal its morning on the clock, the
blood from the eyes has gone.
This scene will have minimal cuts as
she falls asleep because she will
have slow movements due to the
tiredness, and the editing will reflect
that.

12. Storyboarding
• Your storyboard should bring your idea to life
• Provide an idea of the sequencing of you video
• Provides a basis for production
• Suggested online storyboard creators are:
• https://www.storyboardthat.com
• http://www.pixton.com [very complicated]
• http://www.storyjumper.com [allows you to insert your own images]
• Alternatively, hand draw or photograph your storyboard and scan or
copy to insert it onto your slides
• There are lots of tips collected together on Blackboard!

15. Shot List
• Your shot list should contain the sequential breakdown of what you
need to shoot for your video – it is both a creative tool for planning
and practical tool for filming
• It should work in partnership with your storyboard
• It will be your working document when you film
• It should contain the shot number, scene number, shot description,
framing and action you will see
• It should also have information on performers in the scene and other
props, etc
• Shot list template is on Blackboard in the pre-production folder.

16. Shot List
Shot Num. Scene Num. Shot Desc. Actions Extra info
1 1 Starts looking at
clock, pan to eyes
of the person in a
close up
Eyes suddenly open
wide on the beat
after pan
Minimal blood
under eyes.
In bedroom
2 1 Flickers to extreme
wide shot of actor
facing a forest
Shot lasts for less
than a second, but
flickers multiple
times
This only happens
during scenes at
night in bed.
3 1 Cuts to wide shot,
shows actor sat up,
staring
Stares blankly at
wall
In bedroom
4 1 Quick cut lasting no
more than 2
seconds of drawing
a line on DWS.
Must do quickly
5 2 Sitting at keyboard,
medium shot
Repeatedly
pressing same key.
-
6 2 Cuts to close up of
keys, single drop of
blood falls
Act like nothing
happened
-
7 2 Close up of face
looking down at the
keys
- Add a little more
blood to the face

17. Shot Num. Scene Num. Shot Desc. Actions Extra info
8 2 Pan back to the
blood spot
Smooth pan -
9 3 Standing looking
out the window
Stand there for a
minute and speed
up
Move enough so we
know it’s a
timelapse
10 3 Change positions
still looking out of
window
Same as 9 Same as 9
11 3 Change positions
one more time
Same as 9 Same as 9
12 4 Face down in bed,
birds eye view
Move around
enough to show
she’s awake
Add darkness in
post
13 4 Sat up, curled in a
ball, wide shot from
side
Keep head up but
the rest of body is
curled up
Same as 12
14 5 Dissolve cuts of
adding days to days
without sleep
indicating passage
of time
Use different
clothes each time
Add three more
days only

18. Shot Num. Scene Num. Shot Desc. Actions Extra Info
15 6 Wide shot from
behind of character
opening door
After opening stand
there looking for a
few seconds
I’m going to need to
make sure my dogs
don’t escape
16 6 Wide shot of staring
outside, looking
around
Make sure the
character looks
nervous
-
17 6 Close up of her foot
dangling off the step
Don’t touch the
ground
-
18 6 Close up of eyes
looking down
Look nervous and
almost panicked
For all of scene six,
film it fast if raining
as the camera will be
outside
19 6 Close up back to foot
of going back on the
step
Move foot slowly
20 6 Medium shot from
behind of character
walking back
Turn backwards into
the camera to make
black screen
It will turn into a
transition.
21 7 Wide shot panning
out from the wall
Character in bed on
the phone, miming
the bridge of the
song
Second half of the
transition from the
wall

19. Shot Num. Scene Num. Shot Desc. Actions Extra info
22 7 Changes to other side
of character on the
phone
Changes on “What’s
your movements
tonight?”
-
23 8 Shot of character on
her bed through a
crack in the door,
blood drops on the
floor.
Camera pans down to
the floor, this will have
to be done by hand
Not many drops, just
enough to be
noticable
24 8 Panning shot showing
a close up of the blood
on the floor leading to
the bed
Make the pan slow as
the drops need to be
seen
-Make the red the only
source of colour in the
scene
25 8 Pans up to her eyes
which are staring
blankly
Make sure the
character is as still as
possible
-
26 8 Pan to the clock which
shows the time and
then back to the
character who has
collapsed and asleep
It will all be one take
so the camera and
actor will have to work
and move together
well
Make the clock show
around three in the
morning
27 8 When focused on the
eyes, make the shot
fade to black in post
- -
28 9 At the very last note
from the song , the
close up of her face is
shown.
Here eyes open on the
last note of the song
Bring the colour back
as she has slept and
feels better again

20. Task 3.2
Organisational Planning

21. Production Group Info
• Include names, contact info, and defined roles at difference stages of
production, using a table is suggested
• Ewan Wild – Me – Directing and Camera
• Abby Wild – Actress – Phone Number. Only reliable because I’m paying her

22. Location information
• Information and images of your location[s] for filming
• You should have address details, clearance/premissions for filming, recce photos and floorplans [including camera,
equipment and cast/crew layouts]
• Where possible, have a plan B fallback location option
• Assess each location for any issues and suggest solutions
My house – 10 Whin Road. Permission Granted
Knavsmire Woods. Public Property, Filming allowed