MATTE

The close up shot used of the poppy in the corn field during the short music video around (0.36) we wanted to keep with the change of the colour contrast but keep the red colour of the poppy as it would stand out and be eye catching towards the audience. We used an effect called Matte which allowed us to select the image and basically cut or trace out the outside of the poppy's petals allowing us to keep the red colour. We had to drag the points from the corners of the box and put them on each point or curve of the poppy. We really liked this effect and have decided it will be perfect and very effective to use in our final project and it adds a unique edge to certain objects which will then hopefully be symbolic in our video, and something an audience will be able to remember when the video is over. However when watching the short music video you can see some of the background colour slighty as when we filmed the poppy shot there was wind, which unfortunalty meant we were not able to use the Matte technique to it's full standards, but we now know when using this techinque in the future for our final project we have to make sure the object we are focussing on is not moving so we are then able to drag the points perfectly over the footage and the movement it does so we don't have this difficulty again.

Editing

Whilst editing we have encountered some difficulties when saving the music video, the computer would freeze and our work would unfortuantly be lost. Which meant we had to keep on going back to the last saved project and starting again from where we left off. We had to contionuously keep re doing certain clips, adding effects and putting the some onto the footage. Even though we had this problem we still managed to get the short music video in on time and completed. We are proud of the music video, and have learnt mant new techniques that we will be using in the final project and have lots more ideas in what we can achieve and create when coming to the planning of the project soon.

Home Made Video

Whilst we were filming the footage four our short music video, we can across the idea of filming the music video as if it was from a 'Home Made Video' so it doesn't look stadged and gives the feel of freedom. We could be very playful and different when shooting different shots and we also thought not only changing the colour of the wheat to a different pastel shade but to change the contrast of the whole music video to give it a unique twist, and also so we could see if it was effective enough to use when filming our real music video. We really liked the look of the music video being in a different colour, even thought we kept the video in with codes and conventions music videos have in the 'Indie Pop' genre we wanted our music video to stand out and look a little different. This was very effective and we are thinking about definitley doing something along the lines of changing the colour when filming our next music video.

When putting the video together in the editing process, we were very unsure about the different jumps to each of the clips we were using. We thought it looked unprofessional and messy, we had a discussion about this and in the end thought that having the shots jumps to one another fits in well with us wanting the video to seem like a 'Home Made Video' it makes it look real and if it makes it look real then it is professional.

We mainly shot most of the short music video hand held, which adds to the home made feel we wanted to give to the audience. It let's the audience feel as if they are with us our the journey we were trying to show throughout the music video.

Short Music Video

This is the short music video we made to the song 'Keep Your Head Up' By Ben Howard.

By making a short music video along the same line which we are basing our real music video on has let us get an idea of the different camera angles and techniques that will be very effective to catch the theme and feel we want from our music video. But has also let us find out which things don't fit and look right so we can stay away from them when shooting our real footage, meaning we can spend more time concentrating on shooting footage that we know works and fits in with our genre of Indie Pop.

This short music video is a 40 second clip that has allowed us as a group to practice shots and different codes, conventions and techniques that are needed to create an effective muisc video for our genre 'Indie Pop'.

Our group found this short task easy to handle as we have already learn the techniques using the camera, which meant we could be more adventerous and play around with shots a lot more than usual. We did encounter some filming issues due to the weather, as we had rain most of the week we were shooting which meant our sunny, radiant scene we wanted to create would be replaced with mud and a melancholy setting. Luckily with contionously looking at the weather forecast we picked a day to film in the location we wanted and the weather was sunny and exactly what we wanted to film in making the setting location and the feel of the music video exactly what we wanted to achieve when planning.

One of the main things that stands out in the colour and the different contrasts of the scenes. We wanted to have a bright image throughout the video so it seemed very summery and jolly. So by changing the colour and the contrasts and brightness we would be able to create this effect, the colours are very unique which adds a twist to our video making it our own and not sticking soley to the norm for Indie Pop music videos.

We have kept the typical codes and conventions of the Indie Pop genre, sticking with having the video in outside locations where nature is all around. Having our setting in woods and cornfields fits well with the norm, which follows the typical genres themes.

The shooting of the music video went according to plan, we were able to get all the shots we wanted to create and even more, we filmed when walking to different locations (Hand Held) which we ended up putting in the short music video, it made it seem more realistic and believable and fitted in well with the home made video theme we wanted to achieve. By filming when walking and creating different shots we didnt necessarily plan made it easier when coming to put the music video together we have plently of choices of different clips and shot to use when coming to the editing process. This is something we will aso do when creating our final project so we have plenty footage, even if we don't use certain clips it will be good to know we have a back up plan incase some of our shots don't turn out how we planned when coming to the editing process.

Filimg Delay

We decided to film our preliminary task on 11th July, we came prepared to shoot the footage we needed for this task. Unfortunately the weather was not what we expected from checking the weather forecast, there was heavy rain and it was very windy. Not the best weather to film in. We did want a little rain in our music video, so we could get the real festival feel, but as the rain was pouring down we thought it might effect the camera and be to difficult to film in.

So as a group we decided that the best next day to film was the 12th July, the weather forecast was what we wanted to film our video in. The type of weather was very similar to the type of weather that we found in music videos when researching our genre indie pop. This creates more a relistic look to our music video as it fits in with the genre we are trying to portray. Shooting the footage was a lot of fun, and very successful we got a lot of useful footage and will be editing it in our next Media lesson.

Planning for Preliminary Task

For our preliminary task we are going to use the song 'Keep Your Head Up' by Ben Howard. The song is very chilled out and relaxing which matches the theme of nature we will be portraying throughout the music video.

We can up with some ideas that we are going to include in the pliminary task, the whole music video is going to be very natural so it will be set outside keeping the theme norm in the genre we are doing. Most of the video will be shot in or around a wheat field, we are thinking about changing the colour of the wheat to give the music video a unique little twist we are thinking about making the colour of it a pastely light pink. The sing is very playful so we are going to make the actors be very playful and joyful. To keep with the theme the actors are going to be wearing festival clothing, which will be very floaty (natural) and vintage so by having sunglasses and pretty patternes. We are also thinking about using close up's on feet during the music video, as we are going to have a few shots of the actors playing hop scotch, this will really catch the movements of the actors as hop scotch is a childish game it highlights the innocence of the actors which we are going to try and portray throughout the music video. We are going to use lots of long shots and dolly shots to catch some running sequences and certain motions of props we will be using such as a hullahoop which will highlight the playful and excitement. We are also thinking about having some of the music video in slow motion to create a different effect, also we are planning on shooting one of the actors jumping off a step but then in the editing process to reverse the jump off the step once the jump has already happened to the go on to continue to carry on walking during the music video sequence.

Nature

When we have discussed all the music videos we analysed singly we found that nature is a very common theme for the indie pop genre and the music videos. By having the use of nature through the music videos it makes the videos seem free and independent. Many shots and close ups are used of such things as trees, flowers, the sky. This makes the videos very realistic it doesn’t make the video seem fake or forced and gives as sense of innocence throughout the videos. In every video I analysed there were always some sort of link to nature, the other members of my group analysed music videos by Ben Howard they showed me the music video for 'Old Pine' which is set in the country we really liked the look of it and we are going to try and include certain aspects of this into our music video but add our own twist to it to make it unique. We have come together with ideas for our pliminary task that will link to our main music video; we will try these ideas out in this piece so we have experience and an advantage when shooting our final piece

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Noah And The Whale- Waiting For My Chance To Come

Unfortunately the video for 'Waiting For My Chance To Come' will not let me upload it onto the blog. So here is the link for the video instead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1FZtiC5BRk

The video for 'Waiting For My Chance To Come' by Noah And The Whale is mainly set outside but flicks in shots of a location which seems to be a run down warehouse. As most of the video is shot outside it represents the freedom they have and creates a link to nature. However having few parts of the video inside a location could then represnt isolation. The video is set with the band playing on a red lightship in London on the river Thames, throughout the whole video the Union Jack is used creating a patriotic theme through the video.

At the start of the video a shot of the main singer Charlies back is used standing on some steps on the Thames, no music is heard except from a crack of the neck whilst the movement is created. The crack of the neck could symbolise the start of the story the band are going on to tell, or could suggest the feel of stress and pain the band are going to try and show through the video.

Shots of the surrounding by the River Thames are used at the beginning of the video, such as the Millennium, red boats and bells. Introducing the typical British theme which can be seen throughout the whole video it represnts that the band are very patriotic and honour their country.

Charlie is then shown in a relaxed position sitting on a bench, his feet are up showing that he is care free and seems to have no worries. We can see that he is wearing union jack socks, linking in with the patriotic theme in the video. Charlie is wearing a black suit, and indulging into a newspaper, he is representing the sterotype of a British man being very reserved. A chime can be heard, and Charlie looks down at his watch, some British people are very impatinet so it could represnt that, or it could also go on to suggest a structure.

Close up's of the car doors are used when the rest of the band are getting out, this emphasises what is going to happen next, and seems to create some sort of tension as the music still hasn't started, this really catches the echo of the doors closing. Nature is all around us, and we can never escape it so by the use of having Charlie standing on a red and white lightship represents that nature is there friend, as nature has no limits 'the sky' it could be seen that Charlie is trying to be like that too by representing that he has high authority and power.

The music video flicks between the story being outisde and inside, whilst the band are outisde they are all wearing suits and looking very smart and proper. However when the band are inside the building, Charlie the main band mate is seen to be a more casual smart that his band mates. His blazer is off, and we can see his braces and the sleeves rolled up on his shirts. There is a contrast here, we would represent the more casual wear with being outside with the freedom of nature, and the couped up setting being more formal and rigid, creating a sense of confusion.

Also the music video flicks between black and white, creating a very old fashioned vintage feel it seems as though the band are trying to take the audience back to the war, when most of society was very patriotic, linking back to the theme of the union jack throughout the video. Again old fashioned, vintage microphones are used in the warehouse setting, creating a change in the characters compared to when they are outisde standing on the boat.

A low angled shot of Charlie is used, highlighting his importance of being the main singer and telling the story of the song. His band mates are always behind him, or lower down this could portray the different levels of class in British society being first class compared to third class or the different ranks during the war, a field marshal to a lieutenant.

A high angle shot of the band walking on the boat is used, they are all walking in a line one behind another this creates suspence as we don't know where they are leading too, but also represts power and reinforcement as they are in a group instead of being individuals spread out. Having the theme of red throughout the scenery on the boats, and certain props could represent the theme of love and lust but also the passion and honour for being British, this can be seen as being extremely patriotic.

Close up of the shoes and the Union Jack socks, highlights again the Britshness of the characters. As Charlie is wearing the socks, it represnts the importance that Britain is to him, socks are seen to be an everyday necessity so it emphasies the need he has in Britian and sticking to his British routes.

During the video we can see alot of water, when we are in the sea it looks as if the sea goes on forever which could suggest that the musiv video is trying to portray freedom and peace of mind. However as the bandmates are shown to be on a boat floating on the water it could then go onto connote the complete opposite, that they are shown to be limited and having to hold back from how they really feel.

Many extreme close up's of features such as hands are used when holding small pieces of plastic saying 'Hang Man' or the title of the song in seperate words. This makes it all seem very personal as the camera is focusing on one particular thing instead of ranging out to focus of the bigger picture. It makes the music video, seem exceptionally personal to the band.



A group shot is used, Charlie the main leader of the band is wearing Union Jack bunting, over his uper half this could portray his devotion and love to his country it adds emphasis on the main part he plays during the video, as he is singled out to be different making us focus on him more. The video really makes us think as we don't know if it's about his love for a female or his love for Britian. Only Charlie is shown to be looking towards the camera the rest of his bandmates are looking away, possibly implying that they don't have the same thoughts and attitudes as him, however then a new shot comes along where the rest of the band mates are directely looking at the camera, portraying that the bandmates do agree with what's being implied throughout the video. But Charlie is looking down away from the camera is dissapointment.

Coming to the end of the video, a shot is used of the main band mate swinging the guitar he has used throughout the video. It's in the motion of the sways of an old grandfather clock, linking back to the old fashioned vintage theme at the start of the video. The sways of the guitar link to the name of the song 'Waiting For My Chane To Come'. Right at the end of the video we can see the clouds theres a lot of emphasis on the movement on them as they have been spead up, which could that time is going by to quickly so don't mind if you having to wait for your chance to come.