Construction of music video: The 'editing' stage

We have started editing on Windows Movie Maker Live. This is the new Movie maker and has quite a few more animation and visual effects that you can use for a video.
We started of by trying to use the Apple Mac computers but found it difficult to upload the video.

This is one of the first videos in our storyboard. This is when Genelle is reading a book and then 'flashes back' to one her imaginations. The camera that we used to shoot this scene was the Busbi camera so you can tell a difference with this camera and the HD one we used for our main filming.

We decided that maybe this shot wasn't ideal for the music video at the end as we had some more footage in the park that went well with the song and lyrics.

Starting the editing process (click on print sceens to enlarge)

1.)  We have finished the filming now we had to upload the videos onto the 'shared drive so that we could put them on 'Movie Maker'.

2.) Here you can see all of the videos downloaded and saved in to videos.

3.) Here you can see that we have put up Movie Maker were we are going to edit. We have to click on the button that says 'Add videos or photos.' It is a quite straightforward.

Due to some miss placement on Sofia's documents on her personal area where all images and print screens of the process was kept, we were unable to show you all of the print screens in the beginning leading up to the published videos which showed some of the changes in decisions we made when editing. 

4.) Here is a print screen showing the beginnings of our music video (we will show you the editing techniques  used in the beginning as you view on). In this print screen you can see we have tried to inc operate the lyric that says 'were only young until were old'. This is why we chose to include the old couple (as stated in our storyboard too). Although we found that the timing might be too tight if we included this scene and it would look quite random if we just cut to that scene. Therefore, we decide to add the footage of her walking instead (below)

5.) Here you can see that we slowed down the footage too otherwise it went too fast onto the next scene. The scene which shows her walking is a tracking shot as you can see the camera following her.

The editing techniques in the beginning of the video that we used 

Here we used a flash like transition that fades in from white. We were originally thinking of using this as an effect. The footage that we used for the beginning is also different from what we had planned to use in the beginning (when she is reading a book then she day dreams). We felt that maybe showing the camera revolving around her till it finds her behind the tree works better as we can co operate something else into it.

Here we have used a flash again but into the next scene to give this sort of effect and giving the audience a enigmatic effect as to why she is throwing the leaves and who to.

The next two scenes do show her on the bench as it is a jump cut but we thought that we would have to use a transition again to show how her mood changes, So we used fades in from black almost as if someone is blinking (below).

Here we are going to split the clip to add the clip were she walks of and it shows the rose on the floor. (below)

The camera instantly moves to Genelle walking of and the flower to make the point of view camera more realistic as if a 'real person' is watching her walk away.

6.) Here we are going to split the clip to add another clip (carrying on from point number 5 above). 

7.) We decided it would be best to show Genelle walking up from the shadow and into the light in slow 

motion, it gives of the image that this enigmatic person is always 'there.'

You can also see that we decided not to use the clip of the leaves as we didn't think that the lyrics in time would go with the clips, when we did add the clip we had some audience feedback saying it was 'too random' so we took it out.

8.) Here we have added a slight transition which is fading in from black. We added this so that the clip ran more smoothly. As you can see this scene was originally supposed to go later on in the storyboard but we thought that it could be added here. 

9.) This scene shows Genelle tripping over and the 'mysterious love interest is there to catch her, there for the scene is 'shaky' slightly. Interestingly, we had five people giving us audience feedback on our video so far and most commonly said that they didn''t understand 'why' she tripped over, but later they understood that the person was there to catch her.

10.) To go into the performance scene it was suggested by a two people from our audience to add a transition here but for the first time editing you don't see a transition. we added the transition on our second editing.

(First time editing and second time editing on next blog post)

Music video location: Filming in the hall

We have now finished filming the hall scenes. I would say it was quite successful as we were able to put all the instruments on the stage and had enough time to film all the chorus as well as some versus just in case we didn't have enough footage from the park that we needed. The stage layout that me and Sofia were going for was a 'triangular' shape so that they looked more close like a band and not too separated as there is one tambourinist who would look odd if they were a lot away from the main singer.

We were able to set up the props such as the instruments on stage, although we weren't able to use a microphone stand and we had a teacher who kindly bought in her keyboard and stand for us as the music department weren't able to provide it to us on the day.
Our main model Genelle had her hair down on the day although it was not intended and glasses but because of what she was wearing you couldn't notice.
Alice was wearing a earthy green army like coat which wasn't on the dress code, but I think it would work fine as in the pictures for the magazine advert she looks quite 'edgy' compared to the rest of the band mates because she is wearing a 'biker jacket.'

We remembered to take some photos of the band altogether to include in our ancillary task.

Music video location: Filming in the park

Me and Sofia filmed part of our music video over the weekend at Orpington's Priory Gardens. We were quite luck as the sun was out and there was still plenty of autumn leaves around. We made sure that we arrived at the location at 9.30am so there wasn't any pedestrians around who would accidentally be in our video making it look un professional. It took us about 3 hours to film.

Genelle wore dark colours such as black and browns and kept make-up quite simple with one streak of eyeliner. The fur coat and boots that she wore went with the clothing suggested that would suit the Soul/RnB genre. We hope that the iconography of the fur coat and other clothing can be recognised with the genre; this also includes the performance scenes with the rest of the group.

In terms of the narrative with Genelle's scenes and after filming over the weekend, most of the footage seem quite 'romantic' so it might hint to the audience more that this 'enigmatic' person is a 'love interest' instead of 'just anybody.'

During filming we found trouble with the sunlight in  the way in some of the scenes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7gON6KWmC-A     -(please follow this link)
Here you can see that the over exposed sunlight to the camera is creating strange shapes which makes it look 'artificial.' We tried to avoid this happening because it was difficult to film. So we made Genelle move more forward into less exposed sunlight. This did not completely resolve the problem because we couldn't see one of the extras in the video because of the sun blocking her out. We decided we would probably have to crop that bit out in the editing as we didn't have another take and compromise.

We kindly asked an old couple if they would be willing to take part in our video, as the scene we wanted matched with the lyrics of the song. As they agreed we started filming. The first few seconds was ok, but then we used zoom to much and we didn't have steady hands therefore it was shaky.

Change of location for main music video!

We decided to change the location from Scadburry park in Chislehurst to Orpington, Priory Gardens. We made this change as it was easier for our actors to get to without the hassle of going to Scadburry park in our free periods to film. After we had a look at Priory Gardens we noticed it had many features which would be useful in our music videos. This included a picnic bench, a normal bench, children's playground and as a bonus, a beautiful lake and pond with a bridge for pedestrians and a min waterfall as well as the natural animal life.

  

Problems we had...

We had finished filming the first few seconds of our music video in the library next to a window sill while Genelle was reading a book, we thought it would be more effective if she was standing up then looked out of the window almost as if she was day dreaming.
Problem: The problem we had was when we uploaded the video onto the computer from the Busbi camera's it kept 'glitching' and was quite unclear so we decided to look for a new camera to purchase.

Me and Sofia were planning on filming in the school hall as stated in my Film dairy, but due to not being able to access the instrument and exams taking place in the hall we were not able to film for day 2. We then decided to shifts the dates around to film the park scenes first then move on to the school hall scenes the following week after when the exams have finished. We are aware that this will give us less time to edit our video to a professional quality and things will be slow, but after filming the park scenes we feel that that the school hall scenes should take so long as we have shoot the scenes that will take up most of the videos.

Picking out extras to be in our music video was quite difficult. When we asked our friends they were two busy on the days that we suggested. Altogether  we need three 'extras' in our video. But on the day of filming in the park we ended up with one extra (who was the 'old friend')  when following our story board, so we will have to think of something else to include, but all in all it turned out fine. Luckily, an old couple volunteered to help us by being in our video, they simply walked pass while we filmed.

We also had and issue with the video camera, first we used the school camera to shoot the first scene of our music video. We noticed that when uploaded on the computer the it seemed quite fuzzy and seemed to jump alot. We realised that we had quickly think of getting a better cam recorder as we planned to film the day after. Sofia then accessed the another school cam recorder by Cannon. But soon we found out that there was something wrong with that cam recorder too, which ment that we couldn't charge it and the memory card wouldn't work too. Luckly Sofia was able to purchase a brand new cam recoder (Sony projecter), which we were able to use at the weekend when shooting the park scenes. The quality of the camera was excellent!

1st camera


2nd camera


3rd camera


In general, me and Sofia a more aware that filming takes more long then we anticipated.

Production stage of music video: Film Dairy

Before filming process make sure:

• Have permission to use instruments such as the tambourine from music department and keyboard and the rest of the instruments.
• Check our band members have free periods.
• Notify the band members about the 'dress code' being quite dark but sophisticated but also 'quirky'.
• Make sure that we go through what way the instruments should be played and make sure Genelle knows how to lips with the chorus of song (give her a copy of the lyrics).

Day 1: Select all props that will be needed in the music video, this includes the microphone and stand, the tambourine, and key board. Go to the library with Genelle to shoot the first scene of our music video, use a book which is about fairy tales or kings to seem as if she is reading it. Take a few individual photos of Genelle near a white background.
Day 2: Film during free period. Film concert scenes in the school hall. This means set up all the instruments on stage such as the keyboard and stand. Make sure all the props are on stage set out correctly. Position the band members on stage how we want. Make sure we take pictures of the group, preferably long shots. Should be able to complete all of the filming for the hall scenes, but maximum should take two days. Shoot the first scene in the library when Ghenell is reading a book.
Day 3:  Go to Orpington park and look at the location again to double check or make any changes. Make sure we check the weather to make sure it's quite sunny. Make sure Ghenell (main model) and three extra people are free for day 4 (probably a weekend). Let the people who are going to be in our video to wear certain clothing items. Make sure there are still autumn leaves in the park.
Day 4:  Go to Orpington park very early around 10.00am to film scenes at the park, make sure weather is good (if not shift to day 5). Get a hold of a rose or any other pretty flower for the first scene. Find a pick nick bench to set out 'wine bottle' scene, and a bench for the first scene. Make sure we get there quite early so there aren't many people.
Day 4:  Film the bench scene first, leads on to the rose being given to Ghenell. Then carry on following the story board.
Day 4: Make sure that there aren't many pedestrians that will get in the way.


Most importantly, make sure we have enough footage to edit!

Music video/promo video

What is a music video is

Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. This is when the artist uses short images and their song to promote their music.

What ‘I’ thought a promo video was
After looking at some YouTube clips of music videos and then typing in ‘promo video’ I found out there is a slight difference. Although a ‘promo’ video is still used to promote the single/artist/album it would usually be used thorough advertisement through the television unlike a music video would be on specific music channels on TV or on the internet.

As you can see the music promo video consists of