Week 8 - Group: Animatic

The animatic should be embedded and the following questions addressed as a group response: Please ensure you use bullet points:

1.What was your individual contribution to the storyboarding and animatic task?
2.What have you learned from completing this process in terms of, camera - distance, movement and angle; editing - duration and transitions; sound - relationship between lyrics/sound and visuals, emotional colouring; Mise en scene - locations, character blocking?
3.How else has this process helped the development of your concept?
4.How was this task more complex/different from the same task at AS?

Week 5 - Preparing the Pitch

Include the following slides:

• Link to track with comments on emotional colouring, grain of voice, initial ideas
• Genre of track and some explanation of conventions
• Themes and ideology
• Treatment
• Detailed breakdown of track including lyrics
• Location reccies
• Characters and cast
• Costume and props
• Visual effects and lighting
• Shot ideas
• Storyboard including first and last shot
• Advert ideas and mock up
• Digipak ideas and mock up
• Challenges

Analysis of Promotional Campaign - Deadline: Monday 21st September - 6pm (13A)

For this task you need to analyse three music videos and one digipak and one magazine advert. One of the music videos is off an album and you will need to find an image of the album cover (digipak) and a magazine advert promoting the album. Use the framework in the booklet for analysing the three music videos. Cover all six areas but apply two only to each music video. Analyse both print products using the separate framework on the next page of the booklet. An example of a promotional campaign with a music video and digipak and advert would be:

Moodboard - Individual response

Decide what is going to be the focus of your primary research.  It could be investigating the metanarrative of an artist you are considering for your track.  It could be that you are deciding on genre and need to look at content and style of promos from a range of artists more thoroughly.

Share your ideas with your group and ensure that you are each doing different research which is useful in pushing your planning forward.

Complete the task in prezi.  This enables you to embed videos from the artists and include stills, examples of print work and captions.  It is also a way of making the blog more multi-media. Use terminology and show engagement with the task.

When you have completed the task, embed it on the blog as an individual post.  Then look at your colleagues' moodboards and post a comment saying how you found their contribution useful.

The power of the video / print promo package... Justin Bieber

1. How does a music video provide a platform for an artist to reinvent himself/herself to a target audience?
2. In what way can the CD cover design contribute to this process?

Justin Bieber is  currently in the middle of a 'come-back' campaign.  Look at how the promotional material (subsidiary media texts) is crucial in re-positioning his star image and post a group analysis on the blog.   As a group:

Watch the two videos and analyse two CD covers.  Consider each element separately - using the questions in the booklet to frame your analysis.  Then, analyse the collective promo package and it contributes to the artist's meta-narrative. Use narrative frameworks, Dyer, semiotics as tools to help you.

You will be assessed on the following:

1. Ability to work as a group to organise and complete the task
2. Perceptive analysis of how print and moving image constructs meaning
3. Use of critical theory
4. Use of ICT in presenting the task on the blog

Deadline:  this work should be up on a group blog, along with your individual contributions (holiday work, Term 6 work) by 8pm Tuesday.  You have lesson and HW time to do so.  If you work effectively as a group, this is more than manageable.

Research tasks for summer holidays - due first lesson back.

The holiday tasks will give your contribution to group discussion in the first lesson back. They will also be an individual blog post. To recap, you should all have the following documents ready to upload to the new group blog - planning for the music video and print production: 1. Comparison of two music videos. 2. Digipak - front pane using Photoshop with supporting comments 3. Initial track ideas. HOLIDAY TASK: Find three contemporary tracks which do not have a music video. Post a link for each one. Underneath each link bullet point ideas you have on how to visualise the track. 4. Inspirational music videos. HOLIDAY TASK: Find three. post links. Underneath each link, bullet point style, narrative, performance features which you think your group could try to emulate.

12B - how is meaning constructed in videos?

Consider how meaning is constructed in some of the following videos, using your reading from Archer's article and using the framework of semiotics to deconstruct the signifiers:

12A - Applying narrative theory to a music video

Now that you have considered how approaches to narrative reveal repetitious and recognisable narrative structures in your film openings, apply the same concepts to music videos.  Watch the videos below and choose a narrative theory to apply.  Does this reveal that these music videos are experimental in their approach to storytelling, or do they use familiar and recognisable structures, despite the lack of dialogue?

Task 2 - Semiotic analysis and representation

1) What visual signifiers are encoded in the video? 2) What ideologies are being constructed?

Welcome back everyone! Post 1: Key features of a music video

Andrew Goodwin, Dancing in the Distraction Factory, 1992 stated that typical music videos have the following features:

1. Genre characteristics
2. A relationship between lyrics and visuals
3. A relationship between sound and visuals
4. A high proportion of close ups
5. Visual motifs
6. Notion of looking
7. Intertextual references

To test this theory, analyse your own choice of music video below (looking at page 47 of the booklet and the writing frame in shared area if you need it).

1) What is the genre of the track and what typical conventions are evident in the music video?
2) What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?  Give three specific examples from the video.
3) What is the relationship between music and visuals?  Give two specific examples.
4) What is the proportion of CUs to other camera distance shots in the video?  What other shots are prominent or significant?  What are the CUs framing?
5) Does the artist have any visual motifs?  If so, what are the connotations?
6) Is there any notion of looking present?  Where?
7) Is the video voyeuristic?  Is it fetishistic?  Why do you think that is?
8) Are there any intertextual references to film, news, tv programmes, art, other music videos?
9)  Is the video primarily performance, narrative or concept based?  If a mix of two or more, what are the proportions?  What is the relationship between the two different sections?
10)  Does the video conform to Goodwin's theory?  Explain.
In addition: What visual effects are employed?  Is this typical of the artist?  What would you say about their style?


 

Week beginning 8/12 DEADLINE WEEK

This week, you will need to upload an exported version of your music video to your blog by then end of Wednesday 10th December.

You should also save a JPG version of all printwork, clearly marked by group name, to the Student area/Y13 Coursework/.  In addition, this final version should be uploaded to the blog - clearly labelled with text and for advertisements, where they would be printed.

Having looked at the blogs, there are very little posts relating to video or print post-production process from last week.  AS A PRIORITY, post your own involvement last week in these processes.  Be specific about techniques used in software, changes and revisions to your storyboarding/layout drafts.  THIS is VITAL.

Good luck!

Adobe Premiere Terminology

The following terms could be used to explain your process in post production:

Current time indicator, visual timeline, audio timeline, zoom in, cut clips, trim clips, cutting tool, organise, select, drag and drop, time stretch, overlay, edit, compress time, re-arrange, re-order, montage, continuity, duration, shot, cutting rate, media window, transitions, effects, video effects, audio effects, key frame, render, export, work area bar, motion, opacity, volume, balance, share, Mpeg, image control, lightness and contrast, saturation levels, colour balance, adjust hue, intercut, angle, monitor...

Friday 5th December - Deadline for Music Video and Print Production

Targets for the week.  Aim to take on a different role over the three sessions

• Blog director - refine and edit all posts on the blog.
• Post individual progress updates on the blog after each session with visuals
• Post regular production logs on post production - either bullet points or short film
• Print production - creative links with the music video and existing metanarrative.
• Rough cut of music video and print on Thursday 12 pm.

Week 17/11 - Progress print work

This week, you should complete the following 4 tasks:


1. editing at least 30 seconds of video to the track, ready to review on Thursday in lesson with KJ -this can be more!


2. Ensure digipak posts are reviewed and improved - by end of Monday 8pm


3. Work on layouts for digipak 4 panes minimum, 2 magazine advertisements for different segments of target audience and/or different forms – these should be posted on blog and annotated for media language / representation / ideological discourse

4. commenting on blog your individual contributions to all of the above

 

In groups, discuss the following and ensure that this is commented on during your research:


1. how will your band/artist metanarrative be constructed through the design of your promo campaign across a variety of forms?


2. What visual signifiers are creating a coherent promo campaign?


3. How will your print work be rich in connotation - think about representation and ideological discourse in your work

 

Holiday Work and Animatic

Hello everyone.  Many of you are filming this week, some were able to take advantage of the good weather yesterday; Friday and Saturday also look sunny... if you have any issues with equipment, Jason is in this week so he can help out.

You have two written tasks to complete over the holiday.  The first is preparation for the A2 skills question in the exam and the second is the print analysis for the digipak, part of your planning.  Please make sure you upload stills as evidence for this post and that you analyse the front and back cover (at least) of the CD packaging.  Any questions, email us before the deadline.

Some of you also have improvements to make to posts.  Please ensure you email your teacher when these are done and we will update your grade accordingly.  Some of your posts need visual evidence and comments.

The animatics require an individual reflection task from each of you.  You should each edit the post the animatic is uploaded into so there is one group post for this task.  The questions are as follows.  Please ensure you use bullet points:

1. What was your individual contribution to the storyboarding and animatic task?
2. What have you learned from completing this process in terms of, camera - distance, movement and angle; editing - duration and transitions; sound - relationship between lyrics/sound and visuals, emotional colouring; Mise en scene - locations, character blocking?
3. How else has this process fed into the development of your concept?
4. How was this task more complex/different from the same task at AS?
5. What were the challenges/difficulties of carrying out this task?

Well done all of you on a great first term in year 13; I hope you get some time to relax over the break.. :) 

Group concept pitch - Due 17th Oct

When you have completed your pitch - post your slides/Prezi up and reflect on the following:

What was the feedback from the group on your presentation? What was identified as the strengths and weaknesses of your concept?  How will you now respond to this constructive criticism? 

Make it clear, how did each of you individually contribute to the pitch?

Please also check the post below to make sure you have evidence of vital areas of planning such as recces, props, casting, practice shots etc. before you begin storyboarding and animatic production.

The pitch reflection is due by Friday 17th October

Planning Pitches - Revised date: Monday 13 October

Well done all of you; you have completed the two main AV analysis tasks - the next will be print analysis after the pitches. Moving forward the planning tasks are:

• Making improvements to the content and presentation of the MV deconstruction and Tech Analysis.
• 6 frame storyboard per student taken from secondary research - can be electronic or drawn and scanned.
• Call sheet and risk assessment uploaded into Brighton planning post.
• Questionnaires completed and uploaded to survey monkey. 
• Individual reflection on purpose, methodology and construction of questionnaire.
• Location reccies.  What is the purpose?  what locations are you considering at this point?  What has informed your current decisions?  What do you plan to film at each location?  What resources would you need to take to a location reccie?  What dates and times have you arranged to go to potential locations?  Group post with some found images.
• Concept development - to get the green light you need to be very definite about what is happening in the beginning - middle and end. and what the camera is doing.  Storyboarding or having a shot list for the first ten and last ten seconds would help.
• Props, costumes, actors, lighting, SFX, camera movement. Take a couple of areas each and use either found or original images as evidence.
• Visual effects - evidence and some explanation of how you are going to achieve the effect.   If you need help from JF then it is time to ask him.

REMINDER - AFTER EFFECTS CLINIC TUESDAY LUNCHTIME

Work for Week 22/9 - pinning concept down

As per our lesson today - the overriding objective this week is to decide WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR OUR VIDEO! In other words, start mapping out the concept to the lyrics.  The processes that you will carry out to help with these creative decisions are:


1. edit and review Brighton footage  and video diaries of who did what on the shoot.  Reflect - how has this process moved your ideas forward? - due FRIDAY 26th 3.35pm


2. Video analysis - review progress so far with KJ on Tuesday - reflect on how well you are using theory and finish off the final video analysis - due FRIDAY 26th 3.35pm


3. Technical analysis - map ideas to the lyrics ready for Thursday's lesson so you can make a focused decision about the kind of sequences that as a group would be useful to analyse to support your own concept.  Final analysis due on blog MONDAY 29th 3.35pm

Interesting colour, pro-filmic and visual effects - get creative!

A source of alternative music videos

Have a look at Bugvideos.co.uk for a range of alternative videos

CF - Planning tasks Wk 15th Sept

As per our lesson today - you should now be working on:

1. Planning for Brighton  - post ideas for test shots, details on props, costume, locations, kit if needed -  (Due Wed 17th Sept for lesson with KJ) - group post

2. Start video analysis task - cover all questions in the booklet over 3 videos.  Complete 2 videos worth of analysis by Sunday evening 6pm 21st Sept.   - individual post

Video discussed today:

Carpark North - Human
Directed by Martin De Thurah

I've just found this making of video - interesting to see the visuals ... but it's in DANISH!  Alex - you'll have to help us out

Another video set in Brighton that is worth having a look at for inspiration (no swimming though on Thursday - not covered by our risk assessment!

Laura Marling - Rambling Man

Blog posts - deadline 14 september 2014

1. Institutional Context: Prezi/PPT – Grp.
2. Class Music Video, Lonely Boy: music video – Grp.  planning/evaluation – Ind.
3. Music Video theoretical essay: with visual evidence – Ind.
4. Summer hols work: 3 x track ideas with comments  - Ind.
5. Develop comments on 1 track: mise en scene, camera, editing - Ind.
6. Moodboard on genre of track – Grp.
7. Detailed response to questions on chosen track – Grp.
8. Semiotic  analysis of Music Video: Narr/Perf/Conc – Ind.

Concept - lo-fi montage editing

STUFF PICK from Ground's Oranges on Vimeo.

Performance and Concept - camera and set

Labrinth - Let It Be from Us on Vimeo.

CREATIVITY: Woodkid 'Iron'

This video was one that creatively influenced Ben, Chris and Alistair in their work a couple of years ago:


Woodkid "Iron" from WOODKID on Vimeo.

(if you liked that, have a look at their others, in particular 'I Love You' - spectacular

This is their final video.  See if you can spot where the visual link is...

Visual inspiration - John Baldessari

Take your creative inspiration from all areas of culture - not just confined to other music videos. Take for example this fantastic short film documentary about John Baldessari, the artist. PACKED with visual ideas that could inform your work
A Brief History of John Baldessari from Supermarché: Henry & Rel on Vimeo.

Performance music video

Great narrative music video

Narrative music video in reverse

Great Moodboard

Moodboard on Prezi

Effective use of slow motion

Hand drawn with ink bleeding effect

split screen amazing performance vid

Mute Math - Typical (Reverse Video)

The whole band played the song backwards during filming.

Here is the original video:

http://youtu.be/7XVWR-5fiG0



and here is the making of the video:

Interesting, dreamy performance - Warpaint

Interesting scandinavian video

This video won an award for Scandinavian video 2010 at Bergen film festival. This is what they say:

The winning video is the product of a director and a musical artist who take the music video genre seriously – this is an ambitious and poetic video, at once catchy and fascinating: A video you will want to watch again and again. It repeatedly demonstrates the magical potential of the music video; the moments where text, music and visuals melt together to form something that's able to touch the viewer in an emotional way. The video is an example of exquisite film craft – effectively told through the use of beautiful images, precise portraits and surprising themes. The scene that is portrayed in the video is genuinly Scandinavian, but the sense of youthful restlessness is also universally recognizable. Sitting in the back seat of a car that is speeding off in the search for SOMETHING, is a feeling we can all relate to. The loving and detailed portrayal of young brashfulness, boredom and love is perfectly matched with the gently explorig song. Thus the unity of music and film transcend the sum of its parts and proves that the music video is still a powerful genre with the able to tell big and important stories in the space of a couple of minutes.

another one by same director


and another - same artist and director

exemplar technical analysis

Although Ben hasn't put up the shot list yet; the following technical analysis is an example of A* work. This is detailed, focused, technical research.
Click here to read

One to watch

Use of light

Simple, effective, watch camera movement, iconography, use of edit to mix shots and particularly use of light to add to pace of video. I love this video - stands up to repeatability.

Welcome Y13

Welcome to the new Y13 students. Check this blog regularly to see recommendations for videos to view, tips and also links to previous students' work.

Final cuts and pint work online

Congratulations to all the students for finishing their work to a high standard, despite the snow!

For external visitors, we have 8 groups this year and they would welcome your feedback. Each group has posted their work with some questions - please give them your feedback using the comment function on the post itself.

Thanks
Mrs Fernandez

Want a level 4 planning?

If you want a level 4 planning - we will be looking for consistent excellence from your individual contribution to the following:

• focused secondary research, informed by critical theorists
• Relevant audience research - testing concept, animatic, rough cuts, final piece
• Collaborative use of blog and care and attention to detail in presenting blog
• Excellent use of ICT (blog, prezi, youtube, premiere - animatic, stills, scanning, survey monkey, image manipulation)
• Pitch and reflection
• Storyboarding, drafts, mock-ups, location reccies - on blog
• Managing time, logistics - timeline scanned in, examples of call sheets, production log entries stating clearly your contribution to shoots
• Record of progress of print design - technical log of decisions made / use of original images
• Feedback from J Fiveash that you were efficient in managing equipment
• Ability to meet deadlines, organised approach to work

DOES YOUR BLOG CONTRIBUTION DEMONSTRATE THE ABOVE?

Wed 1st Dec - SNOW WORK

Y13,
As the school is closed and you can't continue on video editing we will be extending the deadline by 1 day to Monday 6th December. However, unfortunately this means you have less time to complete the evaluation tasks. Therefore you need to make a start on drafting your responses (in Word for now). Work for both groups as SNOW work AND HOMEWORK is as follows:
1. work on completing print work if you have Photoshop at home
2. Update blog, improve posts on production3.
Draft ideas for the evaluation questions Evaluation (use resources on VLE in evaluation folder to help make a start - we will go htrough this in more detail next week)

In the evaluation the following questions must be answered:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

I can't stress enough how important it is that you make a start with the evaluation - it is worth as much as the planning grade and you do need to start thinking about how you might respond, particularly using ICT and critical theory.

Hopefully we will see you tomorrow
Mrs Fernandez

Working to final deadline

Both groups,

In order to meet the deadline on 3rd December, you should aim to do the following:
1. finish print work by Friday
2. Test to target audience - post feedback on blog
3. Fill timeline with rough cut by Monday - watch on big screen and make detailed notes on edit changes
4. Record audience feedback on rough cut on blog
5. You will then have 4 days to re-edit and finalise video

Don't forget to post daily production log entries on your blog with technical detail of what you have done. This is vital evidence for your own contribution.

Excellent example of digipak mock-up #2

Rob Brown's mock-up for group 6's digipak is excellent. He has also designed a booklet and poster to accompany the digipak, as well as worked out how the design will work logistically when constructed. The images used are Jake's digital photos and stills from the video shoot.

Click on the image to see the full post.

This is A* planning.

Excellent example of digipak mock-up

Casey's digipak mock-up is excellent; she is obviously using her art skills here - but that isn't why this is an exemplary post. She completed the task as expected - a physical mock-up and has really thought about how the visuals will work within overall layout. She has also used semiotics to deconstruct this.

An example of A* planning.

Thinking about your evaluation

It might seem early - but it is important to consider the questions for the evaluation now - so you can be sure to have a lot to talk about:

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products ?
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?
4. How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Click here for Pete Fraser - Chief Examiner's blog entry on the eval. You might recognise one of the examples he uses from last year...!

W/E 5th Nov

I understand that Mr Fiveash was unexpectedly absent on Friday - we will extend the animatic deadline to the end of Monday as a result of this as some of you needed access to the cameras.

I see all of you on Monday; I'm looking forward to seeing digipak mock-ups, advert analysis (13B) and to talk through your animatics with you.

Reminder - research deadline tomorrow

This is a reminder that you have until tomorrow to go back and improve primary/secondary research posts as we will be marking this weekend.

Look back on this blog at advice and tasks set. Make sure that ALL your posts are clearly linked to concept development, that there is a dialogue with group members about your ideas, that posts are clearly labelled, laid out, key terms, images. LAST CHANCE.

Half Term

You have now signed off your pitches and are well into the storyboarding process. You need to have achieved the following over Half Term ready for first lesson back:

1. Complete video storyboard IN DETAIL - remember this is not about just mapping out what is going to happen as many of you did at AS, but planning visual detail such as framing, camera movement. You will need to finish off animatic in first couple of days back.

2. Last chance to make improvements to research posts by FRIDAY 29th October in half term. Remember, you need to show how your research, informed by critical ideas and A2 level thinking is directly feeding into your concept development. Also tidy up posts, add images etc.

3. Many of you will actually shoot some footage. Top tips:

• shoot everything at least twice, all lipsynched parts particularly
• Shoot the same action from a number of angles
• Make sure you have close-ups
• Be interesting in your camera movement and angle
• Don't be static
• Think about rule of thirds, leading lines
• Pay attention to mise-en-scene, particularly things like road signs, annoying people walking past, litter. It can ruin a shot.
• Shoot everying on your storyboard AND THEN SOME MORE.
• Take stills photographs just in case you want them for Digipak.

4. continue to record concept development on blog. Reflect on any shoots / reccies on blog. We will be checking them during the week.

5. Go into a record shop and look at digipaks. Really look at them. Get some layout ideas. Post on it.

6. Buy a music magazine in the same genre as your track. Look at all the advertising in it - think about layout and design of album and single ads. Cut out some examples - ready for researching next term

Excellent example of focused research

At A2 to achieve a Level 4 you need to ensure that your research is clearly focused and directly informs your concept development. Here is an example of a post from Rosie C in group 6 that does just this. She wanted to come up with ideas to ensure that a sequence shot in a car looks effective. She carried out some technical research on similar sequences in other videos and could draw some direct inspiration for the group's concept.

Remember, at A2 be reflective, link your research to your concept, even if it only served to discount an idea.

Theory and Print Analysis

Please could you ensure that the following is completed by Wednesday.

1. Considering your music video analysis, how could you apply Dyer's theory on Stars. Write an extra paragraph, using examples from the video you chose to explain the theory.
   
2. Research: What is a digi-pak and what are the conventions of this form? Write a paragraph on your blog, use pictures to illustrate.
   
3. Deconstruct a digipak and advert of the same genre as you are choosing for your own products. Ideally the two promotional items should be for the same track so that you can appreciate the brand that is being created and comment on consistency of representations.
   

More interesting videos

Whomadewho - interesting concept, engaging

One of a few more interesting videos linked from the home page of www.bugvideos.co.uk

13A - Deadline - Monday 27th September

Please complete the following posts on your blog - one per group:

1. Consider what decisions still need to be made with regard to planning - write a to-do list. Include a date for your next reccie
   
2. Evaluate the Brighton reccie. How will you be using the skills and experience of this shoot to inform the next stage of production?
   
3. Post the lyrics of your song. Annotate exactly what you envisage happening during each line. Include notes for instrumental parts.
   
4. Complete your second mini technical analysis, try the Bug website for ideas. Again your shot by shot list should be 30 seconds to a minute depending on cutting rate.
   
5. Your group pitches will be in week commencing 11 October. All planning will be completed by then. Check the list in your booklet to see what you have still to do.

Need some inspiration?

Visit Bug and browse their past event pages - you can view the videos featured at each event - these are both established directors and low budget newcomers. There is some really interesting work, particularly animation - but all sorts.

Here is my top selection

Kap Bambino - simple, effective use of slowmo

Young Loves - shamanising in the woods - amazing transitions, effects

Colourmusic - ha ha!

Cinnamon Chasers - alternate endings, POV narrative - interesting technique, narrative style

Supergrass - all it takes sometimes is a simple visual idea

Post your research on the blog with an explanation of what Bug is.
CF

Welcome new Y13 students

This central blog is a useful resource while doing your coursework. We will post deadlines, week tasks and advice on elements of planning here.

13B - this week you need to complete the following on the blog;
1. video analysis (make sure to include Dyer)
2. Individual response to track on blog
3. Comment on each other's posts
4. Continue to record concept development on blog

Blog - final tidy up

Make sure that your blog represents your excellence in use of ICT as well as planning and organisation. Make sure you have done the following:

1. Used as many embedded video clips, stills, photographs, links as possible
2. Commented on each other's posts
3. Uploaded a jpg of your digipak and ad layouts
4. Uploaded a jpg sample of call sheet, risk assessment and calendar to show organisation
5. broken up long text posts with subheadings, key words highlighted
6. changed settings so all posts are viewed on one page
7. organised menu with your initials at beginning of all posts
8. recorded shoots/editing process on blog
9. Uploaded final print texts to blog
10. Included a post with evidence of original images for print (perhaps include in Q4?)
11. sort out design of blog - get rid of silly banners, amend title image with still image, rethink design (check font colours and bold if you change). BRAND your blog

Production log

You now need to use your blog to reflect on your shoots and any editing progress answering questions such as:

1. What worked / what did you change

2. Have you changed your idea from your storyboard?

3. Describe any innovative techniques used when shooting / editing

4. Issues with weather, props, locations, performers, lighting that you had

This will not only contribute to planning grade, but you will need this information to write evaluation and answer question in exam.

Planning marks - a few final tips

I'm just marking your blogs and the following 'housekeeping' changes need to be made. We want you to all achieve the highest mark possible and therefore to ensure a level 4, in addition to the quality of your individual analysis - you MUST show how your concept developed. You also need to show EXCELLENCE in use of ICT in presenting planning and evaluation so you must use the blog efficiently, creatively:

1. Don't post a link to youtube - always embed the clip in your blog. This is for your animatic, video analysis, auteur videos... anything that you are referring to
2. Keep titles of posts to one line in menu and ALWAYS start with your initials so we can easily see who has done what
3. Check punctuation / paragraphs
4. Where possible highlight key terminology, use bullet points, images - make it easy to read.
5. Audience research? This should have it's own post, with detail on methodology and results evaluation
6. Digipak designs - post entries documenting your ideas and with scan/image of your layouts (1 EACH)
7. Have you done some filming already? You will need to post an entry evaluating the shoot, what worked, what you changed, any technical issues, ideas, inspirations, issues with weather, general public etc. You will need this info for your evaluation AND exam. Include screenshot of risk assessment / call sheets to show organisation.

great video

Mike Snow - Black and Blue
Directed by Matthias Koenigswieser
Fantastic. enigmatic. Stands up to repeated viewings.

Half Term task

All groups,

Over half term, you should complete the following (all students to complete ALL tasks individually) and post up on blog by first lesson back:

1 x mock up layout done by hand or electronically of advert and digipak (this should be a paper construction to scale to show form as well as design).

The idea is that you bring this mock-up to the lesson so that you can discuss your final plans with your group. You should look at examples while you are designing.

Digipak for your track
This should be minimum 4 sides (front, back, inside covers including image under CD holder). You could however choose a more innovative layout that has more sides. This is up to you.

Magazine advertisement
This should also be drawn to scale. Decide an appropriate magazine that your advert would run in, like NME, and what style of advert you will design (full page, half page) and why.

RESEARCH DEADLINE - 23rd

All groups,

You should have completed all research tasks set up to now, including animatic and your primary/secondary research improved/completed by Friday 23rd. We will be reviewing and marking up to this stage over half term.

CF

Audience Research - analysis

Your post outlining the results of your audience research should include the following:

1. What were the results?
2. What results were useful and could feed into your production?
3. What were shortcomings of the research?

THE PITCH - Monday 12th October

Your pitch should be no more than 4-5 minutes long and contain in any order the following:

• 1. play extract of the track to the group - what is your BRIEF
• 2. initial response (images from moodboard?)
• 3. What did you learn from your product analysis?
• 4. What did you learn from your technical analyis?
• 5. How did your audience research inform your concept development?
• 6. What is your proposed idea? Style, type, narrative
• 7. the visuals - ideas on costume, location, types of shot
• 8. What will be your biggest challenge? How will you overcome it?
• 9. How will this video promote the band?
• 10. How will your coverart on digipak and in advertisement further reinforce this band/artist image (initial ideas at this stage)

The purpose of the pitch is for you to CONVINCINGLY explain your proposed idea. Would we, as record company executives think this is a suitable idea for your genre/group? Are we convinced of your vision? Would we give you the GREEN LIGHT?

I suggest that you use PowerPoint - but not as a script - just to show us relevant images.

Good luck! We are looking forward to hearing your pitches - so far your ideas seem very creative.

Blog checklist for research..

On 13D's request - here is your final checklist. This is a MINIMUM. Your blog should contain the following AS A MINIMUM by the pitch deadline in two weeks Monday 12th

As a group:

• Institutional research
• track response
• reflections on audience research, postmodernism
• Your chosen track
• Brighton field trip clips and detailed evaluation
• clear record of ideas development, including costume, props, performers
• A variety of visual ideas and stimulus (videos, interesting shots, films, TV, adverts - anything goes...)
• Clear group discussion through commenting on posts
• Location reccie planning
• Location reccie evaluation
• Audience research planning and evaluation of method
• audience research results and evaluation

As an individual student you should EACH contribute:

• moodboard response to track with written evaluation
• collage of album covers / advertisements from your genre
• Reflection on auteur videos viewed
• 2 x video analysis
• 1 x technical video analysis
• 1 x digipak analysis
• 1 x advert analysis

Once the pitch is complete and your proposal has been agreed, you should then work on and add the following to your blog (per group).

• evaluation of pitch - feedback and ideas
• animatic of storyboard

As soon as this is completed (latest upon return from half term) you can begin to shoot.

After half term, we will focus in class on print texts and you will add:

• Ideas development for brand image through print
• Draft layout of digipak artwork
• Draft layout of magazine advertisement

Your blog then becomes a production log and all shoots / editing / DTP progress should be evaluated.

Week 4 Blog Tasks due Monday 28th Sept

This week is Brighton trip week. On our return, you will use the remainder 3 lessons and homework time to work on the following posts - due Monday 28th September 3.45pm ON BLOG

Blog post 1 – Brighton reccie evaluation
To include photographs and edited clips of shots taken with an evaluation of what you have learnt

Blog post 2 – Technical analysis of music video
Shot list breakdown. This can be done on paper and then the EVALUATION of findings posted on blog

Blog post 3 – proposed reccies
Decide on potential locations and when you will do a reccie. This will help you start to move the project forward.

Auteur videos.. some ideas

In addition to the auteur research booklet we have given you, you might like to have a look at http://www.bugvideos.co.uk/. This event celebrates cutting edge music videos and on the home page you can view their featured videos (see programme links at the bottom). There are some very interesting examples here...

Blog post list for Monday 21st Sept

13C and 13D - We expect the following to be posted on your blog as a minimum by Monday 21st September 3.45pm (before the Brighton trip)

1. Track response
2. Institutional context
3. Reflection on auteur videos
4. Audience consumption & postmodernism questions
5. Music video analysis x1
6. Album cover/advert analysis x1
7. Details of chosen track / band / artist
8. Individual moodboard response to chosen track

Any questions / problems you must come and see us before the deadline. Remember - your analysis should be packed with key terminology and critical ideas in order to acheive a level 4. A level 4 blog will also be a record of discussions, ideas, videos, inspiration and would therefore contain posts beyond the above. You should be using the comment function collaboratively too...

Good luck!

13D

Well done to you all for submitting your first post on your chosen track! Please ensure that you read my comments carefully and make amendments promptly. I will be checking your blogs again on Wednesday evening to view your second post on the process and institutional context of music videos and will expect to see chances made to original post by then.

Not all of you have remembered to include your name in the title of your posting. If you have not, please edit your title asap. This is for the moderator and they don't know or understand your nicknames or pet names so please make it clear who you are!

WELCOME!

Welcome to the department blog, new year 13s. Here you can keep track of the work due and deadlines as well as view other students' blogs.

DEADLINE 1 - be ready to present your track on Monday 14th September to both of us in your lesson.

CF

Pitching your concept

13A and 13C - you will be pitching your concept to the group and the new teacher NEXT WEEK (10th - 11th December). Your pitch should be 3-4 minutes long and contain at some stage the following:

1. play extract of the track to the group - what is your BRIEF
2. initial response (images from moodboard?)
3. What did you learn from your product analysis?
4. What did you learn from your technical analyis?
5. How did your audience research inform your concept development?
6. What is your proposed idea? Style, type,
7. Ideas on costume, location, types of shot
8. What will be your biggest challenge? How will you overcome it?
9. How will this video promote the band?

The purpose of the pitch is for you to CONVINCINGLY explain your proposed idea. Would we, as record company executives think this is a suitable idea for your genre/group? Would we give you the GREEN LIGHT?

I suggest that you use PowerPoint - but not as a script - just to show us relevant images.

Development of concept

At this stage, your product, technical and audience research should be informing the development of your concept. You now need to make steps to develop this further. You should think about going on a location reccie - visiting potential locations, taking photographs and thinking about camera angles, framing, lines of action...

If you are going to have other people performing in your video, you will also need to take photos of them "in costume", whether as band members or part of your narrative.

You may also want to test out some effects or shot ideas in advance of storyboarding.

Also - keep documenting any other images/videos which are inspiring you.

Post, post and post again!

Institutional research

Using the reading material supplied, you should post an entry to show you understand how a music video is commissioned and shot.

A second post should reflect on how a video is consumed by audiences - taking in NMTs as well as niche channels. You may refer to our studies of EMAP for this post

This should be one post per group on each of these topics.

Technical analysis THIS WEEK

All three groups need to work on the technical 'shot' analysis of a music video this week. This is time consuming, but almost THE most relevant piece of product research that you do - it really does show you technically how a video is edited together and what you should be planning in your final storyboard. Tips are as follows:

1. Choose a video in the "style" (not necessarily genre) of the video that you are planning to deconstruct - in other words a narrative, or performance, or conceptual based video

2. Make the shot list on paper while watching the video online so that you can pause and make notes efficiently. This will be time consuming but better than trying to flick between packages online. DON'T post the shot list on the blog - it will take up too much space. Instead it can be submitted to us/for moderation as a paper appendix

3. Make notes on shot size, movement, elements of mise-en-scene, transition and if interesting - length of shot. E.g. CU tracking in to MCU on lead singers face grimacing fades to
MS couple on swings laughing 3 secs cuts to
...

4. Once you have completed the shot list - review and evaluate on the blog. What have you learnt from this exercise? How long are the shots? How are they cut? What shot size is predominantly used? How does the camera move? Are there any long static shots? Relationship with lyrics/music? How is the narrative constructed? Are any types of performance shots repeated? What will you now use from this when planning your own work?

Mrs F groups: feedback

Well done - the first check shows that there are some creative and enthusiastic responses to the brief developing.

However, there are still some gaps on the blogs as well as a need for spellchecking, punctuation and a general tidy up. Remember, this is simply an electronic format for submitting planning to be marked and moderated (by external examiner) and therefore should be written to an A2 standard. Make it as easy as possible for us to find our way around your posts.

This week - your target is to tidy up and complete audience research.

Next week - technical shot analysis of a video.

Mrs Fernandez' groups - where are ...

your finished moodboards and textual analysis #2?

Have you clearly stated what your chosen track is?

This is due TOMORROW and alarmingly there are only a couple of groups that have made a start. You will lose planning marks if this deadline is not met.

Inspirational 'auteur' videos

In addition to the auteur research booklet we have given you, you might like to have a look at http://www.bugvideos.co.uk/. This event celebrates cutting edge music videos and on the home page you can view their featured videos (see programme links at the bottom). There are some very interesting examples here...

Choosing a track

You should now be choosing your track. This is a vital decision and for 13A and 13C you need to come with your final selection / chosen track on Monday 10th. It doesn't necessarily need to be from a genre that you are all "in to", but one that will fit with an accessible concept.

It shouldn't have a video already... we will check youtube.com

Start planning...half term tasks from CF

1. For 13A and 13C, your first task is to deconstruct a music video on your blog. This should be either from the genre that you are looking at using for your track, or the style of video that you are interested in making.

2. You should also at this stage begin posting entries recording the discussions that you are having in your group, track ideas, any videos you find inspirational...

3. You should also make a start on the institutional research. Divide up the following questions in your group:
What is the purpose of a music video? Who commissions a video? What kind of budgets would they normally have? How much lead time to produce one? How do music channels in this country work? How do audiences consume music videos?
Refer to article 2 and work on EMAP carried out over the last couple of weeks. You will also need to research music video production.

Exporting and organising folders

In order to finish your report - you need to organize your red zip folder. You should have one set of appendices per group, clearly numbered appendix 1, appendix 2...with a frontsheet contents page. A typical folder would include:

1. CD copy of your blog
2. storyboard
3. PPT slides printed out from pitch
4. call sheets with booking sheet attached (see CF/KJ)
5. Any paper moodboards
6. Any other paper sketches / notes used in planning

You also need to make a copy of your final exported video onto a DVD.

It is your responsibility as a group to ensure that this is done in time for you to refer to the appendices in your written report.

Audience feedback - screening evening

Well done - a fantastic set of music videos this year. Your final step before completing your Critical Evaluation is to carry out some audience research. The screening evening gives you the opportunity to do so. In groups you need to devise a questionnaire / focus group sheet and 15 copies need to be handed to CF/KJ by Wednesday at the latest with your group number clearly indicated at the top.

When planning in your groups, consider the following:

• What was the aim of your video?
• How can you find out if you achieved this?
• Do the audience recognise the generic conventions?
• Does it stand up to repeatability?

In terms of methodology, you must consider the following carefully:

• Types of questioning; ranking, semantic differentials, open questions
• Method of research on the night; time constraints, screening conditions compared to real consumption
• Avoiding leading comments /questions
• Issues with demographics; who are your sample audience?

Planning shoots

By now, you should have uploaded your animatic, posted an entry on what you have learnt from creating it and how this will now inform your production.

In order to sign out your camera, you need to complete a callsheet, including a shot list, contact details, props, costume and who is responsible for bringing it to the location.

GOOD LUCK!

Remember - shoot much more than you think you'll need - the same action from different angles, filler shots and various takes of each planned shoot. That way you will be able to choose the best shot!

Step 5 - creating your storyboard (by end of term)

Well done to 13B and 13D for excellent pitches - some very exciting projects ahead. Good luck 13C for Thursday. You now need to finalise your video and storyboard in as much detail as possible. There are templates on the shared area in Y13 Resources / Advanced Production (PDF files), however you can design your own template if you wish. I suggest the following:

• 6 - 8 shots per A4 sheet (easier to take on shoots than A3)
• Number each shot
• Write lyric / time code references as often as possible
• use arrows to indicate camera movement
• Clearly demonstrate framing (CU / MS)
• If using zoom - use square to mark the final camera position
• draw in pencil to allow for amendments
• Write location at top of each shot to help you organise later

You will probably shoot more that you storyboard, but this is the key planning document and you cannot begin shooting without it. Make sure that you are discussing the video together as a group - don't just leave to the designated "storyboarder".

This needs to be finished by the end of term so that you can focus on revision at Christmas and be ready first lesson back to upload as an animatic to your blog. (film, capture and cut to your track to get a sense of final piece before shooting).

Step 4 - audience research by 3rd December

Beginning week 26/11, you should carry out audience research to inform your own production. This needs to be meaningful and genuinely provide you with ideas about genre, expectations and audience engagement with music videos. REMEMBER that you should keep the paper copies of any questionnaires / forms as evidence of your research (use group zip folder).

You can take one of two approaches;
1. Quantitative research
Design a questionnaire about your band / genre / concept and hand out to as many of your target audience as possible. This may include open questions, however you should design this with a variety of question styles including semantic differentials and ranking to ensure that you can collate your responses
2. Qualitative research
You could chose to carry out a focus group, by playing the track to a group of your chosen target audience and use pre-prepared questions to guide a discussion.

Methodology
You must be able to assess your methodology, which includes carefully considering the types of questions used, the purpose of your research, demographics of target audience, and how effective your mode of delivery was (in person, hand out with deadline, online, message board)
This must be completed, collated and results posted on blog by Monday 3rd December.

One post per group.

13C

Some of you are posting entries with a collective name. You need to rename your blog as you as an individual. I won't be able to give you a planning mark otherwise. Dave and Scott you don't have a link posted yet from this page. This will be done on Thursday, then I can have a look at what you have been doing. I expect great things as both of you weren't on the trip yesterday.

Step 3 - textual analysis

Discuss in your groups the type of videos that would be useful to analyse. Look for examples from the same genre, others with a similar structure (performance, conceptual, narrative) and perhaps ones with a similar location or visual style.

Observational comments
Over the next few weeks, you should record on your blog all videos that you watch, that inspire you - from other students' work. These 'observational' posts might be a couple of comments or more detailed. Be sure to comment on each others' findings!

2 x textual analysis
Each group member should do 2 more detailed analysis of videos. For this, use Goodwin's framework and reading source 8 to inform your analysis. You should look at form, style, techniques, representation, construction of star image, ideological discourse. Use key terminology and consider postmodernism.

1 x technical analysis
Each group member should complete one shot analysis. This should list each shot (frame, angle, movement), transition and a comment on mise-en-scene. It would be easier to record this in your books and then post an entry on your blog summarising what you have learnt from the analysis.

Key terminology - some suggestions...
amplification, disjuncture, voyeurism, montage editing, repeatability, visualisation, visual motifs...

Step 2 - CHOOSE TRACK / GENRE

You now have a week to finalise the track that you are going to use and submit to CF/KJ for approval. The sooner you do this, the better. That way you can get cracking with relevant product analysis and planning.

Remember - choose something that is appropriate to produce a low budget video for - stadium rock for example might be a bit tricky to do... It doesn't necessarily need to be to all of your tastes either - you'll end up loathing the track after editing anyway!

First step - PLANNING 1

The first entry on your group blog should be about the 'institutional context' of music video and audience 'consumption patterns'. Divide up topics in your group and each contribute a post that shows you understand how your video might be consumed and where.