Filming day (2) - props planning

We have also planned who is taking each prop in order to make sure that we do not forget anything. This will avoid any chance of us forgetting an instrument, for example, that will tarnish the overall representation of our band and thus the final product.

Learning comment: Much like the previous post, the planning of props and who is going to take them ensures that we do not miss anything of what we are taking. Also, we have ensure that each actor knows what they need to take 3 days before filming which ensures that we will have everything we want to create our desired mise en scene. 

Filming day (2) - clothing planning

Here is a list of the clothing that we will need to be taking to our location for filming in order to create the mise en scene we desire. This is an incredibly important part of our planning because the image of the band will be something that audience members will initially judge.

Learning comment: By completing this very short task, I feel that the filming day will encounter very limited issues. For instance, including the names of each item of clothing as well as who will be taking them means that we are able to communicate these ideas clearly to the relevant people. 

Shot list - performance

Learning comment: By completing a shot list spreadsheet for the performance, we now have a much clearer idea about what we will need to shoot. This will prove vital during filming because our shot list considers the fact that the performance is not the main part of the video. However, it will most certainly be a key aspect and so planning this thoroughly is important. Moreover, it will help our actors gain a better understanding as to what they will need to be doing whilst in shot. As a result, this will make directing much easier because we will be able to focus on more high-level aspects of the filming such as camera movements.

Ancillary task: Ideas

Below is an image of the planning of my digipak design ideas. Here I have included each aspect of the digipak and why I have chosen to use that particular design. The format of the digipak is something that I will need to consider in terms of the importance of my images and designs. This is because I will want to place my most important images on the front and back of the digipak. This is something that is reflected in the annotations below.

To add to this, I have tried to consider each mise en scene aspect relation to my genre of 'indie rock' music too. By doing this, I feel that my digipak will accurately reflect the genre of music my band is representing.

Initial pitch - feedback

After pitching my idea to a range of people, I have asked them a few questions in regard to our initial ideas.



Learning comment: Upon completion of this I have found it very rewarding. Not only does it show me what individuals think works well in my ideas, it also gives me the opportunity to reflect on aspects they have identified as weak. By taking their feedback on board, I will be conversing with my group to ensure that issues they have identified do not hamper the overall quality of our product.

Some of the main areas for improvement identified included the use of multiple locations as well as being able to integrate the narrative and performance into one fluid product. Using numerous locations could, indeed, prove difficult to bring together into one music video. However, I do not think this will be a problem. This is because we have planned our music video to extreme detail, considering how we will be filming, the types of shots used and how we will eventually edit it all together. As a result, this feedback from a range of people has reminded me of the difficulty that lies ahead in post-production. To make this easier, I will be closely considering each stage of filming and remind my group of this will need to relate to the overall stage of the video.

Digipak planning - choosing a font

In order to create a band logo that relates to my music video and genre of music, I am carefully considering each stage of my planning. Below, I have a choice of three fonts that I have considered for my band logo. To accompany each logo, I have included the pros and cons for each text as well as why I will/will not include the font in my band logo.

The main advantage to using the font 'Nickname' would be due to the fact that it is a bold font. This would prove to be a strong aspect to the band logo because it clearly represents the band's name. However, the logo also seems slightly juvenile. This is shown in the way that, for example, the 'E' is not shaped well. Like many of the other letters, the font seems to provide something of an immature impression to the band name and I will therefore not be using it for my logo, despite the bold nature of the font. 

As font, Market Fresh is very much a font that I am looking to use. Its strongest aspects include its bold yet elegant strength to the font as well as the well-aligned letters. In terms of the font's connotations, it very much appears to imply an element of sophistication. Whilst my band are indie, I do not want to represent them in a peculiar or immature way and I will therefore be using this font. 

Like the other two, Mr Headlines also has a very bold aspect to the font. Despite this, I feel that it is a font that is perhaps too bold. I fear that, if I were to use this font, it may detract from the main image on the cover. And, although the band needs to be represented clearly, I feel Market Fresh does this is in a more subtle way. 

Band logo - inspiration

In order to create a credible product in terms of my ancillary task, I will endeavour to produce a band logo of a professional standard. By doing this, my overall product will hopefully look all the more realistic and professional.

Below you will find a selection of band logos that have inspired the logo I will create. In order to relate each logo to my own, I have attached captions underneath each one to explain this.

This logo has inspired my own design process as it has simple yet effective logo. Whilst the logo expresses very little about the band, it typifies the genre of indie rock. The use of plain text makes the band's name the stand out point of the logo with very little to detract from that. In addition, the inclusion of the album name is seamless and something I will look to replicate.

Like Foals' album, this too is very plain and simple. However, the use of an alternative font might imply that the band, too, are alternative. As a result, I will be looking to use fonts effective to portray my band in a certain way. 

Oasis' logo is of great inspiration as it provides the audience with a clear format in front of them. It is easy to see the band's name and this is executed brilliantly through a combination of shapes and contrasting black and white. 

Digipak inspiration - Banksy

Although not directly related to music, the work of Banksy is something that has inspired the early stages of my planning. As stated in the previous post, I am looking to create a clear message that will not only attract the interest of my target demographic (18-30) but also display a poignant message. Much of Banksy's artwork does exactly this and the images below will be an element in the planning of my digipak.

Digipak inspiration - displaying a clear message

For my album cover, I will be looking to create something unique and eye-catching to adhere to the genre of indie rock. The genre is often thought as one that can address topical issues and often be controversial. This in mind, I have looked across the genre of indie music to find some inspiration. Below are a selection of album covers I have found interesting and appropriate for what I am looking to create.

 


As you can see in the album covers above, they pretty much all display some sort of message. Whether it is the omniscient cat or the sinking person in Ben Howard's album, there is a message to the audience. As a result, I will be be focusing on portraying a message to my target demographic.

Initial pitch ideas to A2 Media students

Here is a video of my group's initial pitch presentation to a group of A2 Media Studies students.



Learning comment: By completing this presentation, I feel that we have received some important feedback from the students. This is an extremely important part of planning because it shows that, no matter how much planning we do, there will always be room for improvement. Therefore, by doing this before the majority of our filming, we will be able to address issues raised in the class. For example, the point of filming in multiple locations may prove hard to integrate into one video could prove problematic. To address this, we will be carefully considering the lighting of each location and how they might correspond to each other when it comes to editing the final footage. In addition, it was made clear to us that we will need to carry on filming the way that we have been in the test footage. It will picked up several times by students that the use of non-static camera techniques was beneficial to the overall video. Consequently, it is something that we will be looking to carry on and improve with through our actual filming.

Location planning: Performance

Having filmed the majority of our narrative, we will now be shifting focus towards the performance element of the music video. Here, I will explain issues we are currently tackling with each element of our music video.

Learning comment: From completing this short PowerPoint, I believe that we have a better structured logic as a group as to what we want to use for our performance. The PowerPoint notes pros and cons of using different locations and we will, in due course, be deciding on the location we will be using.

Storyboard - narrative

Storyboard for Narrative (Boxing sequence)

The storyboard for our narrative in our final music video. The storyboard may differ from the shot list as some shots have been re-thought and replaced.

1 - 18

19 - 36

37 - 54

55 - 72

73 - 83

Learning comment: By constructing a thorough and detailed storyboard, I have ensure that the planning of our music video leaves no stone unturned. After assembling a concrete idea, this was the ideal way for me and my group to be able to articulate our ideas into a structured plan. Most importantly, the construction of a storyboard was vital for maintaining a clear narrative structure through the entirety of the music video which is one of our main objectives in order to keep the music video interesting and engaging throughout.

Filming day - weather

There was slight deliberation as to whether factoring in the weather, two days before filming, really counts as planning or not. I've decided to blog about it anyway as it is an important aspect of our production.

After visiting our location and assessing the lighting, etc. we were very pleased with what we had and therefore booked the gym to use for the day.  As shown in previous planning posts, the lighting accentuated the quality of the camera we will be using as well as the setting itself. Therefore, we will hoping to have similar lighting (cloudy/sunny weather) on Thursday.

By the looks of it, the weather will be very similar to what we had on the day we first visited. This will be a benefactor to our production in the light that we will be able to film to a similar, hopefully better, standard than we did last time.

Filming day (1) - clothing planning

As stated in the post previous to this, I have decided to list the individual clothing items we will need to bring with us as well as the props in my last post. By doing this, the actors will look much more like characters within the narrative than random people off of the street.

Here is a list of clothing we will be providing for our actors with the names of the providers of each item to accompany them.

Learning comment: Upon completing of this task, we are now fully organised for our filming day with a clear understanding on who is taking what items with them. By doing this, we are able to fully focus on the filming when it comes to the day, rather than focusing on finding ample props and clothing at our location. 

Filming day (2) - props planning

Ahead of our first filming day, I have decided to make a list of the props we will be using and who will be providing them. It may come to your attention that some of the props are labelled 'provided.' By this, I mean that the boxing gym we are filming at already has some of the props we wish to use. After conversing with the owner of the gym, we are allowed to use the props within the gym as much as we like during our filming.

Here is a list of the props we will be using on our first filming day as well as the providers of each prop.

Learning comment: From completing this task, we now have a clear idea of what each member of the group has to bring with them to the filming day. By doing this, we will be able to film exactly what we want with the correct props to add authenticity to our music video. 

Shot list - boxing gym

Learning comment: By completing a shot list spreadsheet for the boxing gym scene, we now have a much clearer idea about what we want to shoot. This will prove vital on our filming day because this scene includes the majority of our shots and is thus the most important to our overall video. Moreover, it will help our actors gain a better understanding as to what they will need to be doing and for the time they will need to do it. As a result, this will make directing much easier because we will be able to focus on more high-level aspects of the filming such as camera movements.

Shot list - running scene

Learning comment: By creating a spreadsheet for the running scene, we will be able to shoot what we want to in an organised fashion. As a result, our filming should now be much more organised than if we hadn't created a shot list for the video.

Shot list - park scene

Learning comment: From this task we have clearly planned and organised one particular element of our music video in terms of shot listing. Although it is not a main part of our video, it will be valuable to our product as a whole in the way that this PARK SCENE will add a different element to the geographical side of things. Clearly planning and organising the shots of our shots has helpfully contributed to the video by the fact that it shows every shot in an orderly fashion - meaning that we won't be following a confusing storyboard.

Location visit: Slow motion shots

Below is a short clip of Pacifier by Catfish and the Bottlemen. To accompany the song, I have put together some shots from our location visit to practice the use of slow motion effects.

 

Learning comment:By doing this, I now have a better idea as to what shots look good and not so good in slow motion. As a result, we will be able to film a variety of shots with the knowledge that slow motion works to good effect. This ultimately helps with the construction of my final product in the light that it is good practice for my post-production editing after filming.

Location visit: Filming practice

Learning comment: Here we practice some filming and editing to the song of our choice. By doing this, we feel that the official filming day with actors, props and appropriate clothing will be much easier. Furthermore, we have introduced some advanced editing techniques that offer a higher level of editing and filming that we most likely would not have been able to film if we had not visited the location prior to our filming day.