So, recently I decided to change my idea for my music video. Originally it was going to be my story of 'The Guardians Tale' with scenes from that as the music video. Focusing on the characters Ralphy and Maya, as it's a love song. But because time was running out and I thought there's an awful lot to film in the three remaining weeks. Ed also agreed with this, and that's just to focus on the singing. So now I'm just filming the singing in four different locations in Frome. Its a shame really, as that was my main idea to continue with the 'Guardians Tale'. But I like the new changed idea. The one thing I'm really looking forward to is that I'm going to film the whole music video in a higher frame rate (fps). And it will appear 'slow motion' looking. This will make the music video look so much more dramatic, and as its a love song you want things slowed down to show time reducing speed. But by doing this the singer will have to sing twice and fast when filming the visuals. Then once recorded I will slow the footage down so the music will match the visuals in sync with her lips.
Update - Thursday 10th May
I have changed the idea again due to Ally being booked up with her work. So she wasn't able to film. I had to think fast and come up with a new idea for a music video. Changing the idea this late in the month is very risky. But I managed it ok. In the end I went out and filmed me acting as the main character in the film. The idea is now a young a man who has lost a loved one goes to all different locations that he spent with his loved one, bringing back memories. At the end he leaves the book behind and berries it. So he can move on with his life. I felt as well, thinking of my first idea, that I could've been the angle from the heavens, which meant I could've been Ralphy remembering Maya.
Since this was very last minute, I think my music video is successful. It gets across the story and is filmed nicely and matches the harmony of the song. Which is basically a love and loss piece of music.
The first page is the title sequence. My background is going to be the blue sky with text on top saying the song name first - "Truth To The World", then that will fade out and into "Composed and Filmed by LYNDON COLEMAN", then that will fade into "Sung and Performed by Alison Turrell". But on that last bit, the camera will pan down and the text will go up, to reveal a rapeseed field. Then from there the music video will probably begin. The next shot will be Allison's hand running along the rapeseed field.
All the shots I have drawn are not in the right order becuase when I edited it afterwards it will be a mash up of all the clips in a different order, like you get in a music video. For example one shot your in a rapeseed field, then suddenly the next shot might b sin a forest. Makes it more fun to watch.
The music video will end with Ali visiting a grave yard. From this it will reveal what the story has been about, as you suddenly realise she's lost a loved one and has been visiting all these locations to bring back memories and to remember.
So today, me and Ryan went out recceing in Frome. We looked at three different graveyards. I want a graveyard in my music video because Ally will be visiting a grave at the end of the video to reveal that she's lost a loved one. The first graveyard was the smallest out of the three, but had a really nice gate and fence. I was thinking a nice panning shot with the steady cam to set the scene, it also had a great background of the church which looked really impressive as a low angel. But I was looking forward a newish looking gravestone so I can work around that. But know luck there unfortunately, so we went to the second graveyard location. This was far the best one as there was so much more open space, which was what I was looking for. There was a spot at the back of the graveyard that fitted my shot perfectly. It also had a great view of the church in the background which was a big bonus. But because its under a tree I found adjusting the lighting and exposure a little tricky. But If I went there in the afternoon the sun would be behind me and shinning on Ally and tombstone, which will be much better. Also I was looking for a shot which Ally will be walking along the graveyard. There was a nice shot I found, but It wasn't the best. So we went to the third and final location. This one had more longer stretched paths, but I did find a nice spot for what I was looking for.
Test Shoots
Here are some test shots of the graveyard scene. In two different locations, I think I prefer the two left pictures as the lighting is better and the framing is good with the church in the background. But I also like the close up picture on the right.
Here are some footage on video -
Recce Shots
The below recce shots are from Clay Hill and Heavens Gate -
The next set of pictures are of the rapeseed field on the way to Bath.
When I thought 'Woods', I immediately thought Heaven's Gate. I filmed here last time for my first FMP, where I did my nature video. I really like this forest area because all the tree's are very tall, long, which creates a lot of depth. I like it also because there's lots of room to walk around inside the woods. I want Ali to sit under a tree reading her diary and to walk around within the woods. So its perfect really.
2) Clay Hill
My second location is Clay Hill. It's probably the nearest view point in Frome. Its got an amazing view from the top and you can see for miles. Fields and fields. Ali will be singing on top of the hill with stunning views and scenery surrounding her. The only thing with this one is I hope the weather will be nice and sunny as rain and cloud will not be good.
3) Rapeseed Field by Frome
And my third location is a rapeseed field. There's lots of rapeseed all around Frome. This is a very important one for the weather as I want lots of lens flares by the sun shinning on the bright colourful yellow. I want to make it look stunning. Ali will be walking be side them and running her hand across the rapeseed.
There was a great field of rapeseed in chepstow, where I live. But unfortunately It's way too far for Ali to travel and I don't have the equipment with me. So its defiantly going to have to be in Frome or somewhere around it.
Here I went out and filmed Ryan. I tried to film on a steady cam, but it was really hard to use as it was really too wobbly and hard to balance. It was a real challenge to get the steady cam still as every step I took it was very noticeable and kept turning away. But It was really exciting to use a higher frame rate so I could slow the footage down in Premiere Pro afterwards. It was shot at 50fps.
These three articles I found quite interesting to read. Especially the first one, as it answers why music videos are still so important. Its because people still watch them on Youtube and online. Also it tells us about the artist, and it even said - "In some ways music videos have become just as or sometimes even more important than the artwork due to the way we now consume music" Overall it was an interesting read.
Titles in music videos are important. Not every music video has them, but some do. Even if its just a quick five seconds at the start of the video letting us know the song name and who's the artist/band/singer. This could be at the end of the video, but usually its at the beginning. Here are a few examples of short titles at the start of music videos...
1) Ed Sheeran - Perfect
2) Olly Murs, ft. Demi Lavato - Up
3) Coldplay - Paradise
These three videos are quite different from each other. Two of them are outside ('Perfect' and 'Paradise') and one of them is inside ('Up'). Or to put it another way, two of them are on locations and the other is studio based. All three of them are quite fast, especially 'Up' and 'Perfect', 'Paradise' is slightly longer just because It has more to say at the start of the video, saying the company and artist all on different shots, not just all together like the other too, just more spaced out.
For my title sequence for my music video I need to decided what I'm planning to do for it. Looking at these examples there really simple, yet so effective. I really like the Coldplay one, as its silhouettes with a sunset or sunrise? It looks really dramatic and powerful. The text on screen is also black, which I really like. Blends in better with whats on screen.
As for text on Ed Sherran's 'Perfect'. The text is quite the opposite. Instead of black, its white. It works really well as the background is pretty much white with mountains, snow and bright light. Shining through the light, not hiding within the shadows.
Olly Murs's 'Up' is different from the other two as its not filmed outside, but in a studio. The title sequence in this is white on black . So we've had white on white, black and black and now white on black. If you look more closer the white is actually a yellow, which I really like as white can be a little dull, its nice to add colour to the video. Then the camera pans away and we see Olly about to sing. So, straight into the singing pretty much. Thats what I want in mine, but although saying that, my music starts with four bars, so it would make sense to use that empty space without any singing in it to have a nice build up of text, as a little introduction. Thats defiantly worth considering.
It's not final, but I could have white text over grass or the blue sky. Blue sky would be nice I think.
So I have been trying to think of an idea for my FMP. I've finally came up with something. I've decided to create a music video. The music video will be about the 'Guardians Tale', which was a project I did at the start of the year. But I had to leave it behind as it was to long for a short film. But this time I'm going to turn it into a music video, showing of the characters Ralphy and Maya. As it's going to be a love song, it will be about them. It wasn't too hard to come up with new ideas because I went back to a previous one. So mostly all of the ideas were already done by me before.
Much before this week, I started creating the song on my piano. Knowing that I'm going to have more work to do than anyone else. I was just playing around on the piano and started to get four bars, and worked from that. I just built the song up everyday, until I was confidant playing it. At this point I was thinking of lyrics for my music video, writing every word that comes to mind on paper. Also looking back at my 'Guardians Tale' script.
I also presented my pitch to my lecturer, Ed. The only problem he had with it was it wasn't visual enough. As I'm doing a music video, I decided to write the song as well. Which is a great idea! But sadly this isn't a music course. Ed wanted to see what I was doing for the visual side of things. But I couldn't give him much as it was all in my head. I wanted to get the music writing done first, because that's how my brain works. Its all about the music, and that's how I get ideas and motivation. But I think he liked the idea of my music video, I couldn't tell.
Week 2
So from last week , I went away and got things more visual. From the last projects I did previously, I got my crime board back out. I started putting ideas down and pining up things. I like to have everything in one place like one big brain storm. I was thinking I need two actors to play Ralphy and Maya, also who's going to sing in the music video. These were the questions. But for now It was getting research done and getting ideas on the board. Making things a lot more visual. I even did some character profiles in my sketch book. But the best thing about this week was I arranged to record an acoustic guitar. I couldn't wait to hear it on top of my piano.
Week 3
This week is really exciting as I had recorded the guitar. I layered it over my piano arrangement, and it sounds really good!
The Finale Weeks
Thursday 26th April -
Today I have been very productive with my college work. Got lots of work done such as, risk assessment, shot list, communication emails and booked out my equipment for the rest of the week and next. I also talked to Ed so he could guide me where to go next on the brief.
On the way to college I had spotted my finale location. Its a rapeseed field on the way to Bath, with perfect parking and easy public access, as there's a public footpath there. This is good because I won't have to get permission from farmers or anything.
Tomorrow I'm planning on getting the rest of the recce shots done at the rapeseed field.
Friday 27th April - So today I set of in the car to the rapeseed filed. Unfortunately the weather was really cloudy and was light raining. But I was prepared with an umbrella! Walked along the field taking recce shoots and a few test shoots of the scenery. The only problem was there's a fence stopping you from actually getting into the field as its private property. But that's fine, I was thinking I can have Ali walking along the field in a mid shot so you won't see the fence next to her because it won't be in shot. It will make it look like she's in the field.
I was thinking, because originally the plan was to have nice sunny bright weather. But what if its cloudy and raining. It would defiantly have different twist to the music video and might make it more dramatic and powerful. And I kind of like that idea! Will just have to see on the day what the weather will do because It wont matter either way. The shots I got today were wide shots of the rapeseed field and some panning shots. I also tied the 'camera balancer'. It was really hard to use, as I've tried it many time before its not getting any easier. I think what I'm going to have to do is just hold he camera the nest I can and use the tripod.
I also had news today that Ali is fully booked up with meetings. So I don't think I can use her, which is a big shame! But I've got a plan B. Another staff member said she will step in and lip sync the words. Even though she's no the actual singer It won't matter too much.
Thursday 10th May -
Its deadline day today. The the last two weeks I've been filming everyday and editing on the go. I have managed to complete a final video. Filmed at Heavens Gate twice and filmed at Cley hill, also a few places in my home town in Chepstow. Although theres a lot wrong with it, the rendering was playing up and made the contrast a lot more darker and some bits are slightly out of sync. Hopefully I will be allowed an extension to finish up loose bits on the brief and sort out the final video, so its good enough for the end of year show.
This song is very powerful, the music and the visuals. What's happening on screen is the man and the woman are split up from each other. One is in a cell and one is outside the cell. Or it could be the other way round as it doesn't make it that clear, its just one room is lit up really bright and the other is quite dark with one red chair. But as the video goes on, it appears that there both in cells as they both walk up to the window with bars on. I really like how both of the characters are wearing black. This shows darkness and evil, maybe even lost of power. My favourite part is the chorus, it defiantly builds up as it takes 1:36. A good strong chorus is really good, that's what people remember about songs and its really meant to be the best bit of any song. But what I find a bit unusual is that this song only has two choruses when most have at least three. I guess because it had a massive build up to the first chorus.
2) Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
This song is one I've took a bit of inspiration from as its the most similar style to mine. We've got the singer (Christina Perri) singing with a very small amount of featured clips from Twilight - Breaking Dawn Part 1. I like the visuals because Christina starts singing in low light, then towards the end the sun comes out for the third and finale chorus. Also at the start the temperature of the idea is very cold as there's a lot of blue and white. Then at the end it gets warmer as the sun rises. It get more magical and powerful, even the wind blows through her hair and leaves blow around her. Also the way she sings it in the finale chorus, she looks a lot more happier and you can tell she's enjoying it a lot more than the previous two choruses. Before it was very dark and sad, as she surrounds herself in lit candles on the floor. I like how the Twilight clips are merged into the video, even if its a very small amount. That's what I want to achieve with my music video, to have the singer sing on location and then to have quick cutaways to my story 'The Guardians Tale'.
3) Sigma - Find Me ft. Birdy
What's happening on screen is a journey searching for love in the city. I really like this song and the visuals. The visuals are really well edited together, its very quick edited. I'm guessing how this was filmed was Millie standing in front of a green screen. The background is blurred out of focus moving and she's just walking on the spot, so it makes it look like she's in the actual shot. Its really cleverly done and looks really beautiful to look at, especially with all the bright vibrant colours of the traffic lights and background city lights. But that's not the only thing, there's light shining on her face to make it more realistic that's she's there. I like the idea of it being a little artificial in the way the colourful lights hit her face as it adds more emotion, imagination and power. I like this video even more because the actor who's playing on screen is the actor who plays Eleven (Elle) in Netflix series Stranger Things. So the music video means more if you've watched that series. Eleven and Mike, who are the main characters in that series finally get together at the end of series 2. All that time searching for each other, as they were both lost. This song is called 'Find Me'. Its touched so many fans hearts.
For my music video I want to film in a scene of beauty. A location which is natural within nature. When I filmed my nature video last year for my first FMP, I was going all over the place to find the right shot. I came across an amazing field of rapeseed. It was so bright and colourful when the sun shined on it. The yellow was so vibrant and beautiful.
If I want to use this rapeseed field as the main location for my music video, I will need to find out when it grows. This year has been a little different because we've had a long winter and lots of snow which has held everything back. This time last year the trees were blossoming and all the daffodils were out.
Rapeseed comes out around the end of April, through to May and June. It grows up to 2-4 feet. Hopefully it will come out soon as It will be a great location to film my music video.
I can imagine the singer walking along side the rapeseed or even in it? Hopefully the day will be bright and sunny, as I would like some nice lens flares and panning shots showing the beauty of the vibrant colours. The blue sky and the yellow rapeseed.
Edward and Bella are characters from the film franchise Twilight, which is a vampire love story. The two characters first meet in a school setting, where they are put together by the teacher, to do a pair activity. You can tell they have a connection because of the way the look at each other in the eyes, lots of eye contact. The shots are all mostly close ups as the focus and attention is on these two all the time.
Jason and Ariadne (Atlantis)
Jason and Ariadne are the characters from the BBC program Atlantis. Jason is from the 21st century and went searching for his father, as his submarine got lost under sea. Jason went down after him, discovered his sub destroyed at the bottom of the ocean. Suddenly a bright light emerges and Jason gets sucked in and wakes up naked on the beach. Not knowing where he is, he finds clothes and spots a city over the sand dunes. There he enters the city of Atlantis where he will make two best friends and fall in love with the princess of Atlantis.
The first time Jason and Ariadne met it was all in the eyes. You could just tell instantly they liked each other. Ariadne looked at Jason, Jason spots her and Ariadne looks away, leaving Jason confused and hypnotized. The next time they meet they finally get to talk alone. The eye contact and closeness of each other you can defiantly tell they like each other, especially with the music in the background which is a lovely lead violin and strings. As she's a queen of royal blood, nothing can happen between them. But that doesn't stop them, as they carry on seeing each other. Then getting to a point where Jason says "I dont think I've met anyone like you before, know one as wonderful, know one as beautiful as you". Also "I care for your sister more than anything!". In series 2 we find out Jason is of royal blood and can marry Ariadne.
I love this couple and I would of really liked to see where there relationship went in series 3. If the BBC didn't cancel the show.
Stiles and Lydia (Teen Wolf)
Stiles and Lydia is an interesting one which I admire a lot. Stiles has always had a crush on Lydia throughout school. But Lydia didn't even know he existed. As the seasons go by, everyone season they get more and more together. Meaning that, you could tell by season 3, Lydia likes Stiles too. I guess you could say they were close friends and were always there for each other at this point. They finally get together at the end of season 6a, Lydia realised that she loved Stiles. This happened due to the wild hunt taking Stiles out of time and was erased. Lydia was the first one to remember him and to bring him back. If it wasn't for Lydia remembering, Stiles wouldn't of ever of existed. The connection between them brought him back.
"I dont think anyone had connection better than you guys" - Scott McCall (Stiles's best friend).
The first time they met, unfortunately wasn't on screen. As it appeared in the very first episode, Lydia walked past Stiles and Scott in an arrival school scene. Stiles was talking to Scott about murders and werewolves, but then changed the topic suddenly and completely as Lydia walked past. "I mean, this is seriously gonna to be the best thing that's happened to this town since, since the birth of Lydia Martin. Hey Lydia, you look, like, you're gonna ignore me".
There development is so good as it stretches across six seasons in seven years. Watching them both interact form the start, to the end makes you feel like how could this even happen? At the start it was so different, as they were a lot more younger and still at school. They got together in the finale year of high school. And about time too!
Zack and Hannah (Goosebumps)
Zack and Hannah are the 'couple' from the movie Goosebumps. I really like watching these two on screen and how they progress more and more through out the movie.
So, Zack and his Mum move to a new house. Which means a new city, new neighbours, and a new school. Zack meets Hannah literally straight away, when he unloads boxes from the car. He walks back up to the house but then the box brakes and everything inside falls out. Then suddenly you hear someone say "smooth". Hannah talks from her bedroom window from the house next door. Zack leaves the box on the floor and walks closer to Hannah. She makes fun of the hat Zack is wearing, but then he gets embarrassed and says "This is actually a gift from my aunt" and takes it off. But then Hannah says "Its also a gift for me and everyone who gets to see you wearing it". This part is where the two characters first connect. Zack and Hannah smile at each other and introduce each other.
The second time they meet is when Zach takes out the rubbish bin. Hannah makes Zack jump as she surprised him thought a gap in the fence. Hannah says, "did I scare you?" Zack replies with a 'acting cool' no. This hole conversation is very new and awkward and a little flirty. After he explains why he jumped like a little girl, he says "I didn't see you at school today?". Hannah's face got a little embarrassed and said "aww, where you looking for me?" And of course Zack would of denied it, but actually he was. Then this conversation ends by Zack asking. "So, umm, is there anything fun to do around here?" As the conversation was coming to an awkward end there was a lot more fillers in his words because he was nervous in front of her. Hannah replies with "come with me".
Zack and Hannah walk off into the street, leaving there homes. Zack has no idea where she's taken him. He appears all nervous and scared about follow her into the forest. "Yes Zack follow the stranger into the woods" he talks to him self. Hannah replies with "Come on scaredy Cat". This part is very important , as this is what Hannah calls Zack mostly through out the whole film. Creating nick names for someone can be flirty.
They finally get to the place, and appears to be an old fairground hidden in the forest. Hannah turns the power on and all the rides light up in the dark. They climb up to the highest point on the big wheel. And finally they talk probably overlooking a beautiful view. They talk about family and how Zack's Dad died. When they talk the eye contact is very strong and you can obviously tell they really like each together at this point. The use of close up on the camera really shows this.
They walk back home and they say goodbye, this part is very awkward as they dont know how to say goodbye to each other. Zach says, "thanks for tonight, its been the least terrible time I've had here". Hannah blushes and says " aw Zack that's so sweet". Just as they walk off, Zack says "Hey Hannah! Umm I probably gonna take the trash out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so, If you feel like creeping up on someone, that works for me". Hannah then replies with "ok I'll keep that in mind scaredy Cat". They both smile at each other.
I think these two scenes are the most important scenes that tell us that they both like each other. As I haven't written what happens n the story, Hannah turns out to be one of R.L Stine's stories and to send all of the escaped monsters back into the books she had to go to. The goodbye scene at the end of the movie where they finally kiss is very emotional, especially as its the first time hey kiss and turns out it was a goodbye scene too.
Right at the end of the film there was one more surprise. R.L wrote one more book to bring back Hannah. Its such a happy relief scene as Zack and Hannah reunite after losses each other. They reunite with a kiss and hug and they walk off together.
Newt and Tina (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
Newt and Tina are characters from the 'Harry Potter' Prequel 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. Unlike Zack and Hannah, the connection of these two characters started at the end of the film.
At the start of the film they didn't really like each other as Tina wanted to turn Newt in as he set loose a Niffler in a muggle bank and didn't obliviate Jacob, who is a 'no maj' (someone who doesn't no magic). So after everything they had been through together in the film, at the end you can really tell the awkwardness of the two characters as they like each other as they say goodbye. Newt is socially awkward anyway and has traits of Autism, so he finds it even more hard. He finds it hard to maintain eye contact in the film anyway, but moments in this he gives eye contact to Tina a lot.
Newt didn't know how to react in this goodbye scene, which made it more awkward. He brushed back Tina's hair with his hand, looked like they were about to kiss, but then Newt walked off. Tina's face was a bit disappointed. Knowing that they will not see each other again is really upsetting. But then Newt walks back and says "So sorry, how would you feel if I, if I gave your copy on person". Raising his head like a nervous lost puppy. Tina replies with, "I would like that, very much!" They both smile with relief. You can just tell from this scene that they really like each other. The second film I hope they will get together, as in the books they end up getting married.
