Final music video production: Day 7.

The main section of the coursework is now complete. The filming and editing of the video is finished and seems to be of a high standard. My video has been selected from an option of many versions, and the editing used may be minimal in required effort, but very high in required effectiveness towards quality and presentation of the video. Now that all media products have been created, I must now go on to evaluate my work.

Final music video:

My final music video is complete by the deadline date, and has been submitted to the English office before 3.10pm. Ultimately, I decided on using version 6, with the use of a crop of the edges of the video. The singing is closest to matching perfect lip-sync and the editing technique of the gradually decreasing lighting seems effective.

Final music video production: Day 6.

Today I managed to edit all 6 videos from the previous post, this being that my type of one-shot video does not really require any complex procedures. However, the while versions 1, 2 and 5 were not edited, the other 3 had the following to them... - Lighting effects. As the mood of the video became more dark and negative, the lighting matched this mood, as the lighting settings, edited in Movieplus x6 software, gradually became darker as I split the clips and decreased the brightness by 1% each time the next part of the video played. - There was a slight cropping on the 3 edited videos to centre more on the sofa and the two people. The shadows somewhat viewable from the left become less apparant after cropping. - Saved in mp4 format. According to Movie plus software, it saves in fairly high quality and not too much memory is necessarily required either.

6 music video versions:

Final music video production: Day 5.

Today me and the teachers, and even a student or two, decided on which take was the best. I decided I liked the attempt where I am not singing, but despite the slight screw-up in lip-sync that I performed during filming while singing, the others claimed they liked the video with me actually singing in it. With this, I decided that I will post a total of 6 different videos onto the Blog. From the 3 of the best 5 takes, including the one where I am not singing, I will upload two videos from each of these 3 selected takes. 3 which are unedited besdies the simple addition of the soundtrack being placed over it. 3 which contain basic editing techniques inserted. Out of these 6 we will decide which one to submit for examination.

Final music video production: Day 4.

Today I started to edit some of my takes. I have as of now saved two versions of my final music video onto a memory stick, both of which I will upload tommorow. I am also undergoing processes of editing, including adding a lighting effect, and cropping edges of the video to remove some of the unwanted shadows. The version of the video that contain me singing have accurately been placed in-sync with the music track I have inserted over it. The video is a significant improvement over my draft, and the girl actress must be commended for her amazing contribution towards the making of the video.

Final music video production: Day 3.

26/11/12.



Today, I have updated my Blog posts and have checked my progress. I will begin to edit footage tommorow, after deciding with my teachers which take of the footage is best to use. Since the entire video is one shot of the sofa as my female actress performing while I sing, or not, the choice is between 5 finalised and relatively successful takes. 4 with me singing, and one without as a back-up resort method.

Final music video production: Day 2.

25/11/12.

Today I have once again checked over the footage I have taken and have decided to use all non-useful footage as bloopers. This additional quick and short video will symbolise the progression we made during filming stages, and the mistakes that were made and how they were corrected for the final take. I also intend to use editing in such ways as trimming off the edges of the video files. (For instance, you can see the actress’s shadow in parts of the video on the left of the screen, effectively breaking the fourth wall and ruining production techniques in the process.

After checking over the footage, I used a sample of screenshots from the video being played in windows media player to show how to performance made reflects the intended effect very well... all of the actions, from serving the meal to the reading a book have all been done very effectively in the media takes I have produced.

Shots of Footage

Final music video production: Day 1.

24/11/12.

This is the first day of filming. Today has been 2+ hours of non-stop prodcution, from explaining the idea, to performing numerous takes. At least 15 of them. Out of all these attempts, about 5 were reasonably successful ones, and these will be those of which are taken for a decision making process over which one ism the best for usage in the coursework. I produced 4 successful takes which all required me to sing the song of I am Kloot proof while conforming to the anarachronism idea suggested by the teachers where I sit there and sing while the female actress performs all the acting and narrative in the video. I produced another successful take which shown the same thing but without me singing to the lyrics, since while I was able to generally match my mouth to the lyrics, there were certainly some errors made that may not even be fixed in editing. The video needs to look very well produced, and this is a back-up idea I have for my final video prodcution.

After recording the footage onto a school camera, I trasnferred all files to my memory stick. As you can see, the outcome of the filming is that 5 successful attempts were made, along with many bloopers, 3 of which I kept as sample to demonstrate errors in filming during the process itself...

Final video shot diagrams:

Upon reading Mr Smith's note yesterday, I realised that he has a point that the female actress will require some further detail and understanding of exactly what the music video is supposed to be. With this said, I decided against the Animatic idea, since I am running out of time to produce one, and because my drawing skills are severely limited as demonstrated for my first Animatic I made. Instead I decided to use simple but interpretable PowerPoint diagrams to show what each shot is supposed to be like:

Final Video Shots

Music video daily progress keeper:

This is a short but useful way of using time management skills to measure my progress and complete production of the music video to a good standard by the deadline. (1 week.) Filming will begin tomorrow morning, so I will require maximum effort and commitment next week during the editing and finalising stages of production. At the end of each day, I will be posting on my Blog to state what I have completed during the day. I will do this to keep track of time and weigh what I have done to what I still need to do. Since the video is mainly one shot of me on the sofa, there should not be too much editing required, but the timing will still be tight since I have had to wait this long. The actress should certainly make it this time.

My review of the Digipak + poster:

As part of my coursework grade, I will require to evaluate my products. As preparation and extra progress, I have decided to evaluate my final Digipak and poster products:

Self Assessment

How I can use cross media production:

In other words, how can I make my Diigpak and poster relate to my actual video. During development of these products, I had to try and relate my Digipak and poster to the video I was planning to develop.

Unfortunately, my previous plans for my video did not consist of the current idea or its properties that I recently discussed with the teaching staff over. My idea was still based on my draft at the time of development of even the final stages of these 2 products. This means that my backgrounds, images used, fonts, colours, all related more to that video of a trapped, entrenched soul that was suffering from booze and being punished by heartbreak. That was why I used my wall with the prison image, AKA the barbed wire, for my front cover, besides it being a Calvin Harris inspired cover. The use of the brick wall in my Digipak and poster was significant, and it supplied imagery of being trapped, tortured, punished, and suffering.

My current video idea does relate to that sort of imagery and presentation vaguely and subtly, but not as entirely as the previous idea. In order to produce a series of products and a video with consistency and use of cross media production, I need to consider how to make my productions relate…

Firstly, it seems that the use of an anachronism will be used, AKA an incorrect time reference. It seems that a cross between chronologies will be used to create an effective narrative visually. On one side of the sofa in the shot, I will be sitting still, more or less, talking to the camera, singing the lyrics to the Proof song. Meanwhile, the female actress I am using will be performing most of the visual acting. She will be acting a year relationship in 3 minutes, while I am in another time period, after she has left, reflecting on the relationship we once had. It’s like I’m not even there. (In terms of logic and correct chronology, I am not.

Now, with this storyline there comes some obvious mental punishment. Some psychological entrapment of the man in the video’s mind. He is suffering inside due to being punished because his girlfriend has left, and he is trapped because all he can do is sit back and reflect and what events have transpired. Basically, you could argue that the man in the video still possesses all of the same negative mood qualities that he had in the previous idea of mine. He is still trapped, punished and tortured inside because ‘everything that has transpired’ in the relationship that took place before his reflection process in the video ‘has done so not according to his design.’ This means that the Digipak and poster bare significant relevance to the video because the brick wall image and other use of presentation in these products relate to the narrative of the music video. It may be beneficial for me to provide emphasis towards these moods during filming and editing of the video in a procreative way…

Time plan contingency:

Since my video will now require all footage to feature the girl acting, I will obviously have to change my time plans. Also, the video is now a somewhat different idea to the improvement I had in mind. Since the girl can no longer make it until the weekend before the deadline, AKA one week after originally intended, the schedule will now have to be altered significantly...

Time plan error and contingency plans:

Time plan error:

The error was that I was originally intending to film the footage for the video on 17/11/12 and then have a solid fortnight based time slot for editing and making necessary improvements. The problem being the female performing artist in the music video, pulled out due to personal issues that conflicted with my filming plans. She could have only made it to the house for filming during the day, and since the film takes place at night, and since we need some time and she was on a tight schedule for this day, the occasion had to be cancelled. With this problem in my plans to manage time during video production, I will now need to declare that filming will take place on 24/11/12. I will also need to use this experience to reflect on my planning. I will now conduct a brief but effective contingency plan schematic in which I will determine what I must do if something else goes wrong…

Problem:	Effect:	What could go wrong:	What to do about it:
Female pulls out of filming again on 24/11/12.	Filming is now incomplete and can seemingly not be complete and edited by the deadline.	I fail the coursework due to either failing to film the video or film it in the week, then not have time to edit it properly.	I have already arranged a date for filming with the artist, and have constantly reminded her to be there for the date. Last time, the problem’s source was that she forgot that she was supposed to be filming and made other plans.
I cannot gain access to a decent camera for filming on the day.	Filming can now no longer be conducted and I cannot make my music video.	I fail the coursework due to not completing the music video and not getting any filming done.	I plan to use the library camera and book it a day or two in advance to combat this problem. If this option is not accessible, then I will either borrow the female artist’s camera, use a family members camera. Or if worst comes to worst, film with a webcam or phone, though quality will be limited if we use this.
School is closed due to damage, bad weather, etc…	I cannot progress with my work. The longer an event like this takes place the greater the significance…	I fail the coursework due to not completing the production of the video, not being able to hand in video at deadline, etc…	I will have to work at home if this occurs, since I am working solo, this won’t be too big of a deal. I will have to use what software is available on my home computer to complete both production of the video and subsidiary tasks…

Computers stop working or internet access fails.

Faulty electronic system used by the school computing error, etc…

My coursework is failed because I cannot use essential resources for my video production and other tasks.

If I cannot work at school for a significant time period, I must make up for it at home. If access to superior software is the problem, I will have to use what software is available to me with the technology I have to complete the coursework.

New shot list:

Shot list for my new and improved, final version of the music video:

The new narrative is supposed to focus on an incorrect time reference. While I appear to be a ghost figure, not interacting with the visual surroundings, I am actually in a different time position from what the female is doing. While she is portraying a year long relationship in 3 minutes, (The start with the flowers, the middle with the meal and movie, the end with the shouting.) I am sitting on the sofa from a point in time after she has left. I am visually reflecting on the time we had together while not actually participating in the narrative content taking place in the video around me. There may or may not be cuts in the video, but the camera will be on a tripod and will film the same shot of the sofa throughout. I will constantly be sitting on the right side of the sofa, showing little to no emotion, simply singing the lyrics of the song. Meanwhile the girl will be performing all of the actual acting of the film.

Time plan for video production:

My plan for the next 3 weeks during the filming of the final version of the music video:

Time plan

Digipak and poster:

Improved Digipak content: New photos:

These are all new photos I have taken, I could potentially use any of them for my new and improved Digipak and poster. I plan to edit the images if necessary, and will base my new front cover on the Calvin Harris album that has just been released. Except this cover will be more fitting to my own music video. Also, I am planning to use a pattern-based shot for each of my inside panels. While some used panorama shots, some people used a pattern or design that was consistent in all of the inside panels. I will use the brick wall from one of these images to create my own pattern to use. This should gain me higher marks. (Not that it will be hard to do that.)

New Digipak inspiration:

Based on the negative feedback I recieved for my Digipak and poster, a lot of improvements will be required to achieve the higher, or in my case, even acceptable grades. Despite various tips of small improvements to be made, none some like they could boost me up to the high marks at this stage. After all, making minor improvements would hardly boost me from 3/20 marks AKA 15% approx. to a high, exceptional grade, could it?
My latest inspirational actually comes from the latest number 1 album that has just been released...

The most recent album cover on the BBC number 1 list is nothing more than a simple design, one that I could be inspired by for my own production. The cover is basically a fitting, well looking image with the main artist placed in a position, with simple, fitting text and lines that serve as the main title. The design is easy to produce, yet it works so well. Enough to be attractive enough as BBC's number 1 album as of November the 4th 2012.

My new idea will use this as a general example or template. I could very easily use a wall or content fitting surface to use as the primary background of my Digipak front cover. I could feature in the shot in an appropriate appearance and position. Then adding simple but fitting text should not be too difficult to do. If this attempt works, I could actually transfer from a 3/20 fail grade to somewhere around full marks standards. The attempt will have to be successful, though.

Peer assessment:

Some feedback I given to peers on their draft Digipak and poster:
George Hill
Harry Cooper
Michael and Charlie
Mothership
Shannon and Charlotte
Stephen Hare

Digipak peer feedback:

The overall feedback has been generally negative, unfortunately. It appears that my peers and teacher all agree the Digipak and poster are of a low standard for a number of justified reasons, and the current level of my draft design is that of a level 1 or low level 2. Either way, such a condition is unacceptable, so I will now reflect on my feedback.

1: A point made was that my front cover, the image and photography should be altered. Apparently my intended effect to use a black and white enlarged effect to portray emphasis towards the negative emotion related to the narrative of the video was deemed ineffective, and poorly produced. With this, my reaction for the front cover is to change photography and create a more easily understandable effect, and an overall more attractive and appealing front cover image.

2: The panel with the lyrics needs to be changed. Remove the drawing and then delete all lyrics. In place of the removed content, perhaps some additional company details and/or congratulations notes should be added to it.

3: The poster needs to be completely redesigned. Use more fitting and less random fonts, remove the drawing and use photography. Also use a better structure and layout.

Filming production:

This post examines the journey I taken during the filming stages of my draft music video.

1. The first stage of the filming was to take the outside shots set at the start of the video. I took the footage with a camera on 30.10.12. AKA Halloween night. Therefore, I had plenty of time to take the footage as at this time of the year. There was only one of these shots to take, but it was a long one. I applied the drunken feel of the shot to the video via a certain movement. Since it was a third-person handheld shot, the camera focused on the view in front of me. With the ‘drunk man’ walk I was using to move, the video camera was producing a blurry shot, even an unintentional temporal black-out half way through the shot. While this would initially appear to be sloppy production, it actually strongly relates to that of the narrative content of the video.

2. Once the outside shot was taken and without distraction, the next stage was to execute the other 5 pre-song shots. I quickly placed dirty clothes, a spilt beer can and some newspapers on the floor to make the place appear less clean and more like a pit of degradation. Once done so, I quickly pointed the camera towards the intended shot of the room. A quick pan shot was taken, showing emphasis on the mess that has been made as part of the placed mise-en-scene of the shot. The next shot was the beer one. Originally intended to use a bottle, a beer can was all I had access to at the time, but the intended effect remains. I spilt the beer around the can and onto the table for its intended effects of portraying sloppy living and an open and unhealthy lifestyle my character is living. Then the following shots involved the shirt being dirty, which I placed stains onto for the filming, the shot of the side of my face to show depression, and finally the shot of the playing but not being watched TV to show lack of focus. Once these shots were quickly taken, I moved onto the main filming...

3. The main filming during the progression of the lyrics was probably the most simple part. At least the first half of the song was. I simply had to put on a mad face in front of the camera while displaying the appropriate facial expressions. Then keep it there for at least the time required while the first few song verses play.

4. The inbetween shots which took place in the middle of the song were the most difficult to place into the video while still conforming to my song timings. The shots I taken were not long enough even when combined, to fill up all the time in the middle of the song between the 2 sets of verses. I had to expand this part of the video by using new shots, or expanding time of the original shots, and how long they played in the music video. I had to use a substitute image instead of the one I was originally going to use. More replacement material had to be used for the next stage...

5. The second half of the filming during the lyrics had to be taken while I actually sang, thus the requirement for accurate lip sync. Due to time constraints, the quality of this that I could gather from this is limited in the editing stages. I will have to progress well to achieve getting this video to a decent level. The substitutions also continue here as well. The female performer was unable to make it and will be for the near future. I will be able to use her for filming of the final video product, but not for the draft version. Hence a few changes will be made. For instance, instead of the girl walking with me in the sunset during the last shot, the final shot will now be me walking up the stairs, followed by a quick shot of the camera zooming away from my face, both to visually represent that while the camera is moving away from me and vice versa, so is the problem for the character I portray in the video.

Draft music video:

This is my draft video, filmed and edited. Many improvements will likely be required, but here is what has been produced as of 02/11/12. This is a video that has been planned for a while now...