Drafting and Planning: Footage

On Saturday, I filmed the majority of the footage for my music video. I feel like they have been filmed successfully and have managed to get every shot I planned. 

The shots I think were the most successful are below. I think that with the right editing they will look exactly how I want them too and will fit perfectly with the song. 

However, some shots I filmed look good but the bags and tripod got into the shot so I will have to re-film them. 

Organisation: Shot List

As I plan to film my video tomorrow, I have decided to make a shot list to make sure I cover every shot I need. I have split it up into shots that include Ben, shots that include Megan and shots that contain them both. I have done this as I have put them in order of how I plan to film them. I have chosen this specific order as Megan will be wearing a dress and so to make sure she doesn't freeze, I have saved her shots til last so that she can stay as warm as possible. 

Research Into Similar Products: Establishing Shots

I have been considering using establishing shots in my music video to help it to flow and to give a little break from the constant shots of Ben and Megan. However, I have been unsure of how to actually use them in my video and so have looked at other videos to see how they have been used.
Lana Del Rey's video for 'Music To Watch Boys To' opens with establishing shots of the water in which the video is set in. This is an effective place to include these shots as I think that it fits with the acapella that opens the track - it creates a mysterious and calm tone to the video.

 

Bombay Bicycle Club also use establishing shots in their video for 'Almost Like This.' They use establishing shots to open the video as well as throughout. This is similar to how I would like to use them in my own. I like the way in which establishing shots are used in this video as they are edited in a stop-start way, and so make the video look quite home-videoesqe.

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Target Audience: Response To Digipak Draft

As I was unsure about which route to take in terms of my design, I decided to see what members of my target audience think and which one they prefer.

 Everyone has said that they prefer the sparkler idea. I can see why they have chosen this as this design is much more appealing to a younger audience and so I shall go with the sparkler idea. Especially as, now that I have drawn it out, the football idea looked abit 'all over the place' and so it's definitely a good idea to stick with the sparklers.

Research Into Similar Products: Shot Types - David Bowie

The release of Bowie's new video for the track 'Blackstar' has offered me a world of inspiration for shot types - particularly tracking shots.
The first shot that caught my attention was the tracking shot used when the woman comes on screen. I am using a similar shot to this in my own video, however this is going much slower than I planned to do it. I like this much more as it sort of lingers on her as she moves, as if in no hurry to move forward and so I shall consider the pace when conducting my tracking shot.



I also plan to use a tracking shot in which the camera follows my actresses feet directly behind. However I have been worried about it looking too shakey or not being able to carry it out effectively. In Blackstar, it follows the womans feet but indirectly and so doing the shot this way could be a good alternative.


The way in which the camera tracks Bowie also has inspired me. The way in which the camera is moving away from him is something I really like and could try when doing close ups on the actors faces when opening the video.


Although this is to do with editing, this is something else I really enjoy. The way in which the shots of the two women fade in together looks really amazing and is something that I could do when putting the close ups of the two actors together to show how they were once close.


The way in which a low angle establishing shot is used in this video is something else that really stood out to me. This shot is quite unusual and interesting as it doesn't actually show very much. I really like this shot and will attempt to use it in my own video which could show someone walking off towards the side - similarly to how the scarecrows hips are moving in the shot.
 

Drafting and Planning: Digipak Design

I have drafted the front and back covers of my digipak. However, I have had two ideas so I have drafted them both to see which looks better. The first one is the football one. The idea behind this one is to have the two people play fighting in the distance under the goal posts and my thinking behind this is that the natural human nature and actual nature itself is always shadowed by man made things, e.g. the football and the goal posts.
The second idea I have drafted is the one in which there is a couple laughing whilst using sparklers. I like this one cause the laughter is natural and the sparklers can show how we manipulate nature to our own needs. The photos for this would be much more close up on the actual thing.

Research Into Similar Products / Organisation: Use Of Colour - The Shins

The video for New Slang by The Shins, uses a lot of different colours to open the video in particular, but throughout too. The video opens with yellow, blue and a black and white filter which I quite enjoy as it makes the video interesting to watch. I will incorporate this idea into my own video, particularly in the flashback section, as I feel that it will make my video more interesting also. I can also utilise this idea to keep with my theme of nature, as I can use the colours green yellow and black and white.