Star Image: Lead Singer Mise-en-Scene



Screenshot 1:
Mid shot on lead singer positioned in the centre of the frame. Artist does not fill the entire frame thus showing the audience the location. There is slight eye contact so the artist can connect with the audience.











Screenshot 2:

Another close-up of lead singer with head and shoulders in the frame. With the background either side of the singer, the audience can look at both the artist and the background. Although most attention is towards the artist's face, where all the details are focused on.





Screenshot 3:

Different shot to the previous shots. The inclusion of an aerial shot is used slightly before the chorus which focuses on the artist's face and parts of his body as well as the new location. This time, he is not facing the direction of the camera and is therefore no connection with the audience. There is only a small part of the background that is visible so more of the attention is placed on the artist.


Screenshot 4:
Mid shot used which is similar to the first. Artist is positioned slightly to the left of the centre of the frame. The background is the as the beginning to maintain continuity of the setting. Head is tilted downwards slightly to look at the audience at an even level.






Screenshot 5:

Artist moves closer to the camera to become a close-up shot. The background is not as clear therefore showing intent and focus being placed upon the artist. Star is performing a rubbing fingers gesture to illustrate the lyrics "Counting dollars".






Screenshot 6:

Close-up is at a different angle to the previous shots and shows the audience looking up at the artist. He performs a hand gesture to add variety and interest to the shot whilst the background to the right is slightly out of focussed.






Screenshot 7:
Same shot and position as the last close-up. There is slightly more focus on the star as the mise-en-scene changes due to rubble falling on top of him. There is slightly more to see in the frame as the artist is towards the centre instead of the left. Eyes are closed to prevent connection but mouth is parted and fist is clenched to show emotion in his lyrics.



Screenshot 8:

Last shot is another close up of the artist in the centre of the frame and has direct contact with the audience. Top of hair slightly out of frame however shoulders and top of arms are in the frame. Clothing is completely covered in rubble to add interest and variety in the shot. The paler background puts the foreground at the point of convergence as the artist returns to the centre of the frame and is the centre of attention.








 

Music Video - Textual Analysis 3

 

Music Video - Textual Analysis 2

Music Video - Textual Analysis 1

 

Music Synaesthesia

Music Synaesthesia is made from two elements of a song to determine a visual matter or concept. This allows music video directors to visualise what the music video should be by listening to lyrics, sound and musical arrangement. By doing so, it enables the director to visualise whether the music video should be either a narrative, performance or disjuncture genre.
Roland Barthes theory of "The Grain of Voice" shows that sounds and titles that can be understood can also be iconic in relation to the song choice or artist.

Music Video Evaluation 10: Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

Interesting Aspects:

- Jump cuts used at the beginning to introduce artists and other members of the video

- Plenty of close-ups of the featured artist

- No microphone or instruments displayed

- Video includes singing whilst performing choreography

- Panning and tilting shots included

- Relationship between lyrics and visuals - "Stop. Wait a minute" - Hands in stop position

- Filming at a variety of locations

- Features a dominant musical arrangement - the beat becomes recognisable and iconic

- Fade-out transition used to indicate the end of the song

 

What could be included in my music video:

- Include few jump cuts to introduce vide cast

- Close-ups of the main artist

- Allow microphone and instruments to not be displayed

-  Include panning shots and camera movements

- Could apply fade-in or fade-out transitions



Music Video Evaluation 9: Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

Interesting Aspects:

- Choreography runs throughout. Featuring the artist

- No microphone or instruments are displayed in the frame

- No obvious relationship between visuals and lyrics

- Filming taken place in one location

- Lighting centred on artist and model

- Camera tracks to follow the choreography

- Clothing worn suits the type of dancing - ballroom

- Lighting crosses to represent a love heart, hence portraying a love story

- Aerial shots used to capture to crossing of the lighting

 

What could be incorporated in my music video:

- Video could include a choreography performance

- Allow microphone and instruments to not be visible

- Allow lighting to focus on artist and other members

- Allow the camera to move and pan

- Artist and members of the video should wear appropriate clothing to suit the genre and mood

Music Video Evaluation 8: A-Ha - Take On Me

Interesting Aspects:

- Combines reality with animation

- Racing scene at the beginning represents change in tempo

- Close-ups and extreme close-ups used to emphasise artist for promotional use

- Dolly track shots and tilts used to follow artists

- Jump cuts used to jump between the narrative and the artist
- Relationship between lyrics and visuals - "Take me on" - Holding hands
- Narrative based on the love connection between woman and artist

What could be incorporated in my music video:
- Indicate change in tempo using the visuals
- Apply close-ups and extreme close-ups to the main artist
- Apply panning shots and movements
- Include a narrative for the video

Music Video Evaluation 7: Madness - Cardiac Arrest

Interesting Aspects:
- Beat and the beginning represents heart beat
- Heart beat at beginning emphasises tension
- Narrative crosses with lead singing
- Fast editing to emphasise the flow of time
- Filmed on a bus suggests replicating an everyday activity
- Relationship between visuals and lyrics - "Telephone, desk and chair" - Then cuts to a short pan featuring a telephone, desk and a chair
- Chorus involves everyone within the frame playing a part
- Instruments are hidden but then displayed when used in the soundtrack
- Frantically waving hand to show panic and pain

What could be incorporated in my music video:
- Fast editing or time lapse to represent time passing by
- Could consist of lead singer singing along with the narrative
- Apply a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals
- Could allow the instruments to be displayed in the frame
- No need to include a microphone
- Using gestures to illustrate a particular lyric

Music Video Evaluation 6: Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This

Interesting Aspects:
- The video is a mixture of narrative and artist singing
- Video consists of slow panning shots
- Plenty of shots of main artist
- Black lingerie represents seduction
- Inclusion of black male links to male gaze. Referred to as a sexual and exotic person
- Imitating water shots and movements
- Blue clothing represents depression and is therefore hurt
- Wig could represent she is acting under a new identity

What could be incorporated in my music video:
- A possible narrative
- Numerous shots of artists, mainly close-ups
- Include movements of the camera to prevent it becoming stationary throughout
- Apply theories such as the male gaze



Music Video Evaluation 5: Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life

Interesting Aspects:

- Video consists of a narrative

- No instruments or microphone displayed

- The band are not displayed throughout the video

- Plenty of aerial shots

- Plenty of shots taken underwater

- Variety of different locations where filming took place

- No obvious relationship between visuals and lyrics

- Camera is panning a majority of the time

- Darkened lighting could symbolises loneliness

- Lightened atmosphere could symbolise freedom

 

What could be incorporated in my music video:

- Video could include a narrative

- Film at a variety of locations

- Apply different lightings to replicate a particular mood

- Allow the camera to move and not remain stationary

- Have the narrative run throughout the entire video with no appearance of the band or instruments

Music Video Evaluation 4: Wiz Khalifa ft Charlie Puth - See You Again

Interesting Aspects:

- Use of panning and crane shots

- Slow transitions and movement to portray emotional and moving atmosphere

- Piano is the only visible instrument

- Microphone is not included in the frame

- Camera moves when Puth sings

- A variety of different shots are included when both artists sing

- Clips from the franchise included for nostalgia and are followed by a fade-out transition

 

What could be incorporated in my music video:

- Use transitions appropriately to replicate a particular mood

- Use a variety of different shots

- Not all the instruments and microphone need to be visible in the video

- Plenty of shots of the artist to allow the audience to focus on them

- Potentially keep the camera moving instead of keeping it stationary for the duration of the video



Music Video Evaluation 3: Jungle - Busy Earnin'

Interesting Aspects:
- The video is disjuncture. The visuals have no relationship to the music or the lyrics
- Establishing shot at beginning
- Warehouse setting is incorporated to suit the members involved in the video
- Plain, less interesting setting allows the audience to focus of choreography
- Camera slowly zooms on members as the music progresses
- Choreography used throughout the video
- Camera is not stationary for most of the video. Panning shots and movement is used throughout
- Mise-en-Scene of dancers is causal and relatable to most viewers
- Lighting is pointed downwards to make the group the centre of attention
- Fade-out transition to signal end of the video
- No instruments or microphone displayed

What could be incorporated in my music video:
- An establishing shot could be used to begin the video
- Keeping the camera moving. Only stationary where appropriate
- Could include a choreography performance
- Apply casual and relatable clothing
- Include a fade-out transition to show the conclusion to the video
- Not include instruments and/or microphone in the frame


Music Video Evaluation 2: Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars

 

Interesting Aspects:

- Video begins with soundtrack straight away
- Plenty of close-ups of lead singer
- Inclusion of fade-in and fade-out transitions
- Camera is moving nearly all the time and is not stationary
- Use of crane and panning shots
- Relationship between visuals and lyrics - "If I lay here..." - lying on ground
- No obvious relationship between music and visuals
- Appropriate lighting to centre attention onto the main singer
- Less interesting Mise-en-Scene proved effective in the video
- No instruments or microphone displayed

What could be incorporated in my music video:
- Could begin with the soundtrack to start the video instead of delaying it slightly
- Include plenty of close-ups of the lead singer
- Could include transitions to set a particular mood
- The inclusion of panning shots
- Display a relationship between both the visuals and lyrics
- Not include either a microphone or instruments within the frame



Music Video Evaluation 1: Mumford And Sons - Hopeless Wanderer

Interesting Aspects:
- Establishing shot at beginning to show calm, tranquil atmosphere
- Slow tempo at beginning expresses peacefulness
- Destruction and liveliness increases as the tempo increases
- Plenty of close-ups of lead singer with some close-ups of other members
- Mise-en-Scene emphasises country genre. i.e. field, barn, brown trousers, jackets and shoes etc
- Video is an amplification
- Instruments and microphone are clearly displayed

What could be incorporated in my music video:
- Use a variety of different shots in the video
- Apply appropriate Mise-en-Scene to suit the song, the artist and the scene
- Many shots of the lead singer included in the video
- Could included instruments and microphone in the frame
- Could apply bright lighting to centre the attention onto the artist/s

A2 Preliminary Task Evaluation - Post-Production

Once the filming process was completed, we decided as a group which of the clips we recorded would be best for editing and discard the unused clips. As the editor, I transferred all of the suitable clips onto my school account and began to edit the clips in sequence to the original clip. I  currently have experience and confidence using Adobe Premiere Pro software, so I currently know how to create the sequence and how to match the original clip. By using the Adobe Premiere Pro software, I was able to place the original clip in the bottom right corner. This helped me during editing as it allowed me to identify when the shots change rather than doing free handed and roughly guessing the shot transitions. I removed the audio from our clips so that it does not overlap the audio of The Kills track, which I downloaded and placed in the audio and video. One difficulty I had with this process was getting the actor to lip sync in time with the song. To allow this, I moved the clips along the sequence until the lips synced. On most circumstances they did not, in response I changed the speed of each clip to lengthen or shorten it until the lip sync matched with the song. On the original music video, a black and white effect is included in the outside scenes, to replicate this I created a title and filled it in with a black background, to which I then applied the Hue effect to allow it to go transparent and portray a black and white effect. One aspect to this process that became time consuming was the exporting of the completed sequence. This was because I tried multiple times to produce the project in high quality and can fit the screen. After multiple attempts, the best that I could do was to allow it to fill the screen only on full screen rather than small screen. Next time, I will try to understand what I need to do in order to export the clip properly so that the clip fills the entire screen and assure that it does not appear too pixelated as it currently does.  

A2 Preliminary Task Evaluation - Production

During the production phase, the Director played an important role in the success of the task. It was their role which involved ensuring the actors wore the same clothes to maintain continuity throughout and refer back to the storyboard to ensure that the filming ran smoothly and matched the framing of the original music video. The actors and equipment were placed accordingly to match the actual video with the directors help. The cameraman was given clear instructions as to how to frame each shot and for how long each shot lasts for. Our filming process was on point as everyone in the group was present for each of our sessions which meant we filmed each shot smoothly and followed our schedule. To assure that we knew what we were doing during this production stage, we had the original video playing so that we knew which shots we had completed and which were not. We decided to film this way as we thought it would make the filming process smoother and made it easier for us to continue from the last filming session.

A2 Preliminary Task Evaluation - Pre-Production

To begin, we were placed into groups and given a song choice from either Arctic Monkeys - 'I Bet You Look Good On  The Dancefloor' or The Kills 'No Wow'. Once we had our song choice, as a group we began to storyboard and plan how what equipment we will need and how long each shot lasts for. After the storyboarding stage, we assigned each other roles to contribute to the task. The roles assigned were chosen to best suit the person's capability. For example, one person is skilled at camera work and filming, therefore we assigned them as camera operator. The director was assigned before we began filming, to give orders to ensure our video matches the original. Our group chose Harry as the director because he had the footage from the actual video on hand and came into use when he directed the two actors to do the correct things. As the lead in the actual video is a female, we tried to imitate the same thing by allowing the girl in our group, Phoebe, to take the role. Which left the guitarist role going to Ben, simply because he plays music regularly and therefore suits his capability. As for me, I too contributed partially to the directing role, but was given the role as editor, meaning I has to edit the clips that we made and compile them into one whole sequence. After this, we decided on a place to film. The obvious choice was a room which contained a white backdrop, as the actual video consists of a white background. This will help to replicate the real thing and maintain continuity. We decided that we would use the room during the lesson times that we had available as the room was available to us. The spacing in the room was enough for us and provided the correct mise-en-scene to match the actual The Kills - No Wow video.

Preliminary Task - Practice Music Video

Preliminary Task - Lip Syncing Exercise

Preliminary Task - Continuity Exercise

As part of our transition from AS to A2, we were split into groups to perform the first preliminary task. This being a situation where one person walks into a room and converses with another. The idea of this practice was to allow us to understand and use different shot types as well as understanding certain rules, such as the 180 degree rule. Once we shot all the clips, Harry, the cameraman in the group, took the clips and edited them into one whole sequence. The sequence also included a sound track towards the beginning for the purpose of dramatic effect to keep the audience interested.

By doing this exercise, I feel more confident by learning the basics of shots and editing skills which can help me later on when I create my final piece. 



A2 Coursework Schedule