Meeting My Creative Consultant

Chapter Sixteen

Today I had a meeting with the Creative Directer of the video. His name is Luke Gilchrist and he gave me lots of tips for my music video.

Luke Gilchrist - Creative Director

He advised I pick an obscure song which doesn't have an existing music video so people can't compare them.

We should stay away from narrative videos as they are supposed to add up and have a conclusion which creates problems when filming and editing in post-production.

The music video should be between 2.30 + 3.30 minutes long. It should keep the audience entertained for the whole length of the video.

A good website Luke mentioned was Radar Music. 

This is the about section on the website-

Need a great music video? Or want to make more music videos for great artists? Radar can put you in touch with the directors, labels, managers or artists you need.

- We help labels, managers & artists get great videos on affordable budgets.- We help directors progress their careers via our Emerging Director Framework  - see below.- And we never promote requests to make music videos for free.

Don't You Want Me - Music Video Idea

Don't You Want Me

Florence + The Machine

The human league are an electric new wave band from Sheffield. They are currently made up of 3 members, two women one man. The band originated in the 80's and still incorporates a lot of 90's themes.

The music video is in the same style as Madonna's like a prayer, it is filmed following a young female and her journey. It also focuses on the singers.

I would like to change the theme up but keep the idea of having a male and female singer.
I would like to have the man stood on a stage performing the song with the lights and sound crew doing all their set up.
With the lyrics "you were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, when I met you" and I would like to have the woman singer cleaning tables in front of the tables. In a waitress uniform. There will be several shots of her watching him and him watching her, singing to her.

This music video recreation is similar but I would like a stronger storyline with the waitress.

Halfway through the video, the bar audience will fill up, and the girl will take the stage, singing her part.
Towards the end the male singer will see himself on stage with her, signing to her making it all very dramatic and soppy.

I will use the original artists for the costume, hair and make-up look. Keeping it as authentic as possible to the 80's.

Record Companies

Chapter Seven

Record companies stylise their artists to fit the general publics wants and needs. Eg- One direction were put together by Simon Cowell because there was an opening in the market for a cute, charismatic boy-band. One Direction play to the advantage of having five boys from different backgrounds, ethnicities, talents, looks and opinions. The record company have used the technique of 'Something for everyone.'

Paradox One

The star persona must be ordinary and extraordinary.

eg- girl next door vs crazy fashion sense.

Lady Gaga - She has her own problems, she has a life with her fiancee and family but she wears meat dresses.

This is Dyers Star Theory! Stars are CREATED.

The star system from Naamah Hill

Evangeline

Chapter Sixty

Here is my final media product, Evangeline.

Day One

Chapter Forty-Eight

Software; Adobe Premiere Pro.

Project; Evangeline.

Date; Mon 23rd Feb.

 

On the first day of editing, I uploaded all my rushes into a bin on Premiere. This was all my material I'd filmed before and wanted it all in a safe place where I could start working on it.

I labeled and ordered all the rushes and previewed them to see which clips I wanted to use. I then created a new folder and began assembling the clips into the order I wanted them to be viewed.

I tried to put each clip in a different row to the last, this was to stop them overlapping each other. It also allowed the sound to be seen clearly.

 

Types Of OS

Chapter Forty-Six

I have been researching lots of title sequences and have come across some very contrasting thriller openers. There is the opening sequence which foreshadows the events in the film, with a few names, companies and the title of the film being shown, sometimes the opening gives away information such as dates and locations. An example of this is Mississippi Burning. There are sound effects and dialogue in this sequence.

Other Opening Sequences can be very abstract and give very little away. The OS to Casino Royale is an animated sequence with music and important names and producers information. We see it is a thriller/action from the use of design and animation showing a man running. 

This opening sequence has little dialogue and is almost purely non diegetic music. 

Evaluation Questions

Chapter Forty-One

 Evaluation Questions

What did you do the day before to set up your shoot?

Me and Phoebe wanted to make sure everyone was available so we sent out messages and discovered we wouldn't be able to use one of our actresses. This is when we decided I would take the place of Fran- Evangeline's sister. We also made sure all props and costumes would be in check. Everything here was good. 

How did you feel when you woke up on the morning of the shoot?

I woke up on Friday morning feel a little nervous and apprehensive about the changes we would and have made to our opening sequence. We hoped our location would work as well as we hoped it would. I was also excited to begin filming something I had spent so long preparing.

How prepared were you when you arrived for the shoot?

I felt like I was very prepared as I had remember to bring all the extra props and costume I needed. I had also bought towels and make-up remover for the scene which would involve one of the actors going underwater. But as we changed this it was no longer important. We also changed our drowning idea when arriving at location as it was not a suitable location. Instead we filmed through a keyhole at a bedroom. I worked very well.

How did the studio set look when you arrived?

We had decided not to film ion a studio so we chose a small annex style house instead. We wanted a driveway for the scenes with the getaway car. The bedrooms were perfect because they had large windows dismissing the need for additional light. It was also very naturalistic which is what we wanted.

How did you divide the roles?

We decided to use both brothers to portray the Russian villain. I stepped in as the sister, Eliza portrayed Evangeline perfectly and Hannah helped with the get away scene. Although I was used for one scene I was able to film a lot of the smaller scenes and close ups where I wasn't needed. Phoebe filmed the keyhole scene.

What do you think you did especially well?

I feel like my importance in the prop placing and costume and make-up was helpful. I made sure everyone was wearing the correct clothes and helped with continuity.

What problems arrose?

During one scene, the actor had changed his trousers but this looked alright on screen as he may have changed them in the plot anyway. Also the location was not as planned but It worked because the storyline was so simple. We also had to create a framing device to film the shots of Evangeline's eye but this worked after finding something to frame the lens with.

What part of the shoot was the most successful, why?

I think the best part in our shoot was filming through the keyhole because we could afford to have a shaky recording and it looked great through the keyhole prop. Also it was the longest scene and we got it within a few takes.

Which part of the shoot do you wish had gone better?

It would have been nice to have more time in the latter part of the shoot so maybe we could have involved Hannah more but in the time that we had we handles this very well.

How did you manage your talent?

Due to being in a specific location we had to move actors to and from this shoot. We had a accurate schedule and worked well along side that only needed half the actors at a time. We could have used more time with Young Michael but used Older Michael instead and it worked fine.

What are you looking forward to seeing the most in the edit?

Everything, I can't wait to see how the shots of the eye and the keyhole work together, I also look forward to seeing the shots of Evangeline looking through the keyhole.

How do you feel your team worked?

Me and Phoebe worked incredibly well together. We had an image in mind and made it come together. Also only being two of us we were always busy which I think is important when working in film, If you're not busy you begin to get stressed and want to change ideas.

What have you learned to make the next one better?

I have learnt that location is key. If the location is planned and right anything will look good. I have also learnt that actors must be available and organized.

Are there any changed you might have to make to fit the shoot?

Yes, since our film was no longer shot in a bath, the death and kidnapping of the sister is changed.  Also the original idea of Michael being the brother has changed as he is now a villain.

Filming Evangeline

Alex & Phoebe preparing the kit for shooting.

Alex (Left) & Dmitry Play Michael, A Russian Antagonist.

Location Confirmation

Chapter Thirty-Eight:

Location Confirmation

Today I found out the date for shooting my thriller has been moved to this friday so,

Friday 30th January

Which moves our date forward and leaves us less time to prepare, I have sent an email to the bathroom owner to confirm our shooting there and should hear back later today. I have received permission to use the Audi to film the car scene and driver and I am still awaiting permission to use a public wardrobe for costume. 

To film the one underwater scene we will need to find a go pro with waterproof housing and get permission to use it. I have someone in mind and will send an email requesting the use of it.

The keyhole has been made and is ready to use so shooting those scenes will be easy and are complete.

All our actors are available.

Filming The Car Scene

Chapter Thirty-Six :

"If I had a world of my own, everthing would be nonsense..."

Car Scenes

To film the car for the car scene we need to make sure the angles are accurate and consistent. Continuity is key. It will also be important that the last shot you are able to see the shadow of the stalker but not is figure or his face. Possibly his feet so the right angle will allow us to see what we need to follow the plot.

FIlming Through A Keyhole

Chapter Thirty-Five :

'When people say "She's got everything!" - I have my answer, 'I don't have tomorrow.'"

Filming With A Keyhole

To create the idea of having young Evangeline watching her mother through a keyhole it will be important to build a big one to create that effect through the camera. It will most likely be built from cardboard or some tough material and will be big enough to be held in front of the camera.

This would be a great opening shot!