Friday, 24 February 2017

The Editing Process


We began the editing process as soon as we had completed our first day of filming. We found this quite useful as were able to clearly see what needed adding and what footage we needed. We were also able to assess our methods of filming as we went along, improving upon our skills each time.

Throughout the process we have become more and more confident in using Adobe Premiere Pro as well Adobe After Effects. One obstacle that we were particularly invested in perfecting was the colour change of Meghan's coat. During the first few weeks of the course, we made prop decisions, one of which was to find a red cape. We managed to get hold of one however it did not look that great on camera as looked cheap and velvety. It also may have looked like we were trying too hard to relate it to red riding hood rather than just adding a subtle link. Therefore, in watching YouTube tutorials online and experimenting in Premiere Pro, we had the idea to use Meghan's coat and make it red.



We did this in the effect controls panel, experimenting with colour change and tolerance to change the colour from green to red. Once we had mastered this once, it gradually became easier. It was, however slightly frustrating at times when hues of the same colour of Meghan's coat were caught and turned red as well. We edited this by adjusting the tolerance which was successful the majority of the time.

Another element of editing that we found quite complex was matching the backing track up with the footage of Charlie lip syncing. We were lucky in the sense that we had casted an actor capable of lip syncing successfully as well as confident on camera during the narrative scenes. This made our job a lot less tedious as we only had to cut them down slightly for them to fit to the music. We didn't have to mess around with speed duration etc.

The process started to get even more enjoyable as we added in footage of Meghan, we saw how the addition of another character really helps to enhance the narrative and create a storyline. Originally, we had not planned on doing too many shots of Meghan and Charlie together however found that for the narrative to work well and for the viewer to understand, we would need to do this. After filming with them both, we were able to really build upon the story and fill in the gaps. We used a variety of transitions throughout our music video, mainly the cross dissolve however when changing from a memory stage (B&W) to lip synching, we incorporated a flash dissolve. This really gave the impression that he was having a flashback and added to the overall outcome. In addition to this we learnt how to cross fade from colour to black and white,



 this also proved to be quite simple in the end despite watching a very complicated tutorial on how to do it on YouTube. We simply cut the shot in two, made the second half black and white and added a cross fade between the two.





We also experimented with speed duration throughout the video, especially during the flash back shots where the two characters are arguing. Here we decided to slow down the duration in order to create a more powerful and emotive impact on the viewer. The way in which his facial expressions are slowed down creates a sense of fear and empathy with the female character. It also helps us to get a closer look into the narrative and learn more about the characters and their relationship. It all depended on the rhythm and beat of the song at the time as well as the feelings we wanted to portray when we were adjusting the speed duration. During the louder, more energetic parts of the song, we tried to speed the shots up so that they would match the beat of the music. For example the 360 degree shot of Meghan, it created the impression that she was being circled like an animal.



The speed of the song encouraged us to experiment with cutting different shots. In the really fast paced parts, we created a flashing effect by cutting up shots of Meghan and Charlie and mixing them up.

What I found especially effective was the decision to make the flashback shots black and white. This created a separation between the two narratives happening at the same time as well as continuity throughout the music video. It also made the shots look more professional and added to the theme of black, white and red as we still managed to pick out the red of the rose and the cape. Some parts of this proved to be quite difficult as like before, some hues of red such as on his face and on the bench stayed slightly pink when everything else turned black and white. We were able to adjust this slightly however it is one element that we would say could do with improvement. Given the timescale we were just not able to be too picky.



 
During the course of this project we have also learnt how to group clips or 'nest' them in order to be able to move them all as one collective shot and edit them together.
 

 

 
 

 
Overall, we have used a variety of effects, we also added sound effects downloaded from YouTube to add to the start of our music video to introduce it. We used a YouTube converter in order to open it as an mp4 file in Adobe Premiere Pro.










Evaluation Question 1

 
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Our music video both challenges and complies with music videos and media products in industry. Our main focus was to try and create an original, minimalistic and stylized piece of work inspired by the lyrics in the song, using them as a platform for our narrative. This artistic approach allowed us to experiment with camera angles, props and effects during the filming and editing process.

The main element of our product which challenges forms and conventions of typical music videos would be our narrative style. We took the risky decision to incorporate both lip syncing as well as narrative ( Which is not often done in the industry as we found out through research). We wanted to make something which would create an impression. From the start of the project, a fundamental part of the process was to experiment and explore a range of different filming techniques and styles in order to broaden our skills and apply them to our video. I found that by using both lip syncing and narrative, we were able to learn a lot more about the character through the lyrics as well as through the acting. This created a sense of empathy. This is a technique used in conventional music videos as it draws the audience in and allows for narrative and character development.

Our initial idea challenges forms and conventions in itself. The majority of music videos produced in industry have a simple narrative and genre behind them, ours leans towards the short film category in that there is so much going on within it. There are several themes as well as an underlying narrative, a relationship and a mystery.  We have an element of romance within the genre which complies with conventions; these days the majority of music videos do consist of romance, documenting the relationship of a male and female and the development of their relationship reflected through the lyrics in the song. I feel like although ours does incorporate bits and pieces of this, we have gone about the idea in a completely different way. First of all, the narrative behind the lyrics in the song is ambiguous, we looked at them and manipulated their meaning in order to create a romance/mystery music video. What I like about this is that the lyrics don't tell you everything, allowing the audience/viewer to perceive it as they want.  The ambiguity of it is what we hope will draw the audience in, we do not really delve deep into the personality and feelings of the characters, only a vague relationship between the two and the effects they have on each other which can be suggested through the lyrics of the song. This all helps to maintain the mystery element of the genre that we wanted to create.

Location wise we opted for a range of different areas. The ongoing idea was to shoot in forests and wood like areas in order to link in with the underlying theme of red riding hood and the fact that his emotions reflect the characteristics of a wolf. However in contrast with these dense, outdoor locations we decided to opt for a cleaner much more artistic space in order to really highlight the importance of his abstract feelings and emotions. We filmed him in a large white studio space called Butterfly Studios which provided us with great lighting and effects creating professional shots and footage. The contrast in colour as well as costume and location is quite stylistic and snappy. Conventional videos would stick to a theme throughout so as not to confuse the viewer however I feel that the way in which we have executed the filming (colour theme of red, same actors and continuity) has allowed for this. The contrast between the clean white walls of butterfly studios and the messy, foliage and trees where the narrative takes place creates a separation between the two scene changes. It allows for continuity as well as audience understanding.  

However we have also taken inspiration and ideas from other music videos such as those of 'Panic! At the Disco' and more contemporary bands like that. The montage was one of the things that we showed particular interest in during the initial stages however as we progressed we decided that we wanted to go for the more contemporary approach. What we enjoyed particularly about their videos were the fast shots used for effect and the way in which they used props and other actors body parts to create impression. Movement is a key element to the way in which it comes across. It all syncs with the music which is fast paced and we wanted to make sure that we really made sure that the movement and shots within our own video matched to the beat and timing of the music. (Especially after understanding how key it was to the overall consumption).  We had also watched various music videos where props had been incorporated to add effect, water, leaves, flowers, coffins etc. Our original idea was going to involve many more props however we found that that would just be too expensive and time consuming. We did however incorporate leaves into it in order to make it abstract as well as face paint and the rose. We did experiment with hands and body movement pulling and pushing Charlie however we did not have the numbers to make it as effective.

Our choice of casting also complies with conventional forms of media. The decision to cast a male and female actor for our music video with the genre of love and conflict is a typical choice that most artists make. This is because it is an ideal way to portray emotion and causes the audience to empathize with the characters as they can relate to them. However it is not obvious in the lyrics that it is about a relationship, this is only how we decided to present it. The lyrics could imply the gradual deterioration of their relationship or the way I which 'Red' has left the wolf. One idea we took from the lyrics could be that she is having an affair or has just stopped taking interest in him. This would challenge forms of media as it is usually the male who ends up hurting the female. I think that it is important to challenge as it shows that people should be more open about the way media is perceived.  

 The fact that we have linked our narrative to the lyrics in the song also develops conventions of real media products, we have, so to speak, based our idea on the song that we had decided to use at the start of the project. This means that we have had to really try and reflect the lyrics and the emotions of the song through our camera work and the actors. This makes it seem almost like a short film as everything ties together.

Overall I feel like we have both challenged and complied with conventional media products, probably challenged more so in that we have really tried to make it original and artistic rather than a normal narrative linking subtly to the lyrics in the song. From the start of the process, we have placed an emphasis on originality and have used subtle props such as the rose, the mic, costume such as the coat, the suit so that we could enhance the overall effect on the audience and maintain the professional quality of the video.

Thursday, 23 February 2017

Final Steps in Editing Process

  • Find a background sound effect for prologue
  • Story Plot Shots (fillers0
  • Ensure all lip syncing is in sync
  • Shot transitions should match the beat of the music
  • Make second verse more interesting (Variety of different shots)

Wednesday, 22 February 2017

Ancillary Task 2- Poster



    FINAL POSTER

 
After receiving audience feedback for our 'final' poster we made a few slight changes in order to gain as high a mark as possible. This adjustments included adding a release date as well as a production company to show who had given us the 5 star review.

Audience feedback on inital idea and ancillary products


Audience Feedback Questions


http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HEB58/

1) What are your initial thoughts on our idea?
2) How original do you think it is?
3) What interests you the most about it?
4) What type of audience do you think our music video would appeal to?
5) From what you've heard, would you want to watch the final music video?
6) Are there are any changes or improvements you might make?



Instead of creating a video, we will hand out these feedback sheets and upload the evidence that we collect











Monday, 20 February 2017

Audience feedback of rough cut

 
We showed our rough cut to our peers and they gave us feedback and commentary on the sheets of paper below:
 
 

 
 
 



















Here is some of the audience feedback we received. We will take their ideas and advice on board in order to improve it - making the narrative clearer to the viewer and working on the finer details. I feel like we have the main shots however just need to work on capturing the attention of the viewer. We found from the feedback that it is quite repetitive so will try and improve the way in which the shots are delivered.  



Here are some of the key elements we intend on improving in order to create the most effective outcome ( music video) from the footage and ideas that we have.