Copyrite

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Evaluation - Imran Bashir

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

My media product both challenges forms and conventions of similar products in the industry; my music video is based on the band Domino Theory which is a group of 4 males that perform together. It is both a performance and narrative music video with the performance being based around a rehearsal of the band which we used the location of the Grims Dyke hotel in Bushy, and we shot the narrative part in several areas in London and tube station, it is a typical narrative for the genre of music which is a love song so this reinforces forms and conventions as its similar to most music videos in that genre. A love song about a couple reuniting and living happily ever after,

The use of mis-en-scene was key to us in this music video we tried to shoot it to similar videos in the genre again reinforcing the forms and conventions by using wide angle shot of the band, we did handheld so we got close ups of the vocalist and ranged from medium to close up’s of the band, we also tried a few tracking shots but this didn’t work out as well as expected so we didn’t use it at all, the performance of the band is shot in normal colour but the narrative story is edited to have a cartoon effect we did this to challenge the forms and conventions as other music videos in this genre don’t feature this. We used the track by Domino Theory Titled Try A Little Harder which was written and produced by Domino Theory and we used some speech from the band to make sure that we identify with the audience it is a rehearsal and not a live performance. The editing process was difficult and we found ourselves constantly going back and forth and receiving feedback to improve it we use the software ‘Final Cut Pro’ which is a professional editing software that allowed us to do multiple things, it was a learning curve but valuable and essential. As we took multiple shots of the band we had a lot of selection to choose from majority of the shots we used were hand held, we used a selection of fades and cuts from performance to narrative

We had multiple ideas for this music videos we used the idea of a Romeo and Juliet theme which became too complex as finding the right characters and developing the story as we first wanted to challenge the forms and conventions of this music video we then changed from using the Romeo and Juliet theme to using kids and puppets which we later decided to change to just using a couple in love who find their way back to each other.

The main influences of our music video was looking at similar artists and band within the same genre and see how they approached there music videos some of them completely challenge forms and conventions other reinforce we tried to strike a balance between both so that we reach out to a larger audience, also Romeo and Juliet played a big role in our influence as characters as we wanted two couples you wouldn’t expect to challenge forms and conventions and ideology so we used a mixed race male and an Afghanistan girl which we used popular locations in London and the Christmas lights to represent colours and happiness

2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

We tried to brand the video to reach a mainstream audience we used several representation methods of image for the band as we wanted to brand them as the band they want to be seen as which is an indie pop band so they came in their own style and we used the title screen to present the band and title of the song so audience recognize this for brand recognition,

For the digipak we used multiple branding elements we used a group shot of the band and used a piano and placed the singer behind it this is a key branding strategy as in the music video you can see the piano with the lead vocalist performing on the same piano, in the digipak the band is also placed behind him with Domino Theory in the same font as the music video starting title this is to keep it consistent and ensure it looks professional. We placed the band website around and used a guitar on the back of the digipak for the musical feel we kept with a colour scheme of black, red and white as these were key colours and are enhanced in the music video then more colours, the Band feature the same costumes and location as in the music video as it was a good location with the piano in place there to reinforce the ideology of the group and keep the brand recognition consistent so audience feel as if there not seeing two different bands in different locations as the band remained in the same location throughout the music video.

The main influence of the digipak came from the music video itself as it was an indie pop group breaking onto the mainstream we wanted to make sure the audience feel they are with the band the whole way, this is why we use the same scene and colour scheme text font, size in both the digipak and music video. This will in return help create the true brand recognition as they are a new band and our trying to establish an audience the use of the instruments was suitable as they were key instruments in the track and video.

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

From our research our key market was females between the ages of 16-24 of white ethnicity this we tried to cater to our target audience by using mis-en-scene such as the characters costumes the band consists of 4 young males who females may be drawn to, this will create some interest within the same age group as they can see themselves relating to their audience and likewise. We chose this particular market as it was the one that appealed to the group the most.

We used a number of elements in the music video to try and appeal to our audience, such as the band itself is appealing as their ages range from18-24 and are attractive which can really grab the attention from the female audience. We also used popular places in London this can help as audience can relate if they been to those places such as Leicester square, Trafalgar we also shot during the Christmas time so the lights and decorations make the music video have that sense of love and more attractive. Throughout the music video the narrative is a linear about two people travelling we don’t know where they’re going or who their meeting this keeps the audience as they want to know who these two character are which they later find out are a couple.

We aimed particularly to a young adult of middle class social groups we tried to aim for a wide market as it could relate to a large amount of people we did this using costumes and let the characters and band feel comfortable and sell themselves not a particular image. The camera shots we used for the performance are wide angle shots and close ups so the audience feel involved the shots for the narrative are more close ups hand held’s to get the facial expressions to keep audiences interested and so they can feel in her position and we used particular shots to go with the Lyrics “maybe one day I’ll see you walk the isle with me” we used a shot of the female character walking down steps so audience have a visual idea.
I believe our music video achieved its goal towards our particular audience so they can relate to them also I believe with the research we collected this was the best audience to appeal to as it was a similar audience as the band.

Our digipak technically include everything relevant to another digipak with in the market it uses a band shot the Group Name and track title so audience are familiar. The colour scheme is used throughout with red being the predominate colour our images are also effective as it establishes the band in the same location and we use a candle and a guitar on the back as the candle is used to start the music video and also at the end of the music video so we thought it would be effective. We used the relevant logo’s and brand to make it look professional and similar to other products in the industry we did make some changes based on our audience feedback especially with the first draft of the band being cartoon it didn’t look attractive so we changed it.

It is definitely a video you could watch again as it contains the mis-en-scene of a product with in the market of a professional standard and it tries to reach out to a mainstream audience appealing to all markets which is what a Major Record Label would be looking for. What suggests this is the use of our research was across a wide amount of people from all types of ages, gender and social class even though are key market was 16-24 year old females of a middle class status someone in an different age group, gender and social class could still watch this video and enjoy it. Our USP of the music video is the Group themselves Domino Theory we wanted to brand them as they are the main focus of the music video, this can lead to all different types of opportunities for them especially helping them break into the industry.

4. How did you use the media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

I used multiple technologies during this process it was a learning curve and was a good experience as I can use them as life skills at times I found some tasks more difficult than others but had help. For the research stages search engines and social networking sites were a huge factor on collection research and finding out information.

I used social networking sites like MySpace to help research into similar bands and see what kind of branding and there types of music, I used another social networking site face book to help carry out research and what our target audience would like and get feedback and make changes accordingly these were extremely useful technologies as it allowed me to collect research quickly and controlled. YouTube was another popular website it’s a website that allows user to host videos so allowed me to look at music video and help influence on my music video as I can look at similar bands and there music videos. I also used Google as my main search engine as we did allot of research into Romeo and Juliet this was a useful tool to collect information to give us ideas and how we could incorporate them into our music video effectively which we later chose not to go with as it was too complex in the time we had with the characters. We place all out work on blogger which at first was difficult for us all to use but was a learning curve and soon learned how to throw things up there with ease and keep things under clouds so our work is organised.
We set a time and location for us to meet the band at the Gryms Dyke hotel in bushy, we contacted the hotel about using their location as it featured a nice theme and a fireplace which was a real interest to us and the band as it would be nice to get shots of them performing in front of the fireplace. We brought the filming equipment such as the lights; camera’s the dolly for the tracking and so forth. We did encounter some problems with the lighting at times it seemed it was too dark or too light so we had to adjust it various times this was also harder as one of lights was damaged by accident.

We used the Cannon XM2 digital camera and a widescreen lenses so we could capture the whole group in a comfortable frame the camera also had a tin built mica. We didn’t use green screen as we had no use for it as we had all our location that were suitable. The camera was a problem at the beginning we needed to adjust the settings with the white balance as it seemed too dark at times but we soon adjusted it. We used the tripod for the shots of the whole group the rest of the shots were close ups so we could get in close so it adds variety and helps the audience feel more involved in the video, we also did a tracking shot with the dolly but didn’t use it in the final video as it wasn’t stable and consistent and didn’t look very professional.

We used Mac computers loaded with the software known as Final Cut Pro, this was really learning curve for me as a joint editor as I have had no experience in this area of media before so I found it difficult and frustrating at the beginning getting used to the software as I was also used to Microsoft software running computers. Final Cut Pro is extremely professional software for editors it allowed us to constantly make changes with ease and apply the effects we wanted such as the cartoon affects to certain parts majority the narrative story parts, a difficulty we found when using Final Cut Pro was keeping the track in sync with the performance when making a change. We used different fades when crossing over to performance or to the story.

With the digipak for the photo we used the FinePix 56000 Digital Still Camera we shot the Group placed in front of the piano as I mentioned before to keep the brand recognition we used Adobe Photoshop CS4 and In Design DTP software, seeing as I have used Photoshop before in my previous year I had experience so found it easier to pick up then using Final Cut Pro. This helped in being more efficient as I could make changes quickly and not find much technical challenges however one challenge we did face was the initial idea of making the reflection of the band from the pianos reflection making them look like cartoon which we later withdrew the idea as it didn’t look effective as it would of related to the story narrative as it has a cartoon effect. Another problem was the headings and logo placements to ensure the
spaces were equal so it looked professional and consistent.

The college equipment helped to get an idea of the placement of the images as we had a rough idea but using the actual college equipment allowed us to visualise what we wanted and that’s how we ended up including the Guitar and candle at the back of the digipak which fades to black.

Evaluation - David Goodwin

Updated

http://docs.google.com/#all

Note: This is the link to my evaluation. I would have imported it directly but I have not been able to access Slideshare.

Audience feedback charts

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Questionnaire

Audience feedback

In order to get feedback from our on what they thought of our music video, we asked them in various different ways to get as much feed back as possible. We made the links available on Facebook because it reaches a wider range of audience as it is a worldwide social network site. We asked them to comment on the video and tell us what they like and dislike about it. The feedback we received from them was; they loved the cartoon effect idea but it should be on through out the whole of the video. They loved that it was set in central London at night during Christmas because the lights gives a great effect to it and makes it look more professional. Some people commented on the band and said that it was a great choice a male band and the band members all looked really professional and attractive which is what our audience look out for when watching a music video.

However we also received some negative feedback via Facebook. Some people said that the video didn’t relate to the song and they got confused and didn’t know what its purpose was. Some said that they didn’t like the cartoon effect and that it ruined colours and was a downfall to the rest of the video. Most of the feedback we got from Facebook were students aged between 16-22 which was brilliant because that was the age category we aimed the video for.

As well as using Facebook for audience feedback, we also used msn and wrote out a short questionnaire to get as much feedback as possible. We wanted to find out their thoughts on camera work and editing. We also wanted to know what they thought of the song and the use of mise-en-scene. The feed back we received from this was all positive. We created a short closed questioned survey and each of our group members asked five people. The kind of feedback we received from this were, that most people thought the music video was different regarding the mise en scene, more than half of them said this when asked “what did you think of the narrative part of the video regarding the use of mise en scene?”, and more than 60% of them said was entertaining when asked “what did you think of the performance part of the video regarding the use of mise en scene. This was one our main aims and we have achieved it according to the results of our feedback. We also wanted feedback on the use of camera work and editing. We asked them “how well was the use of camera work presented in the video?”, more than 80% of the people asked said that the use of various shots and looked professional. Many also said that the hand held camera work was very steady.

Ten out of the fifteen people asked said that they liked the cartoon effect when we asked them what they liked about the editing and all of them said that it was very well edited and looked professional. The negative feedback we got was that some of them thought the characters, the couple, were too young and a few mentioned that they were underdressed but overall it was all positive and the majority was leased with the final product.

Overall, we are very pleased with the final product and the audience feed back because we have met their potential needs on a music video. We have also met the forms and conventions of professional existing products. We have created a video which our audience found entertaining and professional as well but also different and unique which was what we were aiming for.

Final Video

Evaluation - Amina Diwa Saadat

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

Our music video is performance/narrative driven. The video is split into two very different sections, each set in different locations. The performance is by the band practicing and the narrative part is the couple travelling separately in London to meet up with each other. This is similar to the forms and conventions of existing music videos because many are narrative/performance focused. An example of this would be “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” by The Script, which is a similar love song containing both narrative and performance scenes. The style of presentation of our music video deviates from other music videos because we have used a special effect called Red Giant Toonit which gives a cartoon quality on screen and I have used this for the narrative part of the video, it is something you don’t normally see in existing music videos.

Our use of camera work and sound follow established music codes and conventions. We have used basic hand held shots such as the crane shot of the girl standing under the lights in Oxford Street and also the tracking around her face. This is also done with Alex in the train station. As well as hand held with the couple we also used it for each of the band members to get a real feel of what they are doing and who they are whilst the camera is moving around them. We have also used the tripod to get steady medium and wide angle shots of the band all together and also used the dolly and the tracks to get a steady tracking shot of the band. This camera-work is similar other music videos because it is constantly moving, featuring a range of shots differences and angles. However if our music video presenting scenes with tall buildings, it would be much more difficult to film and would have to film at very high angle to get shots such as bird’s eye view shots, an example of this is “New York” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, the music video is about New York so it contains various high angle shots f the sky scrapers.

The editing techniques are also similar to other music videos because we have used basic transitions such as dissolves between the narrative and performance shots. It is one of the basic transitions you see in most music videos based on love. However the main technique that differs our video from other existing videos is the Red Giant Toonit effect we have added to the narrative part of the video. You don’t normally see this in music videos which make our original and different. The mise en scene of our video also follow the forms and conventions of other music videos because it is not based on a fancy show biz style, it is a casual rehearsal performance between the band. And also the narrative part is about couple meeting up so they don’t need to be over dressed. The settings do not need to be over done because it is only a practise within the band itself because they are seen as relaxed and laid-back. The band members are dressed in casual shirts and jeans with trainers connoting their relaxed life style and also create a relaxed atmosphere; this also goes with the couple as ill. The fact that they are wearing just jeans and a coat suggests they are not going anywhere special. This creates the music video as an overall all relaxed, simple video which is what most videos are like with the similar genre.

2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

We have adopted the principles of branding including brand image very well. Regarding our music video, we have developed used the band as the main brand image because they are the performers shown in it. The main singer playing the piano whilst singing associates with the DVD cover which has a picture of the band standing in front of the piano with the main singer sitting down like you would see him in the video. The colours are very natural and light, which is similar to the cover.

We have also used the same location for the video in the performance to the DVD cover to get the same branding image symbolising Grimsdyke hotel. The use of the band’s style and dress is kept the same throughout the video and DVD cover because we wanted their identity to be known. Their causal relaxed dress sense gives them a brand image of laid back band members and not as show offs.

This then leads to the magazine advertisement. In this advert we have used the same picture used in the DVD cover so that they have a link with each other. It is kept simple and basic just like the cover and we have used the same font and colours so that our audience will instantly know that it is linked to the video and DVD cover. The conventions are much similar to the DVD cover; it doesn’t contain any images of the animation because it would stand out from the DVD cover. Because we are advertising the cover, we therefore need to be similar to the rest of the products. It creates an overall image of the band as a male band standing in front of the black piano connoting the piano is involved in the video somehow and set in a posh old fashioned setting.

3. What did you learn from your audience feedback?

The elements we built in to our video to appeal to our target audience are the use of using young characters in the video, such as the band members are all male and young and also attractive, therefore most young girls would be interested to watch this because they get drawn towards young attractive men. This will mainly attract an audience at that age because audiences are attracted by people from their own age category and create some kind of bond or feelings for them. Another way is the choice of song; it’s a nice slow love song which youngsters like to listen to, especially females. The use of a cartoon effect for the couple which fades to reality towards the happy ending is another great way to encourage their identification because it is all about being different and standing out from the crowd, which is what everyone wants to be nowadays as well as upbeat. Our narrative isn’t over dramatic or out of the ordinary, it is about people’s everyday life about someone’s feelings towards their partner so the video will make them feel like they are a part of the video because they relate somehow to the song. They are being allowed to witness the feeling of falling in love and caring for someone you love so much. The setting in the video could also relate to them, the narrative part is set in central London so the audience might be interested in that the city life where it is a place for so many to meet their partner under similar circumstances.

In order to get feedback from our on what they thought of our music video, we asked them in various different ways to get as much feed back as possible. We made the links available on Facebook because it reaches a wider range of audience as it is a worldwide social network site. We asked them to comment on the video and tell us what they like and dislike about it. The feedback we received from them was; they loved the cartoon effect idea but it should be on throughout the whole of the video. They loved that it was set in central London at night during Christmas because the lights gives a great effect to it and makes it look more professional. Some people commented on the band and said that it was a great choice a male band and the band members all looked really professional and attractive which is what our audience look out for when watching a music video.

However we also received some negative feedback via Facebook. Some people said that the video didn’t relate to the song and they got confused and didn’t know what its purpose was. Some said that they didn’t like the cartoon effect and that it ruined colours and was a downfall to the rest of the video. Most of the feedback we got from Facebook was students aged between 16-22 which was brilliant because that was the age category we aimed the video for.

As well as using Facebook for audience feedback, we also used msn and wrote out a short questionnaire to get as much feedback as possible. We wanted to find out their thoughts on camera work and editing. We also wanted to know what they thought of the song and the use of mise-en-scene. The feedback we received from this was all positive. We created a short closed questioned survey and each of our group members asked five people. The kind of feedback we received from this were, that most people thought the music video was different regarding the mise en scene, more than half of them said this when asked “what did you think of the narrative part of the video regarding the use of mise en scene?”, and more than 60% of them said was entertaining when asked “what did you think of the performance part of the video regarding the use of mise en scene. This was one our main aims and we have achieved it according to the results of our feedback. We also wanted feedback on the use of camera work and editing. We asked them “how well was the use of camera work presented in the video?”, more than 80% of the people asked said that the use of various shots and looked professional. Many also said that the hand held camera work was very steady.

Ten out of the fifteen people asked said that they liked the cartoon effect when we asked them what they liked about the editing and all of them said that it was very well edited and looked professional. The negative feedback we got was that some of them thought the characters, the couple, were too young and a few mentioned that they were underdressed but overall it was all positive and the majority was pleased with the final product.

Overall, we are very pleased with the final product and the audience feed back because we have met their potential needs on a music video. We have also met the forms and conventions of professional existing products. We have created a video which our audience found entertaining and professional as well but also different and unique which was what we were aiming for.

4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Compared to last year I have improved our skills in the use of technologies dramatically. I have gained the skills on using the college filming camera, the Canon XM2 with David Goodwin and Imran Bashir. Before we started shooting, we practised with our group on using the camera and gaining different skills from it, for example we practiced creating different angles using the tripod. We also practised filming creating steady hand held shots. Our strengths ire that we was able to film hand held shots as well as using the tripod and was able to keep the camera steady without shaking so we ended up with some really effective steady hand held shots which we wouldn’t get using the tri-pod. Our weaknesses however are that we didn’t know how to use the white balance on the camera effectively to get the right natural colour. When we eventually worked it out, we were supposed to have kept the button pressed until the icon on the screen would stop flashing. Unfortunately we let it go too soon so the performance part was too red and didn’t have the right colours. however when it came to filming the narrative scenes we remembered to switch the white balance on and knew how to work it and we ended up with the natural colours of what I was filming.
We also started off with having difficulties on setting up the tripod when we was filming for the narrative scenes, we couldn’t set the camera on the tripod the right way because we was using a slightly smaller tripod made for a stills camera. We chose to use the smaller tripod because it was much easier to carry around with me because we were travelling by foot but we did manage to get a few effective shot. We found it difficult operating a pan because it was hard to follow the person when she was walking as the camera person wasn’t quick enough to keep up with her, but I did end up with a few shots that could be used for the video. The rest was all filmed hand held. During the procedure of filming the band, we also wanted a few tracking shots of the whole band performing together so we used a basic suit case dolly. David filmed the tracking shots which he did have some trouble with to start with because he kept tripping over the tracks which made the camera shake a little but we did end up with at least one good tracking shot without the camera shaking. We also used a few extra lighting, due to the clumsiness of one our team member one of the lights fell off and broke so we only had one left which we used as a flood light to lighten up the area of which the band was performing. The loss of one light didn’t affect our filming as much because we also had the lights of the room so we needn’t need extra lighting. Over all we found the hand held shots very useful because it was very easy to use and also we were able to be creative with it as you were able to create various different shots from different angles which we wouldn’t able to do with the tri-pod. This was well presented with the hand held shots of the band members.

Generally, the college equipment enhanced our ideas because it gave us a chance to develop our skills and create new ideas. For example we used a hand held camera create effects such as the crane shot going up from the girl’s feet and reaching up to see the lights in the sky. This wasn’t originally planned but having the camera available gave me the chance to come up the idea and do it.

As a lead editor, I learnt the basics of editing to start with because last year I didn’t participate in much of the editing. We also had improved editing software and facilities so it was all new to everyone. The editing software we had to use was Final Cut Pro. Throughout the editing procedure gradually we picked up the basics and the advanced skills for example adding a transition and adding the cartoon effect. Our main strength in editing was the cartoon effect we used for our video. When we first added it, it didn’t look very effective and the colours were too dark, however due to the skills we gained we managed to soften the colours a little which enhanced the whole of the video and completed a great effect to it. Although this took me quite a long time, I believe we mastered it very ill. For creating our overall pace and style of editing, I found the cross dissolve transition very effective because it was a nice way of changing scenes and settings, from the performance part to the narrative part. It also added a soft touch to it which added a nice flow to the video. We also used this transition to transform the cartoon effect to real life, this works really well because it can change the pace to it and we used it to change slowly to catch the audience’s attention and making sure they don’t miss anything.

Shot list

Risk assesment

DVD Case Insert

This is the DVD case insert. It is inserted inside the case on the left.

Final DVD Cover

Our Music video DVD cover.

First draft music video

This is our first draft of our music video. There were a few things we were not happy as a group and decided to change, the main thing was the colour.

Equiptment

Permissions Of Access

With reference to the following production: Performance

Produced by: Amina Diwa Saadat

In consideration of the request for audio / video recording as follows:

Location: Drimsdyke Hotel

Date: 16/12/09

Time: 8:00 PM

Please select as applicable:

Permission is given - Yes

Permission cannot be given

Permission is given subject to the following conditions:

Name (Please print): Robert Cannon

Date: 12/12/09

Position: Manager

Address:

113 Goldstone Way,
Berryfield ,
US3 7HA

Contact telephone number: 07784523456

Signature:

Minutes of meeting

Production: Music Video

Production team: Amina D Saadat, Imran Bashir & David Goodwin

Date: 22/011/2009

Those present: Amina D Saadat. Imran Bashir, David Goodwin

Apologies for absence: N/A

Matters discussed:

1) Organising the dates and timing of shooting – main priority is filming the performance

2) Planning on what equipments needed

3) Deciding on what job is suitable for which member

Action taken / to be taken (and by whom):

1) Calling up the band to organise date which they are available to film - Amina

2) Making a list of the equiptment and booking them for the date of filming when confirmend - David

3)Practice camera skills and making a list of the shots needed for the narrative - Imran

Consent / Clearance Form

With reference to the following production:

Produced by: Amina Diwa Saadat

* In consideration of the non-remuneration agreement between myself and Harrow College Media Productions I consent to the interview / contribution given by me to you on ……16…./…12……./……09…. giving over ‘unlimited’ rights to the above named production company. This agreement also allows ‘unlimited’ future copying / broadcasting of the said material without payment.

This agreement enables the above named producer / production company to exploit the performance / interview / contribution, which I hereby give my consent, in any contemporary or future audio-visual media throughout the territories of the United Kingdom and the rest or the World.

Name (Please print): Stuert Poole


Date: 12/12/09

Address:

11 Mary Avenue,
Harrow,
Ha5

Contact telephone number: 07983445321

Signature:

Call Sheet

Production title: Grimsdyke Hotel

Recording format: Performance

Date: 16/12/09

Start time: 8:00 PM

Wrap time: 11:00 PM

Location address & directions:

Old Redding,
Harrow,
Middlesex,
HA3

Contact Nos: 02083853100


Scene / shot Nos to be recorded: Narrative

Equipment required: Camera, tri-pod, stills camera, lighting, filters, dolly.

Props / costume / required: Candle, candle holder

Misc required: N/A

Production crew & contact Nos:

David = 0770183338
Amina = 07538021404
Imran = 07595423675

Professional Job Roles:

Producer

The producer is the one who puts everything together such as the director, screenwriter, cast, the finances and the production team. He/she has an overall control of the film’s production. He/she has the responsibility to make the best of what he/she can find, for example take something plain and boring and turn it into something creative and extraordinary. They need to be a good businessmen/woman. They need an extensive knowledge of cinematic narrative, and a thorough understanding of all the creative processes of filmmaking, including screenwriting, directing, editing, and composing music. They must know how to prepare a budget for the production, secure financial recourses and have an overall control planning of the production.

The four roles they have to take on as a producer are:

Research and development: producers are often responsible for coming up with the original idea. They secure the necessary rights, select the screenwriter and story editing team, raise the development financing and supervise the development process.

Pre - Production:

This is when the producer brings n together the key members of the creative team such as the director, cinematographer and principal cast. Once the Executive producers have raised the finance for the production, they select others such as the Line Producer, Associate Producer and Production Manager as well as the remaining Heads of Departments such as Production Designer, Editor and Composer.

Production:

At this stage the producer is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the producing team; they have to be in consistent communication and consultation with the director. He/she decides on the script changes and the cost reports.

Post-production and marketing:

He/she must interact personally with post production. This includes the Editor, Composer, and Visual Effects staff. Then he/she consult with all creative and financial personal on the production of the answer print. Usually the producer gets involved with the financial and distribution entities in planning the marketing and distribution of the finished piece.

Director

The director must have brilliant artistic vision and creative skills to develop and winning and unique film. He/she needs to be committed and have a deep passion for filmmaking as well as the ability to be confident, lead, constantly make decisions but also be able to delegate and collaborate with others. He/she must be inspirational and inspire the team and motivate them to produce the film they have envisioned.

The responsibilities a Director has to take on are:

Write the film’s script or commission it to be written. He/she must develop an idea for the finished film and define a practical role route for achieving it. During the pre-production he/she has to make vital decisions on selection the right cast, crew and locations for the film. Then he/she direct rehearsals and the performances of the actors once the film is in production. As well as taking on the main roles, the director also manage the technical aspects of filming such as the camera, sound, lighting, design and special effects departments. The director especially works closely with Editors through many technical processes of editing during post production.

Camera-person/operator

The cameraperson is the one who operates the electronic and film cameras in multi and single camera operational conditions. By combining the use of complex technology with creative visual skills, he/she produces pictures for directors. A camera operator is often supported by camera assistants; these are focus puller and clapper loader. A potential cameraperson needs to have a good theoretical and knowledge of cameras. He/she has to have an interest in lighting, video, film, or theatre. He/she needs to have excellent hand-eye coordination, a good hearing and colour vision, patience, and attention to detail; he/she also needs to have the knowledge of editing and sound engineering.

The responsibilities a camera person has are:

 Assembling, preparing and setting up equipment needed for filming, including tripods, monitors, lighting, cables and leads, and headphones.
 Explaining the visual impact created by the angle of particular shots.
 Planning shots - when filming an expensive scene, there is no chance for any mistakes and therefore the shots need to be meticulously planned beforehand.
 Practicing required positions for pre-arranged shots.
 Studying scripts.
 Finding out solutions to technical or other practical problems, being prepared to innovate and experiment with ideas.
 Taking instructions from the director.
 Working quickly, especially as timing is such an important factor.
 Taking sole responsibility in situations where there is only one camera operator involved in the filming.
 Keeping up to date with filming methods and equipment.
 Repairing equipment.
 Demonstrating good awareness of health and safety issues.

Editor

The editor works closely with the director in order to meet his/her requirements; it is the key skill of the editor that determines the quality and delivery of the final product. Digital technology is now meeting the needs of broadcasting, film and video tape editors. This is done by using desk top computers film or videotape pictures and compressing them, it is then digitised and stored on the computer. The video editing process involved two stages, offline editing and online editing.

Offline editing assembles all the raw footage, these are called rushes. You usually work with relatively cheap equipment in an offline editing suite and the work mainly involves inputting all the uncut rushes into the computer where they are stored into files, re-arranging and creating digital rough cut and fine cut of the programme to the director’s wishes, and drawing up an edit decision list (EDL), which is the visual ‘script’ for the next stage of the process – the online edit.

The second stage is online editing, this involves someone who is more responsible for the creation of the final product, again working to the director’s wishes. It involves working with high cost equipment, the online editor must have a high level of technical competence to produce the finest quality work. The work involves inputting the necessary rushes material into the advanced online computer system to bring it to advanced high quality resolution. Editing the rushes according to the offline editor’s EDL, while adding any special effects and grading/colouring required perfecting the final end product.

An editor need to show willingness to get involved and has to be prepared to do most of the menial of the task from the outset. He/she must also be able to show their appropriate editing skills and be able to use software packages such as AVID and Final Cut Pro. The main qualities needed in an editor are that he/she has to have a keen eye for detail, had to be reliable, have perfectionism, the ability to listen to others and have excellent communication skills, both written and oral.

Interview 6 - David Goodwin


What do you think a music video should be based on and why?

A band performing in front of a big crowd, in a huge massive arena. The place should be full of people screaming to show how much they love the band because their music is really good.

What kinds of music are you interested the most and often listen to and why?

I am interested in hardcore rock music, I love really loud and up-beat tunes because it’s something you can go crazy in and be wild.

What do you normally look for when watching a music video based on a love story?

Emos and Goths, really dark and scary scenes to really scare the hell out of you. It should involve murder, the girl ending up being a vampire and sucking her husband’s blood, but she will look sexy and not one of them ugly ones.

What do you think is a great theme for a general music video?

Murder will be a good theme because it adds tension and excitement to the scene. It creates horror which everyone loves and it wouldn’t be boring like the other typical boring love songs. I think more people will be attracted to this kind of video.

What kinds of setting/s do you think would be good to use for a music video based on a love story?

In a dark cave, or a grave yard, because that is where the dead live so it makes it even more dark and scary. Or maybe in the city at night, in an empty ally way. The night is known to be dangerous.

What time of the day do you think is perfect for filming a music video, especially a love story?

The night would be the perfect time, because that’s when all the danger comes out and that’s when vampires come as well so it would look really cool. It wouldn’t be as scary if it was set during the day. So the night is when all the action occurs.

The interview: 19 year old, male white - student

Interview 5 - David Goodwin


What do you think a music video should be based on and why?

I think a music video should be based on religion. Most people call themselves Muslims and yet they do all the wrong things. They still wear tight revealing clothes, eat haram food and commit bad things, so a music video based on Islam would be perfect because it will spread the message to al the young Muslims and make them realise the consequences of their actions.

What kinds of music are you interested the most and often listen to and why?

I don’t listen to music, however I do listen to nashids which is a song without instruments used, just a table, an instrument like a drum. They are beautiful songs about Allah and Islam, it makes me proud to be a Muslim and also helps me stay on the right path and keep my deen up high.

What do you normally look for when watching a music video based on a love story?

I normally look for people dressed modestly, especially women, not doing anything haram. If it is a love song then I would look for the by going to the girls father asking for his daughters hand. This is the right way to do it and from this love will grow between the girl and the boy, not by going out together, kissing and touching each other.

What do you think is a great theme for a general music video?

Allah and Islam, showing how great the religion is and how everything about is perfect. Showing the believes and the rewards you get for believing the right and the truth.

What kinds of setting/s do you think would be good to use for a music video based on a love story?

For a love story, I would have to say that the girls house would be a great place because it is where the boy goes to ask for the girls hand, and after if it is accepted then it’s the right place for celebration, but if it is between a husband and wife then it also be set in their house because that’s the place where the wife cooks dinner for her family and her children are playing and growing up so it a very special and meaningful setting.

What time of the day do you think is perfect for filming a music video, especially a love story?

I don’t really mind when, they are both beautiful creations form God so both say and night should be used.

The interview: 21 year old, male Arab - student

Interview 4 - Imran Bashir


What do you think a music video should be based on and why?

Culture and tradition, because I am Afghan I would prefer it to be based on the Afghan culture and their food, clothes and the country itself. It would give other people (non Afghans) a chance to see the good side of Afghanistan and what it is really about, because they are being brainwashed by the media that Afghanistan is just a land where you get bombed all the time but there is more to that.

What kinds of music are you interested the most and often listen to and why?

I love all different kinds of music, form Arabic, Afghan and English, I am always listening to music because it entertains me and helps me concentrate. It feels weird when I am doing something, for example my homework, and if I don’t play music then I would be able to concentrate so in a way music helps me to relax and think properly.

What do you normally look for when watching a music video based on a love story?

For a music video based on a love story I normally look for men respecting women and true love. I don’t like the fact that in most music video women are labelled as an object and for entertainment dressed in revealing clothes. So I would like to see something different to that.

What do you think is a great theme for a general music video?

A happy atmosphere, where everyone is happy and enjoying life. Most of the music videos nowadays are full of street crime and youngsters getting in trouble and going to prison. I would like to see achievement and reaching goals.

What kinds of setting/s do you think would be good to use for a music video based on a love story?

For a love story I would say a big field of flowers, or on a beautiful island, somewhere beautiful and extraordinary where no one else is around and the couple are enjoying each other’s company are both deeply in love. It will make it to a fantasy, where nothing goes wrong which what most people, especially girls, dream of.

What time of the day do you think is perfect for filming a music video, especially a love story?

During the day, if it is going to be set on an island then it should be set during a bright sunny day. The sun makes the day so much brighter and changes people’s moods to much more positive and happy. A love song set in the rain at night would just seem depressing and dull to watch.

The interview: 16 year old, female black/Nigerian - student

Interview 3 - Imran Bashir


What do you think a music video should be based on and why?

I think a music video should be based on children and the younger generation. It should be like a sequence starting off with a baby and him growing up and achieving his or her goals and winning so many prizes and competitions and also getting married and having children and in the end it shows him or her sitting down with his or her grandchildren. It would be different from other music videos so people will be more interested to watch it.

What kinds of music are you interested the most and often listen to and why?

I listen to different kinds of music form Trey songz to Kelly Clarkson, because there is a variety of different kinds of tunes to set the right mood for me, for example when I am feeling down I choose to listen to slow jamz where as if am in the party mood I would choose to listen to Cascada.

What do you normally look for when watching a music video based on a love story?

I don’t really watch music videos but if I was to watch one based on a love song I would probably look for a young couple walking together by the beach or on a date. Something sweet and romantic but not too over the top where it should contain sexual scenes.

What do you think is a great theme for a general music video?

The perfect theme for a music video would be to have loads of different colours; it should involve bright colours everywhere and loads of confetti and colourful balloons to make it lovely and exciting. There should be little kids everywhere, playing and enjoying themselves. So the main theme should be childhood and colour.

What kinds of setting/s do you think would be good to use for a music video based on a love story?

Possibly in a posh restaurant or on the beach, somewhere fun, the fun fair or a theme park would be the best place to set a love song, it create excitement and a lively atmosphere. Also it would look really good at night because all the lights would be. Once again the different colours would add a great effect to the setting. It would also help you shoot the video because you wouldn’t really need any extra lighting.

What time of the day do you think is perfect for filming a music video, especially a love story?

At night, defiantly. It seems more romantic and it is the time when couples usually get together because they are too busy during the day. The night gives the male partners a chance to look after and protect the female partner because it is said to be more danger at night then during the day.

The interview: 17year old, Female English - student

Interview 2 - Amina Diwa Saadat


What do you think a music video should be based on and why?

The music video should be based on the genre of the song. For example slow songs should have a meaningful video to it, such as a sad song shouldn’t have dancing and partying in it because e it would go with the song. It should be slow and sad just like the song. This will prevent people from getting confused and they will understand the song.

What kinds of music are you interested the most and often listen to and why?

I am interested and mostly listen to RNB because it has an upbeat rhythm to it which get going and on my feet. It gives me energy and is really entertaining. It puts me in to a positive mood and I enjoying dancing to it.

What do you normally look for when watching a music video based on a love story?

I look for a young couple, getting along well, maybe someone who has fallen in love with a young attractive girl, and really wants her to know how he feels but doesn’t have the courage to tell her. This is because it brings the audience closer to the boy and creates an emotional bond with him, mainly the females. I also like to see dancing and people enjoying themselves because that is what music and love is all about.

What do you think is a great theme for a general music video?

Dancing!! Everyone enjoys it, no matter what kind of dancing it is, for a music video I the main theme should be dancing and it should have all different kinds of dances in it to show all the dancers about there about different cultures and their traditional dances.

What kinds of setting/s do you think would be good to use for a music video based on a love story?

Mainly I would have to say a club would be the best place for a love story because it is the perfect setting where two people meet, everyone is looking their best, dancing and enjoying themselves so it attracts attention. It gives a positive vibe and has great atmosphere. It could have the guy who likes the look of a girl dancing in the club with her girl friends and cannot keep his eyes off her.

What time of the day do you think is perfect for filming a music video, especially a love story?

Seeing as it will be set in a club then it doesn’t matter because it will be internal, but I would like it to be in the dark with loads of flashing lights everywhere to give that exciting feeling. For a love story it could make the couple want to dance with each other and enjoy their night. It would be really cool if it was in the middle of Las Vages in the streets because that place is full of lights.

The interview: 20year old, male English - student

Interview 1 - Amina Diwa Saadat


1. What do you think a music video should be based on and why?

I believe a music video should be based on sending a message to the community, something about different beliefs and religions. No matter where you come from or what you believe you are still counted as someone. It will bring people together and maybe make people think twice about judging people or racism maybe, even discrimination. This is because there is so much conflict going on the world, especially within Britain and everyone listens to music so I believe that if music with a message like this will really make people think.

2. What kinds of music are you interested the most and often listen to and why?

I don’t really have a favourite but I do love listening to Outlandish and The Script, they create amazing music with real meanings and nothing like checking girls out in a club. Music like that has real meanings about live and taking the right step. It makes people really listen to the lyrics rather than the tune itself.

3. What do you normally look for when watching a music video based on a love story?

I normally look for a great looking couple who really love each other for who they are and not just for material things or looks. If the couple is good looking then most people would want to watch it. So it should be based on a true love story and makes the audience emotionally attached to the song or couple.

4. What do you think is a great theme for a general music video?

Like I mentioned earlier I think a video with a massage to help the world become a better place would be a great theme. Scene of wars and devastation going on around the world and people injured would really give a great message and will definitely attract audiences.

5. What kinds of setting/s do you think would be good to use for a music video based on a love story?

For a love story I think the beach would be the perfect setting for a music video. It is the kind of place where people meet each other and enjoy themselves. Also it has a great vibe and everyone is happy so it will be perfect to hold a love song. Also the city would be another great setting for a love song, especially somewhere like New York because it has a modern up to date atmosphere and everyone gets on with tier own lives. So it makes it seem less like a fairy tale and more like reality that people have their own lives apart from love and relationships but that is the main aspect in their life.

6. What time of the day do you think is perfect for filming a music video, especially a love story?

During the night because it is the time where everyone gets together. During the day everyone is busy with college, university or work but at night it’s the time to relax and just enjoy them. If it’s set in the city then the lights would look amazing in the dark sky, if it is set on a beach then it should be at a sun-set. Sun-sets are really romantic with its different shades of yellows and red filling the sky, it brings the couple closer.

The interview: 18 year old, female afghan - student

This is a plan for the DVD cover (not used, Romeo and Juliet basis). The Item on the left is a planning sketch for the recent Domino Thoery title text (used).

This is a more recent plan for the dimensions of the DVD cover based around the case. It's hard to see so I've added clearer lines and text over the top (blue).

This is an early brainstorm for the music video based around Romeo and Juliet (not used).
Terrible handwriting (mine).

This is an early sketch for a MTV-style information bar that was to be featured at the beginning.

An early plan for the DVD cover based around the Romeo and Juliet original idea.

Production Design

Location: Grimsdyke Hotel - Band Performance

Set design Props Special fx Lighting Use of colour Other points of note

In a large room/hall with a fire place and a piano. It has a posh/ old fashioned design to it. (Grimsdyke Hotel) The instruments such as the drum kit, the loud speakers, the guitars and the bass, as well as the piano and the Christmas decorations on the ceiling, a candle lighted on a small candle stand places on the piano. N/A The four lights on the ceiling are going to be used and one or two extra lights to flood up certain areas such as the band member’s faces and the instruments. The use of natural colours added by the lights from the room. No added extra colour effects.

Production Design

Location: Train Station

Set design Props Special fx Lighting Use of colour Other points of note

Starts off at Harrow Hill train station outside in the platform, Alex waiting for the strain to come. Then in Baker Street station running down the escalator in side the station. N/A Cartoon effect added through the video until Alex meets up with Sarah. (Toonit Red Giant) Use of lighting of the station. No extra lighting needed The use of natural colours, no colour effect added apart from toning down the cartoon effect if needed.

Production Design

Location: Central London

Set design Props Special fx Lighting Use of colour Other points of note

Exterior – Central London – Oxford street, regents street and Piccadilly Circus. Girl walking around London, on her way to see her boy friend. Filmed during the night. Christmas lights everywhere. N/A Cartoon effect added through out the whole scenes of girl until the end when she meets up with Alex. (Red Giant Toonit). Didn’t need any extra lighting. Used the lights around the streets, because it is going to be filmed during Christmas and new years time there will be lights around central London so it will light up the streets and will be light enough to film with. Use of natural colour, no extra colour added. Maybe toning down the colour of the cartoon effect if needed.

Characterisation

Name: Female (Sarah)

Age Ethnicity Social class / Status Gender / Sexuality Ability / Disability Regional identity Marital / family status Physical looks / build (inc any mannerisms) Personality (eg shy / nervous / confident egocentric)? Costume, Hair & Makeup Representation issues (in relation to above) inc relationship to archetype / stereotype.

18 years Greek University student and also a part time assistant in a retail store Female – heterosexual N/A British citizen lived in London for 12 years. She was six when she moved to London. Family follow the Greek culture. Her father is architecture and her mother is a house wife. She has one older brother living in Greece, and two younger brothers and sisters. Tall and slim. Light skinned, long black hair tied in a bun. Looks after her body well. She is very polite and respects all her friends and family. She is very bubbly and chatty and full of energy. Dark eyes, black eye liner around her eyes to make her eyes stand out. Mascara on her lashes to extend them a little and blusher on her cheeks to add a hind of colour and tone to her face. Long blue scarf around her neck. She is wearing a medium length black and blue coat and black skinny jeans with black and white heels. She is represented as a typical young girly girl who likes to dress up and look nice for her boy friend. She is in a relationship in with Alexander who is also shown in the video as her partner.