Final Music Video

Here is our Final Music Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj4cERIUD1o

Final Magazine

Our final magazine advert follows the same colour scheme as the Digipak and it keeps the grungy look that we wanted it too. It is very important that both the magazine advert and the digipak look similar as the magazine advert is advertising the digipak. The advert has a very powerful look and we hope that it has a powerful effect on the audience. The ‘Out Now’ stands out and the large block lettering helps us to achieve that. The colours of black and green are very different and are contrasting, just like our main characters life that has two sides to him. The two colours reflect that.

Digipak final

Here is our final digipak design. We have tried to get our font as close as we can to the real font that the band uses and this works well. We have also gone for a grungy look that you would also find on Chase and Status work. The colour green is a toxic looking colour. This represents his life out side of work where he leads a toxic lifestyle. The essentials such as bar codes and age certificates are also there.


This is the inside of our digipak and you can clearly see the CD. With some extra time we would have produced a little booklet to go inside. We have continued to use our colour scheme of green and back, while the hand on the CD represents the power that our main character has.

Planning-Script

Here is one of the first drafts of the script. It shows certain shots fro each film session.

Summary of Research

Our Research has really helped us to work out how to make a good Music Video and how to make it work. Analysing the band and the genre has allowed us to study the style of the genre and it’s made us think about how to include this and what features to focus on. We have seen several other videos that the band have worked on, such as ‘Eastern Jam’ and ‘End Credits’, and we were looking to see if there was a particular style or running theme through them. We did this with the intention of, if there was then we would see if we could use that to our advantage and make our video reflect that. In our minds that was a good way of getting a feel for the band.

Different videos from other artists within the genre, such as Pendulum, has seen us looked for similar patterns in Drum and Bass videos on a whole such as style, camera work and mise-en-scene. When planning our videos these are the things that we will take into consideration and would have to use in order to make ours look much more authentic. Before we started the project, we knew that our video would have to typify a Drum and Bass Music video and one done by Chase and Status.

Our target audience are young people between the age of 15-30. This is because they are more likely to enjoy this sort of music as it a very young person’s genre. This is because Drum and Bass is a very modern genre that has formed over the last 15 years and has developed widely since, attracting young audiences everywhere. Nightclubs are know to play this music regularly and so it is found in the environment of young people which means they are around it more. The style of the music also typifies young peoples taste and, stereotypically, it is seen something that older people wouldn’t enjoy. The loud fast beats are something not associated with older peoples taste in music, although there will be the odd exception.

The music videos that we have found and studied involves mostly young people, which is a clear indicator that young adults are also their target audience. Analysing theorists, such as Roland Barthes and Laura Mulvey, and their ideas has also helped us to look at videos in a different light and now we are picking up much more on how different video makers have done something and why. I think this will help us come up with different and interesting ideas as we are now on both sides of the fence, trying to convey a message to the audience.

We have also reviewed different record labels that specialise in Drum and Bass music. Extensive research into these has revealed the different styles that they produce and it has given us a wider range of knowledge about different artists and styles that different record labels like to produce. When we start to plan, we will refer to different artists and labels to see how they produced videos and what kind of affect they wanted to portray and how they succeeded in doing it.

Target Audience

After analysing the planning information we have obtained we feel that we should focus within the boundaries of an age 15 certificate and below. This therefore means that we are allowed to explore the boundaries of the following;

Theme: Our theme is based around rebellion.

Language: There may be a little bit of strong language in our music video and this will only come from the song itself. However the odd hand gesture may be used.

Nudity: There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational content.

Sex: There will be no sex or nudity ion our music video as it would not be appropriate and not suit the theme or style of our music video.

Violence: There may be a small amount of violence in our music video but it will still be small and controlled.

Imitable Techniques: We feel in our music video we would not go to the extreme over violence e.g. using blows to the neck or head butts because this is not acceptable in this age certificate.

Horror: Sustained or detailed infliction of pain or injury is unacceptable. Therefore we would not use this in our video.

Drugs: Drug taking may be shown but clear instructive detail is unacceptable. The music video as a whole must not promote or encourage drug use. There may be a small amount of drug use or dealing in our music video.

Target Audience

Music Videos in general are widely considered to be a young persons thing. The genres of music that we will be working in are also young people’s music with people between the ages of 15-30 more likely to be interested in our video. With our music video being certificate 15 we hope it will reach out to our target audience and connect with them. Gender isnt really a major factor with both mend and women generally interested in music videos and drum and bass music. Our video however may be more targeted at males.

Textual Analysis of Digipak’s

The first product I am looking at is Michel Gondry’s digipak. He is a Director who has directed on Music videos for artists such as Foo Fighters and Kylie Minogue.

The front cover is very striking due to its strong colours, red, blue and black Lego. This is making reference to one of the famous Music Videos he directed for the White Stripes where everything was made from Lego. The colours attract people to it as it is so different and interesting for the buyer. The colour red is the most frequent colour on their, this could show Gondry’s passion for his job. Green is used to show feelings whereas dark colours show playfulness.

The back cover also has plenty of colours and imagery, showing off the directors work. The images show some of the stars he has worked for such as Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and this acts as a draw in for customers. The Digipak looks very professional and is layed out just like many other DVDs with Bar Codes, copyright information and other compulsory features, these are all things we must include in our print products.

The second product I am looking at is The Beatles Greatest Hits 1962-1965. This graphically is much different to Michel Gondry’s work. There is a lack of colour and the old brownish colour reinforces that this is an old band, which are no longer together. The photo looks like it is in black and white and the band are just staring at the camera and aren’t posing using any mise-en-scene or exciting colourful clothes.

On the inside you can make out that instead of a CD the disc is a vinyl which shows how old they are now, but it also shows how far the music industry has come. Apart from the picture of the band, the rest of the digipak has the usual conventions that you would expect to see. The bands name and logo are in the top corner and different logos and bar codes that belong to the publishers.

The third digipak I am analysing is ‘The sound of Dub step’ by the Ministry of sound. This digipak is covered in very dark colours which is portraying the underground scene closely associated with Dub step music. Black symbolises danger and darkness and all genres associated with the underground scenes are very similar in colour schemes. The darkness also helps to portray the darkness in the songs, which will be by various artists.

Just like on the other Digipaks there are many codes and logos belonging to independent companies who have helped to, produce this digipak. The look of the didpka is very good as it gives off the underground feel straight away. To make our attempt successful, we must strive to convey our message just as strongly.

1. Chase & Status. Feat Kano- Against All Odds

The video starts up much like the opening scene to a film, with some credits and the song title on the screen. We see two men in dark suits going into a building. The music suggests that there is something mysterious about them and when the music starts up, we see them gambling on a table gambling with a lot of money.The connotation of this would be that they are gangsters.

When we go inside the song properly starts and we see two contrasting stories in the video. Firstly, we see Kano performing the song while a party is going on in the background. Here there are bright lights and young people dancing and having fun. In the other scenes we see the men in suits gambling playing poker. The scene is dark, which may reflect the mood as people are losing money, hence the title Against All Odds.

The video obviously shows the performer’s lyrics relating to the scenes of gambling and drinking. The men are gangsters and we can tell this by their sharp suits, mean expressions, drinking, women and body guards which all accompany them at the table. None of the men like to lose and we expect that when someone does, he isnt going to take it very well, this is reflected by the dark light and dark atmosphere.

2. Chase and Status- Let you Go

This is the original video to the song that we are going to create a music video for. The video is very interesting as it is a sort of mini-drama. The opening scene shows the introduction to a daytime talk show, mimicking Jeremy Kyle, but with the host Patrick Chase.

He is shown as a hero as he sorts out people lives as they battle with Drug addiction, Alcoholism and relationship problems. The camera is looking up at him and this shows his dominant status over his guests as he gives his opinions belittling them and making them see the errors of their ways.

After the show finishes, we see him snorting cocaine while in his car. This leads to all sorts of problems as wee see him getting drunk, driving while under the influence of drugs and sleeping with different women. Now the lighting has gone a lot darker, reflecting his actions and the camera is now looking down on him with a lot of close-ups showing us his facial expressions.

After a long night on out, the host goes back to the studios and gets ready for a new show where he is likely to hammer people for their lifestyle while he is exactly the same. The video portraying a message that people can live double lives, this is the myth ideology.

3. Henry Rollins- Liar

This song is very different and the video reflects this. During the early part of the video, everything the viewer sees is red and this symbolises anger and danger. Henry Rollins is lying down and he turns to the camera and gives a speech and this makes us think about the connotations of his actions.

He dresses up in a police outfit and a Superman costume and this indicates that he is maybe trying to save us from something. He then spectacularly turns into the Devil and shouts ‘im a liar’. This takes the audience unawares and we immediately know he is a bad person who lies. The red we see throughout is warning the audience of Henry Rollins.

There is cardboard all around the outside of the set and this indicates that this is an imaginary world with danger and lies everywhere. We then see Rollins in more different outfits such as Police, Superman and this time a Nun. He is trying to get the point across that you can’t trust anyone and everyone lies at some point, the imaginary world we see him in is his way of getting the message across that we live in a unrealistic world. He uses the illusions of nuns and police officers and stretches the idea as far as he can to get his message across to the viewing public.

Props and Costumes

A Car- We will use this as one of the main locations for our Music Video. Nick, who will play the main character, will be behind the wheel and he will act drunk. The car was one of the main settings for the original video and we feel it worked well and so we will use the same idea. This will be difficult to film but we will have someone sitting in the passenger seat filming jack and there will be a car in front filming backwards.
Suit/Shirt and Tie- As a Doctor, Nick will have to be dressed very smartly and so a suit will have to be worn. He will wear this while in his office and after the working day while out getting drunk and getting up to all kind of mischief. The suit will look dirty as the night goes on but the next morning, it will be clean as he gears up for his next show.

Chairs- We will get a couple of armchairs as props for outside the office. This will make the office scene more realistic

Alcohol/Cigarettes- We will use these to portray the downfall of Nick after his show finishes. He will drink alcohol and smoke a cigarette on his night out and this will show the audience the kind of misdemeanours he gets up to away from his show.

Strobe Light- We will use this Strobe light to represent a night club. We will use it also for lighting effect on the face so we can get close up facial expressions to represent the main characters mood. We already a strobe light ready.

Flood Light- We will use flood lights, we have borrowed them from Jack’s work as extra lighting to highlight certain facial expressions and to emphasise certain props.

Cast List and Roles

Nick Norman- Main Character

“I will play the main character in the Music Video of the Doctor. This means it is my responsibility to make the video look realistic and smooth. However I feel it will be an enjoyable experience and I look forward to producing the Music Video”.

Jack Taylor- Camera man

“I will be the camera man for our Music Video. This means it is my responsibility to make the video look realistic and look smooth by using a number of appropriate camera angles and shots. I feel it will be an enjoyable experience and I look forward to filming the Music Video”.

Jake Parsons- Camera Man/Extra

“I will be the Camera Man and an extra character for our Music Video. This means it is my responsibility to help Jack with the camera while filming and to be of some helpfulness as an extra in the background for some extra shots”.

Charlie Bennett- Director/Extra

“I will be the director and an extra for our Music Video. This means it is my responsibility to make sure every group member is doing what they should be and there is no risk of anyone getting injured or hurt. I must make sure everyone is safe. But I will also be of some helpfulness as an extra in the background for some shots. I feel it will be an enjoyable experience and look forward to filming and taking part in the Music Video".

Research- Camera

Here are some of the camera techniques that are used to make films and Music Videos. To make our film as real and professional as we possibly can, we will need to consider using some of the following.

Establishing Shot- This will be used near the beginning of the video so that the audience the location.

Close-Up

Wide Shot

High Angle- This is a very effective shot that makes the audience feel more powerful then the character.

Aerial Shot

Pan

Tilt

Dolly- This shows the setting and the surroundings to the audience.

Framing

Hand-Held

Master Shot- This will be very effective when showing our leading character walking into the surgery.

Two-Shot

Long Shot

Low Angle- This is opposite to the high angle and makes the character seem more dominant.

Point of View

Crane

Track

Zoom and Reverse Zoom­- This is a way in which we can show characters facial expressions.

Composition

Steady Cam

Sound and Vision Editing- This are further techniques to do with sound and editing to make our video look good.

Cut

Dissolve

Edit

Fade

FX

Long Take

Slow Motion

Superimpose

Synchronous/asynchronous Sound

Health and Safety

As a group we should ensure, that we and others who are working with are not exposed to risks to their/our health and safety. An example of what may be considered as unsafe would be when we film scenes at night near busy roads. It would be appropriate to ensure that we film when the roads are quiet and we have sufficient lighting to see all traffic.

To help improve the health and safety we could place ourselves with at least one experienced member of the crew who is aware of health and safety issues from where we are filming.

Some parts of our music video may pose more risks than other scenes i.e. when we are filming the main character driving. As a group we will discuss safety issues before filming begins and take steps to avoid or reduce the risks identified.

We will adhere to the: identify, apply, review and assess technique in risk assessment. So for example while we are filming a driving scene we will identify hazards which could cause us, as a group, risks and members of the public and road vehicles. We would then apply controls which in this case would be waiting until the road is clear and safe. Then we would have to review the effects of this to make sure the controls are improving our safety. And finally we will be assessing the risk to ensure what we have done is not unsafe and dangerous.

How colours reflect the mood

We have decided to research how colours affect feelings and mood created for the audience simply by how we use certain colours on our music video.

Red

Red is a stimulating and energizing colour and it also boosts self-assurance. Red will produce an illusion of fantasy. It can promote opposition in others if you want to be attention seeking, feel powerful and dominant. The colour also symbolizes love as it is a hot passionate colour. However it is also closely associated with danger and blood.

Red may be very good for our music video to show the main is some sort of danger and to reinforce that he is a powerful and dominant figure.

Yellow

To wear yellow will rejuvenate and balance the mind. It wipes out the feeling of heaviness and oppression. Yellow is a sunny, reflective and pensive colour. It will lift moods to be positive and optimistic.

Yellow could be used to show our Doctor in a positive and happy mood to represent his medical status.

Orange

Orange is also the colour of love. It appears to be less serious and more fun. It is a very high energy colour imparting boldness and distinction. It is about being different. Like red and yellow it is stimulating.

Orange is a colour that wouldn’t suit out video. The affects of the colour work against the aim of the video as we don’t want it to be optimistic.

Blue

Blue can relax muscles and lower blood pressure. It has the power to cause a slight psychological change which results in people feeling less hungry. It is also proven to be effective for increasing wisdom energy. It is a peaceful, tranquil colour and is excellent in increasing spiritual meditation and healing.

Blue is a colour that could work. The peace and tranquil affect of the colour could work in the opening minute of our video. Medical people are very peaceful and this could represent this.

Questionnaire Results

Here are the results of are questionnaire that we did before.

1. Do You like Music Videos?

Yes- 10

No-0

2. If yes, why?

“It helps the audiences understand songs more and what they are about”

“They are stories to go along with the song”

“Easier way of getting hold of music”

“You can follow the characters to go along with the story of the song, giving people a whole picture of what it is about”

3. If no, why?

No one answered this question.

4. Which is your favourite Music Channel?

MTV- 5

VH1- 1

Scuzz- 0

Kerrang- 1

Viva- 1

Magic- 0

Q- 0

The Box- 0

Flava- 2

5. How often do you watch Music Videos?

Everyday- 7

Every few days- 2

Once a week- 0

Not very often- 1

Never- 0

6. For you, what makes a Music Video boring?

“Seeing the band just performing the song”

“A confusing video”

“No colour or vibrancy”,

“No story to go along with the song”

“When something isnt original or different”

7. Which parts of a Music Video do you like the most?

“When the story makes sense at the end”

“Seeing the band live”

“A happy ending”

8. What are your opinions of the band Chase and Status?

“Very different from what’s out their”

“Original”

“Who?”

“I like their style, their songs are really versatile, you get lots of remixes”

“I don’t like Dum and Bass”

“Dance Music is rubbish”

9. Have you ever seen their videos, if so which ones?

“Let you go is good”

“Let you go is really original and different”

“No, their never on Kerrang”

“Let you go, but I thought it was wieird”

10. Would you ever watch a video by the band?

Yes- 5

No- 5

11. If yes, why?

“Let you go was good, the others could be a as well”

“I really like their music”

“Let you go was really original and that’s what I like in a Music Video”

12. If no, why?

“I don’t like the Music”

“It’s never on the channels I watch”

“Drum and Bass is rubbish”

Chase and Status CD Covers Analysis

Here are two of Chase and Status’s CD covers. The main striking image on this cover is that of an Indian God, Ganesh. The colours make the god stand out and they help to emphasise him. The significance of Ganesh relates to the title of the song ‘eastern jam’. The Chase and Status logo is in the top left hand corner of the cover and the song title is written in the same text.

The black on this cover makes the other two colours, white and orange stand out much more. This cover is rather similar to the one above with the same font and logo style. The orange spray paint emphasises the name of the track ‘Against All Odds’. On the previous cover the band have gone for something different with the Indian gold, whereas on this one there are cartoon images of themselves (bottom left) and Kano (top right). He is styled in 1970’s looking hair and shades and this is shown with the old car. The target audience for Chase and Status is 16-30 and the youthful CD covers attract this audience.

History of Music Videos

A Music Video is a short film that goes along with a song and it is aired on television and the Internet. They are mainly used for marketing and advertising songs to persuade viewers to buy it. Music Videos arrived in 1981 due to the emergence of MTV on 1.8.81. Now Music Videos are almost as important as the music itself as it gives artists the chance to get across a certain meaning.

Music Videos go back to the 1960’s when the Beatles filmed a short film for their song ‘A Hard Days Night’. After this, The Beatles produced more videos but these gradually evolved in 20 minute short films promoting a few songs each time. The band took these seriously and did some acting as well as playing the songs in the videos.

After this, more bands followed The Beatles example and artists such as The Who, The Doors and The Rolling Stones started to film promotional videos. Music Videos became more popular and Top of the Pops started to show them. The Beatles short films were unique, but other bands came up with stories in their music videos, and they gradually changed from seeing the band perform the song to the band acting out parts in the video of other characters. The Rolling Stones song ‘Jumpin Jack Flash’ is an example.

In 1981 MTV launched in America with the music video ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’. This changed the consumption of music forever as fans had access 24 hours a day. This is when Music Videos started to play a major role in pop music. Artists such as Madonna and Duran Duran were very inventive with their videos, for example in Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ she portrays herself as a innocent and weak female and uses this to get messages across.. MTV also set-up their MTV Music Video Awards that are awarded annually.

Over the past few years, MTV has been crediting directors of Music Videos. Some of these people are now quite famous and ones such as Michel Gondry, who has worked on songs such ‘Gimme Shelter’ by the Stones and ‘Everlong’ by Foo Fighters, and Mark Romanek, who has worked on songs such as ‘Scream’ by Michael Jackson, are well known and sort after by many artists. MTV now has launches stations all over the world, meaning more and more people are exposed to Music Videos.

Today, a lot of air time is now advertising but MTV audiences are still strong as they now have about 7 channels dedicated to different music such as MTV Rocks and MTV Base. Topical shows such as Top 10 countdowns raise viewing figures, for example ‘Top 10 Bon Jovi’ as do Christmas Songs such as Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’, The Pogues ‘Fairytale of New York’ and Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’, when played in December.

Music label that produce and distribute Drum and Bass

Drum and Bass music is rarely produced by Major Record labels. Sony and Universal have shown little interest but Warner has recently signed Pendulum. Generally, Drum and Bass is dominated by a group of specific record labels that only produce Drum and Bass music such as Machine Records, Freak Records and Green Label. All of these labels were set up around 10-15 years ago and are still in business today. Many of these independent labels are closely affiliated, and many others are in partnerships with others just to survive.

Bands such as Pendulum and Chase and Status are raising the profile of Drum and Bass as these groups are regularly in the charts and broadcasted on Radio 1. This makes them more in the public eye and more and this may interest major labels in the future.

One of the record labels that do produce Drum and Bass Music are Ram Records. They are a British record label based in the United Kingdom that solely produces Drum and Bass music. They were established in 1992 and started as a Jungle label, but as the scene changed the offshoot of Drum and Bass emerged and Ram Records are one of the pioneers of the genre. Another major label in the Drum and bass scene are Metalheadz, owned and founded by Goldie the famous artist, actor and celebrity, these are also based in the United Kingdom.

Other labels that have had a drastic effect on the genre are Full Cycle Records, based in Bristol, and V.Recordings. They have each, in their own style, altered the sound of Drum and Bass. Full Cycle records are widely associated with Mercury Music Prize winning band Reprazent in 1997.

Ram Records have around 20 artists including Chase and Status, Culture Shock and Sub Focus. They have enjoyed mediocre success with Chase and Status, whose second album has just been released.

Theorists/Theories

During my research I will refer to three different theorists to analyse my music. These three people have studied music videos in the past and all have their own ideas about what the videos are trying to portray and how we subconsciously accept it.

The three people I will be referring to are Roland Bathes, Laura Mulvey and Karl Marx.

Roland Barthes

Bathes came up with the three stages theory when analysing a music video. The first level of signification is called Denotation. This is purely what we see in the video. The second level is called connotation and this is where you think about what the denotation actually means and represents. The third and final stage is called Myth Ideology. This is assessing what the connotation are actually saying.

Laura Mulvey

Mulvey came up with the idea that everything we see in a Music Video are through something she calls, the Male gaze. She is basically saying that all videos reflect males desires and fantasies. Men have all the power and a video is filmed from their point of view. This is particularly visible in rap videos.

Karl Marx

Marx came up with the idea that the most important thing for a music video is to make a profit. He says that capitalists just want profits and asks the question is music just about making profit?, What about creativity?

Summary of Drum and Bass

Drum and Bass emerged during the mid 1990s. It is an offshoot of the British rave scene that established itself during the early 90’s. It is a form of dance music, designed to be played in night clubs. Drum and bass has become so popular that over the last decade there have been many sub-genres including Dark Step, Drum funk and Tech step. But it is more closely associated with Hip-Hop and Dub-Step. Each of these has different characteristics. Drum and Bass is characterized by fast break beast and heavy bass lines. Hip-Hop, which is very popular in America, relies on disc jockeys creating rhythmic beats on their turntables.

Drum and Bass is now frequently heard on the radio through the likes of pioneering groups Chase and Status and Pendulum. BBC Radio 1 is the station that broadcasts some of the music and this means that it reaches new audiences, who may not have heard this genre before, and raises its profile.

The profile has risen so much that although it originates in the United Kingdom, it is now very popular all around the world in places such as Australia and the United States of America.

Musically, there are only a handful of record labels that will produce it including Drum and Bass and these are usually specialist record companies. A very selective few, such as Pendulum, are found on major labels. This is a mark of how far Drum and bass music has come. Drum and bass bands differ in style, for example Pendulum use a lot of computers while performing that mixes songs while they play.

Production Schedule

Here is a week by week account of how we hope to produce our video.

Monday 11^th October

This will be our first filming session and we plan to focus on getting the first takes on some of the main scenes. This is the first day that we can film as the cameras will become available. This will be the start of a week of filming.

Monday 19^th October

On the 19^th we will wrap up the filming, as after a whole week we feel we will have done all the necessary filming. During our last session, we will film just a couple of things that we may need, and we may re-shoot some earlier scenes.

Monday 26^th October

Although this will coincide with half-term we plan to begin our editing process on this day. This will mean capturing all the footage and starting to cut.

Monday 2^nd November

This will be our first proper editing session and we plan to cut down and apply effects.

Monday 9^th November

As our editing continues, we will add on the song ‘Let You Go’ to the background and then start making it all fit together.

Monday 16^th November

We hope to have completed the editing by the 16^th, the next step will be the export the video and add it YouTube.

Monday 23^rd November

As we will have now finished our editing, our focus will turn to the print products, w will each come up with a digi-pack design and nominate the best one, which we feel best represents Chase and Status.

Monday 30^th November

This is when we start to produce our digi-pack and magazine advert

Monday 7^th December

By the end of this session we hope to finish off our print products.

Monday 14^th December

On this day everything will be ready to hand in