Mini Pitch – Initial Ideas

This is my first mini pitch for my music video song:

I looked at a variety of artists and genres, and considered what narrative I could create from these. This will be a good start for me to gather some ideas of what genre and style I would like to adapt, along with what ideas and tones the music I will chose connotes. Understanding what settings I could use will also be helpful as I can develop the tone and atmosphere according to this.

I have taken narrative into consideration whilst creating this slideshow, thinking about what ratio of narrative to performance I would like along with whether I want it to be amplified, illustrative or disjunctive. I will also need to think about whether making it anachronic, linear or montage and which is the most effective for my chosen genre and song.

Star image is vital when creating a music video, as it is obviously to some degree about the artist. I will develop their star image by using mise-en-scene to create a certain persona and style which the audience can enjoy.  Location is an important part of this, as if it is a serious and chilling music video, it should not be set at a lively beach or park on a sunny day, unless going for a disjunctive music video but this can be hard to pull off. Lip syncing must be accurate and timed well otherwise this can ruin the entire quality of the music video, even if all of the other technical conventions are well produced. Editing must also be done well in post-production as this is vital for making the music video seem well produced and continuous. Poor editing can result in a sloppy and jumpy video.

This will be a good start for me in creating my music video plan as I have taken into account a variety of technical conventions and considered what needs to be done in order for my music video to do well.

Favourite Music Video from Former Student

This is my favourite music video from a former student:

I have chosen this music video as I think that they have achieved a very high standard through the use of composition/camera, editing, accurate lip syncing and mise-en-scene. I will be deconstructing and analysing this music video, along with explaining why it is my favourite by decoding the technical conventions used. This will help me going forward as I now understand the high standards expected of me when producing my music video, and what areas I must ensure are done to my best ability e.g. mise-en-scene, editing, camera etc.

Mise-en-scene:

A lot of attention has been payed to mise-en-scene, with costume, makeup, setting, props etc all being included for effect. The all black clothing show that this will not be a light-hearted or funny music video, but instead dramatic and ominous. This also helps crate a focal point of the chains around her neck, which may relate to her feeling trapped by something. This all creates a star image of someone who is very serious, thoughtful and takes her music seriously.

Editing:

This video has been edited very well with a range of effects and transitions included. It is edited to the beat at times which creates a fast and jumpy pace of edit.

Narrative vs performance ratio:

I think that this video is  mainly made up performance, there is not a very clear narrative but the song and video are not disjunctive.  Certain lyrics may be hinting to a feeling of entrapment and stress, which could correlate to the chains and blood coming out of her mouth.

Camera and composition:

A large variety of camera angles and shots have been used such as close ups, extreme close ups, long shots, high angles, low angles etc. These help to create meaning, for example, the low angles of her help convey her as a confident and threatening person who holds power. This makes the audience feel vulnerable.  The range of shots help to keep the video interesting and shows that a lot of attention to detail and thought has gone into it in pre-production.

Detailed Music Video Analysis

This is a close analysis of Katy Perry’s ‘Chained to the Rhythm’. We looked at one music video and complete a detailed analysis, looking at the narrative, performance, star image and generic & technical conventions of the music video. This was really beneficial for me as it has widened my understanding of what goes into a music video, and what I need to do for my own when it comes to producing it. It was important to pay close attention to the mise-en-scene and repertoire of elements used to help present a certain genre (Pop), tone, or message for the audience. I also had to decide whether this music video was amplified, disjunctive or illustrative. I came to the decision that it is mainly amplification with some illustrative moments.

This is the music video that I chose for my close analysis:
                                   
My analysis:

(Please click on the image below to see PDF)

 

Music Video Form and Conventions

In this task, we looked at a variety of music videos from different genres, one related to amplification, one was illustrative, and the other was disjunctive. Understanding the differences between these is very important as it helps me when it comes to producing my own music video.  Also, when it comes to developing ideas for my music videos plot, I can knowingly use, challenge or subvert conventional features. These also had different ratios of narrative to performance, this allows me to develop a deeper understanding of how music videos can be made, and what is more/less effective regarding its genre. I will continue to research different types of music videos to see what interests me, and also what is most practical when it comes to filming my own.

Please click on the image below to see PDF: