Below is my evaluation of the dummy mash up music video of the song ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ by Justin Timberlake. This evaluation indicates what I have learnt, What I already knew, and my targets for next time. It has really helped me to reflect on what we did in preparation to making our section of the mash up and what I feel we did well and what we need to improve on for our actual music video.

Here is a photo collage that I have produced from screenshots of Jimmy from the production/ filming process:

 

 

• What lessons did you learn about planning and the use of Shot Lists and Production Meeting Agendas? Why are they important when out on shoot?

Through planning I learnt that it is essential to come up with ideas before the shoot day to produce a promising and confident shot day, where all members of the group are fully organised and understand what shots we need to take. Also what props we need to take with us and other equipment. I learnt that making a very detailed shot list is crucial to make a promising video and to collect enough shots to use in the video. I have also learnt that we were very limited for time to shoot, this meaning when it comes the music videos at the end of our coursework to allow longer time to film each shot that we need.

• Plus TARGET:Plan in further detail, every shot and extra shots then we actually need to make sure we have enough footage.

• What should the camera operator be doing whilst filming? 

The camera operator should be making sure shots are in focus, filming as much footage as they can and allow other team members to participate in shot compositions and framing ideas. They should also be nice and clear towards the performers as they could be nervous or unaware of what they are meant to be doing during the filming.

• Plus TARGET: Have enough footage, rather than just bits of a shot to collaborate into one.

• What lessons did you learn about directing people in front of the camera? What information do they need to know about their character / their performance style? How can the director get them to relax and have confidence in front of the camera in order to perform well? 

I have learnt to choose people who already know  how to sing and play instruments and to have confident people, so they are not camera shy or nervous with the filming sessions. Before the filming I believe they should look into the genre of music and learn about their character or performer that they are portraying so that they are fully ready and confident to perform in front of a camera. I also believe the director can get them to relax by giving the clear instructions on what they should be doing and where they should be standing within the frame of the shot.

• Plus TARGET: My target would be to make sure the performer is 100% committed to the role and understands how to perform and he/she is able to change themselves into different people to become the typical character or performer.

• What lessons did you learn about filming the performance for your production?

I have learnt that we need to film the whole song through more than once, in different angles. This will mean we will have enough footage without any worries to fill and produce a whole music video. As we were limited for time we ended up just filming the song line for line rather than all the way through, this meaning we were very limited for the choice of shots when in the editing process.

• Plus TARGET: Film the star at least three time all the way through the song.

• What did you learn about editing and post-production?

I have learnt that it is difficult to have the lip syncing completely in line and matching the song lyrics, however I now know for next time to make sure that my group and I have every moment of the song filmed as a performance. However I learnt that cutting each shot became quite easy for it to fit with the music video, this is because we cut in between the beats, so as a new beat started we would change the camera angle or use a filler shot.

• Plus TARGET: Try our hardest to make lyrics fit in sync with the lip syncing.

• What did you discover about the use of conventional Mise-En-Scene for music videos?

It automatically helped to give the song a clear recognition by the audience to understand what genre our sections of the mash up was. It also helped the actor to get into the mood and feel of what the actual artist/performer would be like and what their personality perceives.

• Plus TARGET: Make sure to contact the performer again the night before the shoot to make sure they are ready to perform and have their mise-en-scene ready for the shoot.