Narrative ideas

I have looked at many different types of music video in order to gain extra ideas about what can be featured in mine. Whilst browsing, I came across this video by Blink 182, called Adams Song.There is a strong narrative behind this video, with the lyrics hinting towards suicide and the twist at the end showing how effective it is. I would really like to use the montaging photo-video effect that they have used here as I think it is a very good way to show flashbacks of good times, and the contrast between the two time periods. My narrative would fit in well with this idea and I think that I could possibly make it work, with much planning. If I were to do this, I would have to film all of the flashback shots first, then choose and edit them, before printing them out for the use of the present shots and filming. 

The twist at the end leaves the audience on edge, wanting to know the actual story behind it and what happens next. This gets the viewers talking about it, and promoting the video further. The ending shows the camera zooming out from the stage, to show just one big wall full of photographs, including the one of the band playing, and an empty stage. This suggests that all of the song had been a memory, looking back at that time, hinting that they have passed, or committed suicide.  I would like to use this particular feature more than anything as I think it would add more story to the narrative and keep the viewer watching to see how it ends.

Genre Theory

Genre in this context refers to the kind or type of the music video. Each genre has its own set of characteristics which are recognised and identified by the audience. This is reproduced again and again, in every music video.

This is a music video by Ed Sheeran, of the acoustic genre, which uses many typical acoustic conventions. A complex narrative is normally used so the audience can relate to emotions and feelings, and makes the song meaningful. In this particular acoustic song, the homeless girl is sleeping with men, in return for drugs. This is a typical real life story which is what genre is all about. 


Another convention is black and white effects. The video above shows this, but also the video below. Black and white effects create a sense of time and create emotion, as there is no colour to distract the eye from the subject.

Audiences like genres as it develops an understanding where parts of expectations will be fulfilled. For example, they will expect to see a love story because of my song choice, but they also want to see a sense of dissatisfaction; the break up scene and sad ending of my music video will supply this. 

Producers of generic narratives depend on immediate communication with the audience, so I have communicated with my target audience as much as possible before I go on to create my music video. 

However, there are sometimes problems with defining a genre, but I don't think that this will be a problem with my video as I have looked into many different ways in which my acoustic genre can be identified.

Audience interaction - Questionnaire

To gain extra knowledge about my target audience, I have written a questionnaire, and asked each of them to fill out some information to widen my approach and dig deeper into the lives of my audience. From doing this I will be able to understand thier wants and needs more and will be able to produce a product to suit this, and be confident that it will appeal to them.

Questionnaire:
1.How many days a week do you listen to music? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7
2.How many hours a day do you listen to music? 0, 1-3, 4-6, 7+
3.How do you listen to your music? Phone, iPod, TV, Radio, YouTube, Laptop, live, CD
4.How do you buy your music? Albums from stores, Downloads online
5.Do you prefer to watch a music video whilst you listen to the track, or not? Watch video, Just listen
6.Do you prefer music video's with dancing in, or without dancing? With, Without
7.When do you listen to your music? ___________

Luke Rutter, 17 -
1. 5, I listen to music most weekdays, but not so much at weekends!
2. 1-3, I don't listen to music for a lot of my day, as I am quite busy most of the time.
3. iPod, Radio and Live at concerts and festivals.
4. I always download my music from online, because its quicker and easier than going to the shops. When im running around all over the place, I don't often have time to stop at the shops just for a CD!
5. No, I prefer to just listen to the music on it's own, as most of my consumption of music is on the move.
6. I definately prefer them with dancing as I think it's more interesting to watch.
7. I listen to work mostly when i'm in the gym or doing sport because it helps me to keep going and gives me a rythm to run to.

Izzy Stribling, 18 -
1. 7! I listen to music every day most weeks!
2. Umm.. I have my music playing all the time on my iPod so pretty much all day really unless i'm talking to people or listening to someone.
3. I listen to my music on my iPod all day at school, but only on my phone if my iPod runs out of battery. I also listen to it on the TV when I get home from school.
4. I buy music online, and from stores.. I like having a hard copy of albums as well as quick downloads.
5. I prefer to just listen to the music on its own as I can't concentrait on my work if i'm watching the TV as well.
6. I prefer music video's with more of a narrative than dancing, but I suppose a mixture of both is always quite good!
7. I listen to my music mostly when i'm doing my work at school, but also when i'm driving home from school, and also when i'm in the gym!

Phillipa Rule, 17 -
1. I listen to music everyday as I dance everyday of the week, so music is key.
2. I have about 4 hours of listening to music a day with dance, and then I listen to it whilst doing art at school so overall about 6 hours probably!
3. I listen to music through the speakers on my iPod, but also im always looking at the music videos on the TV!
4. I always buy my music from the stores because I like having the albums all on my shelf because its easier to choose what to listen to!!
5. I always prefer to watch a music video whilst listening to the track because then I can look at the dance moves and how they go along to the song playing.
6. Definately music video's with dancing in! - I LOVE IT :)
7. I listen to my music whilst dancing and in lessons!

Claire Essex, 17 -
1. I'd say about 5 days a week! - I dance twice a week so i'm listening to it then and then I always go out at weekends and hear the music in clubs.
2. About 4 hours a day.. if I get bored then I listen to my iPod, and when i'm on the bus home to school but thats about it! -oh and also when im dancing!
3. I listen to my music on my laptop, Youtube, iPod and sometimes the Radio.
4. Always Downloads.. SO much easier.
5. Yeah I love looking at the music video whilst I listen to it, its so much more interesting.
6. With dancing.. i love dancing so I find it good to watch and see the latest celebrities and thier different styles of dancing.
7. Normally when i'm bored and on my way home from school.. and sometimes in lessons when I don't have to be listening to the teacher!

Costume

Costume is a key part in a music video. The costume will identify and represent the actor, and tell the audience about the actors sense of syle and character. I will dress Rachael; The Girl, in casual vintage style clothing. I think that this will go along with the easy going part of the song, whilst she is by the river and in the woods. For the more serious and sad part of the song, I will dress her in darker more boring clothes such as jeans and a black jumper. I have got these pictures to the left which show examples of what she will look like when in costume in the video.  

I will dress Alex; The Guy, in casual clothes also. He will only be in part of the song so won't need as many changes of clothes but they will all be current fashionable clothing which will compliment Rachael's clothes as well. I have got these pictures to the left of one direction, who's style is similar to what I want my actor to look like. One directions target audience is similar to mine, and their syle goes down well with them, so therefore, I think this style will attract my target audience, and look current and on-trend.

Storyboard

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Storyboard Write-up

I have created a storyboard to plan my music video. I have included a picture of each shot showing what will be in the frame, a description of what will happen in the shot, the transitions between each of them, and different camera angles and distances.

In my music video, there will be 2 different time frames. In my story board, I have used two different colours for both time zones;
The red outlines show the current time zone (girl and boy have split up)
..and the black outline shows the past, which I will show by using flashbacks in my video (girl and boy are together).

My music video will start with a fuzzy black screen (as if the camera is being turned on), then cut to the girl walking in the door using a full body shot and a slight high angle to the camera (to show innocence of the girl) - using camera 2.

It will then cut to camera 1, with the girl turning on the camera and a close up of her face to capture the emotion.

Shot 3 will be the girl walking up to the piano, sitting down and start playing. This will be when the music starts playing.

Shot 4 will be a cutaway of the girls hands playing piano, using a point of view shot to show this.(filmed with camera 3)  

The camera will then tilt upwards to look at the wall, showing all the photographs and sentimental objects from when the girl and boy were together. The camera will then zoom into one particular photograph (which will be a freezeframe of the first opening shot of the next video) which is when it will fade into the video of the first flashback.

Shots 4 and 5 are a recurring theme in my video, and are placed inbetween each flashback video to show the contrast in time. All of the shots outlined in red will be set in a dark surrounding room, and I will later edit in a blue tint to the video to connote sadness.

Shot 6 is set in the past, when the girl and guy are together which is why it will be filmed in a park on a sunny day to connote happiness.  This shot will be a two shot/long shot of the girl and boy sitting on the bench talking and laughing. 

Shot 6 is set in the past, when the girl and guy are together which is why it will be filmed in a park on a sunny day to connote happiness. This shot will be a two shot/long shot of the girl and boy sitting on the bench talking and laughing. A jump cut will then be used to cut to shot 7, which will be a close up on the girls face, to show emotion; smiling, laughing, and looking at the guy. Shot 8 will then be a cut away close up of the boy and the girls hands touching on the bench, using a birdseye view shot. The close up shots of hands will also be a recurring theme in my music video as it symbolises their love, and will really highlight the break up when you see the contrast between the close up of the girls hands all alone whilst playing the piano (when they have split up) and the close up of the girls hands when they are together, with the boys hands always holding on tight. Shots 10 and 11 are then played in the sequence again in present time.
Shot 12 is another one of the 3 shots which is repeated throughout. From there it zooms into a picture which fades into a flashback video.
Shot 13 is a two shot of the girl and the boy walking in the woods, shadowed by the colourful trees to create a sense of perfect happiness. A cut away is then used to show a close up of the girl and boys hands together which is another signifier that they are together. Shot 15 and 16 are both close ups of each the girl and the boys faces looking at eachother capturing the emotion.Shot 17 is a long/two shot of both of them facing eachother making eye contact and holding hands.Shot 18 is of the girl flicking her hair, as it is supposed to be a common thing to do to show that you like a guy. Shot 19 is of the girls face and neck exposed. This is a sexual signifier, further highlighting thier relationship together. 
The next 3 shots are again the repeated scenes.
Shot number 24 continues from the shots before, and is along shot (full body shot) of the guy reaching down to the floor.
Shot 25 will be a cut away close up of his hand and the flower, picking it up off the floor. The flower is one of my significant objects in my music video and will be featured a lot more during the rest of my video.
Shot 26 will be a close up of her face, showing her happy expression and really capturing the emotion so that the audience can tell what she is thinking and draw them into her world.
Shot 27 is another cut away, close up of him giving the flower to her, with another one of the reoccurring motifs; their hands together (as he gives the flower to her).
Shot 28 will be an over the shoulder shot of her holding the flower to her chest, and the other hand holding his. The camera will then zoom onto the flower, and then a fading transition will show the flower on the wall in the current time frame, but it will not be alive (which will symbolise their relationship).
Shot 29 therefore will be the close up of the flower dead on the wall.
Shot 30 and 31 will be the reoccurring shots of the current time frame, with the girl playing the piano. 
Shot 32-36 will be of the girl dancing. I originally thought about having the guy there as well whilst she danced, but I then thought that it would be more conventional if she was dancing on her own, going along with the song in perhaps a black and white camera effect. 

Music Video Dance Scene Ideas

I have found these two music video's in which both have a dance scene in, in which the camera switches from different time frames including the dance scene. I have looked at pixie lott's 'Broken arrow' which has a duet dance piece, in a low lit room. I would however like mine to be a solo piece, but would also like to use the lighting from this video (poor lighting) as I think that it creates a very dramatic effect.

I have also looked at Adele's 'Rolling in the deep' music video. This features a solo piece also, but in a very different way. This is filmed in a bright room, but they have made it so that the dancers identity is hidden, which seems to be a re-occurring factor in music videos. I will make my dancers identity hidden by using a darm room to film, only lighting up parts of her body. Both of these music videos are break up songs which fits in with my music video.

Equipment Testing

 

I decided to test out some of the equipment that I will use to create my music video, such as a camera and tripod. I experimented with close ups and long shots, and different angles of the camera. I also found that there were different settings which the camera can do such as black and white, vibrant effect, sepia etc, and brightness can also be altered. Now that I know this, I can use the vibrancy enhancer in my flashback shots to connote happiness, and I can use the duller effects on the other shots to connote loneliness and sadness.

Narrative Theory

The Narrative of a music video refers to the sequence of events which add together to tell the story, and it will act as a way of organising spatial and temporal data.
The basic narrative of my music video will be; Girl meets guy, they have a romantic summer together, then suddenly summer isn't the only thing coming to an end, as their relationship is broken into pieces, with her song describing her previous feelings whilst being sang in the current time frame to contrast with the flashbacks of their summer.
I aim to take my audience on a journey through my strong narrative, which will engage the audience and keep them listening to my song, and watching my music video.
I will use a variety of codes to address my narrative to my audience, such as;
Technical codes- Camera angles, movement, lighting, sound, props, shot framing, composition, design, layout and editing.
Verbal codes- Through the lyrics of the song.
Symbolic codes- Visual sings that will be decoded by the audience.
Structure- My music video will be following the basis of Aristotle's 'Beginning, Middle, End' theory.  He says that the best way to keep the audience engaged is if there is a basic structure to the narrative where a change in fortune of the character takes place. This will be present in my music video as the story of the girl will go through a break up, shifting her emotions from happy to sad, and the video will show the journey she goes on throughout this.
I have also thought about Todorov's Narrative theory. He says that a good narrative should have an equilibrium at the beginning, then a disequilibrium, then a recognition of this, then an attempt to solve the disequilibrium, and finally a return to equilibrium. My music video will be following most of this theory, however there will not be a return to equilibrium at the end.

Media Language

There will be a continuous theme throughout my music video, and this will be Romance.
I will connote Romance through many certain props and shots such as close up on eyes, lips and hands, two shots of both the guy and the girl. I will also use re-occurring motifs of hearts, flowers and bright colours which will also hint towards this theme.


The daisy flowers will be used in one of the flashback scenes, where the guy actor will pick it up, and give it to the girl. There will be a close up of the flower, and also a close up of him giving it to her in his hands, (like the picture).

The hearts will appear on the pinboard in the shots with the girl, inside in the current time frame. They will connote romance and tell the audience straight away what the narrative of my music video will be about.

Cast

Rachael Bayliss - 17

I have chosen Rachael Bayliss to act as the girl in my music video. She will play the main role of which Ellie Goulding plays in the original. I chose Rach because I know her well, which means that I will be able to get on with her, and there won't be any problems. She also wishes to go to dance school next year, which means that she is perfect for the dance scenes in my video, and is used to performing to a large audience. Rachael lives in the same town as me, and so shooting should not be a problem.





Alex Evans - 16

I have chosen Alex Evans to act as the guy in my music video. He will play the role of the guy. In Ellie Goulding's original video, there is no guy featured with her, so I intent to change this and make it my own by including Alex which I think will make the narrative more understandable. Alex is studying drama at A level, and has done many productions for Devon Youth Theaters which means that he is also used to performing and will know what to expect whilst acting this role.

I think that Rachael and Alex look good as a couple, and they get on really well so shouldn't have any problems acting as girlfriend and boyfriend.