Development of My Concept

How my concept has altered from the initial concept

When I drafted my first concept I wanted the music video to be based around one character and take on the same principle that is used in Paramore's 'The Only Exception' i.e. I wanted to incorporate the idea of doorways leading to a completely different location to the previous one. However after shooting the first blocked plan I realised this would be a lot of hard work and the outcome may not be the best. Therefore I decided to include a my female character more, to provide a more empathetic narrative. 

Furthermore, the idea of various gaps and doorways leading out onto different settings/locations would've been very hard for the audience to actually understand the concept unless it was done at a professional standard. Instead it would just seem as though the character is randomly walking in and out of odd places that don't piece together. The fact that there is a narrative running alongside this complex concept would make the overall music video seem very cluttered and disorganised, almost as though a bunch of ideas have just been thrown together without any thought.

So I decided to use both characters to show two parallel perspectives on the same situation that reflect the words and meaning of the song. My final music video can be an interpretation of the songs meaning through a male and female view and response to a certain situation when in a relationship and supposedly 'in love'.


Maroon 5 - 'Goodnight Goodnight'

Maroon 5's song 'Goodnight Goodnight' became an inspirational music video in developing my concept and altering areas of the initial one in the sense that I decided to almost disregard the idea taken from Paramore's 'The Only Exception' and incorporate this new idea of displaying parallel lives. In Maroon 5's video, the main concept is to depict the difference between Adam Levine's life with a girlfriend and what it has become now he is without her. As opposed to using exactly the same concept of a split screen showing the same person's actions just in a different time period, I thought it would be interesting to Give Dilara's character a role that was equally as important as that of Dan's. The link to 'Goodnight Goodnight' is the way that Dilara's and Dan's journey through the day parallels to show how different each character is in their thoughts and actions although they as supposedly both in love with each other.

Blocked Plan #3

Shooting Schedule #3

Saturday 2^nd April 2011 – Filming of Dilara (female actor)

Props:

Dilara’s maxi dress

Satchel bag

Photo’s of Dan at Party

Dilara’s Blackberry

Pyjamas

Make-up box with make-up

Purple cardigan

Same shoes as shooting schedule #2

Blocked Plan:

1. Medium shot of Dilara in bed sleeping
2. Medium shot of Dilara getting up and sitting on edge of bed
3. Long shot of Dilara looking out of bedroom window
4. Panning camera movement of Dilara walking away from window and past camera
5. Close-up shot of Dilara holding Blackberry
6. Extreme close-up of Dilara sending Dan text message ‘where are you?’
7. Long shot of Dilara walking into living room and sitting on left of big sofa
8. Long shot of Dialra sitting on right of big sofa
9. Long shot of Dilara lying on big sofa
10. Medium shot of Dilara sitting and then slouching on armchair sofa
11. Medium shot of Dilara checking Blackberry and then throwing it on floor
12. panning mode of Dilara walking and sitting on at computer
13. medium shot of Dilara searching Facebook and sees photos of Dan
14. Close-up shot of Dilara putting head in hands
15. Medium panning shot following Dilara out onto balcony
16. Medium shot of Dilara walking into kitchen
17. Medium shot of Dilara walking out of kitchen and into bathroom
18. Long shot of Dilara pulling dress out of wash basket and walking out of bathroom
19. Panning mode following Dilara into bedroom
20. Close-up shot of floor as Dialra throws pyjamas on floor
21. Close-up shot of Dilara tying up dress
22. Long-shot of Dialra putting on make-up in bathroom
23. Extreme close-up of Dilara unlocking and opening flat door
24. Long shot of Dialra walking down stair and out of flat
25. Long panning shot of Dilara walking along grass pane
26. Dilara takes cardigan off and leaves it on a tree branch
27. Medium shot of Dilara walking into a bush
28. Close-up shot of Dilara typing and posting 'where are you?' on Dan's Facebook wall
29. Point-of-view shot of Dilara dropping a vase of dried roses onto the floor

In including Dilara's character to the extent and detail that I have, Dilara has now become a main character so any barriers differentiating the importance of one character to there other has now been eliminated. So now, both the characters of Dilara and Dan are of equal importance and the music video is more of a narrative rather than a day in the life of Dan.  

Blocked Plan #2

Shooting Schedule #2

Wednesday 30^th March 2011 – Filming of both actors, Dilara and Dan

Props:

Smiley necklace

Dilara’s maxi dress

Dan’s shirt

Dan’s bow tie

Printed photo’s of Dan at party

Dan’s jeans (from previous shooting)

Dan’s red t-shirt (from previous shooting)

Satchel bag for Dilara

Purple cardigan for Dilara

Dan’s turquoise plimsolls

Dilara’s Blackberry

Blocked Plan

Dilara

1. Panning establishing shot of Dilara walking along grassy pane
2. Medium shot of Dilara showing that she has given up
3. Long shot of Dilara sitting on grass
4. Close-up, over-the-shoulder shot of Dilara looking at photo’s
5. Extreme close-up shot of Dilara pulling out grass

Dan

1.      Long shot of Dan walking out of forest bush

2.      Medium shot of Dan finding and picking up shirt off bush

3.      Medium shot of Dan putting on shirt

4.      Medium shot of Dan finding bow tie

5.      Medium shot of Dan finding Dilara’s cardigan on branch

6.      Close-up shot of Dan’s face when he sees Dilara

7.      Panning shot of Dan rushing to Dilara

Group Shots

1. Group shot of Dilara snatching cardigan from Dan and pushing him away
2. Dan reacts with confusion and Dialra pulls out photos
3. Dan takes photo’s and tries to explain
4. Medium shot of Dan grabbing Dilara and getting down on one knee
5. Group shot Dan presents smiley necklace to Dilara
6. Medium shot of Dan and Dilara hugging
7. Long shot of Dan and Dilara holding hands and walking away out of camera view
8. Establishing shot of drama studio with black curtains drawn. Dan and Dilara come out from behind curtains
9. Long shot of Dan pulling Dilara into middle of room
10. Dan twirls Dilara into his arms
11. Medium shot of Dilara in Dan’s arms, both tilt faces in eachothers direction
12. Lights go off, Black Out

After shooting this blocked plan and the first blocked plan, I realised that although there was enough footage in relation to time to create a 3-minute-long music video, there was not enough footage to provide the audience with a visually enhancing narrative. Due to this then, I decided to film some more footage and expand on the filming/narrative that had already been made to give our music video a better narrative that was more visually stimulating and interesting. The decision was then made to use Dilara more heavily and almost to convey her story which would ultimately be portrayed as a parallel to Dan's journey. In doing this, the audience can gain a better understanding of the two characters and therefore have the opportunity to empathise with them. Therefore this will allow the audience to potentially be emotionally stimulated as well as visually interested.

Blocked Plan #1

Shooting Schedule #1

Saturday 26^th March 2011 – Filming of Dan (male actor)

Props:

Dan’s t-shirt

Dan’s shorts

Dan’s jeans

Smiley necklace

Vodka bottle

Dan’s turquoise plimsolls

Blocked Plan

1. Long shot of Dan asleep in alley way, on the floor, with Vodka bottle in hand
2. Medium shot of Dan waking up with what seems like a hangover
3. Long shot of Dan stretching and beginning to walk out of alley way
4. Long panning shot of Dan walking out of alley way
5. Close-up shot of Dan looking at picture of girlfriend on phone
6. Medium-long shot of Dan walking along street to begin his journey and retrace his steps
7. Medium shot of Dan putting vodka bottle down
8. Close-up shot of bottle being knocked over
9. Medium shot of Dan finding his shoes and picking them up
10. Long shot of Dan putting shoes on
11. Long shot of Dan walking down street and finding his jean
12. Medium/Close-up shot of Dan putting on jeans
13. Long shot of Dan walking down bridge and fiddling with smiley face necklace
14. Panning shot of Dan coming up escalator in exchange
15. Long shot of Dan walking to bench in exchange and sitting down
16. Close-up shot of Dan looking at and fiddling with necklace again

7 – 10 shots of Dan walking in and out of random areas of location such as

Walking down a flight of stairs,

Walking into dustbin area,

Walking out from behind exit/entrance signs,

Walking in or out of bushes,

Walking out from behind a car,

Walking behind a wooden fence as if climbing into something,

Walking out of a gap through a wooden fence.

My Initial Concept

Draft Concept
The idea behind this activity was to gain potential ideas from fellow peers in order to make our videos and concepts more visually enhanced and stimulating. My initial idea is written in the middle box and
four different peers each filled in one of the surrounding boxes with their own contribution and ideas of how i can make better my concept.

An idea that I chose to incorporate in my concept was that the actor  finds certain objects along his journey such as vital pieces of clothing, objects with sentimental value like a leaflet promoting the band. This would enhance the textual meaning of the music video and also give a sense of resolution at the end of the videos when all the found objects add up to create one final image.

Paramore - 'The Only Exception'

The video to this songs has played a big part in our visual aspect of our music video. More specifically, the idea of Hayley walking through doors that her into a totally different setting. So from a speed dating restaurant atmosphere, she walks through the door into a church wedding setting.

In the same way we wanted to incorporate a similar idea to this but we would edit our shots to make it seem as though they were walking in or out of strange things like an exit sign or a bush.

Sex, Violence and Music Videos

OFCOM Investigation/Report (2005)


 The OFCOM report on sexual imagery in music video broadcasting revealed a number of valuable propositions outlined by both professionals and average members of the public. The general ideas that are discussed are based around the issues of language, lifestyle, but more importantly, the incorporation of violent/extreme images and sexualized imagery.

Most of these issues are regulated to an 'acceptable' standard (like language being regulated on the radio and before the watershed hour), however the issues of sexual imagery and violence have only become more intense. The main problem that the report explained, was the fact that music videos are 'thought to have a potentially powerful effect on children and young adults' as they are the audience who are most attracted to music videos. If this is the case, then these young people of society will be heavily influenced by the music videos they expose themselves to and idolize certain artists. These artists will then set aspirations for their fans and these fans will imitate and act like their role models.

In the case of rap music, violence and crime is a key element of an artists portrayal. A member of the public had expressed their view that the issue becomes apparent when 'children strut in and think they're Eminem or 50 Cent and use their same words'. This immediately creates an issue with the language that young people are using nowadays as they are being heavily influenced by artists like 50 Cent and Eminem who use a LOT of negative and bad language in their songs which could in turn have a negative effect on their fans.

In terms of sex, there were many concerns that parents had for their children as many 'innocent' artists such as Britney Spears have now changed from being young and fun girls into sex idols. Singer's like Britney Spears initially had strong fan bases amongst pre-teens and parents 'do not think it is appropriate for this type of sexual imagery to be used in videos aimed at such young age groups'. Although Britney may have expanded her fan base, she has now changed her image along with her morals and behaviours which therefore influence her fans as she is a role model for them. A parent of a young child had said that they found it disturbing that 'she is on a bed and touching herself' and also that 'it is worse with Britney Spears because she was like a good little angel', so the transition is even greater and more noticeable for not only her fans but also other members of the public. Parents do not wish for their children to be so heavily influenced by music videos and then go on to imitate and reproduce the behaviours that musical role models such as Britney Spears portray in videos such as 'My Perogative' and 'Gimme More'. From songs like 'Sometimes' to 'Toxic', the changes in Britney Spears are visibly extreme and blatant.

'Sometimes' - Britney Spears                                                  





'Gimme More' - Britney Spears

Innovative Music Marketing

The Hoosiers and S.E.O
SEO or search engine optimisation is the process of making certain websites more visible and noticeable when key words that are linked to the websites are typed in a search engine. The Hoosiers used this method of controlling and putting an end to illegal downloads of their latest song 'Choices'.

They regulated search engines such as Google so that illegal downloader's were shown blog posts when they first typed in 'free download the Hoosiers - choices', or similar key words. When these blog sites were clicked on, they displayed a direct link to The Hoosiers website where the user could download a free remix of the song by the band themselves. All that was required in return was that the user had to post some sort of status update on Facebook or Twitter promoting The Hoosiers and the release of 'Choices'.

So what was the outcome?

1. In using social networking sites to promote them, The Hoosiers song 'Choices' became a viral hit. 
2. Furthermore, not only did the band reduce illegal downloads but they replaced it with social value through things like tweets, Facebook 'likes' & statuses and e-mail addresses.
3. Ultimately, both the band and the fans were satisfied and successful in the end.

Information was taken from the following links:

http://www.themusiciansguide.co.uk/blog/14/best-of-2010-most-innovative-and-interesting-online-music-marketing-strategies/

http://www.themusiciansguide.co.uk/blog/19/the-hoosiers-know-how-to-market-a-new-song-release/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine_optimization