Health and Safety

Before we could start filming our music video, we had to think about possible risks. Because of this, we had to take out a health and safety risk assessment before filming. Before assessing the area, we need to make sure that we identify the problem and then come up with a solution.

1.       Props

We only have two props; a guitar and a stool. The guitar will have to be in a case to make sure that nothing happens to it. Both of these props must be in a safe place when not in use to make sure that they are not lost or damaged.

2.       Costumes

The costume must also be kept in a safe place to make sure that it doesn’t get lost or damaged. We are only having one outfit in our music video so clothing must be kept clean and it must be kept in a place just for costume. Having a hanging rail for the costume will keep every neat and tidy, ready for filming.

3.       Technical equipment

When filming, we need to make sure that we have good lighting to have the effect we are hoping for in our music video. Sound will not be an issue as the song will be added in the post-production stage and we are not having any other sound. But we will need to make sure that everyone is quiet during filming as the performer will need to concentrate on lip-syncing. All technical equipment must be kept in a labelled box to prevent damage and also so we know exactly where it is.

4.       Filming problems

As we will be filming outside, the weather will need to be decent as we will need to keep up the continuity. It would look odd it was sunny for one second and then suddenly there was snow on the ground. However, we have backup days for filming in case we aren’t able to film one day. Sound will not be a problem as it will all be added afterwards, using premiere pro. Our school is currently a building site due to building a new school so this may create a lot of noise. We want it to be as quiet as possible so Bella can lip-sync as well as she possibly can. However, it is not all bad if she isn’t completely in time as it can be edited later on. The camera will need to be fully charged before filming to prevent running out of battery during filming. After filming, footage will need to be uploaded onto the school system straight away to prevent being damaged or lost.

5.       Fires or drills

We are filming in a school which increases the chances of having a fire drill. As Bella is the only person, we will both make sure that we know exactly where the fire exists are and where to line up in the event of a fire. As we are filming outside, it is unlikely that we will be affected by the fire drill, but as we are at school, we will have to be wary in case something does happen.

6.       Interruptions

       It is likely that there will be quite a few interruptions as we are filming in public places. However, we have chosen isolated destinations so hopefully there won’t be too many interruptions. If we are interrupted, then we shall explain what is happening and ask them to kindly leave or be quiet. 

Codes and conventions of an indie music video

Performance

A lot of artists in the indie genre tend to feature a live performance in their music video. This is to keep the focus on the actual music and the talent of the artist.
Recently, there has been a narrative included in the music video to break it up and give it a story to keep the audience interested. This allows the artists to compete with similar artists who have narrative videos that are heavily  based on a story to make it memorable.  In the indie genre, there are artists who use live performances in their music video, for example Passengers Let It Go features him singing with shots of him and his band behind the scenes to break up the music video. Live performances promote the artists as the audience to feel as though they are building a relationship. It also shows the audience that the artists can actually sing live. An example of a live music video is All Time Low’s Lost in Stereo music video.

Narrative

Narrative music videos are popular with most genres. However, in the indie genre, narrative videos aren’t as popular as performance videos as artists are like showing their audiences that they actually can perform and build a relationship with their audience.

However, narrative music videos are a great way to stand out from the crowd as artists and bands can be as creative as they like due to new technology. Narrative videos also hold peoples attention better than live performance as the audience will want to see what happens. An example of a narrative music video is Ellie Goulding’s video for How Long Will I love You. The video is actually taken from the forthcoming Roger Michell short film “Tom & Issy”. So not only is this promoting Ellie Goulding, it is also promoting Roger Michell’s film. 

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is important in indie music videos. A lot of indie artists have their own look and don't like to follow crowds. They can create their own look through the use of props and their appearance themselves. 

Props can change a music video completely. For example, in the music video for National Anthem by Lana Del Rey, she is posing around her glamorous and clearly expensive house. This suggests that she is wealthy and well respected in society. 

In a lot of indie music videos, instruments are often essential, especially an acoustic guitar. I decided to follow this convention by having the artist play an acoustic guitar in my music video. An example of artists playing instruments in their music video would be Ed Sheeran’s Lego House, where he is shown playing his guitar throughout the video.

Costume is also important in indie music videos as it will give each artist their own identity and set themselves apart from everyone else. Unlike pop artists looking very glamorous and expensive, a lot of indie artists tend to stick to casual clothing. For example, in Ellie Goulding’s music video for The Writer, she is simply wearing a sleeveless shirt and high waisted shorts.

Sound

Diegetic sounds are often used throughout the music video to help set the atmosphere. For example, in the music video for National Anthem by Lana Del Rey, she ends the song with a small speech and it begins with fans screaming. 

Different effects can be added to the sound to create a certain atmosphere. Effects are not often used in acoustic music videos as they like to concentrate on the artists talent rather than distorting it. 

Camera

Full length shots are used to show the setting of the video and give us a clear view of the artists and their outfits. This is important in indie music videos as artists can be seen as style icons and therefore need to be seen fully. The setting also needs to be seen to help the audience understand the message behind the video.

In indie videos, crane shots are used for live performances as it allows the audience to view the artists from different angles and it will also help them focus on the artist throughout the video. Crane shots are useful for continuity as it hardly leaves the artist.

Tilts and pans are used to make the setting clear and can move from left and right so the audience can see the full set. This often helps tell the story as it may be a key feature in the music video.

Close ups are the most common shots as it introduces the audience to the characters or artists. This may be done to highlight what the artist is singing or to portray a certain emotion.

Editing

With new technology, editing is relied on a lot as it can make or break a music video. Usually in indie music videos, editing is mainly used for smooth transitions between each shot.

Fast and slow cuts between shots should reflect the pace of the music to truly be effective. 

Effects can be added to completely change the look of a music video. In indie music videos, it is very common to make a music video look as though it is old and worn and being played from an old tape. Black and White is often used to portray this but sepia is also used to make it look rustic and sometimes vintage. For example, the music video for Someone Like You by Adele is completely in black and white to show the emotion of the song.

Magazine Advert Analysis

Music Magazine Codes and Conventions

Digipak Analysis

Ellie Goulding - Bright Lights

Front cover

The front cover for Bright Lights has one main picture of the artist, Ellie Goulding. This is because people will recognise her and realise that the product is related to Ellie Goulding.

The image of Ellie Goulding gives a care-free and relaxed feeling which is what the artist would want her audience to feel when listening to her music. The picture relates to her genre as her music is quite relaxed and care-free.

The colours used on the front cover go well with the relaxed them of the digipak. They are more warm and natural, rather than harsh and bold colours.

The text is in a bigger font than the title of the album. The is because the artist is the branding identity of the album, she is the selling point. So her name is in bold as she is the most important part of the album. 

CD cover

The CD cover is the complete opposite of the front cover, the CD has a single bright colour on the cover compared to the mixture of calm colours of the front cover. This suggests that you can’t just the actual album on the cover. Or that the album has something for everyone.

The yellow used is warm and welcoming; it’s also very eye-catching which will grab the audience’s attention.

The text and the font used on the CD s the same as the one used on the front cover. This links the whole digipak together.

Ellie Goulding is still in a bigger font size than the album title which signifies her importance.

Back cover

The text on the back of the cover is the same font that has been used throughout the whole digipak, this creates continuity on all of the panels of the digipak. The colour of the text is also the same.

The colours used on the cover are the same as those used on the front cover, there are also bright lights which links with the title of the album, which is ‘Bright Lights’.

Kaiser Chiefs - Employment digipak analysis

Digipak analysis from ellieplummer

Tom Odell - Long Way Down Digipak Analysis

Storyboard

Focus Group Analysis

What is your favourite genre of music?

We asked this question as we thought it would give us an idea of whether they would watch our music video or not. The genre of our chosen song is indie. We also asked this question in our survey and alternative/indie turned out to be the most popular genre of music. In our focus group, one person said that indie is their favourite genre of music. We had already chosen our song at this point but we had a backup song in case we couldn’t use the song or we needed another genre of music. We also asked this so we could find out what kind of people would watch our video and it would also help us create a target audience. From the results of our survey and focus group, we were able to make an audience profile to give us a better idea of who would watch our music video. Someone else said that he “likes all genres. If it’s good music or a good music video then I’ll like it”. We would also aim our music video at him as he is also likely to watch our music video. The last person said their favourite genre of music is “pop rock, because I feel that the lyrics mean something and it’s quite lively.”

What do you expect to see in a music video?

This question is useful for us, as it has given us an idea of what people will be looking for in our music video. We took these answers into consideration and decided to use some of these things in our music video. Someone said “Always something quite unusual, definitely seeing a band playing instruments”. Our song is not from a band but the lead singer will be playing the guitar. Someone else said “People in casual clothing, a variety of different locations”. Our main character will be wearing a jumper, leggings and a beanie which is casual. When choosing our costume, we looked at Ellie Goulding for inspiration. “Band footage and people having a good time”, again, we don’t have a band and our song is quite sad so they won’t be too happy but there will be a few shots of them having fun together. Hopefully, this will meet people’s expectations of our music video.

Do you prefer narrative or performance music videos?

We asked our focus group whether they prefer narrative or performance based music videos. We also asked this question in our survey and the majority of people said they prefer both types of music videos. Everyone in our focus group also said that they prefer a mixture of both, performance and narrative music videos. Someone said that “Performance looks quite fun and narrative allows you to understand the story behind the lyrics”. Because of this, we have chosen to use about 70% performance and 30% narrative. This will then allow the audience to feel as though they are watching the artist performing live but they will also understand the story behind the song.

How often do you watch music videos and where do you watch them?

Everyone said that they watch music videos on YouTube, because of this; we will be uploading our music video onto YouTube which will hopefully result in our music video being seen by as many people as possible.  One person claims to watch music videos at least “fourteen times a week”, someone else watches them “once or twice a week” and the last person watches them “everyday”.

Shooting schedule

This is our guide as to when to film for our music video. We will need to keep to this schedule in order to finish on time. This is just a basic guide as there could be a situation that will stop us from filming. This could be something like bad weather or our artist is ill so she can't come in to film. We took this into consideration and allowed some time at the end in case we haven't managed to film everything we need.

Location scouting

To create our music video, we needed a location to film it. We already had our idea so we knew the kind of location we wanted. We looked at music videos of the same genre and we also looked at codes and conventions of our genre of music. We looked at a lot of Ellie Goulding, Kate Nash and Marina and the Diamonds videos. A lot of Ellie Goulding’s music videos are set in big open spaces. We mainly looked at The Writer and Guns and Horses. Kate Nash’s video for OMYGOD! Is set at a beach but we knew that we definitely didn’t want our video set at a beach so we decided on an empty field.

After watching The Writer by Ellie Goulding, we knew that we wanted to film in a big open space where no one else is around. This will hopefully give the audience a sense of loneliness and isolation which will suggest the emotion behind the song. This should also help the audience connect with our artist as they may have experienced similar emotions and they will be able to sympathise with her.

We also looked at the music video for Burn by Ellie Goulding, the music video is bright but is has a colour effect on it so the light doesn't look as natural. We liked this as it is different, like our genre of music. This video is also filmed in a big open space. It looks like it is filmed at a runway at an airport which is usually quite an isolated area as there aren’t many people around. We liked the idea of filming at a runway but we wouldn’t be given access to film there. So we went back to the idea of an empty field.

Overall, we have chosen an empty field where there aren’t many people around but there are trees about so it’s not completely empty. There aren’t many scene changes in our music video but we didn’t want to have too many changes as it may not make sense to the audience. After finding our location, we created a shooting schedule and also filled in a risk assessment. The location is not far from school or Bella’s house so if anything happens, we can easily go back there to take care of whatever needs to be done. We are starting filming in the middle of September but we should be finished by the beginning of October. We have a back-up plan if this is not completed. 

Goodwin's Theory

Costume planning



Choosing the costume for our music video is essential. We both knew that it had to fit with the genre of the song. We researched similar artists for inspiration. We found that there are a lot of patterns, and clashing colours. We mainly looked at Ellie Goulding’s costume choices. Ellie Goulding is known for indie pop, folk pop, synthpop, folktronica, indietronica, dream pop and alternative dance. I looked at her music videos for ‘The Writer’, ‘Your Song’ and ‘Guns and Horses’. In all three videos, she is dressed casually which gives away the genre of the music. If Goulding was a pop artist then she would more likely dress up and look ‘glamorous’. This could appeal to people with the same fashion sense as they could feel that the artist is just a normal person and may feel a connection. In The Writer, Goulding is wearing a sleeveless top and shorts which is just an ordinary outfit that anyone could wear. In the music video for Your Song, Goulding is wearing a coat, jeans and a beanie which is appropriate for the video as she is outside in the cold this is also an outfit that any ordinary person could wear. Lastly, in Guns and Horses, Goulding is wearing skinny jeans and a checked shirt. The skinny jeans and checked shirt look is very popular in indie music videos.

These images show our chosen costume. We decided she should wear a striped jumper since that is very popular in the indie culture and it will also fit with the genre. The striped jumper adds colour to the video but will not distract the audience from the actual video. The black leggings are inspired by Ellie Goulding as she wears them a lot in her videos. They were also easy for us to use as we had a low budget. Finally, the shows are called ‘Creepers’ and they are usually worn by those with an alternative fashion sense which will fit in with out genre as indie and alternative often  go together very well.

Shot list

Shot list for music video from Ellie Plummer

Prop Choices

Audience Profile

Before conducting our research, we came up with an initial idea of our target audience which we used as a guide throughout our research.

Demographics

Age: 13-25

Sex: Female

Psychographics

-          Preferred musical genre is indie
-          Favourite singers are likely to be Ellie Goulding/Lana Del Ray/Kate Nash etc.
-          Likely to wear skinny jeans/checked shirts/retro clothing/plimsolls
-          Likely to shop at Topshop/H&M/Urban Outfitters/New Look
-          Likely to go to music festivals
-          Unlikely to do much sport competitively
-          Likely to spend spare time listening to music/with friends/at parties
-          Likely to take some pride in their appearance and a sense of individuality
-          Likely to be up-to-date with the latest gadgets
-          Likely to use a lot of social media
-          Likely to watch independent films rather than blockbusters
-          Likely to listen to BBC Radio 1

Codes and Conventions of Indie Music Videos

Molly Grace - Our unsigned artist

This is the song that we decided to use for our music video.

Music licensing

What is a music video?

Music licensing is the licensed use of copyrighted music. Music licensing is intended to ensure that the owners of copyrights on musical works are compensated for certain uses of their work. A purchaser has limited rights to use and reproduce the recorded work without a separately arranged agreement.

Happy Birthday to You

The song ‘Happy Birthday to You’ is the best known song in the world and generates over $2 million in royalties each year for its copyright owners. The original author of the words to the song is unknown; however, the current owner is Warner Chappell, who receives licensing revenues through the ASCAP. The music itself was written in 1893, and due to multiple copyright extensions, will remain so until at least 2030. In 1989, when Time Warner first purchased the piece, movie licenses for the song were going from anywhere between “a few thousand” to $50,000. One reason the owner, Birchtree Ltd., decided to sell the copyright ownership was because they did not have a large enough unit dedicated to monitor its usage in new media. This became key in maximizing financial benefit, because previous owners failed to go after those who used the song without license for over 20 years.

Home Video

Licensing issues are often encountered when television shows or films using copyrighted music are released on DVD format.

When a song is cleared for usage on a TV show, historically to save money the clearance typically only applies to television airings of the show in question. Thus, when the show is considered for DVD distribution to the home video market, the rights to the song must be renegotiated in order for the song in question to be included on the DVD. Most producers/production companies now include the rights for DVDs or "all media now known or hereafter devised." This assures production companies of the right to re-release without incurring additional licensing fees.

Broadcasting

Broadcasting, in the context of music licensing, means the playback of pre-recorded or live music for groups of people other than the licensed purchaser of a given work, beyond what might be normally expected in a social setting. There has been some legal wrangling over the years about what, exactly, constitutes a 'broadcast' for the purpose of license/copyright enforcement. Legal claims are filed frequently against bookstores, bars, and live music venues that broadcast music without paying for it.

Radio stations pay fees for the rights to broadcast music. Fees are paid to licensing bodies such as Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and ACEMLA. Radio stations and businesses typically pay a flat rate once a year, called a blanket license, which can vary based on the amount and nature of music usage. BMI and ASCAP determine how to divide up the licensing profits among copyright owners. Radio stations calculate payment to license holders by periodically auditing the music being played. The audit results are submitted to the licensing relevant body for the station's territory. This information is used to calculate the average number of plays each artist has received.

The music broadcast in grocery shops and elevators is a service which is purchased from one of many organizations that offer it. Part of the fee paid for this service is used to cover licensing costs.

Audience research

History of music videos

History of music videos from ellieplummer

Daft Punk Case Study

Censorship in music videos

Music Video Codes and conventions

Codes and conventions from ellieplummer

Jessie J - Wild analysis

Initial ideas