I am currently in the process of creating the story board of my music video and i have been thinking about what ideas i want to include in the video.
My music video will be about a boy trying to escape something that he did however he is being taunted by a group of people through social media. I've decided i am going to incorporate the Anonymous group in the video.
Anonymous is a loosely associated international network of activist and hacktivist entities that describes them self as "an Internet gathering". Their philosophy is to work together to uncover and bring justice. The group's few rules include not disclosing one's identity, not talking about the group, and not attacking media. Members commonly use the tagline "We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us."
I want to loosely include this concept in my music video as this will be the threat element the main protagonist in my video will be running away from.
For my video i have been thinking about the potential sound effects i may use to enhance the video further. Though i haven't got a complete story board plan i do know that part of the story is that the main protagonist in the video will be bombarded with lots of messages from technological devises.
The messages and notification will appear like this on the screen.
I've been looking at some inspiration to help me create my music video as i want to take the aspects that i like from it and replicate it.
My first bit of inspiration comes from Sias Music video "The Greatest". I've talked about this video in a previous post. The main reason i like this video is that it solely revolves around the main star of the video and this is made clear with the fact that all the dancers dance around her and also because a tracking shot is used through the video on her.
For my video i like the idea of using a grey scale colour scheme as this was used in the original Run Boy Run music video and i think that this is the most effective colours to use for it as it gives a timeless element to the video which is fitting as the song is about running away from danger/threat/society and these are issues that are always relevant.
I also like the idea of colour splatter. Above is the music video Madeon - The city and thorough out this video you see people splattering each other with coloured powder chalk. This inspired me to think about including it my my music video. As i've said that my video will in black and white, i want the colour splatter to break this up and show the triumph of the person breaking free
These ideas i've gathered will form a basis of music video.
In a previous post i have look at the lyrics of the song "Run Boy Run" and what i though they mean and how the lyrics can inspire my music video concept (Previous post). Now i'm looking at the actual song it's self (instrumental version) to see what the musician is trying to express through it, in hope this will also help me with my music video.
The song starts of with four bell rings and then after that it goes into a fast paced beat heavy tune. The bells suggests some sort of an awakening/realisation to something that needs to be escaped from which is shown through the fast tempo drums as if someone was running. This heavy drum beat continues giving off the feeling of anxiousness. At around 0:30 this beat increases with a gun cocking sound which creates a senses of threat and danger. The chorus which starts at around 0:59 contrasts with the sounds from the verses and it focuses on lots of brass and string instruments which gives off a triumphant sense as if a person has overcame something. The song then repeats this format until the end where the brass and sting instruments are played through suggesting the danger from the beginning is over now and the person has won/free.
From analysing the music of the song the main themes i can gather from it is;
-Realisation
-Threat
-Fear
-Overcoming
I can use these themes to create my music video as i need to showcase some of these so my video can link to the song.
In my previous blog post i have talked about the song i want to create a music video for and i looked into the artist and meaning of the song. (Previous post) This helped me thinking about what i want to do for my music video of the song.
Above is the official video for Run Boy Run which is a very effective video that has an original concept and a clear narrative for the audience to follow. The whole video is in black and white which is a typical convention of an alternative, also this is a trade mark thing the artist has on his videos which is highly recognisable to the audience. There's a range of camera shots used in this video which is effective because the variety of shots make the video more interesting to watch for the audience.
Close up
Medium shot
Extreme long shot
Long shot
Low angle
All the elements of Mise en scene in this video plays apart in this successful video. The use of the young boy in uniform as the main protagonist in the video links to the lyrics "run boy run..." and makes audiences feel for him, giving them an emotional link to the video. The boy gains props and near the end he is fully armed which suggests he about to battle and has connotations to medieval times.
The fact the director contrasts normality, such as a boy in school uniform against the absurd such the nature monsters gives a surreal effect and a powerful impact to the audience.
From all the elements used in the video what i like the most is the noire colour effect and i want to use this for my music video.
After thinking about what i could potentially do for a music video, i have now decided upon a song a want to use for my music video.
'Run Boy Run' is an alternative/indie song by Yoann Lemione who goes by the stage name Woodkid. This song was released 21 May 2012 and was his highest charting single and this song featured his album, Golden Age. The genre of Run Boy Run is chamber pop which is a sub genre of indie pop/rock which arouse in the 1990. Songs of this genre has an emphasis on melody and production, layering baroque, ornate songs with richly textured orchestral strings and horns while rejecting the traditions of grunge, electronica, and other concurrent musical movements.
"Run boy run! This world is not made for you Run boy run! They’re trying to catch you Run boy run! Running is a victory Run boy run! Beauty lays behind the hills Run boy run! The sun will be guiding you Run boy run! They’re dying to stop you Run boy run! This race is a prophecy Run boy run! Break out from society Tomorrow is another day And you won’t have to hide away You’ll be a man, boy! But for now it’s time to run, it’s time to run! Run boy run! This ride is a journey to Run boy run! The secret inside of you Run boy run! This race is a prophecy Run boy run! And disappear in the trees Tomorrow is another day And you won’t have to hide away You’ll be a man, boy! But for now it’s time to run, it’s time to run! Tomorrow is another day And when the night fades away You’ll be a man, boy! But for now it’s time to run, it’s time to run!"
The lyrics of Run Boy Run is what i'm using as my stimulus for my music video idea as i this will help me create a effective video. From reading the lyrics to me the song is about a person who is struggling with fitting in and is an outcast to society. They do not want to conform to the norm even though they are being forced to, however it's going to be alright and different in the future so the person has to get through the dark times that he is facing now. After the research of the song this have given me an idea what i could do for my music video as i now know the genre and meaning and story of the song..
I've been looking into camera work and some techniques i could use to film my music video. I've looked at another Sia video 'Chandelier' as the way it's been shot is, in my opinion really effective. In this music video and in Sia's other music video 'The Greatest' that i talked about in a previous post (Sia - The Greatest) both uses a continuous tracking shot. The tracking shot follows the lead dancer through the music as she tells a story through expressive dance, this is good because it allows the audience to follow this story and the journey the character goes through.
I like the use of this shot especially as it gives a personal and intimate sense to the video as the star of the video is solely being focused on. I want to use tracking shots in my music video because i also want my star to be the main focus and i want the audience to have a personal view to the journey my character is going through.
This music video 'Sia - The Greatest' is a really a good video because of the use of its colour scheme. In this video the colour and the tone is a grey scale and this is used throughout. The music video was created to pay tribute to the Orlando shootings in America back in June 2016, so the use of the dark colours helps highlight the serious message the video is trying to convey and shows the dark times the world went through. Also in the video the only use of bright colour is when the lead dancer smears the LGBT rainbow flag on her face. This further emphasises the focus of the video, which is to pay homage to the community.
This videos effective use of its colour scheme is something i want to also do with my music video because after looking at Sia's video it has made me understand how a colour scheme can convey a meaning effortlessly.
Beyonces video 'Hold Up' is a good example of a music video that uses editing effects that help aid the overall video. In the music video slow motion effect is used near enough through out the video. The use of the slow motion make the audience focus on the star of the video which is Beyonce and reminds them the fact that video is hers. Also as the song is about her fining out and ending a cheating relationship, the use of the slow motion is really effective as it contrasts with her feelings and what she is doing in the video. You can see she is smashing up things with a baseball bat because of what she has found out how ever the editing effect makes her seem calm and that she thinks what she is doing is normal.
By looking at this video it has shown me the importance of how editing effects can emphasise a videos message. So when i come to create my music video i'll need to think about how i can incorporate effects.
I've been looking into music video concept ideas as this is a very important part in creating a successful video. 'Where Is The Love' by The Black Eyed Peas is a good example of this as the music video has a clear narrative that relates to the lyrics of the song. The song was released in 2002 and the main premise of the video is about highlighting the effects of war, violence, racism and discrimination on people and society.
The concept of the video can be clearly understood throughout the music video, an example of this is through the use of the poster with the red question mark that is shown at various points of the video. The question mark relates to the lyrics of the song and the title 'Where Is The Love' and the fact that is getting posted all round the city suggests that they are trying to as society this question. This is effective as it reminds the audience of the videos message and makes the music video memorable. The main stars of the video 'The Black Eyed Peas' are shown to be standing up to the issues that are raised which links to the fact that they wrote this song and they want these issues to be eradicated.
This music video sends out a clear message to the audience due to its clear concept. When i come to create a music video i will ensure that i have planned and thought of my music videos concept in order for it to be effective.
This is the trailer for the film 'Donnie Darko'. The reason why i like this trailer is because of the effective use of lighting. At the beginning of the trailer high key lighting is used as the main character of the trailer walks out of the bus, this highlights him and tells the audience he's a key figure as the light shining behind him gives him a god like complex. The fact that the scenes with high key lighting are contrasted with scenes with low key lighting gives a sense of good verses evil and reflects the characters mental state, giving the audience an insight to the characters personality and the films plot line.
By looking at this film trailer it has giving me an understanding of the fact that the lighting used in a video can help show a plot which gives the audience a better understanding of the video making them want to watch him.
This music video by Willow Smith is an example of a video with a specific target audience. 'Whip My Hair' is the debut track from Willow Smith that has currently around 170 million views. The main success to the video is the fact that the song is kid friendly but can appeal to a range of music listeners due to the fact that it has a catchy tune. The use of the bright vivid colours throughout the video makes it appealing to a younger generation and gives the video a sense of 'fun'. Also by having all the background dancers/actors as young people reinforces the fact the video is aimed to a young audience. The video is set in a school and you see Willow perform in different parts of the school is effective as school is where young people go so the young people that are viewing this video can relate to it.
Looking at this video has been helpful as it has made think about the different elements in order to create an effective video that will relate to the specific demographic i am aiming for.
Today in lesson i was set the task of re editing a short film to give it a new narrative and add sound effects to it. I was first shown how insert sound effects into the program and then i began editing the footage. once I re edited the film i added the appropriate sound effect that i thought best complimented the video. By doing this task it has given me a better understanding on how sound effects aid a video and make interesting for audiences. Also now i know how to use the software, i can now start to plan some of the features i may want to use for when i come to create a video
