A treatment is a pre-production document outlining what you will be doing: financial backers would see this to decide whether they wanted to lend aid to your product or not. Foster Kenzie - New Model Soldier, 18th March 2016 Brief We are making a music video for the band 'New Model Soldier' in the style of warp. It will contain relatively mature themes to suit the older target audience of the band. Target audiences The target audience is that of a more mature, adult group (30+) because of the more thought provoking and darker themes of the music. It will probably satisfy a majorly male audience as the band are all male with influences from bands with a predominantly male fan base, and the demographic the music is aimed at is that of B-C2 as the lyrics will be relatable to members of that group and the music video will be local and grungy. Segment synopsis and how it relates to the brief Performance The performance will depict the band playing live at a local venue- we already have footage from the plug so it is likely this will be used at some point in our cut to help create a star persona for them. There will also be performance footage of them playing in their recording studio, dressed casually in a manner that reflects the style of the music. We would expect more mature people fitting into the sub-culture of classic rock fans to listen to the music. Narrative Our music is a hybrid video that will cut between the narrative and performance. In the narrative a man will be depicted walking around the streets of town and seeing crimes taking place by a hooded figure whom the audience soon realise has the same face as the main man. He manages to keep avoiding this hooded version of himself, until the end of the narrative where he spies his reflection (possibly in a shop window) and realises that he and the criminal are one and the same. Some of the crimes that may happen are: somebody getting mugged, a fight on the streets or vandalism (pretend he is graffitiing the walls). Contingencies If our band are unable to do our music video then there are back up bands we can use called Sebella or The Zenon band which are willing to aid us. For some reason if we can't get footage of New Model Soldier performing we may need to either hire people to play the band that look similar or compromise by having a purely narrative video. There is a chance we may be unable to use the equipment as it is booked out and we will need to solve this problem by either using our own or hiring the necessary equipment from other places. Key milestones Planning(narrative, song permission, story board, location scouting, risk assessment): Friday 22nd January 2016 Filming: Friday 22nd January 2016 - Friday 5th February 2016 Editing: Friday 22nd January 2016 - Friday 5th February 2016 Draft of music video: Friday 5th February 2016 Launch date: Friday 18th March 2016
Equipment We will be using a canon 650D DSLR camera for the shoots along with: portraiture lens, wide lens and we may experiment with a fisheye lens for recording studio footage. We may try to create the effect of ghosting using the equipment. Of course we will also be needing a tripod for the wide shots to get the desired effect. When it comes to the lighting, the majority of the scenes will be lit naturally as most of the narrative is set in Sheffield town centre; however for the scenes in the recording studio we may wish to use high key lighting to cast the shadows of the band members across the walls. The software we will be using is premiere to edit the videos. Props and models It is likely we will use the lead singer (Dave) as the protagonist of the narrative as he was previously an actor and this would link the diegesis to the performance nicely. We will need to either hire actors or get friends/family to act as victims of the crimes as they will only be onscreen momentarily so do not need to be excellent performers. For the criminal activities we will need props such as wallets/handbags (for Foster Kenzie to steal)or a spray can (mimic vandalism). When recording New Model Soldier's performance in their recording studio the band will be dressed casually, in a fashion that reflects the genre of the music. During the narrative the protagonist will wear the same clothes as he does in the performance whereas 'Foster Kenzie' will be dressed in dark attire and a hoodie to hide his face.
Locations We have two locations for the band performing so far; one of which is at the local Sheffield venue 'The Plug' and the other is in the outbuilding-turned-recording-studio. Both will be easy to obtain and is just a matter of when the band are next available. The narrative will mainly take place in the town centre,both on the high streets and down grimy back alleys that reenforce the dark nature of the diegesis. We also wanted to use a small shop at some point to pretend Foster Kenzie is stealing something but we would need to obtain permission first. Health and safety considerations
We need to take into consideration: our ability to contact a first aider/hospital, ensuring somebody knows where we are so they are alerted if something happens, location scouting (location safety), keeping equipment safe (putting it away in the event of rain), time of day (we are more at risk in the dark and have a wider effect on the public) and setting up equipment safely.
A location recce form is needed to make sure the areas are suitable in terms of our production, as well as for health and safety reasons. We will be taking pictures of the location, which will help us plan what we will film there and how to do it. For each location a risk assessment (a form that highlights any risks we may face when recording in that area to make us aware of any risks) must be done as well as a location recce form to make sure the areas we are considering in our production are suitable and safe. We will be taking pictures of locations for evidence, as well as to plan ideas for that certain location.
Legal, ethical, scheduling and certification
Ofcom is the office of communication that regulates TV and radio content by setting guidelines for what is considered appropriate. It protects anyone under the age of eighteen. The concept of our indie-rock music video is about a man named Foster Kenzie shadowing the protagonist and committing criminal activities only to discover that they actually are the same person. Our video will contain alcohol consumption; guideline 1.10 states that alcohol cannot be glamourised or condoned and is not to be featured in things made primarily for children. We will not be showing excessive alcohol use or encouraging it in our video to adhere to these guidelines- as well as this our video will be for an older audience so it will not be featured in anything a children may view anyway. Violence and dangerous behaviour will also be featured in our music video (1.12, 1.13), such as Foster Kenzie stealing people's purses/wallets and possibly starting a fight on the streets. To cohere with the guidelines this audio-visual promo is not intended for children and will not be featured in anything made primarily for them. There is a rule called the Watershed explaining that explicit content can only be shown on TV after 9pm for children's sake. Instead our music video may be shown on music channels such as: Kerrang and MTV rock because they will target to sub-culture best associated with the music genre. Plus, both these channels (especially Kerrang) should predominantly target an older audience which we feel would prefer this music- as well as a lot of men. The band have already been asked for permission over the usage of their song, but we also need them to sign a release and consent form as the Data protection law of 1998 states that "consent must be
sought of individuals who are featured in photography or video footage, for it
to be published or broadcast". It is important to gain their permission as their material is under the copyright law and we could be sued for misusing it. Distribution
Our target audience would theoretically be able to watch our music video in multiple places, the first being a music channel such as Kerrang! as the genre of the music is the type that would be shown on this channel. The second would be online on sites such as YouTube and Vevo as they are used to distribute videos, this could also be seen alongside videos of the band performing live. Social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter could also show them if the band chose to put them up (they have a Facebook page they could show the music video on).
This is only worth a pass. Use denotes and connotes.
Purpose
Promote band, sell an artist, tell narrative?, entertain (educate? inform?).
Can write the same thing in purpose for each video.
Form
It's a music video for ____ band. The song is called ____ [from the album ____, made by the production company ____].
Content and meaning
This will be the longest section. Narrative (hybrid video - performance and narrative) what's the narrative about? Can mention the structure of it- is it linear (in order)? Mise en scene - lighting, costume and makeup, props, locations (performance space), gestures. - pick 3/4 of these to talk about per video Camera work - angles (high and low, if looking up at them its like star persona- awe, high angle shows subordinance), shot type (close up, talk about close up of singers as that is convention of music video, reinforces selling an artist so people recognise him- long shot/wide shot, shows the band and unity in them- also shows location if they are at a venue) and camera movements (tilt, panning, tracking, zoom, handheld)- one example from each must be given Editing - Conventions of music video are: jump cutting (look at MILCV) Sound - music, diegetic and non-diegetic (mine will be mainly non-diegetic) (2-3 examples per heading above)
MILCV summarises the conventions of music videos- 5 conventions that Andrew Goodwin came up with in 1992. Music matches visuals, mentioned as part of editing. Iconography - (genre of music) recognisable prop, represents genre of music e.g. guitar in indie music - black and white filters on indie videos are iconic. Talk about it in Mise en scene. Location - tale about this in Mise on scene- (indie conventions) stage of some kind e.g. local venues, open spaces, sound booth. Close ups - shows emotion and signifies importance, used in camera work Voyeurism - pleasure of watching someone without them knowing they're being watched. It's personal, when singers look at camera its intimate. It's for Mise on scene
Meaning - For each example you must reference genre conventions (how it fits into music genre), as well as the effect it has on its audience.
Theory can be applied to analysis, not loads of theory needed though. Laura Mulvey (The male gaze), Carl Rogers (Ideal selves, ideal partners), Richard Dyer (Star persona), John Berger (Men act, women appear), stereotypical video (genre, gender, location, etc.).
Genre
What type of music video is it- indie? Hybrid (narrative and performance)?
This can be a sentence long
Target audience
Age and gender for video and why? Look at themes. Spending power (e.g. ABC1 audience)?
Dick Hebdige (1979) classed people based on what music they listen to and he called them sub-cultures. Can influence your lifestyle.
a) Purpose
The purpose of this music video is to promote Radiohead through the use of audio-visuals. The music video is also used to entertain its audience and does this via a narrative which is conveyed to the audience through jump cuts to and from the performing band- making this a hybrid video.
b) Form
This audio-visual promo is for Radiohead's song 'Just' which is off their album 'The Bend'. It was produced by John Leckie, the English music producer.
c/d) Content and meaning
'Just' denotes a linear and eerie narrative about a seemingly ordinary man lying on the ground; much to the confusion of other pedestrians who gradually gather to ask what's troubling him to lie there. It's a hybrid video, meaning that it cuts between the narrative of the man and the band playing.
The lead singer Thom Yorke is denoted wearing a leather jacket throughout the video, which is very stereotypical of rock as the jacket connotes gritty realism and reflects the fashion of the era. The fact that leather jackets are tough ay connote rock musicians having 'thick skin' and being able to sing about more sensitive topics. One of the band members is denoted as playing an electric guitar which reinforces the rock genre as electric guitars are stereotypically in their music videos.
Throughout the video it cuts between the narrative and the band members playing in a grungy apartment. Typically, music videos are set in run-down flats when they have low budgets which is ironic considering they are a popular band, this may connote that Radiohead are down to earth with their music and easily accessible to an audience of lower class. The dingy, small flat connotes the confrontational and dark nature of the lyrics to make it feel more intimate.
When it comes to gestures, Yorke (the lead singer) is very expressive. The audience experience the pleasure of voyeurism (watching someone when they don't know they're being watched) as Yorke continually sings to the camera to create a more intimate feel. The story taking place on the street is told via gestures and subtitles; the viewer begins to rely on the subtitles to understand the events taking place. There's the significance of the man denoted lying on the pavement to connote defeatism- a major theme in the song which drives the narrative.
Throughout the music video the camera constantly uses a high angle to focus on the man lying down, connoting weakness as in the eyes of the crowd he is below them- it connotes he has hit a low point in his life and the crowd feel he is to be pitied. Whereas when the crowd are denoted they are shown from a low angle as they feel they are more in control of their lives than him and view him merely as a crazy pedestrian. Ironically, the narrative ends with the whole crowd now having joined him lying on the ground from a panning aerial shot. There are lots of close ups of Yorke which is a convention of music videos talked about by Andrew Goodwin in 1992 (he said that there were five conventions of music videos- music, iconography, location, close ups and voyeurism). It also sells the artist as people will now recognise him better because of his expressive nature.
Camera movements are moderate in Radiohead's music video- one of these is tracking as the lead singer Yorke is denoted walking across the room to the window, immediately creating intrigue as the audience don't know who he is or what is going on. He does this multiple times which enforces his relation to the narrative as the story is taking place on the pavement below.
One of Goodwin's conventions was that the music should match the visuals: 'Just' applies itself to this. The camera is constantly cross cutting from the narrative to the performance in time to the song to connote the pacing of the video. At the end of the video the camera pans across the crowd lying on the ground and fades in and out to show new civilians- giving a haunting impression.
All the sound in my video is non-diegetic, though the band are constantly lip-syncing to the song to give the impression they are actually performing in real time. The narrative becomes much more significant as we have to rely on expression to understand the situation.
The song was about Yorke's narcissistic friend and how he caused himself to be in pain. Rock as a genre is stereotypically more open to dissecting hard-hitting topics than other genres. It creates shock factor for the audience when they listen to it. The location of the music video was very stereotypical and also served to help Yorke create a star persona (Richard Dyer) for himself.
e)Genre
This is a rock-hybrid music video that shows both narrative and performance.
f) Audience
It is likely targeting viewers 18+ because of it's mature themes that are thought-provoking. I think it will be targeted at both a male and female audience as it is relatable to both. The video creates verisimilitude and is targeted at a wider audience to relate to those categorised in C2 and below.
a) Purpose
When this audio-visual promo was being created it would've been done so with the purpose of selling the artist- in this case the Arctic Monkeys. It's other purpose is to entertain an audience, and as this music video is a hybrid, one of the methods it uses to do this is by telling a story simultaneously.
b) Form
This is a music video for the Arctic Monkeys. The song is called 'Why'd you only call me when you're high?' and was produced by James Ford for the album AM.
c/d) Content and meaning
This video solely denotes the narrative of Alex Turner (lead singer of the Arctic Monkeys) returning home after a night out and the bizarre activities he imagines occurring along the way.
The audio-visual promo is set on a street in Yorkshire, connoting a gritty realism and creating verisimilitude which makes it more relatable to people with less spending power. As it denoted as being set at night the scene should have low-lighting, but the neon lights from shops make the scene appear much brighter- almost painfully so, connoting how Turner will see the street in his drunken condition. The actual location reflects the state of his mind; run-down and dismal because of his intoxication. During the scene he wears a leather jacket so typical of the rock genre and has his hair coiffed. His hair is iconic by this stage of his career, representing the entire rock genre for a lot of teenagers and they will attempt to copy him because of his star persona. There is also iconography shown through his denoted mobile phone as it relates to the modern generation, connoting a shift in the times. There is the pleasure of voyeurism as we watch Turner without his characters knowledge of being watched- a peek into his assumed life for fans watching.
When the lead singer is walking a handheld camera is used to survey his journey. The camera is denoted as being unstable and shaky, again connoting the state of Turner's mind. When he trips there is a low angle of a homeless man stood over him- the connotations of the low angle are power and intimidation, even though he's homeless he has more control over his life right now than Turner. There are also a lot of close-ups of the lead singer in order to connote how intoxicated he is; Goodwin thought this was typical of music videos. It is easy to see his emotion and makes Turner more recognisable.
At the beginning of the music video there is a lot of editing: the mirror uses overlaying images to show Turner looking into it in a drunken state, later on in the video the clock and the ground also warps to show the effect his intoxication is having on his state.
The music playing is all non-diegetic as are the sounds made by the warping clock and mirror, but in the bar at the start there are a lot of diegetic sounds. Glasses are clinking, people are talking, and even another Arctic Monkeys song is playing in the bar!
'Why'd you only call me when you're high' is about drunk texting, which is a topic that is easily relatable for the current generation the song is aimed at. Turner sees the girl 'Stephanie' as somebody worthy of a drunk text and not an actual relationship- he views her through Laura Mulvey's concept of 'the male gaze', not as a person, leading the audience to rot for the girl more than him by the end of the video. The video fits into the rock genre because of it's dark, grimy and stereotypical location which creates verisimilitude; it's not exotic, it's (as it typically is) a local place for the band members so the audience connect with it more.
e) Genre
This is a rock music video presenting the song through a narrative led along by the lead singer: Alex Turner.
f) Audience
I think the target audience for the music video is likely to be age 16 and upwards at there are themes of a sexual nature but they aren't too explicit nor dragged out for viewers of that age. More women may watch the video because of Alex Turner being quite a predominantly attractive icon, but it will majorly be anyone classed as a fan of rock based on their tastes (Dick Hebdige 1979). This music video is aimed at people of a D category as it depicts what the dingy streets of Yorkshire are like.
a) Purpose
This video was created in order to promote the band the wombats and to provide entertainment for the viewers to draw them into the music.
b) Form
This is a music video created for the Wombats for the song 'Techno fan' from their album 'This modern glitch'. It was actually produced by the Wombats themselves working under 14th floor records.
c/d) Content and meaning
The Wombats' video is a hybrid- although it contains little of an actual narrative and is instead non-linear in switching between the lead singer Matthew Murphy at a party and then to the band performing.
In the music video the camera swaps between multiple locations, the performance area has a lot of space for the musicians to actually perform and move around which Andrew Goodwin believed was a convention of music videos. The party location denoted in the video connotes the lifestyle associated with the genre and will also be more relatable to the target audience. Sunglasses are denoted being worn by Murphy, which shows a distinction between the two performance scenes that look similar with the costume being one of the few differences; sunglasses are also viewed as being 'cool' to wear so adds to his star persona (Richard Dyer). The lighting is important in this music video as it differs from location to location; when they are in the main performance space there's a lot of lens flare because of the bright lights which connote the intensity and truth of the lyrics. This gives the area a greater atmosphere and is iconic of pop-rock videos.
A handheld camera is used to denote the scenes at the party, it connotes the intoxication of the party goers and also reflects the wild nature of the actual party taking place. There are many scenes showed of the party members at a high angle- giving the viewer an almost omniscient presence as they are looking down upon the on-going action. It connotes the lack of control each person is experiencing because of their insobriety. Another conventional example of camerawork here is the wide shot of the band- denoting their location and the members and connoting the unity of the band.
In this music video there is a lot of jump cutting; the chorus cuts constantly between two different scenes of the band performing and does this to the song's tempo (Andrew Goodwin believed this was a convention of music videos). In the chorus there are lights flashing on and off to illuminate the scene, connoting confusion and instability because of the nature of the party as well as making the scene feel more like a gig and mirroring the way in which the song gradually builds up.
Editing is used to imitate the pop-rock genre by creating a non-linear narrative that denotes a lot of focus on the lead singer Murphy to allow him to build up a stage personality for himself. At multiple times throughout the song two very similar scenes are shown side by side but with small changes e.g. a man wearing a hat that changes to a wolf mask. This may connote the party goers intoxication or connote the idea that nothing is ever quite as it seems- Murphy wandering around may hardly be interacting with the other characters because of his inability to understand their bizarre nature.
The sounds in the music video are all non-diegetic, although we see the band performing 'techno fan' it is obvious that the music being used has been edited in over the top.
Laura Mulvey's concept of the male gaze can be applied to this music video as there are a lot of women hanging around either dressed in an exposing fashion, kissing people or doing things with sexual connotations for instance licking whipped cream from their fingers. As Murphy keeps a straight face through the video is adds to his star persona- the watchers will want to copy his lifestyle and go to the same sorts of parties as him because he's seen as being 'cool'.
e) Genre
The 'Techno fan' music video is an indie pop hybrid that shows examples of performances in multiple locations.
f) Audience
This music video is aimed at late teens because of the scenes of a sexual nature within the video and the fact it revolves around a topic that is more relatable to people of this age group. It may influence the audiences lifestyle as the lead singer (Matthew Murphy) is shown at a party. More men would watch the video as the male gaze is fulfilled, and of this audience they would likely be in the B category for spending power because of the music video's themes.
a) Purpose
The purpose of The Sherlocks music video is to entertain their target audience and was created by the producers in the hopes of selling the band to gain them more followers.
b) Form
It's a music video for 'Heart of Gold' by The Sherlocks. It's from their album 'First bite of the apple'.
c/d) Content and meaning
'Heart of gold' is a hybrid music video about a girl with a 'heart of gold' being stood up until she gives up on her partner. It is told in linear order.
Iconically, Andrew Goodwin believed indie videos tend to have black and white filters; and The Sherlocks' video sticks to this convention. The black and white connotes the distressing nature of the narrative, it may also connote each of the 2 main characters like yin and yang- the girl is the white as she is the 'good' one with a 'heart of gold' whereas as the boy is the black as he is the 'bad' one for abusing her kindness. There is the hugely obvious iconography denoted in the video of the acoustic guitar, reflecting the indie genre. Even the locations used are stereotypical- students flats and local streets create verisimilitude and are very conventional (Andrew Goodwin 1992) as they are cheap and easy for indie groups to come by. These locations connote roughness, which reinforces the songs themes. The female protagonist in the narrative is denoted as always dancing, which is a gesture of expression. It may connote freedom or the need she feels to free herself from this cycle of being abandoned by her assumed boyfriend.
As the girl dances towards the end the camera pans, following her around the room. By doing this it signifies her importance and gives her a bigger presence- the devotion of the camera following her connotes attention, exactly what she isn't getting from the boy she is speaking to. When the band are performing a low angle is used to make the audience literally look up to them; the angle connotes superiority and dominance. There are a lot of close ups of the lead singer, close ups are used to sell the artist so that they are more easily recognisable and it enforces their star persona (Richard Dyer).
The song has been edited to cut to the tempo of the song, which Andrew Goodwin (1992) believed was a convention of music videos. The girl also tends to dance to the song's beat, which links the performance and narrative together. It has been edited to tell a linear narrative so the diegesis mimics the lyrics and gradually grows more intense and emotional along with the lyrics. Cross-cutting is also often used to drive the narrative forward; for instance it is used when the dancer is sat in the restaurant and keeps cutting to The Sherlocks at the pub, giving a sense of 'meanwhile' and of foreboding to the viewer.
The sound in 'Heart of Gold' is almost entirely non-diegetic, except for at the beginning and middle of the song. At these parts it suddenly changes to diegetic sound as the lead singer sings and plays the guitar in his room, at these moments it is a lot quieter to signify the importance of the lyrics and connote intimacy.
John Berger's theory was that men acted and women appeared, however in this music video the star of the show is the women- going completely against this theory and probably granting a female audience some appreciation and also sympathy at her situation. This music video is very stereotypically indie because of the locations, filter, etc. These things make the audience feel the music video is more relatable and creates verisimilitude.
e) Genre
This is a hybrid music video of an indie-rock genre, showing many of the stylistic conventions.
f) Audience
The music video will be targeted more towards teenagers of both genders because this is the age in which they will be experiencing the struggle of relationships- as the characters in the music videos are. Dick Hebdige (1979) classed people based on what music they listen to and he called them sub-cultures, they may be influenced by this vide to dress or act more like that band members. I believe this music video would be for those of the spending power around C1 as the locations and costume are gritty and relatable to that audience.
a) Purpose
'Cocoon' is a music video and it's purpose it to promote Catfish And The Bottlemen. It was created to entertain the audience through using audio and visuals to tell a narrative.
b) Form
It's a music video for Catfish And The Bottlemen's song 'Cocoon'. 'Cocoon' was from the album The Balcony and was produced by Jim Abbiss.
c/d) Content and meaning
The music video for 'Cocoon' is made up purely of a majorly linear narrative about a boy falling in love with a female patient in a mental hospital. Clips are shown of the two together outside the hospital but it is never made clear if this happened in the past or is merely the lead character in a dream sequence.
In the music video the lighting is often bright as it uses natural light to illuminate scenes; but it does not appear sunny, instead cloudy outside. The grey illumination connotes depression and gives a sense of being trapped, reflecting the nature of the mental hospital. In the moments shown of the couple being happy together the lighting is often denoted being brighter to connote joy. Costume is significant in 'Cocoon', especially the main woman's clothing. In the scenes where the two lead characters are together she wears a yellow jumper that connotes hope and happiness at being with him- whereas when she is trapped in the hospital she is denoted wearing a red jumper which connotes danger. The outfit is very doll-like, reinforcing her current situation as she is stuck in the hospital and immobile like a doll. Pills are repeatedly shown in the video to support the mental hospital's true nature, but also to reflect the obscurer topics so often covered by indie music.
When the man is being strapped to the trolley for attempting to escape the camera is denoted at a high angle to connote his subservience and lack of control in the situation- he can't stop what is about to happen to him. A handheld camera is used throughout this scene to enforce the frustration he is feeling at being powerless and also reflects his gestures as he is wildly flailing in an attempt to loosen his restraints. There are a lot of close ups of each character- especially the main 'couple'- and these close ups are used to make it more intimate and signify the importance of their emotions in the narrative which is a convention of music videos (Andrew Goodwin 1992).
There's a lot of jump cutting in this music video which is very conventional, but it is mainly used in this case to show different characters habits and emotions. It is also used to cut between the 'good' and the bad that the main characters experience together- although the audience are left to wonder if the good is even real or simply a figment of his imagination. Towards the end of the video the couple are denoted trying to escape and the light from the doorway has likely been edited to be almost blindingly bright and connote hope; almost to the point that it looks like the doorway to heaven if they can at least escape this hospital.
The music in the Catfish and the Bottlemen music video is entirely non-diegetic.
In 'Cocoon' the male gaze is satisfied by the man's attraction to another patient in the hospital. She is denoted as being innocent, the flower she holds onto being white to connote her 'pure' nature, and the audience will likely be attracted to her like the man because of these attributes. She may be viewed as the ideal partner (Carl Rogers) to many of these people.
e) Genre
It is an indie, narrative driven music video about the characters living in a mental hospital.
f) Audience
Late teens and up would be the target audience for this music video because it is majorly based around romance but diverges into darker themes of the way patients are treated. A B1 (middle class) audience would be interested in this music video because of the gritty realism that people of higher class are not as drawn to as it is harder for them to imagine experiencing it.
