Overall Evaluation

After fully completing my Music Video, Advert and Digipack I am very pleased with what I have achieved and the amount of work I have put in to achieve this not only in lessons but also at home. I feel I have really developed my design ideas from last year, and now feel even more confident with using programmes such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Indesign and Photoshop, which I have continually used throughout this topic.

From looking at my work there are many influences I have gathered from Florence and the Machine and from similar artists, and I have researched thoroughly into some of the conventions of an "indie rock" band, and tried to include the quirky individual style of all the artists within this particular genre. Not only have I used some of the conventional forms of this genre, but through my video I have also challenged the way in which the artist is shown, and created a narrative throughout. This is usually the case in a lot of pop videos, but for this task my group and I decided to change this and took a more narrative approach linking the movement to the lyrics for an indie band.

It is clear to see from some of the images I have taken that I have researched into some of the poses performed by some of the leading artists in the profession, including Florence herself. A few examples of these are shown below:



This image is of 'Bat for Lashes' who I have written about previously in this task. From this I immediately noticed the unusual position being performed and the use of the arms to make it appear awkward. I also took note of the face turned away from the camera. Both of these ideas can be seen on images from my digipack and advert, and by doing this I have linked my work to some of the common features shown in this image as well as many others.

The use of props is a common feature which are used constantly through a lot of Florence and the Machines work. Therefore in a lot of my pictures taken for my advert and digipack I have incorporated props in the frame. For example the use of the heart fairy lights have been used to drape across the models body to show the effect of 'love around you', but they are also a random unusual prop to use in an image, such as the balloons also shown to the left.

Le Roux, Bat for Lashes and Florence Welch, are classic examples of how their looks as well as their voices are recognisable to their target audience. Therefore when taking pictures for my promotional pack I have tried to give my model an individual look, but one that also can be seen to link in with the style and meaning behind the song they are trying to portray. For example in both my digipack and advert I have images where the model has black hearts printed on her face, and bright red lipstick and bright eyes. By doing this it attracts attention to certain features and begins to make the model stand out from the background. As the colours I have tried to use are bold and bright, it was important to not make the model disappear into the background and so by having a bold style of hair and make up it meant that this was not the case.

I was fortunate enough to be able to use the same model for all three aspects of this task. My advert, digipack and video, and I made sure when choosing her that she would be able to put across the emotion I wanted her to feel and the style in which she needed to portray as a Florence character. Therefore the combination of my main text and my two ancillary texts means that the same character can be recognised by the target audience, and from seeing her within the music video for example, would then mean that they would recognise the same character on the advert of digipack. The style of clothing also worn in both the video and images is similar, and the same flowery dress is being worn in all three. This really begins to links my work together and bring it all in as a promotional pack. A consistent feature that also runs through all three concepts is the use of the bright pink and orange flower, which I have mentioned previously. If you look carefully when watching the video, the duvet cover, which I originally used on the floor when taking images for my digipack and advert is spread across the bed in which the girls are sitting on as they are chatting to one another. This print is also the same print that I was able to crop the flower out of in order to place it on my advert. An example of this in all three of my products is shown below.

After completing my products, I gathered audience feedback by posting my work on programmes such as facebook and youtube. This has been hugely helpful in showing me what my target audience feel I have done well and any minor adjustments they think I could have made in order to improve my work. Much of the feedback I have gathered from my teachers and peers has been really rewarding and encouraging and it has taught me to feel proud of the work I have created. By also gathering criticism, it has helped me to see what I can do differently in the future to improve. From the beginning of this task I had no experience of using a lot of the equipment and programmes which I now have grasped and I am pleased with the work I have achieved from this topic, and will use these ideas and ways of making in any future tasks I am set.

There are a number of different programmes in which I have used to plan, design and make my promotional pack. The first being a simple pen and paper to flat plan my ideas, and then leading up to Final Cut Pro for the final editing stages. A list of the programmes I have used is shown below:

- www.google.com - This has been used to help me research my artist, and the ideas and conventions shown within the particular genre. It has also helped me in my overall evaluation to compare my work with other artists.
- www.youtube.com - This has been used to help me research existing videos and to find links between my own video and videos of the same and similar artist.
- Adobe In Design - I used this to make both my digipack and my advert, and used the layout skills to structure by work properly and to fit my work to an actual size.
- Photoshop - This has been used to add effects to my images, such as the star tool which has been used on the image for my advert, as well as to enhance the colours of the images.
- Camera - This has been used to gather the footage needed to make the music video and to edit in Final Cut Pro.
- Final Cut Pro - has been used to edit all footage, and to link this footage withe lyrics within the song.
- ITunes - This has been used to download 'You've Got the Love', so that it can be used to shoot out video.

Audience Feedback

In order for my group and I to gain audience feedback, and to see what people thought about our video and whether it linked in to the genre of Florence and the Machine; we created a youtube account, and uploaded the video to it, asking members of the audience to comment on the features within the video, and what they liked and disliked about the composition we had created.

We had a small amount of feeback from doing this, but gathered some really good responses about the video. There were particular aspects in which the audience liked, as well as a few improvements that could have been shown to be better, or which can be taken on board in any future topics.

A compliment that came across from reading the feeback is the use of the camera, and how by using different environments and shot types, the audience can feel as if they are involved in the narrative, and it does not always feel like the point of view of the camera and no one else. It was also commmented on that as a group we put across the style of Florence and the Machine, and stuck well to the narrative behind the song, meaning that we portrayed the theme of lonliness throughout and made this obvious to the audince.

However, as well as compliments, from the feedback we also gathered some improvements that could be made if we were to do the task again. One improvment was that on one occasion there was a small amount of "stiff acting" , where the actors used did not portray the idea across as well as they could have. This is due to instruction, and from recieving this, I now know that telling your actors exactly what you want as a director is important, and by doing this not only do they feel more relaxed but they can also bring the video and themselves to its full potential. Another improvement which could be made, is the use of the lighting inside the house scene, and how it began to have a yellowing tint. To fix this, i now know how important adjusting the white balance on the camera is, and because artifical lighting from the rooms are being used to create the scene, it is important that this is adjusted to suit the environment, creating a better picture for the video.




















Here is a print screen of how the video was posted onto www.youtube.com in order for audience feeback to be gathered. It was also important to give it an appropriate name of 'Florence and the Machine final edit', in order for it to be found, and for people to hopefully recognise what it was.

'You've Got the Love' - Completed Music Video

This is the completed music video for Florence and the Machines - 'You've Got the Love'. After many hours of filming footage, and a lot of rough edits, I am very pleased with the overall result. I came into this project, not having any experience with working with a camera or how to use Final Cut Pro, and I now feel much more confident with using both. During the filming process I got to experiment with using handheld shots and shots using a tripod, and by doing this I have gained skills that I never thought I would be able to grasp, and I think do well. I have found this topic very enjoyable, and I have liked gaining new skills and ideas that will help me in the future.






Evaluation of Camera Shots

In order to get the most out of the filming process and to develop our skills as directors and film makers, there were a number of different things that we were able to experiment with and work on during this coursework piece. The first thing, was to learn how to use the camera effectively, and to take note of not only what is happening on the camera, but also of things happening around the shot, which potential either ruin or improve the shot trying to be filmed. Before we went out filming on location, we firstly experimented with a number of different shots within the college and this is shown previously on my blog (depth of field). My group and I then went on a location rekki to find out exactly where we wanted to film and what areas of the location would be good to use and what may not work so well. We also had to take note from our storyboard of some of the shots that may be more tricky, for example a time lapse, which meant that we would have to allow more time for this shot to be taken, and for the camera and filming to be set up in good time. Another vital aspect that was important before filming was to create a production schedule that was agreed to by all directors and actors, so that filming could take place successfully and that we could use the time we had wisely. On this we were able to log the location, time and the number of storyboard shots we wanted to get done in that particular session, and we tired to meet this deadline in every filming session we did.

Most of the time when filming we used a handheld method to be able to create a more personal lifelike account of the narrative. Although a few of the shots such as the time lapse, was mounted so that the camera could be kept steady. It was vitally important that the shots we were taking using the handheld camera was not too shaky so that it was unclear what was going on. We firstly tried simple holding the camera, but found this very hard, as due to the weight of the camera and the amount of movement we needed to do to track the character in certain shots, it became very hard to keep the camera still. Therefore we resulted in looking for natural support to help focus the camera, and this included for example: having the camera up on a shoulder, to using static objects such as a work top or chair to keep the camera still. We also in the car scene, rested the camera on the back of a car seat to film the character, and even held it on our laps whilst desperately trying to film the journey whilst the car was being driven.

We did however also use a tripod on one of the filming sessions on the beach, and to do this we made sure that all the legs were level and that the camera was secured properly. However, this did become a problem as we wanted to film directly on the beach, and so having the pebbles as a surface, did not make the filming even and smooth, so in the end we had to abandon the tripod and go for the handheld approach instead which we were able to achieve just as well, by using natural support.

Here is an example of the tripod being used on the beach, which meant that the overall result was not as we expected. This day of filming was set out to record a time lapse, but due to the weather conditions it meant that we could not stay outside for long enough to film the footage, and so we changed our initial storyboard slightly in order to be able to get the footage more effectively.

Communication on set was another thing we had to be sure of whilst filming and before hand. My group and I communicated really well, and we were able to work together well in order to achieve the end result. During filming we also made sure that everyone had an equal opportunity to film, and direct. We did not assign roles at the beginning of the task as we wanted everybody to have a go at doing everything, and we were able to encourage one another and to offer support when needed. All filming was also carried out together and there was not a moment when someone had to go out alone and gather footage. Even the time lapse which was recorded inside a house, was achieved together whilst we waited for the time to pass. I was very happy with the group I had chosen to work with, and because we all got on well and were able to communicate with each other on and off set, it made the task much easier achieve, and the end result was a good team effort. We were also good at choosing a reliable cast to feature in our music video, and because we chose girls who lived in the area we were filming in, in meant that transport was easy, and we were able to meet and discuss with them what we wanted, such as costumes and make up before setting off to film. By doing this it saved a lot of time, and we were not panicking whilst under pressure to film that we had forgotten everything. Being close friends to the people we chose to feature in our video, I was able to make the filming process more relaxed, and the conversation and the relationship that is shown within the filming is real meaning that it comes across much more realistic, and is not forced. Even the laughing scenes were filmed in real life, where we were able to capture a funny moment within the conversation. Not only does it make the process more relaxed for the actors, but it also made it more relaxing for us, knowing what we wanted and using people we knew we could rely on.

As well as communicating well within the group which made filming easier, we were also shown how to use a shooting script combined with a clapperboard successfully and we took advantage of this whilst filming. By doing this we were able to log the amount of takes we had taken to film, and were able to use the shooting script and clapperboard to speed up the process of editing, by knowing exactly what shot we wanted to use. A storyboard was also created before we started going out to film, which we took on location to monitor the shots we had done and what we still had left to film, though occasionally we altered this if a better idea came about or we were unable for some reason to not film the shot we wanted, such as we couldn't find the correct location for example.

Here is an example of how we used the clapperboard to log the shot and number of takes, which would then be recorded on a shooting script.

There are a number of different camera shots types which we have used in our video, in order to make the video interesting to view and to display a variety of the different skills we have learnt during this topic.

This low angled close up appears near the very beginning of the video, and from this a tracking shot from left to right is used to follow the characters feet as she walk through an empty car park to get to her car. This shot not only begins to set the narrative, but it also reinforces the idea of being alone, and how at this moment in time she is with no one after what reveals to be a hard day. For this shot it was hard to keep the control smooth, but I think we managed to do this well and still keep up with the pace of the character as she walks.

An establishing shot has also been used here, which begins to set the scene. To film this we had to film through bars, which works well in this scene as the blue railings composes the shot so that our eyes are drawn through them to reveal the character and what she is heading towards. Once again this also reinforces the meaning behind our narrative, and shows an empty car park leading to a lonely character at this point in the video.

This close up shot was a very important pat of filming as we had the idea of the music beginning to play as the character switches on the radio. We did this so that the music can feature throughout her day and so we thought this would be a good point for the music to start. This was one of the moments where we had to use natural support to keep the camera steady and for this we rested it on parts of the car interior.

This extreme close up of the characters eyes happens when she is driving in the car. To achieve this we used the zoom on the camera to focus in on the rear view mirror as she drives along the road. We chose to use this shot because it conveys the characters emotions of being in her own world and staring into space, and by using the car mirror we made use of the objects around us, which are also featured later on in the video with the mirrors in the bedroom. Once again this shot has to be kept steady and we tried the best we could to try and position the camera on natural support such as the car seats.

Here is an example from the music video where we have created an establishing long shot which not only shows the location of Eastbourne, where we filmed, but also shows the character in the foreground. This is an example of another shot which represents our theme, as she is standing alone on the beach, as if she is collecting her thoughts. Once again to get this shot we were able to use the wooden fencing to steady to the camera and from there we were able to zoom closer or out from the actor in order to create footage.

This example shows a low angle tilted shot which has been used on the beach to show the character staring out into space and alone. This shot was created by placing the camera low to the floor and focusing it up at the actor. By doing this it created a more interesting approach to the filming, and means that the camera is not always directly in line with the character or filming them from a distance. From this shot, a zoom is then used to focus more on the character as the camera begins to track up the body to the face from low to high.



From researching artists and band similar to Florence and the Machine, there were are few shots that I picked up on that I thought we could replicate in our music video. This print screen shows a clip from the 'Lily Allen 22 - video', and shows the artist looking into the mirror doing her make up. This is an idea we then took on board to use in our video, and as you can see from the clip on the right we have used a similar shot composition to create this scene. We thought this shot would work well in our video as this is an activity girls like to do before they go out (getting ready with friends), and so it represents the meaning behind the lyrics that you friends are always there to cheer you up when you are feeling upset.

Music Video - Evaluation

To make our video for Florence and the Machine's 'You've got the love', there were a number of processes we had to go through in order to make our video the best it can be and to achieve our desired result. We found that when completing the video task, there are moments when we have changed our idea, and gone away from our initial storyboard. This was due to convenience and what was available for us to use in order to get the filming done properly. For example, we initially planned to film our music video on the streets of Brighton, and Brighton Pier, but due to travel and convenience to where members of my group lived, it would also work just as well, if not better to film in Eastbourne, and to use the Pier and promendade there instead. However, even though there are parts of the video which are different but that we are still pleased with, there are also moments that have been taken from our initial plan, and that when filmed worked as we wanted them to. An example of this is at the beginning of the footage, where the characters feet are filmed walking to the car, and as she turns on the radio, the song begins to play. There are also many other moments being shown in the video that can also be seen on the storyboard, and with actors, and a shooting script we were able to create.





In order to show the processes my group and I took to produce the music video, I have taken print screens of certain skills we needed to create the video and to make it successful.










This shows how I was able to cut the footage, in order to get it to the right length, and to cut it in sync with the lyrics. This is important so that the cutting is sharp with the music, in order for the video to be more interesting and powerful. To do this, you simply place the cutting tool in the position where you want the footage to be cut, which them creates a slice in the footage so that it can be deleted.







In order to successfully edit my video,I have constantly been using the Final Cut Pro toolbar, so that I can cut, fade and edit the footage.























This is showing the control panel, which I used constantly to edit the footage we had captured for the video. The toolbar includes the cutting tool, fade in and out dots, as well as other ways to edit the material.








Here is an example of how I have used the fade in and out dots to create a fade effect for the end of certain clips. For example, we have used these between shots to create a smooth transition, and to not instantly cut the clip.












This example shows the very end of the video, after the image montage has been shown. To do this, I placed the joined dots in a line, and positioned them so that they slowly faded down to nothing. This creates the effect of a slow fade out of the end image, which also links in with the musical accompaniment of the song.






Here is an example of the fade in and out which has been used in the music video. This image shows the first stage of a fade out which happens at the very end of the music video. We thought that this would be a good image to finish one, as during the video, a picture of the girls is taken as they are getting ready, and so we thought it would be effective if we were to reveal this picture at the end.








Here I have shown the second stage of the fade out, (as above) which shows the effect that slowly happens after positioning the fade out dots from the tool bar. By using this it created a nicer finish to the end of the music video, and does simply not finish on an instant black screen.












In order to highlight certain moments in the music where you want the footage to cut at the same time, green markers can be used to mark the exact change, so that you can line the footage up beneath it. To do this I simply pressed (M) and then a tiny green marker appears on the screen as I have shown from the print screen. This is very helpful when trying to match the footage to the music, as it saves having to continually play the music in order to find the right moments to cut from one scene to the next.





This is showing how I have used a cross dissolve in the video, in order to create a smooth transition from one clip to another. To achieve this, I went to Effects - Video Transitions - Dissolve - Cross Dissolve, and then placed this in between certain footage to link it to the next.
When this is in place, it creates an overlapping effect where the previous footage can be slightly seen in the background, as the new footage begins.







Here is an example from the video of where a cross dissolve has been put in place, in order to make the shots flow from one to the next. Not only does this particular shot show that the character is on the beach, but it also shows the use of the pier, and reinforces the fact that she is alone - linking with the key ideas behind the overall video.











At the very beginning of the editing process for the video, it was important that we were able to effectively log and capture the footage we had captures from filming, and to do this so that nothing was lost or altered. To do this we opened up final cut pro, plugged in the camera using the USB cable, and went to File - Log and Capture. This then meant that all footage would be transfered from the camera tape onto the computer for the editing process to begin.






















Here is an example of how we logged and captured the footage we had created from filming.








In order to bring some variety to the video. We decided as a group that we wanted to have a few of the end shots in black and white. After deciding on this, we then though it would be effective to create a video montage sequence to end the video as the song fades to a stop. In order to make this stand out we decided that all of this sequence would be in black and white, to show the characters events throughout her day. To achieve this, I had to simply click on the clip i wanted to change - Effects - Video Filters - Image Control - Desaturate. This then changed the clip from colour to black and white.














This print screen shows the original clip, which is used at the beginning of the video, before I used the desaturated tool to change the colour consistency.
This particular image also shows the use of depth of field, as the main subject is in focus and the background of the pier is out of focus, drawing your eyes to the character.















This image however, shows the after effect of how I then changed the image to black and white in order to create a video montage.















There were a number of problems that we faced when trying to edit the footage we had gathered from filming. One of these was that some of the footage contained unwanted clutter, that we did not want to include in our video. This was due to our poor efforts when filming and not making sure that all clutter was removed. This is another thing that I will take away from the experience of this task, and I will think more carefully where I film in the future, and to pay more attention to the environment around the characters, as sometimes your eyes can be draw to moments like this, and not focus on the video or the narrative we have tried to create.

In order to correct this mistake, I had to readjust the size of the frame, in order to make the footage slightly bigger. This is done by clicking on the drop down menu above the clip, and going to - Fit to Frame. This then allows you to stretch the frame in order to remove unwanted areas in the clip.
















This is showing the end result, after I had fitted the image to frame, in order to get rid of unwanted clutter and mess that may become distracting in the shot.














Naming the footage is very important. After I had captured back the footage gathered from filming, I was able to name the footage in Final Cut Pro, so that when trying to edit the material it meant that the footage was easy to find, and I didn't have to rummage through lots and lots of files.










There are a number of different features that I have tried to create in my music video, and this includes: a freeze frame and time lapse. This creates variety to the music video, as well as showing a movement through time or a different situation. The freeze frame has been used at the very end of the video, and is the first image which is shown in the video montage. In order to create this, I had to find the clip I wanted to freeze, and then go to modify - and make freeze frame. This then put a marker on the timeline, which created a freeze of the frame.

















This is an example of where the freeze frame happends in the video, as it shows the characters laughing and having a good time with one another. This links in with the theme of the song, and also the idea we wanted to create of your friends being able to pick you up when you are down. This also links in with the target audience of teenagers, as this situation of having fun with your friends is something they can relate to often.
















A time lapse has also been used in the video to show a passing of time as the setting of the video changes from the beach to the house. I achieved this by keeping the camera in a fixed place, and left it to constantly film the clock for about half an hour. This then meant that when editing, the speed of the shot could be quickened to show the changing of time.
When trying to edit this footage however, I wanted to inlcude a cross dissolve at the end of the footage to make it flow from one clip to the next. When this was put in place it meant that a few extra seconds were added on to the end of the clip, meaning that it showed some shaky footage that was not meant to be included in the video. To solve this, it was decided that by adding a cross dissolve would ruin the effect, and so we abandombed this idea, but still made sure that the two clips flowed well together.

Overall

Overall from completing the music video, I feel very proud of the skills I have learnt throughout this topic, and from starting this task without any camera and filming experience I now feel much more confident with working with a camera in the future. I have thoroughally enjoyed working with my group, and because we all communicated well with one another, and shared the roles within the group is has made this task very enjoyable, and not only have I been able to experience working with the camera myself, but I have been able to learn from other members in my group who may have more experience than me, and have been there to help them with filming also, and to agree on the idea we wanted to portray. I think the overall outcome of the video we have created has been successful, and even though there was a lot to get done in the time span, we were able to take advantage of every opportunity we had to get into the film studio and edit out footage, as well as to go out filming outside of college to gather this footage with our actors. Therefore as a group we have been able to manage our time well and to agree on the days and times we wanted to film.

From looking at some of Florence and the Machines videos, as we said in the initial planning of our video (such as the planning presentation) I believe we have successfully challenge the normal conventions of Florence and the Machine. This is due to the way in which a narrative/story is being told thoughout, as the camera follows a character through her day, whereas a lot of conventional "indie" bands, usually either have a video of the artists performing on stage or have a very random video such as "Florence and the Machine - Kiss With a Fist", which seems to have no relevance to the lyrics at all! In our video we have also steered away from the actors mouthing the words to the song, as we wanted the video to be professional looking as many indie videos are, and to geer away from the " cheesy pop" style of video. As its not the actual artist singing the song, we thought for the actors and for ourselves it would be very hard to match the words to the singing and to sync these together. Therefore in order to make it as professional as we could we avoided this idea, and challenged the normal conventions of a music video.

To link in withe the target audience, we have chosen actors that are a similar age range to the types of people we are aiming the video at. We have also included ideas such as the geting ready with a group of friends and having a few drinks before a party, so that the audience can relate to these experiences from their own lives, and understand the meaning behind the video further. We have also used relevant locations such as the beaches and town to also link in with teenagers and to show the video with locations that are recognisable to them.

You've Got the Love - Music Video

Edit 1:



This is the first rough edit of our music video so far. From looking at it, there are a number of shots and edits that we are very pleased with and think work well, but there are also a few that after playing it, we feel could be deleted and replaced with something better, or that need to be slightly changed.

After filming and capturing back our footage, there are a number of things that I have learnt, and will take note of for the future:
Firstly this is making sure that all unwanted clutter for filming is removed and taken out of the shot. There are a number of shots that we have had to cut down and alter, because at the time of filming we did not take notice of it. Therefore, when filming again we know now that we need to look carefully at the surrounding area before setting up the shot. For example, in the car park scene of the video, in the background there is a yellow skip which was being used for building work. If we had taken note of this at the time, we could have chosen a different location, or positioned the shot slightly different to get a better end result.

Another example in our first edit, is from the 'getting ready' scene, (below) where when the shot of the picture being taken is shown, there is unwanted clutter on top of the wardrobe. To fix this we cropped down the shot so that it was less obvious and did not attract the viewers attention. Again, this is something that next time we could take note of when setting up our shots.















Another thing I have learnt from this rough edit, is the use of lighting. There are a few shots in this edit, that are much darker then anything else, and therefore it makes the video look less professional and less consistent. Therefore, from this I have learnt that when filming it is vital that you make sure the shot is well lit, either through natural or artificial lighting, and if this is not possible, the settings on the camera need to be changed to fit with the environment. An example of where this has not worked as well in our video as we hoped is when the actor is walking into the cafe. Due to the little lighting and covering of the Pier, it makes it very hard for the shot to be clearly shown, and therefore, we have decided to remove this shot next time we edit.















Finally another aspect of the edit we were not happy with, was the amount of walking being shown on the beach. We found that it became a bit repetitive and did not have a purpose to our narrative. There were also shots where the continuity was not correct, and so the actor seemed as if she was walking in all directions that did not flow with one another. Due to this, we have decided to cut out some of the walking shots and replace this with better footage from the beach, that shows off our narrative approach better, and highlights the main character.