Pre - production paperwork - Diamond Day

The script.

Pre-production paper work - Part 1:




Pre-production paper work - Part 2

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Pre - production paper work - Don't Panic Music Video

http://www.flipsnack.com/alanamediataylor/dont-panic-music-vid.html?b=1&p=16 

Planning a Music Video

Music Video Planning 

Synopsis

The song don't panic by band Cold play makes remarks about how beautiful our planet is but also how we as Humans take it for granted and are slowly destroying it. We believe the topic and lyrics "we live in a beautiful world" and "all of us are done for" provide ample materiel to produce a powerful music video that makes a statement about the state of the world. We plan to use archive copyright free footage in unison with our own independently shot footage. The idea being that we find footage of human and natural disasters and juxtapose them with footage showing the beauty of our world to the negative and positive impacts we have on each other and the planet. We will also film our local area to show the same by highlighting good and bad points about the area.

The song its self is a rather slow one and this will contrast will some of the volatile images that are depicted and also the pace at which we show them, again another method of using contrast to amplify the comment being made. This contrapuntal method is seen in many music videos and also in films due to its effectiveness.

Scene Breakdown / Locations 

As our idea doesn't include an actual narrative story line, we are collecting shots that show the positives of the world and what humans have created that we should appreciate and then the negative side of it, the poverty, drug/ alcohol abuse fights etc. We are collecting some archive footage which is copy right free of war and poverty but we also need to film our own so we had the idea of using supplements to construct a scene where it looks as if someone is preparing drugs, also footage of some of the homeless around our local area and the local soup kitchen where people are helping each other. Also plan to film down Great Yarmouth sea front at night time because of the lights and it's recently been refurbished, we can show  this for the positive light to show what we as humans have created.

Great Yarmouth sea front.

As I have a car we can use a steady camera brace (shoulder brace) and film out of the window down the sea front and slow motion it when we edit it, to fit with the beat of the song. It reflects what we have created and shows the positives of the world and how we should appreciate and preserve what we have made.

Soup Kitchen - Salvation Army Community Centre

This image is an example of what would occur in a soup kitchen where people help feed the homeless, if we are able to get permission we would like to take a few shots to show another piece of footage to reinforce the positives is to show people helping one another.

Burgh Castle - Gorleston 

This is an image of a location where it would be free to film, this shows the ruins from a war that occurred centuries ago. As we are filming opposing positives and negatives when we come to editing we would like to compare a negative that fits with a positive and vise versa. With the footage shot here of the many walls of the ruins we could cut to a shot and show archive war footage, to show the audience the out come and show the history we have created.

Many of our shots have been shot abroad in New York and the Dominican Republic. The shots in New York take place in the street depicting some of the pollution caused by humans however also shows many of the Christmas lights and how we as humans can create beautiful things. We also have shots in Central Park to show some of the natural beauty that can be found in a place populated by many humans. We also have some shots taken on the top of some sky scrapers for example the Empire State Building that give a great Birdseye view of the iconic city at both day and night.

When it comes to the Dominican Republic footage we have a lot of shots of sunrises and sun sets on beaches and over the sea to show the natural beauty of the world. We also have footage of much of the flora such as palm trees and also mountains which again show the beauty of the world and also how formidable it can be.

To show the negative effects we have on animals we have shots of tigers and other animals in cages.

We also plan to collect copy right free archive footage depicting much of the worlds historical toils such as Nuclear bomb detonations, the holocaust, pollution and natural disasters for example the 2004 tsunami. 

Archive Footage

As the main narrative for our music video is showing negatives and positives of the world, we decided that archive footage from the public domain would be our best choice to get footage of bombs dropping and footage of war. We found a website - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Free_media_resources/Video This has provided us with footage of war and poverty, footage that we would not be able to get ourselves, but reflect the current situation of the world and contribute to our subject. One of the video's in particular interest was the testing of a nuclear bomb, we can edit this footage to speed it up and show the audience this as a negative, we are building weapons that are going to wipe out our race etc. - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ivy_King_test.ogg and also https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima_(color).ogg 
To show footage that we may not be able to get ourselves. 

Overview of Music Video.

Overview

We have chosen Coldplays - Don't panic as our song of choice, we have chosen this because the music video narrative we had in mind linked very well with the lyrics of this song. The idea of our music video is to show opposites of the world, the good things that we should celebrate, for example the beautiful places, people getting along, recycling, and the not so good things, for example war, pollution, poverty. We have planned to get this type of footage from different locations of where we live and also copy right free footage online of war footage bombs being released etc, we can make some settings up ourselves to reflect certain situations. We had this narrative in our minds because it is a serious issue the way that earth is degrading due to human use and consumption of not only fossil fuels, but other demands from the earth and the war creating destruction. Music videos are effective in portraying a message and causing controversy. If people enjoy the song they will usually access sites like YouTube to view the music video and gain a better interpretation of the song, which this particular song has 4,903,175 views on YouTube and has reached audiences around the world. An issue with such importance should be shed light on where is possible and this music video will give us the opportunity to expose and remind the audiences to think about how they are treating the world.

Poverty - Possible topics that could be highlighted in the footage.

War - Another topic that could be considered.

Similarly the music video at current has an animated showing of how the world works, but our idea is different, we want to make the audience realize and appreciate where they live and what we have access to, how far we have come in technology and how far we have to go to protect it. The lyrics fit extremely well, the repetition of the line 'we live in a beautiful world' is subliminally informing the audience, while the music video will be showing the educational content of our footage. The main goal of the music video is to educate and make a video that audiences can question and learn from.


I was inspired by the music video Linkin Park made for their song 'What I've done' they had images of opposing forces, for example one piece of footage was of someone starving with nothing to eat and the alternative piece of footage shows a large man eating a large burger. Just to make the audience aware that there are people in the world that have it different and as a western band and reaching predominately western first world countries, it is an effective way to send the message that there are less fortunate and we have to think about helping them and appreciating what we have.

Styles, Conventions & Techniques of Music Videos.

Styles, Conventions and Techniques of Music Videos.

There are many different styles and conventions music videos can have, these usually reflect the genre or tone of the music track itself. To either fit with the beat, or to create a narrative, or to showcase an artist's talents. In this post I will explore the various differing techniques that existing music videos use to promote their music and their image.

Performance, in-concert and 'live' footage
This style of music video includes footage of the artist/ band performing live. This technique is used to showcase the band/ artist performing their talent, this creates an image for them, in which they can market themselves and sell records. It also shows the audience insight into what the artist/band is like in a performance and could promote a tour and make the audience want to see them live. This is why in an in-concert music video they show the reaction of the audiences enjoying themselves, to attract more people to attend the tour.
An example of this is Coldplay's Fix You, it showcases one of their tours in which they performed this song, however in the music video the audio recorded version would have been linked up with the lyrics. They also show the audience singing along and getting involved within the performance, which would attract viewers to attend a tour.




Another example is Papa Roach - Between Angels and Insects, this is different because it's not an actual concert tour, this is still a live performance however which showcases the bands talents by them performing 'live'. Bands who use instruments usually use this style of music video because it showcases the all the members of the bands talent, giving each instrumentalist a chance to be seen. It can also be said that most bands of the 'rock' genre use this technique as it can give more edge to the band and delivers the bands tone more effectively. Additionally when it's a controlled live performance instead of a tour, the band can get clearer footage and close ups of the band playing their instruments, they can also use effects and produce a narrative. This has an effect on the audience because the idols of the band, tell a story themselves and connect with the viewers on a personal level, rather than a live performance where they are connecting with a larger audience, rather than behind a screen one to one.




Narrative and Interpretive
This is where a music video offers a narrative or some interpretation to the audience of what they lyrics are about, a story can be constructed from the lyrics or a section of the lyrics, (usually the chorus as the repetitive part of the song) and create a literal expression. This can be done in different ways, sometimes it can contradict the lyrics or consolidate them, however mostly it helps tell a story for the audience to understand and interpret. This technique can be used on a personal level for an artist to highlight a key issue in society, by giving the lyrics a clear narrative, it is in a sense telling the audience how to interpret the story and giving them something to think about.

An example of this is Kelly Clarkson's Because of You. This tells a story from the main title and lyric of the video which is 'Because of you' expressing she blames someone for something. The music video begins with her fighting with her partner, it then pauses and reflects back to when she was a child and her mother and father used to fight and argue, showing her dad also not taking much interest in her. This could suggest a narrative that she blames her father and her parents relationship for the issues she has in her relationship, and she witnesses their fights and arguments in hers. This gives a deeper and emotional meaning to the story, it can engage the audience by helping them to either relate to the narrative or sympathise with it. It could help the viewers understand that this is an issue in society that needs to be addressed, in additional it could help the audience connect and understand the artist more as a person.




Surrealist/ Absurdest 
Another type is a surrealist music video, this is where the video is often unconventional, and don't necessarily match with the lyrics. It's where the video in a way, doesn't make sense, can be rather confusing to an audience, but enticing to see where it leads to. This technique is often used to attract a certain type of audience, a quirky or edgy audience which would be interested in hearing more music from an artist that produces a music video like this. It also leaves it open to interpretation and makes it interesting to see others views on the music video, this can open discussions on social media which then create a buzz about the music video, and results in more views.
An example of this is Naughty Boy - La La La, there is some reference to the lyrics from the actors, however the video itself does not make sense, it shows multiple things going on which don't always add up. This captivates the audience and makes them wanting to watch what happens next and see if they can make sense of it themselves, additionally attracts a specific audience that may be interested in this type of style, the music video reflects the song and the song doesn't have specific lyrics that make sense, therefore the specific audience may be attracted to this type of music and after seeing the music video, they would be likely to watch more from this artist.



Impressionist
Impressionist videos usually acquire the emotional tone of a song rather that a literal meaning of the lyrics. Often linked to the 19th century movement 'impressionism'  which was about how the artist felt about the world rather than making recordings about the world. This makes the music video's more artistic in a sense that it possesses elements such as soft lighting and edges and following colours. This technique can be used to express how the artist is feeling about a certain situation, the emotional tone is therefore open to the audience for interpretation and what they get from this music video. The impressionist technique can also be used to celebrate the art of editing and use of lighting and effects, possibly to show the difference between a high budget music video and a low budget music video, or to possible show the artist making more effort and carefully deciding what kind of message they are willing to portray. This type of technique keeps the audience interested and engaged with what's happening, in a sense the tones and soft lighting mesmerizes the audience and thinking 'how did they do that' in terms of editing. Which could be the exact reaction the artist wants to deliver, a different style of music video that keeps the audience questioning how and why, also the viewers can appreciate the beauty of it.
An example of this is Taylor Swift's - Style, this music shows a silhouette of the artist with images of a forest/ nature tone reflected onto it. It's simple using light and nude colours, it almost feels soft, and something that is fragile, which gives the music video it's impressionist, artistic edge. The editing techniques by using a mirror and disguising the mans face with the artists female face, it creates curiosity for the audience of how did they create that look.



Intertexual.
Music videos often refer to other subjects or issues so shed light on them. It can be a reference to a film by using real footage from the film thus creating a synergy element. They can also allude to another character, event or a historical/ cultural reference. Parody's are often made of songs, this 'takes the mick' at the original matter in the music video, which actually promotes the song further. This link to a pastiche which in turn is a light-hearted imitation of another band or artists style, furthermore artist may pay respect to an event or another artist that had influenced them, this is a homage. This technique is used to cross reference and link fact to fiction, from characters in a film, to real celebrities, from parody's which cause controversy or to pay respect, from artists that want to produce a similar videos to maybe one of their idols, this technique is used widely by artists all over the world.

An example of Synergy is the music video to 'See you Again' this makes reference to the films Fast and Furious, it features footage from the film which in a sense advertises what audiences can expect to see. It also pays homage to someone who was lost from the film, paying respect to a death which occurred to one of the actors, they use CGI and past footage to construct a final farewell to their colleague. This technique has an impact on the audience because it gives them a chance to in a sense say 'good bye' to a main character and an idol, it is in a sense a gift to the fans.



An example of a music video which alludes to characters and events, by also creating a parody is Eminem's - We Made You. This video makes reference to several celebrities like Ellen, Kim Kardashian and Jessica Simpson, also makes reference to films like Star Trek. It can be seen as a parody because of the 'poking fun' at other media texts and other music video created by celebrities like Britney Spears. This technique is used to create interest and controversy, for the audience it opens up a discussion which can be seen on social media, it then attracts further audiences who wouldn't normally listen to rap but maybe this type of video interests them. It is also humorous and engages the audience with something they can relate to, e.g. the mocking and views of celebrities.




Animation
Animation is another type of style a music video can used, it can give the audience more than on screen acting and a film-like story line. Animation enables a music video to include all sorts of imaginative things and environments, it's different and takes a lot of work to link the animation with the pace of the animation. This technique is often used to tell a story in a more interesting way, one that the viewers will enjoy to watch, animation opens up the door for creativity, seeing what you can make from different materials and tell a story through those materials rather than using actors. This offers a different type of way of telling a narrative, it absorbs the audiences attention as it is not what they are used to seeing from a music video.

An example of this is Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are, which includes stop-motion animation. It shows an animation created out of the reel of a tape record, this links to the idea of music and creates a theme for the video. It is different which interesting to watch how a story can be told for items rather than people.




Another example is The Fray - Heartless, it features a drawing coming to life telling a story through this, it also showcases the band playing their instruments in the form of animation. This technique could be used to offer something different to the artists audiences, to keep it interesting, animation may also be a more effective way of telling the story, in this example, it tells a story through people and animation, as if the actor is writing down his emotions and they are coming to life.




Lip-Sync, Miming and Playback.
The majority of music videos that feature the artist include some form of lip syncing, this can come in the form of miming the track or in the form of what is called a playback. This enables the artist to change the pace of the song, for example a slow mo or fast version, to fit with the lyrics or beat of the song. This technique is the most popular because it is the artist promoting their song and singing their track, they are the face of their song and therefore can market it better this way. This technique is also used if the artist is moving about a lot or in a variety of different scenes where it is easier for the artist to use a miming track.
An example of miming is Jess Glynne's - Take Me Home, in this music video the artist is singing to the camera throughout and even though it may not be adventurous or fast moving it does create an intimate connection with the audience to feel the emotion that the artist is feeling.



An example of playback is Christina Aguilera - I turn to you. In the scene when she is in the rain on the street her voice is in slow motion, however the background is moving in real time. This gives the effect that she is in her own world, everything is moving in real time but she is slower than it. This would have been recorded with her miming the lyrics quickly so that it could be slowed down to fit the scene.





Cutting to beat
Cutting to beat is another technique used in music videos, this is where you cut the shots of the footage to match the beat of the music, as a result it provides a rhythm to the edits. An example of this is Eminem - Rap God, it changes the scenery based on the beat in the music, there is a clear correlation between whats happening on the screen and how the rhythm is formed. It has the effect of keeping the audience engaged, it is in a sense mesmerising to see how the cuts are made and to what section of the beat it is being cut from. This technique is often used in songs that have a fast beat, so a rap song would be the perfect fit to reflect this type of edit. Usually it cuts between shots that the audience have seen before, repetition is key when using this technique so that the audience can recognize and be familiar with certain scenes used, it keeps them engaged, it allows them to associate certain scenes to the chorus and verses.




Post- production effects 
This is the use of visual effects in a music video, there are many reasons to use these effects, to attract or impress an audience and make it memorable, standing out from other music videos. It also broadens the audience range, some who may like the production effects may not like the actual music track, but still choose to listen to it because of the visuals. An example of this is TLC - No Scrubs music video, they use post production effects in the scene with the flying camera, also using the large screen behind them to put footage on, which wouldn't actually be there. It makes music videos more than just a background for a track, it tells a story but also sells the image of the band by the clothes they wear you can tell what time they are trying to portray. The walking on the wall is another effect they use, to reinforce this 'science fiction' theme. This technique is often used in higher budget music videos as it can create things that you would not normally be able to create, for example with this video's science theme, the post-production effects allow the artists to make a music video as realistic as possible. This then has an impact on the audience because it's interesting to see something that is impossible or currently not existing become possible by using these effects, it could also reflect the type genre of the artist, as in many of TLC's other music videos they use post-production effects for example; Waterfalls and Unpretty.





Effect : Split Screening
An example of an editing technique is split screening, this is where multiple images are shown on the screen at the same time, they can be changing images to look as if they are interfering with each other, it is one of the many production effects that are there to impress or engage. Multi-imaging is different, split screening is however the modern equivalent as the non-linear editing makes it easier to edit. An example of this is Semisonic - Closing Time, in this video one side of the screen shows a females day and the other side showcases the band's performance. The lead singer becomes involved and it tells the story as if he is trying to find her, in the end they both end up in a club, however he still doesn't find her, he comes out the the split screen becomes one when he meets his friends outside the club. This technique stands out because it gives the audience two sides which they have to focus on to try and find out what the story is about, it also provides the viewers with a choice of which story they want to follow, giving the audience more than just a music video, but a short film. This engages the audience because it allows them to interpret the story in whatever way they want, it could also make the audience want to watch it several times to understand the story further and therefore the artist is receiving more views. This technique could also be used for the bands advantage to showcase themselves as artists but also be able to tell a story with actors at the same time, which is evident in this music video example.




Effect: Chroma Key
This effect is where a green screen or blue screen has been used in the music video. The unwanted colour area behind is then chroma keyed out (removed) so that the second layer of images is visible. These images can be used to distort the background to something else, either a location or a certain colour background. This is evident in the music video Beautiful Liar - Beyonce and Shakira, they use a green screen to change the scenery to make it look as if they are in a different location in each shot and to extend the location to make it look as if they are the only ones in that large area of space. This technique is creative and allows multiple backgrounds to be used, it can place the artist in different scenes and can provide them with a different image in each shot, usually used to in a sense 'market' their look. It impacts the audience by making them feel a certain way towards the song, for example in the Beautiful Liar music video, in the slow verses of the song, the colours are dark and gloomy, where as in the fast pace parts, they are bright, it provides the audience with an interpretation and a theme, the viewers can understand the music video better this way.



Seen again in the music video for 2 Become 1 - Spice Girls, this music video it is more evident that a green screen is used to make locations seem realistic. It gives music videos the possibility to look as if they have been filmed anywhere in the world, it also advertises these locations as well as the bands image.




Camera Movements 
This is the use of different camera angles, pans, tilting, tracking and crab shots to show movements, it can create excitement for the audience by providing an 'in the action' shot, as if the audience are there with the band or artist. An example of this is the music video for Childish Gambino - Heartbeat, the camera is tracking his every move from various different angles, which shows the environment this music video is occurring. This technique allows for low angles and high angles to show dominance of the characters involved, as there is no dialogue to show this. As it is mainly based in a car there are various shots of the character looking in the mirror and then from his shot looking in the mirror, using a range of camera movements to entice the audience within the story line, while listening to the music track. By using this technique it provides the audience with a range of perspectives, from the main character to the co-character, it also shows the area in which this music video is taking place, covering all areas so the views can get a feel of the tone and emotion of the music video, this is key to engaging the audience. It also fits with the beat, similarly to the 'cutting to beat' effect, it keeps up the pace with the music video and keeps it interesting, when the fast pace chorus comes the audience is curious to of what can happen next; highlighted clearly in this example below.



Camera angles and Shot types 
This where various shot angles and lengths are used in a music video, similarly to camera movements it gives the filmmaker an opportunity to create a feeling and tone for a media text. This technique allows to show different elements of mise-en-scene delivering a broader perspective of the story line to the audience. This is evident in the music video Rihanna - We Found Love, the variation of angles and shot types tells the story from the character perspectives but also people on the outside looking in. It invites the audience into this couples world, following the action camera shots places the audience 'inside' this world, it may engage an audience to the extent that they watch the music video a few times and associate this song with the video and watch the music video for the story rather than the song, this increases music video ratings and pushes the song to the top of the charts, this can be very effective for the artist.






Mise-en-scene 
In music videos the mise-en-scene is arguably the biggest factor, the way the scenes are structured is what carries the story on. Without any dialogue it enables the filmmakers to construct a story thought the lighting, objects and settings connect to the music to create a meaning and tone of the song. To deliver feelings of love, passion or anger to the audience. The story it creates has the power to highlight key social issues or promote a political message, the mise-en-scene is what the audience will associate the artist with, for example Lady Gaga is known for having quirky, and out of the ordinary music videos, this attracts a certain type of audience to her music. Therefore it shows as a positive way in which an artist can market themselves and their image, how they was to come across to their fans.

The use of mise-en-scene in the music video for Beyonce - Pretty Hurts, captivates the audience into a social issue that is not always addressed in the media. The mise-en-scene used tells the horrific tales of the beauty industry in a almost beautiful way, the lighting is dull when it is behind the stage of the beauty pageant, and when it is on the stage, it is bright and glamorous. It makes the audience interpret it without realising what they are watching, they know it is a negative feeling, when the models prepare for the beauty contest.





Another music video which I think shows a crucial mise-en-scene is the music video Daughter - How. The video lighting is dull to begin with to show the feeling of the character's distress, it then becomes brighter when the character leaves the house and gets out of her sadness. The mise-en-scene tells the story of escaping your worst feelings, and how it is portrayed through the scenery of beaches and bright places, emphasises this.

Research on Diamond Day

Themes

There are many themes surrounding the idea of Diamond Day, one of the key ones is the idea of criminal behavior, mainly aimed at this idea reflected in a gangsta's lifestyle. The MOB life, the dangers that can occur when you mess with dangerous people in the business. This can be linked to themes within the film Snatch. (2000)  a Russian gangsta and two incompetent amateur robbers, the theme of defying someone with great power over society. Showing the situations that can occur when you involve yourself with people in this type of lifestyle. A theme of dark humor can be portrayed through the events that happen, it can be based on actual events that happen in day to day life.



Another theme that we would like to include is the theme of friendship, in Diamond Day there are two men who seem to get themselves in a pickle, accidentally stealing from a Big Boss and not realizing what they have done, until they come face to face with the effects of their actions. They are in it together and have a clear bond when they made the same mistake, they need each other in order to achieve the task set by the boss to repay their debt. Similarly to the friendship between the main two protagonists in the film Bad Boys 2 (2003) They are placed in a difficult situation and they need each other. We would like to portray this theme and add some comical element to it because it keeps the characters down to earth and the audience can relate to a friendship they may have with a friend, even if they are not criminals.

Diamond day takes inspiration from many different gangster films, for example Snatch (2000, Guy Richie), London Boulevard (2010, William Monahan) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005, Shane Black).

First of all the short will most likely resemble Snatch and other Guy Richie films with it being British gangster comedy. Much of the humour will emulate that of Guy Richie films with it being dark and satirical. Below is the trailer for snatch.

Another Guy Richie film that I took inspiration from is RocknRolla (2008, Guy Richie). Again the film appeals to a similar demographic and also focusing on a small group of criminals trying to make it big. Like many of Guy Richie's films there is comedy through out in the form of us the audience laughing at the predicaments the protagonists get into. Such an example can be seen here from RocknRolla (2008, Guy Richie).

We also see in this clip the idea of a criminal duo, friends who work together committing crimes to make money. This was an idea I wanted to use in Diamond day, and so the idea of Graham and Paddy developed.

Another film I took inspiration from is London Boulevard (2010, William Monahan) This also tells the story of a criminal protagonist under the thumb of a criminal king pin, this was also an idea I wanted to explore, an omnipotent criminal that control our protagonists.

Here is a clip below. 

Lastly Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005, Shane Black) which explores the idea of an amateur criminal getting entangled in the criminal underworld and more importantly with a criminal boss. This film is American and is perhaps more of a noir, however still implements the elements of humour I wanted to in Diamond Day.   

Linking to Society. 

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/30-mobsters-
nabbed-connection-italian-mafia-article-1.1609347

Looking into the media it is evident that organised crime by mob gangs still lingers in the media. Even though this is not about crime that they have committed, the media almost sounds surprised that the mob haven't committed this. Most of it is under wraps and the conspiracy is that some police may be handed a salary by the mob to keep quite. We still see current workings of the mob existence when it is in the media of arrests of members for crimes that were committed years before. The idea of diamond day would work well because these are current events that are shaping day to day lives, and people what to see how these organised crime groups work and what life it like for those involved.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1827163/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm

There is even now a TV series dedicated to the lives of the wives of these Mob gangs, telling their story of events they have witnessed. As we can see this series took off and became a success with a record 6 seasons airing, this tells us that programmes/ films that give information about the gangs, the mafia, the mob, audiences want to know about it. These are the inspirations that help us structure and think more about the screenplay Diamond Day which we are creating.



Locations 

When considering the location of the film I knew I needed to feature an area that was secluded, somewhere that the audience would believe a criminal deal would take place. The place I immediately thought of Fritton woods. Having been there many times I am familiar with the area and believe it would offer some great shots for the short. Here are some examples of locations that could possibly be used in the short. Specifically the opening seen when see the two protagonists entering the forest, and the opening in which the deal takes place.

After reading the script it was evident that we needed the correct location in order to make it look cinematic and create the desired atmosphere. The location is very important for us as we need to find a place to make it look believable and also somewhere where we will be allowed to film with guns. Due to the majority of the film being shot within the woods as well we need to make sure that it is close by so we can access it easily and that will also mean that we can go backwards and forwards to allow us to have a lot of time there.

As you can see above forests look really nice due to the warm colours and shadows that are created. We will be filming this in April as well so the leaves will be nice colours and the shadows will look great on the protagonists to create that eerie, mysterious look.

As well as a forest we need a room where some of the characters will meet and have a conversation that will lead to the action that takes place later on in the film. This room needs to have a look that is once again believable and that will fit into the style of the film we are trying to create. We want to try and avoid using the college as it's an environment that is seen every day and not very aesthetically pleasing. We need a location that will fit 4 people in and where we will have time to shoot some lengthy conversations and still make it look nice. This could be done in a house with some lighting - that's our best option.

Above there is a helpful video of how we can film this dialogue and shows what we need in order to make it look good. By filming in a spacious house we are more than able to do this and will be possible.

The Purpose of Music Videos.

Introduction

Music videos emerged in the 1970's, the release of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, marked a breakthrough in the music video franchise that would set the framework for music videos to the present. This created a visual narrative for the music industry, introducing a new way in which artists could promote their music with more than just lyrics, while creating an intimate link with their fans. In this essay I will discover the purpose and demonstrate the functions of music videos, by exploring why they exist and how they have become a vital aspect when releasing a record. 

Promotion.

Micheal Jackson's Billie Jean

A music video is an effective mechanism for promoting a band/artist. In 1981 Duran Duran's Girls On Film music video showcased the talent of the band by their performance, promoting the image of the band, by creating a visual narrative that the audience could recognise. The song itself is promoted through a story-line, this gives the audience a greater understanding. This is evident in 1982 Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, it was the first to feature a beginning, middle and end, also the first time a black artist was to feature heavily on MTV, in turn promoting culture. Directors can also be promoted through music videos, Steven Barron the director of Billie Jean was also the director of A-ha's Take Me On. The combination of rotoscoping animation and live action in this video made it a ground-breaking win at the awards which raised the profile of Barron, he then began to work with artists such as David Bowie in 1987.

                                   

Producer Strategies.

Bands/artists are marketed differently depending on funding. Major labelled artists will have larger budgets, publicity and chart ratings, predominately mainstream genres such as R&B and Pop, this is communicated through their music videos. Usually featuring on channels like MTV which cover mainstream content. This is evident with the artist Rihanna, signed with the label Rocnation, her music video We Found Love, registered no.1 in the UK Singles Chart. Independent bands/artist who are starting out do not always have the funding to support large productions, as a result they release low budgeted music videos, using less well-known directors, funded by their independent record labels. Young Turks is an independent record label which signed the band The XX, their tracks rarely use music videos apart from the song Islands. Self-produced artists have become more significant due to the expansion of media outlets and accessible recording technology. Artist's themselves can now produce and distribute their music through the Internet via social media and YouTube. Ed Sheeran was an artist that found his way into the industry through self-promotion (mostly YouTube) and eventually the industry began to discover his talent. Although self-producing doesn't always work, there has to be a sense of originality and difference about an artist to grab the attention of the industry, budget limitations can also be an issue if you have to rely on your own funding.

Extension of Income 

A record can be distributed through various platforms to reach its audiences, these platforms are the radio or online music websites and music channels if the track has a corresponding music video. Each time the track is played the artist and record label, in practice, receives royalty payments in exchange for the use of their product. 'In practice' because it would be impossible to track each time a record is listened to, due to the growth of media outlets. In 2013 one of the most watched music videos was Miley Cyrus' -Wrecking Ball, within it's first 24 hours after its release, it received 19.3 million views. This was on the platform YouTube and for how many views it got the artist and the record label would have received a set payment. For alternative/ non mainstream artists it is difficult to gain exposure, which in turn makes it difficult to receive any royalties. This is why YouTube can be suggested as a good place to start a music career, the more exposure, the more views, greater chance of receiving payments. 

Extension of Outlets / Platforms

The outlets and platforms for media products is what makes music content accessible. They are growing and mainly based online for easy access on the go. The main media outlet is YouTube, it allows access to music videos as well as music tracks, it also has a platform where you can access the artists page and view other content. A large amount of artists began to release their products on YouTube before releasing them on TV because it reaches the audience faster. Another example is SoundCloud, although they do not release music videos, Tidal  where Kanye West released his new album The Life Of Pablo, Vevo and Billboard these are many of the accessible online outlets for music. There are still TV music channels that have the opportunity to release singles, MTV, BOX, VH1 as well as radio stations like KISS, Radio 1 and Heart. However this does have financial effects for the artist and record labels themselves, as they have to provide the outlets/ platforms a certain percentage. These outlets are what distributes the music to the right audience and gives the labels coverage, therefore it is advised that artists use this extension to promote their music. This is at a cost, as they must give the outlet a certain percentage to have a place on their platform, this means all the money it makes from being distributed will not all go to the record label. however there is a positive and that is the more their track gets played and roughly each time it gets played the artist and record label receives royalties for the listening of their music, and even though they have to give a way a small percentage, without a platform it would not be able to make as much money as it does.

Synergy 

Example of another artist LIL Wayne Representing Beats by Dre.

Refers to the promotion and selling of the product, through existing products. An example of this is Beats by Dre, and the advert for beats showcasing Kendrick Lamar's new record. This shows that the music product by the artist is marketed through an existing product, Beats headphones. This gives exposure to the artist by playing that record through Beats' adverts on the TV or the radio, as they are using a high profile artist who has a large following, giving Beats a larger audience and opportunity for exposure. People will want to purchase the product if a popular artist is seen using the item, as a result the track will be heard through adverts on channels that may not be related to music, widening the platform for that track, equaling heavy exposure.

Conclusion 

The music video industry is growing faster, it is now a platform that allows videos to go viral, which means they circulate the Internet and reach various audiences usually through social media. This results in the track attached to the music video being repeatedly played to keep up with the trend of it. PSY's - Gangnam Style  topping the charts in 30 countries after the music video went viral. Music videos are sustainable because they allow a story to be told through the use of a music record, however the platforms they are released on may be moving to the Internet, it enables a global reach and reaches it's audiences in a matter of seconds.