Preliminary Exercise

In order to understand the basics of filming a typical music video, we were given the opportunity to reenact Britney Spears' video for the song 'Hit Me Baby One More Time'. To begin with, we watched the video and used a sheet to collect the times the shots start and end and how long they are, also what's included in the shot therefore we can reenact it ourselves. As we were recording the times for the shots, we began to realize how different it was in comparison to our last preliminary exercise (extract from TV show, 'Life On Mars'.) I learned that in a pop video, there are a large amount of shots and the camera doesn't usually stay in the same position for a long time. There is frequent fast paced movement with the camera which also makes the video more interesting as opposed to a long, dragged out shot.

We decided to just reenact the opening of the video, were the singer (Spears) is in the classroom, and eventually the bell rings signalling the end of the lesson, then everyone running out and the song starts (where we stop). After recording the times for the multiple different shots, me, myself and Romina then started to reenact the scene at school, with the help of our teacher. The different shot proved to be quite difficult to achieve, however we managed to pull through in the end. For instance, during the part where the bell rings and everyone leaves their classrooms and enters the halls, the camera is placed in the air looking down at all the students in a high angle shot. However in order to achieve this, our teacher had to stand on a tall table in order to get the shot, and this ended up helping us in the end. 

Other difficulties we found were continuity issues. Through doing this exercise it helped me understand how important continuity is within anything you're filming in order to help the scene make sense. However in the end we began to get the hand of taking continuity into account and filming was successful!

 

Getting Permission to use Material

In order to use a particular artist's material, we have been told how important it is to get permission from the artist's management so that we can incorporate their song into our pop video. Therefore after independent research, I managed to get the email of singer's Charli XCX and Yuna's management company. Here's a screenshot of the email I sent to them:

This message is to Charli XCX's management company:

And this message is to Yuna's management company:

At the moment I am waiting for their reply and hopefully we will receive permission from at least one of them!

Peer Evaluation Feedback

In class we were each told to watch and evaluate our fellow classmates' film openings, then record our findings on a sheet. My film opening was evaluated by Romina, and this was the feedback I received:

Mise-en-scene: The costumes of the characters tell the audience that the time period is more middle aged as opposed to being made in modern times. The props are really good because they reflect the classy feel of the atmosphere.

Camerawork: I really liked the use of shots at the very start of the opening of glasses of wine, paintings on the wall and the bookcase, whilst the voice over is being played because I think they really set the scene and show the audience the calm and laid back atmosphere. I think as an improvement for the ending scene (when the murder has happened) as people are running into the room, a close up shot of each of the characters would've been really good to show the drama and how everyone responded to it.

Editing: I thought that the transitions and the music really brings the opening together. I really liked the sound you chose for the ending of the opening when the murder happens as it builds tension.

Sound: I liked the used of the calm piano music at the start whilst everyone is mingling because it creates a happy, calm mood until the murder happens and then the thriller-type music is introduced. I think this was a really good juxtaposition.

Reviewing my Footage

After getting the opportunity to gather all my cast members and find a location to film in, I finally managed to film my opening. Later on, however, whilst reviewing my footage, I had come to the realization that due to the fact that I had to be weary of time, unfortunately I discovered that I was missing some vital clips and shots for my opening. After panicking I needed to find a way to edit what I already had, in order to make it 'make sense' and tell the intended story. I debated whether or not I should go back and film certain parts which I really wanted to be included, however with the deadline only being a week away, I realized that it wouldn't be enough time. Editing was certainly a challenging experience at first, however after I added in a few transitions, some sound and a title sequence, I felt that it really brought it all together and was a nice finish.

Target Audience Profile

I think that my film opening will attract a target audience that's main interests would be reading, detective/crime drama type shows etc, and I believe that in order to attract this demographic I will have to use certain conventions that these kind of shows use. For example, a recurring theme which I have noticed in detective/crime drama films is that tension is always mainly built through the use of sound (for instance in television series 'Murder, She Wrote', once a murder has been committed, a deafening scream and low threatening music is always used almost as a signal to show disequilibrium has begun.)

Developing my Film Opening Ideas

Throughout the process of preparing to film my film opening, I have gone through periods when I felt that in order for my storyline to work and the course to run smoothley, I would have to change and develop a few of my ideas.

At the start of this task I had it in my head that I would base my opening on the films 'Pink Panther' (2006) and 'Clue' (1985). I aimed to have a cast of 8 (4 boys, 4 girls), with 3 couples, 'Kreviss' (protagonist) and a maid. However, as the days progressed, I realized that it was difficult to find boys who were dedicated and serious about the project. Therefore I decided to develop this idea and change the cast to an all female 'feminist' group. I found this to benefit me as fortunately I am surrounded by female friends who I can depend and count on with a task like this. I believe this change will really help me for filming in the future and at the same time contribute to the comedy genre.

Todorov Research

Todorov in 1969 produced a theory which he believed to be able to be applied to any film. He believed that all films followed the same narrative pattern. They all went through stages called the equilibrium, disequilibrium, equilibrium.

There are five stages the narrative can progress through:

1. A state of equilibrium (A calm state, all is as it should be.)

2. A disruption of that order by an event.

3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.

4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

5. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium

 

For example, a film that follows these steps perfectly is Die Hard:

1. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is coming home to his family for Christmas and all is calm. (The equilibrium)

2. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his team of terrorists take over the nakatomi building which is hosting a Christmas part of which McClane and his wife are attending.

3. (Two points of recognition) McClane isn't in the room when the terrorsits storm in so is able to move up the builiding when he hears screaming. People outside of the building realise there's a disruption when a police man's car is shot at from the building.

4. The police try sending in a SWAT team in which fails. The situation is solved by John McClane throwing Gruber out of a high floor window which kills him.

5. The equilibrium is restored when the police got McClane, his wife and the other hostages out of the building, and the McClanes leave in a police car.