Extra Shot - Cards

During the solo I felt that there needed to be another shot which wasn't linked to the current narratives running throughout the video. I decided that a another gambling motif may look appropriate to cut out to during the climax of the song itself.

This was created by using a black sheet on the floor, and dropping some cards from a fairly high off the ground. The camera being positioned at a birds-eye view.

Then the contrast was increased, so the sheet isn't so obvious, and provides a subtle flickering effect, much like the live performance clips.

I did try and create more clips, but when i tried to use them in the video, they didn't fit and look right, no matter how i tried to crop / edit them. I think this shot is effective however, but i will be leaving it out of my final video.

Final Video

Final Video - with opening / ending complete, everything is now synchronous.

Video with Improvements: 2nd attempt

This video has everything i want the video to have. Yet there are two things that are possibly wrong with it that i can see:

1. There are very little special effects used within the video, other than basic contrast editing and transitions. The pace of the video is built from the pace of the editing, not so much from the actual effects used. Yet i need to possibly consider dropping something in to make the video more diverse.

2. Some of the timing is wrong in the video. After the solo at 3:12 to 3:18 is out of time with the vocals. This needs to be changed. 

Overall i like the grittiness of it, and the realism that it represents about the culture, but also the group themselves. 

FINALLY..

FINALLY I have permission from a local casino, to film their roulette wheel. 

This is paramount, due to my friend telling me that he had broken his roulette wheel.

25/11/09

After being able to speak with the manager, I asked to only film the roulette wheel, and the word 'CASINO' on the outside of the building. His only concern was of the filming people who might not want to be filmed. However after ensuring that I only needed the wheel filmed, he gave me a time slot between 1:30 to 2:00 in the afternoon. This will be plenty of time to collect the footage needed, and it won't take long to finish the desired structure of the video, ready to input special effects. 

Improvements X1

Some things that I have noticed, which need to be improved, include changed to the guitar solo. For example I think that the atmosphere builds towards the solo, yet there is an anti-climax. To reach its full potential, quicker editing needs to be used to make sure that the solo remains an epic scene within the music video. I have still got clips that i've cut down, that are ready to be used for such a purpose. To make sure the rest of the video is still synchronous with the music, I need to make sure i cut parts of the solo out, and plug in the extra footage according to the exact time of the gap thats left. 

Also the start needs the establishing shot to be changed to the outside of the actual casino. But i wanted to practice outside the bar, of the kind of shot i want. 

From now on, the editing is going to be more, precise and mathematical, to make sure that the work i have already done, isn't ruined.

Only then, when i'm happy, will i think about any other effects i may want to use.

First three minute rough draft

This video is not how i want the video, yet is a rough draft of the ordering i want to produce. I have still yet to add special effects / roulette wheel footage / the last 40 seconds of the song. But the  editing is now well underway.

Problems and Solutions

Problems:

1: Nightshot plus mode on  the camera was used for some of the shots with one camera, but the mode was not used on the other camera i used. Therefore i have two different types of footage, representing two different camera styles.

2: Live performance footage is too dark. Only some members of the group are visible and their faces are unclear.

3: Still need to input roulette wheel.

Solutions:

1: Editing the contrast has helped to make the camera footage look similar.

2: Increasing the brightness, and then increasing the contrast has made faces clearer.

3: Ready to film

Left to Film

1:

For the start and the end of the music video, is is important that i am able to film a roulette wheel. I want to be able to start the song, with the spinning of the wheel, and finish the song with the spinning wheel coming to a stop. Therefore i am in the process of finding a roulette wheel in which i can use for my filming. A colleague of mine has one available to him, so i am organizing when i would be able to use it to film. 

2:

I want something to happen in the video, to emphasize the importance of the guitar solo in the song. Therefore i want to use the footage of the live performance and then fade something else in and out over the top of the group playing. For example, low motion cards / chips coming towards the camera. I would do this by lying a black sheet in the floor, standing on a table or ladder, and dropping the cards on the floor. I would film this from a birds eye position. Then i will be able to change the contrast to create the black background. Depending on what looks best, i could also reverse the footage and make the cards either come towards the camera, or be flying away from the camera.  This, i think, would be ideal to go with the solo.

Therefore i will need to film this. 

Editing: Ordering Footage

This has turned out to be a lot harder than i first expected, due to the footage having to synchronize with the music. I knew it would have to be, yet when ordering all the shots i want to use, it's hard to make it smooth. Yet i know the use of transitions will help me time all the shots and create a smoothness that at the moment, isn't yet possible. 

I have plotted the main parts of the song with the desired footage in mind. For example when the lead singer cuts in with the vocals for the first time, i have footage which is used, and is synchronous with the song.  Also with the guitar solo, yet i may want to film something especially to go over the top and fade in and out of the solo footage. This will show the importance of the solo and help emphasize it. The end of the song where the members of the band scream, i also have the footage from the live performance to go with the song. 

The only problem i am finding, is what to put between the key moments in the song. The narrative seems too loose for be to have a solid structure to the scenes in the 'casino'. Yet with the amount of footage i have, it's just a case of going through it and finding the right clip to fit the right part of the song. 

Editing: Picking Shots

Having a lot of footage may be useful to have so that you know you have enough, but it can't all be used. Therefore i have spent time to go through all of the footage i have, and pick the best clips and put them aside. That way i will ensure i can work with the quality clips, instead of other clips that might not look as pleasing. However all of the footage i have, will be stored, incase i need to add more footage.

31/10/09 Filming [Live Performance]

Some of the issues i was was worried about, really challenged me when i was filming. The lighting itself was very dark, yet enough light to make out the group members. The problem i had was with the drummer however as there was no light near him, and so the camera could not focus properly on him. I was unsure of how to tackle this problem, so i asked the owner of the pub if she would mind, if for one song i was to move one of the lights next to the drummer. This was fine, and i was finally able to get some footage of 'Mad Mark' at the drums.

One of the good things about the the lead singer, is he holds the microphone close to his mouth when singing so it will not be hard to make it look synchronous with the lyrics, as you can't see exactly what he is saying due to a slight obstruction. This is ideal because i can still edit it to look like he's sining in time with the song, even if in actual fact, he isn't.

My third concern was not so much of a problem as i had first thought as i was able to film the band playing all of their songs. Okay it might not match up to the song itself, yet depending on the speed of the editing and effects used, i very much doubt it will be very noticeable. I think that if i was to rely simply on the footage i took when they played the song 'Casino ****' live, i would probably not have enough to make a video worth using. Obviously when it comes to editing i will be using the footage i took during the song first but if it's not enough then i will have to use other footage i have taken to fill in the gaps.

Thoughts for next filming session

My next filming session will be on the 31/10/09. This will be at the pub they play at. My first concern is the lighting. Yet i feel confident in brightening the footage if needed. As they don't live every week, re-filming might be difficult. So i am going to have to make the best of the footage i have when it comes to filming the live performance. This means i have only the one night to be able to get it right.

My second concern is the fact that, the location itself is very small, with lots of people, on halloween. This makes me think it's going to be a nightmare (haha) to film. However I have spoken to the owner of the pub and she's sure there will be room.

My third concern is that the track i'm making a video for is only going to be played once, as their encore track. This means that once again, i will only have the one change to be able to take footage that will be completely synchronous with the song itself. With this in mind i think that it might be best to film the singer for most of the track, as i will be able to synchronize it with the lyrics in the video.

As long as i get enough footage, i think i'll be able to play around with it to create a result, that looks pleasing.

20/10/09 Filming [Riley's Bar]

After phoning Riley's Bar and asking them permission to use them as a location for filming, the manager informed me of a poker table playing cards and playing chips that were available to use. This group told me they would all be available to come and be filmed after playing. I was able to get valuable footage of the group playing poker and specifically acting up for the camera. After a couple of hours I felt i had enough footage, good and bad, to be able to play around with and use for the final video.

I also needed to make sure i included the specific shots that i wanted. I feel i have enough, but i wont know for sure until i start putting everything into order.

Update

Due to the manager of the 'Stanley's Casino' not getting back to me after three reminder calls, i have decided that it would be best to set up a backup plan, so i am ready to film as soon as possible. If the manager does get back to me then i may be able to use that as well, but if not then i am not left waiting on somebody else. Also according to the receptionist he would want to hear the song and listen to the lyrics, as anything that is negative about gambling, would not be in his best interest.

I have found a couple of examples of the idea i want to pursue. Looking at the examples in Snatch but mainly Lock Stock, has helped me think about what i need to do to create a location that will look realistic. I am hoping to be able to use a local boxing club that i used to be involved with, to use the same effects as the scene in Lock Stock. This means i need to get permission to use this location as well, which i will be doing before the end of the week.

"Gambling Den" in Lock Stock

Shots
- close ups - faces / cards / chips
- eye level - viewer feels like they are engaged with the video
- high angle - leaving the building -inferior
- extreme close up - eye
- deep focus shot - show other players
- low angle - superior / power / wealth

Mise en Scene
- lighting - low level - faces in shadow / cards in shadow
- Smart casual - suits / open collar - smart shirts [EDITED] The suits will be used for the live performance and the a rougher look will be used for the 'casino' shots. This was decided after a discussion with Destruction Preventer.

Editing
- transitions - cut / fade / cross dissolve
- pace of cuts speeds up to build the tension
- 180 degree rule - to show the conflict between the two characters

The backup Location - "Gambling Den"

Today i am going to phone the casino and make an appointment with the manager. However if it turns out that it's not possible to film at the desired location, i will require create a backup plan so as not to fall behind in my schedule and make sure i hit my deadline. 

For example instead of playing in a smart/posh casino, a more underground, illegal 'gambling den' might represent the band more appropriately. Ideally a posh looking casino would be preferred as this makes a good contrast with the backstreet local pub feel of the live performance. 

Location where this could take place:

-Basement

-Garage

- Attic

- Even a low lit rough looking room

Props

- Plastic chips

- Roulette wheel

- Playing cards

- Money (notes)

- Items on the table (keys, watches, jewelry ect..)

Costume and Character Representation

I don't think a smart costume such as a suit would suit a gambling den, yet it has been used before. Although thinking about it, a suit that has been roughed up would create the right representation considering the location. This could mean an open collar, jewelry, tattoos.

It is important that the way the character looks, reflects how he is playing. So for example at the start the characters are to look smart, to represent their wealth. But gradually as they lose money their appearance needs to slightly change to look rougher. The appearance needs to be directly emotive of the character. This way by the end of the video, when there is no money left, the final shot could be a high angle of the character in shadow, with his head slumped in his hands looking a mess followed by a fade out. 

[edit] - i will know today if this plan will be needed or not, yet is there incase it is.

Detailed Filming plan

First seconds (no longer than 10 secs)

High angle (roulette wheel) > cut

Film technique (Reverse) - guitar / drum sticks > cut

High angle (roulette wheel) - Tracking in > cut

Close up (Lead vocalist) - microphone in shot > cut

High angle / close up (roulette wheel) -  spun with ball 

*Track starts as wheel is spun*

Shots of each member of the band (cuts) to each one quickly. (no longer than 10 secs)

*riff*  - show all the bad playing together in the shot from perspective of the audience (crowd) while crabbing to the side sometimes being obstructed by the odd person in front *silhouette*

Camera technique - graphic transition - to introduce casino..

UNFINSIHED

Getting permissions

The live performance will most likely be in a pub where the group performs quite a lot. Therefore it would be polite to ask the owner for permission to take footage of the gig.

The Casino however is slightly more complicated. The use of a local casino is feasible yet again i ill need to ask for permission. I could possibly use the idea of showing the front of the casino in the music video, as an advertisement for the casino.  Yet i will need to make sure i find this information out soon.

These are the only permissions i will need. 

Storyboard

These are some ideas for shot types to go with the live performance and the narrative in the casino. This is only rough and gives me an idea of what kind of shots I want to include, while cutting between the live performance and casino footage.

Treatment - song - Casino

The audience of the video will be aimed at people towards the age of sixteen and above. This is because there will be footage of gambling within a casino which may not suitable for a younger audience. Also because of the genre there may be some shocking takes, especially in the live performance shots. The actual video will be predominantly masculine orientated. The audience can be targeted by the video through the use of web 2.0, such as websites like myspace and youtube. This will mean that it can be used by Destruction Preventer as much or as little as they require.

The narrative will be partitioned into a live performance, with an additional storyline running parallele. The live performance will be of the band playing in front of a small crowd in low level light which will allow them to be seen rocking hard. This will then switch fairly rapidly to a seperate storyline of the band in another location. This will be in a casino setting where gambling is taking place in games such as cards and roulette wheels for example. This will then switch back to the live performance through different editing techniques, being fast cuts, or graphic matches.

I will ensure that there is a circular narrative. For example The film will start with a static roulette wheel, slowly zooming from a birdseye position. Then when the wheel is spun the trackwill begin. This can be shown later in the video also spinning. Then when the song comes to an end the wheel stops spinning and shows the ball on the number '13', using symbolism to connote bad luck. This means that the video itself will be illustrative. The storyline may use Todorov's, equilibrium - disequilibrium - finalising with equilibrium restored. This will be in the form of losing money throughout the video in the casino.

The genre being heavy metal, will mean that the video editing will need to be fast to ensure it's synchronous with the rhythm of the track.

The band would be represented in two different ways. The live performance will show a very dark and dirty side to the group, however the casino will be in stark contrast. This can be implemented through the use of mise-en-scene, such as the clothing worn in the casino is smarter and more lighting can be used so that the individual band members can be seen clearly. Also smart clothing connotes power and wealth which begins to create a certain persona for the band, yet still cutting back to them rocking live with their fans with passion. This creates two different representations which should then appeal to a larger audience.

The ideology of the music video is meant to reflect the lack of morality in gambling. This is displayed by the loss of money by characters, illustrative of the lyrics.

An unsteady camera when filming the live performance will help to show a rough image and possibly a point of view of somebody in the audience while being jolted around. This will give the audience participation and engage them in the atmosphere. Close ups of playing the instuments will also be used to fill in gaps with flash editing. Other techniques such as graphic matches can also be used as transitions to enable the two settings to cross frequently.

A possible black and white filter could be used for the live performance in contrast to the vibrant colours of the casino. If this music video was to played on television the type of channel suitable would be channels like 'Kerrang'. However realistically the video is more likely to be uploaded to youtube so that it can be embedded on Destruction Preventer's myspace to easily make the video viewable for their fans.

Narrative and Theory

Narrative

Russian theorist, Tzvetan Todorov, suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure. They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.

Character

Todorov came up with his theories after making a study of Russian folk tales. So too did Vladimir Propp, who came up with the theory that there are only a certain number of characters, who crop up in most narratives. It is easy to spot the hero and villain in most cases, but here are some others:

Character Type	Role within narrative
Hero	Leads the narrative, is usually looking for something (a quest) or trying to solve something (a mystery). Does not have to be male :)
Villain	Conflicts with the hero
Heroine	Is usually some sort of prize or reward for the hero. NB if your hero is female, your heroine can be male :)
Father	An authority figure who offers a reward to the hero for completing their quest. That reward might be a prince or a princess or a cool new job
Helper	Helps the hero - often acts as a sidekick
Donor	Gives the hero something - a clue, a talisman, a special power - which helps them complete their quest
Mentor	Teaches and guides the hero

Conflict

As well as Aristotle deciding that 'all drama is conflict' in the 4th century BC, 20th century theorist Claude Levi-Strauss suggested that all narratives had to be driven forward by conflict that was cause by a series of opposing forces. he called this the theory of Binary Opposition, and it is used to describe how each main force in a narrative has its equal and opposite. Analysing a narrative means identifying these opposing forces eg

light/dark	good/evil	noise/silence	youth/age
right/wrong	poverty/wealth	strength/weakness	inside/outside

Source - http://www.mediaknowall.com/gcse/keyconceptsgcse/gcsenarrative.html

Camera Techniques 3 + 4

This technique is interesting as in this case, it looks like he is attracting the object towards him. This could be used for an instrument or drum sticks or something that could mean i could apply it to my music video.




-----------------------------------------------------------


This time i decided that i would try to trick the audience by using a cross dissolve technique. This paired with two takes, one each in a different place will give a good effect in theory.



You can see the effect that is trying to be made. The cross dissolve is key in making sure the transition is seemless. Another idea would be to up the contrast so that the fade is also not so obvious, however in this case i think it is fine without having to change the contrast. This could be a good idea to use in a music video if i wanted to change the setting while still focusing on a character.

Lyrics and Analysis

Casino ****

I’m getting closer to the point of broke,

but that five and six are looking pretty damn tempting.

My last tenner’s worth of plastic coins,

on my last beer and my wallet’s full on empty.

But it was bound to happen, lost it all.

The dealer took my money.

And now I face my misses wrath.

Back once again to preserve my pride,

More tanked up now, this time I’m invincible!

Put fifty against his blackjack,

I’m skint again why does this keep on happening?

But it was bound to happen, lost it all.

The dealer took my rent.

And now I face my landlord’s wrath.

They rob you blind, they take your life.

This addiction ends tonight, I swear,

I won’t return here again.

Solo

This time I’m sure my luck is in,

It’s all or nothing, the odd’s are with me.

I should leave when the going’s good,

But something inside me says play one for the road Jack.

But it was bound to happen, lost it all.

The dealer took my savings.

And now I face the cold street’s wrath.

They rob you blind, they take your life.

This addiction ends tonight, I swear,

I won’t return here again.

YOU STUPID ****!!!

------------------------------------------------------------

DP Background

"

Destruction Preveter formed in the spring of 2007 by Matt Adams and Mike Carroll after the collapse of their former band, MORNING STAR. The aim was to create a band who weren't tied down to any genre or "core" shit, A band who were just PURE HEAVY METAL.
With former MORNING STAR drummer Andy "Stoney" Stonelake in the ranks, we just needed a second guitarist to complete the rythym section. This came in the guise of former PLASTERCAST member Chris Lockyer. With Chris on board, DESTRUCTION PREVETER'S unique sound began to take form. For a band who tried to cross Power metal with 80's Rock and Roll, it was important to find a frontman who doesn't take himself too seriously. Fortunatly we knew just the rocker for the job! Enter Dave Cooper, a vocalist whos personality is just as strong as his voice.Finally the line up was complete.
After various succesful gigs in early 2007, playing with signed groups such as SANZEN, ERRANDER and Holland's SQY, as well as local groups GUILT TRIP, DRAIN THE LAKE and TSW, Disaster struck! Stoney's back injury was getting on top of him and he felt he was no longer able to put the required energy into his drumming. Subsequently we were forced to part ways with him and it seemed we were back to square one. Stoney went on to form Black/Death metal outfit SON OF APOLLYON, (see banner below) as lead vocalist
The summer of '07 was spent in the rehearsal room, writting new material and working on yet more legendary covers! But despite the many drummers we auditioned, it seemed none were willing to commit. That was until we stumbled across an old friend in a beer garden!Enter Mad Mark. He is probably one of the most insane rockers in the whole of Torbay, however, his dedication and enthusiasm are second to none.Finally THE PREVENTER were back on the gigging circuit and this time with a new driving force and subsequently a new and more unique sound.Over the past year we have been playing more shows around Torbay with local groups such as SEKHMET, RAIDER, BULLET & CHAINS and COVERED IN BLOOD to name but a few. We have also appeared at various charity events across the region for good causes such as Oxjam, The RNLI and The British Legion.
As well as performing many shows we have also released our debut record, THE STARSCREAM EP in 2008. It was recorded and produced at COOMBESHEAD STUDIOS, the greatest recording studio in the southwest, and the title track, STARSCREAM, features on the WYLDSTONE/COOMBESHEAD ALLIANCE compilation album.
With alot more in the pipeline, life in THE PREVENTER camp is becoming hectic but truely enjoyable. None of this would be possible without you, the fans. Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support. We look forward to rocking with you for many years to come!

"

Source - Destruction Preventer Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/destructionpreventerofficial

DP Influences

SONATA ARCTICA,
HELLOWEEN,
STRATOVARIUS,
HAMMERFALL,
SKID ROW,
AC/DC,
BLOOD DUSTER,
LAKE OF TEARS,
GAMMA RAY,
PRIMAL FEAR,
3 INCHES OF BLOOD,
NANOWAR,
MEGADETH,
ANNHILATOR,
IRON MAIDEN,
ED GUY,
JUDAS PRIEST,
DRAGON FORCE,
FREEDOM CALL,
RHAPSODY OV FIRE and many, many more.

DP group members

Dave Cooper

Lead & Harmony Vocals

Matt Adams

Lead & Rythym Guitars, Vocals

Mike Carroll

Bass Guitar

Chris Lockyear

Guitars

"Mad" Mark Lander

Drums

Camera Techniques 2

This time i wanted to see if i could create the effect where i move around normal speed while the background is speeded up. This could be done with a green screen but i wanted to see if i could create the effect just using a camera and my own editing skills.

I like this effect, but may find it hard to include within my music video due to the genre. However there may be a way to include it as long as what is in the frame relates to the genre and represents the group strongly enough.

Once again i have tried to use the rule of thirds to strengthen my work.

Camera Techniques 1

I have decided to go out and experiment with different camera techniques that i might be able to apply to my video.

For example the disappear effect:

This effect may be useful when it comes to having to synchronize  the music with what is happening within the video. Also in this example i have tried to use the rule of thirds to create an interesting shot composition. 

Destruction Preventer

The group in which I will be creating a music video for, are a Heavy Metal group named - Destruction Preventer.

My knowledge is still limited so i will be editing this post with further details.

They are not signed to a record company, but have managed to produce a CD themselves.
They frequently play live gigs and i have recently attended one to get a feel for the music they produce.

The song I will be making a video for is called 'Casino Cunt'. Therefore i have started to think of ideas, but am unable to create a plan of what i want to do without the list of lyrics and other infomation to make it accurate. Once I the lyrics are known I will be able to create a proposal for the music video.

The Death Metal Genre - Research

Death metal emerged in the early and mid 80s, as a largely underground phenomenon, spawned by the then burgeoning thrash metal scene. The death metal circuit was rooted in the United States and Germany, with numerous bands pushing the thresholds of thrash metal. The genre followed on the speed and complexity characteristic of thrash metal vocals, along with brutally harsh vocals and drum patterns that involved the extensive use of double bass and blast beats. Its harsh sound and themes and imagery make it unpalatable for the masses and mainstream audiences, which is why with the exception of a few bands the music has never really been commercially successful in the mainstream.

Artists who made it famous
Obituary; Cannibal Corpse; Death; Bolt Thrower; Napalm Death; Morbid Angel; Necrophagia; Suffocation

Best known proponents today
Deicide; Behemoth; Arch Enemy; In Flames; Zyklon; Nile

Source - http://www.planetradiocity.com/musicopedia/music_genres.php?mid=131

EG:

Sing When You're Winning album cover & Digipak research

Digipak research

The typical conventions of a digipak, show very little text in the inside covers, where the CD is, but the outside cover may contain more information about what the DVD is about and titles etc. However the inside of the pack, does use the same 'house style' as the outer cover. It is hard to find many DVD digipaks to research from, however CD packs are no different when considering the conventions used in production. For example:

This shows the running colour scheme of white and red, with the use of black text over the top. Only a couple of simple images are used, but because they stand alone and match the house style, the pictures are effective in standing out enough to be noticed. Usually the CD is printed in a similar colour to whatever the digipak house style is. 

Another example would be this CD digipak from 'Vendetta'. This clearly shows a basic image, constant colour scheme, and very simple design for the inside of the cover. 

Therefore when I create my own, I will need to make sure I remmeber to:

- Keep inside cover simple

- Keep it consistent with the house style

- Use more images and less text on the inside

- Use no more than three colours in the house style

-----------------------------------------------------------

This album cover is clearly amplificative of the album title. This cover gives a sense of a 'bad boy' image and maybe also the use of sport could suggest a stereotypical male image as well. This is to appeal to his audience which is obviously mainly female. Also the colour scheme reflects where he is from, as they represent the union jack. All the people in on the cover being Robbie highlights the fact that he is the star who the album belongs to.

Reign In Blood album cover

This album cover uses many horror devices. This is obviously to depict their style of music and how raw it is. There is however vast amounts of religious imagry used on the album cover. For example the rams head could imply a religious meaning, and suggest a sacrificial meaning. The meaning of all the religious imagry is related to the holocaust. This is amplificative of the lyrics in their songs on the album. The distortion is also linked to the activities of Josef Mengele and the experiments he did on women.

This also relates to the genre and the way the band actively tries to shock their audience with extreme topics, and in this case album art as well. More religious imagry may include the pentagram, the mitres on the head of characters and even possibly the suggestion of a sea of blood.

This was also an iconic album which greatly inspired and formed the "Death Metal" genre.

'Nevermind' album cover

When I first looked at this album cover, I was abit unsure of what it meant. I could see that the baby may relate to a sense of innocence and that the money may imply corruption or power.
Yet i did not know quite how this contrast could be used to represent the actual band itself. So I decided to research it and i found:

"
According to Cobain, he conceived the idea while watching a television program on water births with Grohl. Cobain mentioned it to Geffen's art director Robert Fisher. Fisher found some stock footage of underwater births but they were too graphic for the record company. Also, the stock house that controlled the photo of a swimming baby that they subsequently settled on wanted $7,500 a year for its use, so instead Fisher sent a photographer to a pool for babies to take pictures. Five shots resulted and the band settled on the image of a three-month-old infant named Spencer Elden, the son of the photographer's friend Rick Elden. However, there was some concern because Elden's penis was visible in the image. Geffen prepared an alternate cover without the penis, as they were afraid that it would offend people, but relented when Cobain made it clear that the only compromise he would accept was a sticker covering the penis that would say, "If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile."
"
From - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevermind

After reading this it made things slightly clearer and also helped me to see that the genre of the band as grunge which is represents a rebelion away form the media. Therefore the baby and the money, may represent how people from birth are almost controlled by the media and are attracted to it. This is supported by the fact the money is on a hook, which is symbolic of bait, attracting fish.

The 'nevermind' album therefore, is mainly about persuing sex, losing innosence, and finding frustration in really never being happy, while highlighting the control media has over the population.

Notes on mood-boarding and video ideas

We were told to listen to a peice of music, and then come up with a list of words describing the mood it gives us. Then come up with a list of actions
In my group this is what we came up with for ideas to make the video for this;

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Mood:
Cheerful, crazy, upbeat

Actions:
Bouncy castle, circus, trampoline, candy/sweets, quick cuts, circus dancers, pier, unsteady camera, party, performing on the bouncy castle.

Our ideas were completely different to what was actually made. However i think that this task really challenged me to think about what kind of music video i associate the music with and also the representation of the artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwIbb3McVW4
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The second video we listened to was called 'We know something you don't know', by DJ Format. Our initial ideas were really different to what was made:


Mood:
Floating, relaxed, authority, urban

Actions:
Driving/cruising, polics, cocktails, lilos, New York, women, bling

This was again completely different from the real video, but again i still think our ideas are a valid perception of what we had to refer to.

I really think this task helped me to look at music videos in a different way, and really help me grasp the concept of producing one.

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KEY TERMS -

Illustrative- illustrates lyrics to visuals


Amplificative- amplifies certain ideas


Disjunctive- the visuals and the lyrics don't match

Avril Lavigne Representation

This video shows the artist in a vulnerable way and uses camera work to exagerate the fact that she is alone. This is done through deep focus shots to show the crowd around her unclear which makes her stand out from the rest. Also the song itself is alot slower and therefore is synchronous. Slow motion is uses alot couples with close up shots to make her more attractive and gives the audience a chance to see subtle facial expressions which convay her emotions.
This video represents the artists is a vulnerable and conservative way through these devices.



The comparison to this video shows a large difference. This video shows much more of the artists attitude and rebellious nature. As this video was made before the one above, it might suggest that this was made to give a larger impact on an audience. Also this video carries links to skateboarding, graffiti and a general lack of respect towards authority. This is clearly shown by her jumping around on a car.

Also when you compare the editing to the video above, this one has far faster cuts. The camerawork is also completely different, as in this video it is very unstable and looks handheld. Another difference would be that she is always surrounded by people, while in the other video she is often seen to be alone. This gives the impression of popularity and being accepted into a particular sociual status, which is infact the social groups she is targeting as an audience.

Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff

The use of a low angle shot showing skating tricks shows that this is the kind of culture that the artist wants to be associated with. This helps represent the lifestyle he wants to be represented with, but also it shows the target audience of the music itself.
Also low angle obviously makes the audience have to look up to the artist. The clothing is very casual and can be related to skating culture once again.

Slipknot - Left Behind

The use of low angle shots are used frequently throughout this video to show the members in the group to be superior. This is to make the audience look up to them. Also this is to clearly show the clothing and masks of the people playing. The masks may suggest that the group has something to hide, which leaves it up to the audiences imagination. This device is common in horror films. Another link to horror is the representation of innocence becomming corrupted.



This image clearly shows a young boy, holding a meat cleaver which is used to cut meat. However this may possibly connote a murderous theme. However shots this subtle are once again left up to the way the audience perceives objects and events.

The only colour is are their red tops. This is possibly linked to danger, or blood.

Drowning Pool - Step Up

This video obviously tried to display the attitudes of the group. This can be done through the representation of gender. For example a close up of the lead singer, with desirable girls either side of him in the background, is making women look like trophies either side of him. Therefore it would be right to assume that as girls are stereotypically attracted to wealth and power, that the lead singer has both of these qualities.



The mise en scene also shows him dressed in an expensive suit which also gives the impression he is important, rich and powerful. The group might want this image to be related to them so that their fans look up to them and possibly idealise them.



The low level lighting creates an idea of mystery yet also, depicts the groups dark nature. This lighting is also used to contrast with the bright sun in some of the other clips.

Metallica - I Disappear

After first watching this video, it was clear to me that the the footage has been edited to show each member of the group, in a different scenario. This is obviously to help represent each member differently and uniquely. A range of techniques are used to impliment this.

The video is synchronous with the music for obvious reasons, however many shots are used in a short space of time which helps create a fast pace. This is needed to engage the audience. All of the group members are also flashed up within these quick shots so that they have all already been introduced to the audience. This helps highlight their importance. A close up of the lead singer also shows his importance and allows us to see him singing the lyrics.

A graphic match is used to show one of the members playing his guitar, then the same character standing in a different location. This is to show the audience which member of the group he is. However this also allows a new setting to be introduced. The long shot gives a clear view of the room where the event will take place. The use of a zoom allows a a sudden close up of his face which clearly shows him struggling. The camerawork is very shakey which helps to give a sense of disorientation that the audience can use to empathise with the character. The occasional high angle shot also shows his inferiority, relating to the lyrics of the song itself.

As the video is also meant to be the theme to a film, there are clips from within the film that appear in the music video. This is to show that the film and the song is related to the film.

The mise en scene shows the characters always waring black or dark clothes. This may suggest sophistication, but more likely it is to represent power, and a dark undertone to the band itself.

Aims

To understand the generic conventions of music videos

To be able to identify how the band/artist is promoted and represented through the video conventions

To be able to deconstruct music videos according to the 4 areas of textual analysis