Unit 29: Music Video Production Pre-Production Booklet for Music Video
Name: Andy Raynes
Order of contents (italics show areas you must add in yourself) Song Lyrics Meaning of the song Storyboard Script Mood board Props list Locations Shooting schedule Call sheet Risk assessment Clearances
Rules for your production 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Your potential track must conform to the following criteria: It must provide opportunities for original and creative work It must have a clearly definable target audience It must be generically identifiable i.e as clearly belonging to a particular genre/sub/genre it must be of digital quality and in an appropriate format for capturing to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 The track must have been missed and recorded to a high standard, including if using an independent artist (e.g. local band) You need to be able to prove you have checked ownership and have sought permission to use the track.
1. 2. 3. -
Your choices will need to: Be filtered out by your teacher if unsuitable (please anticipate the likely 'secondary' audience at Henley (parents, younger children, principle etc) Inspire the group to make a creative, original music video that uses and/or challenges conventions Be suitable for broadcast on mainstream music television so No swearing No sexually aggressive language/imagery Avoid drug related lyrics/imagery
Song
Song title Bittersweet Symphony
Artist The Verve
Genre Alternative Rock
What are the conventions of music videos from this genre? High angle shots are used to establish the setting of the video Constant close ups of both members of band and their instruments Group shot show the bands in their entirety Low angle shots capture the lead singers and allow them to dominate the screens Mid shots are used to good effect to show detailed movements of people in the video Long shots are used to capture an overall image of the narrative of the video Editing goes to the same speed as the beat of the song Fading is used when the music is at a slower tempo Speed of editing matches the narrative of the video e.g. if someone is angry the editing speed a quick, whereas if someone is sad the speed of the editing is slow
How are you going to meet these conventions in your video? Style (in-concert and as live footage; animation (stop motion, digital); interpretative; narrative;
impressionist; surrealist; pastiche; parody; referencing; homage)
Despite being an alternative rock song, we are not actually going to be including any live footage, but it will mainly be a narrative on some of the negative points in life. The lyrics will relate to the visuals throughout the song by walking through the town desolately, however it is slightly indirect as the character walking down the only road I've ever been down will not be lip-syncing to the lyrics too much in most shots. This is because we plan to have the character walking when the actual video is reversed, thus it is too hard to lip-sync backwards in this manner and will have to use a green-screen at certain points to mime this, by using a reversed background.
Costume The character in the video will be casually dressed in day-to-day outdoor clothing. So in this case he will be wearing a black leather jacket with a standard shirt and jeans. The clothing will not be too brightly coloured as the songs story is mainly focused on the negative points of life.
Lighting Since part the music video will be filmed outside, natural lighting will be used; and the greenscreened footage will contain the lighting in the studio. For the natural lighting, all recorded shots will have to be done in a short space of time to look in continuity.
Locations Henley-on-Thames Town The Henley College Studio in R115
Shot types Long-shots Mid-shots Close-ups Tracking-shots
Lyrics
Insert the song lyrics below
'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life Try to make ends meet You're a slave to money then you die I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet yeah,
No change, I can change I can change, I can change But I'm here in my mold I am here in my mold But I'm a million different people from one day to the next I can't change my mold No, no, no, no, no
Well I never pray But tonight I'm on my knees yeah I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now But the airways are clean and there's nobody singing to me now
No change, I can change I can change, I can change But I'm here in my mold
I am here in my mold And I'm a million different people from one day to the next I can't change my mold No, no, no, no, no I can't change I can't change
'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life Try to make ends meet Try to find some money then you die I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down You know the one that takes you to the places where all the things meet yeah
You know I can change, I can change I can change, I can change But I'm here in my mold I am here in my mold And I'm a million different people from one day to the next I can't change my mold No, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mold no, no, no, no, no, I can't change Can't change my body,
no, no, no
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down Been down Ever been down Ever been down Ever been down Ever been down Have you ever been down? Have you've ever been down?
Meaning of the song
Does the song have a meaning? If so, what is it? I think the overall meaning of the song is that life is a "symphony" of moments, some familiar and some unfamiliar, some wonderful and joyous but others painful or sad. Also in my opinion there's a subtext about the narrator considering the pure subjectivity of life and how we are each on our own solitary road, unable to veer off of it because whichever path we take, that is our own distinctive road always. He seems to suggest that he is forced to be "a million different people" through these moments of life that compose the "symphony," the moments always pushing him into some other version of himself but always a new version cast from that same "mold" of him that's forever on his own unique road. It's the only path he knows, the only way he knows to look at life and consider it.
How will your visuals relate to the song? (Illustrate, Amplify or Disjuncture) Firstly, the background will look like it is in reverse and the character will be walking forward discontentedly this illustrates the idea that the character is like an anomaly to the world, and just wants to try to make ends meet, but it clearly wont happen as he just can't change. Also instead of moving forwards in life, the reverse illustrates the way in which things are not developing, but rather going backwards instead which matches the mood of the lyrics and the disjuncture. Likewise, the mold is the unique road in which the character is taking, and cannot escape from it.
Script
Description of what will happen in your video inc. camera movements, angles etc
Page 1) EXT. HENLEY-ON-THAMES TOWN DAY Masking transitions of the clock being sped up in reverse that is time-lapsed at a low-angle. Fade to another time-lapse of the town shown in reverse, slowly zooming out, with people and cars moving around. Fade to a truck driving by in reverse, panning to the right.
INT. MAIN CHARACTERS HOME - DAY Roll transition to main character getting out of bed in reverse. Cut to main character walking down the stairs. Cut to main character picking up his jacket in reverse, which looks like it levitated towards his hand. He then puts it on.
EXT. HENLEY-ON-THAMES TOWN DAY Fade with bright colours and a Trapcode particle effect going left across the screen, with intro text and a background in reverse panning slowly left. Zoom blur to a radial blur of a sped up shot of walking towards the town centre. Fade to the camera panning downwards then doing a tracking shot of the main character walking forward towards the camera, beginning with another Trapcode particle effect going right. Everything is in reverse. Screen pumps and glows will be used to match the beat of the song. Cut to a tracking of the main characters feet walking towards the camera from a high-angle.
Page 2) Roll transition to the green screen footage of the main character lip-syncing the song, and the reversed background of the town. Lyrics and arrows will be displayed background for effect. Main character walks towards the camera. Cut to a right pan of the town roads in reverse, with a Chroma-keyed transition of a rocket taking off in reverse. Fade to the full rocket taking off in reverse with its original background. A low-opacity shot of the clock in the intro and the main character singing will be overlaid next to each other. A roll transition with brightness overlay added to a pan of the town in reverse which leads to the main character walking towards the camera. Cut to a tracking of the main characters feet walking to the right of the camera from a high-angle. Roll transition to the green screen footage of the main character lip-syncing the song, and the reversed background of the town. Lyrics and arrows will be displayed background for effect. Main character walks to the right of the camera. Masking transition to plane taking off backwards from a low-angle. Zoom blur transition to tracking shot of the main character walking forward, towards the camera. Everything is in reverse. Cut to glass of milk breaking in reverse from a low-angle. Cut to main character walking towards the camera and the background is animated. Roll transition to people walking by the camera, and cars crossing the bridge from a low-angle. Masking transition to main characters reflection, walking by the window in reverse. An old countdown will then be shown in reverse counting towards the next clip. Cut to main character walking towards the camera in reverse. Cut to right pan of the town, with effects added in the background.
Cut to main character walking to the left, as the animated lyrics appear behind him. Roll transition to a building demolition in reverse, from a lowangle. Fade to timelapse of clouds and the sun appearing, with a fade in and out of the main character. Cut to main character walking towards the camera and the background being animated. Roll transition to time-lapse of space from earth, from a low-angle. Cut to main character walking towards the camera and the background being animated with effects. Roll transition to zooming out of the main character walking towards the camera in reverse, then it fades to black.
Mood board
Create a mood board showing what look your music video will have. Add images showing ideas of mise-en-scene, characters, costumes and colours that will be present in the different shots.
This is an example of what the final visuals may look like. A dark colour correction is added to match the mood of the video. Also the letterbox style gives it a more professional look. The character will always be in the middle of the shot, and the people and cars in the background are just ordinary people who are not acting. The setting is around the Henleyon-Thames town where different spots will be used to add variation.
The Verve Bittersweet Symphony Music Video We are going to use the idea of the leather jacket for the costume, but keeping in mind that our music video is not based on the original, but instead adds a lot of other creative features such as visual effects; a different storyline; and reversed events.
Props List
What props / models / furniture etc will you need to make your music video?
Production Name: Bittersweet Symphony Music Video Producers: Andy Raynes and Harry Cowley
Item Camera
Script page All
Description Used to capture the footage Steady the camera movement Remove background in post-production For casual wear and symbolism
Character/location Harry / Henley-onThames Harry / Henley-onThames
Notes
Tripod
All
Green screen
Harry / Henley-onThames
Black leather jacket, dark clothing
All
Harry / Henley-onThames
Location recce
Complete the location recce
Town Centre Henley-On-Thames
Very spacious
Daylight, lampposts Yes Yes Y Y
Other people walking around
The Cowley Residence 22 St Marks Rd Henley-On-Thames 3 1-2
Very spacious
Light bulbs, natural light Yes Yes Y 5 2 3 Y Y
Roads outside
Shooting Schedule for production:
Week 1
Monday 8:45am 11:55am All of outdoor filming
Tuesday 12:55pm 3:55pm All of green screen filming
Wednesday N/A
Thursday N/A
Friday N/A
Saturday N/A
Sunday N/A
Call Sheet
VIIBE PRODUCTIONS @ The Henley College Production: Bittersweet Symphony Music Video Client Information: Locations: Henley-on-Thames Town The Henley College Studio in R115 Cast and Crew: Andy Raynes Harry Cowley Role: Phone Number: Cameraman, main editor 07776115183 Actor, equipment provider 07754319569
Production Requirements: - Camera - Tripod - Green screen
Brief: Filming a music video based on the roads of Henley-on-Thames, where one character is walking forward, but everything else is reversed
Other Information:
Risk assessment
Complete risk assessment for the shooting locations
RISK ASSESSMENT
ACTIVITY HAZARD RISK H/M/L PRECAUTIONS IN PLACE REVIEW DATE REVIEWER
Walking backwards
Tripping over, bumping into objects
Ensure path is clear before recording, and cameraman will give a signal when recording Check both sides when crossing
10/12/13
AR
Crossing roads
M Moving cars
10/12/13
AR
Please leave this section blank: Risk Assessment checked by: Name .. . Date
Signed
KEY:Activity :Describe the component part of your pursuit.Hazard : List the things you anticipate might cause harm or the things associated with your activity that have the potential to cause harm. Consider the likely harm. Risk: Assess the risk as either H (High), M (Medium) or L (Low). When concluding your assessment consider all of the circumstances. Precautions: Consider what you could do to minimise / negate the risk. In Place: Will the precautionary measures be in place at the time of the activity? Review Date: When would it be reasonable to review your assessment? Remember it might be whilst you are undertaking the activity. Reviewer: Name of the person responsible for completing the risk assessment. A copy of this form should be taken on the activity or visit by the Reviewer.
Clearances
Insert copy of email sent to record label requesting permission for the use of chosen song
