Print Productions Planning // Print Productions Outline & Vinyl Research

Now that I have completed and uploaded my music video, I am moving on to the next stage of the process, producing a Digipak and promotional poster to promote our music video artists. The digipak can be CD, vinyl or even tape format, so long as it incorporate at least 4 panels, which will be designed in Adobe Photoshop. I have decided to produce a vinyl sleeve for the artist, as I feel it most accurately reflects the independent target audience of his music. This does require a little more work and research than a typical  CD Digipak, but I feel it will be worth it as it better appeals to the target audience of my artist.. 

Record sleeves come in several basic formats, including 2-sided sleeve, 4-sided Gatefold LP, 6-sided Double LP and Box-Set. The properties of each are as Follows:

Music Video Research // Genre Theory in 'Toro Y Moi- How I Know' and other texts

For this case study I will be analysing primarily the music video for the song 'How I Know' by Toro Y Moi as well as several other relevant texts. Toro Y Moi is one of the pseudonyms used by American recording artist and producer Chaz Bundwick. He is well known as one of the originators of the electronic sub-genre of Chillwave, a stylistic combination of Lo-fi production, eighties synthpop and use of effects similar to that in the genres of Shoe-gaze and psychedelic. It is a genre that heavily utilises nostalgia and retro appeal, as part of the eighties revival of the 2000's, and this can be seen reflected in the style of the video.

Music Video Research // Narrative Theory in 'alt-J-Breezblocks' and 'Here We Go Magic-Hard To Be Close'

This is the music video for the song 'Breezeblocks' by British Alt-rock band Alt-J, which was released on 18 May 2012 on Infectious Music. They are a critically acclaimed band, having won the mercury prize in 2012 for their debut album 'An Awesome Wave', the BBC Radio 6 Music Album of the Year 2012 and 2013 Ivor Novello award, as well as receiving nominations for 3 Brit Awards. The video itself won a UK Music Video Award (UKMVA) for "Best Alternative Video" on 8 November 2012. In this post I will explore the narrative theory behind the music video, in order to gain a greater understanding of narrative conventions of the form and of the music video itself. As you will see, this music video sophisticatedly uses a range of narrative techniques and film language to add to audience appeal, and construct a very clever and creative representation. 

Music Video Research // The Use of Media Language in 'LCD Soundsystem-Daft Punk Is Playing At My House'

Before I continue to plan my music video proper (planning is already underway), I will have a little look at how generic conventions and media language are used, abused and explored in a real life media text.

LCD Soundsystem-'Daft Punk Is Playing At 

My House' (Director: Chris Cairns)

Music Video Planning // Completed Storyboard

Suede Storyboard by LarsosMedia

This is the completed storyboard I have produced for the music video I am making for the song 'Suede' by Vanilla as part of my A2 course. It has and will continue to be useful for my planning as it allows me to see exactly what kind of shots I am going to get, as well as any actors, locations, props etc. that I'll need to arrange for the shoot to be of highest quality. It also proves useful on set, removing the need to come up with shots on the spot, making the shoot more efficient, but also allowing you to put more thought into the shots themselves which improves greatly the overall quality of the video.

Extra-Curricular Work // World Service

As part of a recent project, I helped produce this short film, concerning the ways in which my home town of Norwich and the lives of its citizens are intrinsically linked with the rest of the world. This project was a smaller, personal project that arose from a participant in the BBC's World Service, where journalists from across the world spend a week with the BBC, and learn a little more about their style of journalism. One of the visiting journalists, a Jordanian man named Samer Sadoon had the basic idea for the film after hearing stories of Norwich's once mighty wool trade, which spanned the world, and was inspired to make the film. He spoke to me about his ideas and we came up with a plan of action. I shot the whole film, which was mainly shot in Norwich Cathedral, where the group was mainly based for the day. I got as many shots as I could, as aesthetically pleasing as I could and as relevant as I could. I feel that the shots were pretty good for the most part, although I was dissapointed with the instability of the shots. There was an issue with the stabiliser on the camera, meaning that many of the shots, had a shake that was either accentuated, or present when it shouldn't have been. Unfortunately, I was only with them fro one day, so was unable to get any more shots, or to edit or write the film, so these were done by other members of BBC Voices. Overall though I was impressed by the editors skill at managing to create a story with the shots I'd got that at least resembled the film Mr. Sadoon wanted to make.

Extra-Curricular Work // Introduction + BBC Voices

For the past 7-8 months, I have been working in BBC Voices, a local outreach division of BBC East, based in Norwich, itself a division of the World renowned BBC corporation. Whilst there, I have helped in the production of many films, taking part in the writing, directing, editing, shooting and distributing stages of their production. I will be posting the highlights of my continued work, quickly explaining the basic ideas and context surrounding them, how I have contributed to them and my thoughts and feelings on what I have created.

Music Video Planning // Planning Update: 18/09/2014

Fantastic News!

Although I had already begun to go ahead, my planning may continue as I have received a very lovely, very supportive email from the artist personally. It read:

"Hi Lars

Thanks for getting in touch, apologies for the slow reply. It sounds like an interesting project, I would be happy for you to use the track for it. 

There’s not really too much background info to the track, it’s built around a sample by a band called ‘Swade’ and I just wanted to make something that incorporated those 80s funk elements with a contemporary twist. I guess it’s the kind of track that could sound good when driving around at night.

No worries about money or anything like that, hope you manage to use it and feel free to send it to me if you do, would love to see it!

Cheers

Hugo / Vanilla"

This is a big step in the right direction for the music video as I know get on in the confidence that its use is allowed and with renewed enthusiasm in the knowledge that I have the seal of approval from the grandmaster behind the magnum opus that is my track. Onwards! (for the second time).

Music Video Planning // Final Song Choice REVISED (11/09/2014)

After evaluating all of my possible ideas and routes through the production of a music video and after lengthy discussion with my Media Studies tutor, I have finally decided on a song that I shall use for the production (for the second time). The song that I have decided to use is the Track 'Suede' by British hip-hop producer Vanilla. My reasons for changing my planning can be found here.



I felt that This track was the most appropriate choice for producing a music video as it was well produced, vibrant, uptempo and had several shifts in mood that would be appropriate for the idea I have had. In addition, it has the benefit of being a track by an unsigned British artist, meaning it fits the criteria for the course! I have now contacted the artist directly, explaining the project and asking for permission to use the track. 

The email asking for permission to use the track

I now feel very confident about the year and look forward to the planning and actualization of my vision and ideas!

Music Video // Revised Planning (04/09/14)

Following recent developments in relation to the projected production of the music video and its accompanying promotional material, I have decided to explore other options for this task. Once I have fully developed my new ideas, I will evaluate the possibilities and decide whether or not to go with my possible changes or to stick with my previous plans.

Before the start of my summer break, I was a part of a group with 2 other students and built my previous planning around collaboration with the rest of the group and their respective tastes, ideas and talents. Unfortunately, my two partners have chosen not to continue media studies into A2, leaving me to produce this piece on my own and without the collective skills and resources that made my original plan both so appealing and so easy to make. Without the help and support of the two other students, the plan could run into some issues, both in terms of quality and of time keeping, an important aspect of film-production. With these concepts in mind, I wish to realistically assess my options and hopefully come up with an idea for a music video that is more realistically achieveable with my available resources.

Luckily, I had already begun to form a separate concept in my head for a music video and its accompanying music video.