Final production and analysis

 

Above is our finished music video for the song Frauds by Scarlet Harlots.

Looking through the marking criteria for my media text I can see i need to show a lot of technical skills that I included in my media, and below is a few more interesting examples of these.

• Framing a shot,including and excluding elements as appropriate:

• Using a variety of shot distances as appropriate:

• Selecting mise-en-scene including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting:

• Using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task ("name dropping"):

Re-shooting, re-editing

Once we had shown the rough cut and got our feedback, the next step was to update our video using criticisms and postitive feedback we were given.

No one commented on individual clips they disliked, instead giving positive feedback on select clips such as close ups on the masks whilst infront of the garages, and the chorus. This influenced us to not go and film anymore clips, especially as we have a lot of scenery and other smashing shots on our computers ready to fill any gaps in the video. Instead we decided to focus more on the editing.

Again the editing recieved a lot of positive reviews, as people were fond of the quick pace and special effects. We decided to use more effects such as 'solarise' to keep the video varied (seen above), as well as adding in more of the popular effects including 'mirroring'. We also sorted out the audio issues quickly, simply clicking on the speaker off button for the whole of audio layer 1 and keeping the second, as you can see below:

     

As you can see the editing and alterations I have made to my video are not very big problems, which leads me to believe that all previous work on things such as storyboards and shooting were effective, and have made the process of re-editing much easier than I first thought.

Rough cut feedback

Once we managed to put our video onto the blogger and youtube we also put it on facebook, as you can see from the screenshot below. We used facebook to get feedback from people online we knew that did media studies, from here and different schools.

As you can see from the above screenshot we did get a bit of feedback on Facebook, most of it positive online mentioning that the editing for the chorus was good, and the music matched the video well. Feedback from my family and girlfriend was also positive. They liked the way the story was structured, the way the masks left the characters annoymous, the use of effects and certain camera angles shown to the left. Negative feedback was a lot more constructive however, as we showed the video to a lot of media students at school who were very critical. Most of their issues with the video was about the audio heard in the background that is non-diagetic to the video. This will be easily corrected, however we still want the sound of the television smashing at the end of the second verse, so will have to work around that. There are a couple of editing errors that also need to be corrected, and most feedback was about including more effects, as music videos feature a lot of special effects to make the video more interesting to the audience. Apart from these few corrections though I am proud of how our video looks so far. 

Rough cut

Below is the rough cut of our final product. We found several things wrong with it when watching back such as other sounds apart from the audio tune in the background, and missing ut on some effects in the chorus. The next step will be to get feedback and corret our mistakes for the final product:

Editing and description of process

We started editing the footage we got from Upwood a while ago on Premiere Pro CS4, gradually filling in bits as we got more film. The biggest problem that arose was actually syncing the footage to the track. The first verse is a build up, as reflected in our rough cut, then the second verse is more explosive, before the third verse is calmer before the last chorus. Our original storyboard didn't take this into account, so when we started editing the second and third verses were originally the other way round. We easily corrected this, whilst filling in the other verses; however the timing of each verse/chorus was more difficult to sync to the track. The opening and closing credits were made easily on Premiere Pro, as was adding the dissolving effect used at the beginning and end. Our other effects include a mirroring, which shows the same clip four times on the screen, and a brush stroke effect. These two effects fit in with the music video style, and the brush stroke perfectly ties in with our brand for Scarlet Harlots. For the chorus we wanted something fast and continuous, such as other artists artists tracks we looked at in research and planning. We filmed one continous shot of us moving around the TV before cutting it up, and then speeding up the clips, as we did with much of the other footage in our video to fit it in and create a sense of speed that the song does.

Description of days filming

Looking back over my blog it is hard to distinguish when we went filming and what we achieved so have decided to summarise our filming here.

The first time we went down to Upwood was obviously a location scout, where we took lots of pictures and made a mental map of the place so we could draw up a shot list. We took the bat incase we wanted to film anything, but a member of the cast broke it so we had to replace it with a metal pole we found through the video.

The second time we filmed the middle of the video, as well as some of the shots from the last verse including the long corridor one. This day of filming was difficult as just before we left we established the content of the storyboard for this verse would not fit in with the music, as the last verse is slower than the second. We decided to improvise and film the characters smashing everything up in the second verse, before then having the third verse slow as the characters run to escape what they have done.

The third time we went to Upwood we filmed the first verse and last shots. This went a lot smoother and the storyboard and shot list made this day so easy we were done in about an hour. We continued to get more shots that wern't on the storyboard incase we needed anymore footage, but whilst editing we found we already had tons of shots. Below is some pictures of us filming during this filming session:

Filming the chorus yesterday was also easy. I had a clear idea how the chorus should look thanks to the use of effects we found on Premiere Pro CS4, so the shots were easy to create, especially in school, and didn't take too long either.

Filming and editing

Yesterday we filmed the bits missing from the verses and the end, and filming went very smoothly due to us using our storyboard and shot list effectively. All that is left now is the chorus, and we plan to film this tomorrow in order to get all our clips done. Today I started editing our piece together on Premiere Pro CS4 (shown below on the left), and already the music video is taking shape. Here we found an effect that would suit the chorus too called 'brush strokes' also fitting in with our brand identity. When editing I made a timeline to know what part clips need to go in different bits of the song, and this is very helpful as we have so much footage I would not know what clips go in at certain times. We got the track off a youtube to mp3 converter on the internet, and I am just putting the basics of the clips together at the moment before adding effects later on. Below on the right is the basic timeline I made.

Filming Again and shooting the ending

Yesterday the weather wasn't right and one of our cast members car had to go for it's MOT, so unfortunately filming didn't happen as we couldn't all fit into one car. We have re-scheduled filming again, and up to the time when we film our group will discuss more shots we could get and look over the shot list and storyboard to ensure filming goes as smooth and as quick as possible. I have been editing the footage we already have and have noticed gaps in the story, and more angles to get when filming. Below is a shot-list summary of clips we will be re-filming and adding in when we go back to RAF Upwood:

More specifically I have been thinking how to end the video, as there is a very strong storyline to it. I think an appropriate ending of the characters leaving their masks and sense of anarchy behind, would be fitting for the song, so I added this onto the end of the storyboard and will film it tomorrow.

Filming tomorrow

With the rough cut now finished tomorrow we will travel down to RAF Upwood, hopefully for the last time as the deadline looms closer. It is the only day this week when all of our cast are available to film, so we have discussed costumes again for continuity, props, and taking all appropriate parts of the storyboard and shot lists. We are hoping that shooting will not take long, and once this is done we can edit together our film for the final product. We will take more pictures of us filming tomorrow.

Rough cut not ready

After working all day on our rough cut it still wasn't ready for our teacher to see because we took so many clips, but instead we used the time to be finishing this film and established shots we needed to get next time we go filming. Hopefully we will only need to go back one more time to get the shots we need, then will have to find somewhere more local to film the chorus.

However, we showed the teacher our digipack, which he said was excellent, and commented that we had to make sure brand awareness linked all of our three tasks, in order to achieve a high grade we desire. So far we have the running theme of masks that link our medias:

How filming went

Tomorrow in lesson we will create a rough cut of the important smashing scenes of our video, and will show them to a teacher from another school coming in to help us. It will be good to fit the video in with the last verse of the section of music, to see if the video will look professional and fit in with brand awareness and knowledge. Feedback from another teacher will help us to see if anything is missing, but it is difficult as we do not have all the video to show him yet. We got permission from the farmer to use RAF Upwood once down there, and he told us that there was no danger in asbestos in certain buildings so we used these for the smashing scenes.

Organisation and explanation of cast, props and locations

This Friday we will go down to RAF Upwood and film the smashing sections of our music video, as all the cast have a day off from school that day. We will take two cars with the cast in, and will take all the props needed including costumes, bat, masks, and use the storyboard and shotlist to film the end of the video while we have everyone together. When getting to the location there should be no one there, but incase there is, we will ask the farmer permission to film. Everyone is bringing their own costume and I will bring the masks, and after shooting we will arrange the next time people can go down and film.

Risk assessment

• camera must be held out the window of car while filming the middle of the road - have to hold the camera very safely and get the minimum amount of film that we can in order to protect the schools resources.


• must use the bat appropriately for the film - when we started filming someone swung the bat around and broke it on a wall, so from then on we had to use a metal pole for the main character to carry around, this being more dangerous than a bat. I used the pole safely to make sure no one got hurt.


• when smashing things such as the TV and clock the camera man and person smashing the item have to be careful. We are lucky because the characters wear masks and hoods so are protected of a sort, but whoever is filming will also have to cover up, and stay as far away from the item being broke as possible.


• where we are filming is an abandoned RAF base, and the village is smashed up and wrecked already, giving us a perfect setting to smash our items up. Once the items are broke we need to clean it up and throw the TV and clock in the skip. We have to be careful were we stand as there is smashed glass all over the floor and rooms burnt out, but we can all wear thick shoes and big coats to protect ourselves.


• the masks themselves will restrict our vision, so we have to be careful when running and especially smahsing things. In some clips, where our backs are turned to the camera, we could not wear the masks as long as no one turns around.
  
  

Location and shot list

Below is the location and shot list I wrote up after visiting RAF Upwood on a location scout:

We will take these when we go to film as a reference to where we need to shoot, and will speed up the whole filming process hopefully.

New storyboard

With our new idea and location for our music video we needed a new storyboard. We wanted to get across the threat and danger of these people with masks on that are 'Frauds' and build tension that they could be capable of anything, before finally showing them losing the masks to return to normal everyday life. The storyboard took a couple of drafts as ideas for different angles kept coming into our heads, but I finally drew up this one which we will follow when filming:

A change of direction and another location scout

Looking back over the last section of filming we did, we decided that the typical chase through school corridors was too predictable, so we have decided to make a new video somewhere unique in an abandoned RAF village called Upwood. Our new ideas came to us on this first location scout to RAF Upwood. We decided to keep the masks and Frauds concept, just continuing the story we made in our first filming session in a new place that would be more interesting for the audience and examiner.

This one of the bigger manor houses in RAF Upwood. The deserted houses were all used for something when the RAF were there, and I am guessing this one was used for people to live in, due to the many rooms, kitchen and dining areas. The houses all look posh, perfect for the scenes where we are then smashing them up; and some don't look deserted when just walking past them, adding to the effect of us breaking things in them.

Inside the houses are burnt and already destroyed, with rubble on the floors and graffiti on the walls. As you can see the corridors are quite dark, so filming in them will be difficult to get clear shots. We could use the light through windows, or perhaps film from the outside - in. The masks will restrict our view too, so we will have to be careful and plan a safe route through the path we will go on.





I think a shot walking up to the houses would look good as you can really see how derelict and dangerous this area is. An over the shoulder shot would look very effective, or a shot like this photo, and I think we will not use an establishing or long shot in order keep the mystery about this place to the audience.




This is another corridor shot, but this room had a lot more natural light coming in through broken windows. These corridors are very narrow, this presenting even more problems for filming, as we may have to use more over the shoulder shots and close ups, however this would not keep the audience entertained so we will have to find ways of getting other shots.





Larger rooms like this are a lot easier to film in, as there are no restrictions to where or what we can do. People have already smashed everything up in these larger rooms, so will look already destroyed in the video. Natural light will again some through these windows, and creates a natural setting for a shot.





This is one of the bathrooms near the cafeteria area. The tiles are smashed and laid all over the floor, and the ceiling is decrepid and falling down. Although the lighting and mise en scene in this room is perfect, the graffiti is offensive, therefore we must be careful when filming that offensive language is not in the back, as music videos do not have this.

Website: The finished website

The website is now finished, and the end product can be found at this web address:
http://scarletharlotsweb.weebly.com/

The only problem with this link is that it dosen't include the music player due to the school having to pay money to include this feature. In the draft I made sure to include a picture of what it looked like, and the song uploaded was Backlash. Below is a picture of what the website looks like online:

Website: Making the website

Making the website began with choosing a background and then creating pages that would appear in the toolbar across the top of the page such as Home, News, Gallery and Forum. These links are essential to navigating throughout sites of other bands websites, so will look professional on ours. Next I made the 'Product Block' that contains the picture of the CD available to buy and a buy it now button to purchase the CD online. Creating the audio player was difficult, but eventually I managed to upload a track onto it -Backlash, however due to having to pay for the use of this online, it will not appear on the finished website.










The main photo was taken in one of our schools recording studios,and after adding effects in photoshop and the logo, the following picture will be used:













After adding this picture, and the littler one of the CD cover in the product block, the website is completed. I think it looks professional and like others that we have studied, therefore it is appropriate for our target market. It also informs and shows who the band are, with reviews of the current CD from current magazines.

Website: Another photoshoot

In order for us to have continuity and brand identity across all of our three pieces of media, (video, digipak, website) we need to have some areas that overlap and associate with the Scarlet Harlots brand we have created. On the website I have decided to have a big picture of the characters in the masks that will feature in our music video, as this is a strong image that people will easily be able to associate the song and band with. Therefore we need some new pictures, as you can see.



To keep brand identity with our albums theme of animals, we decided to have paper swans hanging off the ceiling, as you can see in the above picture of me hanging them up.

On the left you can see how light was affecting our picture, as you cannot clearly see the mask, therefore brand identity would have not been very clear.



Tony and Kiel decided to go outside so that reflective light was hitting my mask and the birds, however the background of the music recording studio was a big problem.







Tony decided to try something else, so he laid on the floor to get a camera angle that would put me in a powerful position. From this angle the birds are clear to see, and we think this photo includes everything we would need for a website picture. All we need to do now is apply effects in photoshop and add a logo and text for it to be ready for the webpage.

Digipak: Finshed Digipak

This first three sections of my digipak consists of the backcover on the left, front cover in the middle, and back of the cd section on the right.

These sections consist of the three middle sections that fold out. The left side would be on the back of the front cover, the middle section would have the backcover on the back, and the cd section would hold the CD and have the picture of the crocodile on the back. We decided not to have a spine as the CD would be made of thin cardboard and there would be no room.