Evaluation Q4: How do you think your prelim experiences will impact your approach to next terms music video coursework?

An example of a beauty shot

Doing this prelim has made me aware of many aspects of music video production that I may not have been aware of before. For example, doing this project has made me confident enough to consider performing myself in my own music video. It has also made me more comfortable and confident around the equipment in the studio such as the cyclorama and the sound desk. I have also developed my styling abilities through this project by helping to create my own costume. This made me realise how much of a bearing costume can have on the overall look of a music video and has made me want to chose a style for my own music video which is bold, yet does not distract from the performance of my actors. This project has also helped me see the music video conventions that I have learned in action. For example, I learnt that beauty shots are an essential part of any music video as they showcase the main character within the video; allow the audience to get a closer of their make up/costume and also break the fourth wall of the video, making it more personalised for the watcher. Below I have listed some of the essential things that I have learnt from this prelim:

Pre-production

• Have a clear idea of what type of music video you wish to make. This includes genre which will affect all decisions made for my music video such as setting, styling and artistic choices. 
• Decide which characters will be in your music video and how you will characterise /style them in order to suit your chosen genre.
• Arrange rehearsals for your actors so that they have an opportunity to grasp what will be required of them on the day.
• Have lists detailing everything that will be required for any of the actors i.e costume lists and make up lists. 
• Have a very detailed call list/ shoot schedule so that all parties know where they have to be and when. This should also include the numbers of all crew members in case of an emergency.

  

  A picture of our call sheet

Production

• Aim to start production early in the morning to prevent having to rush the shooting process.
• Use a variety of shots in order to create a more interesting looking music video, whilst also keeping to their conventions. For example, use some close up beauty shots of the actors within the music video in order to showcase the actor and their make up/ costume, whilst also providing shot length variety. 
• Use a variety of lighting settings to take advantage of the many capabilities of the sound desk.
• Ensure that your actors actually sing along to the song when shooting in order to stimulate the movement of neck muscles for a more authentic look.
• Make sure that you encourage and praise your actors as it can often be a daunting an tiring experience.                                                                                                                              
 



An overview of our production space 

Post-production

• Create an editing scheduel for all members of your group.
• Edit in a non-linear fashion in order to adhere to music video conventions
• Grade your footage according to the music genre of your choice so that it may be easily identifiable.  
• Sequence shots in a rapid, montage style in order to prevent audience members from being able to concentrate on one element of the footage for too long. This variety creates a more interesting look and sticks to music video conventions.
• No need to edit shots in a continuous fashion. In fact, it is better if it is not done this way as the cuts appear more dramatic.

A picture of my groups edit week 2 schedule 

Overall, completing this prelim has been an invaluable experience and has made me even more excited to create my own content in the future.