Ryan's Evaluation

Ryan Breeze P1-04 Evaluation

For our A2 coursework we had to make a music video and Digi-pack. As a group we decided to choose ‘Feist - I Feel It All’.

We looked into challenging conventions by making our music video like an audition. We decided to do this because we wanted to give a visually enhanced interpretation of an audition. We liked this idea because we thought the lyrics would link well with the visuals such as ‘I feel it all, I feel it all’ whilst paint is being thrown. Also we thought this idea would be completely original therefore making it interesting for first time viewers and humorous for repeated views.

The way in which we created this atmosphere of an audition isn’t conventional because we used a lot of hand held camera shots. We did this because it gives a sentimental amateur feel to the video; plus it makes you feel a part of the actual video, especially when the characters look into the camera. However we did also use a lot of over the shoulder shots with a tripod to retain the idea of an audition. This was to give the feeling of voyeurism because you are observing them from a far. We also had a lot of different camera angles such as pans and close ups so that we could cut between them to keep it interesting and moving. We used close-ups to so that the viewer can identify the artist like in Goodwin’s points. However Feist didn’t have any motifs like other artists such as Michael Jackson and his glove so we just used arrange over facial close-ups that highlight different parts of their face. Also whilst we were filming each other singing I filmed quite a lot of random footage like the stage lighting and the floor. I made the camera movement dynamic deliberately to continue with this theme of voyeurism and being in the video. I think this works really well especially the cuts between the stage lighting because this enhances the narrative of an audition in a quick amusing way.

In addition to the cuts of the stage lighting, we did that by cutting it to the melody of the song. This is very conventional of indie artists as Feist did it herself in her actual video because it helps keep the rhythm of the song. We used a lot of editing techniques to keep the atmosphere of the song reflected through the footage. This is clearly visible with the zoom out of Ram which fits perfectly with that section, as the song ascends to a climactic part where it says ‘I love you more’. However we put ironic piece of footage in there where James gets hit with a tier and pulls a little grin. This again works really well as it gives the sensation of a sub narrative between Ram and James because after this part he puts foam on her head. This creates a heart warming and sentimental feel to the video which would encourage our audience to watch this video again.

The mise-en-scene played a major part in enhancing this heart warming but yet oddly serial video through the use of our costumes. We made our auditionees wear all white and we made the backdrop white as well to capture that pure and innocents of the characters. This also created a feeling vulnerability where the audience can connect with the auditionees. Also the whole idea of paint being thrown at them is very metaphoric of the real pressures people have to face in an audition.

Our final product challenges conventions of Digi-packs because the photos and fonts are all interlinked with the video and advert. We did this because we wanted new fans as well as existing fans of Feist to be able to make the connection visually very quickly by seeing the DVD cover and instantly recognising it from the video. This is the same with the advert as we used the same font with the advert as we did with the Digi-pack to continue the idea of a series. The photos we chose were all from the same point in the video, where Ram has paint thrown on her because we thought this was the most iconic moment in the video. Another unconventional idea we had was to make the front cover and the back cover of the DVD loop round so when you turn the DVD cover round you would see Ram covered in paint which would be humorous for the consumer.

The feedback we received from the rest of the class was very mixed as some people missed the metaphoric narrative and but yet others really enjoyed it. However we took most of the feedback on board like ‘it needs more shot variation’ and ‘the digi-pack is too dark’. We thought it was very helpful as we missed some of these faults like the duration of some shots were too long and it became boring. So we re-shot some of our footage with more close-ups as it became apparent from our feedback that it is important to sell the artist. Plus we changed our digi-pack with different photos and fonts to make a bright and happy DVD cover which would interlink with the video. Some positive feedback we had which was really good was how arty they felt it was. This was another key aim for us as a lot of similar bands of this genre make their videos quite arty. Elbow are an example of this as they do this through there editing by repeating clips in ‘grounds for divorce’.

To develop and enhance our product we used a large range of new media products. The most common one we used was Blogger. Blogger was very useful with sharing ideas and illustrating them without the need for us to be in the same room. This helped us the most to develop our ideas as it enabled us to embed pictures or video clips from You Tube. We used You Tube a lot as well because we wanted to research about Feist and other similar artists to give us inspiration and to help us make a video that would suit our target market. Another new media technology we used was MySpace; we used this to contact Feist however we never received a reply. We also used a lot of computer application like Photoshop and Final Cut to make our products. However we had a great deal of difficulty with Final Cut because one of cameras wasn’t compatible with it so we had to keep rendering each clip when we moved it, this was very time consuming and led to difficulty with lip syncing.

We faced quite a few difficulties whilst making our video as we had problems with the different levels of quality from footage so we had to apply colour correctors in Final Cut to enhance them. Also we had problems during reshooting because it was hard recreating the same location as we weren’t able to book our previous location again. However the footage we reshot still worked really well and if we hadn’t of done it our video wouldn’t have been as good.

Overall I feel I have learnt a lot about music videos and how they are used to advertise the band through visual interpretations of the artist’s beliefs; plus how music videos are aimed at different audiences. I have also gained a lot experience with working in team and working off each other’s strengths. I have improved my Final Cut skills and I now feel comfortable creating a project individually. I’m really happy with the outcome of our final product especially the Digi-pack I think it looks very professionally done and it suits the video really well. I’m also very pleased with the video but the only thing I would change is some of the footage near the end where it loses the narrative with a pan of a chair. I felt this was too confusing and people wouldn’t understand its purpose. Also the reshoot footage of Ram wasn’t as good as the rest because she had to reapply the paint and the lip sync was a little out. But overall I think the product is very good and it would appeal to a large audience of diverse age range because of its sentimental and humorous properties. Plus I thought the visuals were really effective in capturing the melody and narrative of the song in an original and unusual way especially with the handheld camera work creating the idea of voyeurism and watching them as a member of the audience.

Commentary

James Heath Evaluation

For our music video we chose the song I Feel It All by Feist. We thought this song suited an indie audience so we felt a video with a low budget feel to it would be the right way to go. We went through the process of brainstorming ideas looking for something that would stick to certain conventions but also challenge them. We eventually settled on the idea of an audition, with different people singing the song whilst various things happened around them. We thought this challenged convention as it did not feature the artist and, unlike most music videos, would all take place in one location.

We wanted to make our music video feel very realistic and make it look like it was footage of a real audition compiled together to the song. We tried several techniques to make it look real and make sure people were aware they were watching a music video but being sucked into it at the same time.

We were very lucky to be able to book a local venue to shoot our video. We had access to spotlights and other kinds of stage equipment for our music video. The setup for our music video was very basic with just two sheets hanging and on the floor. We also used three different cameras so we could shoot multiple angles at the same time. This also helped us achieve the look of a fly-on-the-wall documentary style as other cameras can be seen in the background of certain shots. This is different to convention as most videos try to suck you into a fictional world of the song whereas we were trying to suck the viewer in to the real world of making our video.

Whereas our video challenged convention in quite a few ways our ancillary texts pretty much stuck to them. When researching the different genres we found some conventions that were true for certain types of music. Most Rap artists would have a very plain cover with either a picture of themselves or some sort of symbol they are associated with. Rock tend to go for a picture of the venue or the poster for the tour the live show was taken from and pop normally goes with the album cover. Indie artists were found to have some sort of artwork created either by a member of the group or someone close to them. We decided not to try anything fancy with our digipack cover as we thought it might be too much trying to market an indie artist in this way as it would be a bit too out different. We found that with real artists they tended to try something different like that once they had established a pretty solid fan base.

We did challenge convention in some ways though. We found when looking at real digipacks they very rarely linked directly to the music video and tended to link to the album cover or single. We used a particular image from our video for both the magazine advert and DVD cover.

It was an image of Ram, the girl from our video, covered in paint. We thought this was a great image to use as it was the climactic moment of our video and was also a really striking image. The white background as well as Ram’s white clothing really made the colours of the paint stand out on the page. We used a cropped version of the image for the magazine advert featuring just Ram. For our DVD cover we tried something a little more interesting using the whole image. The image has me throwing shredded paper at Ram covered in paint. We took this image and stretched it round from the front cover to the back cover. This worked really well as the front cover had me throwing the paper and the back cover had the image of Ram covered in paint.

The digipack we used as our final image wasn’t the first draft we had. We had originally done another one which we decided to improve on as it didn’t feature any of the visual links from the video or magazine advert or video and looked quite dark whereas the video was going for a light and nostalgic feel.

Our digipack and magazine advert received really positive feedback from our classmates as well as our teachers. This was a real boost for us as we had worked really hard on them to make them look really good and genuine. For our DVD cover we added some quotes from reviews of the artist we found on the internet. We also looked at how blurbs for digipacks were worded and tried to make ours similar. We also included the logos of the record label and distributor as well as an age certificate to make it look really genuine. With the magazine advert Sam did a really good job and editing the text to make it look like a real magazine advert by playing with font to emphasise certain words. A little blurb was included at the bottom of the magazine ad. The name of the artist is in bold to help people identify as well as the name of one our special feature ideas “Feist on Festivals”. He also included an ear to let people know where they could buy the DVD.

Our music video received mostly positive feedback but there was some negative feedback. Our classmates like the audition idea and thought we had filmed it really well. They also liked the mise-en-scene of the video and thought it looked very arty, which was great as this was something were trying to achieve.

The negative feedback was for things we were aware of but weren’t able to resolve in time for the deadline. One of the problems we had was the lip syncing was little out in some places. This was due to Ram filming some more shots without access to the song so her timing was a little off. We did manage to edit most of it to make it look good but we didn’t have time to finish it all as this footage was added at the last minute.

We were also told that the pace of the video slowed down in the middle. Again, this was something that we were aware of and we made efforts to fix. After our rough cut we realised that this section of the video needed a lot of work so went out and shot some more footage for the beginning and middle of the video. Unfortunately we weren’t able to get the same venue but we were able to find somewhere in college that looked similar so this worked out really well. In the final cut it is still a little slow but it’s a lot better than our rough cut.

We also had some problems with the footage from my camera. The video we had shot on my camera uploaded as a file that final cut didn’t recognise. This meant that we had to convert the footage using some software Ryan had which took some time. It also caused further problems once we got it into final cut. Every time we moved one of the clips, even a fraction of a second, we had to re-render it which cost us quite some time.

When it came to the software we were using we were quite advantaged as a group. Ram and Myself both study film studies so we have extra experience using Final Cut Express and Ryan and Ram both take photography so had more experience of using Photoshop. This made our editing quite a bit easier and we were able to try out new things we hadn’t done before. One thing we learned to do which we didn’t know about was the colour corrector tool on Final Cut. The school camera copied onto film whereas the other two cameras we used were digital so the saturation was a little different. We managed to fix it and now it isn’t noticeable in our final video.

We used other types of media to help with our research and planning. We used YouTube to look at existing videos and get some ideas of the type of things that are out there. We used Wikipedia to learn a bit more about the artist as well as similar artists we were researching, such as Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. On top of that we also used MySpace to try and contact the artist directly and tell her what we were doing, unfortunately we never heard back from her.

We kept track of all our progress using a blog which was really helpful as all our information was in one place which we could access from home as well as share easily with other. We had learned from previous experience that not planning enough could lead to problems later so we set out to plan as much as we could to make sure we were prepared. This was also good as sometimes we were all working on different things and this was a good way for us to share ideas. For example, Sam did lots of work on the magazine ad whilst myself, Ryan and Ram were editing. This allowed him to share his creative development easily with us. We worked well as a team like this, with all of us doing individual work and then bringing it all together at the end.

Overall I think we did a really good job and I am really pleased with the outcome. Throughout the process of making the music video I have learnt a few new tools on final cut express. I have also learnt that it always helps to plan as much as you can. This was a mistake I made last year so this year I fully prepared and it helped a lot. I also learnt that sometimes it’s best just to go with your instincts and that’s what we did for a lot of the shoot and ended up with some really great footage. In the future I would try to have a bit more time to shoot it and make sure we’ve got all the shots we need. I would also do multiple takes of everything as it always helps to have a choice for different shots.

Sam's Evaluation

The song we chose to create a product for was I Feel It All, by the folk pop singer songwriter Feist. She is well known for her ability to bring up feelings of nostalgia and happiness in her listeners, and this is something we aimed to achieve in our video.
This is the main convention of this genre, and we could identify this by watching previous videos by Feist, and other similar artists. This was one particular convention we didn’t want to challenge, but it was definitely something we wanted to include and develop in our video.
Our first initial idea was a lot more typical to the genre, strongly based around a linear narrative. The idea was to have a group of friends trekking through fields and forests etc, carrying instruments and other odd pieces of furniture, to then eventually set up at their destination and play the final chorus. This is similar to the video we ended up with, as they both start off slow, and build up to a big climax. This seemed the best way to get people excited, to want to keep watching the video to see what happens, and to thoroughly enjoy the end. Through this, audiences would see it, and show their friends; “You’ll never guess how this ends!” or “You’ll love the end of this video!”

Personally, my main inspiration for the video that we finished with was the video for “War of the Worlds” by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. In this video, the lead walks into a warehouse, where he sits and watches an installation being set up, while singing the lyrics. As the song gets faster, he gets more aggressive with his singing, and as the music hits its crescendo, the instalment, now fully set up, unleashes a barrage of lightning and paint.
This fit so well with the idea of a build up and climax, and sealed the deal for me in choosing what kind of video to make.
The audition idea came from a brainstorming session. I had put forward the idea that we each stand in front of a white sheet, while singing the song. When, for example, we sang the line “wings are wide”, a pair of makeshift cardboard wings would be hoisted up behind us, or feathers be thrown onto us. From this came the idea that we would try to make it as hard as possible for the person performing to do so, and the idea branched off of that. Throughout the whole though process, I was adamant that we keep it so we see the studio set up, maybe shots of clearing up afterwards. It was my hope that these shots would give the video its individuality, and make it seem more light-hearted and fun.
The initial shoot went well. We booked out the studio space at a venue in Cambridge, where I work, called the Junction. We set up some spotlights and hung a large white sheet from the ceiling (filming all the while), and placed our cameras on tripods around the room. We each then took it in turns to sing the song, while the others threw all manner of things at, on and over us, trying to make it as hard as possible.
We did two shoots for the first two members; one static, one closer up, and one final take for the climactic shot. We couldn’t do more than one shot for this, as paint would get on everything and we didn’t have spare costumes or sheets, so it was vital we got it right. One camera was knocked over halfway through this shot, but the particular member singing at this point took it upon herself to shoot some close ups later on, to fill any spaces out.
I think we achieved all our aims in the final product, though some of our initial ideas had evolved and changed over the research and development process, I don’t think any of these changes were bad.

Our auxiliary products followed the same processes as our video, as we though about them side by the side. Our original idea was twinned with a similar nature based auxiliary projects, photos of forests and sunny days etc.
As our ideas progressed, so did how we imagined our auxiliary products would look. Our final product, using the visual motif of one of our characters covered in paint, struggling to sing, managed to group together the feelings of nostalgia and light heartedness together, by using dark spaces together with the bright colours of the paints and fonts used.
The use of the visual motif was extremely useful to us, as it gave a recognisable link between all of our media products. Audience members would be able to see it as a series, a collectable must-have to an existing fan, a good place to start for a new one.
The motif we used was a very carefully chosen one. We wanted to capture the whole feel of the video, but also a good representation of the artist.
I think we manage both these things, as the image definitely gives a good idea of how the video is going to be.
I had made an earlier draft idea for the digipack cover; at the same time we made the magazine ad. This first attempt was moodier and more atmospheric (I was trying to capture what I had felt Feist’s previous products give off), but at the same time it lost the lighthearted fun the magazine ad had. So as a group we decided to mix both of these together, and we ended up with our final design.
I did have some doubts about the motif initially, I thought that it gave away our climactic seen, but the positives outweighed the negatives, and I decided that this particular image would attract more attention, and maybe the curiosity, of potential buyers.

We received feedback on numerous accounts. We originally had to pitch our idea, and we received feedback on that, which was really positive. We then had feedback on our rough-cut, which did have some minor problems. The main one was the lack of close ups, and variation in the quality of the shots;
“You could possibly use more close ups to cut the time of certain shots.”
“I do feel there are long sections of the video that are in long shot and these are not as satisfactory as the close ups and parts where things are happening”
The close up shots were a problem, so we went out and shot more footage, on the college site. Originally, we set out to film more performance shots, but being in a different location, even with the right equipment the lighting still wasn’t right. So instead, we filmed some “pre-audition” footage, to enhance the narrative.
There was also a problem with shot quality. Not that the footage we captured was bad, but we used three different cameras, so each had a different colouration. In our final cut, we ironed this problem out by altering the colour contrast and brightness.
There were also some issues with lip syncing, a lot of our shots were quite long, so it was difficult to see what being said, therefore difficult to match. With some extra time and effort, we able to sort these problems out too.
The fact we got feedback on so many occasions was tremendously helpful, we could see our peers as a sample of our target audience, and pitch our ideas to them. We acted on every piece of feedback we received, and our video was greatly improved because of this.
We also received feedback on our auxiliary products. This was the main reason our first draft digipack cover was re-done. We did initially have doubts about it, but with the help of peer feedback we were able to confirm and act on these, changing the font and making or cover more like that of the magazine ad.

Technology was an enormous help, throughout all of the production process. We used Adobe PhotoShop from the start, and on numerous occasions, preparing a mood board for our pitch, putting forward design ideas and editing and developing our magazine ad and digipack ideas. There was a brief period when we were planning on including animation in our video, but due to time constraints and the amount of time that would’ve taken, it was unfeasible. But PhotoShop would have definitely have been a major part in that process.
Using the Blogger website helped us share our ideas, and keep track on how far we were through production. It was also extremely helpful as it made it incredibly easy to give and receive peer and teacher feedback. We could look at other videos and comment and even get inspired by them, and have the same done to ours. The fact we could sign in and work from home was also extremely helpful. If I had got an idea at home, that I could have forgotten by the next time we had a lesson, I could log onto Blogger and write it down right at that moment.
We used YouTube to research and watch Feist’s previous work and videos, to get ideas from them, and try to use these in our own video. We used it to research similar artists too, like Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, and the video I talked about earlier. Without YouTube, we might never have gotten that idea in the first place.
With Final Cut, along with the many, many upsides to the program, there was one quite large technical hitch for our group. One out of three of our cameras footage wasn’t recognised by the program and was unusable, and at one point it seemed like we’d have to re-shoot. This wasn’t something we particularly wanted to do, especially seeing as it was a majority of our video, and being unable to book out the Junction again, we couldn’t have that footage in a different location. We were able, after three days of editing as best we could without that vital footage, to convert these files so we could use them in the program. That being the case, we still had to render these files every time we moved our edited them in anyway, which meant watching a two to fifteen minute loading bar, depending on how big the change to the footage was, every few minutes, which was a massive hindrance while editing. We persevered, and we managed to get our final cut in by the deadline.

In conclusion, I am extremely pleased with how this project went, and even though we hit barriers, some small and some high, we managed to get what I think is a pretty decent final set of media products completed, with the help of peer feedback, new media technologies and teamwork.