Timeline

The nature and purpose of research in the creative media industries

Storyboard

Synopsis

Risk Assessment

Location release, reccee and performer releases

Research and Planning

Research and Planning

Over the years that Two Door Cinema Club have been a band, their physical appearance has drastically changed over the years. Alex Trimble, the main vocals and rhythm guitar, has gone through three stages of his appearance, he started with the original Justin Bieber haircut and had long hair with a fringe swept to one side, then when the band released their second album 'Beacon' he had scrapped all that and gone for a quiff, but once their third studio album 'Gameshow' was released his hair had grown out again and down to his shoulder. The bands main guitarist, Sam Halliday has kept the same image through the times, beside having hair more swept to the side. The bands third and final member Kevin Baird who plays the bass, has changed from having a beard with medium hair, to having a skinhead with a longer beard. The clothes that the band wears varies as they can been seen wearing, shirts, blazers, hoddies, cardigans, leather jackets, polos, denim, t-shirts and tank tops. Through the years the band has also kept the same three core members, with them adding an extra two members for when they go on tours. The tone to their videos is usually brightly coloured with it being set in daytime, or using a white background with bright colours in the foreground to help them stand out. The only videos that don't fit this tone are 'Sleep Alone' as the video uses a paranormal/eerie tone to it with the band not knowing whats going on and other weird things happening to them. Another one of their videos that steps out of their norm is 'Changing of the Seasons' due to it being all in  black and white. The final video is 'Undercover Martyn' which has them put up against a black background for the whole video, this video does however use colour in certain parts. Their videos use many different locations for filming, some videos are filmed out in every day streets, other are filmed in houses or singular rooms, more are filmed in studios that use solid colour backgrounds, they also use places such as woods and finally they have even filmed on a pier for their song 'Sun'. Not many of their videos contain a narrative to go along with the music, some parts of their videos may be derived from the lyrics to have a simple interpretation, many of their music video will also contain sections which have them performing live, and in some cases in front of an audience, and can also contain choreographed dancers. They also don't include the two members that they tour and record with in their music videos, unless is them live in concert, other then that type of music video it is the original three members.

Music Videos: Styles, Conventions and Techniques

Styles, Conventions and Techniques

There are many different types of styles, conventions and techniques used for producing a music video. 

The first type of style is in-concert and 'as live' footage. These types of videos show the band/artist playing a live performance, whether it be an actual concert or a set-up one for the purpose of the video. 

This video is Elvis Presley performing his song 'In the Ghetto' in front of a live audience in a concert, this fits the description as he would have had to sing this live and without being able to lip sync like they do in regular videos as because he is live there wouldn't be time to edit the song so that his lyrics match up with the video.
This video is performed by Live and it is them performing live, however they are live in the video not in an actual concert so it plays in with the narrative of the music video. The are performing live among the people who are acting for the narrative of the music video which is people running away from a flood in a city.

The next type of music video styles is narrative and interpretive. The videos that use narrative are for the videos t have a story to the lyrics for the audience to follow. This can be a literal follow from the lyrics or it can be more interpretive, taking  cue from the lyrics sung but instead developing out from there.
 
This song 'Cool' performed by Gwen Stefani is a narrative music video as it follows her meeting her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, while the two of them reminisce about their past together with constant reminders of what their relationship was like by the interactions between the boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
The video for this song 'Try' by P!nk is an interpretive music video as their is no oveall story to go with the song instead what is happening in the video is pulled from the lyrics so this video follows what looks to be a domestic abuse relationship on both sides with the two of them abusing each other and then making up again to pretend that nothing has happened between them.

The next type of style is surrealist which are video that are often surprising and unconventional, and have very little relationship with the lyrics on a narrative level.
This video 'Come to Daddy' is surrealist as none of the video is derived from the lyrics as the video is made up of an old woman with her do, a face coming through a television and adults dressed up as little girls running around a council estate and the surrounding areas.

The next type of music video is impressionist which try to capture the emotional tone of the music rather than a meaning from the lyrics. This is seen to make the video more 'artistic'.
This video 'Hey There Delilah' by the Plain White T's is impressionist as the video has no literal meaning with the lyrics besides the video including what is assumed to be a couple in a long-distance relationship. This video sets the tone as the video follows the girl in the relationship showing how lonely and the better life her boyfirend is trying to accomplish for them. This video could also be seen as artistic as the two white strips at the top and bottom of the video could be interpreted as being a polaroid picture.

The next type is intertexual, which includes synergy, allusion, pastiche, parody and homage. Synergy is when the music video will have references to whatever source material it is related to. Allusion is when it alludes to another media text, event, person or historical or cultural reference. Pastiche is a light hearted interpretation of another artists style. Parodys 'poke fun' at the original subject matter and homage pay respect to other influences.
This song 'Beauty and the Beast' performed by Ariana Grande and John Legend ties in which the live action remake of the film of the same title by including characters from the films such as the beast, Belle, Mrs.Potts and Chip. The dancers in the music video are choreographed to form arounf Ariana in the shape of a rose which is a huge plot point throughout the entire film.
This video of 'Shape of You'' by the Key of Awesome is a parody of the song originally by Ed Sheeran. Its parody as the video is pretty much identical to the original source material but the lyrics to the song are different and pokes fun at things that don't really make sense with the orginal song and video.

The next type of music videos are animation which are videos that are wholly or partly animated in some way whether it be traditional animation, 2D animation, 3D animation, motion graphics or stop motion.
  
This video by 'Tech Noir' by GUNSHIP is an animation as the majority of the video is claymation so it would be stopmotion animation as the characters have to be set into each position very slowly to make it look like they are moving naturally. This video does also include live footage but as the majority of the video is animated it will be classified as animation.

The next type of music video is a technique which is lip-sync and includes miming and playback. This is when a performance video may require the artist to mime the lyrics so they appear synced to the track. Lip-syncing to a playback for more narrative-based music videos is also common. Sometimes the speed of the song is changed when filming for various effects.
This song 'Streets of Philadelphia' by Bruce Springsteen is different in that while filming the video only the instruments were used as a backing track while the vocals were recorded on a microphone that was attached to the singer. This is lip-synced as the singer didn't sing this at the time of filming, the vocals were matched in editing to go along with his lip movements.

The next type of techniques is from editing as music video are often edited in interesting ways, sometimes even challenging the conventions of classic continuity editing. The first type of editing is cutting to the beat, this is cutting the shots to match the beat of the music which helps establish a rhythm to the edits.
This video by LMFAO performing 'Sexy and I Know It' is cutting to beat as the choreography and the transitions between shots is matched to the beat to make the video more appealing to the audience.

The next type of music video is post-production effects. Visual effects are used for a number of reasons, the first is that the artist may want to enhance and impress the audience into watching if the effects are cutting edge. They could also be used to attract a slightly different audience if the effects are interesting, mesmerising or complex. The effects that are used should suit the genre of the music video.
 
This song 'Leave me Alone' by Michael Jackson is post-production effects as although parts of the video uses chroma key (green screen) large parts of the video is post-production effects to coincide with the green screen effects and impress the audience in a large way.

The next type of technique is split screen, this is when multiple images of different events are shown on screen at the same time. Split screen is different to multi-imaging but is the modern equivalent as non-linear editing makes the process more efficient.

This video 'Sugar Water' by Cibo Matto is split screen as it uses two different videos along side each other for the entire video. It shows two different lives of two women who have completely different lives.

The next type of technique is chroma key which is footage shot in front of a green screen or blue screen and the unwanted block colour area behind is removed (chroma keyed) out so that the second images, layered behind, is visible.
This music video for 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' by Michael Jackson uses a green screen to have the background made up of changing colours and floating shapes behind the artist. Its also used to different places for him to dance in and at one point in the video post-production effects are used to have three singers in the video.

The next type of camera technique is camera movements. This can include pans, tracking shots, tilts and crab shots to show movement. This can create flow and excitement for the audience.
This song 'I Too Deep' by Sum 41 comes under camera movements as it includes multiple types of camera movements right from the beginning such as pans, tracking shots and tilts.

The final type of technique is camera angles and shot types. By using various shot lengths and angles, a filmmaker can create meaning and tone within a media text. Shot variation can also show different elements of mise-en-scene.
This song 'All Star' by Smash Mouth uses multiple different camera angles and shots throughout the entire video, it has long shots, medium shots, close ups, panning shots, tracking shots, low angle, high angle and aerial shots.

The Purposes of Music Videos

The Purposes of Music Videos

The emergence of music videos first came about in the year 1941, when ‘The Panoram Soundie’ was invented. This was a jukebox that was able to play short video clips along with the music that was playing. This invention instantly became a hit in clubs and bars within the US. This pioneered the path for music videos through the ages that are quickly growing in popularity due to the use of platforms such a MTV and YouTube and the easy access that they bring for the majority of people. In this essay I will be talking about the purpose of music videos such as: promotion, producer’s strategies, extension of income, extension of outlets and synergy. I will also include examples that fit the criteria to be included in these different purposes.

Promotional

Promotion of a band/artist: Promotional music videos can be used so that some artists and bands who are at the very beginning of their career can promote themselves so a large audience can see what they look like, what their image is and how they sound. A way that artists or bands can take advantage of this type of music video is they can choose to have their name or a recognisable symbol/icon in the video to go along with them and then the audience will be able to link one with the other. Advantage of this type of music video for the artist is that it will earn them money with every view or purchase that they get, can lead to endorsement or even a sponsorship for bigger companies who like their image and sound and finally it can promote them so that they will be recognisable to a large audience. Disadvantage of this is that the artist will be restricted in what they can add to the video and it can bring bad publicity. An example of this type of music video is 'In The Heat Of The Moment' by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. This video only consists of the band themselves performing in a single room that is filled with fog. This video fits the criteria for promotion of the band as the only people within this video is the band and they are the sole focus of the entire video. 



Promotion of director/filmmaker: Promotional music videos can also be a way to promote the director or filmmaker along with the artist or band. The director or filmmaker can be promoted through the use of ideas and the cinematography that he uses. If the artist isn't a major part of the video, like when they are trying to promote themselves, then they will be the ones who are seen as having the creative genius if the video if original and can stick with audiences to remember them for it. An example of this type of promotion is Richard Ayoade, who has directed videos for songs such as 'Cornerstone' and 'Fluorescent Adolescents' by the Arctic Monkeys along with 'Vlad the Impaler' by Kasabian. Not only has he directed these music videos but he has also directed feature films such as 'Submarine' and 'The Double'. He is also an actor/presenter on the television in shows such as 'The Mighty Boosh' and his own shows 'Gadget Man' and 'Travel Man'. The video stars Noel Fielding as the main character in the video who is a frequent collaborator with Ayoade in shows such as 'The IT Crowd', 'The Mighty Boosh' and finally 'The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.' The two have such as a close relationship that they have collaborated again to produce the video for one of Kasabian's newest songs.

Producers' Strategies

Major label bands/artists: Different bands and artists will be marketed in very different ways; a mainstream artist such as Britney Spears and Madonna will have lots of publicity to back up their album before it is released to the public. They will also be seen to have a glossy polished image that will then be reflected again in their music videos. There are many conventions that will be included in videos for mainstream artists that won't be in videos for more independent artists. Some of the conventions that are used in these videos can include: choreographed dancing, limited use of the artist, sexualisation or even a story that fits with the song. These type of music video from mainstream artists will be found on a huge array of platforms as these will be the videos and artist that the public will be most interested in so will make the platform showing it more money. Platforms will include places such as YouTube (specifically VEVO), spotify, apple music, MTV 1 and even platforms such as Netflix now show certain music videos. On platforms such as YouTube mainstream artists will get more publicity as they will be on the homepage of the website and can even make it into the trending section so everyone on the site will be able to see the video without having to search for the artist or song. This song from Fergie is identifiable as a mainstream artist due to the production that the video has. The video includes multiple models throughout the video such as Chrissy Tiegan. Kim Kardashian and Devon Aoki. The cast of the video is also very large and the video isn't just focused on the artist as it includes choreographed dancers and actors along with a little 'story' to take the main focus away from the artist. Due to the fact that the cast of the video are mostly celebrities they will require to be payed more for their celebrity status, this then makes the video have a larger budget so only mainstream artists would be able to afford this.



Independent bands/artists: Independent artists who are just starting out won't have the finance that the mainstream artists have from their previous releases, so they won't be able to have a large production for their video therefore, the music videos that they release will be paid for by their independent record labels. Some conventions that they may use themselves as more of the focus rather than hiring actors for the video, the video also won't be as well refined as a mainstream artist due to the limit of money they have to spend on the video, so things like lighting and sound might not be as effective and finally as the production is lower budget then there will be less crew working on the video. The example that I am going to use for this purpose is 'Undercover Martyn' by Two Door Cinema Club. This video is a good example for independent artists as the entire consists only of the band and they stay in the same position in the video for the entirety of it. There are some simple effects that are spread throughout the video such as the word 'basement' coming up above the band on sheets of paper and blankets going between the band and around them, the band also appear in UV and then finally ends with them surrounded by balloons. These tropes are low budget compared to Fergie's 'M.I.L.F.$' as that video involves a narrative and actors/actresses whereas this one doesn't and uses simple techniques that won't cost the label much money.



Self-produced artists: Due to the expansion of media outlets and in-home consumer technology, artists' are able to produce and distribute their own music via the internet, particularly YouTube and other social networking sites. Self-produced artists are usually trying to find a way into the industry by releasing video and records via their own means. Some advantages of producing your own music video is it can create the artists own public image for themselves and it gives them publicity. Some disadvantages of this purpose is that they can run out of money as no one is funding them and the video has a smaller budget. The example of 'Million Bucks' by Cimorelli can clearly be labelled as self-produced as the band themselves shot the video and edited it. The shots in the video include them at the dance studio where they practice, doing photo shoots, in the studio, getting hair and makeup done and chilling out in their back garden. The video is very close and personal to them as it is composed of real-life clips throughout and doesn't really focus on a narrative or them singing.  

 

'Art' and statement through music videos: Some artists don't exist for commercial reasons, some aim to create a piece of art or a visual masterpiece that they want to be remembered for. This means that the music video can also be used to promote an artistic statement. Some conventions that may be found in 'art' music videos is that they won't usually focus on the artist and that they can be seen as commentary on people that are in the industry. An example of this purpose is 'On Melancholy Hill' by the Gorillaz. The Gorillaz were created by Damon Albarn and Jaime Hewlett, but is made up of four fictional members to represent them in music videos and promotional methods. The four members are: 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs. The universe in which they live in can be explored through the music videos that the band releases, their website or other pieces of media such as short films.



Extension of Income

An artist or band will receive royalties or a payment in exchange for the use of their product, every time that their record is played on the radio. If the artist chooses to have a music video to accompany their record then every time it is watched the artist will receive royalties or some sort of payment again. It is impossible to track the consumption of a singular music video. One of the reasons for this is the vast number of media outlets, an estimate is made depending on how popular a particular track is or how well the single is selling, an assumption is then made based on the popularity or interest in it and the royalties are paid accordingly. The usual outcome is that mainstream artists will top the charts on a regular basis because their songs are played on the radio all the same as they are a safe bet for companies to use the songs as they know that the public will enjoy them. Underground or more alternative musicians rely on other 'media outlets' to get their records heard and their names recognised. It will be more difficult for alternative/non-mainstream or un-established artist to get more airplay on television channels and major radio channels as it is a risk for them to play the song as viewers might not like the music that is getting played so they won't listen to that channel or station anymore. The best way for someone who is unheard in the music industry to get heard of is to release a song on YouTube, as this means that a very large audience can see the video, it can easily become viral and it will always be on there unlike platforms such as the radio. This example is for Ed Sheeran's 'Shape of You' as he has become a huge hit in recent years after he had become homeless and doing small gigs in London. His albums have gone platinum multiple times and not just in one country such as the UK, they have gone platinum in the US, Australia, Canada and Ireland. This song comes under extension of income as this song isn't just on YouTube put on other platforms such as Spotify and Apple music. This will increase the royalties that he is receiving as more people will be watching or listening to his music and people may view on multiple platforms or people who only listen to music on one will still be able to listen to it. Other artists such as Taylor Swift refuse to have their records played on services such as Spotify due to the fact that she believes they offer too little money per view. The only songs that appear under her name on Spotify are ones that she has written or sung for films such as Fifty Shades Darker and The Hannah Montana Movie, this is because she cannot control what platforms these are released on as she doesn't own them, so if the song appears on the films appear then it will be released on Spotify.



Extension of Outlets/Platforms:

Media outlets or platforms are sources that allows the public to access media text. When it comes to music videos, it refers to any media related source that would allow the public to view or access to watch a music video. There are many media outlets that are able for the public to be able to view music videos, they can include: YouTube, MTV, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Google Play Music, Amazon Prime and Last.fm. In the past music videos would be played on chart shows such as Top of the Pops and on solely music channels such as MTV. Social media means that a artists record or music video can easily be shared and written about so can reach a large audience in a short amount of time. Controversy can also help to create buzz behind a music video and can result in the video being viewed more times. Controversy can also result in mainstream media reporting on the record which will give the artist more exposure. The song that I have chosen is 'The Greatest' by Sia. This song has been releases as a single and as part of Sia's latest album This Is Acting. This song has been released on many platforms such as iTunes, Spotify and Last.fm. This song was also used in newspapers and new websites at the time of release as many people saw it as a tribute for the victims that were involved in the 2016 Orlando Nightclub Shooting. The video begins with Sia frontliner, Maddie Ziegler smearing rainbow colours on her cheeks before releasing 48 other children which makes a total of 49 which was the number of people who were killed in the shooting. At the end of the video a wall is shown to have bullet holes while the children fall to the ground and Maddie has tears streaming down her face.



Synergy:

Synergy, in media, refers to the promotion and sale of a product subsidiary to the main product or company through licensing deals. Walt Disney was the one who pioneered the idea of synergy in the 1930's when he granted other companies and firms the rights to use Mickey Mouse in various products and advertisement. Disney now have a long history of marketing their own products through the use of synergy, whereby another company will use Disney's creations as a way to sell their product and by doing so, promote Disney. Another example is the Spider-man films as when these are released products such as his costume and web-shooters will be released, along with other toys, dvds, posters and video games that can tie-in with the movie or be an independent thing. This type of music video can also help to plant ideas about the band or artists image. Product placement in music videos is also a way for the artist and record label to generate an income. Major labels and mainstream artists will almost always have some product placement in their videos as they will be able to provide the products company with a large sum of money while also generating their own. The example that I have chosen is 'The Goonies 'R' Good Enough' sung by Cyndi Lauper for the film The Goonies which was released in 1985. The narrative of the video follows the plot of the actual film very closely, with Cyndi's families business being threatened to be bought by people with large amounts of money. Then later in the video Cyndi stumbles upon a map that leads to treasure which happens to be the exact same map from the film. Even later in the video she comes across many members of the cast from the film such as Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman and Jeff Cohen. Not only did the video feature the actors but it also included professional wrestlers such as Rowdy Roddy Piper, The Iron Sheik, Wendi Ritcher and Andre the Giant. Appearencs at also made by the films director Steven Spielberg. To go along with the film there was the release of many video games for many different consoles out at the time such as the Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit Family and the Apple II. There was also a sequel called The Goonies 2 released for the NES. A comic book called The Goonies: The Search For Sloth has also been released to continue the legacy of the films.



Music video today are increasingly more popular due to the accessibility that the majority of the people on the planet have to watch them. They also bring something else to the table besides the actual song, they can included a narrative that will help audiences to remember the song and enjoy the meaning of it, they can easily help showcase the band and give them an identity for the audience to know them by and they can help directors to make a start in their career if they ever want to move onto other projects such as television or even films, this can help them in the beginning as it shows other people in the industry what they can produce on a small scale.

Pre-production

Pre-production

Timeline

The different types of briefs

The different types of briefs

 

There are many different types of briefs in the media industry, these are a set of instructions that is given to a person for a job. There are eight different types of briefs that are used in the industry and they are:

·         Contractual

·         Negotiated

·         Formal

·         Informal

·         Commission

·         Tender

·         Cooperative

·         Competition

There are advantages and disadvantages for all of these styles of briefs.

Contractual briefs are those that are held together by a contract by the commissioner and the producer of the product. These types of briefs are bound by the laws of the land and therefore must be adhered stringently. If the contract is broken this can result in multiple penalties, which can include a fine or even time in jail. An advantage to contractual briefs is that the production company knows exactly what they are involved in and what they need to do for the product as the brief will be specific ad they have to follow it very precisely as there is no negotiating. A disadvantage to this type of brief is that if the media company feels that something in the brief could be changed or gotten rid of, then they are changing the brief and the final product which goes against their contract and what the commissioner wants the product to be. This could result in the client taking legal action against the company which could further result in the company given a bad name/reputation saying that they don’t finish briefs to standard, which could hinder them later down the line if they want to get another production.

Negotiated briefs are negotiated between the commissioner and the producer, this can be about the content or even the cost of the production. There will be a set of terms and conditions within the brief that must be followed. This also means that the terms and conditions are negotiated to enable that the commissioner and producer reach an agreement. If the brief that is given to the producer is without specific details on important matters such as the budget and fees, then the producer may question and negotiate these elements. An advantage to negotiation is that because the commissioner and producer are discussing terms to make brief more flexible for between the client and the producer and can easily discuss different ideas without there being any hostility about their different ideas. A disadvantage is that the brief can be seen as quite ’flaky’ as certain aspects within the brief won’t be set in stone and official.

Formal briefs are when a media company will be given a brief by the client which outlines the product they want to be made. This type of brief is very open and only gives out enough information to the client for then to be able to produce the product, any issues or information that the media company would like to go over can be discussed during the negotiations with the client. This type of brief means that the client will be open to any ideas or issues if there are any tat can be thought of by the media company. This can result in the work being creative for the media company and there is also room for negotiation. A disadvantage to this type of brief is that the production company may feel the client has not offered enough information for them to work from and complete the product to the standard that the client wants. Another is that the brief is not always legally binding and that could bring up problems within the project for things such as financial issues or even a breach of contract.

Informal briefs are written with the intention to provoke a response from a client. They may be written in average, day-t-day language so they are less formal than others. They are usually not documented and are verbal. The client and employer will just discuss the requirements for the product that will be made and end on agreeing on the product that will be created. An advantage to informal briefs is that the client will be able to look at different ideas for their product from different company’s perspectives and in effect will be able to produce their product to a very high standard if one idea that gets pitched stands out from the others. A disadvantage for informal briefs is that if a company performs a pitch and is ten turned down, this can set them back as a business and they may struggle to find other projects to work on.

Commission briefs is when a large company will hire a lesser independent company to produce and create the product for them, instead of them making it themselves. Once it has been made, the client may then go on to use the finished product at external client who will then be the ones who pay the independent company for the work that they did.  The brief won’ be negotiated between the company and client, but it will be negotiated between the two production companies. An advantage of this type of brief is that the larger companies don’t have to do all the work and can spread it out equally between the companies. A disadvantage is that because two production companies may be working on the project, there could be conflict between the two.

Tender brief is when the client will advertise their brief and then a production company will bring together a proposal that they will show to the client, there may be multiple different proposals that are brought to the client so they can then think about which one they think is ideally suited to the brief and offer the job to the production company that produced that brief. An advantage is that the client will be able to look at many different proposals so they will be able to choose an idea that they truly believes goes well with the brief. A disadvantage can be that if a company’s proposal is turned down then this can set them back as a business as the effort, time and resources that went into making the idea has be turned down so they can no longer use it and the time wasn’t used effectively as they could have been working on something else.

Co-operative brief is when normally two companies are hired to work on the brief that has been given to them, once they have been given the brief they may then work with one another. If conflict arises between the two companies then a negotiated brief may be brought in to resolve the dispute. An advantage of this type of brief is that there will be many different creative inputs so there are many ideas to choose from to what fits the brief the best. A disadvantage is that this type of brief is easily prone to arguments as it will be two different companies with their own creative ideas.

Competition brief is when a client will but their brief out there so that many different production companies can see what they have come up with. It is seen as a competition as the production companies will come up with something that fits the brief but the client will pick the one that they think is the best for what they are looking for, they then will have their work published. An advantage of this type of brief is that the client will only have to pay one production company, the one that the pick as the ‘winner’. A disadvantage to this type is the same as tender brief, in that the other production companies who aren’t picked have used all their time for their work not to be picked, so everything that they done has been wasted.