Going to Hell music video - shot list

1. 
   

   
   
   1.    FADE IN FROM BLACK - Long establishing shot of cemetery with subtitles on screen which will be done in post-production. (4 secs) CUT
   2.    Medium CU of silent movie countdown cue cards being lowered from 5 to 1 by band members, when it gets to 1 zoom into CU to fill frame. (6 secs) CUT
   3.    Begin with CU of 1 cue card, card drops to reveal CU of singer's face, slowly zoom out to reveal cemetery location. Then pull camera backwards as singer starts to play guitar (cue audio) and when the singer is in the distance, the drummer steps into shot from side in medium CU and hits tambourine with hand twice to the first two drum hits. (2 secs) then (0.00-0.06 secs). CUT
   4.    Quickly flicker to Mid shot of singer playing same riff in studio with band behind them. Positioned exactly the same. (0.04-0.05 secs) CUT
   5.    Mid shot of singer playing intro riff to song (0.05-0.07 secs). CUT
   6.    Mid shot of singer playing same riff in studio with band behind them (0.07-0.11) CUT
   7.    Slow tracking (to the left) long shot showing mainly singer and lead guitarist (0.11-0.15) CUT
   8.    Low angle shot of bass player playing (0.15-0.17) CUT
   9.    Slow tracking (to the right) mid shot showing drummer playing (0.17-0.19) CUT
   10.                        Medium CU of lead guitarists guitar being played then pull up into medium CU of lead guitarist. (0.19-0.22) CUT
   11.                        Medium CU of singer lip-syncing "I've been out on my own" into microphone with lead guitarist visible in background to singer's right. (0.22-0.25) CUT
   12.                        Long shot of music shop front with singer walking by in profile shot with guitar on back (0.25-0.29) CUT
   13.                        Medium CU of singer lip-syncing "want you to grab what you can, life's crazy, because you're all outta time" line (0.29-0.35) CUT
   14.                        Static mid shot of drummer doing drum fill (0.35-0.36) CUT
   15.                        Long shot of singer walking away from camera in cemetery woods, then tilt up to show the sky with trees obscuring part of it. (0.36-0.40) CUT
   16.                        Tilt down from sky to shot of singer approaching camera with guitar from mid to medium CU shot in town centre. (0.40-0.43) BASIC WIPE FROM RIGHT
   17.                        CU profile shot of tambourine against dark background being struck by hand in time with the song (0.43-0.46) BASIC WIPE FROM RIGHT
   18.                        CU of bass player looking at camera (0.46-0.47) CUT
   19.                        CU of drummer turning his head into shot and then looking at camera (0.47-0.48) CUT
   20.                        CU of lead guitarist turning his head into shot and then looking at camera (0.48-0.49) CUT
   21.                        quickly zoom into CU of singer looking up to camera (0.49-0.50) CUT
   22.                        Medium CU of bass player then slowly pull back to frame medium CU of singer in time to lip-sync the  "and they said you've been bad" (0.50-0.57) CUT
   23.                        CU of "keep music evil" poster being pinned to a tree by singer, then pull out into medium CU over the shoulder shot (0.57-1.01) CUT
   24.                        Low angle long shot of drummer stood wearing shades and smoking in front of statue/monument (1.01-1.04) CUT
   25.                        Medium CU of singer pushing camera away during drum fill (1.04-1.05) CUT
   26.                        Low angle shot from floor of band looking down into the camera (1.05-1.08) CUT
   27.                        Low angle shot of singers feet walking along cobbled pavement in old town that then tilts up before walking past the camera (1.08-1.11) CUT
   28.                        Long profile shot from down a side alley, showing the singer walk by - continues from last shot (1.11-1.13) CUT
   29.                        CU of 'Pulp Fiction' dance scene on TV, then pull out into medium CU from behind singers head to show singer stood watching it, then circular pan around until showing singer's face (1.13-1.19) CUT
   30.                        Long perspective shot of band - singer is in medium CU closest to camera to right of shot with other members scattered in different places behind him. Playing to song. (1.19-1.22) CUT
   31.                        Long perspective shot of band - this time bass player is closest to camera in medium CU and drummer is brought forwards behind him, lead guitarist is over to the left facing drummer and singer is right at the back playing. (1.22-1.24) CUT
   32.                        Long perspective shot of band - lead guitarist is closer this time in medium CU to left of shot, then the bass player, then the drummer and singer at the back (1.24-1.26) CUT
   33.                        Low angle shot of singer's guitar being played in cemetery (1.26-1.28) BASIC WIPE FROM RIGHT
   34.                        Car drives past camera revealing wide shot of band sat on stairs down old town, singer is playing guitar and drummer is hitting tambourine (1.28-1.32)
   
   35.                        Long shot of singer stood facing camera in crowded area (city centre) wearing guitar - done as a time lapse to show people rushing by in background. (1.32-1.34) CUT
   36.                        Medium CU of guitar player playing (1.34-1.37) CUT
   37.                        Long shot of whole band playing (1.37-1.40) CUT
   38.                        Mid shot of drummer doing drum fill (1.40-1.41) CUT
   39.                        Medium CU tracking shot of singer as he walks along pier looking out to sea whilst playing guitar (1.41-1.46) CUT
   40.                        Medium CU of bass player in profile view blowing smoke from cigarette (pier location) (1.46-1.49) CUT
   41.                        Medium CU of singer playing guitar near fountain, then zoom out into long shot showing band members talking in foreground (1.49-1.52) CUT
   42.                        Medium two shot of guitar player and bass player walking, bass player then swears at camera (1.52-1.55) CUT
   43.                        Medium two shot of singer playing acoustic in back of car with band member next to him looking out of the window. (1.55-2.02) CUT
   44.                        Perspective shot in pier area with band member in medium CU lip-syncing the "I want you to get what you can like crazy" then pull focuses to singer in background who then sings the "seems you're all out of time" line (2.02-2.09) CUT
   45.                        Long shot of band turned around facing wall but with the singer facing forward. The singer then turns away and the other three turn to face forward and point at the camera simultaneously (2.09-2.10) CUT
   46.                        Zoom from long shot into mid shot of singer playing in cemetery (2.10-2.12) BASIC WIPE FROM RIGHT
   47.                        CU profile shot of tambourine against dark background being struck by hand in time with the song (2.12-2.14) CUT
   48.                        Band are sat on bench with singer at the end) CU of band members face who then looks left, the camera tracks left past each person's face in CU who turn their head to look left at the singer, eventually staying on the singer's face in CU who looks directly at the camera in time to lip-sync the "cause there's no one around" line (2.14-2.18) CUT
   49.                        Slow long tracking shot of band playing (2.18-2.19) CUT
   50.                        Cutaway to CU shot of singer lip-syncing the next "there's no one around" line into microphone (2.19-2.21)  CUT
   51.                        Medium two shot of singer lip-syncing next "there's no one around" line in back of car with band member next to him now reading a newspaper with an absurd headline (2.21-2.25) CUT
   52.  Tilt down from sky into static long shot of the underneath of a bridge, the singer walks away from camera with guitar on his back, beginning in mid shot, then long shot and then very long shot as he dissapears under the bridge. The song will fade out at 2.40 and as the singer is out of view a "keep music evil" poster blows through the shot visibly, the camera then tilts down and zooms into a CU of it on the floor (2.25-2.55) FADE OUT TO BLACK

Chosen song lyrics

Here are the lyrics for the song "Going to Hell" which is the song I have chosen to use for my music promotional video brief.

                                                          
I've been out on my own
I've been getting what's mine
I watch you grab what you can like crazy
Because your all out of time
Girl your living a dream
But You know it too well
Cause there's no one who cares
And you're living in Hell

Well they said you been good
And they said you been bad
I like to laugh when you're happy baby
You make me cry when you're sad
I live in a dream
But you're living in hell
And there's nothing to do
Cause I know it too well

I've been out on my own
I've been doing real fine
I want you get what you can now baby
Seems you're all out of time
Girl your living a dream
And its gotten you down
And there's no one to help
Cause there's no one around

30 second reconstruction shot comparison

30 second reconstruction of a music video - Evaluation

For our 30 second reconstruction of a music video we chose the song “Make a beast of myself” by alternative rock band Twin Atlantic. The entire video is filmed in one long tracking sequence without the use of edits or cuts and features the singer walking down a shopping district area in slow motion, lip syncing to the song with all the extras acting afraid of him. We would attempt to, as closely as possible, recreate a chosen section of the particular video.

We began by storyboarding the chosen 30 seconds of the video and then made location arrangements as a group, being mindful to choose an appropriate location with a similar mise en scene. We settled on the decision to use Newland Avenue as our location for filming as it had the closest resemblance to the shopping district shown in the video, we also thought that it would be reasonably busy but not too much that it interferes with the video. The next decision that we had to make as a group was the organisation of talent within our production and who would play the main role of the singer. We decided to use Danny as the singer and we also recruited several other people who would act as extras.

My role within the group was that of camera operator, therefore I would have to pay careful consideration to the use of cinematography within the video and how the continuous tracking shot of the singer is done in a seamless manner whilst maintaining stability so that it doesn’t draw away from the action. When filming our video, I kept the camera attached to the tripod with the legs raised to add weight to the camera which would ensure that the film wasn’t shaky and also that it didn’t touch the ground.

Because of the use of slow motion within the video, we played the song from a mobile device at twice the speed which meant that Danny, who was impersonating the singer, would have to mime at roughly twice the speed; this meant that when editing, we would be able to slow the action down but the lip syncing would remain in time with the audio.

When filming on location, we arranged ourselves so that the singer would walk past some shop fronts and eventually walk past a sign that the camera slowly tilts up to in a similar fashion to the original video. Our extras were told to act afraid of the singer and the actions we told them to perform were similar to those within the video which features a person falling off of a ladder, a girl turning around and screaming and a few other people running past the camera.

After capturing the footage we begun the post-production process using Adobe Premiere editing software; this was relatively simple because all of the footage was captured in one tracking shot take. However, the biggest challenge that we encountered as a group was aligning the audio track of the song to the footage that we captured as we had to make sure that the lip syncing was exactly in time with the song. We eventually managed to achieve this to a good standard by zooming into the tracks closely and then aligning them.

After this, we decided that we would attempt to recreate the bright, sepia-like filter that the original video has over it by very subtly modifying the use of colours within the shot. We added a tint more yellow and very slightly removed some of the blue to create this effect. However, because of the natural light achieved by filming during late afternoon time, not much editing was necessary.

I finished by uploading the finished production onto my Youtube channel and then after that I posted it onto my blog. Overall, I feel that this was a success due to very good team cooperation and enthusiasm towards the completion of the production.

Codes and Conventions of Selected Brief Essay

Codes and Conventions of selected brief

Every genre of music video has its own codes and conventions; these expected and predictable signs are read by an audience which then allows them to differentiate between media texts and identify specific genres. There are four main types of form in which music videos can be categorised, these are: performance, narrative, animated and abstract.

For my chosen brief, I have chosen the song “Going to Hell” by alternative rock band the Brian Jonestown Massacre who are signed to an independent record label. Therefore, as research to give me a greater understanding of the typical codes and conventions of the alternative genre, I looked at existing music videos and how such techniques are used within the form.

For alternative music, the most frequent and conventional form of video is a performance-related one which shows the band playing. However, whilst the cinematography used in such videos generally stays the same, the choice of mise en scene for many performance videos is always changing and quite often the band will be shown playing in an unusual location which makes the video memorable, e.g. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana in a school hall and Basket Case by Green Day which takes place in a mental asylum. The alternative rock genre stays dynamic because bands are always attempting to be more innovative with the use of location within their videos.

Illustration 1: This shot from the Basket Case video shows a close up shot of the singer and microphone which is a conventional feature of the genre.

An animated form of music video is less traditional of the genre, but can be quite effective as it goes against the audience expectation. “Shoot the Runner” by Kasabian is a good example of an animated video that still maintains the conventional cinematography and editing techniques of the genre.

Illustration 2: "Shoot the Runner" by Kasabian, showing an animated version of the band performing in a long shot.

The technical codes used within the genre such as its camera techniques serve to meet the audience expectations as they generally follow a set of rules. A variety of camera shots within a performance or montage video can keep it dynamic and interesting even if the performers are static. Within my chosen genre, medium close up shots and close up shots are used the most prominently as they show us and therefore allow us to identify the artists performing; this also can create a sense of intimacy between the audience and the performer they are viewing. Long shots are also used to capture the whole band in the shot and such shots are used less frequently; often interweaving with the other medium and close up shots. However, these camera techniques can differ between genres, for example a long shot or wide shot may be used more prominently within a video that features dancers as it allows us to experience it as a performance spectacle. Close up shots of guitar strings or a guitar being strummed are also quite common within the genre.

Illustration 3: In the "Make a Beast of Myself" video, the singer is filmed in one continuous tracking shot throughout.

Tracking shots can also be used within performance-related music videos as they create fluidity and are able to capture the whole band within the shot, however they are more conventional within videos that follow a narrative; particularly ones where the artist or performer is moving or travelling somewhere, for example within the “Make a Beast of Myself” video by Twin Atlantic.

The use of editing can differ between genres. Within alternative videos, quick cuts are always used in favour of fades or transitions as they allow for a video to use a range of different camera shots and the use of editing can serve to accentuate the pace of the song. Music videos are generally highly mimetic, and if a particular video features lip-syncing, then it will be edited in such a way that it appears seamless. Sometimes, a band's music video will be presented through a montage sequence which typically includes a range of different footage from a band's live performances along with other footage, edited together using quick cuts.

Because the performers in a music video are usually filling the roles of themselves, e.g. the singer, guitarist, bass player, drummer, they have become conventional characters. The dress codes of the band members usually reflect how they would dress normally unless the band has a particular coordinated look, such as The Hives who all wear white or black suits.

Illustration 4: This image from the song "Hate to Say I Told You So" by The Hives shows the band member all wearing matching black suits with white ties.

All of these codes and conventions are used to fulfill the audience's expectation of the genre, this means that music videos, just like all other media texts, are ideological texts which we the audience read in terms of our own ideologies. I am undecided as to the form in which I will present my own music video, however I will take into consideration when filming and editing, the codes and conventions of the genre and then decide whether I will use these or in fact work against them.

30 second reconstruction of a music video

30 second reconstruction storyboard