Original Music Videos

 Music Video Test - Super 8mm

For this task, my group and I were asked to choose a music video style and song. The style we decided on was hybrid, which combines both narrative and performance. The narrative of our music video focuses on a small group of teenagers who are enjoying themselves in the summer heat. Due to out timing schedule, we could not plan much and had to make our idea simple in order for it to be feasible. The song we chose is called 'We Are Young' by the band Fun. The song is upbeat so my group and I thought it would be to film outside in the sunshine to add to the positive atmosphere and tone of the song. 

Once we decided on a song and style we shot a few scenes, each of us taking turns as actors, we also had a scene where lip syncing was used too. After we shot all the footage we needed, I edited my own version of the song using our scenes. I cut most of the scenes and added a slow- motion effect to the clips that were shown in the climactic part of the song to give more energy and life to the video. 

The director of the group also wanted to create a super 8 film look (which we edited in post-production). To create this, I watched the tutorial I have linked below which was clear and straightforward in showing me how to make my footage look like it was shot on a super 8 camera, which ended up being successful. Overall I quite liked the way the video turned out as I believe the super 8 film look improved the video's style and captured a youthful spirit which worked well alongside the song.

My Music Video:                                                         Super 8 Film Effect tutorial:

     

Music Video - Group work

For this task, I was asked to create a music video that incorporated the following, lip sync, choreography, clone sequence, colour palette, abstract idea, squiggle effect and three locations. In this task I took on the role as the director, I decided to have the colour palette of our music video to be purple as it is one of my favourite colours. 

The actors in the music video created their own choreography which ended up being a bench duet, I thought this worked effectively as it was simple yet in time. The clone sequence was created in post production, the only practical element involved was keeping the camera in the same position, in order for me to mask the different positions of the actors into clones.

 The lip syncing shots were used both in the clone sequence and in the close ups, to make sure their lips sung in time I played the song out loud so that the actors could sing along. The abstract element was created through the close up framing of shadows that are cut in-between the shots. 

The squiggle effect and colour palette were incorporated into the music video in post production using a software called After effects. To create the squiggle effect I used a shape tool and masking. To create the colour palette, I used an effect called 'Lumetri Colour' to add a purple colouring to my footage and faded in and out deep purple tones between shots to emphasis the colour, I also made my squiggle effect purple.

For the three locations we decided to have one scene looking across a sky view from a car park as it helped us explore different angles of the landscape. We then shot against a brick wall which had good natural lighting and was a perfect spot to shoot our clone sequence and lip syncing parts. Lastly, our final location was on a bench in a field, this location allowed us to incorporate a 'chair duet' style dance sequence that I felt looked unique and helped us be creative with our ideas. 

Overall, I felt the music video turned our quite poor, although the shots were good quality and the actors lip synced and danced well, I believe the downfall of this music video is because of me, being the director, as I felt there was little to no narrative in the music video and wish I had planned the shots more to evolve a storyline around them.