Deadline

The deadline for all Primary construction Planning and Research tasks is the 20th October!

All planning & research for the primary construction and ancillary tasks must be completed by the 3rd November!!

Students must bring footage with them to begin editing on the 3rd November!!!!

Grade Boundaries

Filming Tips

Filming Tips

Before Filming:

Go to your filming location the day before to check out the lighting and surroundings. Think about noise, is there a road nearby that could disrupt your sound?

Use your storyboard to make a complete scene list. Now you are on location look to see if there is anything that you hadn’t thought of using, or an area that is better to use than the one you planned? If filming near or in-front of shops/houses it is polite to ask permission first. If filming inside shops, you must certainly ask permission.

Always take the weather into consideration when filming outside, give yourself enough time incase the weather postpones your filming.

Pack your Camera, Memory Card (and spare) a tripod, a lens cloth, and an extra set of charged batteries.

Lighting:

Before shooting, determine where the light is coming from (front, side, or back), If backlit, add more light so the front of your subject is lit, or move to another location.

If necessary, set your camera mode to match your shooting conditions, (Night, movement modes etc.)

Avoid bright sunlight (making sure your shadow isn’t in the shot).

If you’re filming inside, turn on all of the lights.

Shooting:

Think about the scene you are about to film, refer to your storyboards and how you pictured it in your mind. Then set up your camera in an area you believe will be best. You may not get it right first time, so try multiple shots at different angles and positions.

Think about the where the light is coming from and if there Is any background noise to take into account. If you are filming dialogue try to get close enough to pick up their voice clearly and try to stay on eye level so that the camera is neither looking up or down on your subject.

Perspective

When a camera's lens captures light and reflects it, the light bends in appropriate ways, depending on the angle of the viewer. This is similar to how your eyes work: when you tilt your head up, your eye sees things differently than if you look straight ahead, although you may not notice it because your brain has learned to accommodate for the perspective change. When filming your scenes, think about how you want the images to look to the viewer and what feelings you want the images to convey.

• Try to eliminate background noise as much as possible.
• Check your shots and make sure you are happy with them before moving on.
• Make sure your actors speak loud and clear.
• Make sure you do not have anyone or anything in your shots that should not be there (bags on the ground, things on a table behind etc)

Use a tripod whenever possible.

It is unlikely that there will not be a tripod available but just incase you are unable to get one, or the surface you are on isn’t stable enough for a tripod, hold your bent arm tight against your body or try to lean against a solid surface to stabilize the shot.

Use your camera’s auto focus mode, however check when Zooming and Panning that the shot remains in focus (try not to zoom or pan too quickly)

Remember to press “Record” several seconds before you cue action to begin, allow the camera to actually start recording before your subjects begin to talk, otherwise you may find you miss the first few seconds and you need to do another take. Also recording a few seconds before and after a scene will make it easier to edit.

Try to capture an establishing shot at the beginning of each scene.

Get shots that tell the beginning, middle, and end of your story.

Change locations and take shots from different angles and perspectives for variety.

Look for details or objects within the scene that will help tell your story, or add them as props and explain in your planning/evaluation why you thought they were needed.

The Mis-en-Scene of each shout must be analysed in your blog. If you cannot explain why something is in the shot…then it shouldn’t be there.

Watch your footage back and be critical of your own work. If it doesn’t make sense to you, it certainly won’t make sense to the viewer.

Make sure your footage answers the questions, who? what?, when?, where?, and why?

Change the position your subject or camera sometimes for a more interesting shot.

Make sure there is no unnecessary space around the subject.

Keep the background simple.

Include a few props that will make the shot more interesting, but do not distract from the subject and make sure there are no objects obstructing the camera’s view.

Remember to keep all the crews belongings (coats, scripts, bags, equipment etc) behind the camera

Make your actors feel comfortable and relaxed by talking and interacting with them. It can ruin your movie if it is obvious to the viewer that your actors are nervous.

If filming in public, respect others who are using your workspace and try not to get frustrated about people getting in your way; (they have just as much right to be there as you do) If you feel you need people to move or be quiet simply explain what you are doing and ask politely.

At the end of the review your footage to ensure you have all the shots you need.

If you have to re-shoot on another day, do so at the same time of day so the lighting matches your earlier footage.

Pre Production Tasks

Develop and Write a final 350-500 word Script Treatment (What is your video about?)

Final Storyboard 

·       This means you need to cross reference your Script Treatment and identify all the locations and setting in your film, and organise photo-shoots for each and every one – take more photographs than you need.

·         It also means organising colleagues and friends to agree to pose for photographs in these locations; they do not have to be the actors you would use for the filming if your idea was chosen - it is just a pre production guide as pre production changes to production are common as long as you justify the changes in your Evaluation.

·         On the storyboard, detail types of shot, camera angle and movement, types of edit, length of shot, diegetic and non diegetic sound and all aspects of the mise-en-scene (lighting, colour, weather, location and setting, dress code, objects and props, facial expression and body movement). Timings of the shot are crucial when it comes to filming – many of your shots may be only ½ second in length while lingering close ups may be 2-3 seconds in duration.

Organise a Production Schedule and share relevant documents both as hard copy and uploaded to your Blogs and via email – these include the working Storyboard and daily Call Sheets (see example below).

Music video analysis

Analyse the existing music video for your chosen song (if it exists) and complete some of the below...

After you have done that do an additional post discussing what you are going to do, how is it different? Try to answer the questions below for your proposal

Which video are you analysing, who is it by and, if you know, who directed it?

What genre does the music belong to and what broad characteristics of that genre does the video have?

What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?

Work through the song and identify ways in which the lyrics are illustrated or amplified or even contradicted by the visuals.

Pick out some specific examples to back up your argument.

Explain the Narrative

Explain Representation of performers

What is the relationship between music and visuals?

Does the video cut to the beat?

Are solo instrumental bits illustrated by the video?

Does the video change pace with the music?

Give examples to support your points

Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?

How is the record company looking to sell this track?

What image of the artist/band is being offered?

How does this video relate to previous videos by the artist?

Are there motifs which have been used previously? Or does this video represent a change of image?

Is there reference to the notion of looking?

Do you get the sense that the artist is on sexual display or that other people in the video are used in this way?

Does the camerawork, costume, dance or something else imply sexualised display?

Are there references to 'looking' such as screens within screens or binoculars, cameras etc?

Give examples and consider why these features have been chosen

Are there intertextual references?

Do these relate to other music videos, to aspects of the star's image or to completely separate texts such as programmes or films?

How are they used?

Is the music video perfomance-based, narrative-based or concept-based

How much of each?

Student Work

Student	Blog
AIYEDUN Adewunmi	http://adeaiyedunalevelmedia.blogspot.co.uk/
BAH Sophia	sophiabaha2.blogspot.co.uk
BROWN Emily	http://emilyjbrowna2media.blogspot.co.uk/
BROWN Emily	http://emilybrowna2.blogspot.co.uk/
CUNNINGHAM Claudia	http://ccunninghama2blog.blogspot.co.uk/
DORSETT BEARD Emily	http://emilydorsett-beard.blogspot.co.uk/
ELLIS Bethany	http://bethellisa2media.blogspot.co.uk/
IDEH Ochuko	http://ochukoa2mb.blogspot.co.uk/
LEWIS Jordanna	http://Jordannalewisa2.blogspot.co.uk
O'BOYLE Shauna	http://shaunaa2.blogspot.co.uk/
SHAND Chelsea	http://chelseashandA2.blogspot.co.uk
SMITH Lauren	http://laurensmithA2.blogspot.co.uk
TURELL Lauren	http://laurenturellmediaa2.blogspot.co.uk/
YOUNG Rebekah	http://bekahyounga2.blogspot.co.uk

Research and Planning Checklist

• Intro & Brief explained
• Intro to Production chosen. Including analysis of videos, genre, intertextuality, history, star theory, institutions and evidence of theory etc.
• Ancillary 1 Analysis
• Ancillary 2 Analysis
• Audience Research including – Target Audience analysis, Questionnaires, Focus Groups, Results Analysis and Reflection
• Initial Selection Explanation
• Copyright Letter
• Planning including timelines, moodboards, conventions followed, representation, mise en scene, Theory applied,
• Planning including Storyboards/Scripts/Call Sheets, Organisation of Actors, Props, locations, costumes
• Further Research on initial Planning with Feedback and any Changes
• Time management
• There is use of appropriate digital technology or ICT in the presentation
• Communication skills
• Care taken in presentation of research and planning