Christmas time

You wont hear from me in a few days, it is family time over the Christmas holiday so i will be spending it with them. I will update a few days after Christmas and tell you if anything has happened.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

More

On the last day of school we and chris was sitting in the media rooms thinking about what we couls do next, we came up witha few ideas and filmed them. we have most of our filming done now. We have some finishing touches to do but we will do that and edit all the new material when we come back from the holiday break.

costume

Here are examples of the sort of costume that a boy and girl will be wearing in the music video. This is everyday costume for a teenager.

Boy example:-

Girls example:-

weather update

It is snowing :(. This is ruining all our plans of filming, we wont be able to film until all the snow is gone so it does not appear in our film and then suddenly it is gone.

update

Over the Christmas holidays we are hoping to get all the rest of our filming done. We would have done most of it by know but due to the snowy weather we are unable to, this is so we don't lose marks for continuity. I will keep updaeting about the weather and the progress we are making, but everything we have filmed so far is all edited.

more ideas

Having we have had a lot of time between filming to think because not being able to finish filming because of the weather means that we have been able to think more about locations and more ideas to put into our piece.

I have come up with some more locations to add more variety. Also the plan has chaged a bit, at first we was going to have the how piece lip sung, but this has change to having only parts lip sung so that more action can be shown.

The idea for the whole piece is friends having fun, running around and playing about.

filming update

We are having a few problems, there is the whole weather issue which means that filming cant take place because most of the filming is done out side, and all the indoor parts have been filmed and edited. The other issue is actors not having the time. We are over coming thisa by setting days to do filming and hopeful we will finish it very soon.

Storyboard

Update

Due to our weather in the UK we have been unable to do much filming in the time since doing the filming before because it has been raining and to windy, but hopefully we can do most of the filming on Saturday.
But in the mean time we have editing and re-shot some of the work we have already done so that we are still doing some work and moving forward.

Risk Assessment

• no filming in inappropriate locations
• check safety of locations e.g roads
• minimise risk of theft of equipment
• when filming on location ensure teacher and responsible adult knows where you are and have you telephone number and when you will return
• check all equipment working before you leave
• ensure you have permission for filming if necessary
• always film with at least one other person
• ensure you have the permission of those you are filming

Advertisements

Part of this coursework we have to make a advertisment for our band that would go into a magazine or newspaper so i thought i could get ahead of it and do a bit of independent research on the internet and get a few examples on me blog. Here is what i found:-

Filming so far...

So far we have got the whole of the first scene shot. We are starting to realise how hard it it is because it one thing don't go wrong it is another. The weather lately is often rainy meaning we can't do any outside filming which outside is where most of it is shot, and if it isn't that it is trying to fit it in with all our other coursework and try and get people to come and help us.

After finally being able to start editing what we have so far we realise that we may have to re shot somethings because the lighting is wrong or the refection is not right. But hopefully we will get everything sorted soon.

"Top Gun" and "Thelma and Louise"

In order for us to understand the theory's in which we learn for our exam we looked at two films and wrote a essay on them talking about how they go against the Laura Mulvey theory.

Crash

As part of this project we looked at a number of different film clips in order for us to understand the theory. Crash was on of them.

This is a link to the trailer for crash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEQ_ftkpb18

Problems

Unfortunately due to problems on the imacs we haven't been able to make our animatic or editing any of our shots we have filmed, but hopefully they will be up and running soon and then we will put them on.

Theory, Theory, Theory...

Feminist Film Theory and Audience

Laura Mulvey wrote a essay on the Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975).

Laura Mulvey said:-

-cinema reflects society

-therefore cinema reflects patriarchal society

-How does a patriarchal society manifest itself in cinema?

An example:-

• patriarchy and phallocentrism are linked
• the phallus is the symbol of power
• note how guns are used in film
• gun=phallus=power

The Gaze

• the 'gaze' of the camera is the male 'gaze'.
• the male gaze is active the female is passive.
• within the narrative male characters direct their gaze towards female characters.
• the spectator is made to identify with the male look, because the camera films from the optical, as well as libidinal, point of view of the male character.
• thus three levels of the cinematic gaze- camera, character and spectator- that objectify the female character (the tripe gaze).
• therefore the audience is constructed as though everyone was male.
• women are forced to look as though they were a male audience.

Agency

• in the classical Hollywood cinema the male protagonist has agency- he is active and powerful.
• he is the agent around whom the dramatic action unfolds
• the female character is passive and powerless- she is the object of desire for the protagonist and audience

Erotic desire

Mulvey argues that women have two roles in film

1. as an object of erotic desire for the characters.
2. as an object of erotic desire for the audience.

Templates for the digipak

As part of my research I decided to research into the way in which digipaks are layed out. Looking on google i found lots of templates which me and chris could use in order to complete our digipak. Here are a few examples.

Digipak examples

Here are three example of digipaks. As part of our coursework we have to design a digipak for our music video. I decided to research into the different styles that people do and these are some that I have found.

Treatment for your music video worksheet

Name of Artist:- The 99's

Title of track:- "Oh Me Oh My"

Research for the music video sheet

Music promo videos

Suture

This is the next theory we have started to learn, this is the easiest theory we have learnt, and I feel this is the one theory that is correct it just focuses on one party of the media, which is Hollywood films.

Suture- classical Hollywood narrative and editing 'suture' or positions the audience in certain ways making only one preferred reading possible, however unconscious the audience is of that position.

Mark Scheme for music video

The 99's "Oh Me Oh My"

music video mark scheme

Level 4

The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:-

-holding a shot steady, where appropriate

-framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate

-using a variety of shot distances as appropriate

-shooting material appropriate to the task set

-selecting mise-en-scene including colour, figure, lighting, object and setting

-editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer

-using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and appropriately

-using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task

Audience Decodes Meaning/Message

Reception Theory

-given that the Effects model and the Uses and Gratifications model have their own problems and limitations a different approach to audience was developed by the academic Stuart Hall at Birmingham University in the 1970's

-this considered how texts were encolded with meaning by producers and them decoded (understood) by audience

-the theory suggests that:-

• when a producer constructs a text it is encoled with a meaning or message that the producer wishes to convey to the audience
• in some instances audiences will correctly decode the message or meaning and understand what the producer was tryingm to say
• in some instances the audience will either reject or fail to correctly understand the message

-Stuart Hall identified three types of audience readings (or decoding) of the texts

1). Dominant:- where the audience decodes the messageas the producer wants them to do and broadly agrees with it

-e.g watchinga policital speech and agreeing with it

2). Negotiated:- where the audience accepts, rejects or refines elements fo the text in light of previously held views

-e.g neither agreeing or disagreeing with the polictical speech or being disinterested

3). Oppositional:- where the dominant meaning is recognised but rejected for cultural, political or ideological reasons

-e.g total rejection of the political speech and active opposition.

Lyrics to "Oh Me, Oh My" by The 99's

Everyday I seem to turn around
Im on my back agian
Coz I know theres something
better than the tomb I am living in


Looking outside and the sky is black
I knew a better place, coz if
these four walls keep closing in
and wasting time and space


Oh me
Oh my
You know I've got something to say


Oh me
Oh my
I think about it everyday


Oh me
Oh my
You know I'vebeen changing my ways
Coz I dream of better days


Dirty old towns ringingin my ears
And don't I know just why
Coz theres nothing changing in this town
Some gray northern sky
Gotta get away, I gotta start again
Gotta turn my life around
Coz if these four walls keep closing in
this ground


Oh me
Oh my
You know that I've got somethingto say


Oh me
Oh my
I think about it everyday


Oh me
Oh my
You know I've been changing my ways
Coz I dream of better days with you now



(GUITAR SOLO)


Oh me
Oh my
You know I'vegot sumit to say


Oh me
Oh my
I think about it everyday


Oh me
Oh my
You know I've got sumit to say


Oh me
Oh my
I think about it everyday


Oh me
Oh my
You know I'll be changing my ways
Coz I dream of better days with you know

The Uses and Gratifications Model

-it is still unclear that there is any link between the consumption of violent imitative behaviour

-it is also clear the theory is flowed in that many people do watch violent texts and appear not to be inflenced

-this is called:- The Uses and Gratifications Model

-the uses and gratifications model is opposite of the effects model

-the audienceis active

-the audience uses the texts and is not used by it

-the audiences uses the texts for its own gratification or pleasure

-here, power lies with the audience NOT the producers

-this theory emphasises what audience do with media texts- how and why they use them

-far from being duped by the media, the audience is free to reject, use or play with media meanings as they see fit

-audiences therefore use media twxts to gratify needs for:-

• diversion
• escapism
• information
• pleasure
• comparing relationships and lifestyles with one's own
• sexual stimulation

-the audience is in control and consumption of the media helps with issues such as:-

• learning
• emotional satisfaction
• relaxation
• help with issues of personal identity
• help with issues of social identity
• help with issus of aggression and violence

-controversially the theory suggests the consumption of violent image can be helpful rather than harmful

-theory suggests that of audience act out their violent impulses thrugh the consumption of media violence

- the audience's inclination towards violence is therefore subimated, and they are less likely to commit violent acts

MUSIC........

Finally got the email saying that the band will allow us to use the music, but they have told use to look at there myspace page because they have more music, but we have decided to use the song "Oh Me, Oh My" by The 99's.

We wanted to get on with thinking of idea's so we listened to the whole song and wrote down the lyrics so and have thought up some ideas already.

All we need is the music now.

More of the effects model

-the effects model (backed up by the Bobo doll experiement) is still the dominant theory used by politicions, some parts of the media and some religious orgainisations in attrobuting violence to the consuption of media texts.

Key examples sited as causing or being contributory factors are:-

-the film Child's Play 3 in the murder of James Bulger in 1993.

-the game Manhunt in the murder of Stefan Pakearah in 2004 by the friend Warren LeBlanc.

-the film A Clockwork Orange (1971) ina number of rape and violent attacks.

-the film Severance (2006) in the murder of Simon Everitt

In each case there was a media and policitical outery for the text to be banned.

In some cases laws were changed, films banned, and newspapers deaned the burning of films.

Subsequently, in each case it was found that no case could be proven to demonstrate a link between the text and the violent acts.

The effects model contributes to MORAL PANIC where by:-

-the media produce inactivity, make u sinto students who don't pass their exams or 'couch potatoes' who make no effort to get a job.

-the media produces violent 'copy-cat' behaviour or mindless shopping in response to advertisement.

The Effects model

Here are the notes we wrote up in class about the effects model:-



-the consumption of medcia texts has on effects or influence upon the audience



-it is normally considered that this effect is negative



-audience are passive and powerless to prevent the influence



-the power lies with the message of the text



THE EFFECTS MODEL IS ALSO KNOW AS THE HYPODERMIC MODEL



-here, the message in the media texts are injected into the audience by the powerful, syring like media



-therefore, the media works like a drug and the audience is drugged, addicted, doped and duped



Key evidnece for the Effects Model



-1). The Frankfurt school theorised in the 1920's and 30'sthe mass media acted to resrict and control audiences to the benefit of corporate capitalism and goverment



-2). The Bobo Doll experiment



This is a verycontroversial piece of researchthat appartently proved that children copy violent behaviour.



The Bobo Doll experiment was conducted in 1961 by Albert Bandura



In the experiment:-



-children watched a video where an adult violently attacked a clown toy called a Bobo Doll



-the children were then taken to a room with attractive toys that they were not allowed to play with or touch



-the children where thenled to another room with Bobo Dolls



-88% of the children imitated the violent behaviour that they had earlier viewed. 8 months later 40% of the children reproduced the same violent behaviour



-the conclusion reached was that children will imintate violent media content

-there was many flaws in the experiment

Audience theory

Three questions:-

1). Why do audiences choose to consume certain texts?

2). How do they consume texts?

3). What happens when they consume texts?

There are three theories of audience that we can apply to help us comne to a better understanding about the relationship between texts and audience

The three theories are:-

-1). The effects model or the Hyodermic model

-2). The Uses and Gratification model

-3). Reception theory

coursework examples

In our media lesson this week we was shown six different examples of older courseworks at our school. This will help us with ideas for our music videos. I wrote notes on the pieces as we watched them and here they are.

Example one:-

-fast pace
-different camera angles
-band playing instruments
-good lip singing

Example two:-

-fast pace
-band playing music
-random shots
-different camera angles and shots

Example three:-

-no lip singing because no technology
-different location
-good editing
-story line

Example four:-

-good lip singing
-no story line
-different locations
-good idea
-flash backs
-reversing the shot

Example five:-

-good editing
-don't like writing on screen
-lip singing not in time
-like a movie preview
-lots of energy

Example six:-

-reversing
-good count down
-lots of energy
-good performance
-good lip singing
-lots of effects used

more research.....

25- Madness "Baggy trousers"

-shows normal life

-children playing

24- Radio head "No Surprises"

-video and song complements each other

-close ups

-lyrics are on screen

-shown like a text

-water at bottom of screen

23- Britney Spears "Hot me baby one more time"

-dresses as a school girl

-set in a school

22-Justin Timeberlake "Cry me a river"

-stalking a old girlfriend

21- Queen "Want to break free"

-done in drag

20- Gorillaz

-cartoons

19- Madonna "Material girl"

-artist complements the video

-dressed like Marylin Monro

18- "Crazy in love"

-special lighting

17- Blur "Coffee and TV"

-dancing milk

-milk cartoon expressions pull videos alone

16- Outcast "Hey Ya"

-old style setting

-screaming fans

15- REM "Everybody hurts"

-stuck in traffic

14- "Dirty"

-set in a boxing ring

-not a lot of clothing

-lots of men

13- "Scream" Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson

-filmed on spaceship

-most expensive video made

-black and white

-bouncing off the walls

12- Cold Play "The Scientist" 2002

-walking backwards, but singing forwards

10- Nirvana "Smells like teen spirit"

-smoky

-dark

-dancing and jumping around

9- Madonna "Vogue"

-rich looking woman, dress up

-dance off

-old style Hollywood glamour

8- The Nerve "Bitter Sweet Sympathy"

-walking down street

-set in London

7- Michael Jackson "Billie Jean"

-set in a ruff area

-pavement lights up

-dancing around

6- Robbie Williams "Rock DJ"

-girls dancing around him

-taken his clothes off

-takes his skin off

5- Madonna "Like a Pray"

-controversial video

-religious

-black Jesus

-Gospel choir

4- Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody" 1975

-close ups of the faces

-fire

-playing live

-wear make up

-special effects used

3- "Take on me"

-cartoon

-adds value to the song

-mix between reality and fairy tale

2- Sledgehammer

-special effects

-background changes

-lots of props

1- Michael Jackson "Thriller" 1983

-like a movie

-walking down the street singing

-dance

-wolfs

More research.....

46- Adam and the Ants

-fairy tale

-big costumes and make up

-made like Cinderella

-special dance made up

45- Aerosmith "Crazy" 1994

-set in a shop, and some of the band performance

44- "Can't get you out of my head"

-different world

-future world?

-lots of different over the top clothing

-sexy

42- Bjork "oh so quiet"

-set in car garage

-like a music video

-lots of dancing

41- Spice Girls

-lots of running

-girls having fun

-shows girls personality

40- "Get your freak on"

-tribal

39- Pulp "common people"

-old fashion disco

-colourful

-un-natural at points

38- Fat Boy Slim "Weapon and choice"

-dancing

-flying

37- Guns 'n' Roses "November rain"

-wedding

-death

35- Sinead O'Connor "Nothing compairs to you"

-cries

-gives a real performance

-close ups makes you look her eyes

-powerful

33- U2 "Sweetest Thing"

-Boyzone in it

-showing emotions

-don't sing

31- "Stan"

-dark

-having

30- "Buddy Holly"

29- "Gay Bar"

More research

In our media lesson today we looked at seven different music videos from previous years. Here are the notes i made:-

Example one:-

-fast pace

-different camera angles

-band playing instruments

-good lip singing

Example two:-

- fast pace

-band playing music

-random shots

-different camera angles and shots

Example three:-

-no lip singing because no technology

-different location

-good editing

-story line

Example four:-

-good lip singing

-no story line

-different locations

Example five:-

-goof idea

-flash backs

-reversing the shot

Example six:-

-good editing

-don't like writing on screen

-lip singing not in time

-like a movie preview

-lots of energy

Example seven:-

-reversing

-good count down

-lots of energy

-good performance

-good lip singing

-lots of effects used

Looking at the different music videos has really helped me and Chris think of ideas.

TODAY......

In our lesson today we decided to do some test shots to see if my look like match the voice , we will put the test shots on at a later date.

Even more.......

64- Bjork

-strange

-super natural

63- George Michael 'Outside'

-in a toilet

-dressed as a police man

-disco in a toilet

-used filming from the air

62- Blur

-unnatural

-old days

-colourful

61- The Prodogy

-point of views

-shot in one night

-shown as a man, does "ladish" things

-seen in the eyes of a woman in the end

60- Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams"

-dressed like a man, but had all her make-up done

-has a cow in the video

59- Abba "Knowing me knowing you"

-playing on gossip

58- The Cure "Close to me"

-everything is pushing together

-filmed in a cupboard

-uses other props to make it look like they are making the sound

57- Meat Loaf "Anything for love"

-set in a forest

-dark lighting

-parts are bright colours with the girl is in

-like beauty and the beast

55- Fat Boy Slim "Praise you"

-done using hidden cameras

-people dancing, bad dancing on purpose

-gets stopped half way thought

54- Daft Punk "Around the world"

-dancing skeletons

53- Wham! "Club Tropicana"

-set in a holiday place

-having fun

52- Massive attack "teardrop"

-unborn baby sings

50- Paul Simon "You can call me Al"

-singing to the camera

-comedy

48- Johnny Cash "Hurt"

-showed he was ill

-last video

-cover version

-long back in time

-very moving

Research

In todays media lesson we looked at three different music video. I have wrote notes about each one, and here they are.

First video:- "6underground"

-lip sings every work

-looked like she was singing

-voice matched the girl

-good mise-en-scene, clothing for singing in a band, make up, head phones

-head phones make it seem like she is walking around listening and singing along

-good editing

-setting matches song

-set in a bad side of london

-girl moves camera, good transition inot another shot

-fast editing

-flash cuts

-different camera angles used

Second one:- "Spread Love"

-lots of effort

-use of instruments

-man doesn't go with voice

-lots of close ups

-man shouldn't have done close ups, bad hair and teeth

-didn't feel completely like a music video

-clothes didn't match music

Third one:-

-really thought about clothing, matching the setting

-believable relationship

-graphic match, eye to sun

-not a lot of lip singing

-romantic seting

-do actions to lyrics

-fast editing, short shots

-pulls it all together

more, more, more

73:- Bass Jaxx

-surreal, not like reality

-normal life but with singing

72:- Rorbort Palmer

-singing to the camera

-with girl in background

71:- Bjork "All is full of love"

-robots

-technology is used a lot

-building Bjork as a robot

70:- The Police "Every breath I take"

69:- Frakie goes to hollywood "Two Trys"

-trying to flight

-high class men fighting

68:- Madonna "Ray of light"

-shows streets of America

-everything is fast

67:- Beastie Boys

-fast paste

-car chase

66:- Bob Dilan

-documentary

-lyrics are on sheets of paper

-out of time

-badly shot

65:- The Aplex twins "Window Licker"

-lots of swearing

-isn't the man doing it, someone who look like him

-girls turn into him

100 greatest music videos carried on

94:- Bonnie Tyler

-used special effects

93:- "when we love" Rolling Stones

-document

drug, looking drugged

92:- Herbie Hancock "Rock it"

-black singer

-robots

-sexual references

-body parts

91:- The Specials (1981)

-car journey

-roits in english

90:- the pet shop boys "Go West"

-gay rights

-sung firstly by the village people

-special effects

-looks like robots

-done on computer

-"comersal art" use new technogly

89:- Smashing pumkins

-creepy

-special effects

88:- Elton John

-playing piano

-someone else is playing elton john

-robert downy junior

87:- "cry"

-new video

-different to all the other ones

-show faces

86:- "can't touch this" Mc Hammer

-girls dancing around

rapping

75:- Duran Duran "Rio"

-on a beach

-girls wearing hardly any clothes

-set on a beach

-shows videos have changed

I am backkkk

Let the music video begin.

Summerrrrrrr :)

Off for the summer, will post more when i get back.

The first 5 videos of the top 100 videos

100:- Musical Youth "Pass the Ductie"

-one of the first video's to show black people

-showed black British people

-video was about drugs, but not directly

-not very dressed up

-teenagers, and under children are shown

-story line

-lots of dancing

-shown next to famous London landmarks

98:- "small town boy"

-tells a story and deals with homosexuality

-first openly gay band

-issues

-personal issues

-normal life

-about not being yourself

-follows the boy about

-no special effect

97:- corner shop

-colourful

-lots of dancing-happy girl

-teenager dancing

-thought it was to heavily advertised

96:- So Solid Crew "21 seconds"

-each member had 21 seconds to introduce themselves and a chance to sing

-lots of special effects where used

95:- The Cardigans

-driving down a road

-shows the elements of a pop video e.g singing

-lots of special effects used

-cars chasing

-use of humor in the video

First piece of research

Our first piece of research we carried out as a class. Our teacher showed us part of the 100 greatest pop videos for us to have a look at the types of videos that have been make and to find the aspects that are often in music videos.

I looked at some of the videos and wrote down what I thought of them and any parts that I thought maybe I could look into using or thought was good.

I will write up at a later date all the notes i wrote in my book.

Hello :)

I am back again :).

This time I will be doing a music video, but yet again i will be working with Chris.

So over the next few months i will be on her added information about the video and research i have carried out.

The coursework will involve me making a music video, magazine and a digipak. This will be all for the same video which i will find from a unsigned band or from a band that we have got permission from to use there music.

Our Media Class (minus a few because they wasn't in)