Group post:-Dont stop believing lyrics and storyboard (planning)

Group post:-Email: Gaining consent to use Sara Bareilles 'Gravity'

For our music video we wanted to use the song 'Gravity' by Sara Bareilles, but before we could do this we had to gain consent to use the song due to it already having a music video. We searched online for contact email so we could gain consent to use the song.

All we could do then was wait for a reply and look forward to hearing there response. Finally after three days we got an email with an answer for us.

Planning - Rough cut for video

This was from when we all went into Brigg to gain experience in using a camera and a feeling of what it will be like filming when we do our video. We used a range of different shots and used different models in shots as this would give everyone the idea of what they need to do while the filming is going on. Once we had finished filming we went back to our classroom and uploaded it to Final Cut Pro X where we edited the video to make it appealing to the viewer. We used a variety of different tools, even ones that we don't want to use in our video, as this would give us an idea of how to use the tools. We included a range of different transitions in our video as this was a practice video and was just for us to understand how to use Final Cut Pro X.

How this influenced my ideas

• We will use a model who is willing to act
• We will use a range of different locations

Planning - Screengrabs from filming

Final Cut Pro X

Once we had finished filming our music video we started to put it onto Final Cut Pro X and try and match the actual Don't Stop Believing up with our music video. During this lesson we found it difficult to match up the lips synching with the music. So far we have matched up the first shot of the music video to the song by using the blade tool and having a gap at the start. We found this easier as my group used a close up of the models face so it is easier to match up the lips with the song.

First I had to import a media file onto Final Cut Pro X to get my singing shots onto the timeline. To start we uploaded the first shot of the model singing into camera for the start of the song. To do this we had to click on buttons to create optimized media, analyse for balance colour and fix audio problems.

After all this was done we had to wait until the blue circle reached 100% so we could then start analysing the video. This told us that the video had been completely uploaded and was ready to be edited. While we were waiting for this to be completed we discussed other work that had to be done, such as going onto our blogs to complete any unfinished work and start our write ups for filming and location.

Once the video had been uploaded we had to make sure that each camera shot matched up with the singing from the song. So first used the shot of the male and female models and made sure that the music matched to the lip synching of the models. This proved to be quite a challenge for us as the models sung the song at a slower pace than the people singing the actual song

Filming on location

On Tuesday the 12th of July we all completed a group task of making a music video for the Glee cover version of Don't Stop Believing. We all went down to the river Ancholme in Brigg near Bargain Madness to take it in turns filming and singing into camera. The advantage of this was to give everyone the feel of making a musc video and how hard it will actually be. We used a range of different shot types when I was recording to show my skills, one of the shots that I used was a zoom in and a zoom out shot. I tried to use this shot as I thought it would make my video look a bit different to other peoples music video. However I soon found out that this would not work on Final Cut Pro X.

We also used a range of group shots to represent fun teenage culture as it was a teenage video and we used our storyboard sheet to base our camera shots on, for example we used the bridge in Brigg to take shots of people when the line "Hiding somewhere in the night" as we felt that the lyrics can work in cohesion with the video as it is like we are hidden under a bridge.

We started of the video with a close up on the models face to catch his emotion while he is singing about a girl. We then went to the girls point of view where the camera uses a close up shot of her singing about the boy, which creates the suggestion that they are singing about each other.

 We then  moved down the river to have a different girl stood still with a guy approaching from behind her when the words "The smell of wine and cheap perfume" came on as the girl started to spray perfume on herself to work in cohesion with the lyrics. For the final shots we has the group stood in 2 lines and having us run across each other doing the stereotypical teenage dancing.          



However we then finished the song off by having the whole group standing in a 'V' and doing a synchronized dance routine, as we felt this was very stereotypical for a teenage music video.





From doing this I have learnt that you have to have a lot of patience to get your filming right as we found out with a few of our camera shots, as if they went wrong we had to keep re-recording them until they were right. We realized that we also need a patient model who is willing to keep re-doing the shots as we will need to think of ways we can improve the shots to make them appealing to the TA. We found this out from the first shot as I had to keep singing the same part over and over until I got the part the way we needed it. Another aspect of this day that helped me was that we realized that we should only stick to basic shot types unless you are confident the advanced shot that you take will work on Final Cut Pro X. This software helped me realize that we need the singer to sing in time with the music as much as possible as then it is much easier to sync up the video with the music.

Research - Geri Halliwell 'Its Raining Men' analysis 4

This close up on her back is to show off the black tattoo. I feel that this represents adulthood and the message behind this is to show the audience that she has grown up now and is not the girl she used to be. The black hot pants and  sports bra are to show off her sexuality and her voyeuristic looks as well as show the audience that she has power and is ready to make a come back.

This medium longshot shows an older man, however he is wearing smart clothes, which could suggest that he is important and it is an important occasion at the point in the video. As he is sat behind a desk suggests that he is judging Geri and because he is in the center of all the judges suggests that he is the head judge, which gives him a position of authority.

This group shot is used to show Geri putting on the vinyl, which is based on and is copied from the film 'Flashdance' which creates intertextuality as puts on the song 'What a feeling' in the same way as the girl from the film, however in Geri's version she plays her song and like in Flashdance she has judges watching her dance and at the very beginning she uses the same dance routine as Flashdance. Cross media convergence is created because of this because a lot of the features from Flashdance are used in this which tells us that Geri had to get copyright from the film.

This shot is very important as Geri was part of the 'Spice Girls' who had split up in the year 2000 so she released the cover of the song 'Raining men' (originally performed by the weather girls in 1983) to launch her come back. The reason that this this close up shot of her face is so important is because you see a fit, good looking and active girl dancing around the room at the beginning and then the camera uses a close up to reveal her face to show the audience that it is her, which will be odd for them as she was known as not only 'Ginger spice' she was also know for being the 'bigger' one in the group and in the video she is really skinny and has blonde hair, which shows how she has dramatically changed her appearance.

You could say that this medium longshot of Geri follows the theory of Winship 'The gaze' as she is looking directly into camera to create direct address with the audience and try and look sexy and appealing. This is a voyeuristic view of Geri where she has the notion of looking into camera and making eye contact with the camera.

The foot tapping shot again relates to the film Flashdance as the judges all start tapping their feet to show that they are getting interested in the song. I feel that the use of the Flashdance ideas connects with a wider TA as it is a film that people of all ages like as it is now an older film but people from now days also like it. This follows the theory of Bentley 'The making of the new and rearranging of the old. The black shoes are from Geri Halliwell's music video and the picture underneath is from the film Flashdance.

This shot creates a link between the lyrics and the music as when she says "Its Raining Men" all the people come running into the room lead by a group of men, which works in cohesion with the music because it is like she is being showered with men. This gives the sense of the fun and teenage side to the music video, which relates to a modern teenage target audience.

I feel that the reasoning behind this close up of her stomach is to show off that she is in good shape. As you can see she has a 6 pack and a short pants to show off the muscles in her legs as well as body. I feel that the dark background is used to match the colour of her underwear so the main stand out feature of this shot is her body. Also at this point of the song she is thrusting her hips to show of her sexuality and physicality.

To understand this shot you ned to have heard about the event that took place, where Geri kissess Prince Charles and it came as abit of a shock so it was she became well known for. I feel that she included thiss in her video to remind people of what she is known for and give the audience a bit of a flash back. Also I feel that she has done this to let the audience know that inside she is still the same fun self as she always was.

This close up of  the judges is a representation of the publics reaction to the kiss as the man is in shock about what she had just done. However for this to make sense I feel you have to have have built up knowledge from the media. Also I think it is meant to seem more of a shock ass the male is wearing smart clothes, which suggests he is from a higher class which  makes  it more socially unacceptable, which is the same problem when she kissed Prince Charless as he is royalty so you would it expect her to act the way she did.

This shot is meant to represent that she is in good shape. As you can see she is doing a crab like pose where you can see how flexible she is and how much weight she has lost as you can see her ribs. Her face is glowing with happiness and she is looking at the camera as if she is trying to show that she is impressed with how flexible she is and wants the TA to be impressed with her shape as well.

This is a medium close up of  Geri which is interesting as the video follows a pattern as everytime she is wearing these clothes there is a medium close up of her as if the camera wants to show off her modern and sexy clothing. Also I feel that the purpose of this shot is to show the audience how fun an young she is and that she is still as active as she used to be when she was with the Spice Girls.

Again like the previous shot her costume has changed and there is now a close up of her face. I feel the purpose of this shot is to show off her good looks and capture the beauty of her blue eyes, as she is looking directly into camera. Also in this she has a fan on her face to make her look more sexual and appealing to the TA. Again this follows the theory of Winship as she is gazing into the camera with her hair being blown back to show off her face to reveal her natural beauty.

This close up of the people dancing relates to the film Footloose which is a film frrom 1984 which maany people from the time love. Like Flashdance they use this to show of that she is young and hip. She also has red socks on which is a sign of passion and relates to the video as she is very active in the video and passionate in her dancing.

I feel that this longshot of Geri is to represent her fitness and how she has got into such good shape. This sit ups show hard work and how she is determined to get into shape, however I also think that the message behind this is that she it is easy for her to represent that that she is in the shape of her life and she is still young and flexible.

Like some of the other shots this shot relates too a film from the 1900s, but this is from the film Fame where the girl is running down the hallway to get to lesson. This could be a representation of Geri wanting people to see her as young and sexy as she is wearing a 'hip' top that is something that in films stereotypicaly cool and pretty girls wear, which suggests that she wants to look appealing and modern. Also I think that she is trying to show off her fitness and agility as she is sprinting down the hallway at a great speed.

This close up shot of her chest is again a link to the film Fame as in the film Fame it uses the same font and the same idea of the last letter underlining the rest of the word. This creates cross media convergence as it was taken from the film. Also Geri has tried to make it her own by using the word 'famous' instead suggesting that she is telling people that she already/still is famous. You could also say it follows the theory of Neale 'Repetition and difference' as Geri has repeated this idea and tried to make it her own by extending the word. However it could also follow the theory of Bakhtin 'intertextuality references to other texts or moving image' as this is a big reference to the film Fame.

This is a very powerful shot as the camera is looking up at her and the clouds are moving fast, this could suggest that she is being represented as a Godess figure who has a lot of authority, especially because of the dark clouds which represent power. I feel as this is a good idea for a shot as it uses good editing skills to change the sky while having her center framed.

 This is one of the most interesting shots in the music video as it creates a link between the musics lyrics and the music video as when she says "It's Raining Men" the rain starts to pour down on them, which relates to the theory of Goodwin as the visuals match the lyrics. I really think this idea would be good for my music video as I feel that creating a link between the lyrics and the video is very popular with a modern day audience. Another reason that I like this extreme longshot is because I like that all the dancers are in sync and are performing a dance routine, which is an idea that I feel I will definitely use in my music video.

 This medium close up of Geri's face and body is very appealing to a male audience as she is wet and is using sexual arm movements by rubbing her body. This is to show off her good and sexy looks to the audience, also she does this by following the theory of Winship 'The gaze' as she is creating direct address with the audience by looking directly into camera in a sexual way. The background has been blurred and she has been center framed to make her the main feature of this shot. I feel that she also follows the theory of Dyer 'A star is an image' as she has created a new image for herself and has made herself look sexy and female dominant.

How this has influenced my creativity and planning?

• I like the idea of synchronized dancing
• I like the use of creating a link between the lyrics and the video
• I like the idea of creating a star image
• I like the idea of ground shots to create power