MY MUSIC VIDEO

MUSIC VIDEO FOR SHADES - PREZI

      FILMING

• When filming our music video, we used either cameras or phones, and filmed in my bedroom as well as Tonbridge lights and Sevenoaks lights. With a small budget, we decided to use what we already had and places we would have already been.
• After we got enough footage, we used iMovie to put everything together and audacity to get the music
• We chose to use colours similar to the ones Alexandra uses in her performances, red, blue, purple, yellow, and a green background. These intertextual references to the artificial lighting she uses creates a moody, ambiguous and purposeful feel to the music video, making the audience interested.
•  We filmed from a variety of angles, such as close ups, long shots and medium shots so that we could make it more interesting We also included techniques such as dolly zoom, high camera angles and low camera angles in order for it to be more attention grabbing and exciting
• We sped up and slowed down clips not only in order to make them fit, but also to make the music video seem more hectic
•  We decided to create an alternative music video as we were able to experiment with lighting, plots and ideas we had.
•     The cast were family and friends as we were able to arrange a time to film easier
•     The props we needed were a pair of sunglasses, usual things in a bedroom, usual things at a fair, bubbles and lights along with coloured film to create different colours in the music video
•     We decided to use eccentric sunglasses to create humour as well as a sense of unease, we also thought it would be best to make Indi act doll like and robotic. We didn’t want our cast to smile as we felt it would make the make the music video unprofessional and wouldn’t link to the mood the song has. We created a relationship between the lyrics and visuals
•     We wanted to have blurry footage for moments in between the clips of Indi and make the music video seem cutty in order to create a lack of clarity and slight confusion, which is also sung about in the song.
•     At parts, we decided to link the footage to what was being sung at that time, for example, a clip Jess recorded of a merry go round was played when Alexandra sung “hadn’t correctly got my head screwed on” as well as when the sunglasses were put on Indi and her reactions a few seconds later.
•     At the start of the music video, Indi is shown to be facing the left side of the bed, she then turns and wakes up. By the end of the music video when she has re-entered the bed she faces the right side. This creates a cyclical structure and makes what happened in between seem even more like a dream.
•      Our main cast was all female, this relates to Alexandra being a female artist
•     All clips of Indi are when the guitar plays abruptly, we used these clips to create a mini story
•     We decided to include white noise at the end, relating to Sia’s music video for The Greatest

·       

          THE SONG

•     We chose to make our music video to ‘Shades’ by Alexandra Savior
•     We used a minute clip from 0:13 to 1:13 and decided to fade in and out of it to make it seem less abrupt
•     Alexandra Savior is a 22 year-old singer-songwriter from America, in this album she collaborated with Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys to make what she described as a “feminist angst horror film feel"
•     We chose this song as we felt we could put to use some of our artistic ideas in previous plans to create an aesthetically pleasing and interesting music video, which at the same time related to Alexandra’s style

AUDIENCE, MESSAGE AND PURPOSE

•      Our target audience are females between the ages of 15 to 25, as the abstract nature may appeal more to them
•     The music video is representative of a child’s imagination, through the bubbles, kaleidoscope effect and bright, vivid colours.
•     Our purpose for the music video was to provide a visual in addition to the audio so the audience can have something to recall when listening/remembering the song, thus it can stick to audiences even more. We also wanted to introduce this artist to new audiences whilst giving them a better understanding of her and what the song is about. We intended to sell an image of Alexandra Savior being alternative and independent, therefore we created a more alternative music video

      THE MUSIC VIDEO

      At the start of the music video, it has a dark turquoise colour scheme, making it seem ominous and mysterious. The audience then zoom in on Indi as she turns onto her back. A more yellow light then switches on, overpowering the previous teal. We decided to do this as it separates different states; sleeping, and what seems like waking up.
     The video then cuts to a clip of a brightly lit carousel spinning round quickly to resemble confusion and disorientation. It also links to the song lyrics at the time; "hadn't correctly got my head screwed on" We then decided to use a clip with resemblance of a Kaleidoscope due to the repeated use of Indi standing being reused one after the other. This is reminiscent of childhood, whilst also making it seem dreamlike.
      After that clip, we chose to input one of Indi sitting up, this relates to the story line created with every abrupt down-strum of the guitar. When recording this I decided to move backwards as she sat up, creating a dolly zoom out effect.
     Next, is another clip of bright lights. It then contrasts to the following one of Indi getting off the bed. I decided to position the camera so that the bed was contributing to a horizontal rule of thirds.
     Between this and the next relating clip, there is again a short clip of bright, vivid lights. We decided to blur this footage and make the lights circular, this relates to the confusion and daze-like effect we wanted.
     The continuing plot with Indi carries on with her walking. We decided to slow this down in order to show caution. The next clip is again, bright blurry lights.
     Indi is then shown to be standing against the wall. The camera angle is face on, creating an equal, simplistic view. In the clip, a hand enters putting sunglasses on her face, this links to the lyrics sung at that time. The bubbles are then blown into shot on beat. These relate to the blurred lights as well as being in a dream-like state.
     After another clip of bright lights, Indi is shot from a further distance at a lower angle. Doing this made her seem more powerful, along with the lack of eye contact due to the glass in the sunglasses being dark. This makes her seem mysterious and adds an element of ambiguity. In the left of the screen there is a reference to The Smiths, this relates to the audience due to both them and Alexandra Savior are alternative artists with a common audience.
     There's then a clip of her putting her hand to her face, acting shocked. this relates to the lyrics at that moment, the bubbles then enter the shot again on beat. 
     Next, there is a return of the brightly coloured lights and Indi can be seen picking up an old fashioned suitcase and retreating back to bed.
     A series of clips then present her walking to the bed and laying down on top of the covers. The lights turn from yellow green/blue, creating a cyclical structure. I also decided for Indi to lay down facing toward the right as it relates to the beginning when she turns, making it seem as if everything between was just a dream.