My Shooting Script

Production Log - Week 2

What I have achieved this week & how I am apart of it:
I have successfully within my group created a detailed shooting script toward the music video. Whilst we were planning ideas we had to write them down on the rough copy however this week we have successfully completed a detailed shooting script complete with description of actions for each lyrics, the settings and the equipment used. This then allowed us to have a clear visual representation on what exactly we wanted to film in the video. I was apart of it by inputting ideas frequently and making sure that all the ideas were relevant.

HOW DOES THIS FIT IN WITH THE PRODUCTION SCHEDULE?
Before, we had a rough outline of what we wanted but if we were to take that plan and start filming straight away we wouldn't be able to get a clear video and things would be too confusing, due to the lack of detail. However now we have a clear specific idea, we can now film quickly and effectively as we know exactly what we want. This can them leave time for re-filing and editing to perfection.

WERE THERE ANY PROBLEMS?
As the proper planning started, we realised how difficult this was going to be. We didn't realise that there was literally going to be a shot for every line, so the rough idea that we had, had to then be condensed so that we didn't spend the first verse of the song with the main bulk of the storyline. So it took a while for us to all think of specific ideas but we did eventually.

HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?
We had to constantly refer to the lyrics, tempo and mood of the song in order to get the true ideas to begin to flow. However this still took a little longer than anticipated. But once the first idea for the first lyric was thrown out there, all of a sudden we all had a lot of ideas to put down and we even found that we had some left over.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK?
Next week we're hoping to properly finalise the professional shooting script, we are hoping to get it done to a standard that is fit for anyone to read and automatically sees what the video we're trying to put across is. By this time next week, we should be prepared to film.

Production Log - Week 1

What I have achieved this week & how I am apart of it:

This week we were placed into groups of 2-3 in order to begin progressing in our music video. In my group, I have Taylor and Anthony - which I think we will work very well in, given the amount of dedication that we have already aimed to put into creating this video. We have already decided that if one of us begin to slack off in the amount of effort put into the planning and production of this video, that we will certainly not hold back as we remind them and encourage them on why we have to keep on persisting, even when things become difficult. I believe this is essential to the making of a good music video.

This week as also been successful in that not only have we made a rough sketch on what we wanted to shoot in the video and the characters used, but my artist finally replied to my constant messages of asking for permission. Not expecting this, I was delighted to see that she just wasn't using her email so often which is why she didn't reply, as opposed to her ignoring me. She happily sent me the song and told me to ask her if I needed anything else, she was genuinely lovely.

Altogether, this has been a productive week.

HOW DOES THIS FIT IN WITH THE PRODUCTION SCHEDULE?

Before, it was quite difficult to predict exactly what we wanted to place in certain categories of the schedule since we hadn't had a firm confirmation that we could even definitely use the song. This was difficult to get round since both members of my group were confident that they wanted to use my idea. Therefore that final push to my artist that led her to sending me the song have the final confirmation and this now means that we can boost forward and get started.

Also, getting all of the planning done on time meant that it was now easy to properly frame our detailed script and so we can keep on track with what we have to film - meaning filming will not become messy or disorientated.

WERE THERE ANY PROBLEMS?

No major problems this week - filming our video on why we chose the group was a little bit difficult due to the fact that we had to keep refilming as we either messed up our wording or we just laughed for no reason - but we stayed focused and got it done in the end. Also, finding actual ideas on what to put in our first draft of our shooting script was more difficult than anticipated.

HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?

In terms of having too many retakes, we had to become very stern with eachother and automatically aimed to keep a straight face. Soon everyone became focussed enough to get a decent video.

In terms of shooting script creativity - once we all listened to the songs a little more, it became easy for us all to get ideas and once one of us thought of an idea - soon everyone had one and by the end of it, true creativity was flowing.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK?

Next week we're hoping to get a finalised shooting script with a lot more detail - the different shots for different seconds, angles, shot types, all of these elements will this time be included and be further developed. We will aim to get this done swiftly but also to take a lot of time and consideration into what we are filming as if something goes wrong, it could ruin our entire planning time.

Permission to Film

Lockdown Presentation Pitch PowerPoint

Lockdown PowerPoint

Music Video Pitch & Feedback

Pitch reflection

Are there any areas if the presentation you would like to give any more detail on?

I believe that I had expanded extensively on the creativity of the music video however I believe I could have added a little bit more on how I was going to make my music video stand out from any other conventions that I may have used the same idea, since I had explained that there were a few other videos that had similar ideas to what I had. I should have told the audience how exactly I would make sure my video was different and unique to any other video out there, just to ensure that I kept my ideas fresh in everyone's mind.

I also should have expanded a lot more on Andrew Goodwin's Theory to weave it in with my idea for my music video, just to show that I had studied this previously and that I was confident in what I was doing and what I was saying.

What did your audience identify as the strengths of your music video idea?

My audience were very keen on my music video idea and the overall story line, since many songs that are the most popular in the charts don't have unusual videos that go against the original conventions. They thought that the camera shots and the typography for my star identity were also particularly well thought out. Therefore the creativity and the practicality were strong points in my music video pitch.

What did your audience identify as areas for improvement?

One point was that I needed to expand a little more on what my main character of the music video was actually going to be doing. Another point was time management - since my main character (Taylor) was going to be in all of my video and in many of other people's, it was essential that we had time to work with all of us and that the time for filming didn't clash so that Taylor wasn't that busy. The whole point of creating filming on certain dates was to get this all finished in time so that if Taylor needed to star in other videos she would have the time to do this and still be apart of ours. Also I should have also added more references back to Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Theory, which I mentioned briefly but didn't actually reference back to Goodwin himself.

What changes will you make to your music video concept based on the feedback you received?

I will make sure that the idea of the video is clear. In many other videos similar to this one, the main character of being labelled as 'crazy' appears to be very proud of the fact that she is 'out of her mind' and in the 'Dance Without You' video she is being possessed by a demon and has clearly, no escape. However in my video I want to ensure that the main storyline is slightly more different, as I am making my character break out of the asylum and break free but then as she sees the busy world that she has been locked away from, she begins having second thoughts on whether this is a good idea. 

Music Video Group Q&A