Shot by shot overview: Opens with shutter sliding motion - bright high key lighting. Camera pans up from the blue and white balloons on the floor to the group, the two men wearing animal print shirts and the female (lead singer) wearing very brightly coloured clothes and holding an umbrella. She's in the middle so the main focus is on her, she is the iconography of the band. The words "still into you" flash over the screen while the band remain motionless. As the base line starts, the shot changes to a panning shot (quick) in a bedroom with the lead singer sitting on a bed - which is surrounded by birthday cakes (relating to the lyrics "can't count the years on hand that we've been together") Shots of the cake inter cut quick (in-between the first and second line of the song) with close ups of the singer smiling. High angle shot of her laying on the bed. Quick shots again of her smiling and laying down in-between the lines. Back to her dancing on the bed. 0:30 - long shot of the whole band biking towards the camera in a pastel large manor house. Followed by a close ip of the lead singers leg on the bike. Cuts back to her on the bed dancing and at 0:37 back to the bikes. [Chorus] Cuts to a close up of the lead singer in the fore ground and the other two behind her on the bikes as she sings the pre chorus. 0:46 - shot changes to her singing to the low angle camera as the others ride around in circles behind her - fireworks onto the walls. Shots of all dancing around. 1:17 - shot changes to her walking forward in a horizontal line of ballerinas - long shot pans down. Her dancing with them (more relaxed dancing contrasting professional dancing). Claps in time with the claps in the audio (creating a foley type effect) - mid shot. This cuts to a mid shot and long shot of the group in the boat/balloon room from the beginning of the music video. Then changes back to the ballet room. Begins to cut between the two rooms till it gets to the chorus when it stays in the room with the boat where it shows multiple shots of the band messing around (like in the previous chorus). [Bridge] Goes back to them in the firework projection room rolling on the walls then them in the balloon room (in slow motion). A previously used shot of them on the bikes and then flips to the ballet room. "Some things just" standing against the wall, a close up of the singer (ballet), back to standing, back to ballet. 2:47 - the music slows for the build up to the final chorus. New shots are introduced of them all outside with sparkles and other fireworks going off layered over the top - all in slow motion. As it starts to build it cuts to the ballet room and then cuts back to outside as the fireworks go off behind the band in time with the music/beat. It then makes quick cuts to the firework projection room, then outside, and then once the last line of the song hits, it cuts to the firework room, the boat (the cut is off beat) and outside (repeatedly). As the song ends and fades out, the camera stays outside and pans away from a low angle mid shot of the lead singer to the fireworks in the sky to the above right.
-- The overall feel of the video that has been created is very atmospheric and bubbly/fu. This fits with the new image of the band that they are aiming to create. The inspiration that I have taken from this video is how there is a wide and bright mix of colours that match with the theme and tone of song. Along with a balance between footage played at normal speed and some footage that has been slowed down/in slow motion. The way that the lyrics are matched up with different scenes/shots that amplify the lyrics has also influenced me for how I am going to film and edit my music video.
A shot by shot overview of the music video: As soon as the video starts, there is immediate branding [0:00 - 0:08] of the artist's name followed by the title of the song. Black and white aesthetics, abandoned places with light flares - reflects the "ghost town" idea and abandonment/heartbreak that the lyrics of the song mention. Double exposure of the artist's face for fade in shots and images of the empty places. Soft lighting over his face and the settings until 0:48 when the exposure changes to a more high contrast and dimmer type of lighting. (Chorus) Flashes and jump cuts begin to match up with the beat of the music. The visuals become more of singular dancers (and models) all dancing and being "individual" - such as a gymnast posing against a wall. Changes back to a mid shot of the artist with soft lighting that has a close up of him with more high contrast lighting layered over the top of it. [1:58] The visuals change once again to the artist in a club setting with flashing lights and low key/high contrast lighting. As the song hits the pre chorus, the fast jump cuts of dancers is reintroduced. [2:00 - 2:10] The cuts to the beat change to various shots of the artist - a mid shot low key lighting shot of him in a club with others; with soft high key lighting mid shot walking forward on a diagonal; close up with low key lighting; high angle long shot almost directly above the artist - black background with him in light; soft lighting shot again - mid shot. Shots of the artist are intercut with shots of dancers in low key lighting and images of figures/statues in cloth. (Bridge) A soft lighting high angle mid shot of the artist on the right compositional third, with a male dancer covering the majority of the screen exposed over it - with the child in slow motion. The clips of the artist shot from a high angle (sitting on the floor and standing) are faded in and out - along with the dancer. As the quick beats in the music hit (lasting for 5 beats) there are quick jump cuts of the dancers moving. It then goes back to a long shot of the artist on the left third in the same lighting. The slow motion dancer is brought back in on the jump cut. Before it becomes more rapid and gets intercut with images of the artist in soft light and and the club setting. (Chorus) The beat of the music then comes back in, accompanied by the same style of imagery and editing cuts of the harsh lighting and dancers as the previous "chorus". The motion of the dancers slows as the song goes into its last lines - no jump cuts. It then cuts to shots of the artist yet again. A low key, high contrast close up over the top of a long shot of the artist in soft lighting. -- There is a multi ethnic and variety of genders included in this video through the dancers that are shown. This produces an all inclusive and accepting iconography, reflective of the LGBT+ vibe that the artist creates in his music and "star image". In terms of how I have taken inspiration from this music video, the way in which the whole video is in black and white to reflect the mood of the song has influenced me to try to match the colour schemes that I use in my music video with the tone that the lyrics have taken. In addition, The way that the editing changes to fit the changes in the pace and beat of the song has also inspired me when it comes to editing my video.
Having sent off a copy of the link to the promotional video that I have completed, my client has since sent me feedback informing me that I have succeeded in making a promotional video that fits the brief and efficiently conveys the values of the company.
This is the finished and final version of the promotional video that I have made for my client's, Mrs Nicola Osborne, Childminding business. Having completed what I set out to do I feel as though I was able to produce a fairly decent video even though there are some issues which, given a longer period of time or the chance to redo the video, I would improve. The use of matching the voice over to what was being shown on the screen at certain parts of the video, I feel, has given it a some what professional appeal as the clips illustrate what is being mentioned. I also think that the way in which the overall video is constructed (it's structure) work well in showcasing the variety of activities and care that each of the children at my client's facility receive. In terms of whether or not I was able to succeed in getting my client's desire message across and managing to create I video that fits the brief that me and my client arranged, I feel as though I did manage to fulfil the task and create a product that promotes my client in a positive and correct way. I ensured to include some direct quotes from my client - namely their business ideal, details and services that they offered - so that the video itself was fairly straight forward and got the point across (it stated what the children will receive, how potential customers can contact the owner of the business and the facilities/activities that take place). I do feel as though when it came to writing the script and adding the additional information over the top of the footage, I could have included more about the hours that my client looks after children from and the flexibility with which she can work with the parents and around their shifts at work. I think that this could have attracted more customers as it would show that she (my client) is willing to work with them to make it a great deal easier and more convenient for them whilst also providing good care of their child/children. When it came to filming, I tried to take a wide range of shots so that during the production and editing stage of making the promotional video I would be able to draw on specific and a variety of aspect about my client's business. As I was creating and shooting this promotional video, I tried to create a very hands on while at the same time very caring feel to the video. This is the reason why a great majority of the shot in the video contain hands and different learning activities - such as drawing, recognising numbers and the carers/adults working at the childminding service holding hands with the children to ensure that they are safe. From the research that I did, I drew a great deal of inspiration and understanding of how to make a successful promotional video - specifically taking more reflection from the Childcare UK company promotional video as it directly linked to the type of video that my client wanted. In my research, I found that the Childcare UK promotional video had a mother's voice, high key lighting, bright colours and a great deal of shots of different children smiling. I believe that this research does show through in my final video and, as a result, shows the influence that I have taken.
In terms of health and safety, for this promotional video I had to take extra care with what I was doing as there were very young children on the premises at all times while I was filming. I tried to minimise the amount of clutter or camera equipment that I took with me so that the risk of damage to equipment and harm caused to any of the children under my client's supervision at the time was lessened.
Prior to filming anything, I also ensured that I had full clearance and understanding from the parents of all of the smaller children so that I didn't run the risk of unsetting them. In doing this, I was also able to survey the surroundings and locations that I would be filming in so that I could work out what shots I would do and how /i could go about shooting without harming any of the kids.
After creating and finishing the first draft of my promotional video, I emailed it to my client to ensure that I was taking the video in the right/preferred direction of my client. In this first draft I contained a note over the top of the video to indicate where the voice over begins and ends - sending her a copy of the script for her to approve in addition to the video itself. I received feedback from Mrs Osborne saying that she was pleased with how it looked so far.
