Initial DigiPak Ideas

Before I designed my Digi-Pack online via an editing software, I decided to sketch out some of my initial ideas on paper. I chose to do this so I could explore a variety of different options and themes before I began using editing software, as I believe this will save time further on in the process.

   This idea focuses more on the narrative and theme of my music video rather than an artist identity. The images I selected are intended to show the main characters escape and liberation via the environmental images, and the images of the alcohol and pill bottle show how she achieved it.

This idea more strongly reflects my chosen artists identity and style than the previous sketch. As Florence and the Machine has quite a liberated and psychedelic spirit that she embodies in her album art and personal style, which I have tried to reflect in my use of imagery here. I have included the images of the girl with her arms out and playing in the stream in order to symbolise freedom and to evoke a positive energy, and have used images relating to nature (clouds, and running water) as this sort of imagery is also used in many of Florence and the Machines products.

Feedback on Second Cut

After finishing the second cut of my music video, other Media Studies students were given the task of watching them and analysing them in order to suggest improvements and come up with potential ideas for the digi-pack that we have to produce alongside the video. The following presentation shows the general direction of the feedback;

Music Video Second Cut

Editing Developments

Due to the fact that the deadline for the completion of the music video is fast approaching, several other features have been added to my music video since my last blog post. These include;

Adding light effects onto the escapist sections of the video, as bright light has connotations of entering into the afterlife. Therefore, I added it in order to suggest to the audience that she has died, without giving the whole plot away.

Adjusting the opacity levels so that a slow motion shot of a girl running has been merged with shots of the abuse the girl has faced. I have chosen to do this in order to convey that the girl is running away from and breaking free from her past into a better life.

Added several transitions into the sequence in order for it to come across as more lucid and dream like, as it is important that this is shown to the audience so that the escapist hallucination section of the video isn't taken literally.

Slowed down certain shots in order to improve the timing and to ensure that the action on screen matches the lyrics of the song like I intended them to.

Editing- what progress has been made?

   

Since my Raw Footage Feedback I have...

Uploaded all my footage onto Final Cut Pro, other than a few shots that need to be re     filmed 

Changed the opacity levels on some of my shots in order to make them layered like I said they were going to be in my shooting script.

Added a black and white filter onto the opening shots of the video in order to symbolise the dark and dismal nature of her life.

Initial feedback on Raw Footage

After I uploaded all my raw footage onto the editing programme Final Cut Pro, everyone in the class gave me feedback on it. This was done due to the issues that the examiner had with last years raw footage, so the same thing would not happen this year.

Positive

• Good use of the shot featuring an argument between the main character and her mother before the song started. It helped to clearly establish the narrative in a simplistic way without going over the top.
• Strong variety of shots, make the product more visually interesting. The shot with the pill tub and the girl leaving the room in shallow focus was particularly interesting and demonstrated a sound ability.
• Editing technique of slow motion was used effectively in the close up of the girls face, emphasised how emotional she was feeling. 
• Good use of location; it gives the dreamy, abstract feel that was trying to be achieved. 

Negatives

• Some shots are a bit shaky, i.e the close up of the girl dropping the bottle. Needs to be re-filmed as the problem is too big to be fixed by steadi-cam.
• Costume could have been used more effectively. The main character could have been wearing angel wings in the abstract scenes in order to add to the whimsical feel and to help stick to the conventions of a Florence and the Machine video.
• The shot with the clouds on it goes on for too long, something needs to be added to it in order to make it look more effective. For example, time lapse could be added. 

Filming Day Review

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