Inspirations

I have many inspirations through my love of music. I try not to create a bubble of one genre of music that I enjoy, this in turn allows me to broaden my ideas around my video.

Blink 182

I believe this band has had a huge impact on my love of music through my childhood. I think that their music is 'catchy', fun, very enjoyable. However, as well as some of their other immature songs they have more mature songs that have influenced my taste in music at their diverse attitude to music.

The Killers


To begin with I wasn't aware of the type of music they wrote/ sung. Yet, when I heard their hit song 'When You Where Young' I researched them, listened to the album they released to find a previous one already produced and they have became one of the bands that have influenced me the most. Their videos are intriguing as well as the lyrics and to this day,  'When You Where Young' continues to probably be my most favourite song of all time

Green Day


Through word of mouth this band has crawled into being one of the best bands in my head of all time. They have written an infinite number of songs which I haven't even listened to all of them yet but I really enjoy their music. Unbeknownst to many, their music videos have so many messages about life in them and through looking at the oldest videos they have done, you can tell current artists have stolen ideas. They have definitely influenced the way I wish to shoot my video and deserve all my credit for the amount of ideas they have given me.

Little Comets

Not known world wide but this band has some brilliant music. I have recently been introduced and this band is fantastic. I really enjoy their music but on the other hand they have not produced any music videos. I have often pictured a video they could produce and this in turn has helped me to become more creative with my own.

The Smiths


This band was present in the 80's but I still listen to them now. This shows how bands can last for years on end. I think their music is one of a kind and is being reborn in clubs around the city. I love the way they have shot their variety of videos to fit in with the lyrics and have truly influenced through style of sound and imagery.

The Clash

The Clash are amazing. Their songs have seemed to live forever and appeared on many shows and films. 'London Calling' is something everyone has listened too and is hugely popular.The style of music they play is unique and have such a variety of songs under their belt it is hard not to be inspired by them

I have so many inspirations, not only from the type of music they play but how they perform, like Alice Cooper with his 'Bad Boy Rockstar' or their style such as the way The Clash are dressed or even on raw talent, like the way Jimi Hendrix plays or how massive U2 are and still keep true to their music. All these factors inspire me in the music industry and this helps me with any idea for a music video and portray it the way i want it to be portrayed.

Contacting the Band

I thought contacting the band was important to secure a confidence in representing the band/ artist himself. My email to them was as follows:

"To whom it may concern,

                                    I am currently in year 13 studying media and my project is to choose a band and create a music video to go with the song. Whilst searching for a band, I came across yours on unsigned.com and instantly became a fan. Firstly I need confirmation that it is possible, from your band, to create this video for my A Levels. I look forward to hearing from you.

                                                                                                                Yours sincerely Simon Helliwell"

The Reply I recieved was:

"Yeah sounds good, go for it. 

J

Check out our YouTube series to see what it's like being in an unsigned band at http://www.youtube.com/theeyeshineband"

Shot List

1. Cose up of a record playing
2. Close up of Guitar to introduce the instrument
3. Close up base instrument plucking at the strings
4. Close up of drummer hitting the symbols
5. Zoom in on the Lead singer as he wakes up and screams "1, 2, 3... Let's Go!"
6. Establishing shot of the Band in an open room playing together
7. Zoom in on the lead singer's face as he sings the first line of the first verse. Taking of his guitar it zooms out, he is in his bedroom
10. Following his body movements the camera will see him pick up a photo frame of a 'loved one'
11. On the line "life is going poorly" The lead singer will chuck the photo on the floor
12. The camera will be stationary to a medium shot to see the lead singer pick up and put on his guitar
13. Zoom in on face to re-zoom out to find that he is in the shot with the band again
14. Long shot of band playing
16. Zoom in on face again - repetition of camera shot symbolise the repetitious nature of his old relationship
17. Zoom out to show he is drunk on a park
18. Handheld camera to show how drunk the singer is
19. Handheld (by him) showing him walking, drinking, chucking crushed can then picking up guitar
20. No transition to show realism but extreme close up of face to zoom out to find him with band again
21. Medium close up of band members
22. Zoom on lead singers face, to zoom out to find him smashing up items and objects
23. Pan away to black
24. Pan back to him sitting in a chaotic scene
25. Shot of him crying/ getting upset and about to hang himself
26. Medium shot to see him preparing to hang self
27. Track away to darkness
28. Shot of band without lead singer packing up and walking off
29.Stationary shot with lead singer and girl walking away linking arms
30. Cyclical shot of radio and lead singer waking up and smiling

Film Schedule

Creating a Filming Schedule sounded easy. However, there was a few hurdles to over come. For example I had 3 cast members and myself to consider on an important year of A levels and with other activities to consider, it was never easy to get us all together especially to retrieve the props as well. Nonetheless a Film schedule would be completed asking each individual when they were able to film and fitting it together in a diary.

Target Audience

My Target Audience is the indie and rock genre. I believe that today indie/ rock is taking the charts by force and this in turn would make it easier for me to try and find a band that fits this category to possibly join the current artist. Whilst searching for my chosen Artist, I needed to make sure that they could be enjoyed by a large variety of people and so far I have received very little criticism of the band and the chosen song.

Props

This is the list of items or objects that I will need to complete a effective music video:


 Van
Guitar x 2

 Drum kit
Bass


 Microphone and Stand

Crushed, as well as full cans for the drunk scene.

Eyeshine - My Band

Initially launching into the underground music scene as a California garage rock band, Eyeshine evolved themselves into an aggressive edge rock outfit during 2004. The southern California-based trio debuted in 2006 with the How About That EP, whose blend of raw, unpolished modern rock was further explored on their debut full-length, Red Stripes White Lights. The band expanded to a quartet in 2007 and hit the road performing shows across the US. Eyeshine released their sophomore full length album, My Paper Kingdom in early 2009. The band has continued to tour nationwide, acquiring fans from all across the globe.



The origins of Eyeshine date back to 2002 when lead vocalist/guitarist Johnny Yong Bosch (who is known from the hit television series Power Rangers and is a well known voice actor) and drummer/backing vocalist/pianist Maurice Salmin began playing together in a church band. Eventually, the decided to take a shot at writing and performing their own music. The band went through many incarnations before deciding on the name Eyeshine. Bosch got the name "Eyeshine" from an episode of the The Crocodile Hunter. Steve Irwin was rescuing crocodiles in the darkness and kept repeating that he could spot them by their 'eyeshine' from his lantern. Alex Orantes joined the band a year later, followed by Ji Ho "Daniel" Lee who joined in 2007 after the release of the band's EP How About That.

Johnny Yong Bosch

Animatic

I thought it important to get my ideas down on a story board and start constructing my rough cut.

Lego House by Ed Sheeran

The video for "Lego House" features Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint as an obsessive fan. The video's narrative displays Grint developing through a mental breakdown. This really spoke to me as a music video. I thought that the director had very clear ideas on how to represent the characters. First of all he had picked Rubert Grint, a much-loved actor to play someone who looks similar to Ed.Following up to this, the audience had not clocked on yet why Grint is in this video and he seems a fairly normal protagonist and could pass off singing the song. It shows him writing the lyrics to the song and playing a guitar. These are all normal traits of a singer in their career build up. However the twist starts the seep through in the video as soon as he starts the hanging up of the picture of Ed Sheeran and the lyrics mirror the action “Frame it and put you on a wall” It then shows Grint struggling to play Guitar and you can imagine his breakdown inside at this point portrayed by the dropping of the helicopter as it smashes. The next few clips show him with a very stern look on his face, his emotion has now changed and the audience will now start to question his role in the music video.The extreme nature of his obsession is shown when he steals chewing gum out of Ed’s coach and starts to eat it himself, this again shows signs of insanity as you see the pleasure he achieves through his facial expressions. Before this however (after he is taken off stage) it shows all of his previous acts such as play guitar and write songs as a gimmick. He smashes the guitar he cannot play and shows him copying the lyrics from a CD he has previously purchased. This just shows the audience how much of a fraud he is. I find this extremely significant as all younger audiences will have copied lyrics at some point in there life, yet with this it is shown as an extremist. It shows the state of Grint as he has manikins surrounding him and he is talking to an Ed Sheeran one that he had made further dramatising his insanity.

 It ends with Sheeran and Grint meeting as Grint is forcibly removed from a music venue and Sheeran comes out of an elevator. Grints face breaks and you can really tell a realisation of what it would be like as a famous music star.


I believe that fits into everyone's A level project as it fits into the convention of Goodwin's six points. Grint mimes the lyrics and portrays the video as if he was famous and the story unveils from there.

Blink 182 First Date Video

   Like many others I adore this video. It is creative, funny and delivers the song extremely well. The video was directed by The Malloys, The Malloys is the working name of music video and film directors and brothers Emmett Malloy and Brendan Malloy. They are signed to HSI Productions, and released in 2001 but set in 1974 El Segundo, California. It was filmed in Burnaby, British Columbia, as well as Splashdown Park and the F440 Racing Challenge, both in nearby Tsawwassen.
The video features the band with the long hair and clothes from the mid-1970s, and has the band members parodying bands like the Bee Gees. The end of the video has spoof titles as to what band members are doing now such as ‘Travis now drives go-karts full time’ Similar to the end of the 1978 film National Lampoon's Animal House.

There are two versions of this music video, the longer version includes two band members talking in the beginning. At the start of the longer version, before the band begins playing, Tom DeLonge tells Mark Hoppus how he ended up kissing his brother. Hoppus replies, "You know what they say: 'Like Father, Like Son.'" Tom DeLonge says, "You said it best, brother." It also includes an interruption where in the video a baseball bat flies out of the hands of Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory and ends up in the front tire of a girl's bicycle, causing her to flip forward over the handlebars. Her headgear scrapes the road. This happens after the line, "I'm probably gonna miss."


The audience can tell that the video is a spoof instantly from transitions exampling the one at 57 seconds. This shows a detachment from reality and cutting any build up. It is also a fun, childish and enjoyable way to switch from the band playing in the garage to the narrative.

    In this video, Blink 182 exaggerate Goodwin’s theory of representing women as he uses them as sexual tools as well as the characters reactions such as boomer having an erection or dancing holding his crotch and thrusting adding humour.


The music video plays on humour and I believe it does this very well. Although it seems like a good laugh, this video has been thoroughly thought out and planned well. It would also have a huge budget and a lot of research into the 70'

Jonze and Gondry

Spike Jonze

Spike Jonze (born Adam Spiegel) is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Charlie Kaufman, which include the 1999 film Being John Malkovich (that gave him an Academy Award for Best Director nomination) and the 2002 film Adaptation, and direction of the 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are. He is well known also for his music video collaborations with Weezer, Beastie Boys, and Björk. He was also a co-creator and executive producer of MTV's Jackass. He is currently the creative director of VBS.tv. He is also part owner of skateboard company Girl Skateboards with riders Rick Howard and Mike Carroll.



He also co-founded Directors Label with filmmakers Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry.
In 2006, he was nominated by the Directors Guild of America for "Outstanding Achievement in Commercials in 2005." He was a producer and co-creator of MTV television series Jackass and Jackass: The Movie, also directing some of the segments. Jonze has acted in some videos and films; his most prominent role was in Three Kings as the sweet, dimwitted, casually racist Conrad, in which he was directed by friend David O. Russell.


Jonze was also a co-founder and editor of Dirt magazine along with Mark Lewman and Andy Jenkins, as well as an editor for Grand Royal Magazine and senior photographer for Transworld Skateboarding. Jonze has many alter egos, including Richard Koufey (alternately spelled Coufey or Couffe), the leader of the Torrance Community Dance Group, an urban troupe that performs in public spaces. The Koufey persona appeared when Jonze, in character, filmed himself dancing to Fatboy Slim's "Rockafeller Skank"

When he showed Slim, He completely agreed and loved it and organised dancers for Slim's next video "Praise you"

Spike Jonze was part of the Detour-Moleskine project in New York in 2007. The project invites authors to compile and illustrate Moleskine notebooks with experienced knowledge, to provide an intimate insight into the artists' creative process.

With such a background it is not hard to realize why he is such an icon is the the music video industry.




Michel Gondry

Michel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise on scene. Gondry's vision and career began with his emphasis on emotion, according to Gondry himself in an interview for The Film That Changed My Life. Much of his inspiration, he says, came from the film Le voyage en ballon.

"When I watch this movie, I dream I’m flying and then I do stories where people are flying. I think it’s directly influencing."




His career as a filmmaker began with creating music videos for the French rock band Oui Oui, in which he also served as a drummer. The style of his videos for Oui Oui caught the attention of music artist Björk, who asked him to direct the video for her song "Human Behaviour".

The collaboration proved long-lasting, with Gondry directing a total of seven music videos for Björk. Other artists who have collaborated with Gondry on more than one occasion include Daft Punk, The White Stripes,The Chemical Brothers, The Vines, Steriogram, Radiohead, and Beck.These are very well loved bands with very iconic music videos. However Daft Punk had a collection of animated videos where they would tell a story, this was directed by Gondry in Daft Punks Homework (the album) years.









Gondry, along with directors Spike Jonze and David Fincher, is representative of the influx of music video directors into feature film. Gondry made his feature film debut in 2001 with Human Nature, garnering mixed reviews. His second film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, was released in 2004 and received very favorable reviews, becoming one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year. Eternal Sunshine utilizes many of the image manipulation techniques that Gondry had experimented with in his music videos.

Costume ideas

 This will be the outfit for the lead singer. It is important to have the main singer/ leader of the band to have the main role in the fashion movement. He has to be in the latest fashion items so that their audience will be able to copy the latest trends. Many of the fan base will wish to copy him and in later music videos he will wish to add or mimic tweeks that the audience has done to improve fashion.

 

This will be the bass players outfit. It is important that he will not take the spotlight off the leaders outfit yet still look trendy. He will be imitating the lead singer to keep the image flowing throughout the band. Nevertheless, the fan base will still want to mimic his fashion sense and refer to him as a favoured member. It is important to not stray from a singular fashion sense as it can separate the band or they could just differentiate from  one another.

The drummer will be wearing something similar to the outfit shown here. It will still be stylish but nevertheless not aiming to impress. This is because drummers are often shown as the care free members of the band. Their talent is most important to impress. For example, Travis Barker is probably the most famous drummer in the world and possibly deserves the title of best. His items of clothing include his bottom half in jeans while his top half is naked filled with tattoos that show his expressions as a musician.

Goodwin's Six points

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics exampling a heavy metal video, the band will be 'head banging' to the song or in a dance video there may be a specific dance routine. The link will be heavily depended on a side of an indie rock to be reckless meaning there will be a presence of fire or slight abnormality.

There is usually a strong relationship between the lyrics and what visuals are shown in the video. With the lyrics in my song, I feel it is important to show them having feeling as if each member has gone through a traumatic stage in their life. It will reflect through movement and presence of objects as well as tense or tight body language.

The demands of the record label will include the need of specific camera angles of the artist and the products that they are wearing, the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work. I will portray the characters or band members with certain camera shots so that the audience will know how to feel or react to individuals.

There is often intertextual reference to other media.

There is often exploitation of real life exampling the female body or situations. This will be a side story to my music video, taking it away from the band or involving the band in different situations. I will have the main set of them singing and then a story to why they are singing linking with lyrics.

'Can't Keep Running Away' lyrics

'Can't Keep Running Away' lyrics

1, 2, 3, let’s go! - letting the audience know the song is about to starts with an upbeat screaming count. This is supporting the idea to prepare the audience to sing along and have them interact.

All the thoughts you can share with one look - this is describing the first encounter and the thought of instant love at first sight and sharing an intimate moment.

Everyone’s waiting patiently for something - The second line again involves the audience with the personal pronoun 'everyone' it also gets them to think what hey are waiting for.

What do you have to say for yourself? - the rhetorical question directed at the protagonist in the video

What is it this time? What is it this time? - the repetition of the rhetorical question explains to the audience that again a relationship is struggling and a previous incident keeps recurring. The audience are then intrigued to find out.

Can you tell me what you’re feeling (Tell me what you’re feeling) - This line is interacting with the protagonist and asking 'what is the problem this time'.

As the sun is at your back (Sun is at your back) - Explaining that they are turning into darkness and wanting to shelter themselves away form others.

And all of life is going poorly - Saying that other situations are not going to plan for the protagonist.

And you know you just might crack? Basically explaining that they might turn for the worse and commit suicide.

You can’t keep running away - this has happened a few times now. The imperative 'can't' shows that this must be the last time.

It’s gonna catch up some day - this is explaining that they have to confront the fears because no matter how far you try to ignore them, they will reoccur.

Don’t be this way (Don’t be this way)

Don’t be this way - the repetition of these lines state that their is some reassurance with the band members and other people. The echo of the band elaborates this point.

No, you can’t keep running away

It’s gonna catch up some day

Don’t be this way (Don’t be this way)

Don’t be this way

All your lies you’ve been baiting me to hook - the fishing metaphor extends the idea of being treated horribly, yet love holds together.

Enter the twisted vein of something different - Linking the line above, it is on about the ties that they will share as a couple.

Where do you have to go from here? - this is talking about the struggle in the relationship, the strain and if it will be able to continue.

How could you do it? Oh, how could you do it? - This line can relate strongly to the video for instance drug use of a love affair and would be portrayed through acting giving the audience and strong idea of what has happened.

Can you tell me what you’re feeling (What you’re feeling)

As the sun is at your back (Sun is at your back)

And all of life is going poorly

And you know you just might crack?

You can’t keep running away

It’s gonna catch up some day

Don’t be this way (Don’t be this way)

Don’t be this way

No, you can’t keep running away

It’s gonna catch up some day

Don’t be this way (Don’t be this way)

Don’t be this way

Your present made of plastic (made of plastic) - this metaphor links to to the problem and the word plastic suggests fake and man made.

Melted by your friends (melted by your friends) - following the metaphor on the previous line this one explains that what the protagonist is doing, the friends are ignoring or being unforgiving of the act committed.

And you’re hoping that your wisdom will not DRAIN INTO THE RAIN! - this is suggesting that decisions made by the protagonist is being wasted away like water.

You’re so wrong! (You’re so wrong!)

You’re so wrong! (You’re so wrong!) - repetition to explain to the audience that the protagonist is making the incorrect decisions

Don’t let your light die out 

You can turn it all around (Turn it all around)

Don’t let your light die out

You can turn it all around

Around… - This paragraph in the song is explaining that the protagonist or anyone (the audience) in the same situation can still change their ways, the repetition of the two lines is a supportive sentence.

Can’t keep running away

It’s gonna catch up some day

Don’t be this way (Don’t be this way)

Don’t be this way

No, you can’t keep running away

It’s gonna catch up some day

Don’t be this way (Don’t be this way)

Don’t be this way

Come on, come on, come on, don’t do it!

Hold on, hold on, your pain, I’ll see right through it! - Again the repetition of this explains to the audience that the struggle can be prevented.

THE BLACK IS FALLING DOWN FROM YOUR EYES TONIGHT! - Showing that the darkness is now passing from the protagonist explaining that the 'bad' is going.

Don’t be this way (Don’t be this way)

Don’t be this way

Song choices and ideas

Whilst searching for a song, I had a specific genre that I wanted to portray with my own ideas. I wanted to produce a video for a song similar to my own musical desire. A song that I would choose to listen to if it were in the latest music charts. This required me searching on websites such as unsigned.com and soundcloud.com. 

I found that with unsigned.com it was very easy to categorise what genre I wanted to search for. This gave me a list of bands that I then selected at random based on their name. This meant that I was even searching for a band with a good name, which is very important to audiences.

This is because people want a memorable name which is easily remembered and able to recognise. This got me contemplating and thinking of a name that would appeal to a large audience, something that would sound like a headlining act or even something that could be chanted by fans, easily and enjoyably.

I then chose Eyeshine from unsigned.com. I really enjoyed the music they produced and instantly came up with ideas for their song 'Can't Keep Running Away'. There songs range from tunes and lyrical backgrounds as well as have similarities that I thought suited my opinion about music.

What Music Videos accomplish

Nowadays music videos are very important to the artists, websites such as 'youtube' have the first releases and if people enjoy the video, they will most likely visit the site and search the video once again. Videos such as Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' have reached over 81 million hits on Youtube just showing how successful the video and she is. They will not only win awards for their song, the artist will also win awards for the creativity of their video.


link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw&ob=av2e

Definition of a Music Video

A filmed or videotaped rendition of a recorded song, often portraying musicians performing the song or including visual images interpreting the lyrics.