Final narrative shoot

After school Michael and I (Daniel) stayed behind to plan the shoot and ensure everything is in tip-top shape beforehand so that we can begin the shoot early at 9:30am. We have written up a shot list to account for shots that aren't in the prologue and will be narrative during the track. We have organised the room in advance and even took a few final shots to test for composition, however lighting can only be tested when all the extras are there. All in all, we feel as ready as we can be (well, a lot more ready than before!) and we looking forward to a successful shoot!

Our !NFLUX website

To create a website for our artist !NFLUX we used 'Wix', a free online website designer. Based on our previous research we feel it is necessary that we take the 360 degree marketing angle to appeal and reach our mainstream audience. The website should be easy to navigate and have aesthetics which you would easily relate to the band. We will include links to the home, !NFLUX, gallery, video, competition/events and shop.

Upon entering the site's URL, you will first go to a page of simply an image of the band in action and looking incredible with just a link saying "ENTER SITE" and links to !NFLUX's pages on social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter. We chose these sites since we know that the majority of the core target audience use the sites. Since 80% of 16-24 year olds both male and female use social networking sites, it is a very cheap method of advertising and creating a huge online hype about the band.

We feel that fan interactivity with the band and the site is vital in attracting new audiences and so not only will there be a link to Facebook and Twitter on every page, but there will be the opportuinty to download the album, images, wallpapers, videos and purchase other merchandise surrounding the artist. There will be free samples of some items, however the audience will have to pay for everything else via website.

A significant part of our audience interactivity is our competition. We researched that Pendulum held a competition when releasing their latest album 'Immersion' where they allowed the audience to download the individual components of a track for free and use there own editing software to mix the track together and submit their mix. The best track was released in the album. We are going to provide a competition of similar nature to our audience via the website because this music is contemporary and largely produced at home. By using Web 2.0 to our advantage, we could attract audiences through the user generated content produced and submitted and the overall interactivity between the band and the fanbase.

Narrative Video Storyboard

In preparation of our second narrative shoot this friday 18th, we shot a video storyboard to allow us to be more efficient with camera set ups on the day and to give us an overall feel of the practicalities and possibilities with shooting at this new location, the media classroom.

We feel it went successfully with much experimentation, however when looking through the footage at times it didn't look as professional as we'd hoped (i.e. when the teacher enters the class the walk to the desk is too long). So, to avoid this an alternative might be to have the teacher already in the class with a few students and just show a few students entering the classroom. From ehre the teacher could then simply stand up, tell the students to "be quiet" or some equivalent, and then sit down and allow the following events of the video to unfold.

Having said this, if we are not going to have a prologue then this won't be as noticeable and we can film on the day as initially planned.

This is a roughly edited version of our narrative video storyboard.

Added editing method

In editing, we've found it difficult to browse through each clip at the full length to find specific shots which may only last for less than one second in the performance during the very fast paced editing. So I thought that to allow us to be more efficient in searching for the required shots I created a new sequence in our project on CS5 Adobe Premier Pro in which I have cut out all the clips that could be used in the final video, so that we can simply drag and drop the shot into the edit of our music video.

I selected shots from `Freehand Takes 1-3` and `Freehand Focus Changes Take 1`.

I made a `Screenshots` folder in our group 1 folder on the edit suite hard drive and in our group 1 folder on topics.

Thoughts in Preparation of the Second Performance Shoot

As a group, we understand that it is of the utmost importance to turn up to the shoot with more preparation than a few ideas of shots kept in our head. We need to pay closer attention to detail in composition of the framing.

As well as including the list of shots mentioned in a previous post `Rough Edit Reflections`, I have also noticed that we will need more controlled vibrations of the camera to fit in with the chaotic madness of the chorus `drop` of the song. In particular, I feel that using this vibration technique in corporation with close ups, high angles and tilted frames should be appropriate for the pace and atmosphere.

When we shoot, I think we should have already noted down exactly which type of shot will be the key feature of that particulr take so aren't solely relying on spontaneous camerawork from the cameraman. This method of filming on the day will also allow myself (Daniel) and Adam to have an increased role in directing, since we are the DJs and so have less chance of utilising roles behind the camera.

e.g. Take 1 - CU Vibrating
       Take 2 - HA Tilted Angle

Rough Edit Reflections

I created a rough edit using Adobe Premier Pro editing software with the footage we captured from the performance shoot and have found it very helpful in pinpointing the details we need to improve in our next shoot(s).

When editing it felt like certain shots were "missing". In our next performance shoot we need to film:

• more angles, shot distances (particularly CUs) and with more emphasis on the DJs,
• more LAs of Charley,
• tighter CUs of Charley and the DJs,
• ECUs of Charley and the DJs, particularly their eyes,
• more free hand shots.

It is also clear that in the build-up to each chorus (drop) requires a much more increased pace in cuts between shots and to the beat of the song.

Promo Shoot

Today, we conducted a promo shoot for our artist, !NFLUX, in order to promote our artist image and create images for the fanbase on our website and album cover.

We varied the depth, lighting and mood of the shot to entice the audience into divulging further into our campaign.

At first, we used the same costumes we wore when shooting the performance for the music video (Charley: sophisticated black dress with a dropped shoulder strap, DJs: Black suits, shirts and shoes, along with our iconic masks and headphones.)

We then changed the costume for added interest and variety.

Finally, we had another costume change so that the DJs were wearing casual clothing, with particular emphasis on wearing a hooded jumper, since this type of clothing is commonly associated with the clothing that is worn by the target audience. With this added grunge look, we can look to reach further into our target audience because it allows the audience to relate to the band, and this interactivity that is contemporary and very popular with the audience.

Production Meeting with Miss Blackborow

After having 2 production shoots and capturing the footage (for the first shoot) we have realised there is still much to do in the way of constructing a believable and relevant narrative. Chris was with us in the shoot on Saturday 5th and we received feedback from him saying "the dancing felt inappropriate and didn't convey the ideas we wanted."

Today Daniel had a meeting with Miss Blackborow and discussed the issues to do with the teacher suddenly blaring music during the test in class and creating a narrative which is appropriate and works well with the performance and the artist.

We have decided to cast Charley as the teacher due to difficulties in getting Lauren to the school and ensuring time is used efficiently and we feel this way there is a stronger connection betweent he narrative and the performance. Effectively, we are going back to an initial idea by the group where the narrative merges into the performance.

I used the rough timeline Michael and I created at lunch to take notes. We are going to include a 20 second prologue in which there is the introduction to the class room environment (teacher entering classroom with test papers). The song starts as the ideas below take hold.

We have two possible ideas to be used for the entrance to begin the dancing:

1. After giving out the test papers and telling the class to begin, the teacher sits down, plugs in her headphones and starts listenign to music quietly whilst marking work - this is when the song will begin. A naughty student leans over the teachers desk allowing the music to blare loudly. This leads to many hysteric reaction from the class as well as the teacher and everyone starts dancing to the music.
2. Again, the teacher sits down after giving out the test and she opens an email with the !NFLUX music video in the email window. Suddenly, there is an error message and from hear the song would start. The image on screen begins to break away leaving behind the music video in full screen, with the music blaring and everyone dancing.

Currently we are more inclined to do the first option due to the practicalities involved in creating this email.

From the second verse, the DJs begin to get involved with the narrative. We will create much build up other their entrance through many slo mo shots of them approaching the classroom and with the reactions of the students and the teacher when they first see them. During the bridge, the DJs set up their equipment (decks and keyboard) on the teacher's desk and gradually students melt away from the classroom to leave just the band (now including Charley). At the drop following the bridge, there will be a BCU of Charley addressing the camera, with her jumping backwards (and perhaps a focus pull) to act as a transition between Charley as a teacher and Charley as a member of the band.

To bring the music video full circle, the final few shots will be of Charley leaving the classroom with the test papers.

Treatment: Promises

1. The Track
The track we have chosen to use for our music video project, is the song Promises by Nero (Remixed by Skrillex). The song belongs to the genre of Dubstep, a genre that has only very recently become popular. Due to its contemporary nature, there is not a huge range of existing music videos, allowing us to be very creative in what we do and giving us a lot of opportunities, whilst still having enough content for us to draw inspiration from. The song is very electronic and drum/bass heavy, giving it a unique sound and making it great to edit to







2. The Music Video

The idea for the music video is split between performance and concept. The performance will focus on the band and creating an image and identity for them, whilst the concept will relate to the song and the idea of promises being broken.

The Peformance
This will take place in a clean white room, well lit, with pale white and blue light. The two DJ's will be raised on platforms, playing on their decks, whilst the lead singer remains on the floor.
The group will be dressed in black - the DJ's in smart, cool suits, whilst still wearing their masks and headphones, whilst the female lead singer wears a sexy black dress, with tied back hair and striking make up.
The performance will all take place in this room, with a lot of fast paced editing and camerawork.

The layout of Chase and Status's performances will be similar to ours

The Concept
The concept will put each of the band members in a different situation, each with their respective partners. The band members will be dressed exactly the same as they are in the performance, but in very normal situations, such as at a dinner table or in the back of a car. Each situation will present the relationship in a negative way, with the partners emotions changing from happy to angry as the video progresses, until the band members leave their situations, get picked up in a car, and drive away. The final shot we see is of the cars number plate, with the band logo stuck over it, as the car drives off.
This is to show to the audience that our music genre is a source of fun and escape in an otherwise undersirable situation, such as a relationship going to shit, with promises that are hard to keep.



3. The Artist
Our artist is called !nflux.

Artist Name: Influx meaning an arrival or entry of large numbers of people or things. Chosen because it’s short, memorable, looks and sounds good. Has connotations of a gathering or massing of something, like a crowd or a build up on a song. It incorporates the X which is in the names of many dubstep artists.

In the band there will be three members - Female lead singer (Charley Packham), and two DJ's Red and Black (Adam Romo and Daniel Sheldon). The female lead singer will be the lead performer, whilst the DJ's identities remain anonymous, but their masks create a front. Overall, this creates a unique band identity, having enigma to create audience interest, but still having a strong identity to create a recognisable image.
The bands motif will be the headphones and the masks they wear, as the masks will have been personalised by them and will represent them in some way. They represent the club and rave scene, as they are a current band performing contemporary music, Dubstep/Drum and Bass.

The inspiration for the masks came from 'Hollywood Undead' who do a similar thing.

4.The Audience
We found that our audience could be categorised into 3 categories: Age, Gender and Genre.

Age: Our primary age group is 16-24 year olds because this is the age that has grown up with the discovery and development of dubstep. Also, this is the main age for becoming more independent and outgoing. Our secondary age group extends to 15-26, since this is really the limit for the age group where dubstep is popular. Also, you can get adults 30+ who still enjoy going to music festivals, concerts and clubbing, however this group is very niche.

Gender: Dubstep appeals to both males and females in our priamry audience, however in our secondary audiences mainly males are interested.

Genre: Of course, there are fans of the dubstep genre. Often, these fans like drum and bass as well due to the similarities in style and conventions of the genres.

Audience Demographics Profiles:

Name: Ben Kaye
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Occupation: University student in his second year - studying business management

Interests: He's an outgoing student, loves to go clubbing, partying and have a drink with his mates. He still thoroughly enjoys studying his degree course though. He regularly plays football for his university team and also goes to Powerleague to play football with his brothers and friends most weeks. Last summer, he went to Ayia Napa, a Greek "party" island, with his friends and felt an andrenaline rush when listening to DJs mixing dubstep and drum and bass tracks and dancing with and meeting girls. He particularly liked the music because the heavy beat and reverberations can be felt pulsing through your body, creating a euphoric and invincible sensation. He said that, "dubstep is like a legal high".

When I say dubstep, what do you think?
Chaos, craziness, colours, pure mental, clubs, an amazing time/night, strobe lights, drugs, alcohol & sex, current, RIGHT NOW! Subfocus, Magnetic Man, Skrillex, Ukf Bass Culture Concert

Name: Lauren Good
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Occupation: Year 13 at secondary school - studying art, english and politics for A levels
Interests: Very confident, outgoing with a strong, tight-knit group of friends, both boys and girls. She regularly goes to salsa dancing and has a passion for photography. Last summer, she went to Malia for a week with her best friends and never wanted to leave. She said "boys, best friends and dubstep / dance music is the best combination. Perfect Summer!"

When I say dubstep, what do you think?

DANCING! Incredible beat, boys, partying, clubbing, simply crazy, awesome, current, my iPod, mental, Flux Pavillion, Subfocus, Doctor P, UKF Bass Culture Concert.

In order to appeal to our audience, we would market the artist and the music in the following way.

5. The Ancillary Tasks

For the ancillary tasks, we will make an cover for the debut album, and a website that will be the hub of the marketing campaign.

Album Cover: Will have a black and white theme. The front cover will be white with influx in black in the top left corner and a picture of the band in the bottom right corner. The picture will be a high angle and shot of the band with the female singer at the front and the two faceless DJs behind. It will have a very simplistic look and the band will look like they are coming from the light.

On the inside cover will be one of each the faceless DJ’s on each side against a black background with possible light sound levels that you would find on a DJ mixer behind them. They could either be standing with arms crossed or playing on decks.

On the back will be a beauty shot of the female singers face along with all the relevant song information etc against a white background. The inside covers will be each of the DJ's, either similar beauty shots, or long shots of them behind their decks.

Website: The website will follow the same black and white colour scheme. It will have a very simplistic and modern colour scheme with shots of the members of the band all over it. It will have a link bar with links to Home, News, Events, Music, Video and Store.

The Home will have our debut video and specific news. One idea we would like to implement in the website is a remix competition - any member of the audience will be able to download the individual parts of the track and create their own remix.
The winners remix, judged by the audience, will then make a place on the next album and the winner will be publicized and endorsed by the band. The website will have lots of social networking opportunities with commenting and Facebook and twitter incorporated wherever possible. YouTube and UKF dubstep links will be on every page.

6. The Practicalities
The music video could be shot in a few shoot days - 1 day for the performance and 2/3 for the narrative performances.
The performance would be ideally shot in the seward studio as it has the best lighting facilities available to us. The narrative could be shot in Daniel's car, in a quiet car park (like that found in Forty Hall), in one of our houses and at a quiet bus stop.
In terms of casting we would use 2 out of the 3 group (Daniel and Adam), and Charley as our female lead singer, all of whom worked on the music video project last year and understand how to perform and lip synch.
As for the narrative, we would like to use Josh Pedro and Lauren Good, actors we know to be reliable, and another actor we have yet to confirm.

Problems that could arise could be the weather, for some of the outdoor shots. Setting up the performance in the seward studio would require a lot of prior planning to ensure it goes smoothly and looks good. We would also need to rehearse to ensure the performers feel a comfortable as possible and perform as well as they can.