Artist and Actors

The actor in my music video will be the artist - and will only be dancing and performing rather than actually acting.

Artists Name: Fringe
Artists Name (in real life):
Age: 
[] won't be featuring in the video because she is an artist that doesn't like to be the focal point of her
music videos - she wants them to enjoy the video for its style and creativity and the song rather than her being sexualised (as so many women are in the music industry) and having a big fan base for her body rather than her music.
She will feature on the front of the magazine cover and throughout the digipak though, and this will help people to understand that she is the artist and not the dancer featured in the video.
I got the inspiration for this idea from Elton John's video "I Want Love" featuring Robert Downey Junior lip singing throughout the video, and from Sia's video for "Chandelier" where 11 year old Maddie Ziegler dancing in a leotard in a deserted house. This is something that I feel my target audience will not only understand but appreciate, and so I am confident that this will bode well with my target audience.
[] and Daisy also have a similar look, with long dark hair and big brown eyes it isn't as though they are two completely different people; this will help to ease the audience into the knowledge that the dancer is not the artist.






Dancers Name (in real life): Daisy Pinkerton
Age: 15
Role: Dancer

Daisy will be dancing throughout the entire music video, doing various movements and choreography to perform to the song. Daisy is really easy to work with, and is an exceptional dancer - I know this from my own experience.
The kind of artist that I need to Daisy to portray is someone who isn't afraid to be different. She needs to really own the dance and performance element of this music video for it work in the way that I want it to; that means that she has to put 110% into every movement. I feel that Daisy has the right look as well, she has the long dark hair and large eyes (which is good for the close ups with the contact lenses), which also makes her attractive to look at - which is something that the male side of my target audience will find appealing.

My Music Video Treatment

Artist - Disclosure and Jessie Ware (vocals)
Song - Confess To Me
Director - Sophie Barton
Genre - Dance and Electronic

This music video is trying to bring back the performance element of music. The video will consist of a singular female dancer in a room full of smoke dancing to the song. As seen in the mood board previously the video will use lots of bright lights to either silhouette the artist or to allow the camera to see her. This lighting will be accompanied by creative and quick post production effects, with the pace of the music reflecting the pace of the editing and the array of colours. The video will wholly take place in a dark room with smoke surrounding the artists ankles - this will give a mysterious and timeless effect.

STYLE
Because this video doesn't have a narrative strand the costume can be as different or as simple as is wanted. The costume should be simple in pattern but different in design. For example, I wish to use a few different costumes with one being just a leotard. When said it doesn't sound like anything imaginative, and being plain black it doesn't shout out "notice me!" but in being so simple and showing off the entire leg it can be louder than most people think; with no prominent locational features either the focus will be on her and what she's wearing - and so the leotard will have a bigger effect than anticipated. 

Why Choose This Music Video?

This kind of music video can really stay current and up to date 20 years into the future, with dancing and performing being a constant in successful music videos. With this the video can be enjoyed in the future as well as in the present, which not only prolong this songs success but the success of others. The contrasting beats can stay in the audience's mind and because the post-production effect will be unique the audience will recognise that technique in other aspects of media with this music video. "I can help you run away for good" is the first line, and this will consist of the dancer slowly moving through the smoke. No bright lights will be used at this point to try and keep it quite low and monochrome; making the introduction of the lights more effective and dramatic; the lights will come into the video on the first chorus "Confess to me, make me feel it" which is also when the beat drops, and so the pick up in pace and the introduction of colour will have an enhanced effect on the audience. The cuts between shots of the dancer will create a kind of erratic feel to the audience, because it'll be quicker than most music video editing. This will mean that the video seems more mixed and diverse - and the flashes in colour from the strobe light and from the editing pace will mean that the audience will always have something new on the screen.

Especially in the chorus, the shots will cut to the dancer lip singing to the song. This will let the audience know that the dancer is in fact the artist.

Methods and Technique

The methods that I will use to create this music video are varied, and are only used to create a more unique video. I will use very fast paced editing when the beat drops, and then a relatively 'in time' pace for the verses; I feel that this will reflect the speed of her dancing and the speed of the song. I will play frames backwards and forwards to reflect the pace of the song and the dancing, as well as piquing the audience's interests as this technique is not often used. 

When and Where?
Due to the nature of the video itself, the when isn't really a problem in regards to the weather and the time of year, but the filming will take place in October 2014. For the location of the dancing, the Drama Studio at The Downs School is the best option - not only is it easily accessible for the artist but it also close to the artist's place of residence, and so transport would not be an issue. The studio is a large, open area which will allow the artist to dance openly and the room is black which fits the criteria as well.

How will my video appeal to my target audience according to my research?

My video will be a performance based music video - this means that there will not be a narrative along with the track but only the artist singing and dancing.
I want the main focus to be the artist - and so do those who participated in my audience research - and so to comply with this I have decided to make her location simple and plain, so that the thing to focus on will be only her. I plan to do this by having her perform in a dark room, most likely black, and to have smoke everywhere to cloud over the location (this can have a timeless effect, meaning that the video can still be current in years to come, and this is something that I would like to achieve).
There will be strong, coloured lights emerging from the smoke as she dances. This will cast light on her while she moves so that the camera can actually see her performance. It also brings colour to the video and doesn't leave dull in a black and white colour scheme - this can hold the audience's attention for longer and so the video will therefore be more successful.
The clothing that she will be wearing will be simple and plain - most likely to be monochrome colours only. This then fits with the color scheme for the videos, and really enhance the effects of the lights that will be on in the background. She will wear a black leotard as one of her outfits, and then another will also be black but will be longer - like a black maxi dress. I may have her wear a white outfit as well, this will provide slight diversity and colour interest - but this is still undecided.

Beyonce - Single Ladies

This video is a really good and popular example of how a purely performance based music video can be successful. The whole video consists of a 'one-take' dance routine with only three women in a white room wearing similar clothing.
From this video is the inspiration of my idea to have my dancer wear just a leotard for some parts of my music video - but to develop my own ideas and to make my video different from Beyonce's I chose to have only my artist in this video rather than having back up dancers as well. I feel that this will emphasise the focus onto my artist.

The moving camera is something that I really like the look of, but due to a (very) small budget and a lack of resources I don't think that I will be able to accomplish this - I may just have to rely on editing and post-production effects to keep the audience interested.
Another development from this music video to my own is that I won't have my artist lip singing throughout the whole video, but I will film her dancing without singing as well and will edit the two together. This will also allow focus to be on her dancing and not just her lip singing. I feel that this will work as well because in Lady Gaga's Edge of Glory she does this - and that video is another very successful example of a performance based music video.

This video is a great example of how I want my video to turn out. She uses smoke in her music video, she dances and she sings and she does them at the same time too.
The dance choreography is also very different and unique, and this is something that I want to be noticeable in my music video.

Dance Choreography(?)

This video was choreographed by 'WildaBeast Adams' and the video was posted to Youtube. When I came across this I didn't think anything of it because it's not the kind of music that I will have my dancer dancing to, and so I didn't think that the choreography would be suited to the video. However, in hindsight I see these moves and how they could be edited in time with my chosen song and could look really 'alternative' and different, and so I think I might try some of this movement as well - depending on how well it looks on film and with the feel of my video will determine whether or not this choreography will make it into the final cut.

Mood Board for my Target Audience

I feel that this mood board really gets across the feel for my audience and the things that they enjoy. They either dance themselves or can simply appreciate beautiful movement. The club lights reflect their sociable lifestyle, how they like to go out 'on the town' with their friends and have a good time. The festival pictures show their love for music; and again their love for going out and having a good time with friends. The two pictures of tumblr and instagram renowned Camila Low are more to represent her tattoos and clothing style (simple and plain); the tattoo is also shown through male model Diego Barrueco. The picture of the couple and the two female models standing up are to show that my audience has a good relationship with their peers, and to again represent their clothing styles. 'Don't even look at me' is a quote I took from the clothing website O-Mighty. This website is popular in the Charlie-Barker-Joanna-Kuchta-Elizabeth-Bishop world (female models from the mood board), and also reflects the clothing choices for my audience. It is also to show that they are not a passive audience, and are confident in their beliefs. Finally, the picture of the man in a horse mask standing in front of the famous 'Welcome to Las Vegas' sign is purely to show that my audience have a good sense of humour, and this allows to lead an enjoyable life and to listen to enjoyable music and to watch enjoyable music videos.

I've been inspired!!

So I watched the video for Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' and I found a section around four minutes in that had a dance number; and it is so perfect for my video.
It's very interpretive and doesn't match with the lyrics - this is something that I want, I want the audience to feel as though the dance is open to interpretation. She uses really creative choreography throughout the video, but this section really caught my eye and I'm sure I'm going to love it when my dancer incorporates this into her own choreography!

Another dance video I found was to Sia's 'Chandelier'. This song really opens the floor to contemporary dance, which is exactly what 11 year old Maddie Ziegler did. She is seen running through a run down apartment, using really different movements and different paces to put together a really creative and invigorating piece of dance. It's really stunning to watch, and although I don't require any props or for my dancer to be as flexible as Maddie is, some of the movements that she includes I would like to see in my own music video.

This post is to give an idea of what kind of dance you can expect, rather than always saying 'interpretive' or 'creative', you will actually have a visual idea of the style of dance that I want in my video.

 

Magazine Advert Analysis - Mumford and Sons

Story Board for my Music Video - Inspirations

The bright lights are something that I'm going to use - inspired from the music video for We Disappear by Jon Hopkins and Lulu James. I want to use different colours so that with my editing it will look like flashes of different colours and dance moves, I also want to use a strobe light so I can use longer shots but still have the flashing effect.
The smoke was also inspired by We Disappear, it gives a timeless effect where the videos style can be used in the future and can still be current. It also has a mysterious effect, which is something that I want to be included in my video.
The long dark hair is something that I feel is quite important in my video - the dancer will use her hair as an extension of herself to enhance the effect of her dancing. This will show how great a performer she is and so the audience will remain interested throughout the video.
The two dancers are not only to show that I will use a dancer but also to show that the outfits will be different. Although not the same as the outfits in the photos, they will be somewhat similar - with one outfit being black and the other white, and one outfit will be a leotard to show her body movements clearly and emphasise her skill in movement, and one which is more free and flowing to have more of a stylistic effect with the lights and the editing.

Why did I choose this song?

Disclosure - Confess to Me ft. Jessie Ware

 

I can help you run away for good

All for take what you had understood
All it takes is a little understanding
After all, don't question if I would

Confess to me, make me feel it
Confide in me, don't resent it
'Cause I can't stop you from the fire
I'll fulfill your desires for you [3x]
[2x]

I can take the lo out of lonely
I can stop the sense of slowing down
Don't get lost in if you only tell me
I will help you slip and turn it round

Only not to worry
No time left for me
Only not to worry
No time left for me
[2x]

Confess to me, make me feel it
Confide in me, don't resent it
'Cause I can't stop you from the fire
I'll fulfill your desires for you [5x]
[2x]

 

I chose this track because the song itself fits in well with the idea that I have in mind for my music video. It allows dancing to be more interpretive, and I can use various camera shots, angles and movements to keep the audience intrigued. It has varying beats and pace, with the chorus being faster than the verses and the beat is stronger in the chorus as well - this will allow for effective post production effects (such as slow motion and rewinding of shots) and will make the video more creative, and not just a performance based video. The beginning and the end of the song are also quite slow, which would allow for an introduction to the location and the artist before the song begins, and also a 'goodbye', where the artist can retreat from the camera shots or can show the video is finished by slowing down the dancing and stopping altogether.
In regards to casting for my video, I would need a young female - around 19 years old (or looks that age), with dark hair. She must be able to dance interpretively and in comtemporary style - these are the styles that I think fits best the track and with the feelings I want to instill in my music video. The video will be a performance based video, with the artist dancing and lip singing throughout. She will be the only person in the video.
Because there won't be anyone else present in the video, when the lyrics suggest she is talking to someone (such as in the verses with "I can help you run away for good", "'Cause I can't stop you from the fire") and so when she lip sings a lot of the time she will be facing the camera and looking into it; this way the audience can feel more involved with her, and maybe feel it's more personal - like what she's singing about is just between them and the artist.



Song Choices

I want a song with a faster beat in the chorus than in the verses, but the vocals aren't to be too 'pop', with lots of ad libs. I want a song that people can dance to but not for sexual advantages, more contemporary and interpretive.

Songs I have in contention:

This song is electronic dance, although is a lot slower in the verses than in the chorus. The lyrics are very repetetive and isn't really looking for a video with an emotional narrative - but more open to interpretation and creativity. This would allow me to be imaginative and with my shots and angles, and then further with my editing - including pace and transitions - for artistic effect.
The song would also allow me to experiment with themes, either themes that fit with the lyrics or with the melody. I would also be able to use creative post production effects, because this genre of music would allow me to do this more openly and effectively.
The constant repetition in this song however, has led me to refuse it. I want a song that can keep the audience interested through lyrics as well as an interesting beat - and this song can't provide that for me.

Flume uses varying beats and pace to create the remixes that he does as a DJ, and this song has a lot of jerky beats as well as smooth ones - and this would allow me to come into my stylistic element and create a video that is much more imaginative and detailed - through post production effects.
The lyrics actually make sense in this song, and this would allow me to have a relatvely detailed narrative running along side the lyrics and music.
One of the issues I have with this song however, is that the lyrics contains a lot of bad language and glorifies drugs and violence - this isn't the kind of lyrics that I want to be exposing to my target audience but the song doesn't sound right when beeping out the strong language; because of this I am not going to use this song.

Disclosure are a lot like Flume and Nero in their style of songs, but disclosure have lyrics in their songs that not only make sense but are actual verses and choruses. Not only this, but this particular song has a section in the second verse that speeds up the beat and the bass becomes quicker too; this is exactly what I want.
This song doesn't have a music video of it's own and so I have to use my vision entirely inspired by other music videos to try and fit with this song - which is actually really beneficial because there is nothing to compare it to, and my idea for the video won't be copying anything so it will be completely new.
The post production effects for this song will be creative editing and the song has changing rhythms which would allow me to do this to greater effect. This will alow me to produce a video which is stylistic and creative, and will keep my target audience interested throughout.
Because of the reasons that I have stated above, I have decided to use this as my chosen song for my music video.

Audience Research

I asked various people between the ages of sixteen and seventeen, male and female, questions on which genre of music they like, what kind of music videos interest them etc.
I thought that the best way to reach my target audience would be to ask them in a way that would come naturally to them, so no surveys or questionnaires on paper or online - but I'll text them; the results of which are shown below:

                                                             

The results of this textual survey show that my audience like performance based music videos. This fits well with my idea because there I wasn't planning on doing a narrative strand  - so this is very useful for me (if my audience responded that they preferred narrative videos then my I would have had to adapt my idea).

What kind of music video appeals to you?
This was answered with performance based music video. With this popular answer I can pursue my original idea of having the artist dancing and singing (performing) throughout the video. From the 12 people that participated in my audience research, all of them responded with the same preference. This is really positive for me and will give me confidence in knowing that what I am producing will be in my audience's interest.

Give me an example of a music video you like, and why you like it.
Jamie (the example above) responded with Writings on the Wall - Go and this video is a mixture of performance based and concept based. Although the group are lip singing throughout the video, they are relying on different perspectives to keep the video moving and interesting. This is encouraging for me as well, with my video being completely performance based. Overall, this question was answered with very different music videos, examples being Blue Jeans - Lana Del Rey to Ready For Your Love - Gorgon City ft. MNEK, and this allows for diversity amongst my target audience - which encourages me to produce my original idea.

Who is your favourite artist at the moment? Genre?
My participants generally responded with electronic, dance and indie. These genres also fitted with their favourite artists, with popular ones being Flume, AlunaGeorge, Ayah Marah and Arctic Monkeys.