Well, I'm pretty much finished, I think. The video's been edited together and burned to DVD, leaving just the evaluation majig to do. I'm going to make it my priority to get a Quicktime/Youtube version of it up here for all to see and make cooing noises about, though.
BONUS FUN TIME!!!! If you're in the know, you'll have noticed almost all my posts here have been named after songs. If anyone actually still reads this and can be bothered to post who performed the songs each post is named after, I'll personally give them five stars and some delicious meringue.
Friday, 14 December 2007
Sunday, 18 November 2007
Never Understand
Well tehn. Editing's progressing along nicely, and I think I'll have learned how to use Final Cut by the time it's due in.
So, what else to do? There aren't any lyrics for me to annotate, which is a bit less work but will probably cost me in the assessment. I've not really done any textual analysis of videos yet, so I've decided to follow the example of Jake and James and do it here. At the moment I'm just using the ones that obviously influenced my attempt.
Our decision to use silly costumes was a spur of the moment thing, but it's reminiscent of this, so I'm claiming it as an influence. In this case they provide comic effect by spoofing the conventions of 70s cop shows (huge tashes etc). Intertextual references!
Some of that crazy theory guy (Goodwin)'s stuff is reflected here. There's a "reference to voyeurism" in a brief shot of one of the cops using binoculars. While they're aren't shots of the band performing we do get close ups of them in their outfits, particular in their respective title card freeze frames ("starring Nathan Wind as Cochese" etc); presumably this satisfied the record company's wish to show the performers. The music definitely reflects the visuals, as it sounds like the kind of theme we'd associate with the kind of show they're spoofing. The lyrics don't correspond so much, although the line "I'm gonna set it straight, this Watergate" is a reference to the 70s, which the video is supposedly set in... any takers? No?
Overall, I personally think this is a genius video that seems to have been designed to make people like me laugh, what with the cars going through cardboard boxes and people being tackled into swimming pools and rubbish.
My use of blue and red acetate over the lighting may well have been subconsciously inspired by how they use it here, though I didn't go as far as that alternately blue and red thing pulled sideways over the camera. This kind of reminds we're watching through a camera (voyeurism!). Stylistically my video's more similar to this one ("live" performance being a convention of rock videos, cheers Goodwin). One thing it's got on mine is the camera that actually moves to track the performers (I didn't have anyone to move mine).
Anyway, here we get close ups of all band members playing and in Bob Mould's case singing- the guitar solo opens with a close up on the instrument, too. Is this a relationship between music and visuals? There doesn't appear to be any between lyrics and visuals, it's all performance. There's all sorts of crazy lighting and background stuff going on (80s!)
Think I'll leave it there for now, I am very, very hungry.
So, what else to do? There aren't any lyrics for me to annotate, which is a bit less work but will probably cost me in the assessment. I've not really done any textual analysis of videos yet, so I've decided to follow the example of Jake and James and do it here. At the moment I'm just using the ones that obviously influenced my attempt.
1. Beastie Boys- Sabotage
Our decision to use silly costumes was a spur of the moment thing, but it's reminiscent of this, so I'm claiming it as an influence. In this case they provide comic effect by spoofing the conventions of 70s cop shows (huge tashes etc). Intertextual references!
Some of that crazy theory guy (Goodwin)'s stuff is reflected here. There's a "reference to voyeurism" in a brief shot of one of the cops using binoculars. While they're aren't shots of the band performing we do get close ups of them in their outfits, particular in their respective title card freeze frames ("starring Nathan Wind as Cochese" etc); presumably this satisfied the record company's wish to show the performers. The music definitely reflects the visuals, as it sounds like the kind of theme we'd associate with the kind of show they're spoofing. The lyrics don't correspond so much, although the line "I'm gonna set it straight, this Watergate" is a reference to the 70s, which the video is supposedly set in... any takers? No?
Overall, I personally think this is a genius video that seems to have been designed to make people like me laugh, what with the cars going through cardboard boxes and people being tackled into swimming pools and rubbish.
2. Hüsker Dü- Could You Be The One
My use of blue and red acetate over the lighting may well have been subconsciously inspired by how they use it here, though I didn't go as far as that alternately blue and red thing pulled sideways over the camera. This kind of reminds we're watching through a camera (voyeurism!). Stylistically my video's more similar to this one ("live" performance being a convention of rock videos, cheers Goodwin). One thing it's got on mine is the camera that actually moves to track the performers (I didn't have anyone to move mine).
Anyway, here we get close ups of all band members playing and in Bob Mould's case singing- the guitar solo opens with a close up on the instrument, too. Is this a relationship between music and visuals? There doesn't appear to be any between lyrics and visuals, it's all performance. There's all sorts of crazy lighting and background stuff going on (80s!)
Think I'll leave it there for now, I am very, very hungry.
Monday, 12 November 2007
I've Been Tired
AAAAAAAYYYYYYYY. I got all my filming done on Saturday and Sunday, and I'm now importing it to Final Cut. This represents possibly the easiest filming experience I've had- I got more or less the shots I wanted without any reshoots or rescheduling.
DAY ONE: SATURDAY
All the "performance" bits were done here. I had some help from Dad in emptying the shed (cheers for that). Unfortunately he wasn't about when I cut down my acetate to go on the lighting... burned me fingers, that light was stupid hot.
When Tom CN arrived he hadn't got his guitar amp- not a major problem, as we won't need any diegetic sound, although it made it difficult for the drums to keep time. Oh well. We had the idea of wearing various silly hats etc, with each of us wearing different ones for each performance take. Well, I've always tried to be receptive to spontaneous on-set ideas (or I've always been opportunistic, whichever you prefer). The takes were generally fine, though we had to be quick when using the acetate on the lighting. Because the light was so hot, the seperate acetate sheets would be melted together by the end of the take. The fumes were pretty righteous, too.
We got everything we needed, and it was in a happy frame of mind that I left to go out on the razz.
DAY TWO: SUNDAY
I wasn't feeling too healthy when I woke up, but pressed on to get filming done around 11/12. These exterior scenes involved my brother and Josh Mower dancing and fighting in ridiculous outfits. At least two drivers hooted at us as we went to our location.
We actually got these scenes done quite quickly, leaving Tom and Josh free to, in their words, go down the pub. I finished off some POV shots (this included a long walk to that big house outside Thurston, which was NOT fun), then came home, only to be badgered by my dad into completing a B and Q application. Kehrazy days.
I still need to import footage from one of the tapes, but after that it's five weeks of editing. I think the big Tom/Josh punch up and the take where we all swapped instruments will have to stay on the gag reel, though.
DAY ONE: SATURDAY
All the "performance" bits were done here. I had some help from Dad in emptying the shed (cheers for that). Unfortunately he wasn't about when I cut down my acetate to go on the lighting... burned me fingers, that light was stupid hot.
When Tom CN arrived he hadn't got his guitar amp- not a major problem, as we won't need any diegetic sound, although it made it difficult for the drums to keep time. Oh well. We had the idea of wearing various silly hats etc, with each of us wearing different ones for each performance take. Well, I've always tried to be receptive to spontaneous on-set ideas (or I've always been opportunistic, whichever you prefer). The takes were generally fine, though we had to be quick when using the acetate on the lighting. Because the light was so hot, the seperate acetate sheets would be melted together by the end of the take. The fumes were pretty righteous, too.
We got everything we needed, and it was in a happy frame of mind that I left to go out on the razz.
DAY TWO: SUNDAY
I wasn't feeling too healthy when I woke up, but pressed on to get filming done around 11/12. These exterior scenes involved my brother and Josh Mower dancing and fighting in ridiculous outfits. At least two drivers hooted at us as we went to our location.
We actually got these scenes done quite quickly, leaving Tom and Josh free to, in their words, go down the pub. I finished off some POV shots (this included a long walk to that big house outside Thurston, which was NOT fun), then came home, only to be badgered by my dad into completing a B and Q application. Kehrazy days.
I still need to import footage from one of the tapes, but after that it's five weeks of editing. I think the big Tom/Josh punch up and the take where we all swapped instruments will have to stay on the gag reel, though.
Friday, 2 November 2007
Wierd at my school
It's finally done. The recording of me, my brother and Tom CN playing a little song we wrote called "Suffolkating" was last night after school, and now I have two takes (all done live, mind). One's slightly marred by a weak ending and some slap bass on my part that sounds very thumpy and distracting on the track, so I think I'll use the other one. I'd ideally have liked to make the drums a bit quieter than they came out, but I doubt I'll be able to edit just that part now.
To be honest, though, it's an achievement just to have got a version that I'm happy to use; and now I can say honestly that I've helped make an actual recorded song. I'd also like to say cheers to Tom Phillips for staying around for several hours to record it and not getting visibly annoyed at our impromptu Punjabi MC jams.
To be honest, though, it's an achievement just to have got a version that I'm happy to use; and now I can say honestly that I've helped make an actual recorded song. I'd also like to say cheers to Tom Phillips for staying around for several hours to record it and not getting visibly annoyed at our impromptu Punjabi MC jams.
*
Now then, I've booked cameras for the video for next Friday. All that remains before filming is agreeing with all the people in the video when we're doing everything, and sorting out something in the way of a coloured filter for the lighting. At the moment I'm seriously considering a blue shirt or my German folder.
Oh yeah, at the moment I think the band name on the video is going to be Iwazaru. Not only is it the name of a character from the completely insane videogame Killer7, it's also the Japanese for "Speak No Evil", which I think goes quite well with the song's instrumental nature. What does everyone else think?
Monday, 29 October 2007
Enough Space
So, that's the storyboards done... I spent some time over half term doing the majority of them, then did the rest today, spurred into action by Jake and James (how can they have done their filming already? I'm envisaging a pact with the devil, conducted at a crossroads at midnight). Anyway, here we go...
If the recording on Thursday goes to plan, I can sort out my shot lists and I can organise everyone I need, I could possibly film everything this weekend. That all depends, however, on my ability to organise Tom CN and my brother for the performance and Josh Mower for the crazy dancing in the woodlands. I'm also hoping he can provide costumes for himself and my brother when they do this; it'll look more than a bit two bob if the drummer obviously doubles up as a dancer. I'll have to check the weather for this weekend, too, as I don't much fancy doing the exterior shots in pouring rain.
There's no pressure on me to do this as soon as humanly possible, so it won't be a massive problem if next weekend turns out to be better. Still, it'd be nice to have as much time as possible for editing. And on that note, let's get biz-zay.
If the recording on Thursday goes to plan, I can sort out my shot lists and I can organise everyone I need, I could possibly film everything this weekend. That all depends, however, on my ability to organise Tom CN and my brother for the performance and Josh Mower for the crazy dancing in the woodlands. I'm also hoping he can provide costumes for himself and my brother when they do this; it'll look more than a bit two bob if the drummer obviously doubles up as a dancer. I'll have to check the weather for this weekend, too, as I don't much fancy doing the exterior shots in pouring rain.
There's no pressure on me to do this as soon as humanly possible, so it won't be a massive problem if next weekend turns out to be better. Still, it'd be nice to have as much time as possible for editing. And on that note, let's get biz-zay.
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Quick and to the pointless
Just a quick post to put up my shiny new photos of possible locations/angles for the video... I'm going to include these along with my drawn storyboards. I'm hoping to do said storyboards this half term, along with some band practice. Anyway, here we go...
Friday, 12 October 2007
Trouble No More
Right, here we go. Some new stuff's happened... I've found a guitarist for the video, the esteemed Tom CN (who once described himself as playing guitar "like a rapist with no hands". Maybe this is a bad sign). Hopefully we can get some practice in during half term. Speaking of which, I've now got a date for recording the song itself- 1st November. There I was, expecting some massive rigmarole involving at least one utterance of "you're crazy, Jon! It'll never work!", and then it was just Tom Phillips saying "yeah, go for it".
I think now I should concentrate on getting some proper storyboards going, now I've got some drafts together. They're shown at the top there, but I've also got links to them on Myspace. It's probably quite awkward to do it like this, but I can't figure out other ways to do it, so here we go:
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=92010779&albumID=0&imageID=12389451
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=92010779&albumID=0&imageID=12389475
For some of the storyboarding I'd like to get photos of the outside locations I've been thinking about and interior of my genius shed (Burby's doesn't even come close, trust me). That way people can make suggestions about how well they'll really work, as well as letting me check out the best angles etc. Mrs B had a talk with me about borrowing the school digital camera since my computer refuses to acknowledge the existence of my one... can I do that at some point this week, d'you reckon?
So yeah, make comments on my early storyboards unless you're looking to get a severe look of disdain later on this week.
I think now I should concentrate on getting some proper storyboards going, now I've got some drafts together. They're shown at the top there, but I've also got links to them on Myspace. It's probably quite awkward to do it like this, but I can't figure out other ways to do it, so here we go:
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=92010779&albumID=0&imageID=12389451
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=92010779&albumID=0&imageID=12389475
For some of the storyboarding I'd like to get photos of the outside locations I've been thinking about and interior of my genius shed (Burby's doesn't even come close, trust me). That way people can make suggestions about how well they'll really work, as well as letting me check out the best angles etc. Mrs B had a talk with me about borrowing the school digital camera since my computer refuses to acknowledge the existence of my one... can I do that at some point this week, d'you reckon?
So yeah, make comments on my early storyboards unless you're looking to get a severe look of disdain later on this week.
Friday, 28 September 2007
Dreams Reoccuring
Bit more thinking been going on... I'm fairly set on doing my own song now, but I suppose it is quite a bit of work. Finding someone to play guitar in the video, writing an actual guitar part (and maybe some lyrics), recording a version of the song... I'll probably have to do all that first, during storyboarding and other planning.
Still, I've got a few ideas for shots the video could include:
We start with sped-up footage of band setting up in the shed- fixed camera on the floor or something to give a low angle (just a few seconds before the music starts)
CU of bass playing the opening riff- actual shot on the strumming hand going proper fast. Then we cut on the beat- different shot every time the bar starts. Eg shot of entire bassist, then guitarist, then drummer starting up etc
Using more than one camera at once while filming the performance in the shed would cut down on some time... we allowed to borrow more than one, Mr M?
I plan to have various outdoor shots of the countryside around the area, at least some of which'd be presented as POV. Eg- the woods near where I walk my dog, the pond I stumbled on last week, solitary trees in the middle of fields, whatever
The weather and amount of sun is going to be crucial here... some sun'd be good to create shadows, but that doesn't look too likely now... oh well
I hope to "borrow" that fast-motion running-down-the-halls shot from last year's All The Rage, maybe as the unseen person runs toward this manor house I've seen riding my bike between Beyton and Thurston
There we are. Obviously with the performance I'll have to look at getting some proper lights in, otherwise it'll look very much like some guys playing in a shed, ie useless. Any ideas, anyone?
The performance itself'll also have to be quite good to keep people's attention. I found a couple of performance-based videos I think do this successfully:
SEX PISTOLS- GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
All of this is performance, yet it works pretty well, I think. Perhaps cus it's obvious they're not taking it that seriously (got to love Paul Cook randomly standing up during drum bit).
HUSKER DU- COULD YOU BE THE ONE
Again, pretty good performance, and the colours over the camera bit is simple, but looks artistic so you can get away with it.
END TRANSMISSION
Still, I've got a few ideas for shots the video could include:
We start with sped-up footage of band setting up in the shed- fixed camera on the floor or something to give a low angle (just a few seconds before the music starts)
CU of bass playing the opening riff- actual shot on the strumming hand going proper fast. Then we cut on the beat- different shot every time the bar starts. Eg shot of entire bassist, then guitarist, then drummer starting up etc
Using more than one camera at once while filming the performance in the shed would cut down on some time... we allowed to borrow more than one, Mr M?
I plan to have various outdoor shots of the countryside around the area, at least some of which'd be presented as POV. Eg- the woods near where I walk my dog, the pond I stumbled on last week, solitary trees in the middle of fields, whatever
The weather and amount of sun is going to be crucial here... some sun'd be good to create shadows, but that doesn't look too likely now... oh well
I hope to "borrow" that fast-motion running-down-the-halls shot from last year's All The Rage, maybe as the unseen person runs toward this manor house I've seen riding my bike between Beyton and Thurston
There we are. Obviously with the performance I'll have to look at getting some proper lights in, otherwise it'll look very much like some guys playing in a shed, ie useless. Any ideas, anyone?
The performance itself'll also have to be quite good to keep people's attention. I found a couple of performance-based videos I think do this successfully:
SEX PISTOLS- GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
All of this is performance, yet it works pretty well, I think. Perhaps cus it's obvious they're not taking it that seriously (got to love Paul Cook randomly standing up during drum bit).
HUSKER DU- COULD YOU BE THE ONE
Again, pretty good performance, and the colours over the camera bit is simple, but looks artistic so you can get away with it.
END TRANSMISSION
Monday, 24 September 2007
Piece by piece
Things are moving along... having mentioned this project to my brother, he instantly suggested a number of songs and frankly questionable video ideas (us dressed as cavemen fighting an obviously fake mammoth w/ spears... him and Josh Mower pissing about at the train station... footage of whales over "Moby Dick"). Still, he is going to play drums on any live performance I might shoot.
I'm fairly set on doing our own song now, but obviously if a brilliant visual idea related to one of my previously mentioned songs, or indeed any song, comes my way I'll work with it. My own song also represents more work, as I'd have to find a guitarist for the video, write guitar parts and lyrics for it and actually record a version of it... but that shows dedication, right?
Also, Burby has agreed to help me out on the technical side if there's any time in between his own project (a documentary, which means there likely will be).
EDIT: fixed up Reuben's latest video Blood, Bunny, Larkhall, which I've been watching a bit lately... could have ideas for the performance side.
I'm fairly set on doing our own song now, but obviously if a brilliant visual idea related to one of my previously mentioned songs, or indeed any song, comes my way I'll work with it. My own song also represents more work, as I'd have to find a guitarist for the video, write guitar parts and lyrics for it and actually record a version of it... but that shows dedication, right?
Also, Burby has agreed to help me out on the technical side if there's any time in between his own project (a documentary, which means there likely will be).
EDIT: fixed up Reuben's latest video Blood, Bunny, Larkhall, which I've been watching a bit lately... could have ideas for the performance side.
Saturday, 22 September 2007
First thoughts
So, after seeing Jake and Sibley's idea-packed blog (http://www.nandsproductions.blogspot.com/), I thought I'd better get one set up myself; something people can look at and say, "hmm, not as good as the other one".
I've got a few ideas of songs to do for a music video, but unfortunately not many thoughts on how to make a full video out of them. Still, here's what I've been thinking:-
One of my songs
Well, I say songs... me and my brother play some of our own stuff, although we're only drums and bass at the mo. I haven't really thought beyond us playing live in our shed, either.
Actually, that's a lie. I've been thinking about including some footage of the surrounding countryside of Suffolk with one of our more structured jams (provisionally called Suffolkating). As much as I occasionally dislike being in a small rural town, some of the fields, forests etc around here are amazingly beautiful. And also I think a lot of videos concentrate too much on urban themes and locations, so I'd like to do something a bit different.
James Brown- The Payback
The 7 minute funk epic that people are already getting tired of hearing coming out of my laptop. The song sounds very cinematic to me- perhaps it could be set out like a trailer (or a mini-film, given its length), with old-school film titles of "The Big Payback!" when the backup sings it the first time. If I could persuade Thurston's own James Brown to star as the song's spurned lover, getting ready for his revenge by punching walls in his apartment and strolling lamplit streets looking moody, this would clearly be so good as to make the world explode. Or not.
Carry On Wayward Son- Kansas
The 70s craprock classic, introduced to a generation by Guitar Hero 2 and the end credits in Anchorman. A send-up of 70s rock videos, perhaps? Heartfelt singing and piano playing superimposed over a candle flame, coupled with a Rockyesque training montage over the song's bridge (you listen to that bit and tell me you don't imagine a man jogging up a hill in an Adidas trackie looking determined). I've also thought about possibly including footage of the song being played in Guitar Hero, although I doubt it'd be very interesting to look at notes scrolling down a screen...
Chartered Trips/Standing By The Sea- Hüsker Dü
Or something else from Zen Arcade... a genius, sprawling hardcore punk double album that's been held by some to be the earliest form of emo (though I won't hold that against it, and it beats MCR by a fucking mile). No real ideas as yet, though a performance-based video would probably be best to capture the energy. Chartered Trips kind of involves going on a journey somewhere unknown, like a pioneer travelling by bus; maybe I could shoot some stuff down the bus station.
Anyway, that's where I'm at now... I'd really love some ideas, suggestions, praise, complaints, whatever.
I've got a few ideas of songs to do for a music video, but unfortunately not many thoughts on how to make a full video out of them. Still, here's what I've been thinking:-
One of my songs
Well, I say songs... me and my brother play some of our own stuff, although we're only drums and bass at the mo. I haven't really thought beyond us playing live in our shed, either.
Actually, that's a lie. I've been thinking about including some footage of the surrounding countryside of Suffolk with one of our more structured jams (provisionally called Suffolkating). As much as I occasionally dislike being in a small rural town, some of the fields, forests etc around here are amazingly beautiful. And also I think a lot of videos concentrate too much on urban themes and locations, so I'd like to do something a bit different.
James Brown- The Payback
The 7 minute funk epic that people are already getting tired of hearing coming out of my laptop. The song sounds very cinematic to me- perhaps it could be set out like a trailer (or a mini-film, given its length), with old-school film titles of "The Big Payback!" when the backup sings it the first time. If I could persuade Thurston's own James Brown to star as the song's spurned lover, getting ready for his revenge by punching walls in his apartment and strolling lamplit streets looking moody, this would clearly be so good as to make the world explode. Or not.
Carry On Wayward Son- Kansas
The 70s craprock classic, introduced to a generation by Guitar Hero 2 and the end credits in Anchorman. A send-up of 70s rock videos, perhaps? Heartfelt singing and piano playing superimposed over a candle flame, coupled with a Rockyesque training montage over the song's bridge (you listen to that bit and tell me you don't imagine a man jogging up a hill in an Adidas trackie looking determined). I've also thought about possibly including footage of the song being played in Guitar Hero, although I doubt it'd be very interesting to look at notes scrolling down a screen...
Chartered Trips/Standing By The Sea- Hüsker Dü
Or something else from Zen Arcade... a genius, sprawling hardcore punk double album that's been held by some to be the earliest form of emo (though I won't hold that against it, and it beats MCR by a fucking mile). No real ideas as yet, though a performance-based video would probably be best to capture the energy. Chartered Trips kind of involves going on a journey somewhere unknown, like a pioneer travelling by bus; maybe I could shoot some stuff down the bus station.
Anyway, that's where I'm at now... I'd really love some ideas, suggestions, praise, complaints, whatever.
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