Beginning to film my music video

 Throughout this music video, I will act and direct it. My last experience with filming led me to make the decision to do most of the acting, as if my brother was the main actor, there would have been a large amount of yelling and frustration involved. So far I have filmed scenes three through six. Filming those scenes was slightly difficult, as there were complications with time. This was as a result of my brother acting in the music video in some scenes. Because of this, my mother was the only person that could film the music video. However, she works a full time job so the filming of the video had to fit around her schedule as well. This led to the filming taking place at about 4:45. Ordinarily this would not be a problem, however the sun sets as 5:30 where I live throughout this time, so we did not have much time to film before the sun set. With this in mind, I decided to prepare the filming location, my bedroom, so that it would be ready for filming to begin right when my mother got off of work. I made my bed, organized my room so that it was close to spotless, and prepared all of the props for the music video. Those props include a tray with cereal, a spoon, orange juice, a bracelet, handbags, and several pieces of clothing on hangers. In addition, I had to prepare myself so that I looked presentable and had to direct my brother on which clothes to wear throughout the music video. Unfortunately, it took quite a bit of time to get my brother in to the clothes needed and led to the filming taking place later than previously scheduled. After this was done, the filming began. My mother sat on a chair with the camera at the angle and location directed my me. My brother also waited next to the camera, ready for me to clap, indicating that he step forward and put the tray on the table by my bedside. When my mother began to record, I would press play on the song that I was using and then run over to the bed and adjust my hair and clothes so that they looked nice. In order for this to happen on time, I would press play on the video several seconds before the music for the scene being shot would take place, allowing for more preparation. This would be done throughout the entire filming process. This scene, scene number three, was successfully filmed, but would take several takes for the desired scene to happen. The next few scenes were also simple to film and involved me directing my mother where to place the camera, directing my brother what to do and me acting. After these scenes were completed, I cleaned up the room and prepared it for when we finished filming the next few scenes. I may change the shot within some scenes, but overall I enjoyed the filming process and plan on filming these next few scenes in a short amount of time.

Planning Storyboard for my Music Video

*When referring to the "actor" within the storyboard or blog, I am referring to the actor playing the person who is imagining being wealthy. 

Scene 1

This scene will consist of the actor drawing what they would do if they were wealthy or, "were a rich girl," as the song suggests. There will be a picture of a girl with shopping bags in front of the actor on a clipboard while the actor is sitting on a bed. It will be filmed within my bedroom at my father's house and will be filmed as a medium shot.

Scene 2

This scene will show the actor wondering what they would do if they were wealthy. It will be shown to the audience by having the actor put a hand on their chin and looking up to the ceiling or off in to the distance with a wondering expression. This scene will also be filmed within my bedroom at my father's house and will filmed as a medium shot. After this scene is shown, the transition will be edited so that it looks as though the audience has now entered the author's daydream.

Scene 3

In this scene, the actor will wake up wearing an eye mask above their eyes as well as fancy pajamas. The actor will stretch their arms as well to show that they have just woken up. It will be filmed as a full shot within the bedroom of my mother's house.

Scene 4

Within this scene, the actor will clap their hands. After this has been done, a butler will walk to the bed where the actor is holding a tray of breakfast foods. This scene will show that the actor is so wealthy, they have their own personal butler. The actor will take one bite of the foods and then immediately put the tray down. This is done in order to reduce the length of the music video, allowing for it to be within the 58-60 second time frame. The scene will be filmed within my bedroom at my mother's house as a full shot.

Scene 5

During this scene the actor will walk from the bed to the bathroom, with the goal of putting accessories as well as makeup on. This scene will be filmed as a full shot within my bedroom at my mother's house.

Scene 6

During this scene, the actor will be shown putting on accessories and makeup such as bracelets, earrings, and lip gloss. The camera will be placed behind the actor in order to allow the audience to see the actor's face through the reflection within the mirror. I am not sure how I will do this, or if I will, but if this action does not take place, I will position the camera so that it is facing the actor. This scene will be filmed as a a cowboy shot within my bathroom of my mother's home.

Scene 7

During this scene the actor will walk from the bathroom to the bedroom and then proceed to clap for the butler. I may use subtitles as well to show what the actor is saying, but I am not sure if this will be included in the final product. This scene will be located within the bedroom of my mother's house and filmed as a full shot.

Scene 8

Throughout this scene, the camera will pan from the actor to the butler, where the butler will be holding a pile of clothes for the actor. This scene will be filmed within my bedroom at my mother's house and filmed as a full shot at the shoulder level angle. However, the scene may be filmed as a medium wide shot depending on how it looks while filming.

Scene 9

During this scene, the butler will walk towards the actor and show the actor the clothes available to wear. The actor will wear a thinking expression, and may tap their chin to show that they are thinking of what they should wear. This scene will be filmed as a full shot in my bedroom at my mother's house.

Scene 10

This scene will be of the actor choosing which clothes they will wear for the day and sending the butler away with a wave of their hand. The scene will also be located in my bedroom of my mother's house as a full shot.

Scene 11

This scene will include the actor trying on the chosen clothes with smooth, quick transitions. Each time a new outfit is tried on, a shake of the head or look of disproval will be shown on the actor's face. When the last outfit is tried on, the actor will look exasperated or throw their hands in the air, showing that each outfit is not to their liking. By doing so, the next scenes where the actor goes shopping will fit with the storyline. Subtitles may also be used to express the actor's frustration while trying on the last outfit. The scene will be located in my bedroom of my mother's house and filmed as a full shot.

Scene 12 

Within this scene, the actor will walk towards the door of the mall. A purse will be in hand as well, showing that they are ready to enter the mall and spend money. In addition, a mask will be worn throughout this scene as well as the next two in order to follow with the safety precautions in place. The actor may hold a phone or be talking to it, but this has yet to be decided. This scene will be located at my local mall and filmed with the tilt movement as a low angle and wide shot.

Scene 13

During this scene, I have two options of what the actor will do, as indicated by the line split between the box. Both scenes will be filmed within my local mall. In the first option, the actor will be observing several pieces of clothing and adding them to their shopping bag. This option will be filmed as a cowboy shot. During the second option, the actor will walk into various shops while the camera stays in one place, not moving. Editing will be included so that the actor looks as though they are walking into each shop at 2 or 3 times speed. This option would be filmed as a wide shot. Once I begin filming, I will determine which option suits the time frame of the music video better, as well as which option is able to be filmed at the time, as within the second option the mall could be too crowded for filming to take place.

Scene 14

This scene will be of the actor leaving the mall. They will walk out of the mall with several shopping bags, showing that they spent a large amount of money, as the song suggests. The scene will be filmed at my local mall as well as with a wide shot and at a low angle.

Scene 15

Throughout this scene, the actor will have their nails being painted by another person. This scene will be filmed as a medium shot within the dining room of my mother's home.

Scene 16

During this scene, the actor will be seen drinking a smoothie and reading a magazine while the butler from previous scenes is fanning the actor with a large leaf. This scene will be shot by the pool of my backyard at my father's house while the actor is laying on a lounge chair. In addition, the scene will be filmed as a full shot as well.

Scene 17

This scene will include the dreamy effect transition from the second scene to show that the actor is now back in the present, no longer in the realm of the actor's daydream. The actor will have their hand on their chin or will include a far off or distant look in their eyes as well in order to prove that the actor themselves has not been transported to the real world yet. This scene will be filmed within my bedroom of my father's home and will be filmed as a medium shot.

Scene 18

This scene will conclude the music video and will be of the actor shaking their head, in order to show that they are now with the audience: in the real world. The actor will then go back to drawing the picture of what they would do if they were wealthy. This scene will be filmed within my bedroom of my father's home as well and will be filmed as a medium shot.

Planning for my Music Video

 The song title for the music video project is Rich Girl and it is performed by Gwen Stefani and Eve.

Props

Throughout this project, I plan on using the props of fake money, shopping bags, and other accessories that seem luxurious. The props used will add to the story line of the music video, as several of the scenes will be of what the actor imagines they would do if they were wealthy. I am not completely sure of what all will be included within the video, as I have not made a storyboard, but these items are some of the general objects that will be used as props within the music video. 

Costumes

The clothes worn by the actors within the some of the scenes throughout the music video will consist of casual or lazy clothes. I plan on having the actor transform from a normal, casual lifestyle into being a millionaire, as the premise of the music video is that the actor is imagining what they would do if they were a millionaire. Clothes within this scene, or scenes, will include jeans, sweatpants, sweatshirts, or plain/casual t-shirts. Socks may be worn as well in order to add to the casualness of the outfit. In addition to these clothes, luxurious clothes will be worn as well within the portion of the video where the actor is transformed into a millionaire. Examples include dresses, two-piece sets, and other outfits that look as though they are expensive. As the plot of the music video is the actor imagining possessing a large amount of money, the costumes worn need to look as though they were bought with a large sum of money. Shoes that will be worn must match the outfits and, again, look as though they are expensive. Accessories such as earrings or necklaces will also be worn, depending on the jewelry available to borrow from my mother. Overall, the costumes worn must coordinate and fit with the story line.

Schedule

On 11/13/20, I will select the song to be used within the music video and decide whether I will pair up with any group mates.

On 11/15/20, I will research common elements and conventions used within the pop genre of music videos.

On 11/17/20, the planning of the music video will be performed, scheduling elements such as the props, costumes, schedule, location, and backup plan.

On 11/19/20 and 11/20/20, the storyboard for the music video will be drawn, allowing for a sketch of what will be included within the video.

On 11/21/20, filming will begin for the music video.

On 11/28/20, editing will undergo for the music video and will make sure that each scene is in the correct order as well as adding the song over the video.

Location

The music video will be filmed within my home, specifically my bedroom, and perhaps several other places as well. As I mentioned previously, I am not exactly sure of what each scene within the music video will entail, but I do know that part of the music video will be filmed within my bedroom. Scenes within the mall may be included as well, but I am not yet sure.

Backup Plan

If I choose to film at the mall, where safety precautions will be followed, there may be too many people at the portion of the mall where I want to film. If this happens, I will move to a different part of the mall, specifically the northern part of the mall where there are various hallways that are ideal for a scene of me walking or carrying shopping bags. If the mall that I go to is closed I plan on filming within a mall or shopping center that is close by to the mall that I was previously going to go to. The other mall is not as spacious as the mall I would have gone to, but would suffice for the music video. If my brother or family members are not able to hold the camera,  and I decide to act within the video, I will prop my phone on a stable surface such as a table and set the camera on a timer to start recording. 

Research: Music Video Conventions

    The song I decided to make a music video for is Rich Girl by Gwen Stefani, which is in the pop genre. Common lighting within this genre is very bright. Normally there is not much dark lighting, as pop songs are often very happy and upbeat. In order to make the music video go with the song, bright lighting is used. In addition, bright colors can be seen throughout many music videos within this genre as well for the same reason as the lighting: to correspond with the music being heard. Camera angles and shots commonly seen in pop music videos include eye level angles, shoulder level angles, full shots, medium shots, medium closeups, and two shots. As many songs, and music videos, in the pop genre are about love, many of these shots and angles will be used to show the relationship between the people within the music video. Zooms are also seen in many of these music videos and are used to amplify how a person is feeling. In some pop music videos, for example, a person may be heart broken or sad. The zoom will be used in this case to amplify how they are feeling. The closeup camera shot is also seen, but not in as many music videos as medium closeup shots. Pop music videos include a wide range of props, as the setting and story line varies from video to video. Some music videos may include several scenes of people within the video at a pool party, therefore using inflatable rafts or pool toys, while others may be based in a bedroom, using props such as a notebook or pencil. Overall, some of the props used include smartphones, instruments, and microphones. Smartphones are often used to display communication between characters within the video and instruments as well as microphones are used within scenes where a band or solo artist is singing along to their music. Many artists in the pop genre will include an ongoing story line within the music video and separate scenes of them singing along to their music. The scenes where an artist is singing to their music are where the instruments, such as guitars or a drum set, and microphones are used. Makeup is often used and consists of bright colors on the eyes using eyeshadow and occasionally glitter as well. The story line, again, also effects the amount and type of makeup being used as well. Costumes are either extravagant or consist of normal clothes. Depending on the story line, the costumes will be simple clothes such as jeans and a t-shirt or two-piece matching outfits with glitter and intricate designs. The setting also varies but is often within houses, schools, or malls. Editing changes between music videos, as some pop music videos may include mythical creatures and heavy, unrealistic/fantastical editing, while other pop music videos may include minimal editing that makes the music video look realistic. Overall, common elements within pop music videos include bright colors and scenes of characters dancing, shopping, or singing. 

Introduction to the Music Video Project

 Throughout the upcoming music video project, I plan on working by myself. I decided not to work with anyone because of the location where my classmates live and also because of the complications within our schedules that may occur. Many of my friends within this class live at least 15 minutes away from me. As a result, many scheduling issues could occur, especially because both of my parents work throughout the day and as a result, I do not have anyone to drive me to one of my classmate's homes or to the filming location. Social distancing and the global pandemic occurring at the moment had an effect on my decision as to whether I should work with other people as well. If I caught the illness from working with others, it would affect my family. As this illness is very dangerous and contagious, the threat of these implications played a part in deciding whether to work with a partner. I am sure that while filming everyone would be safe and take precautions, however, there is always a risk that there may not be enough protection or that someone may not follow the safety precautions. In addition, I feel more confident working by myself, as I do not have to rely on anyone or be at risk of someone not doing their share of the work. Overall, I decided that it would be easier for me to do this project on my own. The song that I plan on making a music video for will be ¨Rich Girl¨ by Gwen Stefani featuring Eve. I plan on using a portion of the song that does not include the singer Eve, however, I may choose to include the part of the song where she sings in the future. I chose this song because the lyrics allowed me to earn a clear idea of what the music video will be. As Gwen Stefani sings about what she would do if she had a large amount of money, I was able to imagine what I would do as well and could gather an idea of what the music video would look like. As of now, I plan on including scenes of me throwing money in the air or picking out fancy clothes, signifying what I would be doing if I was wealthy. It took me a large amount of time, and some help from others, to choose this song, as I found that I am not very creative. While searching for songs, I could not think of any story lines that went with the lyrics being expressed. This block in creativity, led me to ask my mother which song I should make a music video to. She suggested a Gwen Stefani song, and after looking at several of her songs, I finally found this song. I am satisfied with the song chosen, and believe that i will be able to create a great music video to the song.

Commercial CCR Questions

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues?

My commercial used many of the common elements within cereal commercials. Bright or warm lighting, for example, was included within the project as well as fantastical elements. In one scene, the cereal bowl within the commercial would move across the table by itself. By including this scene, I was able to include fantasy within my commercial. I also included a child, my brother, as the actor. By doing so, the commercial has a specific target, which is children, as many children often eat cereal. The sound playing in the background of my commercial was bright and cheery as well. The song that I found, played by the US Marine Band, fit well as it is not dark or dreary, and instead is bright, and fits in with similar songs played within commercials. The lighting and setting also fit with the conventions placed, as the lighting is bright and the setting is placed within the kitchen and dining room. In addition, the props used were a cereal bowl, the cereal being advertised, and a spoon, which is shown in many cereal commercials as well. The cereal commercial challenges conventions by using stop motion. Not many commercials use stop motion, and by including that scene, I was able to incorporate the fantastical element in a unique way. The commercial represents social groups by including children. With my brother as the actor, children were represented, allowing for them to see themselves within the commercial. 

 

2. How does your product engage with audiences AND how would it be distributed as a real media text?

My product engages with audiences with the use of stop motion. By adding in elements that are not realistic, viewers are kept wondering what will happen next. If the situation were more realistic, the commercial would not be as interesting, as there would not have been that element of surprise when the cereal bowl moved by itself. This applies to young viewers in particular, because they, on average, have a short attention span and the fantastical elements allow the children to pay more attention to the commercial. This commercial would be distributed as a real media text on children's TV channels, such as PBS kids, from 7:00 in the morning until 10:00 in the morning. Children are normally awake between these hours and have not eaten breakfast yet. By airing the commercial within these hours, the children, who are craving a source of food, will want to buy this product more than if the commercial aired in the afternoon.

3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

Throughout this project, my production skills have improved with the editing software I used and with the production of stop motion. Before this project, I had a minimal amount of knowledge on how to adjust volume and apply visual effects. After clicking on several of the buttons and exploring the software, I now have expanded this knowledge and am able to perform each of these tasks without much confusion. In addition, I had not known that the software could apply the fade effect to the video, and now that I have this knowledge, I will most likely use it in future projects. I also learned how to use the stop motion app. Before this project, I did not have any idea about how stop motion works. After following the simple instructions given by the app, I was then able to use it sufficiently and with ease. I also now understand how stop motion is edited together as well.  Overall, this project led to a greater awareness of the editing technique of stop motion as well as the functions of the editing software I used to edit the commercial.

4. How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, and online - in this project?

The technologies used within my project were my phone, the software OpenShot editor, and the app Stop Motion Studio. The editing software, OpenShot, was used to edit the commercial as a whole. Specifically, it was used to adjust the volume, trim video clips, apply visual effects, and add in each scene to create one single video. There are several buttons on the software, that are easy to navigate, however, after trimming, the software does not allow you to attach the clips together again. This may be my fault as I am not sure how to do so, but after trying to find the buttons to perform this action, I could not find anyway to reattach the clips. The other technologies used were the Stop Motion Studio app and my phone. The phone was used to film the entire commercial, while the stop motion app was used to create the scene of the cereal bowl moving across the table. My phone, as it was a Samsung, did not have the best camera quality, however it produced a video that was able to seen and had quality that was sufficient for this project. The Stop Motion Studio app was easy to use and involved following the instructions given by the app. All that I had to do was perch my phone on a stable surface and set a timer counting down when it would take the photos. After the photos were taken, they were converted into a video that able to be used within my commercial. With this app, I was able to create a unique scene of the stop motion of cereal moving across the table that enhanced my commercial overall.

My Commercial

As this was my first filming project with different camera angles, shots, and a storyboard, there were several mishaps, but overall I am proud of how my commercial turned out. I learned a large amount about filming throughout the process of creating the commercial and am sure that with this knowledge the projects coming up will be even better. When filming the commercial, I also learned about the importance of reading through the rubric and making sure that the plan is correct before beginning filming. After I had finished filming each of the scenes, I realized that I had forgotten to include a variety of camera angles. I had to refilm the first scene so that it included a low angle, and as a result, filming went on for another day, disrupting the schedule of my brother, the actor, and leading to a large amount of time wasted. Looking back I would have been more proactive as well and scheduled my time better. Although I made a plan specifying when to film, edit, and storyboard in the beginning stages of this project, I believe that I should have picked earlier dates. If I had done so, I would not have been as stressed. Additionally, I learned more about different camera shots. Previously I had only known about mid-shots, wide shots, long shots, and a few other types of camera shots. I now know about medium shots, full body shots, cowboy shots and more. Several of the shots that I learned about can be seen within my commercial, such as medium shots and full shots. I also learned how to use the editing software OpenShot editor. Before this project, I had a basic understanding of how the software works. I now know how to lower and raise the volume much better, trim videos, and apply the fade effect to the video. Throughout the process of creating the commercial, I learned how to create a simple stop motion video as well. I downloaded an app and was able to create stop motion by following the simple instructions shown. As a result, I was able to understand more about other types of work, this being stop motion. The video also provided some individuality to the commercial, which could be used in future projects. Overall, I feel as though I have learned quite a bit about filming and enjoyed the process of creating the commercial.

Editing Blog: Trimming, Adding Sound, and Creating Stop Motion

 While editing, I mainly used the software OpenShot editor. I began the editing process while filming the commercial during the fourth scene. This scene used stop motion, and to create it I downloaded an app called Stop Motion Studio. The app was on a timer and would count down, telling me when to move the bowl of cereal. Once the app finished taking pictures of the cereal, it was able to convert the photos into a stop motion video. After filming, I then decided to add in the scenes from my camera onto my computer. I used Google Photos as a middle ground for the two devices, would upload each video onto Google Photos, and then download the scenes onto my computer. I was then able to add in the scenes onto the editing software OpenShot. After I did this, I trimmed each of the scenes down to make sure that the scenes were within the time frame of 30 seconds and also made sure that no unwanted footage was included in the commercial. After I did this, I reviewed the video to see how it looked and trimmed any remaining scenes that were not correct. I then added in a voice over of me saying the catchphrase, "Honey O's, the cereal for you!" I did this by opening the voice recorder app on my computer. Next, I recorded the catchphrase, and when I finished recording, it automatically downloaded onto my computer. I then transferred the downloaded file onto the editing software and placed the recording near the end where I thought it would fit best. After adding in the voice recording, I looked for music to include in the commercial. I had a difficult time finding music to add, as many of the songs sounded too upbeat and were not the correct sound I was looking for. I searched for happy instrumental music, and other key words, but found nothing. Once I found the piece I was looking for, I converted the song into an mp3 download and added it into my commercial. Next, I trimmed the music so that it would correspond with what was happening in the video. This included trimming the video down to see which parts of the song would fit best and lowering or raising the volume. Each time my brother, the actor, talked, I would lower the volume so that his voice was able to be heard over the music. I also made the music fade when the commercial started and ended, making the sound fit in with the commercial.

Troubles and experiences while filming my cereal commercial

Filming the cereal commercial was slightly difficult, but turned out well. I asked my brother to be the actor throughout the commercial, and he politely obliged. I was the director throughout the commercial, and filmed the commercial along with telling the actor what to say, what to do, how to say each line, and prepping each scene. Filming began on 10/31/20, and was filmed in chronological order of each scene. The first scene, of the actor opening the refrigerator door, went smoothly and was shot in about 5 takes. I had to figure out where my brother, the actor, should start from when walking towards the fridge, and when I did, the scene turned out well. The second scene included my brother looking inside of the refrigerator. To shoot this scene, I put the camera within the fridge and then ran out of sight and told my brother when to start acting. Filming this scene was difficult because the camera would fall out of the fridge at times, as it was perched precariously on one of the shelves. I would then have to pick up the camera and make sure that it was set appropriately before continuing the filming. The third scene, where the actor expresses how disappointed they were that no food was within the fridge, was more difficult than the previous scenes, as this was the first time that the actor could be seen speaking. The scene was shot over the span of two days, as it looked odd when looking back over the clip. I then directed my brother on how to look and what to say within this scene, and by doing so the scene looked much better afterwards. The fourth scene used the technique of stop-motion to show the cereal moving towards the actor. While preparing for this scene I poured the cereal into a bowl, straightened the table cloth out, and made sure that everything was set up correctly. After I shot this scene on 10/31/20, I realized, while watching a video explaining stop motion in a more detailed way, that I had shot the scene incorrectly and had to film it again. Previously, I had stood on top of a chair and held the camera with my arms, but after watching the video I found that putting the camera on a stable surface, such as a shelf, would make the scene look more professional. I found a way around this by using a "selfie stick." I propped the stick, with the camera, on a chair and used a software to film the rest of the scene. Throughout this scene I would move the bowl of cereal inch by inch across the table until the bowl had reached the end of the table. The fifth, sixth, and seventh scene, that was projected on my storyboard, ended up being filmed in one shot. I prepped for these scenes by making sure that the tablecloth was straightened, the cereal box was set so that the audience could see the brand, and placed the spoon straight next to the cereal. I also had to direct the actor on which facial expressions to use while filming, how to say the lines, and wrote the script. These scenes went smoothly and without much interruption, but had to be filmed the next day, as I had forgotten to use the tilt camera movement while filming. In addition to this slip-up, I realized, after looking at the rubric for the commercial, that I had forgotten to include different camera angles and shots. Therefore, some scenes must be reshot in order to include a variety of camera angles and shots. Overall, the filming had several hiccups and had to be shot several times over the course of two days that lasted about 2.5 hours altogether.