However, although we did film a lot of footage that wasn't actually used in our final video, we made sure that we learnt from the mistakes that we made and carried our newly-obtained knowledge onto our next batch of filming - ensuring our final sessions of filming ran as smoothly as possible.
To show a progression of our skills throughout the project, I've collected all our different filming sessions into one post - evaluating each through our own views as well as those of the audience members that we asked to view our product.
1.
Aim: Film our 'Band Shots' (First attempt).
Location: The school's Drama Studio.
Evaluation:
+ Camera Angles used look effective and varied
+ Footage once edited, reflected the fast tempo of the song
+ Synchronisation of diagetic sound and on-screen actions - singing, guitar-work etc looks realistic
+ Costumes used are conventional and therefore look appropriate
- Location fails to represent the conventions of a Rock-music video - it is clear it's in a Drama Studio
- Drumming fails to match urgency of song
- Could incorporate more complicated filming; Jib and/or Track-and-Pan shots for example
"The musicians themselves look professional due to the well-timed synchronisation and carefully-crafted camera angles. Ultimately however, the setting used fails to emit that 'rockstar' aura and leaves me feeling that I've just watched the school-band's rehearsal."- Media Teacher
2.
Aim: To film our 'Narrative' (First attempt).
Location: Erith Train Station.
Evaluation:
+ In using all the camera equipment for the first time, we learnt how time-consuming utilising the equipment is, a problem we didn't foresee; shooting a track-and-pan shot required us setting up the lengthy track itself and once finished, dismantling it to move it around again
+ The shots themselves were filmed very carefully to ensure appropriate framing etc
- Time-consuming; in just over five hours worth of filming, we had yet to leave our initial location of the train station due to the lengthy process of moving and setting up the equipment
- Once uploaded to the computer - after fast-cuts and editing, the content of the shots was ultimately boring despite the quality of the shots themselves - their framing and angling etc
"I realise some of the shots have been carefully planned - I particularly liked the track-and-pan used to track Georgina down the length of the train platform - that would've been a time-consuming process setting up and subsequently dismantling the tracking equipment for that one shot. However, as a member of the audience, I can't say that I'm emotionally engaged nor interested in the narrative, it seems rather simple - a contrast to the loud and fast song you've chosen."- Sam Robinson, A-Level Media student
3.
Location: Travelling around London; Bexleyheath Train Station, Brick Lane, Liverpool Street, London Bridge.
Evaluation:
+ Shots were complicated and interestingly filmed; incorporated 'Rule of thirds', 'deep/shallow focus', 'focus-pull' and 'establishing shots' to name but a few
+ Locations featured looked appropriate and conventional of the genre; street-art looked effective as a motif of the scenes - itself representing the underground music and skating genre
+ Used the equipment effectively - setting it up up efficiently and safely to get the required shots
- The content of the narrative, despite the interesting camera shots, still seemed lacking in areas of interest for the audience
- The mobile-phone scenes that were essential in establishing the cycle of equilibrium in our narrative failed to translate from storyboards to filming - the text was too small and therefore unclear to the audience
- A difficulty we found in filming in realistic and busy locations was filming the lead-singer's vocals well enough to sync them to the audio-track once uploaded to the computer; when uploaded we found out that it was hard to distinguish what lines the singer was actually speaking due to the diagetic (and unwanted) noise
"I really liked this footage. I thought the mis-en-scene was great; make-up and location in particular looked really effective - the lead-singer looked quite mysterious in some shots - '0:08' was quite memorable, an almost unsettling extreme close-up. I noticed a lot of interesting camera angles as well although I didn't really understand what was going on."
- Megan Dallimore, GCSE Media student
4.
Aim: To film our Band Shots (second attempt).
Location: Our school's sports hall.
Evaluation:
+ Location captured the idea of the band having a rehearsal - as well as having the added benefit of being a big, open space which allowed for plenty of room; didn't look enclosed like the drama studio set
+ Lighting looked very effective; we had a set up of two professional photography lights lighting the set from behind, transforming an ordinary sports hall into a more professional-looking set
+ Band look professional
+ Shots are more complicated and varied; extreme-close-ups, wide shots encompassing all band members
- Evidence of the fact that it was shot in a sports hall; basketball hoops, floor-court markings etc visible - detracts from the mise-en-scene
- Idea is confusing for the audience; our narrative that included switching actresses for the lead-singer proved to be too complicated for the audience to grasp
"At first I didn't realise it was in the school's sports hall - the lighting was really effective and professional, making it look like it was a carefully-chosen location. However, I then began to notice the iconography of a sports hall - the hoops, floor markings etc and felt it showed that you hadn't actually considered the mise-en-scene of the set/setting. However, the band themselves look professional; the shots of the instruments was very conventional of a music video. Honestly, the narrative didn't really make any sense - there was two different lead-singer's which is not conventional of a music video - if you are hoping to create a brand for the band, aspects such as the band members themselves need to remain consistent."
- Louis Irving, GCSE Media Student
5.
Location: Inside a garden shed
Evaluation:
+ Set/Setting was carefully planned and executed; painted wall with 'paramore' logo and posters effective for furthering the narrative
+ Lighting was effective in creating a dark, almost unnerving atmosphere
+ Actress portrayed the character professionally - helped the narrative to be taken seriously by the audience
+ Narrative itself was 'striking' and 'captivating' - complimenting the song as opposed to taking the lyrics literally; taking 'reception theory' on-board by leaving it open to interpretation
+ Costume was appropriate
+ Shots were varied, ranging from simple mid-shots and close-ups to canted angles and more experimental filming
"The narrative was really captivating - the recurring motifs of the flame and the unusual editing such as the 'fuzzy' static made it quite unsettling, I didn't know how her behaviour was going to escalate. I like that the narrative is loose and open to interpretation; particularly effective for a music video, a video that you could potentially see several times if you liked the song, so your view on the character and the narrative could change with repeated viewings. I thought the lighting was very good - it wasn't naturalistic - the opposite; the flashing lights and the almost candle-lit effect added to the eerie atmosphere. The acting was realistic and subsequently unsettling."
Louise Salter, A-Level Drama student
6.
Aim: To film band shots (Third attempt)
Location: Boiler-room
Evaluation:
+ Set/setting fitting for the genre; carries a theme - iconography of an industrial/Urban setting, ladder, sand, equipment etc
+ Actors look professional; instruments synchronised effectively to soundtrack
+ Variety of shots and angles; allows the freedom to use an array of shots for short, fast cutting
+ Lighting is focused and effective in creating atmosphere
"The band, lighting, set and synchronisation look professional - the mise-en-scene has evidently been carefully constructed to represent the rock-music genre."
- Ellice Head, GCSE Media Student
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