Storyboard

Storyboards are used to visualise the images that will appear on the screen. You work out the types of shot, the angles, the camera movements, the mise en scene, the colours and shades, anything and everything.

Storyboards are where the real work happens. Storyboards are much cheaper to experiment with, through trying things out rather than messing about on the day of filming. A piece of paper and a pencil and a storyboard artist cost a lot less per day than a million pounds plus that would be spent on a movie.

Pop videos are just the same. You work out all the shots on the storyboard before you even begin to think of filming. You spot the mistakes, things that don’t work and put them right in the storyboard before you film. It is a bit like creating a puzzle or a plan, which you shot to and you put the puzzle together afterwards in the editing.

When working on the storyboard we use the timeline to direct us. When we worked on the timeline we attempted to place as much detail in it as possible so that it would be a lot simpler to draw from the timeline to make the storyboard. The reason for storyboarding is to help us visualise the shot and work out which type of shot to use and why we want to use it, whether tracking and craning will be used and why we would want to use it. All things considered the storyboard is a form of assistance while directing us in the creation of the video and should be considered as a useful tool no matter what.

Considering our main actress needed to perform in every shot in the timeline, it still became very complicated to note down and draw the storyboard as we needed to note down her movement (through the use of arrows) even though we have no real idea if she will actually move there in the day of the shooting. A lot of our camera movement can be considered quite stagnant as we wished have the performance part of the piece to represent certain things. It may be vital to note that our most complex shot is a tracking shot which will finish the pop video.

As I have stated before our piece is using multiple layers on the screen. The first layer being a girl sat watching the performance in front of her as though in a cinema, the second layer is the actual band performing on stage and on screen, and the third layer will be the possible narrative element interwoven into the video. When we created the storyboard we had to take these elements into consideration and as of such the drawings had to represent exactly what layer we were working with in each shot and the action which was meant to take place in it as well.

There were several shots that we had been considering in the timeline that we required a storyboard to see if the shot actually worked. One of these shots was the opening 8 second shot in which we have a wide shot of the singer, in which focus is put on as well as the physical actions she carries out. Along with this we would use jump cuts to support the absurdity of the world in which the artist is performing. This entire shot is clarified by the storyboard and when we finally saw the shot on paper we realised it could be done. There was another issue of whether or not the shot would not capture the audiences attention fast enough and leave them detached and uninterested for the rest of the video. Yet, as the shot is setting the scene as well as including a great deal of physical action and interesting editing we were confident that it would capture the audiences’ attention. Below are the storyboards we used:























One shot that we needed to use the storyboard for was the final shot of the video, in which we tracking is involved. What happens is when the performance is finally finished we track around (we track from right to left which is secure to watch for the audience and not make them feel uncomfortable) the girl watching the performance to show that it is, in fact, the same girl who was singing and performing that is sitting on the chair. This links to the main idea of the entire song where the singer is performing to herself because she is trying to make herself feel better. This shot is shown in the following storyboard piece:


















A main element of our video is the fact that we will be using jump cuts to a fair amount. We wished to use jump cuts as they give the video a fictional and highly absurd feel to it. And as of such it will confuse the audience and will lead them to enjoy watching the absurdity on screen. Below are a few shots where jump cutting was used:

During the storyboard process I watched the following video clips to help me assist in making the storyboards:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-yeI83fN6s

Composition Rules

Composition Rules

Khuleshov stated that 70% of the meaning communicated to the audience in media products was communicated by the use of images, what this means is that media products will use images to convey certain meanings and because of this filmmakers will use a terminology that allows them to communicate certain meanings. This terminology is known as the composition rules of which there are over 200 and in this blog I will deal with a few of these rules.

Shot Sizes:

In life we are able to divide what we see into three basic shots: Longs shots which create first impressions, mid shots which allow you to gain more information) and close-ups which supply the detail. It is essential that professional and amateur video producers understand what shots sizes are and what they communicate.

Mid shots and close-ups, like long shots, are the establishing shots. These are the shots that make up the scene.

In television, the first shot the director usually shoots is the establishing shot as it allows them and everyone else involved to know what is going on. The other shots evolve out of the information given by the establishing shot. It would make sense then that the most common shot is the establishing shot. However, there is a whole range of shots, which give different types of information to the audience. They are:

The extreme long shot (ELS) – this shows scale, distance and geography. Extreme long shots are great at creating an overall atmosphere, although people will be extremely small and barely noticeable. This shot works best if there is an action involved; for example, a plane landing at an airport while travelling towards the camera.

The long shot (LS) – this shot introduces people at full length and creates a sense of place, time and atmosphere; what this means is that it will usually show if the individual is inside or outside, whether it is day or night etc.

The medium long shot (MLS) – the medium long shot is good at showing the character and location. If, for example, the character is moving, e.g. walking, this can be a very useful shot to capture the character and location change.

The mid shot (MS) – here the shot is close enough to see facial expressions of the character yet far away enough to capture the characters body gestures.

The close-up (CU) – this shot is able to capture emotions from the characters and any impact created by a stimulus. This shot is also used to ‘sell’ the ‘stars’ face to the audience. However, the audience member can become uncomfortable if this shot lasts longer than ten seconds.

The big close-up (BCU) – this shot is very similar to that of the close-up and is used for the same reasons.

The extreme close-up (ECU) – is an unusual shot, especially as you don’t often get this close to someone in real life. It is used to shock the viewer. ECUs of objects can bring a new perspective to the story.

Camera Position and Angle

Slanted Angle – A slanted angle shot is used to portray imbalance and instability and is often used in Point-of-View shots.

The Bird’s Eye View – This shot is directed from above and it is a very unnatural and outlandish. It can promote a sense of uneasiness in the audience but the shot does give the audience more status as it makes the character seem insignificant.

High Angle – This is not as elevated as a Bird’s Eye View shot as it is merely above the on-screen action to give the audience a general overview yet the angle still gives status to the audience as the on-screen characters are made to look insignificant. The object of the shot is usually swallowed by its surroundings, often used to suggest a wider object.

Eye Level – Here the camera is positioned as if the audience is viewing the scene and action in real life. So, naturally, the actors will be at eye-level with the audience. This gives them equal status to that of the audience.

Low Angle – Low angle shots increase the height of smaller objects, and as of such makes an actor shot with this angle appear dominant and superior, or even arrogant. Low angle shots also manage to give a sense of speeded motion. The background to a low angle shot tends to be that of scenery or plain sky, which adds to the disorientation of the viewer.

Camera Movements

Pan – With a pan you would scan a scene horizontally. To do this you would place the camera on a tripod, which operates as a stationary axis point while the camera is being turned, usually to follow a moving object that is kept in the middle of the frame.

Track – Here the camera is placed on a fixed track or even a vehicle and moves alongside the action, which is being filmed, which is generally a moving figure or object. The camera will usually be placed on a track when it is used for complicated dolly shots. A dolly shot is a good way of portraying movement or even moving from a long shot to a close-up as it gradually focuses on a particular object/character from the long shot.

Tilt – With a tilt you would scan a scene vertically. Exactly the same as a pan except when you move the camera on its axis point, you do so vertically.

Handheld – The handheld camera technique gives a jerky, ragged effect, which is entirely different from that of the smooth and organised movement of a dolly shot. A handheld shot give a more intimate and close environment.

Crane – A crane shot involves hooking the camera to the crane and filming the action in whatever way the cameraperson wishes to shoot the shot. You could state that a crane shot is like a dolly shot in the air.

Zoom – A zoom lens contains a mechanism that changes the magnification on the image. What this means is if the photographer wishes to they can get a close up on an object when they are far away. A video zoom can change the position of the audience immediately or slowly.

Aerial – An exciting variation of a crane shot, usually taken from a helicopter. This is often used at the beginning of a film, in order to establish setting and movement. A helicopter is like a particularly flexible sort of crane - it can go anywhere, keep up with anything, move in and out of a scene, and convey real drama and exhilaration — so long as you don't need to get too close to your actors or use location sound with the shots.

Lighting

Redhead – A small light, usually between 100 and 200 watt studio lamp used to light from all angles, the beam can be focused and the fixture facilitates a set of barn doors for illuminating certain areas and narrowing down the beam. Gels can be applied to the lamp to change the color of the lighting.

Blonde – A blonde is more or less the same as a Redhead, except it is usually larger and can go up to around 500 watts. Gels can be applied to the lamp to change the color of the lighting, much like a Redhead.

Spot – A spot is focused beam of light on a specific area, it is used to emphasize this area and the reader is meant to draw closer and feel more emotionally attached to the subject.

Rule of Thirds

Naturally the way we read a screen is from left to right at the top of the screen then left to right at the bottom of a screen. This creates four ‘hotspots’ in the frame when we scan a frame. This is why usually when we compose a shot it is good to get your main subject on one of those four hotspots as it would then capture the audiences attention.

Colours

Different colours affect the way we read things. For example red has connotations of anger or love. Therefore if you see the colour red we immediately make those connections. Therefore depending on the message you are trying to send in a scene depends on the colours you may use in wardrobe to reinforce your message.

Timeline

Timeline As part of our development a key step was to create the timeline. This is where we have a five column chart. The first column is the word or music, the second column lists the time that the phrase lasts, and the other columns detail the performance, the narrative or the action.

The timeline tests out whether the image will last for the time that is given to it. With the timeline you begin to think about the images that go with a lyric or a piece of instrumental and it forces you to think whether it will work or not. An example is we had 18 seconds on our singer in the audience of the cinema. This is too long so we knew we needed to either have a close-up, a mid-shot, or a wide shot or we needed other things such as a narrative to keep the audience interested.

Big Pitch

Big pitch

We had to pitch our idea to two teachers and defend it when they raised problems.

The two layer approach will be technically difficult but can be done, they thought.

The key thing will be the casting of the girl, who will be able to act that she is in some pain emotionally and yet be able to sing the song at the same time. The trick of the pop video is that she is the character that is suffering and the singer.

The two teachers that will take the role of executive producers accepted our idea and gave it the green light.

Developing Our Idea

Developing our idea

My group of three each thought of two ideas. We then pitched them to each other and decided that one stood out above all others. This was for the song “Ta Douler”.

Our idea for treating this song was to use multiple layers on the screen. The first layer is a girl sat watching the performance as though in a cinema. The second layer is the actual band performing on stage and on screen. The third layer will be a possible narrative element interwoven.

The song itself is about a girl whose boyfriend has cheated on her, and how she is dealing with the pain. The girl in our cinema is getting over the pain by watching the group singing about pain.

We wanted our group to be sexy but serious, modern as shown on cinema screens but also very ordinary. This is part of Richard Dyer’s theory of stardom which says that to be a star you need to be different and untouchable to ordinary fans, and yet someone they can identify with. We were trying to do just this.

Five Stages of Production

Research and development and the five stages of production

There are five stages of production in making a movie or a pop video. These are:
• Research and development
• Pre-production
• Production or the shoot
• Post-production
• Distribution and exhibition

Research and development involves researching the type of music, the type of band that is around, the target audience, and other pop videos that are the competition. Development is thinking of our idea and developing it with a timeline, storyboard, and ideas for the brand.

Pre-production is getting everything ready including the cast, locations, props, wardrobe, everything that might be needed. Pre-production ends with the creation of a call sheet.

The shoot is the actual filming day or days, while post-production is the editing including any after-effects.

Distribution is when the product is place on television, the web, cinema, DVD sales or even shown in shopping malls on big screens. Exhibition is if you can get your pop video shown in cinemas.

A2 BRIEF - POP VIDEO

The brief

Our brief was to produce the following for a new band or singer, which would launch their career. The aim is to establish the image of the band or singer and their brand.

We have to produce three media products which are:
• A promotional video for use on television, etc.
• A digipack cover for the first album
• A magazine advert for the album and perhaps a major gig.