Further Ideas

Licensing

Before I can use my chosen song I first to gain permission from the record company (Warner Music), this is the email that I sent them:

For my A-Level media coursework I have to direct and produce my own music video using a song of my choice and I would like to use the song "Don't Dream It's Over" by Sixpence None the Richer but need your permission before I continue. I would like it to be clear that this video will not be shared publicly and the only persons who will view it will be my teacher and the exam board.
Thank you, I look forward to receiving your response.
Sincerely,
Emily Law
Chislehurst School for Girls

First Thoughts (Draft Ideas)

Lyric Analysis of Chosen Song

Final Song Choice

Don't Dream It's Over - Sixpence None The Richer

I have decided to use this song for my music video as I think the ideas that I have for the filming are much more achievable for the resources that I have available and the time assigned to the task. I also found that the majority of my target audience preferred the song and the ideas surrounding it over ‘Cough Syrup’ and this encouraged me further with making this decision as they are, of course, the people who would be watching my music video and determining its success.

"Don't Dream It's Over" was the second radio single released in promotion of the album Divine Discontent by Sixpence None the Richer.The song is a cover and their version was also included in the 2003 compilation album Smallville: The Talon Mix. The song was originally released by Crowded House in 1986 and peaked at number one in New Zealand and number two in the US.

Focus Group Feedback

I decided that it would be good idea to play my song choices to a group of around 15 members of my target audience (teens) to collate feedback on the song they liked best and the kind of visions that they paired with these choices so I could widen the range of ideas I had an hone in to one specific topic. Here are some pictures of the feedback I found most useful:

I have decided that I would like to incorporate elements of all of these ideas into my final music video.

Possible Song Choices

I am currently torn between using these two song choices for my music video:

Don't Dream It's Over - Sixpence None The Richer

"Don't Dream It's Over" was the second radio single released in promotion of the album Divine Discontent by Sixpence None the Richer.The song is a cover and their version was also included in the 2003 compilation album Smallville: The Talon Mix. The song was originally released by Crowded House in 1986 and peaked at number one in New Zealand and number two in the US.

Cough Syrup - Young the Giant

"Cough Syrup" is a song by American alternative rock band Young the Giant from their eponymous debut album. It was composed when the band was named The Jakes, and first appeared on their 2008 EP Shake My Hand. It was released as a single in 2011 and peaked at number three on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

Because I am finding it hard to chose between these two songs I have decided to play the two songs in a focus group with individuals who fit my target audience to gather their feedback on which of the songs they liked best and any ideas they have that could be used in my music video.

Target Audience Moodboard

The target audience I would like to focus on is young adults between the ages of 13-25 who are interested in the indie/alternative genre. Here is a moodboard to depict the interests of my target audience:

Target Audience/Music Video Questionnaire Results

Open Question: What Do You Think Makes a Good Music Video?

The general concensus was that my target audience were interested in seeing the artist perform but also witnessing an interesting storyline play out.

Music Video Analysis: New Americana (Halsey)

"New Americana" is a song by American singer and songwriter Halsey taken from her debut studio album, Badlands (2015). It was written by Halsey, Larzz Principato, and Kalkutta. Categorised as an alternative pop song, "New Americana" focuses the normalization of aspects of counterculture in the United States, including recreational marijuana use and same-sex marriage. The song was released on July 10, 2015, as the second single from the Badlands album. 
Critics described this song as a "generational anthem" for millennials.

The mise en scene consists of a rural background (harsh mountains and thick forests) coupled with a military style base and atmosphere that denotes a dystopian setting and time of conflict. This is illustrative of the combative narrative the video tries to portray to its audience. The artist, Halsey, is placed in this environment to reflect her activist and social justice fighting attitude. Contrasts between the environment and behaviors of the actors are made through the use of mise en scene throughout the video. For example, at one point during the video the footage quickly cuts from a clip of a male actor’s head being shaved to another male actor with his back turned to the camera urinating against a wall – this is interesting as we can see a contrast between the stereotype of disciplined militant behavior and the behavior expected of an unruly youth or drunk. This is continued throughout the video with shots of actors training being coupled with steamy love scenes and clips of actors smoking and gambling for Marijuana (as mentioned in the lyrics of the song ‘high on legal Marijuana’). This is effective as it effectively portrays to the audience the idea of millennial activism and fighting for our beliefs in a way that is both effectual but still in our own unconventional way and would appeal to those who may associate themselves with this kind of message and approach.

The costume furthers this idea, as it conveys a military-esque style and combative attitude (the colour black used connotes power and formality), but the revealing cut of the clothing also shows the edgy and provocative side of this narrative.  This would appeal to an audience (of young adults) as it’s a style they would identify with and want to replicate.

Dark atmospheric lighting is used during scenes that take place inside and at night and this is usually created through the use of fire this is contrasted with the lighting in the final shot where the ‘rebels’ escape breaking out of the woods where natural lighting is used. This use of lighting creates a tense atmosphere throughout the video and a sense of relief in the audience when the danger seems to have passed. There are also moments of colourful/neon lighting used in some sections of the video which denotes passion and fits in very well with the rebel image portrayed throughout the video.

This music video is narrative based; this is slightly unconventional as artists often elect to use hybrid narrative-performance videos this however does suggest that Halsey, as an artist, cares more about her music and telling a story to her audience. The inclusion of a dialogue scene furthers the story-telling element of the narrative and creates a movie feel to the video and engages the audience with the story.

Many cuts are made throughout the video to portray the chaotic lifestyle of the rebels, the arc of the story and to display the other actors in the video (a mixture of males and females to appeal to both genders and show unity). Continuity editing is used to create smooth story-telling experience for the audience. The lack of special effects used, minus the old film style filter used in the opening sequence of footage, shows that the artist wanted this to be a genuine portrayal of the story without the narrative being shrouded by such distracting editing techniques.

A variety of angles are used throughout the video with many of the levels in scenes that involved the rebels being shot head-on which suggest equality among comrades. When Halsey’s character tries to escape from the clutches of the men who capture her this is shot using an up-angle which shows the power of those who hold her hostage. Tracking shots are utilised to follow the action in combat scenes and the panning of the camera as the actors to turn their heads to look at the artist before she is captured emphasises the sense of betrayal she feels from her comrades. Establishing shots of the rebel base and the village help to introduce the audience to the setting/action and fabricate an image of the surroundings. Close ups of supporting actor’s faces are featured regularly to show the wider picture and reaction to the audience. This effective in creating a sense having a wider knowledge of what is happening within the narrative and shows the reactions of the ‘society’ in this alternate world. Much of the video appears to be shot using a handheld camera, with many of the clips appearing to be shaky and almost amateur, this gives the video a more candid ambience, as though you are viewing it with your own eyes.

Music Video Analysis: Girls Like Girls (Hayley Kiyoko)

"Girls Like Girls" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Hayley Kiyoko for her second extended play ‘This Side of Paradise’. The song was released with a music video as the second single on June 24, 2015, directed by Kiyoko and Austin S. Winchell.

The mise en scene denotes the indie-pop genre of the video; neutral warm colour schemes are utilised such as pinks, creams and blues, props such as cigarettes and alcohol are used and open landscapes are featured often. The actors and the setting are portrayed as being as one with one another and the lighting changing little even through transitions from inside to outside. This lighting appears to be natural This gives the fluency to the video and a sense of a continuous dreamy atmosphere. Much of the video is set in a house (kitchen, lounge, bedroom, bathroom) and the rest in a dried out barren field, these are places the audience will be familiar with and are able to place themselves in therefore making this something the audience can identify with. This also normalises the subject matter which is something the artist seems to seek to do in this video.

The costume choices fit in well with the aesthetic and colour scheme of the video and as the events of the narrative seems to take place during the summer and this is mirrored in the clothing choices made. Current indie fashion styles are worn by all actors throughout which would make this appealing to its intended indie audience as they may identify with and want to replicate this style.

This is a narrative based video; artists will often use hybrid videos of both narrative and performance based styles as a chance to both tell a story and advertise themselves to an audience simultaneously. This is not the case here and the artist does not feature in this video at all which shows she is not trying to display a star image but a story and cares about the message her music is sending. The use of title slides that are layered over the opening sequence of footage and end credits creates the impression that the video is more like a short movie than a music video. This is supported by the moment of dialogue near the end of the video which adds more in terms of the telling of the story and engages the audience with the characters in a more genuine manner. The story is not told using a linear narrative but instead portrayed in style of someone’s personal recollection of events with different moments of the story being told at different times. There are also elements of a cyclical narrative being used with the beginning of the video using a drone shot of the main character riding her bike with a bloodied face and the end shot featuring a continuation of this shot. The opening shot is also effective as it urges the audience to watch on to contextualise the footage.

Continuous editing is used throughout the video to create an easy to follow visual narrative. The music video uses very little special effect techniques apart from the use of slow motion in the dancing scene where this creates a dream-like atmosphere to the moment which give an evident idea of how the protagonist feels about the other character.

Handheld camera shots are occasionally used throughout the video this shaky motion gives these particular shots a voyeuristic feel which almost makes the audience feel like they shouldn’t be watching and the action between the actors seem more intimate. A range of shots are used with many of the moments between the female actors being portrayed using close up and extreme close up shots to further convey the idea of intimacy between them. Establishing shots are used to introduce the house to the audience and long shots/mid shots of actors share a similar purpose for costume. Over the shoulder shots are used fairly frequently also, upon entering the house we see an over the shoulder shot of each actress’s reactions which gives us a clear idea of the nature of their relationship. Another over the shoulder shot features later on in the video and focuses on the reflection on the mirror of the main protagonist watching the girl as they change which shows to the audience that she wants the relationship to change but is subtle/shy about it. For the majority of the video all shots are filmed on a similar level which denotes equality among the actors but this changes when the boyfriend attacks the main protagonist, this is shot showing him from an up angle which shows he has the power but this is switched when she attacks him. In this section she is filmed from an up angle and the camera is positioned below her as though the audience is seeing this from the boyfriend’s point of view.