Britney Groups

As there are 4 key locations, and I'm after a documentary of the day (and the build-up/follow-up...) there are FIVE groups for this:

DOCUMENTARY TEAM: 12C: Megan, George, Alex, Callum, Amy
GYM SCENES: Lucy, Steph, Jonny B, Mary
CORRIDOR SCENES: Emma, Emmie*, Beth, Melissa
CAR PARK SCENES: Joel, Jonny H, Laura
CLASSROOM SCENES: Chris, Kasim, Elizabeth, Jenny
*Emmie won't be there on the day; needs to shoot her CU as Britney before or shortly after;

Once we've gone through the denotation of the whole vid we'll focus on organising shotlists, call lists, costume, props, schedule etc

Looking Ahead: Track Selection

Before we break up for the summer I'll issue you all with a detailed breakdown of what you can/can't do in terms of your track selection for the music video, and a list of guidelines for thinking about this. Before then, a quick summary of the key points:

1. It CAN be copyrighted material - you are being assessed on your ability to create a video, not a song!
2. The proviso for this is that you can evidence an attempt to contact the band and/or record label/publisher to ask permission for your use of the track
3. It CAN'T be a track which was released as a single, and already has a music vid
4. Check YouTube - if you find uploads of the song which have been blocked, then pick something else!!!
5. There is no restriction on genre - that's entirely up to you, so long as you...
6. ...Convince with your pitch presentation [not the July dry run!], like the A-Team's Hannibal Smith, that you have a plan that will come together; be able to echo Blackadder's line that "I have a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel."
7. ...Have avoided any explicit language or explicit sexual content - we also have to think about the secondary audience for your texts: the school, younger students, etc
8. For your own sakes, try to avoid any lengthy tunes!

Getting hip to vox pops

Terrible title I know...but worse is to follow... (some vids will be added in due course)

A quick run through of some lessons from the 1st batch of vox popping with an AS group:

CHECK TAPE!!!! Record and upload some test footage (new tape should be fine, but rem that dirty heads can also cause damaged recording)

FRAMING – (a) for this task start again if someone else comes into frame! (may not be possible on IFEST Day!) (b) Be more tightly framed on subject

DIRECT! – you are the director so give direction! Be considerate (many get nervous when faced with a camera) BUT ensure you avoid (a) subject looking down, especially to read off paper!!! and (b) subject rambling – interject, ask politely if s/he could re-try that being a little bit briefer… (c) SHUT UP!!! Be careful with any verbal response; unless you intend your voice to be heard, use NVC (eg nod head) rather than ‘mmm hmmm’ etc! Don’t pass wind, start playing the cymbals etc

TASK 6: Complete Denotation

Having worked through the opening 9 shots together now you'll each be assigned a section of the video to work through and denote. We will then pull it all together so everyone has a complete shot-by-shot breakdown of the entire video.
[Obviously I changed from the following idea!] Before that though (and for anyone working ahead this could work well...) I'd like you to count the number of shots in the entire video (repeated shots count every time they're used). Once done, write it down and bring it up. Whoever gets it right first can pick which section of the Britney vid they want to work on (or if they want to work on the Media-doc to go with this)...

HOMEWORK FOR MONDAY 28TH JUNE: DENOTATING A SECTION OF BRITNEY'S HIT ME... VID
I've assigned you each 20secs of footage to cover, in sequence, starting with Lucy working through the shots from 0:20-0:39 and ending with Emma denoting the shots from 3:40-3:56 (220-236 secs in). Its important you do this in good detail - I'll post a completed breakdown of the opening 19secs (actually 11 shots) with Task 5.
Note: I've not asked you to find the shots within your location and denote these; we all need a complete shotlist from which we can then break down the particular shots in each location, so you've been asked to take a section each in chronological order. On Monday we can piece all this together, and then start planning in your groups.
There are multiple copies of the document below in F6, though it would be useful to type straight into the Word doc.


Use the framework below [IGNORE THE APPARENT GLITCHES ON THE PREVIEW - IT DOWNLOADS FINE]:
HITTING DE-NOTES…denoting Britney

Again, these have been printed off in F6, but it would be useful to actually download + type into this!

To give you an idea of what might come out of all this (once we get time to thoroughly deconstruct not just the video, but the process of making it, you should find you will have learned a great many practical lessons to apply to your actual production), here's how it turned out from some students from Latymer, whose teacher I'll happily credit for inspiring the idea of a Media Music Video Day!

What did you make of this?!


Here's a rough example of the 1st 20secs:
HITTING DE-NOTES…denoting Britneys 1st 9 shots COMPLETED
[You should have this by now as a handout]

TASK 5: Nine-Shot Wonder

We're going to make a start on deconstructing the video we'll be working on reconstructing during the Music Video Day and subsequent lessons for editing. As we do this, try to make brief notes on any pointers or lessons you're picking up on what challenges face you for your own production, and any do's and don'ts that occur that you.

We'll start by deconstructing the 1st 9 shots of the video, then we'll move on to assign you manageable timed chunks of the video to denote in detail, finally bringing it all together so we all have a complete, shot-by-shot breakdown.

Use the worksheet below (copies will be provided) to make your notes (you may want to make rough notes 1st, then fill this in when we feedback as a class).

[I'VE ADDED A COMPLETED LIST BELOW; YOU COULD ADD MUCH MORE DETAIL, BUT THIS SHOULD GIVE YOU A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT TO DO]


HITTING DE-NOTES…denoting Britneys 1st 9 shots

How this might have looked (there is much scope for greater precision!!!):
HITTING DE-NOTES…denoting Britneys 1st 9 shots COMPLETED
Is this what you got?

TASK 4: Initial Cs+Cs

This is something we will return to frequently: a consideration of the diverse Codes + Conventions [which I typically shorten to 'Cs+Cs'] of music videos. This does not mean rules, but common elements seen in videos.
Furthermore, the Media Language used will be heavily influenced by two considerations:

1. TARGET AUDIENCE
2. GENRE OF MUSIC

You can use this sheet to help organise and keep your notes together; as time goes on you may find yourself thinking of examples at odd times and places, and this should help to pull together any scraps of paper you may have noted these on! There will be a separate, much more detailed, framework issued later for analysing particular videos.

The actual task here is to make a start brainstorming some examples of things you often see in music videos (Cs+Cs) and, if you can, thinking of an actual example to back this up.

If you think back to the AS coursework, you may remember how useful it was (to those of you who did!) to have taken detailed notes from your classmates' examples, and any that I bring up - this will help you avoid having to work all this out again on your own in a few months time!

12C have made a start with this; the 1st point we raised was the expectation of fast-paced editing; short takes, often cut to the beat (or to a guitar riff). We looked at an example of this: thrash metal band Megadeth's Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying (see it on YouTube - note: contains flashing images)

Common Codes n Conventions of Music Videos Basic 2col Notes Sheet

Feeding back on AS

I'd like you to discuss the following Qs/prompts (you can do this individually, in pairs, 3s or more) and then go up to JCs to record vox pops where you'll deliver your answers!

1. What have you learned since starting Media Studies?
2. Was it exactly what you expected, or have you been surprised in some ways by the work in Media?
3. What do you think you have gained from the subject (so far)?
4. What did you most enjoy? (you can of course provide multiple examples!)
5. Has the way you view or 'consume' the media been changed in any way?
6. (Assuming you would...) What reasons would you give someone thinking over their AS options to do Media?

WHEN RECORDING...

You will be recording a range of vox pops yourselves over the next few weeks, for the IFEST work and also if you're working on the documentary of the Music Vid Day. You want to make sure you avoid...

1. Reading prepared answers off paper
2. Looking down, rather than at the camera
3. Taking forever to form a sentence!
4. Having the camera operator's voice at the same time as the subject of the vox pop

Basically, whether you're filming or being filmed doing vox pops, the aim is for a sense of spontaneity. So, even if you or your subject has been given time to prepare an answer, keep any piece of paper not just out of shot but simply away - ask 1 question at a time, and give yourself, or your subject, time if needed to re-read their notes then put these away and shoot!

Britney vid + death version

While YouTube remains blocked at school embedding videos is problematic, but I'm hoping this Google page will work on your student accounts:


Once we've completed the denotation of the whole vid I'll add a post with a range of versions of this track, which has become something something of a cultural phenomenon (a meme if you want to utilise one interesting theory about culture!). For now, you could always revisit the strange death metal cover of this pop classic!

You can find an HD version of the original Britney vid on YouTube, much better for denotation, but obviously only available to you if working from home:

TASK 3: YOUR NEW BLOG!

You'll know how to do this by now; the key thing is to follow the instructions below precisely as regards the name/URL:

1. Sign in to blogger
2. Click on Create New Blog
3. For name, type in your G324-sum2011-FORENAME-SURNAME
4. For address, type in the FORENAME-SURNAME-MUSICVID, so it should appear as http://joe-bloggs-musicvid.blogspot.com/
5. The layout tools have changed, so you'll need to ensure you make your blog wide enough to avoid problems with embedded video clips and Scribd docs [ask if unsure!]
6. Once its set up, please email me straight away (so I can be your first follower!); I'll put up a links list for all when everyone has done this so you can look at, and comment on, each others' work, throwing your own ideas and reference points into the mix etc
7. Once you've done this you can create a new post and quickly blog on what we've done at this early stage
8. Our next step will be brainstorming the Codes and Conventions of music videos, so if you're finished while others are still blogging ask me for the handout that goes with this

The 2 Tasks: Actual Vids

True Faith vid: http://vidque.com/10531/new-order---true-faith or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og1HAkjOuL0 Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_Faith_%28song%29#Music_video


Britney

TASK 2: 2nd SET of LYRICS

Depending on which class you are in, we may have tackled the 1st example as a whole class - this one is to be tackled individually, at first. Follow these steps to flex your creative muscles and come up with proposals for the lyrics below.

Please do not google the lyrics as creating an idea linked to the actual video would rather defeat the purpose (and, as you'll see, indicate an extraordinary degree of weirdness...

STEP 1: by yourself, for no more than 2-3mins, read through the lyrics below then brainstorm and list (just as a single sentence) rough ideas for creating a music video around these lyrics

STEP 2: get together in pairs or threes and share the ideas you came up with (2-3mins)

 STEP 3: pick one out and bullet point some further detail of the visuals (shot types, mise-en-scene, editing) that would go with one of these ideas (2-3mins)

STEP 4: briefly feedback your concept to the class, when we will also discuss the main types of music videos, referencing a Mr Goodwin (up to 5mins)

STEP 5: we'll reflect on the steps you'd need to take to move from a raw idea to a finished, polished music video

I feel so extraordinary
Something's got a hold on me
I get this feeling I'm in motion
A sudden sense of liberty
I don't care 'cause I'm not there
And I don't care if I'm here tomorrow
Again and again I've taken too much
Of the things that cost you too much

I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see the light in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

When I was a very small boy
Very small boys talked to me
Now that we've grown up together
They're afraid of what they see
That's the price that we all pay
Our valued destiny comes to nothing
I can't tell you where we're going
I guess there's just no way of knowing

I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see the light in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

I feel so extraordinary
Something's got a hold on me
I get this feeling I'm in motion
A sudden sense of liberty
The chances are we've gone too far
You took my time and you took my money
Now I fear you've left me standing
In a world that's so demanding

I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see the light in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see the light in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

TASK 1: Lyric to Visuals

Your first task, effectively the start of your A2, is to take the set of lyrics provided (reproduced below) and come up with some proposals for creating a music video for these. At this stage, you have to decide for yourself what genre these might fit into; the particular artist associated with this song isn't necessarily the type of artist the lyrics alone would suggest.
Just to emphasise then: you are tasked with thinking up ideas for a music video to go with these lyrics, not the artist who originally released the track these appeared in.
Try to think through the different types of possibilities for this, the range of options open to a music video director.
So...

STEP 1: [ALL/BOTH OF YOU SHOULD BE WRITING EVERYTHING DOWN - this is the start of your A2 and will form your 1st new blog entry!!] brainstorm and list (just as a single sentence) rough ideas for creating a music video around these lyrics

STEP 2: bullet point some further detail of the visuals (shot types, mise-en-scene, editing) that would go with one of these ideas

STEP 3: briefly feedback your concept to the class, when we will also discuss the main types of music videos

You will feedback your ideas in the form of brief presentations, then we'll all consider what additional steps you might take to properly plan an actual music video; make the idea reality.

TRACK TITLE: HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME 

Oh baby, baby
Oh baby, baby
Oh baby, baby
How was I supposed to know
That something wasn't right here
Oh baby baby
I shouldn't have let you go
And now you're out of sight, yeah
Show me, how you want it to be
Tell me baby
'Cause I need to know now what we've got

[CHORUS:]
My loneliness is killing me
I must confess, I still believe
When I'm not with you I lose my mind
Give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time

Oh baby, baby
The reason I breathe is you
Boy you got me blinded
Oh baby, baby
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
That's not the way I planned it
Show me, how you want it to be
Tell me baby
'Cause I need to know now what we've got

[Repeat CHORUS]
My loneliness is killing me
I must confess, I still believe
When I'm not with you I lose my mind
Give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time  

Oh baby, baby
Oh baby, baby
Ah, yeah, yeah
Oh baby, baby
How was I supposed to know
Oh pretty baby
I shouldn't have let you go
I must confess, that my loneliness
Is killing me now
Don't you know I still believe
That you will be here
And give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time

[Repeat CHORUS:]
My loneliness is killing me
I must confess, I still believe
When I'm not with you I lose my mind
Give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time 

[Repeat CHORUS:]
I must confess that my loneliness
Is killing me now
Don't you know I still believe
That you will be here
And give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time

If you're happy you've exhausted all the creative possibilities for this then skip ahead to Task 2, a similar task, but with song lyrics you're much less likely to be familiar with...





JUNE/JULY OUTLINE

There will be 4 main strands to our work through June and July, when we effectively begin the A2 coursework module:
(1) Initial introduction to music videos
(2) Music Video Day + subsequent editing and reflection on lessons learnt
(3) IFEST - Media students will be working on a blog updated through the day OR a documentary on the event OR a documentary on what the Media students did that day! There will be some lessons on documentary, and interview/presenter techniques, beforehand
(4) Practice Pitch - from tracks put forward by yourselves + me you'll be allotted a random track to prepare a detailed music video pitch for
You should be thinking about UCAS entries at this stage; this scheme of work is partially designed, with a range of transferrable skills (think ICREST) to provide some useful material for your personal statement; help show you're not just an anonymous exam-taking machine!
THE AIM IS TO FINISH ALL EDITING + GET THESE PRODUCTIONS TO ME BY FRIDAY 16TH, SO WE CAN SPEND THE FINAL WEEK VIEWING THESE AND YOUR PITCHES!!!
EDITING TEAMS: In addition to being responsible for editing your section of the Britney remake, there are a variety of editing tasks to be completed by or before (for IFEST) Monday 19th: IFEST DOC EDITORS - BETH + EMMA; MUSIC VID EDITORS - JOEL + JONNY H.; MUSIC VID MINI-DOCS - LUCY + STEPH; MVDay DOC EDITORS - ALEX + CALLUM; ETH + EMMA; MVDay MINI-DOC EDITORS - AMY, MEGAN, GEORGE

Band blogs rise in popularity

[Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_7852000/7852855.stm]

Band blogs rise in popularity

By Greg Cochrane Newsbeat music reporter

Oasis use their blog to give their fans updates on what they're doing

Amongst the host of nominations and categories announced last night [January 26] for this year's NME Awards, one recent addition catches the eye.
Whilst it perhaps doesn't hold the gravitas of say best international band, best new band or best album, the inclusion of a best band blog category recognises a significant shift in the way bands now communicate with their fans.
Blogging has become an essential part of an artist's publicity armoury, fondly looked upon as it essentially cuts out the middle man [otherwise known as the record company or management].
It appears almost every artist is taking advantage of this uncensored form of communication and jumping at the opportunity to screen videos, demos or in some cases merely highlight what they've had for dinner.

Teaser clips on web

The web is ever more important for bands marketing; in this case releasing a preview clip of a single: "Arcade Fire post teaser of new single" - 'Yesterday, the band posted teasers from both sides of the 12-inch vinyl single to their website.'

Band websites

Anatomy of a band website
An online presence is vital for groups, but what – and how much – should a site reveal? Graeme Thomson talks to Ash, Stereophonics and others about their online artistry         [excerpt:]

In the mid-noughties, Northern Irish power-poppers Ash were signed to a major label and had the website to prove it. "We had a fancy flash site that looked great," says singer/guitarist Tim Wheeler. "It was set up to launch an album, but there was no way of maintaining it or updating it regularly ourselves. It was frustrating because we had to go through webmasters. It was one of those sites you look at once and think, 'Oh, very good, but why am I here?'"
Anyone who has ever negotiated the official site of an arena-scale rock band or micro-managed pop star will recognise Wheeler's description: behind the digital dazzle lie meagre, bland, corporate-branded pickings offering very little incentive to return. That was just about acceptable when a website was simply a box to tick on the promotional round. Now, though, the web has become the frontline not only in the battle for sales, but also ideas. Artists across the board are having to sharpen up their acts.