STORYBOARDING COMPOSITION RULES- FILM MAKING

There are over 100 composition rules for film making. These are very usefull for us in three ways. We shall try to :

• Use 10 of them at least once in our pop video.


• Write about each of them, with images, in our blog.


• Use a number of them (not all ten) in our exam essay as examples of our improvments in knowledge skills.

COMPOSITION RULES

All start from what we are trying to say, out hypothesi, our meaning.

• Different type of shot size


• Camera position and Angle (up shot, down shot)


• Camera movements


• Lighting


• Rule of thirds


• Leading the eye


• Colours


• Shapes and lines


• Detail arrangment in the frame


• Editing styles

Here is an illustration from 3 of the conventions -

Different shot types : There are a variety of different camera shots that can be used , the most commonly used are these.

1. Extreme Close Up


2. Close Up


3. Mid Shot


4. Long Shot


5. Wide Shot


6. Very Wide Shot

Extreme Closeup - This would be used to emphasise a part of the body i.e an extreme close up on the eye to show wherabouts they are looking or of someone painting there nails showing that they are care about there appearance. Close Up - This would show detail in the face and emotions that a star would have i.e a close up of Tom Cruise crying

Mid Shot - This is a comfortable shot that is most commonly used.

Long Shot - This is a shot used in action and to show the props and costumes surrounding the actor and the landscape/ setting that the film/ scene is in. Wide Shot - This is used as an establishing shot and to show the context. Very Wide Shot- This is used to show the landscape and / or would be used to show space. CAMERA MOVEMENTS - This would be either tracking,crane, tilt, dolly, crab or possibly panning. Tracking is when a movement which stays a constant distance from the action, especially side to side movement. Crane would be when a camera was put onto a crane making swooping images and quick bird like feel. Tilt would be vertical movement of the camera angle i.e pointing the camera up and down. Dolly is when the camera is mounted on a cart which travels along tracks for a very small movement. Also known as tracking shot. Crab again is a less common term for tracking. LIGHTING -

This is when the actor/band/performist has to be lighted in order for the audience to aknowledge who they are , they have to be lit from 3 different angles. Each angle has a different name;

There are also certain colours that have to be used in order for you to reflect to the audience your emotion/personality. Rule Of Thirds - The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your shot becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it. Film makers use the composition rules to put over there meaning, especially editing, tracking and types of shot. We will try to do this.

FIRST PITCH

There are a number of basic conventions that you find in most pop videos.

COMMON GENERIC CONVENTIONS OF POPULAR MUSIC PROMO VIDEOS - KEITH NEGUS

• The explicit and unashamed promotion of the artists 'image' (aesthetic/generic/ideological) as a specific product with a brand identity, ready for mass consumption.





• The featuring of the atrist (almost without exception)


• A wide and extensive use of shot types, camera angles and movement.


• Repetition of reoccurring thematic elements and generically specific iconongraphy (one key element often being dominant and providing the skeletal structure for the promo)


• A possible narrative structure

• Possible performance element



• The flexibility to diregard Realism


• Shots cut tightly to the beat of the track


• Use of special effects ( lighting, animation, CGI'S in Camera Effects)


• A carefully constructed mise en scene appropiate to the content and tone of the track


• High impact instantly ! ( dont forget that competition for airplay on that main music channel outlets is intense)

We shall try to either imitate or subvert ot change these for our music video.

On friday 17th of september, out group pitched our music video ideas to luc.

The ideas that we pitched were -

• In a scrapyard, smashing up bits of cars and then band on top of cars singing etc .. lots of slow motion clips would be used. Song used would be up in the clouds by Darwin Deez. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loXxn7dMQYE)
  
  
• Shooting in a council estate, man in hoodie, walking around. Never see his face just his lips when needed to sing. Song used would be



• Labrynth idea, running around in a maze, getting lost. Someone acts as if they are controlling them. Song used is Byenter Shikari. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wngyXhTx4pc
  

Once pitched, luc then told us about the problems that might occur.

With the scrap yard idea, there would be some fall backs in if a scrap yard would allow it and also the various health and saftey issues, also findin

With the council estate idea, there , some quarrels as to if an estate would let us film and also if it was 'moroly' safe for us to film there as well .

With the Labrinth idea there was a problem that the group thought it could come across as quiet tacky looking and also quite hard to make a labrinth or find one in the surrounding area.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT - My Ideas

My group, will work through the five stages of production. We began by researching pop videos and there conventions and how the industry works.

I looked at the pop video STRESS BY JUSTICE and found that some of the ideas used throughout the video would be helpfull in our process. The video had a political side to it but also explored race and gangs throught town like london and other places. The song itself is quite dramatic and gives a feel of anger and panic.

I developed 3 ideas to pitch to my group. These ideas were

• CANT TAKE IT IN By IMOGEN HEAP - Man and Woman, in love, woman is in field running around, sun sets... couple is kissing. inspired by when i look at you by Miley Cyrus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naO8TyQi0-8 & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wxOVn99FTE&ob=av2e
  
• STAY BY MILEY CYRUS - set in a busy place, possibly woman standing in a bust sreet with people walking around her. Looking out into the distance, cuts to girl on floor crying, pictures of couple, possible flashbacks, tears. Maybe in black and white, the song itself is very depressing. Inspired by Because by Jessica Malboy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nSyXhUFbDQ & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_3f7kBhElY&ob=av2n



• WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM BY FYFE DANGERFIELD - Woman walking up road, man singing behind her going out and in in focus, man /singer in studio singing. Singing in field, looking at her. Supposodly taking the journey of love. Inspired by Please dont let me go by Ollie Murs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1C48LDwruo & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4S9gQb9PjM&ob=av2n
  
  

The Five Stages Of Production

1.Research and Development



This would include looking at the possible target audience and possible treatments for our song.

We would look at what song to choose and what kind of audience this would be targeted at i.e age and gender. And the possible treatment for the music video i.e what the theme and video is going to be / based on. And also pitching our own ideas for the song.
With develpoment we would look at similar or competing song or videos to see what else was in the industry and why they did peaked or failed. We would also look at the main conventions of pop videos and write a timeline of the progession that we have made. Another aspectthatwe would have to develop is to look at the cast and see if they 'look good' on camera . And finally write a storyboard og the music video.


2. Pre-Production,

In pre production everything is got ready. The final product is a call sheet which carries all the information that is vital on the day off the shoot. so during this stage we prepare the casting, costumes, locations,make-up, props and anything and everything else for the day of the shoot. Also lookign at the lighting and studio design is vital for spacial issuesa and so that the band can be seen clearly.

3. Production -

This is the day of the shoot. This is when everything is filmed although there maybe pick ups later if they are needed.

4. post production-

This is editing and after effects and can take up to a year on big movies. we would use a progamme called final cut pro to edit the video, and add any effects needed.

5. Distribution and Exhibition-

This is the stage when movies are sold to television or placed in cinemas, and arranging where the products want to go.

Pop Video And Marketing Campaign A2

The Brief -

Your task is to create :

• Three Multi Media Products
• Aimed at a specific target audience or audiences
• To establish the image and brand of your singer or group and
• Help sell the song, their first single from their first album
• As part of a multi media marketing campaign.

The group or singer must be a NEW group (even if they are doing a copy of an existign song)

The song is a SINGLE from their FIRST ALBUM

The actual products to be produced are

• THE POP VIDEO
• A DIGIPAK for the ALBUM
• A MAGAZING ADVERT for the ALBUM

PERMISSION LETTER

The Toy Hearts Band
Birmingham

07/09/10


Dear Sir or Madam

We are a group of A Level students working on an A Level project for a qualification in Media Studies. We are writing to request permission to use the following track as part of this project:

’This Little Kitty’ by ‘The Toy Hearts’

With your permission, the track would be used as the accompaniment to a short form video that is made purely for assessment purposes and will have no commercial usage. The video will be viewed only by members of the school community and the assessor of the examination board.

The artist and the copyright holder will of course be fully recognised in the pre-production and evaluation material that accompanies the project. We can also include a full copyright notice if required both in the planning material and on the video itself.

Yours sincerely


Storm Clarke-Webster
Hurtwood House School