Monday, November 25, 2019

The Start of Filming

      This weekend was the first weekend I could have started filming with my group. The project we are filming for right now is the music video. Part of the reason we did not film is because we could not get a camera. Since there are so many other groups trying to get a camera, everyone has to take turns so my group mates and I decided to get a camera the second round. It also would have been a hassle to get a tripod if we needed one at that exact time. I figured it’d be better if we waited to film since we were underprepared anyway. I would rather my group and I perfect our planning and know exactly what we are going to be doing for our scenes rather than have the camera but not know what to record. Without extra planning, the footage may not have made sense. My group mates were also still adding onto previous ideas so it would not have made sense to film this past weekend. Now we can start filming this coming weekend because we have our music video planned out in detail and a solid schedule.
      Another reason we could not film this weekend is because none of us had access to a vehicle where we could film. Since we did not have access to a vehicle we also could not get a ride to all of the separate locations. Part of the problem is that my group mates and I all live pretty far from each other. To start filming on such short notice was going to be too difficult to correlate. Now that we have planned for filming next weekend, all of our transportation is taken care of. We also have the times and places we are going to meet up are taken care of as well. One of my group mates had tutoring after school on Friday. Another one of my group mates had a family even planned on Saturday so we could not film that day. Finally, I had a test to study for on Sunday so we would not be able to film on that day either. Overall, it is better that we waited to film because now there is a set plan.
      Since we did not actually record any footage, each of us separately looked for ideas on how we were going to edit the music video. I thought it’d be good to prepare for the editing stage of this project. Taking time to play with editing tools helped introduce new ideas for this project. Another thing my groupmates and I did was get each prop and our costumes. I got these shopping bags that we will be using for the scenes around the mall. I also set up my beach outfit. I will be wearing trendy clothes for the scenes in the mall in the car. In both the car and mall scenes I will be wearing the same outfit. Although it would have been nice to film this past weekend, I think in the end it is better that we waited. This weekend we plan on getting all of our seams done. Because we will have all of our footage by the end of the weekend, that will leave my group and I five days to edit and complete our music video. I am very excited to film and edit!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Storyboard

1. The first box of the storyboard models the opening of our music video. We will use a point of view shot to show the car from a backseat perspective. We will then zoom in from point of view onto the button that is used to turn up the volume of the radio. For all of the car scenes, the actors will be wearing either jeans or sweatpants and a tank top or T-shirt.

2. The second box represents the next six seconds of our music video. For this scene we switch from the car to the beach and record a long shot of the three characters in the music video. Since there will be three actors in the music video it is a three shot. For a transition into the next clip of the video we are thinking of using dissolve. In each of the beach scenes The actors will be wearing a jacket and jeans shorts or a tank top and jeans.

3. The third box shows the actors now being at a mall. We will once again do a three shot of the three actors shopping around the mall. As the actors are being filmed it will be shot in an eye line match as well as a tracking a shot. For the mall scenes the actors will be wearing trendy clothing such as tang tops or graphic T-shirts, with jeans or sweatpants.

4. Inbox for the actors are now back in the car and the eyeliner match and three shot stay consistent.

5. The setting switches back to the beach and there is a pan shot of the scenery around the actors. The three actors are dancing in this scene and it is filmed in a medium shot. As they are dancing in this scene of the music video, it will transition into the next using an action match.

6. The action match is used because the actors are doing the same dance in both scenes, however, in the sixth box, the setting is in a bedroom. The actors are dancing around the room and a longshot is used to show this along with some medium close-ups.

7. The seventh box shows the three actresses back in the car singing along to no scrubs. This scene is filmed from a high angle. To transition we are going to use a swipe effect.

8. The eighth box shows a two shot of two of the actors at the mall. Using a tracking shot, they are shown holding shopping bags and roaming around the mall, going into different stores.

9. The ninth box previews one of the actors being filmed at a low angle dancing and singing. The actor will be shown from a long and medium shot. This scene will also consist of a tilt that goes from up to down and then transitions with an action match. This action match will be used to transition into the next scene.

10. Do you seen represented in box 10 begins with an action match that goes along with the previous box, and starts from down to up. A long and medium shot will be used to film this scene as well.

11. In the 11th box you can see that the three actors are once again in the same shot. A white shot is used to show them at the mall dancing along to the song. The dance scene in particular is to be filmed in a medium shot.

12. The 12th and last box shows the three actors at the beach. A wide shot will be used to show as much of the scenery and the actors as possible. This clip will be filmed in an eye line match along with a longshot to show the actors full body.


Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Planning

1. Location- We will be filming at four different settings throughout the music video. The first setting is at the beach, this location follows the conventions for this genre. The next two settings are a bedroom and in a car which helps tell the story of the song. The last setting is at the mall because that is a classic hang out spot and will help tell our story.

2. Health and Safety- To ensure everyone is safe, a parent will be present at each of the takes. We will also make sure we are not careless while filming in public settings. In the car everyone will always have their seat belt as well. 

3. Props: Shopping bags for the mall scenes to go along with that section of the music video. A car could be considered a prop for this project because we will be using the radio in it. A speaker/radio will also be used to show the actors in the music video listening to the song.

4. Costumes- Mall: T-shirt with jean shorts or long jeans. Beach setting: Sweatpants and a jacket/sweatshirt or tank top. Car setting: T-shirt or jacket with pants. Bedroom scene: Pajamas.

5. Schedule:
November 19- November 30th 2019
Planning/Storyboarding

December 1st, 2019
Filming
11:30 am- All of us will meet up at the mall. We will shoot there from 11:30 am to around 1 pm.
1:00 pm- On the way to the beach we will film our car scenes which we will film for about 30 minutes.
1:30 pm- We will go over to the beach to start filming all of our beach scenes. We will film there till 3 pm. 
3:20 pm- We will go back to one of our group mate's house and film us dancing around in the room. We will film there till about 4:20 pm.
4:20 pm- Finish filming.

December 1st- December 6th, 2019
Editing music video.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Music video: Research blog

      We just wrapped up on the commercial project. That project was difficult at times, especially since it was our first time making a video like that for the class. Overall, I really enjoyed making the commercial! My favorite part is editing because that is where I feel I can really make the video special. We are starting on our next project which is making a music video. I am very excited about this one because we get to create an entire story for such a fun song. I also get to make it with my group  mates who are my friends. The editing on this project is probably going to be a little more challenging but way more creative and fun!
      The song we are making a music video for is No Scrubs by TLC. This song is in the genre Contemporary R&B and was released in 1992. At first my group and I were struggling trying to decide which song we wanted to do. We thought of a few theme songs from our favorite shows but soon learned we could not do any jingles or theme music. Finally, we decided on this song after one of us randomly got it stuck in our head and started humming it. We all started singing along to it and realized we should do it! Contemporary R&B is a genre we are all interested in learning more about.
      The genre of our music video is Contemporary R&B. The camerawork when it comes to Contemporary R&B tends to be of medium shots of the artist. These music videos may also include close up shots or extreme close up shots to show confidence or make the subject of the music video seem like an object of power. The editing of the music videos for this genre are edited to create a fantasy that will attract the audience. The goal of the videos are to connect the audience with the artist's fantasy to make them feel as though they experienced this journey with the singer as well. The sounds R&B consist of are rhythm and blues, pop, funk, and hip hop.
1. Costumes for this genre include Modern, stylish clothes that are up to date with popular trends. Sometimes the outfits may go as far as being designer, especially on males.
2. The lighting can range from the type of R&B. Slower R&B songs are usually high key with a black and white tone filter on time. However, more of the upbeat songs of Contemporary R&B include bright colored lights and filters.
3. The actors are normally dancing along to the music. Some scenes also show the actors having fun in different settings.
4. Make-up is often dark/bold eyes or a gold eye for a more glam look. The lip color can range from red lipstick to a clear, shining lip gloss.
5. Props are hardly used in Contemporary R&B videos because there is less focus on material things in these music videos. The actors and people in the music video are normally the main focus of these videos.
6. These videos are shot at simple settings like the beach to connote serenity and liveliness of the song.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Editing blog 2

      This is part two of the editing process of my commercial. At the end of last week, the computers were fixed. The proper software was reinstalled so the class could get back on schedule. Because the computers cooperated this time we were able to get our editing system up and began editing our commercials. My group mates and I began with transporting all of our footage onto the editing system. My group and I used iMovie to edit because we saw some transitions we were very interested in using. After we had finished moving all of the footage, we put the videos in sequence. At this very moment, our commercial was a little over two minutes long. Since it was a little over two minutes long we began cutting our footage. We cut it in the way we thought would best tell our story.
      It took a class period to cut all of the footage how we wanted. We had to cut out some parts of us saying “go” to let the actor know we started filming. We also had to cut some scenes that were not needed because the commercial could only be up to 30 seconds. Along with cutting the footage, we had to crop some of our shots. The reason we had to crop some of our shots is because we wanted to make sure the focus was clear. For example, we would make it so the vans shoes were always very clear in the scene. We also had to make sure that if the camera was accidentally at a tilt while we were filming, it was cropped to be straight. When it came to the lighting of our commercial, there was not much to edit. We left the lighting alone in all of the scenes because a majority of vans commercials use natural sunlight. Since we had filmed outside, natural lighting was our main source.
      The last major part of our editing was transitions. We had to make sure we use transitions so our commercial would not be choppy. Transitions also help tell the story smoothly. Some transitions were used to get the point across that the character in our commercial was now in a new setting. For example, in one scene we zoom in on the shoes and then zoom out to reveal the actor in a new spot. Transitions are also a good place where my group mates and I could be more creative. There are tons of options of transitions to choose from. We made sure to use transitions that made the most sense, but we also got to add and transitions we thought were fun. We also considered that fact that if some of the transitions were more unique and fun, then the audience would better remember the commercial. The whole point of a commercial is to get people to recognize and buy your product, so our creative transitions would help our commercial be more affective.