Still to be done

We still have a large amount of work to be done as rendering is taking up the majority of our time at the moment. To complete our piece we need to do the following:

• import a few more animations to fill out our song
• make sure all our song has something interesting to look at in the video
• edit a number of images to perceive the effects of a different camera angle (close up)
• add more animals to create more visuals
• add in our fountain animation
  
• update blog
• final response to emailing the band needs to be found and uploaded to the log
  

Most of this shouldn't take too long as most of the images are made along with the more complicated animations.
The task that will take the longest is rendering but this can be done when we are using the other computer to finish our blog or during lunch times etc.

Winter Tree

To create the tree with know leaves Me and Emily used the normal tree as a template on photoshop and used new layers the take out the leaves in sections then have the branches popping up like they were starting to show from the winter weather described in the lyrics.

Flowers

Waiting for the rendering to be finished we created flowers to add to the background. This will add more colour to the video and is an interesting feature to look at. The colours are bright and different which fits with our conventions of our music type.

Problem

We soon discovered by animating our video we were to spend large amount of time waiting for it to render. At one time we had to wait about 45 minutes. We know this time will probably get longer as we import more files into our final piece. However, we are using another computer to edit other images and animate before importing to our final piece.

The Evergreen

This is the evergreen design that we created on Photoshop using the same paint brush tool that we have used on the majority of the other design. Again its quite plain because we want the focus to be on the oak tree. This will be used in the chorus, appearing when the lyrics say "but you and i were not designed to be evergreens i guess"

Background

This is the design for the background that will be used in our music video. It was done in Photoshop, using the paintbrush tool. Its quite plain because we want the main focus to be on the oak tree. It is meant to represent a park scene which will be clearer when other images will be added, such as a bench and fountain.

Animating our images

Once creating our images on Photoshop we have to save those images for web and devices on Photoshop so that the images will be able to be imported to Final Cut Express. When creating the images we did them on different layers to give us the option of animating each layer. We then had to save each layer and put them into a folder. Then we imported the folders on final cut. We are now animating the images in different sequences so that once each image is animated all the sequences can be dragged onto the final sequence, which makes the final sequence look more tidy.

Blog Feedback from teacher

Your blog is very visually interesting and should be to reflect your idea which is great. However, it is lacking description and explanation. For example, one of you first blogs is of influences but you must discuss why they are your influences - in detail if you are to go for the high marks. Also your analysis of the Streets video seems a little out of place - should you place it somewhere else? - earlier perhaps? I recommend you go through all of your posts and see if you can add to it in terms of makng your idea very clear to a moderator - your blog needs to speak for itself. Most importantly I think you need a shot list to go with your animatic as on its own it is not clear. It is such a shame if you don't communicate your amazing idea.

Screen Shot

Here is some evidence of our animating. We are making the oak tree sing in the chorus. From then on we can copy it into other times when the chorus is played and edit the background but keep the main singing going. This will save us some time and it will still work really well.

The lines on the timeline show when the lower lip is on screen to have the same effect as singing the lyrics.

BLOG SUGGESTIONS FROM TEACHER

BLOG SUGGESTIONS

Remember to LABEL EACH POST so the examiner knows who has been putting the work in.

Stuff to include: Notes from every meeting you have with your group. Remember: you’re a production team now, not a bunch of students. If you have any differences of opinion, mention them, chart how you reach certain ideas and choices – use it as a diary of the project’s development.

Mood board – a collage of images, writing fonts and ideas that capture the tone and look of the project. Either collect pictures from the internet (flickr, google) and put together in Photoshop. Or cut up magazines and paste onto paper – then take a digital photo.

Influences – embed music videos, clips from TV, film trailers, experimental film – anything that has helped shape your vision of your project. Then write up just how the clips have influenced you, mention intertextuality, and even if you don’t end up using these influences then say just why.

Similar music types or video – embed examples from youtube etc and explain which codes and conventions you’ll be looking to use. Use Goodwin’s theory (it is on the blog) to the criteria to structure your analysis.

An email to the band to demonstrate that you understand issues surrounding copyright

Song lyrics and your interpretation of them.

Test shots – any footage you’ve taken to experiment with an effect.

Digital photos of locations, costumes, props, lighting,

Storyboards, timeline, shot list – take digital photos.

For DVD covers, magazine ads - CD covers, tour adverts, adverts and logo that catch your eye – take pictures of, embed from the net or post a link to.

Look on Photoshop tutorial sites for ideas of effects and fonts you could potentially use and learn just how to create the look you want. Remember this is marketing so make it appropriate to the type of consumer the music/video is intended for.

Podcasts! You can do Podcasts – just as long as they sensibly put together and are to the point. An intelligent discussion about parts of the planning, different techniques or even a Director’s commentary would make a great post.

ANYTHING AS LONG AS IT IS CONSTRUCTIVE, WELL PRESENTED AND RELEVANT!

Our responses to feedback

We will take the feedback and use it to improve our blog. For example adding explanations to out ideas to make them more clear and expanding current information. We will add more info about what we will do. We will also add our auteur work, teacher feedback and a list of what we are planning to do in the future weeks.

Feedback From Class

- Why is Ben and Jerry's advert is inspirational?
- Good magazine advert.
- Animatic Good.
- Individual analysis is good.
- Needs more info about what you have done and what the ideas is.
- Clear drawings, but missing some explanations.
- Overall good blog that includes everything apart from explanations.
- Lacking a detailed pitch.
- Well described.
- Good use of relative videos.

Call Sheet

We would have used a call sheet if we were filming, for the cast and crew. To show the details of the shooting day and when actors will have to be around to film.

The bench design

This is the design for the bench that will feature in our music video. It was designed in Photoshop, I got a photo from Google of a bench, then just copied over it with the paintbrush tool. I did this because I found it too difficult to get the bench to look right by doing it free hand. I think it looks very effective.

Animals

I designed all these animals in Photoshop. i drew them free hand, These animals will feature in our music video.I picked these animals to draw because i assume you find a few of these wondering around in a park.

Sun design

This image was made on Photoshop and we are going to use it in our music video. On final cut express we are going to animate this image by making the orange rays pulse.

oak tree animatic

The animatic shows what we are going to do in our music video. Although the animatic doesn't show and any of the animation we are going to do to the cartoon characters. All of the images in the music video are going to be hand draw or made on Photoshop, so the animatic is quite similar to what we will actually do in our music video.

E-mail to band

This is the email to the band telling them about what we are doing with their song. We hope for a response because this will show they are interested in our ideas and they may give us some information to help towards our video.

The Prodigy – Warriors Dance

The Prodigy are a drum and bass / dance band that use electronic beats to make their music unique and stand out from other similar bands. Their music video, warrior’s dance, is a particular piece that shows exactly what they can do.

It fits in with the genre characteristics by showing a unique quirky video that does not show the band at all. This is rather conventional of a drum and bass / dance video as the focus is mostly on the music and in most cases the band are not even known to look at. There is a slight narrative to the video as the cardboard cut out men are acting like warriors.

The cardboard warriors relate back to the title of the song name, but with very little words in the song there is not really much else to work with.

The music has a strong fast paced beat and the majority of the time the images on screen are also fast paced with the warriors dancing for example. This would be an illustrative relationship.

The band are not shown in the video and therefore are not really meeting the demands of the record label, although there music is unique and the videos are always pleasing to watch as they are always entertaining. This could be what the band is going for.

There is not really frequent reference to notion of looking as the video is all animated although it is enjoyable to watch.

I was not aware of any intertextual reference as the video, like many of their others, is unique and different.

Analysing a music Video- The streets- Fit but you know it.

Analysing the music video for “The Streets- Fit but you know it,” using Goodwin’s points

1. This music video demonstrates the genre characteristics for typical garage video its music genre is UK garage. The video is sort of grotty, but at the same time bright and funny. With really descriptive lyrics. It really plays on the stereotype of a young "lad". For example a man who goes out drinking with mates and obsesses over cars and girls.
2. In this video there is a definite relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. The lyrics are very descriptive, and tell a story, and the music video shows the images of the story, for example the lyrics say –“That blue Topshop top you’ve got on is nice, bit too much fake tan no but yeah you score high” and it shows a photo of a girl looking slightly orange in a blue top. This makes the music video more interesting because you are actually seeing what you’re hearing.
3 There is also a strong relationship between the music and the visuals, because the song is quite up beat and the video is quite up beat too, like the images from “his night out” and when he’s walking along, it all matches the music. For example if it was a depressing beat you would not have pictures and clips like that.
4. There is obviously a high demand for the record label, there are many close up shots of the artist, he is the main feature in the video, and you can clearly see his face and who he is. Mike skinner usually has someone singing with him for the chorus or something, and that appears the video with this other man on the beach.
5. In this video there is actually a frequent reference to the notion of looking. There is like a video within a video, as most of the video is based around Mike Skinner looking through his photos from the night before, the photos tell a story, and are sometimes still, but some of them have movement in them which makes the video even more interesting.
6. This video does have an intertextual reference to the film “Football Factory”. It can be found on the extras on the DVD and features three of the actors Danny Dyer, Frank Harper and Roland Manookian, they only have a short part in the video, but its sort of promoting how its a “lads” video, because the majority of men appear to like football factory, and its talking about chasing after a girl.