Initial Idea one

Heaven - Amber Run

My primary idea for a music video that my group and I could possibly consider is the effective and successfully created song, ‘Heaven’ established by a smaller band called ‘Amber Run’ in 2013.

Amber Run is a British founded band from Nottingham, including five young and talented males. The band have successfully released one album and also three EP’s during their journey. The highly celebratory label, RCA Records signed the boys, clearly appreciating their love for the genres indie pop, rock and alternative rock. The band are an organic act as their star image isn’t presented on any of their album covers, showing the band are more interested and care more about their music then their image. The band also shows similarity to the successful artists ‘Mumford & Sons’ due to Amber Run’s tilt in direction of folk pop. From completing research into the band, I find it very interesting and important to widen my knowledge of Amber Run and build more of a connection between them and myself.

Music Video 
For my take on the music video, my concept will be a visualised, creative and performance-based. For example, it will be centered around a group of youthful young individuals simply hanging about and aimlessly swinging on swings, hop scotching one foot to the other, jumping over ropes and brainlessly playing bat and ball. This would be located in an open, urban and deserted playground. The light will fall into a haze and will hopefully be developed into a warm setting of ray’s of sunlight on a cold murky morning. 

During this narrative, the boy’s intention is to subjectively hang out with their friends, socially aiming to have fun in a playground. I intend to use various different shots to capture the images I have in mind. For example, I will use extreme long shots or aerial shots to follow and establish the setting and scene. I also wish to use long shots, mid long shots, close ups, extreme close ups, over the shoulder shots and many more during the scene to grasp all the entertaining events happening. I think these shots and scenes would allow for fantastic, effective and great visuals.

The boys will consistently play around with the equipment provided at the playground but some of the boys are carrying rucksacks with colour filled balloons inside the bags. As the boys continue to play, they become more excited and friendly with one another and this leads to the boys getting the coloured balloons out. The young males will start playing with the balloons and then one will throw one of the balloons at the bat and it will burst the colour and excitement. The coloured balloon is almost the climax of the whole playground scene. This will add a sense of colour and engaging visuals will be produced. So therefore, when louder more increased sounds are developed in the song, the movement will echo this and also get bigger and develop, to fit successfully with the music.

As I am aware for a successful, creative, engaging and aesthetically pleasing video I should include three different elements to be video. For instance, the playground and people surrounding it but also for this particular song the idea of a band singing and playing directly to the camera. 

For instance, I will have five individuals taking the roles of each instrument, such as, using guitars, bass, piano and vocals to mime the songs sounds. Essentially as there are lots of various chords and keys used throughout the song, the instruments will act as a vehicle to represent this through close up shots and extreme close up shots of individuals playing.


So therefore, there will be two major sets for the video. For example, the performance space for the band, which will be located in the studio. Lights will play a big role in the studio with the band and I will enhance the use of shadows and appreciate playing around with lighting throughout. For instance, the idea of using chiaroscuro lighting will fit in with this. The set will be very simplistic, including a brick or dirty wall behind them, as I wish to concentrate on the instruments and sounds made from the band. The other major set is the lively, exciting and uplifting playground, which will contrast and cut well with the minimalistic and simple studio band set.

Throughout the music video, I will constantly cut between the band playing and the individuals gathering around in the playground. I will also begin to cut between close ups of fingers on instruments, for instance in between strings of a guitar or a mouth by a microphone. I will cut this with close ups and extreme close up shots of the equipment at the playground, for instance ropes dropping, swings swinging and feet scotching.

The mise-en-scene of the video will be highly concentrated on to achieve the correct and successfully portrayed creative effects I am trying to achieve. For instance, the costumes for the band will be fairly dark and simple, including basic tees and jeans, to fit with the rock genre and style of the band; but, have some alternative twists to their outfit for example, either having very colourful query and unique shoes, rings or glasses. Also, the male individuals at the playground will be wearing basic colours as well so there costumes do not clash with the powerful colours of the balloons being thrown. For instance, they will wear similar clothes to the band but add more colour. I intend to put some glitter on the faces of both the band and the playground young individuals. This will therefore show a link between both individuals in the band and in the playground.

Quantity	Prop	Scene
1	Guitar	Studio
1	Base guitar	Studio
1	Microphone	Studio
1	Keyboard/piano	Studio
3	Backpack	Playground
2	Skipping rope	Playground
5	Colour filled balloons	Playground
2	Bat and ball	Playground

As the song is already filled with many different echoes and masses of elements already, I want the music video to be straightforward and clear to balance the sounds and movement out. Amber Run is also an organic act, following Negus’ theory and therefore the star image of the band is suitably succeeded. Similarly, as the genre of the band is indie pop the individuals uniquely playing in the playground fits this and the rock elements of the band echo these elements perfectly.

Initial Ideas

Part of the A2 Media Studies course, one has to be produce a successfully packed portfolio, including a main artifact, consisting of a music video and also producing ancillary products, such as creating a CD Digipak and a website homepage for my artist or artists. Therefore, I am starting my considering ideas and songs for my music video.

From previously completing an opening sequence for a thriller in my AS course, I am feeling more confident and brave about my music video. During the making of the thriller, I learnt many new, interesting and crucial aspects to creating a product. For instance, I quickly learnt when producing initial ideas, the ideas are usually not immediately successful and therefore are not used as no one gets it perfect first time, however, they will hopefully be positively developed into better concepts. I am aware I have to start somewhere and make that prominent leap into my music video journey, so I have decided I will convert possible ideas and images, which I have in mind into clear and constructive blog posts. I also understand the golden rules, to not use UK top 10 hits and no relationship break-up narratives as I want my work to be unique and thoroughly explored instead of using common aspects, I also recognise not to include songs about extreme social issues as it is too close to the mark and I am too young to deal with these sensitive topics.

Interview with Simon Bradshaw

Shortly after analysing and discussing Simon Bradshaw’s album cover work, we were able to hold an hour Skype call with Bradshaw interviewing him and throwing questions at him from all angles. The Skype call was an inspiring experience and I am mostly appreciative my class and I were able to speak directly with someone of such high talent. As Bradshaw has worked his way through the music industry, it was fascinating and expressively interesting to listen to every word he said, rapidly making every minute of the interview valuable.

The purpose of the interview, was to allow my class and I to ask as many questions and queries we had. During the interview, I made sure I was confident and clear and this allowed me to ask some of my questions in which I was longing for to be answered. The questions I produced and felt were most fascinating and intriguing were ones where I thought ‘out of the box.’

The answers I received from my questions came as a slight shock as Bradshaw almost took his music life as a comical humoring phase instead of a serious chapter in his life. However, I was glad we were able to video call him through the use of modern technology. So my class and I could hear him as well as see him. This was an effective source as I could put the work heard with a face and it was almost unfolded as a reveal, to see who created the work we’ve been examining. Although the interview was inspiring, if I could interview Bradshaw again, I would like to ask him “Why none of the band members ever featured on the album covers?”

During the interview, a few questions, which stood out to me mainly, covered aspects of his album work. Bradshaw’s answers to each question were an overloading success as my class and I were able to learn more relevant information about his career, background and work. The questions and answers below were the ones I was inspired and most interested by. However, if I could interview Bradshaw again, I would like to ask him “Why none of the band members ever featured on the album covers?”

Question 1: “What were your ideas behind your albums and where did they spring from?”

Dark Sparkle Corner

Bradshaw immediately blurted out the ideas behind all his albums, primarily explaining his first album. For instance, he simply stated ‘Dark sparkle corner’ was created by the use of “orchestral sessions played by three lads, including strum and rock and we also successfully bought in a fluke, violin and saxophone player” He quoted he found “this scattered imperative and successful sounds on top.” I quickly established his long for the group to be a “rock band.” Bradshaw began expanding his words by projecting “The dark sparkle side” was compacted with “anything that was oxymoronic or showed two examples of each other.” For example, he explained, “Dark sparkle corner seemed to work because the music was a fusion something that clashed with orchestral sounds and something of noise and horror” Bradshaw also felt this album was “his favourite sleeve” and sensed the band “got it right.”

A day in July

Steadily Bradshaw progressed onto his second album, ‘a day in July.’ I quickly learnt this secondary sleeve was a huge contrast to his first album, as the band “wanted to represent a change.” For instance, the band didn’t want every album to be the same, so therefore the group decided they wanted to tie the sounds with the position the band were in at the time. For example, the band achieved this by juxtaposing “lighter scenes and adding more members to the band.” Therefore, Bradshaw explained, “’a day in July' was meant to follow summery, vaster elements including images of beautifulness and mountaineers, trying to capture holiday like aspects.” The band also felt they had a “better idea of what” they were “trying to achieve” as they “had already created a previous album.”

However, during the interview Bradshaw explained ‘A day in July’ received terrible review, but unexpectedly secured a place in the album charts. 

Test card

Test card was the bands third album; it consists of a straight-ahead 80’s electronic pop record, so sounds created by hot chic or pet shop boys similarly match it.

The album sleeve holds engraved lines on the front of the product aiming to display “a visual representation of what music looks like on a screen.” However, Bradshaw clarified “the physical copy of the sleeve is handmade with thick cardboard lines scratch into it.” He explained, “Test card took a long time to put together but it is a beautiful design and the cleverest, hence why the sleeve is a piece of artwork in itself.” I rapidly understood the linear and mathematical structure simply demonstrates “making music on a computer.” Bradshaw humorously states “the album made a massive sale in Russia.”

Roja

The bands last album Roja is still ongoing and was “done really well, which led to us signing a new record deal and TV goods.” Roja uses the colour red, blood red on the album sleeve. “Roja is blood red, representing the murder and death in the songs, therefore Roja red are kind of hugely horrible stories of people meeting grizzly ends.”

Question 2: Which band are you similar to?

During the course of the interview, the query of “Which band are you similar to?” appeared. Bradshaw apprehensively struggled to compare his band to another but found “Marlowe could be compared to things like radio head but with the more heavily string base radio head.”

Question 3: Why do you not use capital letters in your album titles?

Bradshaw answered confidently by quoting “The idea is similar to the Marlowe red concept.” For example, Bradshaw felt he “was really pretentious and really wanted to have a thing”, as he loved the way in which Jack White (White stripes) made strong decisions and themes “to only going wear specific colours, to only use this instrumentation, and to only record like this.” He felt White “almost put in boundaries, to try and get the best out of himself rather then allowing him to do whatever he wanted.” So therefore Bradshaw fell in love with the idea of “rules for no apparent reason.” Hence, the band “don’t do capital letters and we always use this red colour.” By hearing sentences like that fall from Bradshaw’s mouth, it inspired my class and I to make bold decisions, and to not be afraid. Bradshaw stated “I would almost arbitrarily put things in our way to make life difficult for ourselves.”

He explained, “Who cares if there’s capital letters or not? Who cares if a theme was made sense or not?” Bradshaw humorously claimed, “If someone copied it then we could say they copied us.” However, Roja is only ever written in all capitals for ironic reasons and Roja doesn’t use the same red.