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. 

Bradshaw's Album Covers

Lip Sync Task

Lip syncing - (of an actor or singer) move the lips silently in synchronization with a pre-recorded soundtrack.            

Practical

The lip sync exercise enriched me to learning and practicing new elements within shooting and editing music videos, both in preparation for future tasks and it allowed me to gain more relevant knowledge. To prepare for this task, we were all assigned roles and alternated between each part throughout. I also completed further research into each role as I wanted to be organised and this beneficially prevented time wasting. For instance, I quickly learnt through both research and during the exercise there’s usually five or six main roles when shooting a music video. For example, normally the studio should consist of a cameraman, a camera assistant, a performer, a clapper and a floor manager present. From researching before the task, it gave me a huge head start during the studio work and boosted my confidence greatly.

During the time we had in the studio, my group and I achieved many different things and courageously took on roles we’d never experienced before. For instance, I started as a performer, basing myself in front of the camera and then switched to being the camerawomen, then floor manager and next the clapper. I mostly enjoyed the role of the floor manager as the floor manager took control of the task and ensured everyone was ready; this role also included aspects of dialogue; such as, “Standby”, “Playback” and lastly “Camera Rolling,” This role was crucial and important as it noted everyone of what was happening and prevented time wasting throughout.

We were located in the studio for the lip-syncing exercise and were provided with access to high set useful equipment. For example, during the day we had access to a dolly to lip-sync to the song ‘All about that bass’ by Megan Trainer. By using a dolly it broadened our use of shots and added movement and energy.

‘All about that bass’ had a catchy rhythm and beat to it, allowing an easy engaging tune. I also enjoyed the role of the clapper, as it was intriguing to have control. For instance, the clapper involved an iPad that included a copy of the song ready to project but also a time code for easier use of syncing for the use of editing. For example, when the floor manager demanded “Playback” the clapper knew when to start the song. Therefore, the role of the clapper and the floor manager worked collectively together.

In the studio, we had three backdrops, for instance, the first was a black wall with a fireplace central, the second was a green screen accompanied by a red a sofa and the last was a pale white wall with neon bright lights. I mostly enjoyed shooting in amongst the black wall as it visually look the best and was easier to identify individuals facial expressions and mouth whilst lip syncing as the black contrasted with most characters clothes. Similarly, we used many different camera shots throughout, such as long shots, mid long shots, close ups, extreme close ups and many more. We rapidly understood the use of shots is used as a vehicle to build style through the costume, props, setting and more to connate an individuals star image; following Dyer’s star theory and Negus’ organic Vs synthetic theory.

Editing

After filming our different shots, we moved onto the post production including the editing. My class and I used many different approaches to editing that a generally used when composing a music video. For example, the main method was rhythmic editing which is one way to show the relationship between the takes and the rhythm and beat of the song. For instance, the song echoes clear beats of a drum so we could clearly match the subject of the face to the lyrics. However, we instantly learnt the pace and style of the song represents a lot in editing as it changes the dynamics of either having short duration shots for jollier songs or slow pace shots for more emotive beats. Personally for this particular song, we used a range of quick cuts, as the song is upbeat and positive.

We firstly gathered all our rushes together and renamed our shots to make it clearer and easier when editing. We then began by syncing all our takes with the audio track; we achieved this by using the time code method from the clapper. However, when the clapper wasn’t present in some footage we matched the strong beat of the song. I realised the bigger the movements in the rushes, the easier the editing as you can also link the lip-syncing through that. We then went through each take and chose the best parts to sync.

I understood editing is very time consuming and takes a lot of precious time as the movement of the takes and the echoes of the song need to match perfectly otherwise the music video will fail, so therefore careful and considerable actions need to be applied. I struggled a bit with the editing, but I will continue to practice before I begin further lip-syncing practical work.

During the day, I learnt music videos are filmed differently to TV programs as firstly the character or individual looks and performs directly to the camera, for instance through the use of direct address. This is a main feature in music videos as one wants to engage the audience, however we differentiate different things to conventions of music videos. However, overall I am pleased I gained new information into music videos and am looking forward to creating my product soon.

Analysis of the final process and product

This final product consisted of making a front cover to a Digi Pak. Along the journey of creating my album front cover, I gained a lot of new skills and techniques, and short cuts that I can beneficially apply and include in further Digi Pak. For example, as I mostly enjoyed using and experimenting with the layering technique during my creations and therefore researched further into relevant sources, such as Youtube tutorials and online tips.

My final Digi Pak formed by influential images on pinterest, through convocations and my imagination. For instance, I initially created and effectively sketch ideas towards my outcome; the concept most driven and naturally bought to the surface was incorporation of interesting watercolours and engaging shapes. From this the idea of layering appeared in my direction, as I wanted to embrace automatic flowing and complimentary aspects into my piece. By creating sketches and spider diagrams of my initial ideas, it allowed healthy and automatic exploration of appropriate and efficient gear changes other concepts.

As I was pleased and feeling positive about my design, I wanted to carry out a survey and ask people their opinions and gain constructive criticism. The feedback was generally uplifting and “successfully” reassuring, however some comments helped to improve the final construction, for instance, some stated, “There are a few empty space’s on the pack which could be filled.” I effectively took this feedback on board and tried to improve the negative space used, although I appreciated the use of spacious proxemics where necessary.