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Filming

The plan

• I am planning to start filming next week
• The reason why is because the school's are closed because of the spring term holiday
• Only want to spend two long days filming, with some regular breaks (e.g. for lunch)
• Because I only want to spend two days; I must inform my two candidates about the filming, what are my plans (e.g. times and days)
• I will ask them on the social networking site: facebook, to find out if they can make it, to minimize any unexpected circumstances which could have a negative impact on the filming.
• Here is a screen shot of the message I've sent to my candidates, however, there is only one reply from the female candidate, and another candidate, I have also informed through the phone, as he didn't have time to go on facebook. 
• Both has attended the filming and I am happy to say, everything went smoothly and quickly. 

• I also need to make sure that the weather will be suitable for the filming next week (e.g. no rain, or too cold)
• I will achieve this by looking at the BBC weather website: to predict what kind of weather will be for next week
• I have looked at the weather prediction, and according to results, I have decided to do filming on Monday and Tuesday.

Hartley, Hodge and Kress

John Hartley, Hodge and Kress- genres limit creativity

John Hartley (1994)

He argued that ''genres are agents of ideological closure- they limit the meaning potential of a give text''. 

This suggests that genre acts as a straight jacket; limiting creative potential. 

How can this theory apply to music video's?

1. In the way that conventions are shown in the most of pop music videos.
2. For example: within the hip-hop, rap, music videos => the similar dance choreography of the female dancers, wearing the similar costumes in order to attract the male audience; to gain their attention. 
3. This could be seen as one of the reasons, why are these video's so popular to watch, especially by the young generation.This also influence the young people, and have negative impact on their behavior's ( e.g. men seeing the women mainly as objects; not more as a human, or having general negative view on women)
4. Therefore, it is important in creating the music video, what message the music video have, and what kind of impact it will have on the people when they will watch it.
5. The fact is that nowadays, people expect to see half naked women in the hip-hop music videos, however, the first hip-hop music video's have been created to represent their poor background, and throughout the lyrics the artists were allowed to express their feelings and emotion.
6. Because I am going to create a music video, mainly for young generation, I must ensure that I don't represent the love only in negative way.
7. But also I use the conventions in order to create a clear message to the audience of what my music video is about: such as: the shots of two young people walking together, kissing/hugging, etc. 
8. I have to follow these conventions, otherwise my music video will be unappreciated, and for some people perhaps boring. 
9. I also think that generally,  the concept used within the music video's of any kind of genre's, are limited by not allowing the directors/producers to be more creative. 
10. Therefore in the most of music video's, you can see that the director use preferred reading ( what the director wants you to see) in order to not confuse the audience.
11. The music video's which are misunderstand, are usually the less popular, and sometimes ignored by the audience (ignoring the message which has been constructed by the producer or even the artist)
12. Nowadays, the idea of being original, seems to be unappreciated/alienated/unrecognized by the audience. 
13. Overall, this provides that there isn't any media text, that does not follow specific rules,which are associated with their genre background.

Robert Hodge and Guther Kress (1988)
They says that genres ''control the behaviour of producers of such texts, and the expectations of potential consumers'. 

How can this theory apply to music video's?

• For my music video, I decided to use the song by Jason Derulo, ''It' girl'', and from the lyric, the audience will expect me to produce the music video in certain way, such as: to see woman and man in music video.
•  As it would be very unconventional if there wouldn't be a woman, because the artist song is about his love toward a ''girl'', where the produce represent to the audience his desire; wanting to be with the girl.
• Therefore, they will want certain characters within my videos, to match with the lyric and as well because they expect it from me as a producer. 
• If my music video wasn't going to follow these conventions, the audience would be outraged and less watchable.
• When creating a music video, it is important to have one main aim: to attract and drag the audience's attention.
• This is what the most of directors do, when creating/producing music video's, otherwise they would lose money, and the time they have spend on the production, distribution, promotion.
• My music video will not be conventional for this genre and the song, however, the video will portray the image of two people in love, but in different perspective. Therefore, there will be the certain element, which will suggest the audience what my music video is about; while allowing the audience to understand their own interpretation of it. 
• This will be a low budget student music video, therefore, my music video won't be as good as the professional music video's, which people can see on: TV's, music channels (e.g.youtube, MTV,facebook, myspace)
• However, I will try my best, and will give everything into this project, in order to produce the work I will be proud of.
• I will achieve this by creating the clear codes and messages throughout the actions of the characters, location, costumes, camera movements and shots etc. 

CD Template's- ideas

Here are my ideas of the CD template's, which I have produced for my CD cover. As you can see, I have used the image of butterfly and flower, just like I have used previously, on the back of the CD cover, to make it match together, as well as because I am creating a full Digi package, for my music video. Therefore it have to, or at least should match together, in order to not confuse people when they will buy it. The second template looks very simplistic, unlike, but very interesting. I have used the same font's effect as at the CD front cover, to make it match together, but instead of making it in browny-orange colour of background, I choose the light yellow colour. The reason why is to make it match with the image of the flower and butterfly. As you can see, the image is small, and placed on the bottom of the CD temple, for a reason. This is because I wanted to point out on the font of ''BONUS, It' girl'' as this is the song, I am going to use within my music video, as well as I 
needed more space for the list of the songs. 
The second CD template looks more professional,where I have used a lot of different effects on the main image, such as: contrast on the butterfly, and the lighter effect on the flower, as I wanted to make one image, to stand out from the other. I think I have done it quite well, and really like the overall design of it. In this one, and the one above, I have used the same fonts for the titles: for the song list and for the name of the CD cover ''It' girl''. I have done it for a reasons: first that I really like this font, and the second that it lovely match with the name of the song, that's why this font can remind of hand writing style. 
The first temple of the CD is different to others, as I have used and applied the same background as on the front CD cover. This is very conventional, and popular way; being able to see in different type of music genre's as well, for example: from pop, disco to r&b. The another reason why I have produced it in this way, is that I have bought CD cover, with the matching CD template, and absolutely fall in love with this idea. As I find it very interesting, creative as well as simple. That's one of the reasons as well for me creating a template's, as I have never done it before, and found it very interesting to do. Must say that I have enjoyed designing, and producing the CD templates of my own ideas, and also, I have developed my photoshoped skills. 

Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin (1992)- generic conventions of the music video

He argued that many music videos shared six generic conventions: 

1. Different sub-genres of music have their video convention (e.g. stages performance for rock videos, dance in pop videos)
2. A relationship between lyrics and visuals
3. A relationship between the music and visuals
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lot's of close-ups of the artist to emphasises the image of the start. 
5. There is frequently references to notion of looking ( screens within screens, telescope etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. There is often intertextual reference to films, Tv programmes, other music video. 

I have decided to apply this theory on one of my favourite music videos by Akon- I wanna Love you ft. Snoop Dogg. 

1. Hip-hop, rap music video tends to be thematic, such as: in this case there's the theme of relationship between male and female, and the director made the video out of it. As you can see, there is also another very famous, and well-known artist within the video; ''Snoop Dogg'', who rap throughout the song. This music video follows the genres of hip hop, rap music video, with the convention features, such as: the female dancers, wearing barely any clothes, as you can see their bra's and pants wearing on, with very suggestive and sexual colour red and black= connotation with the love (e.g. perhaps the image representing the male sexual fantasy throughout their clothes and colours) allows male to view them as a sexual object, with links to their very erotic dance choreography (e.g. when their touch their bodies while having their mouth opened, or when they shake their ''asses'' to the beat- shows the dancers sex appeal + enjoyment of this activity) 


A common generic convention for this genre is also a lot of close-ups being used, then long shot and established shot. The reason why is to draw the audience attention/focus on the both artists, to show their feelings and emotions, face expression and body language, image their represent= which match with this genre of music and videos ( such as: a close-up of the Akon's face, wearing black sun-glasses= very conventional, and stereotypical feature when presenting the hip hop, rap artist, as the audience becomes very easily familiar with it, or when both of the artists are on the stage; showing their dance hip-hop movie's, when one who is singing is looking directly to the audience and another one is looking somewhere else- showing his less important until he start to sing, and also wearing very expensive clothes and jewellery on= very typical for this genre, representing their wealth background, the lifestyle which appeals and attract mainly the young, teenager's audience. Also, we can see that Snoop Dogg is shown being seduced by one of the attractive women in the video.

2. In this music video, a relationship between lyrics and visual are very clear. According to Goodwin, there are three ways in which music videos work to promote a song. 

1.Illustrate

Music videos can use a set of images to illustrate the meaning of the lyrics and genre. This way is also the most common way, used by the producer, to promote the song. 

2.Amplify

This word, is similar to repeat-ability,which means that meanings and effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the video, and drummed into the audience's vision.

3.Disjuncture

When the meanings of the song are completely ignored by the audience. 

Within this music video,the relationship between lyrics and visual to the song is amplify, this means that it's repeat-ability. The reason why is because the effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the video, such as: fast editing between Akon singing and Snoop Dogg's rapping. Also the women play significant factor in hip-hop, rap genre's, and are represented as mainly sexual objects. This signifies to the audience the main meaning of the video, as well as the relationship between the lyric and visual. As the visuals become drummed into the audience's view, the audience become repeatedly aware of the lyric and the meanings which has been constructed and promoted by the director and the artist.
We can see this, in the line:''I see you winding and grinding up on that floor'', where the female dancers reacting to this line through their dance's moves. 


The song lasts for 4:15, and because the song is long, the music video become boring and repetitive as there is no clear narrative structure. 

3. A relationship between the music and visuals
The opening sequences within the video are redundant, because it follows a basic editing structure used by this genre, such as: the artist singing his lines,  when then is a pause, it's illustrate the girls dancing on the chair's, but also a quick shots of random, girls=  wearing very provocative clothes, where has been used the same colours scheme of black and red.  Then once again the camera goes to Snoop Dogg, to show his rapping line and illustrating his lines by doing actions for the line:
''Don't tell, won't tell, baby say I don't talk dog
 But she told on me, ohh well''

Here, we can see sharing lines between the rapper Snoop Dogg, and the woman next to him, we she does the gesture of ''no'', waving her finger from side to side. 

Then artist gestures, with the same girl continues through the video, in following line:
''Take a picture with me, what the flick gon'do?.- where we can see a close-up of the both face's, followed by the effect (the black lines on the screen, with another, moving image of Akon- suggesting his lines is coming now).

This effect is used through the video, but not all the time, usually when the borh artists are swapping ( from Akon to Snoop Dogg's, and from Snoop Dogg to Akon) because being alone on the stage, allows the artist show his power,  and control, while singing or rapping. 
Also, when there is sound of the beat of clapping a shot of the female dancers clapping, is used to identify to the audience, where this source of noise is coming in 1:20. The scene, where we can see and hear clapping to the beat of the sound is very conventional,and popular, especially within rap, hip-hop music video's. 

As you can see, the editing pace to the video is amplifying to the beat. This is very popular pop/rap dance videos, as they tend to have a quick  and sharp tempo to them= great source for the producer knowing when to cut. We can see this in 0:27-0:30 of Akon, when the tempo increases and so does the editing pace. We can also see this when the female dancers in 0:48- 0:50, when they clap to the beat of the song, and they dance choreography match with the following beats, with the quick shot of Snoop Dogg in the middle.

4. the need for lot's of close-ups of the artist to emphasises the image of the start.(Star image, multiple close-up shots of the main artist and rapper).
In this video ''I wanna love you'' the main focus is on Akon who is surrounded by the beautiful women, and the female dancers (who are wearing the similar, very provocative clothe's) to portray this most of the shot used by Akon and Snoop Dogg are close-ups of their face's. The reason for the director using a close up shots within the video, is to create a connection between the audience and the artists.

The costumes/clothes of the both artists

Within the video both artists are wearing similar costumes which create a distinctive look to the video, but also it's the way of show the audience their wealth background, but also throughout the lyric, when Snoop Dogg says '' Girl I spend money like it dont mean nothing''. But also it shows that both are equal to each other; both are famous, well known especially by the young audience, and are at the top of their career. 

There is shot of Akon, in 2:42 when he does not connect with the audience, but looking at the large screen where we can see the beautiful woman, singing to her= makes the shot looks more personal and trustful.   





What I like about rap, hip-hop music videos, is that in the end of the music videos, there is usually a medium shot of the people ( usually known and famous rap, hip hop artist's, wearing the similar clothes to the artists, which could symbolised the power and support they have from them, but also it gives a great overall look to the whole music video).