Group meetings - Miss Georgiou

The purpose of having group meetings was so that our group was able to meet up with the purpose of discussing ideas and ensuring that everyone in the group was aware of what was happening and was happy with it. Within these meetings we discussed every issues element of our music video which needed planning from the actual production itself to the ways in which the music video would be perceived, how it would effect the audience and any risks or dangers which may occur on set. Had we not spoke to the lengths of detail which we took when having our meetings this could result in numerous different issues. For instance group members may be unaware that certain things are happening which may mean that either they aren't turning up to filming etc. or a an idea may have been ran through with everyone else who was happy with it expect from one person who may have been able to bring something better to the table. This could also result in group members feeling out of the loop which can be demotivating as they begin to feel that their role isn't as important or as respected and therefore loose interest in the production. Without group meetings it would be hard to arrange and complete tasks as a group as this would mean simply discussing things as and when they happened. This can be time consuming and also mean that a lot of our work is therefore rushed ruining the quality of our work. This may also result in one person completely taking charge which isn't a good idea as this can also be demotivating for other groups members; also it is essential to have a range of different people applying input when creating a production such as a music video as this means that a variety of different opinions, ideas and concocts are being put into the production preventing it from becoming boring and meaning that it is able to suit a wider range of people as a wider range of mind-sets have  gone into it thus suiting a wider range of people.

Overall our group meetings went well. However there was one occasion with miss-communication which resorted in heated tensions. If there was one aspect to my group meetings which I could change it would be this. As there being tensions within the group doesn't make things easy to progress as often when tensions arise as does peoples egos making it difficult for people to work together within a group as they become less willingly to compromise or even communicate with each other.  In order to change this I would make it clear to group members at the very beginning of production at the very first meeting that this sort of atmosphere wouldn't be tolerated, reminding people of the issues this can bring with it and how negatively it would effect our production, if tensions were to continue then roles would have to be delegated more separately and there would be less over lapping work between either party working within the group meaning that work would be completed individually. However this is something to avoid as having more eyes working on something is generally better than having just one person as different people are able to view different things, thus someone may notice a flaw which audience members may pick up upon which someone else working on the production may not pick up upon, also the concept of having different mindsets also means that more ideas and on offer which others may go unheard of. Although we did generally work well together working around each others commitments and doing our best to ensure that all three main group members would be able to attend meetings and filming etc. Together we were able to create the narrative for our music video well as we all listened to each others ideas and bounced off of them as we found inspiration from each other. We also worked well as a team as all of us were happy to donate our possessions to the production of our music video as well as going beyond our actual role for the project and offering to help out in a variety of different elements to our music video. Good examples of this would be the fact that although I was portraying the artist I still went behind the camera lenses, so to have a look at how the location looked on screen so to understand how the audience would capture the setting and whether how it would be filmed would be doing the video justice as well as testing out different camera angles prior to actually filming again so to see what would work best for the audience. Another example would be the fact that for the scene which took place at the jazz cafe both Jess and Emma helped to do my hair and make up so to help represent the artist and conforming to the soul genre. This went above their tittle as they were only expected to film the production, plan it and ensure that things generally ran smoothly however it was thought that other people would be delegated to perform such a role. Yet they opted to as I asked them and we understood that the only people who would truly be able to picture what we were trying to create that we would be able to employee on budget would be ourselves.

Risk assessment - Miss Georgiou

Here is a copy of my risk assessment which I completed prior to the filming of my production:

Creating a risk assessment prior to the filming of my production was essential as without having done so there would be no legal document to prove that I had consider the various different risks which may occur throughout the production of my music video and put steps in place so to ensure that my production would be as safe as it possibly could. This is important as when you are employing people to work with/for you not only is it ethically right to ensure their safety but it is also a legal requirement.

Not only did planning out the risk assessment enable me to make sure that the entire production crew as well as actors or extras were aware of how to prevent issues but it also ensured that I provided clear instructions as to what to do if these issues are still not prevented with this added effort. For instance if I was to simply state on my risk assessment that breaking a camera would be a risk to the production and then told everyone involved in the production how to prevent this from happening which may well be helpful as it provides those involved with rules to follow so to avoid such damage unfortunately accidents do happen. The team being aware of a risk and having been provided with tips to avoid it isn't enough, if something is to go wrong then there would be no set guide or structure for the team to follow hence completely ruining the production as without a camera there would be no or limited footage and without footage there would be no music video. Hence it is important to also provide a section to information the group what to do if there are issues with avoiding the mistake.

Providing this extra column also helped me to prepare for the production as it provoked me to think about aspects of the production which I hadn't considered before. As I had only really been focusing on the actual production itself focusing my efforts on what went into it that I hadn't considered the things which would be needed on set away from the actual filming itself but would still be essential for instance plasters had I not prepared properly for my solutions to risks and someone had fallen and hurt themselves I wouldn't have had any plasters, bandages or any sort of health kit on set. Nor had I even thought about some of the littlest things such as making sure that I had enough bottles of water on set for everyone on the set to make sure that they are hydrated. Also this sounds like the simplest thing I hadn't thought about it simply because it doesn't appear to have an out right effect on my music video. However if crew members find that they are feeling dehydrated this is likely to effect theirs moods as they are likely to become tired and irritable as well as drained from headaches etc. hence it is important to ensure that my crew are feeling fit and well for production. After all if the crew, actors and extras are feeling unwell and demotivated then they are going to be living up to the best that they can be which shall have knocking effects on the music video as it won't be up to standard.

Although some of the elements planned out within the table may appear to be fairly straight forward and basic things which anyone who doesn't necessarily have to have any background knowledge of production would be aware of. However it is still important to address these issues as if myself and my other team members were to write these issues of as fairly small and not being areas of production which we needed to address we may miss out on vital planning which could become helpful to us when filming if these things do occur. As I said before accidents are accidents and cannot be helped it isn't enough for the cast and crew on set to know not to do certain things and behave in certain ways in unfortunately people can't always help certain things such as tripping over wires etc. Henceforth it is important to continue to plan for these problems so that there is a ready made structure for the cast and crew to follow so to help them overcome these issues if they are to arise. For instance we could rule out the idea of people falling over but if we were to do this and not plan for this instant as all simply as we have told people to be careful and not to fall if someone was to still trip then the production team may not know how to respond. There would likely be confusion as there wouldn't be one set way to go about it which would result in conflict as production members argue over what they feel is the right idea and therefore want to be the method adopted via the team. With this planning I can also make sure that the correction equipment is on set so to help my team resolve this issues such as plasters and bandages as well as first aid kits.

Again although this scenario is unlikely it is still possible and therefore should be planned for so to prevent any kind of unnecessary complications forming further down the line into our production. Although with the electrical issues I have both planned and informed team members that people need to be on set guarding wires ensuring that no one spills any water or any other liquids on them. However also this action can be put into place if there is to be a leak for instance on the ceiling which beings to drip onto the wires either in one big gush or little and often which team members may not notice until it is too late as they are being keep so busy with all of their other jobs as well as likely finding themselves distracted via all of the people around them and the actual production itself. Can course issues hence it is important that I have planned to have back ups on set so that if the worst really does happen my team are prepared and the production won't be set back or facing further complications from having good shots which we want to use however not having enough filming to make sense of them and being unable to create the same vibes and atmosphere as was formed on the original day of shooting.

Unfortunately when I arrived to film the party scene I discovered that many of our extras, cast and crew members had already been drinking quite heavily and were fairly intoxicated. Although originally I had planned to arrive to the scene early I had to take another group member who later after planning and setting a date for filming learned that she had family obligations that night which meant that she would have to arrive to filming later on. As we weren't on set when people decided to begin drinking alcoholic substances which we only allowed on set as it was agreed that they would only be opened once the filming was finished we couldn't control what people did. Obtaining two of the higher up positions in the production being two out of three creators of the music video meant that other members of our production team found that they didn't have the same kind of authority as us or felt that it wasn't their job to control the on goings of other people on set. As people were already intoxicated when we arrived this increased the chances of something going wrong by a higher percentage meaning that we had to be extra careful. So we had to keep eyes as firmly on the production members as we were on the actual camera screen in the cases of my group members and my acting in the case of myself as I am portraying the artist. This in itself meant that the quality of our production would lessen disregarding the fact that when people are in this state they are less able to perform well and realistically nor are they as motivated. Hence we had no other choice but to cut the filming for this scene shot as it was becoming dangerous and wasn't coming together as we had hoped.

Although the weather isn't a risk which may be prevented it is an issue which may be planned around. It is best to keep an eye on weather reports so to prevent us from discovering on the day that we won't be able to film due to bad weather conditions. Or even arriving on set filming for a while and then rain begins to pour ruining the effect of the narrative for our music video. As well as being frustrating as it would be hard to get my hair and make up created so to mirror how it was before allowing us to be able to use any good footage capture prior to the rain. Listening to weather reports can indicate which days would be better to film on saving us much time and effort as it prevents us for facing this difficulties/issues. Also as it is hard for us to get everyone together along with all of the equipment needed it would make sense to then film a different scene of which the weather isn't as important for. Because of this I informed my team that if on the day of the 'walk of shame' scene we discover that the weather isn't cooperative then we shall find the 'bedroom scene' instead which means that we are able to keep  on top of our filming schedule which is important as we want to fit all of our filming into the time period we have allowed ourselves so to ensure that by the time it comes to editing we are prepared with different ranges of useable shoots and that we have a good amount of time to spend on these stages as they are most important. Without good and professional appearing editing it may appear that we are making a mockery of our music video or simply that it has gone wrong which provides negative connotations upon the artist. Henceforth turning the audience away from her.

One risk we did encounter when filming was the risk of the weather. Despite both myself and another group member having frequently checked weather reports for the chosen day of filming it still rained which was a weather condition which didn't suit to our music video as it didn't apply benefits to either the narrative or the portrayal of the artist. However luckily despite our frequent pre planning ahead checks I still put places in place just in case the weather wasn't on our side. Meaning that we would be able to get another scene done so that we wasn't wasting valuable time when everyone was free, ready and prepared to film which unfortunately is fairly rare time. Having not filming for this part of the schedule also would have put us back later on in the stages of our production as it would have meant that  we would have to catch up with this filming time later on otherwise we wouldn't have good enough amounts of footage etc.

Another risk we encounter was what resulted in the ruining of our originally planned for 'party scene'. Whereby production members where too drunk for filming hence this meant we wouldn't be able to film as group members were not only not in the right frame of mind for filming but they were also at a risk to themselves.  Meaning that we had to close the production as what was being produced wasn't  effective enough and too many risks were at risk of being breached for us to morally continue with our filming. From filling out my risk assessment I have learnt how seriously the planning stages before creating a music video need to be. For instance I planned for simple things such as people tripping over as this could be viewed as a fault of my production team as people may find themselves tripping over wires etc. which would be a fault of them team had they not put procautions in place to prevent this from happening.

Risk assessments are essential key items to filming a production as issues are likely to rise throughout however if they are planned for although they may not be prevented in all cases they may be worked around and simmered down.

Filming schedule - Miss Georgiou

It is important to create a filming schedule prior to going out and filming for out production as this ensures that we have arranged times which are fair and achievable as well as being well suited to what we want to film at that time. For example if we wanted to film a scene with natural day light going out to film at 9pm wouldn't work. Partaking it the task itself also means that everyone involved in the production has a set schedule to look to as a guide which shall prevent confusion etc.

Whilst planning the filming schedule I was keen to ensure that we was creating a schedule which was appropriate by being suitable for all and realistic in terms of what we wanted to film. As I achieved this it meant that we were able to stick to our filming schedule as nothing needed to be changed. I was aware that we would face issues with filming outside due to unpredictable weather conditions so I kept an eye on the weather reports both when creating the filming schedule and once it had been created so to make sure that we didn't arrive on set and then discover half way through filming that the weather wouldn't be as planned. In order to maintain a tight well fit to schedule I made sure that I spoke to everyone involved in the production so that I was able to create a schedule which would allow me to fit everyone in at the indicated times.

The hardest scene to plan regarding getting everyone involved within the production at the same location at the same time was the 'house party' scene as this meant not only finding a location which would fit everyone and we would be able to obtain permission to allow everyone in but it also meant trying to arrange a time when absolutely everyone was free which wasn't easy.  During the early stages of the schedule before dates were finalised I had to change the day of filming this scene as unfortunately things came up in peoples personal lives which couldn't be avoided. However as it was unlikely as it would appear for me to manage to find a date and time when everyone involved would be free I had to persuade individuals to change dates and free themselves up. For instance one of the girls actually on the production team had to come from work complete the filming and then leave again to go back. Although this wasn't ideal as it meant that we really had to rush to make sure that we got enough footage that we had extra footage when it came to the editing stage this was the best of a bad situation. It was especially hard to convince the extras to attend filming as we couldn't provide them with any real incentives to persuade them with other than the fact that they would be gaining further experience from shooting with us. What made it even harder was that as we selected a large group of extras from school if a couple of people from one group couldn't film on certain day we were considering then we would find other people from outside of school to be in our production and then existing extras would inform us that they weren't interested in filming without the people we had made up for prolonging the entire process.

For the scenes which we filmed in the cafe we had to be really careful when planning on the times we would arrive and film as we had to ensure that the cafe would be open when we planned to film. But we also had to predict whether or not the cafe would be too busy for us to film as if there were too many people in there then it may have been too cramped for us to get the filming done properly. Also it may have been too noisy as the team wouldn't be able to communicate with each other properly or concentrate. More people being on set which weren't involved within the production would also have meant that our filming would be at further risk of being tarnished by people finding it funny to be seen on camera doing stupid things for instance waving at the camera which wouldn't make sense to the narrative, could appear either comical or stupid, ruining the overall effect of the narrative and taking the audience away from the experience the artist is creating with their music video therefore preventing the music video from performing it's job. Obviously we couldn't allow such senses to make the final cut when in the editing stages however this would mean that our final footage would be limited.

Unfortunately as it was raining for the day we played to film the 'Walk of shame' scene despite both myself and Jess (another member of my group) having looked up the weather forecasts for the day on several occasions the weather wasn't in our favour. As it rained despite it having been predicted for days and even that very day that the weather would be dry. Luckily I had put plan in place for this instance despite the weather considering us otherwise that this wouldn't be needed. I planned for the group to meet at my house so that if there were weather issues we would still be able to get filming done as we filmed the bedroom scene whereby the artist is seen performing in bed and pacing/dancing around her bedroom. This was a tactile plan as it meant that know time was being wasted and we wouldn't have furthered work to do later. Apart from this the filming schedule ran to plan and was most helpful in ensuring that both myself and my group members were well aware of what was expected of them as of when. However we did apply an additional as we decided that we wanted to refill our 'party scene' as we weren't happy with how the footage came out and didn't feel that it complied well with the portrayal we were sorting out with the music video. Which meant that not only would we be refilling said scene but I also decided that it would be better to make changes so to make sure that the same kinds mistakes and elements which didn't appear as effective the first time would appear again. So to accomplish this I opted to change the location of the scene to the drama studio in school which meant that I had to inform everyone of this new location and perform a phew separate risk assessment simply for this new location as other I may have encountered various different issues both ethical and work related throughout the production. I also wished to add additional scenes throughout the music video for instance we shot from didn't angles etc. which we hadn't originally planned for. Such as angles were I was seen performing against the brick wall. This is simply  a nature part of filming though and doesn't connote anything negative towards our filming  schedule as when on set it is likely that group members are going to find inspiration for new ideas this often happens because they feel inspired in the moment hence this means a few changes shall be made in order to do so however this doesn't create problems as within a good filming schedule performed by a good performance team this extra changes should be planned for.

Through creating the filming schedule I developed further skills, one of which being that I certainly become more confident in taking charge and not worrying too much about upsetting or making things and little bit more difficult for group members. Throughout filming it is hard to plan to film on days which are good for every single group member. However I was on a tight schedule, I needed to get my filming done asap so that I allowed myself enough time to move onto the editing stages and feel as that I had enough time to really challenge myself with my editing skills/techniques. Due to this there were times when I had to run filming even though people stated that it wasn't a suitable day for them. I enforced this by simply reminding them in forceful ways that when in the stages of filming you must prioritise and if your considering that spending your time elsewhere would be more beneficial or appealing to you then perhaps signing on to create a music video wasn't the best choice for them.

Storyboards - Miss Georgiou

Prior to going out and filming our music video we needed to storyboard our music video as you would a film so to ensure that everyone was on the same page with plans. This meant that the team had talked through everything that needed to happen so to ensure that when we arrive on location everything shall run smoothly. As everyone will be aware of their allocated jobs, the actual run through of the video itself and will be well prepared meaning that any props anyone needs to remember isn't forgotten. Planning our music video out first of all in the form of a storyboard meant that we wasn't able to forget any section of planning before filming. Because in the format of a storyboard you have to include every basic element that any music video or film requires such as the use of lighting or any uses of iconography. Meaning that the music video has been planned properly and so long as the storyboard is followed properly the production should go to plan.

Here is an image of some of the frame numbers which filled up my storyboard. As you can see at the very top of the storyboard we numbered the storyboard page numbers, belong that we kept track of how long each frame number would be as well as the numbers of each individual frame number. Belong was were we planned to place an image so to be representative of how we wanted the scene to look this was also beneficial as it enabled us to visualize how the scene would come out more clearly. This also enabled us to make sure that we were all visualizing matching ideas so to prevent their being any confusion when we arrived on set. The role of the drawing was located to Emma as she is studying A level art hence she would be the best as she is the most able with drawing which is important as we want clear images which you can easily work out without any confusion both when planning the production during a meeting and when we are actually on set filming and only want to have to check the storyboards quickly so that we can confirm we are doing things correctly to plan and help us to remember any everything. Belong the drawings was the section we dedicated to writing out the main information for our storyboards.

Although it appears that there is quite a lot of information in these boxes there is actual a rather limited amount compared to all of the planning we have been doing throughout the process of planning out production. We done this as it was important to keep our storyboards straight forward and easy to read as they are an important document which we should be able to refer to easily without feeling as though we are having to hunt for vital pieces of information. Such as the shot type, lighting and a brief narrative description. Any other pieces of information about the narrative would have been on other planning sheets so to avoid confusion.

As I planned the storyboard I used pieces of information I had gathered from both my primary and secondary research so to ensure that I was creating a music video which would appeal to my chosen audience. This is what helped inspire me to create the 'jazz bar' scene as it is able to provide two elements which I know the audience like from my research the concept of the artist performing as well as being a clear location for the audience to pick up on codes and conventions of the soul genre as the actual place itself is a conventional towards the genre as you would expect to see soul artist performing in a jazz bar as the two genres are thought to be so closely combined. Also soul artists are known for performing on in such an element as they are thought to have a pure talent which they are able to rely on alone rather than just a big back drop and tones of extras as their voice is thought to be entertaining enough. Hence this location is conventional as it shows the artist on a fairly simple stage where the sole focus is put on the artist themselves. I gained this information when taking out my questionnaire as I asked par takers what they liked and expected to see within music videos belonging to the soul genre. My primary research allowed me to focus on elements of the genre which I had picked up myself, for instance the Mise en scene used by female artists of the soul genre including their style of make up including artists such as my chosen artist Amy Winehouse, Adele and Duffy. This is beneficial as it enables me to make sure that I am following codes and conventions towards the soul genre which is important as it helps the audience to understand which genre the music video belongs to as well as attracting those members of the soul genre. This works as they pick up on the artists use of codes and conventions towards the genre which proves to them that the artist has a good enough understanding of the genre to class themselves to it as well as highlighting that their admiration for the genre goes deeper than simply the style that they are able to sing within. Hence gaining the audience respect meaning that they are more likely to purchase the artists music.

I issued this into the storyboard by deciding what frames we wanted the artists make up to be highlighted within. Which resulted in various uses of close  ups and mid shots as they are good shots to show the artists face/facial expressions as well as to aid in telling the narrative behind the music video. For instance in the performance scene which takes place at the jazz bar I decided that it would be a good idea to really draw the audiences attention to the artists make up as although the artists make up would conform to the soul genre throughout the music video it shall do more so in these scenes. As the artist shall be in an environment which conforms to the genre more in itself and really applies the feeling of taking the audience back to the 1950s/1960s the period of which the genre was created of which it hasn't developed much from hence being a conventional feeling to take the audience back as it is these classical vibes which the audience adore and recognise with the genre. Hence being in this environment is the perfect opportunity to really fit the artists make up and costume to the genre even more so. Within other locations/scenes such as the 'house party' scene empathising this style of make up as much as we plan to for the jazz scene may look strange as the audience shall be comparing the artist to the other girls at the party as well as girls they've seen at house parties themselves demonstrating how subversive her style is which may then make it look more weird or comical rather than working as an effect convention of the soul genre.

A lot of my primary research as well as watching music videos from artists of the soul genre came from looking at images which suited the typical representation of women of this period as well as watching the television series 'Mad Men' so to help me gain a better understanding of the ways and behavioral patterns of women throughout said periods. Which was beneficial as it helped me to understand why women may have portrayed themselves in certain ways as well as why they would still be portrayed within this manner via fans of the soul genre today. This also helped me to gain a better understanding of the period as a whole which was good as it meant that I was more easily able to notice characteristics of the time period which may still be of use and appreciated within the soul genre today. As our music video also takes a more of a modern spin on the element of the soul genre as seen in the house party scene I looked to other artists music videos which would be able to help me gain inspiration for representing themes of being young and partying with friends. So to help make the experience appear more believable and therefore making the narrative more relateable for audience members helping them to feel closer to the artist as though they have built a greater relationship. This is a good method artists use so to obtain the interest of the audience and get them purchasing their music. For instance a good example of a music video I looked to for inspiration for this select scene was Selena Gomez's music video for 'Birthday' as the entire music video is set at a house party. This particular music video helped me to picture how I could film at what should appear to be a house party location, how I would make it believable, the sorts of things I could have actors doing for instance performing what appears to be more causal dance routines so not to ruin the effect which comes from the concept of the party goers being lost in the party and enjoying themselves yet the artist is still able to provide her audience with different forms of fun dance routines to watch and maybe even try out. I also took inspiration from the music videos lighting as it demonstrating how low key lighting can be used so to create the effect of being at a typical house party as this is the style of lighting you would expect to see but also how filler lights and spot lights can be used to ensure that the audience still have a clear project of what is happening from a good standard of quality. If the quality of the lighting was to be too dull and blurry then the audience would likely think the music video appeared to be unprofessional hence ruining the effect of it straight away before the audience even really get a chance to enjoy it properly.

Examples from Selena Gomez's music video 'Birthday':

Although Emma was located the job of doing the drawings we all took part in the creation of our storyboard.  We talked through our plans for the music video first of all. Referring back to previous planning sheets and our annotated lyrics. This was essential as it
meant that we were all on a clear indication of how everyone wanted the music video to run making sure that no one was confused when we went on to put all of the different frames together. Once we felt as though everyone had a solid understanding of the narrative we began filling out our allocated scenes after which we all came together, pieced the storyboard together and checked that the storyboard all fit together, made sense and that there were no pieces missing etc. This was a good technique to use as it meant that everyone was involved hence everyone felt that there job was important ensuring that they done it to the best of their ability as well as helping everyone to remember certain parts of the storyboard more clearly than others as they were their allocated parts. This is also beneficial as it means that if there is any confusion with particular scenes later down the line that that team member should be able to take charge and clear all of the confusion up.

Generally we shall be closely sticking to the storyboard as well we be using all of the scenes and locations mentioned. As well as all of the pieces of iconography etc. However unfortunately as we are using actors within our music video we cannot guarantee their reliability or corporation. So unfortunately is someone acting within our music video for instance Jack Taylor is to fall ill or decide that they don't want to do certain things within our music video then we cannot force them. This is made harder as we are not an actual music company we cannot offer them the incentive of money to encourage them to work harder and become more committed to the production. Also as we don't have this added factor to encourage our actors we cannot determine the extras corporation at the house party scene meaning that we may have to change a few elements once we are filming.

Here are images of all of my storyboards:

Planning Editing Styles - Miss Geourgiou

A variety of editing styles is essential within a music video as it contributes to the overall effect of the music video, whilst ensuring that transitions are able to take place within the video within a format which both makes sense to the audience and is physically appealing to them. Without applying editing styles to a music video it would make a lack of sense as the audience would be unable to follow the narrative and understand it, i.e the different scenes which music videos are known for going back and forth between would make little sense as the audience wouldn't understand how this transition was made or even why it was made?  Hence not only would the audience not be able to follow the actual narrative but they also wouldn't be able to note what various aspects of the music video represent etc. It is important to display a variety of different editing styles so not to bore the audience. Although the average length for a music video differs between four to five minutes which may not appear to be a long time, but when watching the same thing for this entire period of time if the same editing styles are being used often the audience feel as though the experience is being dragged out. Therefore making for a less pleasurable experience for the audience, meaning that the music video shall not be as sufficient in doing it's job of promoting both the song which the music video is paired with and the artist as the audience connotes this negative experience with the artist tarnishing how they view them in future instances.

One editing style I plan to use within my music video is continuity editing. An editing style which is often used within music videos which the audience are made unaware of, continuity editing simply refers to a system of cutting which is used in such a way to display a clear and continuous narrative. Hence being conventional towards the soul genre as it enables the artist in providing the audience with their chosen narrative for their music video. Thus engaging the audience with the story-line meaning that they shall benefit more from the experience the artist is creating for them possibly finding it more relateable hence building a stronger relationship with it as well as the artist. This encourages the audience to grow a further likeness towards the artist as they recognise them with this positive experience. Benefiting the artist as it means that the audience are more likely to look out for their work in the future as they feel this closer bond with the artist meaning that they have therefore become more interested in them. Allowing the audience to closely follow a narrative also encourages them to obtain a greater understanding  for the lyrics within the song as often the narrative portrayed with a music video either follows that of the song or is symbolic of it. Not only do music videos provide a visual experience and image for the audience to place with a song but it also provides them with another outlet to comprehend a further understanding of an artists work. This further understanding builds upon the bond between the audience and the song and therefore also building upon the relationship between the audience and the artist. Continuity editing is a techie which is used throughout various different music videos including that of my chosen artist Amy Winehouse. (Including my chosen song 'In my bed') Continuity editing is conventional towards the soul genre as it aids the  artist is telling their narrative behind their music video which follows codes and conventions of the soul genre as it is known for telling stories as well as trying to make their music as relateable to the audience as possible. Often avoiding the concept of their fame an fortune and referring to universally relateable issues/problems. Continuity editing can be displayed throughout our music video as rather than using a editing style to show the artist entering a different location we can actually show her doing so on screen for instance she could enter into this new location through a door etc. This technique will work for the party scene as the audience sees the artist moving around the party entering different rooms and encountering different people whilst trying to avoid her lover and enjoy her night.

Examples of continuity editing in music videos:

Amy Winehouse 'Stronger than me'

Amy Winehouse 'In my Bed'

Duffy 'Well Well Well'

Arctic Monkeys 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?'











I also plan to use a shot reverse shot editing style so to show the relationship between the artist and the ma she is singing about. I plan to do this at the party scene where the artist is seen getting close to several men at the event. Portraying to the audience how little the artist cares for this man whilst also showing how much he cares for her. This is beneficial as it highlights more of the narrative to the audience  as they are able to see how much the man is suffering due to his affections towards the artist as well as how over him is truly is. As well as signifying her annoyance with him which is referred to throughout the lyrics; "I'm not gunna meet you're mother any time" here Winehouse is informing her lover that she is interested in him in no more than a sexual manner. Hence this technique is conventional towards the genre as again it applies further knowledge to the audience on the matter of the lyrics. Helping to strengthen the audience experience with the song building a greater relationship with it as well as the artist themselves. This shot will go from he artist behaving in a flirtatious manner showcasing her facial expressions as she appears happy and content, certainly not taking into account the fact that she is being watched or possibly even aware at first. Then the shot shall reverse onto the man whose facial expressions shall demonstrate to the audience that he is not only upset but also angered by the artists behavior showcasing that for him the relationship has more to offer. Encouraging the audience to obtain a great understanding of both characters and allowing for sympathy to be applied to either character possibly both. This forces the audience to become more involved with their experience of the music video as they are creating opinions for the music video therefore they also have feels invested  into the video therefore meaning it has been successful in engaging with the audiences attention and shall maintain it throughout the rest of the music video as the audience want to discover the out come.

Examples of a shot reverse shot within music videos:

My chosen artist also displays the use of a shot reverse shot within her music video 'Stronger Than me'. Noting these elements to Winehouse's music video is beneficial to be as it allows me to feel safe in the knowledge that I am capturing a music video which is able to display a true representation of the artist and her work.As well as informing me that I am successfully aiding the codes and conventions of the soul genre to my music video.


Throughout Hilary Duff's music video 'Stranger' there are various uses of a shot reverse shot for instance the scene where the artist walks into her lovers office to find another woman there. As well as when the woman and the artist look at each other as she leaves the room and various different examples around the table where the artist is seen her lover flirting with another woman and they release she is noticing.

Again Within Britney Spears' music video for her song Radar' shot reverse shots are used between Spears and her love interests. Noting on this I realise how conventional it is to use shot reverse shots for lovers or love interests within music videos.Due to this I am considering using shot reverse shots between the artist and the men she is seen flirting with so to build tense and really highlight what is happening between them plus this shall showcase how little she cares for the previous connection she shared with the male she is singing about.

Within Mario's music video for 'Let me Love you' the use of shot reverse shots are also made between the artist and his love interest for the music video.

I also plan to make the use of jump cuts throughout my music video so to highlight the transition between different scenes within my music video. For instance from the scene where the artist is singing in her bedroom to the scene where she is performing on stage continuity editing may not realistically be used. As these locations are clearly far away from each other, also the artist shall be in completely different costumes for the two scenes, and a completely different mood hence a jump cut would be a more realistic technique. Using continuity would likely ruin the effect of the music video as it doesn't make much sense, although  it may be argued that many music videos don't make much sense which is true this isn't so fitting for the soul genre. As the genre is all about being relateable for the audience it makes more sense to do this in a realistic manner as the audience is more easily able to follow this than the mindset of the artist. Allowing them to relate to the artists work and build upon the important bonds which create success around the artist. Hence using a jump cut is conventional towards the soul genre as it is a factor which may be used so to aid soul artists in keeping their music videos following codes and conventions of their chosen genre as it enables them to tell a narrative.

Examples of jump cuts within music videos: 

Various different jump cuts are made throughout Alicia Key's music video for 'Fallin' so to portray the difference between the different scenes and settings to the audience.

Jump cuts are used within Rose McGowan's music video 'RM486' so to show her changes in character.

Within Billie Piper's music video 'Something Deep Inside' jump cuts are also used for transition.

Jump cuts are also used within N Sync's 'Bye Bye Bye'











I'm also considering using a reaction shot, which shall be demonstrated as the artists lover reacts badly to her behavior, this could simply be a reaction shot through the use of a close up showing his  facial expressions allowing the audience an insight into how his feeling and what his thinking. Or it may be a midshot showing him physically reacting to her actions such as throwing a drink. Not only does this represent his feelings towards the situation but it also represents the artists. As she so carefully doesn't care about him or what his doing and is simply focusing on her night and enjoying herself it highlights to the audience how done she is with the situation representing her frustration with him due to the juxtaposition of how they are handling each others presence. The use of this technique shall be conventional towards the genre as it enables the artist to embark upon parts of the narrative, providing the audience with a deeper insight of both the actual narrative itself and the main characters themselves, hence the audience feel more involved with the story-line as well as feeling as though they are closer to the characters hence building further upon existing relationships.

Examples of reaction shots within music videos: 

The Heavy 'How Do You Like Me Now?' displays various different reaction shots as the lead singer of the band is seen reacting to all of the different strange on going he finds in the forest including the cartoon likes mystical women, red ridding hood and many more.

Nelly Furtado's 'Promiscuous girl' displays a reaction shot as Nelly is on the phone to Timbaland and he reacts with his face expressions to what Nelly is saying.

JoJo's music video for 'Too Little Too Late' reactions shots are displayed as JoJo is seen reacting to her boyfriend with facial expressions which represent her anger towards him.







Sugababes 'Push The Button' displays various reaction shots for instance as the lift doors open and the man waiting for the lift sees his love interest. As he does so the audience sees his facial expressions react to this.








Another editing technique I plan to use throughout my music video is that of a black and white filter. Which shall be beneficial as I plan to use it so to help the audience differ between scenes which are taking place in the past and in the present. Therefore meaning that the audience are less likely to become confused and more easily able to follow the narrative, so that the music video is able to perform it's job of promoting both the song and the artist. This is a conventional technique as the idea of black and white representing something which has happened in the past suits the soul genre as in the past color film wasn't available hence viewing black and white film reminds people of this. Therefore indicating that what is been shown has already taken place which is conventional towards the soul genre as it hasn't really developed since the time period it was created (1950s-1960s) this is because the audience of the soul genre enjoy the classic vibes build in with the genre. This editing style has been used within a variety of different music videos including that of my chosen artist Amy Winehouse for her music video 'Back to Black' further highlighting how conventional this technique is towards the soul genre. Examples of black and white filters in music videos Hozier's 'take me to church', Michael Jackson's 'Scream' and Madonna's 'Vogue'.

Editing is a major part of the planning and production of a music video. Not only is it essential for the actual physical creation of a music video but it is also essential so to ensure that the audience is able to enjoy their viewing experience and gain from it what the artist has planned as well as allowing the music video to perform it's job benefiting the artist.