Friday 2 June 2017

Task 7- Evaluation

In this evaluation, we were asked to create a music video of our choice in soundtrack and style. The track had to be made by an underrated artist or a song without music video made yet due to copyright on Youtube the music video was to be uploaded on vimeo. As the clearances on YouTube are quite strict and might mute the soundtrack. Song's with least rights and were available to makes music videos. For our music video we chose to use a R&B/Soul genre music video to present a short narrative in the music video to elaborate the lyrics of the song. The particular genre can be used in many ways for music videos for example, some music videos use performative mode where the artist or instruments perform live in the music video to create the type of mood in the music video. The song we chose was about relationships and we had to think about how to present a relationship based short them through making a shot lists.
In the pre-production we decided the roles for everyone to follow in the task. We all shared the amount of work to do e.g. Mood board, call sheet and production schedule. We finished doing the pre-production work early as we didn't need as much resources and equipment to film the music video. The location of the music video shoot was a close friend to one of the person in the group and didn't require the release forms. For the other footage we used a public area to film at the time there wasn't many interferences' as we shot the music video making it easier and accessible to film.
As for the post-production schedule, Naz and Mohammad were in charge of filming and editing the music video. We mostly shared the work so there was a fair and balance in what work that was needed to be done during the music video planning. The majority of the paperwork in the pre-production schedule except the release forms that we needed on the day of the shoot.
In addition, when it comes to music video production it's important to follow the lyrics with narrative to foretell what the song is representing. When planning for the shots to use for the music video we looked a range of different style that R&B/Soul music took upon in their music videos. For example, In the mood board we chose to follow the style of J. Cole’s short story in the music video She knows. The music video represented American culture of living in the suburbs in California thorough the hardships of their lifestyle, as compared to British lifestyle which is much different. The song we chose showed a lot of American culture in the lyrics. It was difficult to think up of the British adaptation of the song through the visuals. For example, the song was actually inspired from an American sitcom show called living single. From an American audiences view they would be able to relate to the content of the lyrics as it was more about American culture than British culture. It wasn't as hard in the beginning to come up with the shots, but later on it became simpler to think of the style to portray the song.
In order to improve my skills and knowledge in these task, I think I should have spoken more about how the music video can be made better both visually and editing. This would have benefited me as I could understand how to plan projects and keep a record of time management, so that the amount of time is spent evenly during the time making the music video, this would have made more time to add finishing touches to any work left that can be improved to better the standards of music videos. As a group, we had communication and knew what our roles were I think that being present on days to talk further about what is needed or can be improved in the music video would've supported our group work. So, that it's clear whose work is completed and people can talk over what they understood or not understood in that time limit before the due date.
The overall music video did represent the music genre style we planned in the post-production R&B/Soul style through a short story narrative. If we were asked to do this again, I think I would plan out more as a group therefore it would've been clear to everyone what was going on. The shooting was done beforehand instead of the post-production. Having the planning set out before shooting would have made it clearer to everyone what is done and what's not done.


Music Video - https://vimeo.com/219102457?utm_source=email&utm_medium=vimeo-cliptranscode-201504&utm_campaign=28749
    

Task 6- Planning and Research

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bz8fKzOGIZxRT0w1WjIxVVFMQWM

Storyboard for Music Video

Task 5

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bz8fKzOGIZxRT0w1WjIxVVFMQWM

Task 4

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bz8fKzOGIZxRT0w1WjIxVVFMQWM

Task 3

Task 3- Research report for YouTube and their partnership



In this report, I will research into how YouTube have built their audience aligned with their viewing platform and analyse why YouTube have other partnerships and how it benefits
YouTube. YouTube started out as a small company located on top of restaurants it had little staff to begin with after being established on the 14th of February. It was a site for broadcasting videos and communicating with others logged on. After, two years if release the community already began to receive recognition and had partnerships with the three filming companies e.g. MGM, Lions Gate Entertainment and CBS to advertise their upcoming shows. From these following partnerships this gave YouTube opportunities and benefits to improve the company for future projects that could further expand YouTube. 
Five years after release the expansion for the site was able to reach 23 countries across 24 different languages. The expansion of the digital platform gave people access to go on the site which made videos view count exceed the amount of people that clicked and viewed a video. For example, the most viewed video in 2010 was Lady Gaga’s music video Bad Romance with 196 million views. The reason why the video received so many views was because of the originality and content that she portrayed through the mise-en-scene of her music video. She was known for her having songs to look based on the unordinary and seemed to have no boundaries when expressing herself. The help of the expansion allowed her video to connect to different audiences in the 23 countries YouTube reached. Her targeted audience for her videos would appeal to people ages from 11 to 20+ as it was accessible to any ages of people that know and use YouTube.
Another reason she was able to hit more than a million views was because of the product placement and assets used such as the costumes, accessories, settings, choreography and soundtrack. The objects used in the music video always had this edge to them making it different to what you would see today. Her uniqueness and perspective of music was different that made people want to watch her videos.
In May 2010, YouTube created an event called “My YouTube Story” to celebrate their five-year anniversary. Youtubers created video montages and playlist by celebrities. It then created the slogan “Broadcast Yourself” which signifies what YouTube is about making videos to connect with others. As Youtube’s expansion grew so did the quality if the videos and content change for example, vlogging, live videos, and viral videos over 200 countries. Due to expansion of YouTube began to grow partnerships with other companies allowed e.g. Vevo to upload music videos made by Artist. From this partnership YouTube benefited receiving live session videos or behind the scene footage to feature on their platform. This partnership allowed money to go to both companies and gain more audiences to watch the content from the vevo YouTube channels. It now has over 250 partnerships being a free site to anyone.
When google+ integrated with YouTube this helped made the website into a social networking site allowing notifications and new feed that gave updates on recent uploads of subscribed YouTube accounts. People using the site could be given recommendations of other people that upload similar contents. This brought more people to work with YouTube as they saw what benefits you could work from making videos. E.g. The YouTube account called Smosh made a lot with their videos from YouTube and made their own company to make videos. After a while they stopped making videos and continued working in their company. Some ‘Youtubers’ were able to have a book published.
In conclusion, YouTube started off from as a small studio based office to an expanding platform for broadcast videos. The company's expansion lead to the change of video to be in the way we watch or film. Also, the way we can portray narratives in videos that can be used to promote awareness to topics targeted at audiences of different age groups. For example, the short ads in between breaks of videos, the google ads advertise on how you can use their search engine. The videos are aimed at all people of all genders, ethnicity and ages who watch videos on YouTube.


https://socialblade.com/youtube/top/networks - partnerships with YouTube

Wednesday 22 March 2017

MV Research Task


In this essay I will be researching three different music video genres. Theses genres will be Hip-hop/Rap, R&B/Soul and KHip-hop. Hip Hop follow a similar theme in their music videos often has artistic edits involved as its being shot to capture the realism in a story-like way through their music. As, for R&B/Soul the pace of the song can be much slower as compared to Hip Hop the rhythmic cutting used follows the beat of the track making the transitions of the music video seem quick. Korean Hip Hop is much different to Hip Hop we hear from the Western music made. The music videos can be similar to American Hip Hop music videos demonstrating party life or wealth. However, a lot more culture differences portraying their way of life and their lyrics have some word-play which relates more to their audience for hip hop than an international audience.
For the first music video I have chosen a song called “Fly Again” by a Japanese rapper called KOHH. The meaning of the music video is to share his journey to foreign countries new to him showing how his music caught attention from an audience not just from Japan. This gave him as opportunities to share his music on an international scale. The English translation of his lyrics reflect the trips of his tours in America he mentions “Go to never seen places before.” whilst in the music video he makes a movement of an aeroplane as he lifts his arms showing this soaring motion highlighting the title of the song fly again
The transitions from location to location of New York and Japan reflect himself being a new artist getting to experience different countries whilst doing something that he loves. The transitions used looks like a page being turned similar to how a book is. It’s a way for the artist to show the audience his journey or new chapter in life producing and making music. The bird’s eye view used during the start of the video could be interpreted as the sky's the limit and you can achieve what you set your mind to. This can also be shown him wearing designer clothes whilst in New York with all the music he makes he’s able to have that luxury of travelling and wearing those clothes. Linking to the message that there are opportunities out there for everyone.
For the next music video, I have chosen a Hip-hop genre by an artist called Mino. He only came to produce music three years ago and works at an agency as an active member in a group called Winner. At the start of the music video we see a room filled with cages with dogs inside them as the camera slowly pans in. The music starts along with rhythmic cuttings along with the track. Opening to the artist’s face shown from a close up view portraying a start of a show his attire of a suit and gelled back hair give this chic and class look. The cuts are arranged rhythmically according to the soundtrack. This gives a sense of upbeat effect portraying a dance feel theme to the song you would similarly hear at a club.
Another way a club scene is portrayed through this music video is the use of lights used the white dancing lights and neon coloured animation help build this club scene to show appeal for people familiar with the experience you see at a club. Especially, as the chorus starts all cuts during that part are sped up to match the pace of the soundtrack. The title “I’m Him” opens from a close up to a wide shot. This presents to the audience Mino is him in that sense to confirm his identity. The sped up cuts present a sense follow that rhythmic cutting following the soundtrack this shows a sense of dance mood with the flashing lights cutting to Mino and lights.
His lyrics in the English translation has a lot of wordplay in the way he wants to express himself through the lyrics. There’s a link to KOHH’s music video as these music video is trying to convey a journey for new artist, but in Mino’s case it’s a way for him to appear as himself and confirming himself as a new artist. The mise-en-scene of dog cages in the video reflect his lyrics to show he is in control and how his hard work leads him here to where he is today. The line “I took off and threw away the leash.” metaphorically saying he is done from taking orders, the lexis of a dog or animal’s characteristics used in the lyrics convey he is capable, and uses the process of producing music as a driving force to get where he wants to be as an artist stay true to himself. It’s a way to show himself confidently.
The clothes he wears in this music represents the genre of the song from the all-white outfit and the dark suit express this luxury similar to KOHH’s clothes in fly again. From the transitions of Mino in the suit and him wearing sweats suggests the trends of clothes he is able to get now that he makes music again creating this luxury image when making money.
For the final music video, I have chosen an R&B/Soul music video by an artist called Jay Park “Me like yuh”. R&B music videos uses choreography in the video e.g. most Usher music videos involve him dancing, which these music video of this genre similarly follow.  
This music video is different from the others as the cuts aren’t used to create a narrative. The music video “Me like Yuh” focuses on the dance to create the narrative of the song.  Which we can see from the panning of the camera allowing this flow motion capturing the attention of the audience. By using other ways of creating a narrative through editing this makes the music video interesting to the viewer for e.g. In Mino- I’m Him the animation is used to create a narrative as he raps. The animation helps reinforce of what he’s trying to say to get his message across.
The mise-en-scene used in the music video is to create a story through dance the setting used is similar to Drake’s song Hotline Bling of the white studio. The dancing lights used to transition the cuts of the dance performance create the sub-genre R&B/Soul through the loose dance moves rhythmically similar to the two other music videos creating a link that all three genres have a similar editing trend used in each music video.
The clothes that are worn on the dancers show a contrasts of gender e.g. girls wearing tight clothes and the guys wearing loose clothes. The costumes used are expected to be seen in any genre similar to R&B. This is to shows the representation of gender that is portrayed in R&B music video to show this appeal to all genders to look attractive in front of the audience.
The lighting used in this music video create an attractive look to a young adult audience of people dancing to music they enjoy which we see towards the end of the video of the dancers smiling together. This shows sense of family or friendship having fun and doing something with those you have in common with.
In conclusion, we see a link between all three music videos from the use of rhythmic cuttings shown per frame in each music video. The editing of each music video are edited to look attractive with the use of camera shots to transitions of each individual cuts creating a concept following the genre of Hip-hop, Rap and R&B/Soul.  

Music Videos
KOHH - ”飛行機https://youtu.be/g4Z0v8bLiNQ


Jay Park x Prepix x Purplow- Me like Yuh https://youtu.be/9dIVOtRtBb8