Promotional Video - Evaluation

Overall I feel that each task for this unit was conducted well and achieved successfully as a result of careful planning and active engagement. I feel that initial research into my clients brand was vital, as it allowed me to develop some ideas in terms of what I wanted to create visually and conceptually. I looked into her work by visiting her official website and social media pages; this helped by giving me some grounds to go by in terms of her aesthetic and visual style, so that I could incorporate it into my own work.

Doing this also allowed me to develop an idea of what type of background music I wanted to use. I contacted a producer and sent a few existing compositions along with a visual mood board as inspiration for them to work from. By doing this, I was able to find a corresponding piece of music for my work, whilst avoiding the risk of using any copyright audio material.

By conducting research prior to starting the project, I was able to have a rough idea of how long I wanted the video to be. This made the editing process easier; by focusing on what to include within a particular length of time, I was able to cut down the interview section and various other shots, to create a concise yet succinct final piece, just enough to present all the relevant information about my client's work.

I made sure to get as involved as possible in my clients work. I attended fashion shows/photo shoots and arranged to film my client in her workspace, so that I could capture the craftsmanship as well as the glamour that surrounds her final pieces. By filming a variety of footage in various locations, I was able to create a diverse montage, which showcased the best of my clients work.

Ideally, I would have liked to capture more of the craftsmanship involve in my clients work, however due to a lack of time, I was unable to do so. In essence, I feel that more of shots of Jayne in her working environment would have added to the authenticity of the overall piece and added a sense of balance between the hands on work and the final pieces displayed in the fashion shows and photo shoots.

The main obstacle that I faced, was in trying to arrange time to record interviews with my client. Her work schedule was relatively full, therefore it became a problem finding a day where she was able to let me film her in her workspace. However, this was overcome and the interview with Jayne, provided a deeper insight to her work, tying together the video overall.

In terms of editing, I found that it was easier to edit once I had the audio to work with. In this instance, the rhythmic style editing complimented the content of the video, whilst also keeping an upbeat flow to engage the viewers attention. Other elements that I had to consider during the editing process were the levels of both the music and interview; it is vital that my clients interview was clearly audible over the backing track, so that I could attain the ultimate purpose of the video, which was to promote her work. In response to the final draft that I had sent to my client, she had directed me to alter the levels of the audio tracks so that her interview was more audible.

I found that organising my videos into folders made the editing process much easier, as I was able to select the footage that I needed in order to correspond with what my client was discussing during the interview.

Music Video - Analysis of Text

One of the most striking aspects of the video, is the way visuals have been edited to cut in time to the audio track, 'preserving the videos momentum' (VERNALLIS, C. 2001). It works be amplifying the music itself which highlights the instrumentation of the piece.

In addition to this, the diverse visual elements illustrate and amplify the lyrical content of the song. An obvious example would be the lyrics that manifest in various ways, in a written form.

A sense of artistic branding is highlighted through the performance that the artist delivers during the course of the video; a simplistic yet intensely sincere presentation is reflective of the artists style.

It would seem that the genre of the video is predominantly studio performance, however the way that the lyrical content has been portrayed through the use of written indicators and manipulation of inanimate objects, there is a slight narrative that is developed.

The overall feel of the video is expressed through the various visual elements, enhancing the musical side of things. The location itself is sets a personal and familiar ambience, once again this is a device used to express artistic branding. It gives an insight into the artist style, both visual and musical elements.

References:
VERNALLIS, C. 2001 "The Kindest Cut: functions and meanings of music video editing".

Music Video - Analysis of Text

The use of close ups to introduce the video, acts as an expressive device, getting across artistic portrayal. This alludes towards star iconography and branding, presenting the very distinctive image of the artist herself.

In addition, a sense of voyeurism is introduced as the viewers are given the opportunity to observe the artist from a rather intimate distance. This is reinforced as the video progresses, where we see the artist clothed in revealing attire. The overall style of the video reflects some from of meta narrative, which is enhanced through the choreography. It is suggestive of her mixed creative abilities and visual style, which ultimately structures some sort of hyperreality.  As displayed below, her album artwork is a representation of herself, composed in such a way that the observer is forced to question its legibility. However, her most distinctive traits are easily recognisable, particularly the hair and makeup.

The lyrics are amplified and illustrated in various instances; not only does the video feature the artist delivering a very sincere performance of the song, which increases the authenticity, we also see that a theme of isolation is referred to, which is complimented by a long shot of the artist in solitude.

Similarly, the music is amplified by what's on screen; throughout the video the visuals enhance the pace of the audio, producing creative harmony. From a technical perspective, it is clear to see that the shots have been cut in time to the music, as well as being filmed in such a way that the musical elements are highlighted. An example of this is the rotation of the camera, which particularly amplifies the vocals and central melody. 

As Goodwin would suggest, the genre of this music video is a studio performance combined with experimental and conceptual elements. Again, this stands a reflection of the artist and brings to light her star image.

Promotional Video - Client Feedback & Draft Questionnaire

I have been in constant contact with my client, discussing improvements and amendments to the video. I sent an initial draft edit, so that my client was able to get an idea of what direction the video was taking in term of content and aesthetic.

In addition to this, I have constructed a draft online survey as a quick and easy method of collecting feedback from my client for the finished product. I chose to include questions that were relevant and beneficial to the area of work, including a series of multiple choice questions and some with a more open format.

Music Video - Contextual Research

Andrew Goodwin - Dancing In The Distraction Factory

In an overview of his analysis, it can be said that the most significant ideas that Goodwin proposed suggest that there is a direct relationship between lyrics/music and visuals; the visuals presented may either illustrate, amplify or contradict the music and/or lyrics. Also, it is often the case that we see how the visuals are cut in time to the audio.

In addition to this, Goodwin also highlighted the genre characteristics of music videos, which include: stadium performances, studio performances, location, narrative and conceptual/experimental. No genre of music is distinctly defined by a style of video, however there are key visual indicators and themes that are identifiable. A popular feature is close ups of the artists, often this is implemented as a demand from record companies to feature the artist heavily in the video. Some artists will use this to develop motifs, which occur across multiple videos; artistic branding, celebrity culture, artistic portrayal and implications on looking good. Similarly, star iconography is something that artists tend to develop in their music videos through branding, style, brand values or unique selling points.

There are also many examples of voyeurism used in various music videos in the form of nudity/revealing clothes, exhibitionism, intimate settings and frame within a frame. In this context, the male gaze is often used to attract a male audience, typically achieved by focusing upon a voyeuristic perception towards and an objectification of women. The emphasis of looking is also reinforced by having the artist look directly into the camera.

Finally, Goodwin noted that music videos often incorporate intertextuality, by referencing other music videos, films, or television programs.

References:
GOODWIN, A. (1992) "Dancing In The Distraction Factory". Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press 

Promotional Video - Interview Prep

In preparation for an interview with my client, I have been watching various promotional videos that incorporate interviews to gain inspiration and get an idea of the types of questions I could ask and how I want the shots to look visually. 

The type of questions I intend to ask include, how long my client has been running her independent business and what inspired her to do so. I feel that such questions will evoke answers that not only give an insight into her expertise, but also adds a personal element, showcasing her carefully crafted talent and skill.

In addition to this, I would like to overlay the spoken dialogue with shots of her working, showing her final pieces and elements of the planning process. I feel that this will tie together all of the other footage, in a cohesive and visually diverse manner.

Promotional Video - Initial Draft

For the initial draft, I have edited together all the footage captured from two fashion shows and collated it into a montage sequence. From this, I feel that an interview is necessary in order to give the viewer a clearer idea of what the video is promoting. Hence, I intend to have shots of my client talking about their business and their products, this will be complimented with shots of them working on headpieces in their office as well as the catwalks. The spoken dialogue will help to provide an explanation and insight, into the work of my client. In addition, it will create a dynamic variation in a visual sense, bringing the viewers awareness back to the client, engaging them in the essence of the video, which is her work.

As there was a lot of footage to edit into the sequence, I was sure to arrange everything into relevant folders, making the overall process much easier and more convenient. This also allowed me to combine various videos into one coherent sequence, in which I was able to show a vast variety of my clients work.