1. Did you enjoy the workshop day? What were your best bits and why?
I really enjoyed the workshop day as it was so dissimilar to anything i had done before. It gave me an insight into how a professional shoot works, and I learnt that I would definitely be interested in a working in a similar environment later in life!
Most of all I enjoyed helping out on set. When we weren't in front of the camera we acted as runners. This predominantly involved helping out with 4 production areas: the set, the production team, costume & makeup, and cast & crew. I most enjoyed helping out with the production team, helping out with things like playback (showing dancers the original shots that they would recreate), cable bashing and laying the track. My favorite part was learning about the lighting, which is something that really interests me. We learnt how to control the lights in the studio, what each one did and I was interested how vastly different studio lighting is to that of film lighting outside of the studio. Something else I enjoyed was shadowing the first A.D. From this I learnt the role of the 1st AD, how vital their job is and how different it is to the director's!
Task 1: Analyse a music video: From this I learnt the conventions of performance music videos. It taught me the importance of developing a simple idea and single concept. I also learnt how many shots and costume/make-up/set changes are needed to make a video professional looking.
Task 2: Audition video: This taught me firstly how important it is to make sure your actors are relaxed, when I looked uncomfortable - you could tell! As an actor you have to pretend that you're confident even if you're not.
Task 3: Learn your performance: I learnt from this that the best thing to do as an actor is to give it your all. Otherwise, the camera picks this up and you can tell! It's very noticeable when one person doesn't fit in. I also learnt to relax, no one is focusing on my performance other than me, on the day everyone will have their own concerns.
Task 4: Plan and organize your costumes: This definitely taught me importance of costume and mise-en-scene. Attention to detail is what makes a shot! I also learnt from this that if you look hard enough you can find most things you need, so you don't necessarily need large budget to have a professional looking shoot.
Task 5: The One-Day Workshop:
This was the day that I learnt the most. Firstly, I learnt that everyone has a very specific job, and it is important that everyone does exactly that for the shoot to run smoothly. I now also understand the specifics of these roles and which task is designated to whom. Also, whilst in the lighting box, I learnt about how live TV is filmed, directed and edited - something I hadn't really expected to learn on the day!
Task 6: The Workshop Edit: This edit taught me the importance of timing more than anything else and therefore the importance of planning. If one of the band members does a move half a second late, it is immediately obvious! I also learnt how fast and discontinuous the editing style is. Shots change every split second, so it is very important that actors are giving it their all the whole way through.
This is the lipsync audition video we created prior to the workshop
3. Are you pleased with the footage and your edit? Is it how you expected it to look?
I'm really pleased with the footage, and its incredible how accurately we managed to recreate the majority of shots on a much smaller budget. It looks so much better than I expected. Everyone gave it their all on the day which dramatically improved the quality of the shots. However, there are some shots where the gesture is done slightly too early in comparison to the lyrics. This shows on the edit as each shot is so quick and the lipsync has to be really accurate.
The edit looks really good, and the grading does not have to be that intense because the quality of the shots is really good. I'm really pleased with the effects that we've put on some of the shots, they really make the video look polished. I'm amazed at how well we can recreate a music video as a school!
4. How do you think your prelim experiences will impact on your approach to next term's music video coursework?
My prelim experiences will have a massive impact - I've learnt a lot!
- Firstly, it has made me realise how important it is to plan everything to the very last detail. It is always possible to deviate from the plan, but if you don't have one, things go wrong.
- When making my music video I will do everything I can to make my actors feel comfortable. I've learnt that this is definitely a priority, and it directly affects the quality of the shot.
- I will definitely invest more time into styling! If possible, one of us will focus time on the day of the shoot styling the actors. Before the shoot, I will find visual references, and decide exactly what I want in terms of hair, makeup and costume. I will also spend more time designing the set and finding perfect locations and props.
- I will spent lots more time researching and testing out lighting because that is something I've become particularly interesting in recently, because I feel that I have often neglected it in the past and that it can make a shot.
- I would like to gain more experience on camera, to make my work look more professional, and I will try to do this on the A2 course.
Overall, the prelim experiences will impact my work next term and in the future greatly.
