Re-Shooting in the Recording Studio- Filming

Today after school, Me, Sheriece and Tom re-shooted in the recording studio as the shots we recorded previously did not reveal the main singer successfully and the main singer wasn't in the appropriate costume that a 'star' would wear. Sheriece wore the appropriate costume for the main singer as her costume followed the conventions of Ska female artists- wearing smart black, white, grey clothes. However, because we want to push the boundaries of this genre and modernise Ska for a modern audience she wore a bright pink scarf and cardigan to achieve this.

We set up the location so it would look professional for the audience when viewing the music video, we recorded various times in different positions with the camera. We recorded in a mid shot of the artist with the camera on a tripod, we recorded in a low angle/worms eye view with a slight up tilt with the camera just on the floor, we also used the FIG-RIG to record the artist singing using various close ups and mid shots. Other shots included hand held long shots, hand held mid shots and we placed the camera above Sheriece with a slight high angle/birds eye view. We decided to use a variety of different shots as the recording studio would be the audiences main focus within the video as we would use shots from this repeatedly throughout the music video. Another reason we used various shots was to make it more appealing, interesting and unique for the audience.

The lighting in these shots was minimal as we used the lighting in the room- I felt this was effective as the lighting was directly above the artist. The lights were small flood lights that appeared to look like small spotlights because there were a variety of them the lighting achieved was appropriate and effective for these shots.

I was extremely pleased with this recording session as we filmed about four takes using the camera in different positions and experiment with the camera positions and settings (e.g. night vision). The main singer- Sheriece also acted effectively and looked like she was performing.

Uploading and Began to Edit

We upload our footage from the last lesson to see if these shots were successful and effective to use in our music video, from seeing the clips we were aware that lighting was a problem in the close up shots of Sheriece singing the chorus in various positions. This was because of the shadow and because the lack of natural lighting. We have decided to re-shot this section next lesson.

After viewing and trying to edit our male actor running on a plain white wall, we were aware that the Chromo Key effect could not be achieved, again because of the lighting within this shot but also because of the characters costume wasn't completely contrasting enough for the effect to be achieved. Shadows was another factor that stopped us from achieving the most effective shot that we could have achieved. We have decided also to re-shot this section next lesson.

While re-shooting these two sections, we have decided to use a powerful light source of 100Ws. To overcome our problem with the lighting and the shadows.

Shooting Chorus and Extra to be edited with Chroma Key -Filming

During today’s lesson Me, Sheriece and Tom filmed two sections that we would use within our music video. Firstly, we were fortunate to have a male actor who was willing to do what we directed him to do. We filmed him running in front of a plain white wall, in a long shot so that Tom could edit this shot with the Chromo Key which would mean we would lose the background and just have the actor- so we could use him running through other shots at various sections of our music video. We found that we had some slight problems when filming this section as we were unable to see the whole body of the actor running. We then decided to do the same shot but on a smaller wall so we could just crop the sides to show a white wall.

We also record four shots of the main singer Sheriece in close ups that we could use in the chorus of the song, we sang directly to the camera firstly, then to the left, then to the right and then she sang looking down. We aim to edit these shots into four separate squares to create the illusion that she is singing to herself from different parts in the screens.

Final Cut- Editing

During today’s lesion we continued to edit with Final Cut on the Mac- during this session we began to edit and experiment with the opacity of the shots we have of the main artist in our music video. We used the opacity of the shots to reveal the artist singing and also show her foot tapping at the same time. While we were doing this it made us aware that we would need to re-shot in the recording studio to show the main artist ‘performing’ more.

Shooting ‘All the teachers in the pub, passing round the ready rub’- Filming

As we have previously used stop-motion in our music video with other shots successfully we decided to shot more in this technique, we decided to shot in stop-motion for the line ‘All the teachers in the pub, passing round the ready rub’, showing the drink going down as if the teacher was drinking it and also showing the drink going back up (however with the drink going back up this could only be achieved when editing).

Sheriece went outside of school to a nearby restaurant and with an actress we have already asked to be in our music video, filmed a close up of a glass and bottle of alcohol- so the main focus was the glass and what was in the glass. The camera was also placed on the table where the glass was showing it was at the same level, I felt this was extremely successful when watching it after being uploaded and feel stop-motion could be used more within our music video.

Final Cut- Editing

In today’s lesson we continued to edit our footage, during the editing process we started to experiment with splitting the screen into four sections that had four different clips- this would be more interesting and engaging for the audience to watch rather than just one shot. This also fitted well with the beat of the music- this was our main reason behind the reason of doing this. The four shots showed the close up and point of views of the headmaster and band members. We gained inspiration for this opening from a music video by The Specials called ‘Gangster’. The effect we altered to achieve this section of our editing was the super composition.

Using the colour corrector we experimented with the beginning of the video so we created four squares- two black and two white. This is also a common convention of a Ska music video because of the use of black and white; we gained inspiration from another video by The Specials. Throughout our music video to modern the Ska genre for our current, modern audience we have gone against the conventions of Ska music but we have also followed various conventions and this is one.

Emailing to book a filming location

Below is an email I sent to a Music Technician to book the Recording Studio for a re-recording session.

RE: Booking Recording Studio
Sam Luffman
Sent:14 October 2009 11:28
To:M Julian Fagan-King

Hi Sir,
Yep thats cool- just need you to set up the equipment in the recording studio for us. THANK YOU SAM

From: Julian Fagan-King
Sent: 13 October 2009 11:28
To: Sam Luffman
Subject: RE: Booking Recording Studio

Hi Sam, This week is a no! But next week is alright afterschool on wednesday?
Julian Fagan-King Music Technician Glenthorne High School

From: Sam Luffman
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 9:29 AM
To: Julian Fagan-King
Subject: Booking Recording Studio

Hi Sir, Its the Baggy Trousers music video group - just wondering if we could re-shot in the recording studio sometime after school (not recording vocals just with camera) as some of our footage isn't useable. Could you let me know when you are free any time after school (or during school)?

Thanks SAM

Final Cut Part1- Editing

During today's lesson we began to start editing our work on the Mac computers in a programme called Final Cut. We uploaded our work and began to start editing the start of our Music Video we also placed shots later on in the song that we had filmed. As we have not had a tutorial with Final Cut yet me and Sheriece were unaware how to use the programme but Tom has used the programme before so he was able to show us and guide us. We added checked squares to the intro of the song- we also added a vibration effect to the fire alarm to make it look like it was moving. As this was the first time we got to see if the song matched and went well with the filming we had done - we were pleased as a group with the process so far.

Uploading

We began to upload our footage today as we felt we have got to the stage where we could start uploading- this made my group aware what shots we have recorded, and what shots we still need to shot. While uploading we also noticed various shots that weren’t particular effective for example shots of the lead singers weren’t as revealing and focused on the lead singer as possible, so we are going to re-shot this with more interesting angles and effective shots. The uploading also gave us an insight into how the work was all piecing together.

Uploading

During today’s lesson we beagn to upload our footage on our three tapes onto the Macs through iMovie and then we transferred and copied it over to Final Cut. Uploading our footage revealed what we have filmed so far in the process, it also gave us the awareness what shots we could and what shots we couldn’t use in our music video.

Shooting "Headmaster's Breaking All The Rules"- Filming

During today's lesson Me, Sheriece and Tom went to record various shots that had the headmaster in- so we could use one for the line "Headmaster's Breaking All The Rules" and other shots that the headmaster would be present in. Sheriece brought in the prop of sweets and I brought in my costume for the headmaster, for this line we wanted the headmaster relaxing in a staff room environment with his feet up on the table eating sweets (basically breaking rules). We took various shots of these to experiment what shot would be the most effective- we recorded on a tripod over the shoulder shot to create an effect someone was watching him, low angle to give the headmaster status, a reflective shot to make the shot more interesting and various other experimental shots.

Shooting In The Corridor- Filming

After uploading and watching back our recorded footage from the last session we decided as a group that the shots we mainly done with the camera mounted on the FIG-RIG were the most effective and appealing. We created a hand-held effect but the shots appeared more smooth and not as shaky, also the actors faces were looking directly into the camera so it showed the actors interacting with the audeince. These shots were all effective and visually pleasing as it added to the range of angles that we used.

Shooting In The Corridor- Filming

In today's recording session we decided to experiment by using the FIG-RIG, we placed the camera onto the fig-rig so we could hold both sides of the wheel. We recorded shots of Myself, Sheriece and Stacey sitting on chair (we decided to record these and then in the editing stages decide what shots we would use). We recorded in 1st person- I used the Fig-Rig for a line in the song that refers to the head-teacher. We also recorded by placing the camera on floor level recording peoples feet in the shot.

Shooting Around School- Filming

During today's filming session we recorded a hand held shot of a fire alarm, that we would add an effect to, to show it is ringing. We also shot an extreme close up of Sheriece's eye that we would use in our music video. The final shots we recorded today were a hand held shot of a key hole that was an extreme close up and we also recorded this shot on a tripod to see what shot was more effective for what we wanted.