Past Robert Clack Media Students Music Videos

Blow Me Out-Down/Hill

-it shows alot of the band playing
-it has a simple story
-it uses great camera angles (canted/dutch tilt)
-the bands playing and lip syncing was very good
- it uses clever editing

This music video got a grade A.


I Live For Speed-Star Spangles

-uses good editing
-the pace of the editing matches the song name


Insomnia

-tells a story
-uses good locations
-has good use of flashbacks
-however it would look more like a music video if it used lip syncing


Movies of Myself-Rufus Wainwright

-good use of lip syncing(almost perfect)
-good opening shot(slow motion)
-uses lots of different locations, wears different clothes
-good canted angles
-has a good constant pace-done through editing

This music video also got a grade A


Movies of Myself-Rufus Wainwright

-good effect from reversed shots
-great, simple idea-zooms into photos, and cuts to that location(as if re-living memory)
-could have looked into the camera more often
-should have used more of the tripod as some hand held shots are too shaky


Set you Free-The Black Keys

-good fast editing between photos of the band members
-great performance from the singer
-is evident they thought alot about mise-en-scene: clothes etc.


Hello-Simple Kid

-one of the best music videos form any media student
-recieved 100% mark
-uses clever shots:shot into sun, zoomes out until face comes into view and covers the sun
-great performance
-large parts in reverse but still lip syncing: so he learned how to say the words backwards
-excellent lip syncing
-great mirror effects: gives a real music video feel
-at one point the shot is all in black and white except for a pink ribbon that is being twirled around on the end of a stick: had turned the contrast down

Screen shot of music permission

We have our song :)

Today we got the go ahead for the use of the song we want. I had previously emailed the author of the song on NewGrounds and today we got the reply. Here's what the emails said:

Hi, my names Becky. Im not sure if you got the message from my friend, so if not im sending you another 1 :)

Im an A-Level media student and this year for my coursework i need to produce a music video. However i can only use uncopyrighted music. So i was looking around and found your song 'Insomniacs'. Me and my group think it is great and perfect for what we need, so we was wondering if you would allow us to use it.

The only people that will see our video is our teacher and the examiner.

Please reply asap (we need to start filming soon)
Thanks alot :)

Terribly sorry for the late reply! I would be really excited to let you use the song :) of course, i would really enjoy seeing the final product as well!

The authors user name is DamonGuyett. He is 18 and a student from Canada.

"Some of my favorite lyrics that I've written, it's a song written for and about my girlfriend and her past. I love the chorus, and includes perhaps my favorite guitar performance from me :)"

100 Greatest Music Videos

In class we have been watching The 100 Greatest Music Videos. It shows examples of popular, controversial and ground-breaking videos, which help to give us ideas on what makes a good music video and what we could use in ours.

98-Bronski Beat-Smalltown Boy
-it tells the story of a gay life
-it was the first openly gay band

95-The Cardigans-My Favourite Game
-tells the story of a failing love affair
-a very humourous video

87-Godley and Cream-Cry
-used groundbreaking technology
-ahead of its time

71-Bjork-All Is Full Of Love
-also uses new technology
-robots
-the pace of the video matches the tempo of the song

68-Madonna-Ray of Light
-was filmed in Sweden
- uses fast editing
-everything in fastforward
-took a very long time to film (14 days)

66-Subterranean Homesick Blues
-this video was taken form a documentary of Bob Dylan
-it is the most famous video
-the cue-card dropping has been copied many times

63-George Michael-Outside
-caused controversy as it made light of his arrest for an act in a puplic toilet
-in the video he wears a police uniform and it shows people being sexual
-caused the policeman who arrested him to sue Michael as he believes he was being 'mocked'

61-The Prodigy-Smack My Bitch Up
-uses a point of view shot throughout the video
-was hugely controversial and offensive

60-Eurythmics-Sweetdreams
-much of the bands impact was due to the singers image in the video
-used a cow in the video, last thing you expect to see
-was popular in the US, made it to number 2

58-The Cure-Close To Me
-creates a claustrophobic feel
-is comical as it looks like the music is being created right there and then: someone playing a
keyboard, someone plucking a comb.

55-Fat Boy Slim-Praise You
-filmed as a hidden camera
-group doing bad dance routine
-humorous
-won 6 MTV music video awards

49-Jamiroquai-Virtual Insanity
-walls on wheels, cause an effect that the floor moves
-amazes people
-won best video, cinematography award

48-Johnny Cash-Hurt
-very moving
-showed a history of his life, he knew he was dying
-has a yellow tinge-to symbolise illness
-died 6 months later

46-Adam and The Ants-Prince Charming
-thought hugely about mise-en-scene-clothing, make-up, props etc.

43-Dire Straits-Money For Nothing
-computer graphics

41-Spice Girls-Wannabe
-dancing in a hotel
-is one continuous shot/no cuts

38-Fat Boy Slim-Weapon of Choice
-Christopher Walken dancing in a hotel
-humourous-flys on wires

35-Sinead O'Connor-Nothing Compares to You
-adds value to the song and the singer
-very simple but very effective-she crys (real tears)
-good real performance
-close up of her face for most of the video

33-U2-The Sweetest Thing
-saying sorry to his wife
-does not sing
-only about expression
-star's other famous singers and celebrities

29-Electric Six-Gay Bar
-most controversial video ever
-humourous-gay Abraham Lincoln
-video cannot be shown in America

26-TLC-Waterfalls
-3D computer generated special effects e.g. dancing water woman

24-Radiohead-No Surprises
-adds value to the song
-video and song compliment each other
-3mins of close up of face and lyrics scrolling up the screen shown backwards

17-Blur-Coffee and TV
- adds valuse to the song

16-Outcast-Hey Ya
-playes every character in the video

14-Christina Aguilera-Dirty
-controversial
-a woman being powerful-boxing

12-Michael Jackson-Scream
-most expensive music video ever
-cost $7million

11-Coldplay-The Scientist
-adds value to the song
-the video is being played backwards but the music normal
-he also lip syncs to the music, which means he had to learn to say the words backwards

6-Robbie Williams-Rock DJ
-controversail-striptease
-half the video was banned as it got very graphic

5-Madonna-Like a Prayer
-an extremely controversial music video
-outrages religious groups as it showed a black jesus

4-Queen-Bohemian Rhapsody
-number 1 for 9 weeks
-prism effect astonished viewers

3-A-Ha-Take on Me
-song was a flop
-re-released with new video and was a major hit
-adds value to the song
-cartoon/drawing effect

2-Peter Gabriel-Sledgehammer
-uses stop screen animation
-does so much in 3 minutes

1-Michael Jackson-Thriller
-idea taken from a film: American Werewolf In London
-famous dance
-"Thriller Mania"
-shown late at night in cinemas-extended acting in the video

Research-'Godly and Cream-Cry' 1985

Godly and Cream were music video producers, who had never been heard of as they worked behind the scenes. In 1985 they made, and stared in a video called 'Cry'. This was a pioneering video, well ahead of its time. It consists of a sequence of faces, with different cuts in between e.g. fades, wipes etc. This was the first of its kind and the public was blown away. And you can see how revolationary this video was, as the lip synching had not quite yet been mastered successfully.

Research-'Mad World'

I have been looking at some music videos for my research, and i came across Gary Jules-Mad World. I find it is a very good video as the pace of the camera movements match the slow tempo of the song. Also what we are seeing goes with what we are hearing: some of the lyrics say "went to school and i was very nervous, no one new me, no one new me. Hello teacher tell me whats my lesson, look right through me, look right through me". And at the beginning of the video we hear a school bell and children rush out the school into the street. Then throughout the video the children are making animated figures on the pavement below.

Previous Music Videos

Today we watched some of last yeas music videos, to get ideas on whats effective and what we should avoid.

The first we watched was called '6Underground'.

-it had very good lip syncing, and sync's every word
-they used different settings, which made it look dark and dangerous
-it had a very good transition where the camera is moved down, there is a cut and then it is moved up again to show a different setting
-the singer looked the part/fitted with the singer on the audio
-used great mise-en-scene e.g. make-up, clothes


'Spread the Love'

-had good use of instuments
-gave it alot of effort
-it was consistent
-good editing
-good mise-en-scene: great location (church)
-lip synching was out of time
-person does not fit the song (presentation)


'Anyone else but you'

-relationship is believeable
-great graphic match: eye to sun
-good mise-en-scene: great setting, clothing matches the setting, look the part
-not alot of singing but what they do is good
-use lyrics in there acting: direct reference to what they are using
-fast dissolve used throughout
-creates good pace, even though its a slow song. Stops you getting bored

Music

We have found the song we want to use in our video. It is called 'Insomniac' from the website www.newgrounds.com We have contacted the maker of the song, asking for there permission to use it and are waiting for the reply.

Getting Started

This year i am in a new group for my coursework, with Charlotte and Becky. We have started looking for music, and have found someone who can play the guitar to be in our video.