Weather Planning

One of my scenes is set in the street which means filming has to be done on a day suiting the weather. To make sure I organised a suitable day for this shoot I checked the weather forecast for the upcoming week. I looked at Tuesday initially because it was less cold than any other day meaning the cast will be warmer and more comfortable in their costumes. However I then realised that it is supposed to be very windy which could interact with the sound. This is not much of an issue because the sound will be taken off anyway, however it could possibly blow the characters hair and costume around which would be distracting and might not give the desired effect. 

I was then going to look at the forecast for Thursday because it appears to be considerably less windy however Kate is unable to make this day because of work. Jack is also unable to make Wednesday night so I instead looked at the forecast for Friday, however with this being quite far ahead the information was limited:

There's not a lot of information at the moment (30th November) but from what I can see the weather appears to be not too bad. I don't think it's supposed to rain, the wind isn't as bad as earlier in the week and although it's colder this doesn't effect the actual filming too much.This means that filming on this day might be possible, I will however check the weather again in a couple of days time and post an updated, more detailed forecast. If I then believe the weather is still good enough to continue with filming then I will try to organise the shoot with my cast.

UPDATE
After consulting with my actors I found that Kate is going away this weekend (5th-7th) and so would be unable to make filming on Friday (5th), therefore we are going to instead try to also film the street scene on the 12th if we have time. I have looked on BBC Weather at Cottingham (the location for filming on this date) however the forecast is currently unavailable (30th November) so I will check again at a later date. When it is available I will decide whether I think it is suitable to do this or not.

SECOND UPDATE

Today (9th December) I checked BBC Weather again for the forecast in Cottingham on Friday and there is now an overview of the weather (although it is quite minimal). There isn't a lot of information but from what I can see the weather appears to be alright. Although it is cloudy it is not supposed to rain during the time I am filming and so we should be able to shoot the street scenes. There's a possibility that it could be quite windy however which will affect the sound quality but this will be taken off anyway and so shouldn't be a problem. Although there could still be a problem with the characters hair and costumes being blown around slightly. After looking at the weather I have decided to go ahead with filming on Friday and hope that no problems arise. If we are unlucky and are unable to film certain shots then we will focus our filming on the inside shots instead and rearrange filming the street scenes for another time.

December Shooting Schedule

Organising when I'm going to shoot each scene is important so I know each actor/actress can make that day and time. Due to each of us (me and cast members) having different timetables for college and work shifts we've had to organise when we're filming very carefully. Also Jack (the main male character) lives quite far away in comparison to me and Kate (the main female character), therefore we've had to ensure that he has enough time to get to the location (one of the reasons we've chosen his house as the setting for many of the shots). To keep everyone up to date I have gotten both cast members numbers so I can communicate with them easily. I have posted screen shots of the messages I have already sent them regarding shooting dates and times below (these will be updated as we arrange more dates). In addition to this I have also taken a screenshot of my online calendar in which I have added dates of when and where I am filming so that I can manage my time efficiently, making sure I and other cast members are where they are supposed to be and also making sure I have the right props, costume, etc needed at the time. 

We have already organised a few of the shooting dates for the up coming month. 

2nd December:

Me and Kate both share a free on a Tuesday last period (14:50-16:00) and so are going to arrange to book the green room out at college for this time on the 2nd. Here we are going to film the shots which use a black background and artificial lighting (for example shots 27a, 27b, 27c and 28). I have also asked Jack if he could come into college to film shots which need him as well, however he is unsure of whether he is going to be able to make this due to study commitments, therefore we may have to rearrange for Jack to come in another time. I will however go ahead with filming the shots of Kate on her own so I have some footage to use and edit until Jack is free. This will allow me to see whether I think the shots are to a good enough standard and if they aren't I'll have time to re-shoot them at a later date. I am also going to use this time to do some test shots so I can practice with the camera, for example doing practice pans and tilts. This will prepare me for later in the month (the 12th) when these camera movements will be needed. 

UPDATE

Today (1st December) I went to the media department to try and book the green room out for the time we had organised but unfortunately someone had already booked it at that time. This meant that I had to quickly reorganise with my actress (Kate) to book it out for the following day (Wednesday 3rd December) in our free period from 10:30- 11:30. This unfortunately means that Jack is unable to make it as he is at college and so I will arrange for him to come in another day to film the shots which require him.

Updated calender: 

12th December:

We have also arranged to film on Friday the 12th because this is convenient for everyone and it is essential that all cast members are available for this session. We haven't organised a specific time as of yet but have decided it will be between 12 and 14:30. This is because Jack has the day off of college and so is available from anytime and me and Kate are free from 11:30 to 14:50 but have allowed time for travelling to and from the shooting location. In addition to this the time will allow us to use natural lighting because this is before the sun sets. Below I have included screenshots of the messages exchanged when organising this filming session.

Health and Safety

Lighting Ideas

This is a prezi presentation showing the inspiration I got regarding lighting shown in existing music videos. I have looked at 3 music videos and described what it is I liked about the lighting and how/where I would incorporate something similar in my own work.

MES: Outfit - Look 2 (Jack)

This is Jacks second outfit which will probably be used for the performance sections to give variety and to separate from the narrative sections. Similarly to the last look this is also very casual, consisting of dark jeans, a plain jumper and some rough, slightly worn down boots. I created this outfit because its a bit more sophisticated and fashionable in comparison to the last one, therefore it is more suited to the performance elements. The look is still quite casual as I didn't want to go over the top. Creating this outfit may be quite difficult however as I am unsure of whether Jack has any jumpers similar to this, if not I will look at the clothes he owns and decide on what I think will look best. 

MES: Outfit - Look 1 (Jack)

This look is Jacks first outfit and will be used for the narrative sections, the jacket and scarf being removed after shot 44. The look is simple and quite casual which will help to create verisimilitude. It consists of dark jeans, a plain black t-shirt, black converse shoes, a wax Barbour jacket and a plain, grey scarf. I chose this particular outfit because its typical of what a man might wear in everyday life. It also doesn't look like a lot of thought has been put into it reflecting the character Jack is playing. In addition to this I know that Jack owns a Barbour jacket, converse and several plain, black T-shirts, therefore creating the outfit will be quite easy to do. 

MES: Hair and Make-up - Look 1 (Kate)

This is the hair and make-up look I intend to use for the narrative sections of my video. I wanted to test the look before filming so I could see whether I liked it or not. However with Kates busy schedule it was hard to find the time to practice on her and so I instead created the look on myself. This allowed me to see whether I thought the look suited the character and also my actress (which I think it will).

The look is fairly simple and quite messy which is how I wanted the character to appear. I want Kate to look like she's not very concerned with her appearance. The make-up style I have used is very simple using a simple base and quite thick, cat-eye eyeliner. I chose this make-up style as it is easy to create and will suit Kate quite well. The simple base will help her to look fairly pale, which ties well with abusive narrative. The eyeliner will help to make Kates eyes stand out and also develop her grunge style. The hair style I choose to use is again quite simple. Its in a mainly straight style however the use of salt spray has helped to make it look quite messy and volumised. I decided on this hairstyle because like the make-up it is also easy to create and although Kate's hair is slightly different to my own it is an adjustable style. It is also very casual and so helps to create verisimilitude. 

MES: Outfit - Look 2 (Kate)

This is Kate's second outfit and will be used for some of the abstract/performance elements. Certain elements of the costume may not actually end up being seen in shot however I have included them to give an insight into the entire costume. The look is less casual than the first and looks more 'dressy' and sophisticated, tying well with the performance sections. It is made up of a tight, leather skirt, a striped t-shirt, doc martin boots, grunge style jewellery and dark, painted nails. I choose this outfit because it differentiates from the narrative sections and is easy to create as I own several of the clothing items myself. The outfit also still reflects the characters grunge style.

MES: Outfit - Look 1 (Kate)

This is Kates first outfit and will be used for the narrative sections of the video. The jacket and hat will be removed after shot 44, where the shots are mainly based in Jacks house. The look is casual and is meant to portray an everyday outfit. It is made up of ripped black jeans, a plain grey t-shirt, a black leather jacket, heeled chunky chelsea boots, a woolly hat, a loose grunge style necklace and chipped dark nail varnish. I choose this outfit because its typical of what someone might wear on a casual day. It is very simplistic (reflecting the characters style) and will be easy to create. The chipped nail varnish and jewellery also help to make the outfit look slightly grunge, again portraying the characters style. 

Mise-en-scene Ideas

HAIR
Overall I wanted to create quite a natural hair look for my female actress but with a messy and grunge style.This is because I think it reflects who I want the character to be. I liked the idea of having her hair mainly down and quite wavy as it suggests that not a lot of effort has been put into her appearance as she has other things on her mind (linking with the narrative). I also think having her hair down would tie well with the song itself which is also quite loose. I could possibly use different hairstyles for the different elements of the video, for example her hair could be down for the narrative sections and up for the performance sections (possibly in a quirky style).

Make up

Similarly to the hair styles I also wanted to create a fairly natural make up look for my female actress, however I also looked at some statement looks which could be used for the performance elements. I think using a natural make up style suits the characters profile and I liked the idea of having a bare lip but more made up eyes with a bit of eye shadow or possibly eyeliner and mascara. I think this prevents the look from being over the top and fake. I did however still look at some more dramatic styles and liked the idea of using a dark but bold lipstick on the performance shots (particularly the lip sync sections). This puts the focus on the girls lips and separates the narrative sections from the performance sections. One of the images above is a cut and sore lip which I included because of the link to the abusive narrative however creating this look realistically may be difficult. 

Costume
For the costume I wanted to create a casual, slightly alternative style for my female actress which I perceive to match her characters personality. I wanted to use the same outfit for the narrative sections because they are continuous and therefore this create continuity but then maybe have at least one other outfit for the performance elements. I liked the idea of having the girl wear ripped jeans, a plain t-shirt, boots and some form of casual jacket for the narrative as it comes across as an everyday outfit. This helps to create verisimilitude. I did also like the idea of having my female actress more dressed up in the performance sections to distinguish between the shots and also to juxtapose the difference in character.

Shot List

LOCATIONS

Green room

Street

Jacks house (kitchen, hallway/stairway, living room, bedroom)

Green room - 25, 26(a,b,c), 27(a,b), 28, 55 (a,b), 56 (a,b), 57 (a,b), 58, 59, 60, 61 (a,b), 62 (a,b), 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90

Street - 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 71, 79

Jacks house - Kitchen - 1 (a,b), 2 (a,b), 3 (a,b), 4 (a,b), 5, 6 (a,b), 7 (a,b), 8 (a,b), 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 73, 76, 91, 92, 93

Jacks house - Hallway/stairway - 22, 23(a,b,c), 24(a,b), 29,  30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44

Jacks house - Living room - 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 72, 74, 75, 80

Jacks house - Bedroom - 78

Park - 77

CAST

Kate Maxey

Jack Blanchard

Kate Maxey:

1 (a,b), 2 (a,b), 3 (a,b), 4 (a,b), 5, 6 (a,b), 7 (a,b), 8 (a,b), 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 (a,b,c), 24 (a,b), 25, 27 (a,b), 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 (a,b), 57 (a,b), 59, 61 (a,b), 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92 

Jack Blanchard:
1 (a,b), 2 (a,b), 5, 6 (a,b), 7 (a,b), 8 (a,b), 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 (a,b,c), 24 (a,b), 26 (a,b,c), 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 56 (a,b), 58, 60, 62 (a,b), 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 93

Location List

I took some pictures of the locations I will be using for filming to give an idea of what the finished product will look like. The locations I am using are the green room, a street (Sancton Close) and Jacks house. The main reason for me choosing these locations is because they're easy to access and have the desired look I want.

I picked to use the green room because it is easily accessible and has the required equipment to produce a professional looking product. The room has good, high quality lighting and background props such as a black curtain (this is something which I require). In addition to this the green room has a booking sheet which makes accessing the room easy. 

The street I have chosen to use is Sancton Close and is where my other setting (Jacks house) is located. This makes filming a lot easier because we can film both the shots in the street and the shots in Jacks house on the same day. The only slight problem is getting from college or home to this location however with buses and taxi's we should be fine. Obviously this also makes it a lot easier for Jack, who has a busy schedule. The street generally doesn't have many cars around either which will make filming shots from across the road, etc easier as there won't be constant interruptions. The general set up of the street is also quite mundane and casual helping to create verisimilitude. 

I choose to use Jacks house as my final location as the style of the house is fairly modern and in my opinion fits the characters personalities, making it more realistic. The way the house is laid out (room wise) also fits quite well with how I visioned the setting. The layout also accompanies some of the shots quite well, for example the positioning of the stairs will help with shooting the scene were both characters are running up the stairs. With Jacks parents being out quite a lot, the house is often free meaning there are a lot of opportunities for filming, which we possibly wouldn't have at another location. 

Green Room

(I don't currently have any pictures of the green room to post)

Street

Jacks House

Prop List

Now that my storyboard is almost complete I have decided to keep note of the props which I will need when filming. The number of props actually required isn't that many and so getting them shouldn't be a problem. In some cases I already own the prop and it's just a case of collecting it on the day of filming. (Props I have are highlighted)

Sharp knife (7 (a,b), 8 (a,b), 63, 65, 66, 67, 68, 91, 92)
Full length mirror (22)
Sofa (45, 46, 47, 48)
Plate (50) 
Butter knife (50)
Fake blood (69, 70, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 93)
Throwable object (TV remote possibly) (72)
Wooden spoon (73)
Baking mixture (73)
Bed (78)
Black curtain (25, 26 (a,b,c), 27 (a,b), 28,  55 (a,b), 56 (a,b), 57 (a,b), 58, 59, 60, 61 (a,b), 62 (a,b))

Cast List

Main Female Character: Kate Maxey

Description: 

Female

18 years old

Tall

Mid length hair

I asked my friend Kate to play the main female character in my music video because she is known to be a good actress and has had previous experience in front of the camera (with both still and moving image). I've known her for a long time so I know I can trust her to turn up to filming and take the project seriously. In addition to this she is also a media student and so knows what is expected of her and the product. Her style is very similar to the one I wish to achieve in my video (particularly her clothing) meaning costume and make up will be easy to create.

Main Male Character: Jack Blanchard

Description:

Male

17 years old

Average height

Short hair

I asked Jack to play the main male character in my music video cause I know that he is reliable and won't let me down. He has been part of other peoples media projects in the past and so I know that he will be professional. I also believe that he will be able to adapt to the part convincingly. In addition to this Jacks general style and look fits the character well. Jack is also very confident and therefore won't be awkward in front of the camera. 

Animatic

This is my storyboard animatic, which I have created so that I can roughly see what my final music video will look like. It also enables me to see whether I think the video will flow and if the shots fit in time with the music. This allows me to make any alterations to my storyboard before I begin filming. After viewing my animatic several times I believe that the shots work well together and hopefully will look just as effective in the real video.  

Storyboard