music video fundamentals

FUNDAMENTALS OF

MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes.

-Wikipedia

• Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings.

-Wikipedia

• Music videos use a wide range of styles of film making techniques, including animation, live action filming, documentaries, and non-narrative approaches such as abstract film.

• Some music videos blend different styles, such as animation and live action.

Many music videos do not interpret images from the song's lyrics, making it less literal than expected.

Music videos now approach the popularity of the songs themselves, being sold in collections on a video tape and DVD. Enthusiasts of music videos sometimes watch them purely for their aesthetic value.

FOUR BASIC TYPES

PERFORMANCE

Artist’s performance- based video Usually done for new artists launching their debut single/album

CONCEPTUAL

design-based in terms of concept, look and effects

NARRATIVE

Story-based

Actors / talents’ based

PARTY

Incorporation of a huge partying crowd

Typical Video Production Workflow Project Idea/Story

(Script, Casting, etc.) Shooting/Filming

(Video, Audio - Primary and B Roll, etc.) Editing

(Sequencing, adding music/VOs, etc.) Output

(Compression for Web, print to video - DVD, VHS, etc.) Posting

(TV, Films, Internet , YouTube, etc.) Public View Final Product

STAGES OF VIDEO PRODUCTION

Pre-production

Production

Post Production

PRE-PRODUCTION

Define project basics Brainstorm Gather information Organize Write the script Draw the storyboard Scout the location Choose jobs

PRODUCTION

Rehearse

Check lighting and sound

Videotape

Create graphics

POST-PRODUCTION

Log videotape

Edit

Create master copy

VIDEO PRODUCTION CREW

Screenwriter creates a screenplay either based on previously

written material, such as a book or a play, or as an original work.

• A Producer is given control over the entire production of a motion picture and is ultimately held responsible for the success or failure of the motion picture project; this person is involved with the project from start to finish.

• The Producer's task is to organize and guide the project into a

successful motion picture

interprets the script and unifies the components of the film into something that bears his or her signature

must be able to lead and control people, have them do what he or she wants them to do, yet remain on good terms

responsible for what happens on the set

DP, DOP, or Cinematographer is responsible for the quality of

the photography and the cinematic look of the film

transforms the Screenwriter's and Director's concepts into visual images

works closely with the Director to make sure that the Director's creative vision can be put on film

heads the Art Department, is an artist responsible for creating the overall visual appearance of the film—the proper feel, the appropriate costumes, the right setting

• Casting Director

• Location Manager

• Artists/talents

• Camera Operator

• Clapper-loader

• Gaffer (Chief Lighting Technician)

• Best Boy (Gaffer’s Assistant)

• Key Grip (supervises grip/cam. Equipment)

Fundamentals of the Shot

What is a Scene?

A combination of shots that shows the action that takes place in one location or setting

What is a Shot?

A continuous view filmed from one perspective

Shot Description

Camera framing How close or far a subject is from the camera

Camera angles Angling of the camera from which you view the subject

Camera movement The movement of the camera forward, backward, left, right, up, and down

Camera Framing

Extreme long (wide) shot Long (wide) shot Medium shot Close-up shot

Extreme close-up Two shot

Extreme Long Shot

Establishes the location or setting Example: Western landscape

Long Shot

Frames the entire height of a person, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom

Shows the location, characters, and action

Medium Shot

Frames an individual from either the waist up, or from the knees.

Close-up Shot

Shows a character from the shoulders to the top of the head

Camera Angles

High-angle shot

Low-angle shot

Eye-level shot

Bird’s eye view

Worm's eye view

Canted shot

Three-quarter shot

Over-the-shoulder shot

High-angle Shot

A camera placed higher than the subject (not directly overhead) and tilted downward

Low-angle Shot

A camera placed lower than the subject and tilted upward

Eye-level Shot

The camera is positioned at eye-level with a character.

Bird’s Eye View

The camera is positioned directly overhead of the action

Canted Shot

The camera is tilted so that the subject appears to be diagonal and off-balance.

Three-quarter Shot

Positions the camera between a frontal angle and a profile shot.

Over-the-shoulder Shot

Positions the camera over the shoulder of one character, revealing part of the backside of their head and shoulders, and focuses on the character facing the camera in the background

Camera Movement

Pan

Tilt

Crane

Dolly

Track

Zoom

Static

Pan Shot

• A fixed camera pivots on its axis turning from left to right for the purpose of following the action within a shot

Tilt Shot

• A fixed camera that moves on it vertical axis, tilting up or down

Crane Shot

• The camera is positioned on a crane. It can cover great distances and produce unusual camera angles.

• The most obvious uses are to view the actors from above or to move up and away from them. It is a common way of ending a movie.

Dolly Shot

• The camera moves toward a subject (dolly-in) or away from a subject (dolly-out).

Tracking Shot

• The camera tracks alongside of the object or person.

Zoom Shot

• Camera stays stationary as the focal length of a lens zooms in or out.

– Framing gets ‘tighter’ if the camera zooms in.

– Framing gets ‘looser’ if the camera zooms out.

Static Shot

The camera doesn't move, although the objects within the shot may be in motion.

VIDEO PRODUCTION REMINDERS

Patience is a virtue,

but time is gold!

Perseverance

Love what you do!

First time? . . .

. . . More time!

Don’t be contented with something INFERIOR.

. . . but we can A P P R O X I M A T E !

Abhor LAZINESS!

You are not the group. You exist for the group!

The group does NOT exist because of YOU!