FMP: Sunburn (Droeloe) Music Video
Formal Proposal:
Formal Proposal:
Reflecting on this year:
I have learnt to be more forward, and open with my ideas, and input into group projects, along with learning what it’s like to be a producer (even if it is only a glimpse), I learnt how many things can go wrong, and how that should be taken as an advantage, instead of a disadvantage even if it changes entire plan. Hence i had to learn to be flexible, and this really translated into my choice of FMP. Since I had trouble catching up with old work, I could not do as an ambitious project as i would of hoped, but i still choose something that i felt inspired by, since I found that is the biggest struggle for me (finding work that inspires me, and to motivate myself.) So by choosing Experimental Music Video, this allowed me creative freedom to do as i please, however still working within the time restraints i had.
(FMP Concept)
The concept is a Travel Log/Experimental Music Video, It’s meant to appeal to a younger audience, specifically students, or people in the twenties, and is meant to grasp the essence of a gap year people tend to take, as a last adventure in youth, before going off to college, to study hard and become an ‘adult’. I will explore what it is like to be go backpacking across the world, and traveling as a young person, never experiencing anywhere outside where they had grown up in, and research into what types of places they would travel too ect. The resources i will be using will be more reliant on locations, and different types of tourism in the local area, along with researching into the artist, and the type of audience they have, so i know what secondary audience to appeal too.
How I will evaluate myself as I progress:
I will write down a Journal entry once a week, to evaluate how I am doing, and will upload the changes in my FMP, including any concept or developmental changes, that will affect the outcome to the FMP. Any concept ideas will be uploaded as a series of notes i had written down during the making of my idea, and the development of it over time.
(Production Schedule/Action Plan)
Section 5: (no word count)
(Research Sources/Bibliography)
Secondary:
Bibliography:
Competition:
http://www.voxnovus.com/XV/xMV/
Practitioner:
http://zacharydenman.co.uk/experimental/
Target audience:
http://edmthrones.net/commercial-music-large-audience/
http://www.officialcharts.com/our-business-services/brand-licensing/
https://envato.com/blog/future-bass-plus-20-stock-future-bass-tracks-know/
Research links of Gap Year:
https://www.whatuni.com/advice/sixth-form-life/should-you-go-on-a-gap-year-before-uni/38128/
https://www.gapyear.com/articles/travel-tips/should-i-go-on-a-gap-year
https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1085&context=honors_theses
Risk Assessment/Legal & Ethical Issues:
http://www.urban75.org/photos/photographers-rights-street-shooting.html
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/data-protection-act-2018
Click to access ukpga_20180012_en.pdf
Research:
Idea
Genre: Experimental Music Video
Concept: Manipulating Scenery to create atmosphere, and suit the type of Genre the Music is (EDM/Trap/Future Bass).
Themes: Gap Year, The world, Human Behaviour, Traveling.
Artist: Droeloe
About Artist:
A Dutch duo (Vincent Roojers & Hein Hames), Dj group on the market who have only been making music together since 2016, and released their first song called ‘Make my Day’. Genre of music that they commonly using is Future Bass, Trap, and EDM. Their music available online at Youtube, Soundcloud, and Spotify (which is where they started posting their music originally). They have also released singles/albums such as ‘A moment in time’, and ‘Kintsugi’.
(How to contact them: promos.droeloe@gmail.com)
Track: Sunburn
Links for Research:
Target Audience:
Young people (Young teens to Late Twenties)
A lot of EDM/Future Base is becoming more mainstream, and has been getting a much wider audience over the last couple of years, and tends to pop up on national music charts, like for example with Chainsmokers ‘Closer’ being Number 1 for 12 weeks straight, the demographic for people who listen to the top 40 songs are 16-30 year olds, though a secondary demographic of 8-15 as well, hence the type of people who are at least being exposed to Droeloe’s music, and becoming fans of the artist is of that age range, and if i made a music video directed at that demographic, it would solidify and bring more interest in for the artist. The Artists does not have many Music video’s (one at the most) currently, hence would create more success and business in the long run, and would be profitable on all fronts, an area of music that has lots of potential though not tapped into as much as for example Pop, so would stand out more than the millions of pop music videos already out there to watch.
Future Bass is already a more experimental genre of music, not relying on lyrics as much as other genres, although combining traditional instruments, and mashing it with computer generated sounds, to create and completely new genre, hence why the music video should also capture this, and immerse you like the music does, and not take away from the music and distract the viewer from listening to the song, but more add an visual for the viewer to enjoy that blends naturally with the track.
First Practitioner:
Zachary Denman is a music video producer/director (along with moving on other film projectors), located in London. Though we studied fine arts, so specialises in experimental short films, and even animation. One of the music video’s he has produced is ‘Close’, which is an more experimental music video, that captures places around the world on fast forward, and shows people interacting not only with each other but the environment around them. However another key part of the music video is the editing. It is highly edited, with experimental affects, and layering of footage on top of the existing footage, while matching the music. The music is more experimental like Droeloe, hence why it would suit my music video as well, and not only that helps support my idea/concept for my music video.
Example of his work:
Second Practitioner:
G.C.F.
Research on Second Practitoner:
G.C.F stands for Golden Closet Films, which is run by an individual whom films his travels in Japan (so far), capturing his favourite moments with his friends, while still showing the beauty of the cities he has visited (Osaka, and Tokyo). He is an young filmmaker with not much in his portfolio, however has taught himself how to edit, use a camera (ect), and will most likely have more videos/films coming out in the future. Though his main job is being an musician/artist in a band, making films is a side hobby of his that will only grow from here on out, since he has been using cameras for a few years, photography as well filming, however never published much of his videos until now) and is not afraid to film the beauty around him.
The music he picks tends to be linked to the underlying themes in the videos, or what the cities/people in them mean to him, adding another layer to how he sees the world. This is how he sees the world, and his loved ones too, and is giving an sense of youth, that not everyone has the chance to experience, which allows people who do not have the money/time (ect), to understand what it’s like traveling as an young adult (since he is of the age of 20).
His work of ‘GCF in Tokyo’, was a trip he took with his close friend/loved one, that he had bought and made for his friends birthday, with this video also being one of the later presents. His intentions trying to convey his love, and affection towards his friend, and how amazing he truly is, especially since his friend had troubles with self esteem ect earlier in his life, (though is only been touched upon publicly recently in Youtube Red Series ‘Burn the Stage’). Obviously knowing this, just wanted to share his perspective of his friend instead of his friend being trapped in own thoughts.
This really ties into my FMP, since I am trying to convey the same themes, as GCF captures in his films, thought with a more experimental way of expressing it, and more focused on the youth aspect than showing my friends, or specific place, more showing all kinds of places, and more focusing on the aspect of travel than his films, it still links nicely between this practitioner, and my first practitioner, it’s a blend of traveling documentation, and experimental Music Video. And this would still appeal to my target audience (and artist’s) since people who backpack across Europe, or who take gap years, are late teens to twenties, and the audience could identify their previous experiences with the music video, or even inspire them to go travel, learn, and grow, especially with traveling becoming more accessible each year, the amount of people studying, or traveling over seas even at a really young age, is increasing.
Example of his work:
Sidenote: His previous music, that his group have produced/promoted have been linked to youth a lot, and was meant to depick all aspects of youth, the good, and bag, though in this sense GCF is showing the good, and freedom of youth, before growing up into adulthood.
Examples of music (that the group produced) that themed around youth, along with the music videos also supporting this theme:
Legal & Ethical Issues:
There is a risk of legal issue of filming in public, though there is no strict rules on filming outside/in public in UK, the key is not to film people so you can recognise their faces, and able to see who they are/ what they are doing, there is a small chance of violating the Data Protection Act, but it is very unlikely, so it’s still an issue, but it should be fine in the long run, especially since a lot of it will be filmed where not many people will be (the countryside).
Along with this there is a chance families will be in places i film, hence filming children, which could be problem, though there is no laws against filming children in public, if i saw to film a child, and a parent was not ok with it, they have power to legally make me delete that footage, so i should be careful not to film children up close at the very least, plus i filmed a child up close a lot, this could spark the authorities attention, and i could get in serious legal trouble, so the issues i could have was more about being wary of my surroundings, and not film people up close if i can help it (without their consent).
Budget/production Issues:
Some potential production issues is the equipment, there is a potential risk of the batteries running out quickly (since i have an hand-held camera i will be using), or the camera getting wet when filming outside, especially since this in UK it is known to rain all through out the year, even if the summer there is much less rain, there is still a small risk of that, so i could loose the camera, and the footage on the camera, and having no way to being film for my FMP. There will be no budgeting issues cost wise, since i will not be paying at all for this project, and using the resources i already have, though this does limit me, it is for the best because with the time i have, i do not have time to worry about budget and trying to find equipment ect i need for my budget i have.
Technical Requirements:
Technical requirements needed are focused in on the editing, and could require extra editing software (after effects), for further more advanced editing, to enhance the experimental aspect of the music video. Since sometimes my final cut pro has crashed before, and i have lost my progress before, and had to start over, and pushed my project back a lot. I am concerned that may happen with my FMP, though i will back it up on my hard drive, and other places to make sure this does not happen, along with making sure the footage for the video is also on the hard drive.
Research Evaulation:
(500 words)
The Pitch
(The pitch is in parts, and being uploaded currently so it will take some time to render. Unfornately I had to split the pitch in parts, because my laptop would not take the files, so i had to upload files from my phone):
Pitch Part 1:
Pitch Part 2:
Pitch Part 3:
Part 4:
Production Log:
Week 1: Started Researching Artist, and found the music i wanted to use, ‘Sunburn’ by Droeloe, and found out more about the ‘future bass’ genre, that this artist tends to lean towards. Along with that I have started researching about my target audience, the the target audience of the artist too, trying to overlap the two audiences, and seeing where they both fit into with this music video.
Week 2:
I finished Researching about the film festival, and started the pitch though did not complete it by the date, so ended up talking to a camera instead of presenting to class, which my teacher/tutor said was acceptable as well.
Week 3:
I went location scouting this week, and managed to find good places to film, not only that i managed to find research more into my idea, since it adapted into more of an travel documentation, meets an experimental music video, then purely being an experimental music video with a time lapse that’s heavily edited.
Week 4:
I started paperwork this week (production schedule ect), and managed to finish risk assessment but the production schedule is taking longer than i anticpated, so it might take longer with the paperwork than i thought.
Week 5:
I worked on catching up on production log, and managed to complete most of pitch, however did not have enough time to do it on the date that was set to present to class, but my teacher/tutor said it was still acceptable to pitch to a camera.
Week 6 – 7:Â Easter Break – I was away for these two weeks, and could not do any work.
Week 8: This Week was decidated towards storyboarding mainly, again i took longer than i anticapted, since i had some troubles with printing it off, so i then had to digitally re-draw it, so i nearly have it done but that will end up being what i continue with next week.
Week 9:
I ended up becoming rather sick this week, meaning I couldn’t do any work at the weekend, and had to rest, and which set back my scheldule more than i would of liked, and that meant i had to film later than i intended as well. But i managed to do some blog work, and re-do some paperwork.
Week 10:
I ended up doing Film this week instead of the previous week, and managed to get all the footage i needed, though took a while, and i was still ill for first part of this week, i managed to get this done.
Week 11: This week i catch up on any paperwork i missed, and finish off storyboarding finally, and continue with Blogwork.
Week 12: This week I managed to do a rough edit, and show it to my teacher/tutor who gave me feedback which i changed in my final edit of music video.
Week 13: I started on final version of music video, though i had some troubles with getting some affects to work, and had to download some new transitions for this music video so i am pushed for time.
This week i crammed in all the little details, finished editing (mostly though uploaded it on time), and finished the evaulation, it has been an crazy journey, i could of handled it better but i did it by the deadline so that’s what counts.
Pre-production:
Test Shots:
Rough Version (In Progress Version)/ Version 1:
Final Version:
(the video is still processing at the moment).
(And the video does need more work but i am uploading it as it is, so i meet the deadline).
Evaluation:
You may wish to use the questions below to help structure your evaluation as well as reflecting on audience feedback:
I did meet my aims, however not to the best of my ability, since i could of managed my time better, but i did meet the criteria of what i set out to do, I did experiment with footage to make an experimental music video, though i wish i had more time to get some better shots, since i didn’t have to use so many shots of trains, since that was a common theme in the song, i used that as what i should film, but also was focused more upon than i would of liked too.
The level of professionalism is different in my work than my chosen practitioners, though still captures the same themes as a they do (documenting travel, and experimenting with footage), though if i had more time to work on editing since I had been working on catching up with previous blog work/ units (had trouble working on some units, since i had left them to do til late, and had trouble sitting down and doing the work, partly due to my eye sight, and having to get new glasses). I would of had more time to experiment, and really capture the music visually, though not to take away from the music, just more of what i wanted to achieve. Like being able to animate over footage, but did not have enough time to achieve this (or as much as i would of liked).
I did make changes, i developed my ideas/concepts. At the start the music video, was going to purely be experimental, and have even more editing on top of speed up footage of people naturally interacting with each other, with an aspect of nature vs nurture, more close to Zachary Denman’s work, however as i developed the idea more, and started getting into the final proposal/pitch, I realised it developed into a some type of travel documentation/ filming the world, and traveling within the Uk, and reminded me of my previous experiences traveling abroad, or within UK, so I decided to use that to my advantage, and change the concept, though only by adding to it, and some of it themes develop differently that i had first planned too. So my concept changed to an experimental music video but the themes changed to that of showing what it’s like to go on a gap year, and experience freedom once more before growing up, and heading off for education in the autumn. One last summer adventure, would be a good way to describe the concept, although since it was filmed locally to where i live, it was more based around nature than amazing city scapes (since a lot of people from cities come to countryside for holidays it would appeal to them too). Showing people what it’s like from my perspective of travel, adding a still appealing atmosphere to audience, but still adding a fresh perspective for them to experience.
The finish piece definitely appeals to the target audience, because it’s experimental, and trying something different, that would keep their attention, but still applying themselves to the music video, especially if they live in those places (or if not they could apply to themselves traveling to countryside), along with the umbrellas at the end of the video those videos were for pride near where i live, and hence unconsciously help showing the audiences all parts of society (plus a lot of target audience are LGBT+, so that would also appeal to them even more), and usually people who travel overseas are more open minded anyway, so i doubt that small detail would put them off this music video.
Along with the theme of technology with the cameras, a lot of my target audience use technology a lot, and are used to do it, or grew up with it. And some even might have hobbies such as photography, or film, so that would just emphasis the appeal it would have for my target audience. And technology has increased to make it easier to travel overseas, and make it more comfortable, so that could appeal to there aspirations or dreams of traveling, allowing them to get lost and dream along with this music video.
Over this year I’ve realised what type of films I tend to prefer, and gravitate too, as well as learning leadership skills, and becoming more punctual then i used too. Though i have not perfected these skills, or have learnt my lessons completely, I definitely have improved than my previous years of doing work, and even doing this FMP I have been better punctual then previous units in this course. So even if it my FMP isn’t the most amazing piece of film ever made, it is not something to throw in the trash either, it has turned out a lot better than i thought it would, especially with how stressed I was getting through out the year, and especially the last few months. This has reflected in my work, since there are some great things about it, and other’s not so much, with the time restraints i put on myself, but managed to improve a lot in the last few weeks, so I have learnt to work quicker than before as well.
With the leadership skills, i have learnt to not only be a leader to other people, but to myself too. Commanding/organising myself i’ve found harder in some aspects than leading a group of people (as long as the group of people are hard working, and i work well with them). I tend procrastinate more by myself, but with dealing with people i feel responsible, and that people are relying on me, so i should work hard. Not only that having an extra pair of hands to take some of weight off my shoulders, when it comes completing work, is very helpful, and makes me much less stressed, hence i am able to do work without having to unwind as much, as i do by myself.
Considering the time constraints it does reflect my skills, however with more time it would not accurately show my abilities, because i know i can create more narrative and impactful films, since i tend to be able to write scripts ect well, however with the project i choose was to cater towards my time restraints, so i knew that i would need to be able to film easily, and quickly, hence why i choose an experimental music video, and decided to manipulate the footage in editing, and not as much focused on the footage, although still wanting good footage. If i had more time, i would of liked to be able to go to better locations, and more adventurous places, though i was limited since i could only go to places locally, but if i travelled overseas and filmed that would of been advantage i didn’t get have, (although one piece of footage i used from an old trip).
Am i proud of it? Yes, and no. I am proud of it compared to how i thought it would turn out, however i know i could of done more with guidance or time, but i also prefer to learn from my own mistakes, since it’s my own FMP, i thought it was worth risking and doing it by myself, and that if i finished it on my own, that in itself was worth being proud of, even if i didn’t like the final film, the process was learning process, that will be worth using for future projects/next year, with next year being more intense it only makes sense to learn now, then learn later on, and mess up the entire course.
Next time I may choose a different music choice, to focus more on narrative, with the right time, actors, equipment, and help ect, since that is what i am passionate about, focusing on telling a story, and leaving a impact on the viewers, especially if it involves social issues, or could influence other’s for the better (inspire them, think about society, whatever as long as it’s impactful for the better).
Along with the that, I would like to try more better professional equipment, since i could not hire out college equipment, so i was limited to my own handheld camera at home. Though it is not a bad camera, it’s not the best one either out there i could get my hands on, and also i did not have access to a tripod, since i had lost my own, so i had to be careful about how i filmed, though since my video has aspect of documentation of people traveling as a young person, almost like a scrap book, that could still apply, and work for this project, especially with the manipulation the editing, even if you see the shakiness, it has an element to add on top to balance it out.
If i had a bigger budget/unlimited budget, i would be able to travel overseas, have a better camera, with actors who did not have other stuff going on, and could focus on this project only for the filming, and not having to try and organise my friends acting who have their own FMP to do/exams during this unit. And if i had a bigger budget, i could apply it to film festivals, since come cost money to enter, or screen, and could even screen it at art galleries (like the Phoenix in Exeter ect). This would help promote my film, and even gain money from it potentially, and help my future career, and boost my portfolio for getting jobs later on in the industry.
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