Props and Mise-en-scene

 

 

Here are the props and such we used in our promo, the instruments are self-explanitory. The beer bottle was used in the narrative parts of the promo, where the husband (Lewis) gets drunk.

 

Here are the clothes that we wore in the promo. We felt that they were appropriate as the song referes to a wedding, so naturally we decided to dress smart, but casual at the same time.

Lighting

Our original source of lighting in our promo was a miniture flood-light type thing, it was basically an outside light. It was very bright and was very useful for the close-up shots on the drums and really lit up the kit a lot better. The lighting seemed great, but then for some reason the light stopped working, we tried to change the fuse and the bulb was fine, it just didn't work any more so unfortunately we couldn't use it for anything other than some of the drum shots.

Evaluation of Filming our Promo

The Whistle Stop, Tallington

We began filming our music promo at The Whistle Stop in Tallington, where we used their rear building interior to shoot our video. The insides of the building allowed us to create a pub-like environment in which some of the video takes place, and correlates with the fact that the husband (Lewis) gets drunk later in the song. There is also a relaxed and casual atmosphere about the pub area that juxtaposes the narrative side of the song which is tense as the husband chases Molly in a drunken-rage.

We filmed many run-through's of the song, with each of the band members playing their respective instruments, but by placing the camera in different positions and using different angled shots (such as high, low and canted). We filmed different parts of the song in different positions; like during the guitar solo, we filmed Zander playing the guitar using close-ups and canted angles. We also using the camera to film up and down the neck of both guitars while Zander and Callum were playing to further immerse the audience in the music video and song as a whole. Many of the close-ups we got were of Toby, in an attempt to capture feeling and emotion from the way he conveyed the lyrics. Drum's were also a good point of focus for the camera, capturing Dom playing them creates a powerful image in our minds, which we felt would go well, in quick succession to each other, with the partial drum solo parts of the song.
We decided to film a continuous shot, were Lewis walked round the four of us playing while using the camera. We felt that this would generate a flow between shots, by showing all of us playing as we filmed, it would make the audience feel like they were watching a live performance of the song. 


Bourne Woods

The filming we did in Bourne Woods was purely for the narrative sections of our promo. We took many shots of the husband (Lewis) digging a hole for burying Molly (Lauren), which is explained later in the song, although cryptically. 
We had an idea to film facing upwards as Lewis shovelled dirt on-top of the camera. Obviously doing this would ruin Dom's lovely camera, so we came up with an in-genius method to place a clear box over the camera and cover the surrounding areas of the box that the camera couldn't see (as this would eliminate the excess light entering the box and ruin the effect we had created), so that the audience would feel as if they were actually being buried. This is an incredibly powerful shot that we thought would be best left till the end, as it is at the end that we finally realise that the husband bury's Molly.


I was not present for the filming of Lauren and Lewis running down tracks and such that took place during the November holidays. However, I have seen the footage and we are using them in the promo along-side the other narrative and performance parts.

Music Promo Pitch

The Influences for our Music Promo are listed on slide 5.

Band Shots



Music Promo Storyboard

  

 

Created by Toby Phillips, Callum Cole, Zander Parkin and Lewis Hamilton

Details of Actors

Narrative Actors

Lauren Barnett - 'Molly'
Lewis Hamilton - Husband


Band Members

Toby Phillips - Vocalist
Zander Parkin - Guitarist
Callum Cole - Bass Guitarist
Dom Saint - Drummer

There are a few specfic reasons as to the roles of the band that each of us are portraying. One being that some of us look the part, and the other being that Zander can play the guitar and Dom can play the drums, therefore we felt they might be able to make it more believable that they are playing the instruments.

Location Shots

This is the location where we are going to be filming the performance part of the music video. We have picked a location which is at a pub called "The Whistle Stop" in Talington. We picked a bar like location because it fits well with the lyrics of the music video. Because the husband is out drinking a lot because he is distressed about his wife running away. We figured dressing up smart as if we were part of the ceremony, and playing in a bar would tie these two elements together.

 

Moodboard

Questionnaire Feedback

Lyrics Analysis

Molly and the Dressmaker - Lyrical Analysis on Prezi

Questionnaire

Lyrics Wordle

Emailing 'Bless You Boys'

We have tried to email the 'Bless You Boys' multiple times, but the email address on Unsigned.com doesnt work. As a result we have tried to construct the lyrics and tabs for the song by ear. 

Lyrics and Timings

(The words or phrases in asterisks are things we are unsure of, instead we have written what they sound like.)

1st Verse (0:00-0:27)

Molly got married in the lavender dress she'd stole,

She hurried away, returned it the very same day.

[drums start]

Everyone gathered her husband and kin meant they rushed,

To figure it out, what she was all about.

1st Chorus (0:28-1:01)

Haaaahh haaaahh haaaahh

He never meant that much to me, I burried it *alive*

Going automatic rush, to see her burried alive

2nd Verse (1:02-1:30)

Molly's wedded man can it mean a word as he rushed,

Roaming the night, combing the streets for his wife.

Dead, stinking drunk, kick the doors open wide and he saw, 

She was the dressmakers whore, *laid out bedding* floor.

2nd Chorus (1:31-2:04)

Haaaaaahh haaaaaaaaaah haaaaaaah

He never meant that much to me, I burried it *alive*

Going automatic rush, to see her burried alive

Guitar Solo (2:05-2:32)

3rd Chorus (2:33-3:12)

Never meant that much to me, I burried it *alive*

Going automatic rush, to see her burried alive

End (3:13-3:15)

Music Promo Choice

The music we have chosen to do our music promo to is a song called "Molly and the dressmaker" by a band called "Bless You Boys".

Information on the band posted by them on Unsigned.com:

'Bless You Boys is a four-piece rock combo hailing from Grand Rapids, MI. The band was formed in 2006 by frontman and lead vocalist Chris Andrus, "...one of the most promising songwriters on the Michigan music scene today (The Grand Rapids Press, 2005)."
Made up of Andrus, guitarist/vocalist Brad Lawrence, bassist Steve Sullivan and drummer Brad Harris, "Bless You Boys have cultivated an original sound, eking out a niche in local music and separating itself from the all-too-common emo and power-pop scenes (The Grand Rapids Press, 2006)."
While drawing influence from artists like the Beatles, Brian Wilson, Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, the members of Bless You Boys are intensely focused on originality and innovation. Their songs feature inventive harmonies, original melodies and chord changes, and concise arrangements. "Bless You Boys' songs tend to be quick and poppy with a nostalgic air that betrays the musicians' muses, classic and modern (The Grand Rapids Press yet again, 2006)."
In their experience on the local and national scene, members of the band have shared the stage with a number of national acts, most notably Everclear, Collective Soul, Fallout Boy, Dishwalla, Deep Purple and Blue Oyster Cult.
Bless You Boys released their debut album, "Armed to the Teeth," through Mackinaw Harvest Music in the spring of 2007. '

Anaylsis of Digipak's and Magazine Adverts

Digipaks

A Digipak is a box-type plastic, cardboard or paper casing that is used to house a DVD, CD or video game. They are usually used for collector edition style releases, where the sleaves and panels on the inside are used for holding special feature-type things, like bonus content and exclusive material. This is what makes the Digipak option an essential when advertising and selling a product, as a company can charge a higher price for the Digipak compared to the price of a regular jewel case.

Pros

• Digipaks can be sold at a higher price
• When manufactured as a bulk, they are cheaper to make
• More room to display artwork and features
• They are more aesthetically pleasing than a jewel case
• They are shatterproof, so that the discs inside are more protected

Cons

• The casing can easily tear or be torn
• CD holders can break
• They are more expensive to manufacture on a small scale

Muse, The Resistance
 
This Digipak clearly demonstrates the before mentioned conventions of one. It features bonus content like album artwork and exclusive books about the band. As you can see there is an alternate version of the original album cover and artwork, which would be a collector item that would be of interest to fans of the band.
 


Tenacious D, The Pick of Destiny

This Digipak also features bonus content and collector edition CD covers and cases. It features fortune-telling cards that are seen in the film, therefore this would be an ideal item of purchase for a fan of the film, as the CD is a soundtrack of the actual film.

 

 

 

Magazine Advertisments

 

A magazine advert is used to promote something by positioning a poster type page in a magazine which promotes a band and thier album, a movie, or a game. The magazine that the advert is in, is normally of the same genre as the advert itself, thus attracting the correct target audience and effectively promoting the product.

 

Pros

• Can be cheap to place in certain magazines
• Allows for high quality images to be displayed
• Can have regular text on the pages, promting tour dates and such

 

Cons

• For the advertisment to be at-all effective, the magazine has to be bought by someone
• Limited space on page

Kings of Leon Advert

The advert presents the album artwork that the band has currently released and a few of the most well known songs are mentioned to grab peoples attention.

Foo Fighters Advert

This advert shows images of the main band member, Dave Grohl, which instantly grabs attention as the magazine "Q" is specifically made for people who have a keen interest in music. There are also offers like "plus 6 issues of Q magazine for just £10", which is another feature that would grab peoples attention. 

A Brief History and Analysis of Music Promo's

A list of some of the most influential music videos ever made, what conventions they follow, how they follow them, and how they have developed over the years.

 

 

Bob Dylan (1965) – “Subterranean Homesick Blues”

• Single continuous shot
• No performance by a band, although Bob Dylan is present

 

The Beatles (1967) – “Strawberry Fields Forever”

• Filmed in colour
• Multiple shots (a range of different shots)
• Transitions (fades and such)
• Advanced editing (backwards shots)

 

 

The Monkees (1967) – “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You”

• Comedy sketches
• Not very serious
• Lots of editing techniques have been used

 

 

Queen (1975) – “Bohemian Rhapsody”

• New was to edit promo’s
• Band are specifically composed
• Shows a live performance
• Good lighting

 

 

Duran Duran (1982) – “Rio”

• Much more advanced effects
• Wider variety of shots used
• There is an evident narrative to the promo
• Saturated colours

 

 

Michael Jackson (1983) – “Thriller”

• Short film style promo
• Dance routines (including many people)
• Cost a hell-of-a lot of money

 

 

A-ha (1984) – “Take on Me”

• Drawings mix in with real life
• Narrative is evident

 

 

Aerosmith ft. Run-D.M.C. (1986) – “Walk This Way”

• Performance and narrative
• First ‘Black Rap’ and ‘White Rock’ combo

 

 

Peter Gabriel (1986) – “Sledgehammer”

• Artistic and funky
• Stop-go animation with plasticine and other objects
• Lyrics and images link (amplification)
• Inspirational
• Montage effects

 

 

Nirvana (1991) – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

• Live performance
• Stuff happening around the band
• Dark, orangey lighting effect
• Moshpit type gig
• Lots of quick-cuts
• Most attention on Kurt Cobain
• Some slow-mo effects

Nirvana (1992) – “In Bloom”

• Black and white
• 50’s style set
• Large audience in stands
• Very unconventional for that type of band
• Intertexturality/pastiche
• Live performance

Bjork (1993) – “Human Behavior”

• Very strange and unconventional
• Forest setting (night-time)
• Children’s fairy-tale type theme

The Verve (1997) – “Bittersweet Symphony”

•  Basic
• Rebellious and cocky

Fat Boy Slim (1999) – “Praise You”

• Different, unconventional
• Camerawork not very good
• Taking the mick out of pop videos, very simple

Eminem (2002) – “Without Me”

• Comic book style (super hero’s)
• Humorous
• References to real life (lyrics)

Weezer (2008) – “Pork and Beans”

• Funny and comedic
•  Live performance
•  Unconventional
• Based on popular viral things (peanut butter jelly time, numa numa man, charlie the unicorn, lightsabers...)

Illustration, Amplification and Disjunction

Illustration - is when the lyrics of the song match exactly what is happening on-screen. The music promo for the song Tribute by Tenacious D is a good example of this, because Jack Black more or less narrates what is happening in the video.

Amplification - is when a key word or phrase from the songs lyrics are re-used and emphasized throughout the promo. An example of this would be Learn to Fly by the Foo Fighters, because they are in a airplane and towards the end they actually fly the plane, which emphases the key lyrics of the song.

Dis-juncture - is when the song lyrics and the video are very different and also very creative. A great example of this would be Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz. The characters are playing their instruments and all of a sudden they are under attack by zombie gorillas, showing that it is a creative and random music promo.

Analysis of Uprising by Muse

Muse's Uprising is a mixture of illustration, amplification and dis-junction, as it exhibits elements of all these three types of music promo. 

The song is about trying to hide and about laying low from a threat, so the location of the video is an abandoned ruin of a town. However, the threat appears to be giant, evil teddy bears, which of course ties in with the conventions of dis-junction.

The only sound that can be heard from the video is the actual song. There is some slight editing to give less of a contrast in the colors, making the overall look of the video very grey and dull, which amplifies the thought of poverty and destruction portrayed by the video. Through out the video Matt, Dom and Chris are playing their respective instruments, making the music promo more believable.

Music Video Conventions

What is a music promo video?

• Purpose – for songs? Album/band? Record company?
• How can a promo create a ‘brand image’ for a performer?
• Conventions? Camera work? Editing? Sound?  Mise-en-scene? Narrative? Representation?
• Where can music promos be exhibited?

Mise-en-scene?

• Cigarettes and alcohol can be seen throughout the video – ties in with the song title
• Musical instruments (drum set, guitar, microphone) – possibly the most important props, makes the video seem credible
• Very simple clothing
• The band is elevated above the audience – shows that they are more important the audience
• The set for the music video is meant to look like a real gig (although it is a fake gig)
• Bathroom set features undesirable toilets and such (seems to be the ‘backstage’ area)

Editing/Sound?

• Black and white – adds to song emphasise
• Edited to the beat of the song
• Most transitions are straight-cuts (show that the events of the video all happen within the same ‘time-frame’)
• Warp/distortion – canted angle shots (gives the effect of being drunk)
• The only music heard, is the actual song
• Syncing