So far we have cast for the roles of the girl, and the main boy. We have chosen Jack Reid as his look reflects that of the 'Marcus' figure of Mumford and Sons, he has the hairstyle I discussed in an earlier blog post, and already has some clothes that are fitting to this genre. We've also chosen Sophie Rains for the girls role as she is a typically pretty girl, with long natural looking hair that will suit the look of the video, not only this - they are both performers and that will help with the acting in the video, and also if any dance is incorporated in it.
To take our research further our next tasks are: - to finalise the three people we would like to use in our music video (one girl, two boys) - to visit vintage/charity shops, buy any items of clothing we are going to need for our characters - look into finding locations for our shots, especially finding a location for shots inside of a house as currently this is our biggest problem. - research into generic video conventions and decide on which ones we definitely wish to use. - finalise the narrative.
Youtube is an extremely well known website worldwide, used to upload various videos of music, blogs, and general other things. To allow fans to see high quality versions of their videos, Mumford and Sons have their own 'channel' where there are various music videos and also episodes of their documentary, 'Gentlemen Of The Road. Here are some stats taken from their Youtube channel, accurate as of 30/09/2010: Channel Views:450,599, Total Upload Views:6,774,895, Joined:June 18, 2008, Subscribers:11,644. Aswell as having their own channel VEVO also have a channel dedicated to Mumford and Sons. VEVO offers music videos to Youtube from three of the biggest record labels around; Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI. Currently VEVO is taking Youtube by storm as being the most reliable source for up to date, high quality music videos, recently VEVO has been given the rights to premiere 'big' artist's music videos. The only downfall there is currently for the British music scene is that VEVO.com, and the VEVO iPhone app are not available outside of the U.S. and Canada. Some stats as of 30/09/2010: Channel Views:5,466, Total Upload Views:1,019,160, Joined:February 18, 2010, Subscribers:480.
After a general browse of the 'App Store' I decided to have a look to see if they'd got their own application, to which I was pleasantly surprised.. (Photos taken as screen shots on my iPhone from the App Store)
(Photos taken from www.stayloose.co.uk, www.mumfordandsons.com, www.xyzmagazine.co.uk) These are just some general photos I found of the band that will give the reader of this blog an overview of the band and their style, the song is also The Cave, by the band so this will allow the reader to connect the raw, full sound to the British look of the band. I used 'Animoto' for this as it is an easy way to give a professional look to photo montages.
So, I decided to register to be a member of the Mumford and Sons website, this gives you privileges such as being able to comment on blog posts, comments and leave forum posts. After browsing the website it is obvious to see that the band want to be involved with their fans. Aswell as being able to read blog posts made personally by band members, it is also updated with news and tour dates, photos, and a biography. I think to MAS' committed fans this website will be perfect for them as they will feel a connection on a personal level, it is not too often that celebrities will use technologies to communicate with fans, and I think this shows that as a band, they are very humble. Here is a print screen of evidence of a band member (Marcus) making time for the fans. I think this is also perfect advertising for a band, not only are they talented but they will be recognised for being thoughtful too, this along with the very informative, easy-to-use website will allow many people to browse and be taken in by the band. (It is noteable aswell that it is free to register to this website so it is open to anyone.)
Aswell as having their own website, Mumford are also taking control of other social networking sites such as facebook, where as of today, they have an impressive 484,453 'likes.'
We decided we'd like the title to have some significant relevance to our video. After discussing idea's we all agreed the use of a written diary may work well with the video's narrative as this will allow us to easily show the audience the change of dates with short shots of different pages of a diary that physically read the date. The 'white blank page' will come into play at the end of the song when the diary finally meets up with the present dates, and the pages begin to read blank. We are currently still discussing what significance this will have on the narrative, however to me, this represents the end of the relationship, as it seems the diary will have been filled of memories from the relationship, and post-events, and the fact that the pages are now blank represents the fact that there are no more memories to write of.
After browsing through Mumford and Sons current music video's it struck me that 'Winter Winds' strikes a lot of relevance to the idea's I had imagined in my head for the scenes we wish to shoot in a field. I think we've all visualised the scenes viewed in the field as dreamlike and thoughtful, and after looking more closely at individual shots from this video here are a select few (I used Tube Chop, to chop the shots from the video) I think are really fitting with what I had imagined. I especially like the subtle breaks of sunlight and the slow pacing used in the shots as this adds to the thoughtful outlook we wish to portray.
We want to use the style of Mumford & Sons clothing in our video so that it fits the genre or the 1930's. In the 1930s there was a return to a more genteel, ladylike appearance. Budding rounded busts and waistline curves were seen and hair became softer and prettier as hair perms improved. Foreheads which had been hidden by cloche hats were revealed and adorned with small plate shaped hats. Clothes were feminine, sweet and tidy by day with a return to real glamour at night. Our idea is to have the female in a white dress with lace that reaches the females knees. A white simplictic dress shows femininity.
This dress isn't a perfect example of what we are looking for but it is an idea. The dress will be more floaty and possibly the straps will be thinner white a lower neck line.
Also if you follow this link there is another example to a dress type that we have looked at, but unfortunatly it will not let me post it onto the blog... http://lookbook.nu/look/1127743-Window-Treatment
Can you lie next to her And give her your heart, your heart As well as your body And can you lie next to her And confess your love, your love As well as your folly And can you kneel before the king And say I’m clean, I’m clean
But tell me now, where was my fault In loving you with my whole heart Oh tell me now, where was my fault In loving you with my whole heart
A white blank page and a swelling rage, rage You did not think when you sent me to the brink, to the brink You desired my attention but denied my affections, my affections
So tell me now, where was my fault In loving you with my whole heart Oh tell me now, where was my fault In loving you with my whole heart
Aah, aah... Lead me to the truth and I will follow you with my whole lie Lead me to the truth and I will follow you with my whole lie Aah, aah...
So far our narrative consists of three characters. To fit with the lyrics, these characters are caught in a love triangle, there are two males, one rogueish, and one sweet and laid back. The female in question has cheated on, or ended a relationship with the sweet laid back male and began a relationship with the rogueish one. We see these lyrics as being sung by the nicer male about the female, this male is unquestionably in love with the female and lost out to a male he thinks is not good enough for the female, and he see's she has made a mistake. This narrative will allow the clear emotions of the song to be shown through the male.
This is a image i have taken from lookbook that where are looking at for the role of the second male which is the girls lover, we decided that we wanted him to look more prepi and posh. In this image he has jeans on we have decided to go with a smarter look and will put our male in smart tailored trousers. The shoes will be like the one in this image but black and have a a gloss to show his higher class, we want the lover to wear a shirt like this that we could get from a vintage shop so it would be authentic, the blazer is simple, smart and clean cut again showing his class. His hair will be in a simple comb over which is a typical posh boys hair. Overall we want this character to be stuck up, posh and all about looks and his clothes and hair should represent his class and wealth.
(Photo taken from www.blog.invisiblechildren.com) We want to take a great influence from the style of Mumford and Son's dress, as this not only fits the genre but also the impossibly British sound of the band. This photo shows the typical clothing that Mumford and Sons wear and will be an outline to what we want our male character to wear. Marcus Mumford will be the most important influence as his style is laid back but still obviously from the period that we would like to convey. There are two prominant male characters, one; laid back, and the other; very smart. I will look at the laid back character, and how ideally we would like his character to look.
(Photo taken from www.binbin.net) The waistcoat is possibly the most obvious item of clothing that we would like to focus on, noticeabley Marcus wears a single breasted waistcoat which was seen as much more casual and common. It was an item that represented general labour, as the waistcoat was originally used to provide extra heat to the body and with this knowledge this will allow this character to represent a more laid back, working class citizen compared to the other male.
(Photo taken from www.hairstyle-for-men.blogspot.com) Hair is a very important part of a characters overall representation as if styled and looked after properly can give a wealthy, groomed look, whilst if messy, an untamed can give a trampish, lower class look. This is the hairstyle I feel will fit this character best, it is not too styled, yet not overgrown. The fact it is caught between both extremeties gives the character a very 'normal' look, which is perfect for the stereotype we are aiming for.
(Photo taken from www.sparegoggles.forumotion.net) The cravat, like the waistcoat can have a significant effect on where you stand in society, for example a cravat is an item of clothing that originated in the 1630's, but there has always been different styles of this, i.e. the rich would always have fine cravats made from silks and fine lace, whilst working class people would have a coarser cloth. This leads us again to decide that if our character is to wear a cravat, and if he is to fit his stereotype he will wear a bog standard cloth.
The flickering light bulbs lighting the dark scene, allow for just a moment the idea of a dark video, however just as fitting as the upbeat style of song, the light suddenly fills the room as the introductory music begins. The opening shot that slowly zooms out, welcomes us to the main scene, a rugged stage, bare of any technologies, seemingly quite small as though it is made for more humble, and less common bands. Matching with the guitar strumming we then see a close up view of the guitar being played, this along with the warm light being emitted allows us to realise the genre of the video, indie and performance based. This shot then moves to the silhouetted view of the guitarist, keeping the male anonymous allows the audience to appreciate the music rather than being distracted by details. This is then seemingly contradicted by the sudden view of the cellist stood under the bright light in a suit matching the same colour palette of the mise-en-scene, this allows the deep wood of the cello to be recognised, again referring to the fact the music and performance is the domineering point of this video. These shots are followed by similar shots until the other instruments are introduced into the song with a thud which is matched with a low shot of a male stamping his foot, an action that breaks up the subtle, soft former shots of the band, thus emphasising the sound and grabbing the audiences full attention. The next important shot shows a pan of the band, again subtly hiding their identities by viewing them from behind, we can see that they are all smartly dressed but again it is noticeable that their clothes fade into the mise en scene, allowing the glow of the many light bulbs to dominate the shot, this gives a very crisp bright effect that seems to work very well against the hard, rustic look of the room in which they are performing. It is also a noticeable point that they do not have an audience, as though they are practicing, or playing music out of pleasure. Again, the loud thuds of the song are matched with instruments and movements, this keeps the audience interested and matches the fast tempo of the song, allowing the visuals to be exciting through the performance rather than through narrative or special effects. As the vocals begin the anonymity of the band is wiped away with a wide shot of the band on stage, and the lead singer ( ) lip syncing to the words. Although they are still dressed in the unobvious colours, the four lights, lit behind them allow of the band to stand out, as though resembling each member. The following shots match those mentioned at the beginning of the song, keeping the identity of the band questionable, whilst highlighting the use of instruments. I find this idea to keep the excitement within the song, rather than within the look of the video very clever, as the music is very unusual and capturing which leaves little need for an extravagant video and I feel the director is confident in this fact. The easy-to-watch video really allows the audience to appreciate the skill in the music. Following the chorus, the video seems to introduce us more to the band allowing us to recognise the faces with close ups of each member, rather than focusing solely on their instrument. These close ups allow emotions to be recognised, and there is a clear look of angst on Marcus Mumford's face. This helps to make the song more passionate, and the meaning more literal. The post-chorus verse also uses the lighting more effecively with the flare lighting the artists' faces allowing their expressions to be more visible, this is also a great visual technique that makes the entire video aesthetically pleasing. With this verse, it is noticeable that as the tempo is more intense, the beat matching increases. The fast editing gives pace to the video and keeps the audiences attention. I find this is a really good convention to use as the video is essentially very plain - the band are stood on a stage in an empty hall performing. Without such editing it could be perceived as boring. Where the instrumental begins, the camera shots become very subtly out of focus, this is representative of the fact there are no vocals, and it is entirely instruments. I find this makes you focus on the music more and just shows how important the use of instruments is to the band. In my personal opinion the lack of narrative would normally prevent me from watching a certain video multiple times, but with Little Lion Man, the clear passion for music and the way it is conveyed keeps my attention. The tracking shot used in the instrumental (which seems a little like an establishing shot - could represent the introduction to the softer music) give a 'thoughtful' atmosphere which mirrors the atmosphere of the music Like the music, the shot is relatively slow paced which contrasts with the song prior to this. As the tempo begins to accelerate again there is a shot of Marcus Mumford at a back view. In front of him the lights of the hall are flickering exactly on the beat. This kind of beat matching subconsciously makes the audience focus in on the music more - which is what the band and director will want to achieve. Although narrative isn't incorporated into the video, the performance is shown in a linear style. This is noticeable as at the beginning of the song they look better groomed, whereas at the end they look asthough they've been sweating, and a little 'worse-for-wear' this again reinforces the passion they have for the music.
This is my moodboard of initial ideas it is comprised of the things I would ideally see in a video for White Blank Page. It would follow a narrative of a love story that would include emotions of anger pain and regret, feelings that are portrayed through the lyrics used.
This music video starts of with a pan of the trees followed by the band member running into the shot looking lary, exited and carefree. To me this surgests that they may have been to a party because they are holding balloons. The next shot is of one of the band member walking through a field dragging a wooden chair and his guitar to me this shows that he is fed up, also I noticed that Andrew Goodwins theory is related to this certain clip because there are images that are used to represent the meanings of the lyrics for example when the band member is alone walking through the field and the lyrics link to him being heartbroken by the way his emotions are portrayed. The name of the music video is called “winter winds” which is said in this particular clip and it relates to the sky that you can see because it is dark and gloomy. There are two different mis en scenes at this moment including different lighting that contrast from dark and gloomy to quite bright with colours used (e.g on clothing). In just that first 30 seconds a wide range of shots are used, these include pan, wide, long, and close up. I think this is done to attract the audiences attention because there is a mixture.
There is a close up of one of the member singing which shows the lip syncing and his enthusiasm for his emotions. I noticed that a lot of the mis en scene is repeated, for example the field clips are repeated but in different ways and the group all singing together is also repeated a lot in the first minute. Quite abit of material from when the band has been performing has been added into the video. It flicks from the actual meaning of the video to there bands performing and you can tell they have such a passion for music and what they are singing about. Also another one of Andrew Goodwins theory’s can be applied to the video and I think you could argue that both Illustration and disjuncture is used which means when the meaning of the song is completely ignored for example when you see clips of there band performing because that doesn’t link to the idea of heartbrake.
This is a Slideshare presentation which shows my initial ideas for our music video. Myself, Hannah and Steff have all done one so that when we have completed them we have a look at them all and make the final one using all of our ideas.
This is a animoto presentation that shows my initial ideas about what i think our video could involve, we have all created one we are then going to look at eachothers a pick out bits we all like.
mumford and son - the cave. This is the bands 3rd single from the album, its jolly upbeat folk tempo is catchy and not the normal in the charts these days. The video, which was filmed during their Indian tour with Laura Marling last year, sees the band ditching their instruments and driving off on their Vespas into the sunset. The song starts with a solitary acoustic guitar and the lead singers gentle vocals, but little by little a piano is added, a drum joins in; then we’ve reached a rich chorus of layered vocals with a mash up of instruments some familiar and some not. The long silence at the begining with natural outside sounds of crows crowing and the long shot of four men on peds is a nice shot that establishes who the band are. I like the fact that they talk in the first scene in the video it makes it seem like a movie and creates a story line which is funny due to the fact there are four men dressed as a marching band outfits "alright lads we heard you where looking for these" one member says to te men, this scene was used to add comedy to the video. In this video the use of shots is not very wide mainly mid or long. When a certain instrument comes in there are images of each marching band member, we would like to use this in ours but flicking back to memories. Aswell as the actual band singing whilst they drive along, the marching band men are also singing them but it shows them as a band standing in a line with the instruments. The video is not in full colour is is sightly tinted to a walmer colour to create an older image we is what we have talked about due to the fact it will e winter when we film and we may to this to create a walmer feel to our video and we also want it to look old/vintage.
The song we decided to make our music video to is mumford and sons- White blank page, this is a song about a man loving a women that doesn't love him, he is completely infatuated with her but she feels different. We chose this song for that exact reason it tells a story that we could make a narrative music video to. This is a live version of the song, we will e doing it to the album version.
We have made a moodboard for the boys look we did this so we could find some good ideas for what we wanted him to wear. we want to keep the boys look as close to the bands lookas possible, clean cut, simple but edgy. We where thinking plain white shirt with a patterned tie, scarf (like man in top left) and a blazer, then some skinny jeans and a smart pair of shoes, we also would like to have the boy in glasses to add to the nerdy part of the band image.
These are a number of images taken from lookbook that i think we can use to influence how the girl in is going to look and show her personality. We wanted to create a look which is going to be very girly and innocent, using floaty fabrics and pale colours we hope to give that impression off. The fabric that would work best is one that can move with the girl and the wind but also show her curves off. We are going to also try and make the girl look more interesting/ indie looking hopefully we can do this buy changing her her and make up also jewellery.
