Actual Advert

Ignore the other one previously posted, this is the official advert!

Evaluation!

I decided to do my evaluation on Prezi.com, my favourite presenation tool. This has made the evaluation more interactive and engaging.
Here's the link: http://prezi.com/cl9mh_poat_k/a2-advanced-portfolio-evaluation/

Risk Assessment

Above is the risk assessment I did to make sure that when I produced my music video it wouldn't breach health and safety rules too much.  The assessment has been adapted from Riverside Studios, as they have this copy on their website.

Costume Design and Props

I found a really good website to do costume designs on....Polyvore!
This site allows you to design and create moodboards for fashion or art purposes - people tend to create magazine-like pages that contain text, images of clothes shoes and other pictures. You can get backgrounds and all different pictures which can be saved on the website and can be shared with everyone else.
I used it to design my main characters costumes for before the "transformation" and after. This gives a feel of what I want Lucy to look like.

Costumer design before transformation by Shannon Shanny Mayo

Costume ideas after transformation by Shannon Shanny Mayo

I also did a very quick mood board for the general feel and themes of my music video...The top left side begins with the religious and trapped theme, and the other side represents the life Lucy would like to live - a fun-filled and care-free party lifestyle.

Mood Board by Shannon Shanny Mayo on Polyvore.com

Copyright Permission

Before composing an email to attempt to gain copyright permission from Sony Music UK, I decided to have a look on the internet for inspiration for what exactly to write, and how to word it.
This is what I sent to the company:

I haven't had a reply back from them, which means that I am allowed to use the track, because they have not denied me permission.

Potential Images for Digipak

Before starting on editing for the final digipak, I decided to play around with some images to see what they would look like. When getting feedback on my rough cut somebody mentioned that the collage image needed more colour because it looked boring compared to the other sides. After altering the image to see what it would look like, I decided not to go through with adding colour because it was too much.

Somebody also said that the front cover of my digipak needed to be lighter, in terms of the black background. There was too much contrast between the colours, Lucy and the black surrounding colour. I played around with lighting effects and the above images is what is looks like.

Directors Commentary

Here's the YouTube link to my director's commentary I decided to do to accompany my evaluation. I recorded my voice on Audacity, then applied the audio to a duplicate of my music video. 
Once again, Blogger hasn't let me upload to this page directly.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1qYw_RdUqI

Other Images

Here is a small selection of images taken during the production of my music video. The first two below are the photos I took to help the continuity of the filming. I took photos of the blue streaks in Lucy's hair to make sure that in every scene afterwards I would do her hair in a similar way.

This image below is one which may have been an option for either the digipak and advert. However, it was not a good enough image to go through/

This image below is an edited photo which may have been in my ancillary tasks. I like the black and white, but the crucifix was only slightly in my picture, which I didn't like.

Location Shots and Letters of Permission

Here are some of the locations I will be using in filming. The first three are of the hallway in my house, where my actor Lucy Carr will be featured running away from her parent, to her bedroom. I think it looks quite traditional and wooden, which sticks to the theme well and has the right look I want to create.

 The photo below is a simple shot of my back garden which will be used for the outdoor party scene.

During the scene in which my main character of the music video (Lucy) "vandalizes" a church I am going to film at a local church (which I happened to film at last year). I wrote to them:

 Fortunately, they granted me permission, and I will be filming on a Saturday, as that is the most available date.

 For the nightclub scene I thought I would write to a local club to see if they would allow me to film there, as it would make a great scene if I could. After sending the email, it actually dawned on me that I don't think I would be able to get a large amount of people together to travel by bus for about 20 minutes. Nevertheless, they didn't reply!

Instead, I went to speak to the head of drama at school to see if I could book a drama studio afterschool for a few hours of filming. I was granted permission for the 1st November. Kindly, a friend of a friend operated the lights to make them flash for some of the shots I was going to do.

Above is the drama studio I filmed part of my music video in. It didn't work very well for filming a party scene in, as I didn't have enough people in the room to fill it up!

The above image is the church at which I filmed. It was the same one I filmed my AS production at! I chose to film at this church in particular as I knew I would probably be allowed to film there, and because it was usually empty and accessible. 

Action Plan

This is the first action plan I proposed last year. It has been quite difficult to stick to, but helpful for setting myself deadlines.

Action Plan

FINAL CUT OF MUSIC VIDEO

Here is the YouTube link to the final cut of my music video. I would have edited it on Final Cut Pro, but unfortunately I didn't have enough time to learn how to use a whole new piece of software.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78uSyLnHW1A

Blogger wouldn't let me upload to here!

Recruiting Actors

Due to my music video involving quite a few party scenes, I decided I should get together a big Facebook group/event to invite people I know to get involved with it. The print screen below shows the detail, and this method of attracting potential actors worked very well, and I felt confident about it.

However, nearer the time, I found that the people on Facebook were actually not available for filming/didn't really wan't to be in it that much, or were working.


I then decided to try different methods of attracting actors...
Firstly, I created a poster, which I would be putting in the register packs (school tutors pick these up for their classes in the morning, which contain newsletters and letters etc).

I tried to make this poster as bold and attractive as possible, then went into school early to slip them into the register packs. I decided to insert them into all year 10,11,12 and 13 tutor groups to target GCSE and A Level Drama students.

But shortly after this, I was told I was not allowed to put posters in register packs without consulting the health and safety officer/person of the school, but after talking to her, I was told that I could have students in the music video, but only A Level ones as the video would be going up on YouTube and parents may not like it, unless I make permission slips etc!

This is the letter of permission that I have made for my actors to sign/get their parents to sign in order to take part in the video, and to say that they are fine with being up on YouTube...

Permission Letter for Participants

As part of my A2 Level Media Studies portfolio, I am required to produce a music video, digipak cover and digipak magazine advertisement. My music video would be to a song called “Flashback” by Calvin Harris.

The video itself involves scenes of partying/dancing and will take place in the drama studios of The John Bentley School and my back garden.

Drama studio scenes will be taking place on Monday 1^st November from 3:15pm to around 5 o'clock, and garden scenes will commence on Thursday 28^th October from 5:30pm until around 7:30pm, but this may be subject to change.

Dress code is party-wear (dresses and heels if possible, shirts or other party clothes for the boys), but if taking part in the garden scene, it is sensible to bring a coat or warm clothes to put on. Also, if you have any props which would be suitable for such scenes, please let me know.

My music video and other ancillary tasks would eventually be viewed by teachers and examiners. The video will also be uploaded to YouTube for vital critical feedback. In order to be able to put this video up on this website, it is required that I have your permission to do this in the form of a signature from either your parent/guardian if you are under 18, or sign it yourself if you are 18 or over.

Thank you!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I give my permission for my son/daughter...................................................., to participate in this music video, and to possibly be photographed.

Signed (parent/guardian/self if over 18):.............................................

Date:..................................

Even with the large amount of posters I put out, nobody had replied! I decided to send out a mass email to everybody in year 10/11/12 through the school email system, and I also asked if I could put a note out in the school newsletter:

"Hello,

If you're a GCSE/A-Level Drama student, and you have some spare time to be in a music video I would love to hear from you!
I'm looking for people to be in my music video - different roles are available, you can even dance if you feel like it.

Filming would be taking place at some point during half-term (dates to be confirmed), and also at the beginning of next term after school in the drama studios.
The scenes I will be filming are fun party scenes etc, and the video would eventually be up on YouTube.

Please email me back if you're interested, any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Shannon

(sp1mayo@aol.com - out of school hours)"

Unfortunately, I only got two replies - a boy in year 10 and a student in year 12, but at least this was something!
Just before filming the party scenes, in a last minute attempt to round up a few more people, I went round the common room and was able to find people who would kindly be in the video...(around 7 people agreed)
None of these people actually turned up.


In the end, I managed to get some people to be in the video! My friend Lucy seemed the most enthusiastic about being in my music video, as she wasn't featured in my production last year, and wanted to be a part this year. I chose her because I thought she would look good on camera and had the right look I wanted - the blonde hair and blue eyes.
Originally, I wanted to cast Lucy's boyfriend; Jack as Calvin Harris, as I had seen him do some very good lip-synching to a song, but unfortunately he was too scared! However, Jaye was very interested, and had the right look for the part, so I chose him. Jaye performed very well as Calvin Harris, as did Lucy as the main character!

Official Cast List

Main girl......................................................................Lucy Carr

Calvin Harris...........................................Jaye O'Farrell-Stevens

Other lip-synching character...................................Lauren Holt

Poi Artist.......................................................Charlotte Jackson

Party People.......................................................Jack Epplestone

                                                                Mike Patterson

                                                                Becci Bates

                                                                Sam Hunt

                                                                Mark Nigh

                                                                Others

Strict Parent.....................................................Linda

Music Video & Digipak Research

I was given the task of creating a presentation containing information about music videos at the beginning of September. Since I thought Microsoft Powerpoint would be a bit boring to use, I decided to investigate "Prezi". Before doing this presentation, I hadn't used it before, but I've actually found it really easy and interesting to use.
Here is the link to the presentation I created as part of the research for music videos...

https://prezi.com/secure/37081daeb9f868225ab8b4f024f286cf64d116c1/

I also began researching digipaks, webpages and print adverts for digipaks and how the same identity is kept throughout each different form of media for the bands and artists.

Katy Perry

A very strong identity is created through using the same theme throughout the album cover, website and album advert. Katy Perry’s different albums all have varying theme, but the latest one revolves around candy. Images that are used definitely relate to sweetness and candy and the fonts used are obviously in keeping with this.

The webpage is very effective in encouraging audience interaction through using a variety of exciting links, where people may view parodies of her actual music video, looks at her Twitter archive or watch videos etc. A fan will probably find it very difficult to get bored of this website. It’s functionality is to encourage album/single sales and to perhaps pick up more fans.

The print advertisements are also very effective – feature Katy Perry on it, and the main theme of the album, making it incredibly easy to recognise if you remember the theme from the last album cover/picture you saw of her. Also conveys the right information that fans want, and employs the same imagery and font as the website/album etc.

Final Digipak and Advert

This is the final copy of my advert below, which is very different from the final draft, as I have made a lot of changes.

Below is the final draft of my digipak. It has not been changed as much as the advert has been changed.

Bloopers!

Here is the 4 minute long video of a collection of some of the bloopers from my music video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CccnLmus-2k <- the YouTube link for the video in case the one above does not work!