Casting

Main Character #1

The lead character, shown on the storyboard above (on the right), is played by Sam Potter. Without  much experience in acting, Sam assists in acting in the music video through a relative interest in the creation of these texts. Sam is 20 and currently not in education, this suits the age range in which the lead character is set around. He presents a similar dress sense to the characters who had their costumes drawn up which is ideal when preparing for a shoot.


Main Character #2

The secondary lead character shown above is played by Jonny Brown. Jonny is 18 years old and also out of education which means that they both have flexible hours for shooting the film. Although he has not previously studied media, following an English course he had experienced a range of media texts which assists him in knowing the basic features of filming. 

Shoot One

Date: 15/12/13
Actors: Sam Potter, Jonny Brown
Equipment: DSLR camera, Video camera, Tripod
Props: Fake drugs (created with salt), Bags

The first shoot took place on the Sunday 15th December (2013) where I decided to film a middle section of the music video. This included shots 19 - 30 on the storyboard as they featured the two main characters who were free on the day which I chose to record this section. Before I had arranged to film this shoot, I investigated weather reports which said that it would be around 6 - 8 degrees on that day which was ideal considering the poor weather that has been in Driffield around the time. I then decided which shots would be most appropriate for the date of filming and began planning how to conduct the shots.

I started filming from shot nineteen which showed Sam (the main character) running towards Jonny's (secondary character) house. For the purposes of filming, Jonny's house was mine as it would be easier to get the most amount of shots filmed there. This was filmed multiple times from a range of angles as faster editing would convey the character's urgency to reach the house to tell him of the danger which they may face. I begun filming the running from the tripod across the road, this showed a long range shot of Sam running a small distance. I then felt that a handheld shot of him running would make the scene somewhat more realistic as the cinematography shows the rush that the main character is in whilst on drugs. There are few shots which follow after of Sam running which are shown from a steady angle with the tripod with his back in the shot. This is to create the idea that as a viewer, we are watching him from behind as we are not in the same rush that he is, it also makes it seem that he is running at a very fast pace.

Whilst filming this footage, I had a lot of ideas running through my head about making the main character appear to be in a panicky state. Luckily, Sam was very good at acting out distressing emotions towards the camera to make the footage appear realistic. When the shots shown at the doorstep of the secondary main character's house were done, it is the body language and facial expressions of the main character which make the scene show a degree of verisimilitude. In terms of cinematography, the shots begin with a back shot of Sam knocking at the door as if we, as a viewer are stood there with him. This changes to a close up of him looking very worried and paranoid as if something could go wrong at that very minute. When he realizes that nobody is answering the door, the knocks become more vicious and urgent. This is shown effectively through a medium close-up which shows his clenched fist making it look as if he is doing a very loud knock. The extreme close-up of his head against the glass door makes his emotions seem clear when watching the video as he appears to have given up all hope.

When he tries forcing the door open to get to the secondary character, the door was left open whilst we were filming so that the door didn't actually break. Because of this, the shot took a lot of retakes to make it look like he was genuinely breaking the door down; this meant that the door had to open at a specific speed. The main character finally reaches his friend in the next scene to find him overdosed on the drugs whilst laid on his bed. This is effectively shown by an over-the-shoulder shot leading to an extreme close-up of him laid on his bed appearing to be lacking much life. Sam is then shown trying to wake him up but he appears to be dead. When the scene in my room was filmed, I used the tripod whilst on a stool to get the over the shoulder/two shots flawless. This is because the main character, Sam, is over six feet tall which made it hard to shoot when the tripod only reaches around three/four foot. I also had to carefully consider the lighting in my room which felt more appropriate to use smaller lamps as the main lighting was far too dark to make the shot work with the other ones filmed. The scene ended with an extreme close-up of the drugs on a desk in the room. For mise-en-scene purposes, I shot the CD case with the white powder on next to a sticker and patches of tobacco to convey the characters' messy personality more. For future filming, I am using the same pile of white powder to create recognition throughout the music video.

Locations

The locations which are used in my music video are all based in the market town of Driffield where I live. I think that this is a reasonable setting as having lived there my entire life; I know that there are a lot of drug abusers and dealers which live here. With this in mind, verisimilitude is created through my product to reflect the natures of what could happen at any time within this town. I chose the settings carefully to show certain areas which are derelict or generally notorious for drug abusers; however there are shots in the text which are in developed areas such as mine or one of the actor’s houses.

The secondary main character returns to his house after they pick up the drugs in the first shots, these will be filmed in my own house. Although it does not have the appearance of a person who would use drugs’ house, I plan on strategically framing the shots so that this is not obvious. When the secondary character is being filmed in the room, I intend on using dim lighting which does not show how big the room is. To use the appropriate mise-en-scene for the character, I am going to make the room appear messy to indicate that the character does not care for organisation. The location is appropriate for filming as there are a lot of choices for lighting which means that I will not have to bring exterior lights to create the effects which I want to bring on my finishing product. There is also a large mirror in my room which can be used perfectly to film the shot where he is staring at his reflection following the actions which he had just taken. This seemed like a better setting for the secondary characters’ house as it will be more flexible to film in than elsewhere.

Following the shots filmed in the secondary characters’ house, the same drugs are then shown in the primary characters’ house to show that they have both received the same batch. These shots are filmed in a different location in the actor who plays the secondary main character’s house. Although these shots do not show a lot of the setting, it seems appropriate to film in a separate house as a following shot shows the character leaving the setting where the narrative unfolds further. 

The music video often follows the conventions of alternative rock videos by showing the band playing along with the music throughout different breaks in the narrative. This features an actor playing the vocalist Thom Yorke as he strums on his guitar alongside the song which plays in the background. This part of the music video is filmed in my living room which is appropriate through the lighting options which are available. Applying this to the filming will assist the mise-en-scene in creating a doomy atmosphere which works in synergy with the music that I have chosen. Using this setting will also distinct away from the gritty atmosphere which is provided in the initial narrative and show that the band are not associated with this type of lifestyle, but merely performing a biopic on the idea. 

Between shots fifth teen to eighteen, the main character gets stopped by the superior drug dealers. The setting for this would primarily have to be an urban setting, however to match the settings for the rest of the music video it is on a road which mixes urban influences with the standard suburban living set-up. As a result of this, I’ve decided to film it on Woldholme Avenue in Driffield. This is an area which is rarely busy which is ideal for filming the shots which I have decided on, it would also help to avoid suspicion of genuine danger happening in the community. 

This area is additionally used in the climax of the narrative where the main character is shown drug dealing to an extra followed by the confrontation of the main drug dealers which occurs in the final scene. Although it is not noticeably the same area, I plan on using the bottom of Woldholme Avenue for the climax which has graffiti ridden walls which could be used for mise-en-scene purposes of making the area appear rundown. This is also in the vicinity of an alleyway which I plan on using for the shot involving a drug deal; usage of this setting enhances the stereotype of which alleyways often connote. Further down the alleyway, there is a cul-de-sac which is convenient for the ending where the main character gets shot by the drug dealer. This will ensure that there is minimal disruption during the filming and is in an open space which is ideal for testing camera angles and framing.

Prop List

Car

In the shots which involve the two main characters driving away and when the drug dealers confront the main character about what they owe him, a car is needed as a prop. Two of the actors which are involved in the music video own cars and are licensed to drive therefore this is easily achievable. To maintain health and safety whilst filming, I am assuring that the actors pictured driving are only those who are legally allowed to drive and insured. The usage of cars in these shots is necessary to progress the narrative and enable character development through the condition that the cars used are in. As young drivers, the price of insurance is very high which means that they own ‘novice’ cars. Although the age of the characters taken from the narrative is not clear, usage of mise-en-scene will convey that they are all under the age of 23. 

Smoking Paraphernalia

In the sixth shot, the secondary character is shown smoking cannabis from a ‘bong’ in his room. I intend to obtain this prop through borrowing one from a friends’ shop which sells smoking paraphernalia, although upon filming it will only be implied that it is being used and no cannabis will be involved. I feel that it is necessary to use this prop in a shot as it establishes the lifestyle that these characters lead on a day-to-day basis and their casual attitudes towards it. Further in the narrative, the character which is shown taking drugs in this shot dies from an overdose. The usage of the prop reinforces the fact that he is a troubled person who feels reliant on drug abuse. 

Fake Drugs

Many of the shots based on the main characters receiving these drugs from the main drug dealers feature frames of white powder and small bags placed on a table. Namely, shots seven and eight show a large amount of these drugs placed on a table. Shot eight shows the drugs in the other main characters’ house as he takes them, for both of these shots fake drugs are needed to create the illusion that they are users. This will be mostly a mixture of crushed up sugar granules to make sure that if anything is accidentally inhaled, it will not be harmful for the actor. 

Gun

In the finale of the music video, there are shots which involve the main drug dealer murdering the main character for owing him money. This shows the drug dealer grabbing a gun from his trousers and shooting the main character as he is running from a distance. The decision to have this prop came from past research of companies such as BARB and BBFC who assess a small amount of music videos when broadcasted on film. It is noticeable that they have banned or cut graphic violence from music videos which would have to be considered if the music video was to be broadcasted. From this, I decided that a shooting with a gun would be less graphic than a stabbing or anything which may have been more realistic. From when I was young, I own toy guns which could be used to create the illusion of a real gun. 

Guitar

Often in the music video, there is a break from the narrative where a musician plays along with the song in the background. This feature is used to create the impression of a lot of other alternative-rock music videos which are currently in circulation. For these shots, a guitar is needed to make the actor appear to be a real musician; I own a reasonably professional guitar which would be appropriate for this filming. Along with the costume that the actor who plays the singer from Radiohead will be wearing, verisimilitude will be created through the appearance of a musician.  

Singer's Costume

Singer's Costume #1

The singer in the music video has small segments where he sings along with the lyrics of the song as it plays over the song. This is to mix diegetic and non-diegetic audio with the narrative of the story. It is important that the singer has the visual appeal for the genre of music which the music video is based on.

The singer is often not pictured in a long-range shot which shows what he is wearing, yet it is appropriate to plan the costume if the shots are to change from the initial storyboard. Whilst throughout the shots which the singer features in, he is holding a guitar prop which is playing along with the music; his t-shirt will read a bands name which is related to the alternative-rock genre. This will appeal to the target audience who are fans of Radiohead's music and bands which are similar, also appearing distinctive against the main and subsidiary characters who are more focused in the urban side of society. The t-shirt which he is wearing is likely to be over-sized to match the trends in that industry, it may also be interpreted as mocking the trends of the main characters (although it has been adopted to the alt-rock section of music).

The costume also includes drainpipe jeans which are extremely tight skinny jeans for those unfamiliar. This is because this is a large trend in those who eagerly follow the genre. It will appear distinctive in the singers costume compared to the tracksuit bottoms and baggy jeans worn by all the characters shown in the narrative. Yet, this offbeat change is to show that the narrative is not linked with the lives of those creating the music and that they may not condone it. 

Finally, the singer's costume ends with formal shoes which are shown in bands such as The Strokes and also Radiohead themselves to be a large part of the image used by alternative-rock bands. This also connotes that the singer and perhaps other members of the band have more taste and social class than those who are shown drug dealing and drug abusing in the music video. 

Secondary Character's Costumes

Antagonist Costume #1

This costume is for the antagonist who the main characters owe money to. They appear in the first half of the music video in the shot where the main character is walking down the road when he is confronted by the drug dealers and again at the end of the video where he shoots the main character. This character is one of the two who talk to the main character about what they owe them, yet the other character is not shown properly in the shot therefore a full costume is not necessary (although what is shown, his costume will be similar to this).

Firstly, the character's costume includes a crew neck sweater which is distinctive against the other two characters hoodies. This is most likely going to be black or a darker colour to indicate that he is a bad person who gets involved with negative scenarios. However, a branded crew neck normally shows more social class than a hoodie which shows that he has more money although he may not be a better person than either of the primary characters. 

The antagonist also wears fitted jeans which give him the appearance that he cares more for what he looks like than the two primary characters. The jeans also give appeal for the target audience of the music video as skinny jeans are often worn by those involved with the alternative-rock genre. In addition, the antagonists' costume also involves footwear which are renowned as more expensive to show his wealth compared to the likes of the main characters battered canvas shoes. 

Main Character's Costumes

Main Character #1

This is the main character who the story is mainly focused on played by Sam Potter. Although his costume does not match the attire of which most alternative rock bands use; the music video narrative follows a group of urban teenagers as they get into trouble with drug dealers who they owe money to. The narrative accommodates the ideology that a lot of alternative rock fans who take part in the culture have a negative opinion on stereotypical people who take drugs such as 'chavs'.

The first part of the costume which seems essential is a hoodie with the hood up. This is because there are many connotations of the hoodie which convey criminal behavior, more so when the hood is up to cover their identity. This first part of the costume does not need to have any specific logos or brands on it as the item of clothing in itself allows an audience to create an impression. However, brands such as Nike, Adidas and Reebok further these stereotypes further so I am going to obtain one of these hoodies from either an actor or myself. 

The costume also includes jeans which aren't of any precise fitting (such as skinny jeans). This is because the urban appearance that this character is representing stereo typically only wears baggier jeans. Baggier jeans in this character's case also convey more laid back attitudes and less of an effort being put into his appearance. 

Finally, the costume is finished with big shoes such as Nike Air Max or skateboard branded shoes. This shows that the character may be laid back and mischievous but still cares for certain aspects of his style sense. Shoes which are well known to be more expensive also show that he has a degree of wealth, even though this may not be big as he is resorting to drug abuse.

Main Character #2

This is the initial costume ideas for the second main character who suffers an overdose at some point during the narrative. The costume for this character is similar to that of the main, this is primarily because they belong in the same style and social group. Although this character does not survive through the complete narrative, he is a significant role throughout the first half of the music video.

As the two main characters are close friends, to create verisimilitude they wear similar clothes (I also intend to recreate this through non-verbal communication/body language). Starting from the top, his first part of the costume is a snap-back cap. This is because they are very common in urban culture and show that the character is of a younger age. The hat will have a slogan on the front which is popular in this area of society.

The character also wears a hoodie which does not have any branding on. This is to show that he is not overly observant on brands and appealing to his peers, but more interested in spending his money on drugs. His costume also includes tracksuit bottoms which match the image which the two characters create. This is because the general stereotype for 'chavs' and people of their relation is that they often wear tracksuit bottoms and sportswear often. This also indicates his casual attitudes towards their lifestyle and his social class (not being able to afford trousers or jeans - this is open to interpretation through his drug abuse). 

Lastly, the character's costume includes general canvas shoes. This is to be obtained through the most worn-out shoes one of the casting members owns which can connote the characters lack of caring. The idea for this is to not include a large amount of branding on the characters appearance, but make him appear to be somebody who does not mind what others think about him. 

- These costumes will later be posted on the blog when the images are gathered.

Health & Safety

This chart explains the potential health and safety risks that certain people on the set may encounter during the filming. After assessing these possibilities, I decided that there is not a very high chance that most of these dangers will become a reality. This is because the narrative does not feature the need to go to settings which hold a risk of danger (all of the music video is filmed in Driffield, often in suburban areas). Although the narrative includes a scene of violence in the ending, this is with a toy gun where editing will be used to create a realistic effect.
The possibility in getting ran over by a car in the market town of Driffield is very unlikely as there is often a lack of traffic. Even though this is an unlikely risk, it is appropriate to create signs which warn the general public that a filming is taking place. This is appropriate to keep the filming uninterrupted and additionally create a safe environment to film in.
The second aspect of potential harm to health and safety is the use of the bong prop which will be included in one of the opening scenes to establish character. In this shot, the character sits in a room in his house using a smoking device in a casual manner. To avoid any hazards, the prop will be empty and only the lighter indicating use will be shown in the shot.

Animatic

This is the animatic for my music video where I cropped the images used from the storyboard. From this, I assessed the appropriate timings for each shot to match the timing of the sound so that it flowed with the song. Although this is a draft of the structure that my music video will follow; this is a realistic scale of how long each shot will last.

Storyboard Shots 1 - 10

Storyboard Shots 11 - 20

Storyboard Shots 21 - 30

Storyboard Shots 31 - 40

Storyboard Shots 41 - 52

Storyboard Shot Timings

One: [Before music starts]
Two: [Before music starts]
Three: 0:00 - 0:07
Four: 0:07 - 0:10
Five: 0:10 - 0:15
Six: 0:15 - 0:23 (Ends when lyrics begin)
Seven: 0:23 - 0:27
Eight: 0:27 - 0:36
Nine: 0:36 - 0:43
Ten: 0:43 - 0:47
Eleven: 0:47 - 0:54
Twelve: 0:54 - 1:01
Thirteen: 1:01 - 1:10
Fourteen: 1:10 - 1:16
Fifth-teen: 1:16 - 1:23
Sixteen: 1:23 - 1:38
Seventeen: 1:38 - 1:42
Eighteen: 1:42 - 1:50
Nineteen: 1:50 - 1:55
Twenty: 1:55 - 1:58
Twenty-one: 1:58 - 2:02
Twenty-two: 2:02 - 2:10
Twenty-three: 2:10 - 2:17
Twenty-four: 2:17 - 2:22
Twenty-five: 2:22 - 2:26
Twenty-six: 2:26 - 2:30
Twenty-seven: 2:30 - 2:34
Twenty-eight: 2:34 - 2:41
Twenty-nine: 2:41 - 2:43
Thirty: 2:43 - 2:47
Thirty-one: 2:47 - 2:54
Thirty-two: 2:54 - 2:57
Thirty-three: 2:57 - 3:02
Thirty-four: 3:02 - 3:07
Thirty-five: 3:07 - 3:11
Thirty-six: 3:11 - 3:15
Thirty-seven: 3:15 - 3:18
Thirty-eight: 3:18 - 3:21
Thirty-nine: 3:21 - 3:25
Fourty: 3:25 - 3:28
Fourty-one: 3:28 - 3:30
Fourty-two: 3:30 - 3:35
Fourty-three: 3:35 - 3:37
Fourty-four: 3:37 - 3:42
Fourty-five: 3:42 - 3:47
Fourty-six: 3:47 - 3:50
Fourty-seven: 3:50 - 3:53
Fourty-eight: 3:53 - 3:57
Fourty-nine: 3:57 - 4:00
Fifty: 4:00 - 4:05
Fifty-one: 4:05 - 4:13
Fifty-two: 4:13 - 4:24 [END]

Three Initial Ideas

Narrative One

The concept would begin with a man wearing a mask on his face sat in his house whilst a band plays in the background. The man would then receive notes which tell him to follow a trail; the words on these notes would feature lyrics from the song as well as instructions. When he follows these notes, disturbing occurrences happen around him. As the climax of the video comes, he would appear in a woods setting where another person comes out wearing the same mask, he is then grabbed maliciously and taken away off-screen. This narrative would match the ideology of the song as Thom Yorke wrote it with the idea that the characters featured should have run away whilst they had the chance, this would be the same for the main character in this. 

Narrative Two

This narrative would start with a teenage boy who is spoken to by a group of others asking for the money which is owed (all subtitled). The duration of the music video would then follow this boy whilst he evades the law and tries to sell drugs in order to avoid trouble with the antagonists of the text. As the story progresses, it results in him being chased by the ‘debt collectors’ where he meets his demise. This idea is once again based on Thom Yorke’s idea upon writing the song which is explained in the previous narrative. 

Narrative Three

At the start of the narrative, the main character is burying a dead body in the middle of the countryside. The whole video is based on his paranoia of people finding out, which subsequently features him being followed by a range of people who he believes are undercover police. The story ends with those who he suspects to be police coming out the car to be the person that he assumed he had buried.

Audience Research: Focus Group

The History of Music Videos

From 1926, companies have found a variety of ways to advertise bands and artists in creating visual entertainment to accompany a song. However, this all began in 1894 where two sheet music publishers (Edward B. Marks and Joe Stern) hired George Thomas to create a piece in which images were matched to a song; this was the opening development of music videos where there was a visual element to the audio.

Following this, in 1926 the first step up was made through ‘talkies’ which featured dancers and actors creating musical short films to be placed over a song. These were created on sound film systems named Vitaphone’s which were produced by Warner Bros. From here, animated short films were made where the audience is expected to sing along to the song through following the bouncing ball along with the lyrics. These were created in the early 30’s by Max Fleischer who created Screen Songs which followed this style. This was along with Walt Disney short films such as Silly Symphonies which followed a similar style and the full-length animation in 1940, Fantasia. The company Warner Bros. then took a liking to this style of animation by creating Loony Tunes and Merrie Melodies which featured performances from popular musicians on occasion. 

The first known clip which featured footage considered as a music video were the short films created by Ladislav Rychman which were intended to be shown simply for the purpose of the music behind it; this was done in 1958, recorded independently and considered a breakthrough.  Musical films were then created which were often shortened in the style of a modern music video. These imitated the styles of Hollywood musicals from the 1930's era such as West Side Story which was then turned into a musical film. An example of this is the video for Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend which was made famous by Marilyn Monroe’s adaptation in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The first film made specifically for a band’s music was The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night (directed by Richard Lester) starring the band in a mock documentary with their music being the basis for a lot of the narrative; this was inspiration for a range of musicals and the templates for modern music videos as well as having the TV series The Monkees based around it. Bob Dylan then imitated this style in a documentary directed by D. A. Pennebaker. The shortened video featured a song named Subterranean Homesick Blues where a man is shown down a back alley shuffling the lyrics to the song on cards.

This began the bloom of promotional films, quite a lot of which were promoted internationally for The Beatles. These were taken from their first film and Help! which was their second release. Help! was very inspirational for filmmakers interested in the idea of music videos as it uses features which are conventional to this modern day such as cross-cut editing and contrasts between long range shots and close-ups. From here, music videos began to advance substantially. In 1967, colour promotional clips were created where director Peter Goldman made music videos for Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane by The Beatles. These used techniques which were not previously common to film makers such as slow motion, strategic lighting and colouring, different camera angles and techniques taken from underground films. 1966 showed famous UK band The Kinks release Dead End Streets, the first music video which featured a strong narrative which merged the idea of a band playing music with the story-telling of films which were around in this time. After this had been made, the BBC refused to air the video as it was found to be in bad taste. 

After a range of artists approached this idea of documentaries and full length features, video footage of music came to television. TV series’ such as Sounds and Top of the Pops launched in the 70’s which gave a new perspective of visual music, however to begin with the content was very limited in which artists had produced music videos. In cases such as Sounds and the Australian TV show Countdown, the stations themselves had to create the videos for the artists. These were often lacking in substance producing very irrelevant videos for the music which was featured on the show. However, it proved to be successful meaning directors from Countdown realized the gain in marketing through music videos where they then left their jobs to pursue a career in this. British TV show Top of the Pops was the first of its kind in the UK in the late 1970's. It was realized that a good music video often lead to a large amount of sales as people would wish to watch the video again next week on the TV show. The only problem with music television in this era was that they were very limited to the outsourced music videos which could be used (especially with the BBC), this meant that it was often repetitive although not considered boring as it was revolutionary. 

By the 1980’s, music television had now become mainstream. From here, the launch of MTV and other channels had become popular in society where a 24-hour broadcast of music videos was made. The first airing was The Bugles – Video Killed the Radio Star which had become a sensation as it was the first of its kind, this was then joined with artists such as Duran Duran and Madonna. However as with everything, there was controversy with the MTV in the 1980's for not airing music videos made by african-american performers to which Rick James called 'blatant racism'. The rise of popularity for music video channels often came as they became more advanced. This was through the rise in digital media and the better equipment that came for filming. The most popular and influential video at this stage was Michael Jackson's Thriller which cost $800, 000 to make and ran for a 14-minute duration. The director of this made a large amount of money as a result. This lead to many directors working with MTV to create unique styled music videos with their own themes specific to directors such as Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham; some of which went on to direct feature films. MTV however stopped showing music videos in the mid-2000's to replace them with reality TV shows.

 Music television had become a huge area in music marketing and promoting bands further into making millions. The final step for music television was the rise of the internet streaming of artists videos. This began with a streaming website named 'iFilm' which launched in 1997 hosting a range of short films including music videos. As time passed, there started to be more and more ways to receive music and music videos on the internet. By 1999, peer-to-peer sites were on the rise with Napster starting the revolution. YouTube was created in 2005 which to this day is the largest video sharing site with millions of users daily. As YouTube became such a hit, many bands have gained worldwide fame from posting videos online (examples include OK Go and Weezer). Finally, in 2009 Vevo was created; this was made by several companies to include videos from Google and YouTube to synchorise together in a channel. Viral music videos on the internet soon became the biggest source of marketing to this present day.

Genre Conventions of Alternative Rock

 In the genre of alternative rock there are conventional features which are seen in the majority of music videos. These conventions are used to connote an image which many bands wish to follow so that they belong to a scene and gain a response from the target audience that they wish to reach. By following these conventions, the music videos promote the band to their potential fans where they may be shown on music television channels (e.g. MTV Rock), broadcasted on radio stations (e.g. Q, Kerrang!) and in more niche cases, posted on blogs, web-zines and internet channels.

The alternative rock genre often comes with a range of stereotypes which are represented through the mise-en-scene in the video. Lighting is usually not excessive in this genre as there is never a large focus on glamour as the artists tend to break the conventions of most mainstream artists. In most music videos within the genre there is mainly usage of natural lighting rather than a clear focus of flashing lights which is normally used in hip-hop and pop music. The props which are used within the genre are often not excessive to maintain a casual appearance around the artists. It is often found in alternative rock videos that the artists keep a smart-casual dress sense to progress this stereotype. In The Strokes’ music video for Juice box, the band furthers this impression through resisting showing their wealth in their clothing choice, yet keeping their attire suitable to the genre. In context of the video, they star with a variety of actors who also dress in this smart casual manner. They are shown performing everyday activities to appeal to their younger target audience who would be watching music videos. In alternative rock videos, the band are often seen playing the song whilst the narrative unfolds as a sub-plot. This essence is used to create a personal effect on the video in this genre, enhancing the idea that the artists are skilled in playing their instruments; this is shown in the video below.

 In terms of editing, music videos in this genre are often appropriately cut without appearing chaotic. In most cases, the cuts which are used match the pace of the song which is being played. This is to keep the product at a professional level which leaves the audio as the most important area in the video. If the editing is not kept to the tempo of the song, it is normally at the same speed as the narrative to maintain a suitable appearance. Occasionally, there are specialized cuts used such as fading, however this is always kept to a limit. In Interpol’s video for NYC, the band use fading cuts more than an average music video. This is because it matches the pace of the song and narrative of the video as a quiet and dark output. There are specific uses of editing where the band is shown in a negative lighting fill; this is accompanied by blue and red lit backgrounds. In alternative rock, depending on the bands style there can be uses of editing such as this as certain artists wish to convey a diverse image. 

 Cinematography and camera techniques are used in alternative rock music videos to highlight the artists as they play the music in a lot of cases. This is normally through extreme close-ups on the band and their instruments as they play along to the audio. Following this idea, the cinematography additionally features medium close-ups which include the whole band as they play in a setting (the setting is often where the narrative develops). Varieties of worm’s eye and bird’s eye shots convey the significance of the band in the music video as they show dominance to their project; whereas bird’s eye shots often reflect the narrative or show the band as a whole. In the music video for Radiohead’s Street Spirit (Fade Out), the band breaks the regular conventions for the ideologies of alternative rock videos. However, they follow a lot of conventions which are often found in the cinematography and camera work. This is through using close-ups to reflect the narrative and pace of the song where the intro shows the vocalist laid on a car bonnet waiting for the song to start. The video shows the band stood around a caravan site where gravity changes and strange events occur. The camera work for this shows medium close-ups where the whole band is pictured during the main verses; this is to show their importance to the song. Bird’s eye shots are used where the breaks in the song progress and the narrative allows a creature to fly near the vocalists personal space, this shows the shot through the perspective of the animal. There is a lack of tracking and panning in this text as the tempo of the song is slow and progressive which produces a calming effect on the audience.

LLIAR Analysis #3

The Walkmen - The Rat

The Walkmen are an alternative rock band which gained a large amount of publicity throughout the 2000's. They had a large influence on bands in the alternative rock genre and the subculture which revolved around it following the release of their acclaimed album 'Bows + Arrows' in which this song features on. The band could be interpreted as the type to follow all the conventions of alternative/indie-rock, due to their style and way in which this music video is filmed.

Representation in The Rat is conveyed by the bands attitudes and style throughout playing the song to the camera. There is no fixed narrative within the video which gives the idea that the band may be more focused on their image or the song that they are playing rather than creating a long story line for their audience. This gives the question of whether having a large narrative is conventional of alternative rock, the answer is no. Including videos which I have analysed previously (Title Fight, Pity Sex), artists such as The Strokes and Vampire Weekend who belong to this genre of music often use videos which do not depict a narrative, they are more focused on the bands' performances. Questionably, alternative rock bands do this so that it shows their talent involved in writing this music away from the mainstream artists who often use electronic instruments rather than guitars and drums. The Walkmen use representation in this video to give the impression that they are a formal, professional band. This is shown through their choice in clothing which is strictly blacks and whites, if the band were aiming to create a bold statement, it is likely that they would have appeared in brighter colours and with a more vibrant attire. 

This music video gives the impression that there is no specific audience other than fans of the alternative rock style of music. From this theory, the lack of trends and themes shows that the band have a professional outlook in which they do not aim to target any age group or type of person, they are a band which make music for those that will enjoy it. With that said, from personal information, I am aware of people from older and younger generations that both enjoy The Walkmen. Bands which are as largely established as The Walkmen can often have this effect in the alternative rock genre where they do not aim to be trendy or modern like many bands that target the younger generation. Yet, their music is based around influences from a range of eras which allows them to have a broad audience. This is illustrated in their music video as there is no colour or props present in the mise-en-scene which show character to the band, they are only shown playing their instruments to the song that the video is based on. 

Within the music video, there is no ongoing narrative or interference's which provide personality for the band. It is quite simply a video showing the band playing their hit song The Rat from a range of shots, very much so like historical music videos when they first came around (see The Beatles - Day Tripper). The similarities between this music video and those which were filmed historically are very outstanding in that they do not feature much narrative at all. This could possibly be The Walkmen's intentions towards creating this video, to give some appeal to an older audience, this ideology could also mean that they intended to create a vintage impression which is very popular in younger people in this modern day. It is also possible that The Walkmen intended to appear as darker characters in their persona and their music writing technique. This is represented through the presence of shadows which are featured continuously throughout the video; although this song does not give any dark imagery upon listening. 

In terms of institution, The Walkmen have released records on Fierce Panda, Gigantic, Bella Union and Startime; all of which are American independent labels. As the band are based in New York, there are many institutions for alternative-rock in their area. The record label Fierce Panda has released music from bands such as Keane, Kings of Leon and Art Brut; all of which have filmed music videos of the same style as The Rat. These often include the band playing the song in the background for the duration of the music video. 

The language throughout The Walkmen's video is conveyed in mise-en-scene by the colours of the clothes that the band members wear throughout. These are all whites and blacks which are normally used only for formal attire, however they are wearing it when simply playing their song. This almost seems like a postmodern feature of the music video as they are aware that they are being filmed (the reason why they are dressed formally), although their facial expressions make it seem that they do not wish to be in the music video. There are no extraordinary props or settings used in the video besides a plain practice room and the backline instruments of a band when they play live. The cinematography used in the video is that of a normal performance where there are close-up and long-range shots based on which band member is performing the most outstanding part. The shots are distributed equally so that each band member is shown playing along to the song, also in some parts the camera tilts to the tempo of the song. The sound is diegetic in this music video as the band are all self aware of the video being filmed. As they play along with the song it is clear that it is intended to give the audience the impression that they are playing it live. Editing techniques used in The Rat are very subtle as there are no bold uses of transitions or filters other than the music video being filmed in gray-scale. This has a large impact on the way the viewer receives the video as there is a slightly darker, more negative tone used; the use of black and white filming converges with the black and white outfits that the band are wearing. In the background of the practice room there is a pattern which moves, almost identical to a lava lamp. This is potentially used to appeal to the older audience who may remember when lava lamps were a groundbreaking invention, giving the video an 80's style. 

Genre Conventions Analysis #3

The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Low Light Assembly

Genre Conventions Analysis

Cinematography

Editing

Mise-en-scene

 The music video's sound is simply the song Low Light Assembly by the band. There is an eight second sequence at the beginning which is simply the sound of wind which creates the feeling of verisimilitude which changes to the impression of tranquility which comes as the music begins to play.

LLIAR Analysis #1

Title Fight - Head In The Ceiling Fan

Title Fight's music video for 'Head In The Ceiling Fan' features the band's homemade camera footage from their travels through touring, this is a frequent theme which the band often address such as the video for 'Shed'. The band often use this theme as they are a group of young musicians who are in their late teens and early twenties who have reached worldwide acclaim following their first full-length 'The Last Thing You Forget'. Since the success of  their first album (and other side projects such as hardcore bands Bad Seed and Disengage), they have been touring constantly since they became widely known. Title Fight are generally recognized as alternative-rock but often come under sub-genres such as indie and emo (sub-genre of rock/punk, not the general stereotype), regardless this video is filmed in the fashion of some modern alt-rock bands.

The band represented as having a casual attitude towards their music and lifestyles. This is shown through the way in which the whole music video is shot by using handheld cameras and personal footage which they believe is relevant to their target audience. This aspect of the filming addresses the themes of the album which this song features on (Floral Green) where there are a lot of personal matters discussed. This song uses the guitarist Jamie Rhoden as the vocalist who is renowned for his acoustic covers of some previous song which furthers the personal feeling. As a result of this, there are a lot of shots which are framed primarily to feature him as he sings along with the audio. This is a common feature of alternative-rock videos where bands such as Radiohead and The Strokes often use this. Semiotics in this video also convey the open-minded attitudes of the band. This is as they do not strictly display the stereotypical appearance and nature of people in the same musical vicinity. Title Fight do this through using shots of the band playing baseball and other sports which would perhaps not be connected to their emo/alt-rock genre. It is also displayed through the mise-en-scene where the main singer Ned Russin is shown wearing a 'Free Spirit' tshirt, a band who are renowned for spreading positive messages throughout the hardcore/punk scene in Boston. 

When bands such as Title Fight release music which uses a wide range of influences, it is often difficult to assess the audience in which they are addressing in some scenarios. The album which this song features on maintains a sound which is similar to emo bands which came from the 1990's such as Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral. As a result of this, it is very likely that the music video is aimed at those who may have been a fan of this style of music at the time that it came out, but those who have only just become fond of it recently. The younger generation who have only just discovered this style of music are often stereotyped as hipsters who have a large appeal for vintage styled filming and imagery; Head In The Ceiling Fan addresses this with poorly edited and shot footage. The target audience's age is another factor which is hard to determine as it may appeal to those who appreciated the style of music when it was a wider known style in the 90's and those who have just become fans of it. However, the music is not easily accessible particularly.

Title Fight's image as a touring band often comes from the amount of other bands which the members have been involved in or created. They also very involved in the American alternative music scene as the vocalist owns the hardcore record label 'Back to Back Records' which is very successful for bands in the New York and Boston districts who possess a particular style. As a common hobby, travelling is an essential part of the band members' lives which is reflected in the video clearly. They are often shown on hilltops jumping into a sea where the next minute they are walking through the dark through a mysterious woods. Title Fight are signed to Revelation Records currently who bring out a range of punk bands and have been for decades. Yet, the band break the conventions of others that are on that label of following a genre which could only be loosely explained as punk. 

The video for this uses language in a way which isn't overly clustered with a specific narrative. This is through using miscellaneous home video clips which work in synergy with each other, yet do not follow a structured plot. The use of conventional features of video texts such as mise-en-scene have semiotics which are used to please the target audience and assert the bands image. As the music video is intended to appear as a collective of home videos, there is no designated props or intentional placement of items to convey an image. Yet, the setting is often in green fields or in lakes where the band are shown jumping, this connotes peace and tranquility which also gives the band an image of being laid back people. The cinematography in the video is not particularly inventive or convention-breaking, although areas such as the band walking towards the camera in a dark wooded setting is intended to display their adventure both in this setting and as artists in general. Editing is frequently questionable as there are moments where shots are cut out in a 'broken video tape' style cut (with a fuzzy screen), this appears to be intentional to abide by the theme of the music video. There are also brief shots of their live shows (which are often chaotic) where it captures people stage diving and mic-grabbing but this changes rather quickly due to the tempo of the song and the irrelevance to the video. There is lack of formality of using conventions in Title Fight's video for Head In The Ceiling Fan, but the filming is appropriately done to match the song in theme and tempo.