LMFAO- The making of the music video of Party Rock Anthem and their opinions and thoughts on the process of making music videos and how important the videos are to their career as they say "the video can save the single"
Monday, 17 September 2012
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Research and Planning: Script Rough Draft
Victim of the Mind
Written and Performed by Amy’s Ghost
FADE IN
High angle shot of a city at night, the colour is black and white, and the car lights are sped up as to create the idea of a city being fast pace and never ending.
Then there is a long shot of Amy amongst a rushing crowd of people she is dressed in such a way that she looks completely out of place in comparison to the contemporary that surround her. The camera moves across the scene from left to right and then catches another scene where Amy is still looking out of place but is coming closer and closer to the camera. Around her you notice men who are dressed in the same way as Amy and look equally out of place.
A close up engulfs Amy’s face in the frame and the close up becomes more and more extreme until her eyes are all that can be seen in the frame it becomes apparent that she is crying there is then a gap in the music at which point she wipes away the tear and then the shot becomes in colour and the camera moves out, revealing her to be in a complete change of scenery and is a country setting.
The shot then moves to a tracking shot of a car moving down a country path at night, the red lights at the back of the car are prominent and it is seen that there are two people in the car.
A wide shot reveals Amy moving through a mountainous area, it is shown that she is determinedly heading in a certain direction.
Then there is a medium close up of a girl sitting in the car, she notices along the road that there are men set in places along the road they are dressed strangely and look as if they are travelling in a specific direction like Amy.
A wide shot then shows Amy standing in front of a waterfall. Her view in directed toward the right of the frame. A cross fade then shows the band member that has just been seen in the same location on the right hand side of the frame and looking in the direction of the left hand of the frame as if they are looking at each other yet at different points.
A long shot shows Amy continuing in her journey.
Another medium close up from another angle shows that the girl is being chauffeur driven yet it is not clear and to whether or not the chauffeur is a man or a woman. The girl then sees another band member.
Amy is at the peak of a mountain at sunset, once again she is standing to the left of the frame and looking towards the right. A cross fade then shows the band member that has just been seen by the girl reaching that peak and standing at the right looking toward the left.
The girl continues on her journey watching the road go past. She notices two figures standing by the side of the road. Then a wide shot reveals Amy at a different peak of the mountain where it is extremely windy, she is once again standing towards to left looking right. A cross fade then reveals the two band members at the peak being consumed by the wind, they are standing to the right looking left.
A long shot reveals that the car is approaching its destination and the sun is about to rise. There are then a montage of shots showing each band member and Amy coming together to form a circle each set up their instrument and begin to play the song. The car parks the chauffeur opens the door for the girl to get out.
A long shot reveals the girl walking up a hill to meet the band where they are playing and white rose petals begin to fall. The girl watches in awe of the scene in front of her and then Amy signals for her to come toward them.
A wide shot shows that as the girl gets closer each of the band members begin to fade the girl reaches Amy so that only her and Amy are in the circle. The girl then places her hands on Amy’s stomach and there is a pause.
A medium close up shows Amy giving the girl a white rose and as the girl focuses she looks back and Amy is gone.
A long shot reveals the girl running back to the car. The chauffeur opens the door for her and the girl sits in the car still holding the rose.
A long shot shows from a distance the chauffeur getting in to the car and driving toward the camera it is then seen that the chauffeur is Amy.
FADE OUT
Research and Planning: Process to writing a music video script by Nigel Dick
| CHAPTER FOUR WRITING CONCEPTS So, we've established that bands need videos and that videos get made once a director has written a treatment or a concept. But why do you need a concept, how do you write one and what makes a good one? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? 1) IT'S HOW YOU GET A JOB It's an essay writing contest, you might be up against 10 other people. 2) IDEAS ARE WHAT SEPARATE YOU FROM THE REST OF THE PACK YOU WILL SPEND 50% OF YOUR YEAR WRITING CONCEPTS Doing the job, and showing what you've got only occurs after you've secured the gig. 3) IT'S THE SCRIPT FOR THE DIRECTOR You might be able to busk it on the day, but in the long run, if it's not in the script it won't be in the film. Coming up with ideas on the set will be too late, Yes you may be inspired on the day, but cannot always rely on that. 4) IT'S THE SCRIPT FOR EVERYONE ON SET The Camera department, the art department and everyone else will refer to your concept, written weeks ago as their blueprint! 5) IT WILL BECOME PART OF THE CONTRACT HOW DO YOU GET TO WRITE?1) HUSTLE! Your rep or you hustles: The label / Managers /Artists (See Chapter 2 and 3) 2) RECEIVE CD 3) ASK QUESTIONS: When? Where? How Much? What Do You Want? What Don't You Want? Speak to the band. WHICH ACTS SHOULD YOU WRITE FOR?1) ARTISTS YOU KNOW? 2) ARTISTS YOU?VE NEVER HEARD OF? 3) ARTISTS YOU LIKE? 4) ARTISTS YOU DON?T LIKE? 5) ALL OF THE ABOVE! ...SO NOW YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE A CONCEPT TYPES OF VIDEO1) PERFORMANCE VIDEO E.G. Evenflow (Pearl Jam), Party Hard (Andrew W.K.) 2) TOTAL CONCEPT VIDEO E.G. Sabotage (Beastie Boys), Tool Videos 3) STORY VIDEO E.G. Thriller (Michael Jackson), 4) GAG VIDEO E.G. Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel), Clint Eastwood (Gorillaz) 5) FILM CLIP VIDEO E.G. Chad Kroeger (Hero - Spiderman) 6) DANCE VIDEO E.G. Baby One More Time (Britney Spears) Praise You (Fatboy Slim) HYBRIDS: E.G. Seven Nation Army (White Stripes) Performance with Gag THE PEOPLE TO PLEASE1) THE ARTIST / BAND 2) THE ARTIST'S MANAGER 3) THE VIDEO PERSON AT THE LABEL 4) THE A&R PERSON AT THE LABEL 5) THE HEAD PERSON AT THE LABEL 6) THE FILM PEOPLE: THE MUSIC SUPERVISOR / THE PRODUCERS & EXEC. PRODUCERS / THE DIRECTOR / THE FILM DISTRIBUTOR & MARKETING (Only applies to Soundtrack video). 7) YOURSELF RULES1) DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SHOOT IT? 2) IS IT POSSIBLE WITHIN THE BUDGET? 3) IS IT RIGHT FOR THE ARTIST? 4) IS IT RIGHT FOR MTV - IS IT BROADCASTABLE? 5) IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? 6) IS IT BORING - HAS IT BEEN DONE BEFORE? 7) IS IT YOUR BEST IDEA? HOW TO COME UP WITH IDEAS1) LISTEN TO THE LYRICS (Beware ? ideas can be limited -see addendum.) 2) BRAINSTORMING 3) PICK A FAVOURITE IDEA AND MAKE IT WORK (keep a list of ideas) 4) WRITE DOWN ANYTHING - EVEN IF IT'S TO GET THE BAD IDEAS OUT OF YOUR HEAD 5) LOOK AT PICTURES, FILMS, BOOKS WRITING YOUR CONCEPT1) PRESENTATION - spelling, grammar! 2) MAKE IT EASY TO UNDERSTAND 3) ...BUT BE CONCISE 4) DON'T BE VAGUE - leads to misunderstandings. 5) DON'T BE SYCOPHANTIC - No-one likes a weasel. 6) DON'T SECOND GUESS THE ARTIST / CLIENT - Go with what you believe. 7) MEAN EVERY WORD YOU SAY - You would do anything to shoot this idea. 8) INCLUDE PICTURE REFERENCES WHERE POSSIBLE WHAT NOW?1) SUBMIT 2) REWRITE (They like your reel but what they really wanted was?) 3) BUDGET 4) REWRITE AGAIN (Budget's too high) 5) WAIT! SOURCE: http://www.nigeldick.com/ |
Research and Planning: Relationship between bands and record labels
CHAPTER TWO
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BAND AND LABEL...
Let's talk about how a band gets signed and how they conduct their business with a label as they strive to sell themselves and their music around the world. Obviously this is a very generalised view of how things might work out but will help us understand how videos get made.
EARLY DAYS AND THE FIRST ALBUM
1) Five guys get together in your home town and start a band.
2) They play gigs, make some demos and start to collect a following. Either word gets around about how good they are or they send their demos to their favourite labels.
3) Around this time they meet someone who wants to become their manager - he's from their home town too.
4) One day an A&R person (it stands for Artist & Repertoire but basically means talent scout) sees a gig or hears the demo and wants to sign the band.
5) The band signs a deal which is 'worth millions.' In reality it will certainly cost millions but the band will get but a fraction of the money. The dollars will go towards tour costs, wages, recording costs, picture sessions, hotels...and videos.
6) After some months of hard work the album is completed.
7) The Label Boss presides over a Marketing Meeting attended by the A&R guy, a Marketing Person, A Promotions Person (radio & TV play), a Press person and a Video Commisioner. At this meeting they talk about how they will market the band, what are the selling points of the record, pick a single and figure out how to promote it. You'd think the manager and the band would have some involvement in this meeting - but don't bank on it!
8) The Video commisioner, having taken notes at the Marketing Meeting, sends out the track to a bunch of video directors. She selects a treatment and takes it back to the Label Boss, A&R guy and Marketing Person who discuss its merits and request some changes.
9) Band show up to the video shoot having never read the concept! Video is completed.
10) After three videos of varying success the band sells half a million albums and gigs constantly for a year. The only person in the band making any serious cash is the songwriter - though his royalties probably haven't arrived yet. The label inform the band they're in the hole for about two million bucks.
THE SECOND ALBUM
11) While taking a month off the road to write new songs the band break up with their first manager - he's too small time for them and they sign with some heavyweight guy who's managed five multi-platinum selling bands.
12) While they record the new album the new manager goes to all the heads of department at the label (especially the Video Comissioner) and explains that things will be different this time around. The band will be consulted about the videos.
13) The A&R guy picks a single in the studio and the Video Commisioner sends out the track to video directors. The band hate all the treatments.
14) After The band complain to their manager they get their way and speak with some of the video directors themselves and new treatments arrive. They pick one they like but it's going to cost more money than the label wants to spend. The manager goes to the Label Boss and successfully blags more money.
15) The band shoot the video using their favourite treatment. They love the director, they love the video.
16) The video's a hit.
17) They make two more videos with their director and both are hits.
18) The second album has sold five million albums and the band have been on the road around the world for 18 months. They're now headlining and starting to get some serious cash from the gig money but are stunned to discover that the cost of marketing their albums, making videos etc. and the huge debt acrued by their first album only means that after 4 years of hard work there's about $800,000 profit. The manager skims his 20% off the top leaving the five band members with $128,000 each before tax. By the time they've paid tax they've got enough for a holiday, a new Range Rover and the deposit for a condo in the valley. Meanwhile the guy who writes the band's songs is a millionaire. (These figures are largely inspired guesswork -if someone out there thinks they know better - please let me know).
THIRD ALBUM
19) The band are now crucial to the label's financial well-being. The label adjust their whole business plan for the year around the arrival of the band's next album and the manager has renogiated the band's deal with the label. At this stage the band report directly to the Label Boss and get pretty much whatever they want. The A&R guy has been head-hunted away by another label - just as well because he'd have less control over the band's career now anyway.
20) The band's manager goes directly to the band's favourite video director who comes up with a concept. The Video Commisioner knows nothing about this until a demand arrives from the director's production company asking for a cheque so shooting can start.
21) On the set of the video the band play lip-service to the Video Commisioner who's now largely responsible for making sure the band's limos arrive on time to pick them up in the morning.
22) The next two videos are made in the same way and do well on MTV.
23) The band are now a major touring attraction. All that footage from the road is pulled together by an editor who worked on some of their recent videos to make the 'On The Road' video that will remind people what a huge and important act they have become.
24) A final single is released from the album. The guitar player wants to direct it - everyone at the label rolls their eyeballs and insist that the editor who did such a great job on the On The Road video is hired as a co-director. In the Marketing Meeting everyone from the label figures it's the last video off the album anyway so if it sucks no big deal. By now the lead singer is in the papers every day because he's hanging out with some hot movie starlet. The guy who writes the songs has houses in New York, LA, that town you all come from and is looking at a time share in Maui. While he's learning how to fly his Lear Jet the bass player and drummer are buying three bedroom houses in Woodland Hills and starting to feel very upset.
FOURTH ALBUM
25) The band agree to split all royalties equally and continue (U2) or the songwriter says, "Sod off!" and fires the jealous and miserable band mates (Oasis).
26) Anything could happen now. Perhaps a) The guitar player now thinks he's a genius and co-directs the next video. It goes way over budget and the video stiffs. Possibly b) the band have learned their lesson and hate videos because they cost so much and let the label back in to do the grunt work. Feasibly c) The band's next single is from a movie soundtrack and, though they erroneously and reasonably think it's all about them, it's all about the movie studio picking shots form the movie and the band are just standing somewhere miming.
Eventually one member of the band will become a bona fide star (e.g. Ozzy, Gwen Stefani, Sting, Fred Durst) while their four school-mates, who've been like family and stuck with him through thick and thin, become impoverished has-beens who periodically reform to do re-union shows to make the dollars to pay off those staggering alimony payments to that hot model they met and married somewhere around step 11.
Source: http://www.nigeldick.com/
Research and Planning: How to write a music video script
- Read the song lyrics several times to get a better understanding of what the song is about. This is sure to inspire you. Brainstorm some ideas. Pitch those ideas to your friends, family and coworkers to get their feedback.
- 2Draw a line down the center of a piece of typing paper. Write "audio" at the top of the left column. Write visual at the top of the right column.
- 3In the left column, write either the first line if the singing begins right away or the time elapsed before the singing begins. Write this in the form of seconds. On the right side, write in the visuals you would like to see in the order you would like to see them. Be as specific as possible in regards to location, time and actions of the cast.
- 4Write special effects or titles you would like seen on the visuals side. For specials effects write SFX: (ex. SFX: slow motion blur of buildings collapsing). For titles, simply write TITLE in all caps followed by a colon, and write the titling you would like to appear on screen.
- 5Draw a horizontal line below the audio and visuals you have just written. Continue on with the next line or phrase of music. Repeat steps 3 and 4. Continue this pattern throughout the entire song. Good luck!
SOURCE:http://www.ehow.com/how_2310064_write-music-video-script.html
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Research and Planning: Branding of Artists
http://geofflivingston.com/2012/08/07/branded-experience-marketing-suggestions-for-artists-and-writers/
Research and Planning: Branding an Artist
We discussed how to brand and market our artists and then break down the creative process in order to begin to understand how to brand and market our own artists.
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