Countryside: Dead Frogs, Angry Cows & Pretty Horses.

Filming this week didn't go fully to plan...

Extremely close to the start of my filming my main actress pulled out; I then had twelve hours before the start of filming  to find a new actress, show her the song, explain the concept etc etc, my other actor however was still up for it.
Somehow, I managed to pull it out of the bag and it worked out amazingly. I had beautiful weather, beautiful locations and my two actors worked amazingly well with each other to create wonderful chemistry on screen; I could not have wished for a better outcome.

I visited various locations in the countryside, some however where quite a shock when we came across cows that were shouting at other cows in the field opposite. The more I saw inspired me with more and more shots, we also went to a farm where we were able to film lots such as a tree-house, feed chickens, get lots of shots around the stables and even had my actress riding on a beautiful white horse in the sunshine!

As my actress was informed of this whole idea twelve hours before she had to be up and ready to hit the countryside, she obviously didn't know many lyrics. We tried to nail in a couple of verses in the car on the way there but it just wasn't enough time. For this reason, I think I might have to film again just with the main character or some performance shots that I can weave into the footage I got from the countryside.

Despite the huge panic 12 hours before shooting, it all worked out wonderfully. It seems everything happens for a reason...

An e-mail confirming location...

Lovely to hear from you.

It would be a pleasure to help you and I can set this up for you no problem.

I can show you some lovely areas of countryside, you'll be spoilt for choice.

Shame it's not today with the lovely sunshine.  The autumn colours will be amazing!

Can firm up details over the weekend.

Caroline X

FILMING SCHEDULE

My aim is to film all my shots in the countryside; even the private domain shots to ensure a country feel in everyway.

I am planning to be filming on a farm, but am waiting for confirmation, once that is all sorted it shall be very exciting.

This half term I am determined to get lots of footage done in one day to ensure the weather is the same for a set of shots, and show I am obeying the rules of continuity.

MONDAY 24^th OCT – Trip to the countryside…Stable shots, Meadow shots, Trees, Petals MAJORITY OF NATURE.

TUESDAY 25th OCT- Lakes, Ponds, any left over…this can be done locally

WEDNESDAY26th OCT- PRIVATE DOMAIN…a country house/ farmhouse (awaiting confirmation).

THURSDAY27thOCT-  ANY key shots that need to be repeated/ edited.




I will be taking my storyboard with me to guide my ideas for different shots. This is my storyboard, I am certainly not the best of artists.

Here are some ideas of visuals to match with lyrics, these will aid my specific shots.

Locations & Actors

I have finally chosen an actress for my piece, this is Becky.
I have chosen Becky as she has a natural, classy look about her which is exactly what I imagined for my music video. Becky would look good in soft, floaty clothes to symbolising the reflective mood or the piece. Due to the sorts of locations I am looking in to, Becky would also be in 'country life' attire, such as jackets and hunter boots.

Becky is also a performer so will be able to cope with the necessities that come with a music video such as lip syncing, performing in sometimes odd locations and portraying emotions through this performance.

I imagine my music video to be set in the countryside, locations such as meadows, stables, lakes/ ponds support the 'nature' idea to my music video.
The song really gives me a sense of clear minded reflection that can be explored through the idea of nature.

I shall keep this in mind throughout the filming and editing process in order to successfully appeal to my target audience.

Gender Representation

GENDER REPRESENTATION
In our previous class, we looked at how gender was represented in the video of Pussycat Dolls 'Buttons'.
In this video, the dolls are in an abandoned warehouse type place and are dancing rather seductively in different ways. It seems the gaze in from the point of Snoop dog as he starts the video and is clearly watching something... we know he is watching the girls as the head doll Nicole joins him in the shot. The rest of the video is designed to seem as if we are watching it though his eyes.

Where as the girls have very little clothing on, Snoop is very covered up in a hoodie where all you can see is his face, this is a huge contrast to the girls. 'The gaze' very much focuses on the body parts of the girls, lots of leg shots, ab shots and many direct, seductive looks to the camera. At the climax of the song, we are shown a shot of a steamy glass panel where all you can see is the girl's silhouette, this really accentuates the voyeurism present in the video.

In connection to my video, I would like to go the opposite way to the representation of the pussycat dolls and have the woman in my video much more sophisticated and elegant. 

MOOD BOOD

TRACK CONFIRMED

I am happy to have heard back from one artist who has given the OK for me to use her original track 'Emotional High' which I found on the unsigned.com website. 

AUTEUR THEORY

(French for author)

• ·         This is the idea that the artistic director’s creative style is so strong it is distinctively reflected through their work.
• ·         ‘The best films will bear their maker’s signature’...Whether it be a stamp of personality or ongoing motif.