Make up for my production

A good friend of mine, Ellen Archer studies Media Hair and Make Up at city college. I will be using her to do the make up for my production. I have given her rough sketches of how I want the make up to look. On set she informed me that she was also interested in creating the costumes for the zombies too, so she could add the whole group of zombies make up, hair and costume to her portfolio.  Ellen ripped the zombies costumes where she felt appropriate and I told them I wanted them to be scruffy and muddy etc. They then went outside and they rolled in the dirty to get the messy look I wanted. Following the drawings I made for my make up artist, she created wax wounds on their faces/bodies, added fake blood to the wounds and their clothes. I wanted the zombies to have pale faces, pinky eyes and back combed hair.

This was the final outcome of my zombies hair, make up and costume. Below are close ups of the wounds on the zombies faces.

I was very, very pleased with the outcome of the zombies make up. as it was very convincing and effective. I particularly like the fake wounds on the models faces and bodies. 

Although the band didn't require any make up for their scenes as a normal human band, they needed to have make up for the zombie scenes. Ellen(my make up artist) followed the same idea of make up and hair for the band when they are zombies. As shown below(I apologise for the faces in the pictures, the band are never serious)

Here is the group shot of all the band members in their costumes. I didn't want to change their costumes and make them dirty etc for continuity reasons. The original zombies came from outside so them being dirty makes sense, however the band members never left the building they were playing in, so would have no way of getting dirty. 

The Shoot On Saturday 20th

On Saturday 20th was my final shoot for the music video and this is what I took with me. I was staying at a friends so took my laptop to do work on the footage when I got to his. I also took the final cut pro handbook we were given to help me with the editing, I also took four packs of face wipes, a white face paint pot, all my SD cards just in case, my camera dies, face sponges and also the two cameras I borrowed from school and then I also borrowed one from my friend. All the cameras other than my Canon were taken to my friends before the shoot to prevent me having to take so much stuff on the day of the shoot (hence why not in the picture). I also took two full length tripods and my gorilla-pod. Although I had access to four tripods I knew I wanted to use my own Canon as the main camera, and the other cameras as back up. So the majority of the time I was only using 3 cameras so didn't need three tripods, and held the Canon by hand. 

It turned out that my make-up artist had lots of face wipes and face paint so we hardly used any of my make up and wipes. 

I am aware that the quality of the cameras will be different, but I do think this will add a nice effect to the video. I don't want it to be 'perfect' like some music videos, but instead have a more grunge feel to it all. The change in quality of the cameras will assist to add this grunge feel to the video. 

add reflection - why this list / was it enough / did you use it all. also have you got on location shots?

The Plan For Equipment on Saturday

Planning The Shoot

I learnt from last year that planning the shots and camera angles precisely is very, very important. And as I'm directing so many people and need to use so many cameras, its even more important. On my production last year I used 2 cameras but mainly 1 the majority of the time. However this year I will be using 3/4, and will be getting some other people to help me film it is key I have it planned so well. 

Below are a few pages of very detailed plans I created to use on the day for camera angles. Not only does it help me consider where the cameras will be, I can ensure they won't overlap other cameras and get them on film too, but also the physical camera angle, what they will film and how they will film.

I have also considered keeping one camera person in a position from shot to shot so they don't have to move too much. To ensure the best continuity, ideally the camera man shouldn't turn off the camera but will obviously need to move at one point but can't be caught on camera by the other camera men. So the prevent this happening I have planned it so that the camera men don't have to move a huge amount.

I have an intention to get some coloured tap and tape the floor where I need each camera man to help directing them easier.

Representation

There is a huge amount of things I must consider when producing my work, including the representation of things within my work. To help me consider this, I have created a Prezi of all the representations I must think about and plan.

Intertextuality

My plot and style for my music video has heavy influences from a range of sources, from bands to films. I have researched and explained these influences and intertexual references in the Prezi below.

Final Location

After deciding that the B2 wouldn't be the best location due to the actors availability, my availability and the B2's availability. So after my friend speaking to his mum about possibly using the scout house in Frettenham, she let me know that it was okay for me to use it. I just needed to tell her roughly when we would be needing the location and she informed the owner  of the farm when I would be using it. I told her between 2-4/5pm as that would take me roughly into dawn to make it darker.

My shift at work on Saturday 20th has now been switched so I'm working on the Monday instead. On the 19th we have a half day so I can stay at my friends as he lives near the scout hut to get things ready.

My next step is to create a Facebook page inviting all the people that said they would be actors for the Zombies and invite other people as well to hopefully get more people. Because it is in Frettenham it could be difficult for some people to get there so I will need more people just incase.

Above is the description I put on the facebook event, inviting people to come to the shoot.

The final location for the shoot was the Scout Hut in Frettenham, this location was almost perfect but did present some difficulties as there were things we could not move or change, such as the drawings on the walls and the posters made by the children and the bench along the back of the hut. So when filming I must to be careful not to include these things in the footage too much. It shouldn't be too hard to keep the bench out of the shot, however it will be more difficult to keep them out of the shot. 

Classification

From October 2014 the new implication of age restrictions on music videos will be set in place and begin. In August David Cameron announced plans to add age restrictions music videos "to help parents protect their children from some of the graphic content in online music videos". However there is some conflicted views as to whether this idea will work or not. Ella On The Run is one artist who has two views to the issue, she explains that the understands why they want to put age restrictions on music videos, as there are many over sexual and violent images that children of particular ages shouldn't see. However she also has concerns that if a restriction is put in place then certain artists will make videos much more sexualised and explicit and just put a higher age rating on it, just because they can. 

The artist FKA Twigs said 'I think that the answer to protecting younger viewers is not to ban things, it's to show an alternative.' He does present a fair argument that we no longer live in Victorian Britain, should we still be having children grow up with an elephant in the room, with anything sexual or graphic hidden behind close doors. Some people argue that it's worse to act like sex and violence is something bad and something we shouldn't discuss, as it then becomes something young people aim to try or see purely because its restricted. 

There is another side to the argument as the majority of record labels are already part of the BPI's parental advisory scheme, so is there any need for the a age restriction on videos. 

They seem to be focusing more on graphic violent content rather than content of a sexual nature to start with; “If it contains racist, or homophobic, or other types of discriminatory content it will now for the first time have to be classified. If it contains suicide or self harm, it will for the first time have to be classified. So the music industry is doing is looking at that level, and linking that to when they will submit content to us."

There is already filter in terms of the Parental Advisory Explicit Content label, however it this isn't a enforces filter, just a suggestion that the parents listen to the music before the child, to ensure it is suitable in the parents eyes. A child of any age can still buy it without an adult present though.


Following a sruvey in 2013 of 10,000 people about the classification laws there was one issue that arose strongly; 'A specific issue highlighted by the consultation is in relation to sexual content, where the public is particularly concerned about the sexualisation of girls, and pornography.  The content of music videos and the ease of accessibility of online porn are special worries.' hence this has become something the BBFC want to tackle. 

Its videos such as Nicki Minaj- Anaconda:  Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda" from > on Vimeo.
(http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2014/10/nicki-minaj-doesnt-get-all-the-talk-about-her-racy-anaconda-video/) That create such complaints. 


http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/29423817
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/10584304/Age-ratings-for-music-videos-Kids-this-Miley-Cyrus-music-video-isnt-for-you.-The-British-Board-of-Film-Classification-says-so.html
http://parental-advisory.co.uk/advice-for-parents/why-are-certain-songs-or-videos-labelled-explicit/
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-bbfc/media-centre/bbfc-launch-new-classification-guidelines
http://www.factmag.com/2014/01/13/british-board-of-film-classification-working-on-age-rating-for-music-videos/

Availability

To find the perfect date for the filming of my production I have a lot of peoples availability; mine, the bands, the actors, the location and the access to cameras. 

Between now and Christmas I have my scheduled for work so know when I can and can't work around. The main difficulty is that I can't just film it after work as it will be too dark, however if I am able to film in the scout hut they have a outdoor light that I could use to lighten the area up, however I would feel better about filming if it wasn't night time. So ideally it needs to be at the weekend or the holidays. We are quickly approaching the holidays which is good as it means I can film it at better times of the day. 

Friday 19th; we all finish school at 1:15, however the scout hut is used on Fridays so can't use it then.

Saturday 20th; I am actually working a 8:30-5:30 shift at work, but might be able to switch that shift with someone at work.

Sunday 21st; The location is free, I am free however one band member is always working on Sundays.

Monday 22nd; I am not working, however this is the shift I might be switching, so I have Saturday off and work Monday instead, but either way, the location isn't available on this day as its always being used on Mondays.

Tuesday 23rd; I am not working this day and the location should be available as it isn't used on Tuesday however I will need to check with the owner of the location in case for some reason it is being used, but also check the band are available. 

Once I decide upon a date to film that I, the band and the location are available, I will create a Facebook page and invite lots of people to be actors for the Zombies and let them know the location and time, to hope they turn up. The location could present some difficulty as it is a bit out of the way for most people to get too. 

Issues with Location

The B2 replied informing me that I could ask what I needed on the facebook chat so asked when I intended to film my production. So as you can see I informed them of the time I would be needing it and the day I'd be needing it. 

However, you can see the date I needed was an issue as there was a band. They said that the Sunday was free so I asked the band if this was ok, as ultimately they're the most important people. I need a date where they're all free to be in the video.

Four out of five of the band members could make the Sunday, but one person was working until 4:30. I could still film after this, but by then it would be very, very dark and he probably wouldn't be able to make to the location until at least 5pm.

When talking to a friend about the issues of location, they remembered that their mum used to be part of the scouts and in Frettenham there is a scouts hut. My friends mum is no longer part of the scouts team, however good friends with the women who runs it. She messaged that lady who owns it last night to see if I can use it. The location isn't available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I also wouldn't be able to film it on the Sunday as one member of the band is always working on Sundays. So I suggested Saturday 20th December.

I suggested this to the band, and they all said that would be fine. I just need to first find out if I am able to use the location, but also I am working on that Saturday but might be able to get my shift changed. If not then I will try to use it on Tuesday 23rd. 

The Frettenham Scout Hut is in a section of forest land that is owned by a private owner. If I were to use this land, my friends mum will have to not only check with the women who runs the scouts but also let the owner of the land know that were will be a lot of people using that part of the land for a few hours. 

The location is perfect though, better than the B2. It's in the middle of a village so very quiet, the hut is in the middle of the woods, so its perfect for the zombies to be running in the bushes and trees to set the scene of tension.