Website conventions

I found a Prezi made by another media studies student, about the conventions of a website. Its the conventions shown in this presentation that I must conform to in my final website. Some of which I have already met with my website.

I have recently developed the website further towards the final site. I have inserted all the key points on the website in place, with some basic detail and finish.

I have filled all the links in the 'connect with us' section with their pages, added their music from soundcloud on the right.

I have recently asked the band for information on new tours and news, but they only have one tour coming up which I added to the Dates section, I made up some news to add to the Lastest News section for now. I wanted to create some form of enigma for the audience to keep checking on the band, so added the mystery event on the 10th April.

First rough cut

morrighan media first final rough cut from morrighan humpleby on Vimeo.

I have recently finished my first rough cut of the music video to show to my media studies class, my band but also the focus group I have put together.

I will add the feedback I received in a following post.

There are issues I am aware off, one of them being that the colour of the footage changes from camera to camera. I don't mind that the quality is different, as I previously stated I feel like it makes it look more grungy. Its just that some of the clips have a different colour to them and have a green tint to them, which I need to either change or make all the other clips like that too. In addition I am aware that I want the whole thing to be a little darker as it would create more of a dystopian feel to the music video, which is the scene I wanted to set for a zombie apocalypse.

I will create a questionaire for my audience who I wont meet face to face to answer. Whereas for my media studies class I will ask them the questions and film their responses.

Here is the link to survery I created that I will give to the band and the focus group, with the questions I will ask my media studies group.

feedback from morrighan humpleby on Vimeo.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7HK578P

Below is a Emaze presentation I created analysing the answers that I got from my audiences.

Ancillary Products; Website

I have started adding the social network accounts for the band to the website

Although this isn't the image I will be using as the header for my website, I have put it in the correct place on the site to create a visual representation of the website, but I will later change. 

Focus Group

I have recently spoke to my band to see if they have close contact with a few of their fans that they feel would be good for a focus group. They have explained they know a few people that they feel would be happy to submit feedback on the music video and its ancillary products. The band will give me contact details for these people.

The Plan For Equipment on Saturday

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.

Contacting B2-Norwich

I was a bit stuck in terms of where to film the video as there were so many factors of things to include:

• Electricity
• Quiet/Empty
• Dark
• Dystopian
• Small-ish
• Easy Access
• Safe place to work- Meets health and safety

So I felt like a good thing to do was to message the band to see if they had any ideas as to where would work and if they think my previous thoughts on using the B2 were a good idea. 

So I sent the band a message explaining roughly what I needed the location to be like, and my previous ideas for using the B2.

Although he wasn't sure on what the final narrative was (which I then informed him and the rest of the band about) he agrees that the B2 would be a good option I just need to think about the issue of the public and sound. 

After talking the band through the narrative of the music video he agreed that he likes the idea of the music videos and informed me that the B2 would be up for it. The band really often play at the B2 so they have a good, close relationship with the band so are trusted.

I let the band know the day I was intending to film, December 19th;

And as you can see they were up for it. This day would also mean that I can walk down to the location with the majority or all of the actors and get them ready straight after school or just meet them at the location if they can't come straight there for some reason. 

I needed to email the B2 Venue to ask if this was possible but couldn't find an email address, but did find a facebook page, so I messaged the venue on their facebook asking if they had an email address or other means of contact to discuss my request. 

Planning the music video

I recently put together a rough planned list of what I want to happen in the music video. Following the opinions of what the band requests of being cheesy and follow the conventional lines of horror films to set the scene. 

I am very keen on the idea of the radio situation, with the announcement but the member having headphones in so wont hear it. So I will need to also record a radio announcement to then add as non-diegetic sound later in the post editing process. I will also need to record the band professionally in a studio or use a recording they have to add over the record and implied diegetic sound as when recording the music video, I will be directing over the top of the band playing. 

Catch up with Band

I have recently been considering the style of video I want for my music video, and whether I want it to be serious or more of a glam rock parody. I felt like it was important to ask the band what they wanted, but knowing their personalities I knew what they would say.

I was correct in my thinking that they would want more of a parody, glam rock styled video. Videos from artists such as Alice Cooper, Steel Panther, Slade, Queen, and The Darkness etc. All the members of the band are often very silly, and mess around all the time. In terms of directing, if I decided to make my work a parody it makes easy in some ways to direct as they will need to be silly to some extent.

Plan to ensure I have all the necessary primary and secondary audience research

Secondary;

• ABC1, what categorises people into the ABC1 (once Primary is done, link back to the ABC1 groups).
• BBFC age categorises, also look into the recently decision to censor music videos with an age restriction. 
• Apply Pete Buckingham concepts of audiences to my music video.
• Find 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory essay'

Primary;

• Questionnaires on Facebook, asking what people like in Music Videos (styles, themes, genre etc).
• Watch videos of the band and see who is in the audience of their performances.
• Interview the band themselves and ask who goes to their gigs.
• Create a focus group.

Dead Man Blues Ideas

They said they'd love to do a Zombie Apocalypse video for their song Dead Man Blues.

This is the live recording of them performing the song at a Local pub;


The band also provided me with the lyrics to the song Dead Man Blues;

Main Riff (x4)

Verse (x4)

Woke up this morning,                      

Feeling dead inside,              

Society was swarmed,

By the infected tide.

The world’s overrun,      

And all hope is gone,

Devastation surrounds us,

But It’s time to move on.

Pre-Chorus (x2)

You only live once,

Or so I’ve been told,

It’s time you found out,

That the truth can be so cold.

Nowhere to run,

Nowhere to hide,

Hope of salvation,

has been cast aside.

Chorus (x2)

I’ll sing the dead man blues,

until the well runs dry,

I’ll sing the dead man blues,

Until it’s my time to die.

Main Riff (x2)

Verse (x4)

The dead own this land,

Now the rivers run red,

I’m being forced down,

the road that lays ahead.

I've fled from my home,

Into this land of despair,

If there’s someone above,

They Ignored all my prayers.

Pre chorus (x2)

I’m all alone,

And now I’m the freak,

Not a trace of hope,

And the future looks bleak.

The promise of refuge,

Is slowly wearing thin,

Our days are numbered,

God Cleanse our Sins.

Chorus (x2)

I’ll sing the dead man blues,

until the well runs dry,

I’ll sing the dead man blues,

Until it’s my time to die.

Main Riff (x2)

Bridge (x2)

Solo (Chorus x5?)

Verse (x2)

Death tightens its grip,

for one last attack,

This is my final hour,

and light fades to black.

If only we’d seen,

If only we had known,

that we were all destined,

to perish alone.

Pre-chorus (x2)

You only live once,

now the end has come,

My strength has been drained,

now my senses feel numb.

I’ve fought for my life,

Now blood stains my clothes,

It seems that This world,

Is coming to a close.

Chorus (x2)

I sing the dead man blues,

Because the well has run dry,

I sing the dead man blues,

Because I know it’s my time to die.

Main Riff (x4)

It’s my time to die

In terms of making a video about Zombie Apocalypse. It appreciate it will be difficult to make, and really push my skills and planning/time organisation, but that isn't a bad thing. I have been watching music videos for ideas and assistance in understanding how they are filmed, and remember the Biffy Cylro song Black Chandelier
Biffly Clyro Black Chandelier vimeo from NTSH London on Vimeo.

I have done some more research into a other music videos including zombies. I came across this website with a list of ten zombie music videos, ranking them to the best zombie videos;
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/rftmusic/2012/10/walking_dead_zombie_music_videos.php

Number two on the list is Blondie- Mother; Blondie - "Mother" from Brian Zwiener on Vimeo.
.
I feel watching this it would be easy to make, but I really dont like the video. I feel it looks very basic and unprofessional. I feel the main issue is that due to the style of music, it isn't a very fast paced. When you compare this video to Biffy Clryos, the pace is very different, and I feel it works better when its faster. When it is slower like Blondies, the audience notice the poor acting and poor make up. Whereas when its faster pace you don't notice it as much. However, this video is good interms of the balance I want between the band and the zombies.

Number 5 was Peaches ft Iggy Pop- Kick It. PEACHES feat IGGY POP "KICK IT" from DAWN SHADFORTH on Vimeo.

I again feel like this one looks very basic and unprofessional. However the shots are faster in the majority of the video, meaning that it isn't as obvious that it was in Blondies video. It looks more like a parody video. But also, the video has no band clips in it, which I want in my video.

This unnoffical video for Jonathan Coulton is number 7 on the list; Jonathan Coulton - RE: Your Brains Music Video from Kirk Carson on Vimeo.
This video is definitely a parody. and not really want I want to do, but it does demonstrate how I could film the final band scene where the members have become zombies.

Meeting Up With The Band

On Monday 29th September I meant the band after school to talk through some ideas for my work. Below is the image of my notes from the meeting with the band.

The band already have a EP with album art, created by Sam Shepard's(Lead vocalist) mother.

The name of the album they are in the process of creating is Revolutions, and maybe including the themes of the EP artwork would be best (Red and Black). album is about self discovery, God angry at sins created so cleanses the world(but written by Aesthetes so has that feel)

Dead Man Blues(Rocky Blues)- their idea for the video, Zombie Apocalypse, kills the band. They feel it would be very hard to film, so Demon is the other option; A typical metal song. If I were to do this song, they would want a red neck, hair metal parody.

Overall theme of their band is Black, with bits of Red and White like I assumed.

The website:

A member of the band has already started to create a website, but gave up. So he intends to find the site for me, to see and take inspiration from.

In terms of logistics they want red, black and white. with a homepage full of links, and a band photograph at the top.

Changes To Idea

I have considered my idea of using Powder paint for quite a while now, and after listening to more of Black Syndicates music, I have come to the conclusion that using powder paint wouldn't fit the style of their music. As much as I love music videos in the rain, it isn't practical as neither me or any of the band members have enough money to buy fake instruments to prevent damage.

The band have said that the main inspiration for their music is 'Pantera', so I watched some videos of theirs to help me generate ideas. Following a conversation with one band member, where he expressed how much he enjoys one of their videos particularity; Mouth Of  War
Pantera-Mouth For War from cagdas on Vimeo.

He said it is the bands favourite music video because of the way it looks. This is a style of music video I would like to create, one focusing on the cinematography and aesthetics of the video. This video is visually incredible and makes for a memorable music video. This is something I would love to achieve, watching this video gives me so many ideas for what I would like to achieve in my own work.

Many other bands produce music videos in a similar way,

Black Syndicate

A friend I have is part of a band, they play at a local pub, and Norwich Waterfront, and also take part in competitions, all in aim to grow as a band. The band is called Black Syndicate.

Below is a link to the bands YouTube page;
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClGvCKZI8cPoKx2WCWepKCA

Their YouTube page includes live videos of their songs, a video reviewing the their EP release. In their about tab is a description as to the mix of music they play; 'Black Syndicate are a hard rock/metal band hailing from the delightful city of Norwich. Citing influences from all sorts of places (the guitarist being into blues and the drummer into heavy metal!) we like to make the most out of our experiences with music and come together to make some of our own!'

I started a chat with the band on Facebook to discuss the plans for the project with them all. Below is a screenshot of the start of the chat, explaining my plans.

I also asked the members of the band if they had an preferance on what song to use, or what style of video they would like to have.  At this point throughout the chat, only one person was replying consistently, so he has given the initial views on the plans, as you can see from the screenshots of the chat.

Below is the part of the chat, asking for opinions of the style of music video. The band did a metal cover of Ghostbusters, and it made me think it would maybe be quite fun to do a parody video. Many rock/metal bands to parody, or atleast silly music videos. Bands like Foo Fighters and Tenacious D.

The best know Tenacious D video is 'Tribute'.

As I said, Foo Fighters also do very non-serious music videos too; 

The two bands even work together to make videos, like this one; 

Although Tenacious D's part in the video is small, they do feature. 

This idea of parody, non serious music videos, some would say originated with Queen, who notoriously created most of their videos in this style. The most famous being 'I Want To Break Free';

 

There are clear challenges and benefits of working with a local band, and a band made up of some of my friends. I have the advantage that one of the band members is in my Media Studies band, so I can occasionally catch up with him briefly if needed. But I also trust the band to be helpful and turn up to shoots and meets etc. However on the other hand, as I know them, I'm aware that they aren't always the most sensible people all the time, which could be an issue if as I need them to focus so I can get my work done to the best of my ability, and not mess the other actors around that have offered their time to help. In addition I could be faced with the situation where they want something that I either cannot physically do or not allowed to do. So will ultimately might have to create something that they don't like or are interested in.