Reviews of Zombie discovery scene

During my feedback session, they agreed that the scene where the band stopped playing to listen to the noise outside and investigate was a little awkward and clumsy. The felt like one of the reasons they felt this was because the music completely stopped for the whole scene until the drummer and base player open the door, which is very unconventional for a music video. I agreed that maybe the stop of music for the whole of the scene is unnecessary but it did need to stop at least once as the band stop playing to hear the noise. So what I did was stop the music but only for a few seconds, and ease it back in once the drummer and base player leave to see to the noise. 

Upon further consideration I thought one issue might also be that its just a static shot through the whole scene. In retrospect, it would be ideal if another camera angle of this scene, however turns out this was the only shot I had of the scene, so had to work with what I had.first three changes

As I said, original the shot was static with no change of angle or anything.

second/final change

So what I did was as the music stopped, cropped the image closer to the band, then do  jump cut further back to show a long stop of the band. In all honesty, I am not happy with the outcome of this section, but this is the best I can do at the moment, and will look into other ways of improving it.

Music in Sync

Sam Shepard, the lead singer of the band is in my media studies class, so I used him to double check the sync of my video. He expressed in the feedback session that some of the drums and riffs are out of time, so needed to fix them. I did to the best of my ability but got him to check it for me, seeing as he plays in the band.

He only pointed out two sections, one the close up on him playing it was a riff behind and on the solo of Sam Betts when they play as Zombies, it is a riff ahead.

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.

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. 

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. 

Horror Film Conventions

I have previously mention that I would like the music video to have that 'trashy', conventional horror film feel too it, with all the key buzz lines that are used in all horror films, to help set the scene of the parody, none serious feel to my video.Below is a Slideshare I found explaining that the codes and conventions of horror films.

Horror Genre Conventions from CallumCarmichael

You can see the conventional location for horror films are quiet, excluded abandoned areas of isolation, where no one would hear the characters scream. I do intend to film my music video in a very quiet excluded place as previously stated.

In terms of the low and high camera angles I intend to use them, but mainly mixed in with he POT t camera angles. I will use these shots when giving the feel of seeing the band from the audiences eyes looking at the zombies and visa verse, particularly when the zombies a killing two of the band members. I will not be using the high and low angle shots in the penultimate scene, when the last band member is hiding up high, as the zombies will be looking up at the member, making them look like the weaker characters, however they will be the more powerful characters as they ultimately win, and kill the whole band.

The lighting will represent the whole feel of the location and theme to the music video, it will be low lit and have a dystopian feel to it. If I do decide to film in the pub they normally play in, there are stage lights that we might have access to to help create the right lighting.

There wont really be any conventional props, as the weapons will be the bands musical instruments and like most zombies, they wont have any weapons themselves.

The opening to the film 'Scream' has all the sterotypical conventions of a horror film in terms of everything I previous discussed but also convention lines and buzz dialogue.

Although the narrative of the film is very different to that of what my music video will be, you can see the clear conventions in this opening scheme.



The scene is set very clearly, a teenage girl home alone, a weird guy stalking her and shots like the gas cooker lighting to create tension with the audience, and creates a risky environment, leaving the audience ready for the character to die or get injured. There is a lot of silence in the opening scene, and when there is music, it is tension building string instruments which again builds that tension. After the door bell rings and the character shouts who is there, the stalker on the phone even says, 'you should never say whose there, dont you watch scary movies, its a death wish.  you might as well come out here to investigate a strange noise or something', they are drawing attention to the conventions of horror films. Conventions my film will follow. The memeber of the band does go out to investigate what the noise is, and ask, whose there? so meeting those conventions in such an obvious way it makes it parody-like.

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. 

Finding Actors

Although I'm filming the band for the video, I will also need lots of actors(bit parts) as the zombies in the video, so the best way to do that is to ask on social medias. I have 760 people on my Facebook, so theoretically they will all see my post requesting actors. But also the lead singer of the band i'm working with is also in my Media Class and always uses a website he found where up and coming actors request jobs, so I will also post the advert on there.

I decided that making an event and adding everyone who promise to come, and the make up artists is the best idea as that way getting the information to everyone is easier, but it also means I can constantly check who is ok to do what days and who is actually coming. The more people I have the easier, but on the other hand, as long as I know if I dont have loads. It gives me an opportunity to consider how I film it to make the most of however many people I have as actors.