Album Cover Requirements

http://www.entertainerlaw.com/pdf/albumnotes_101.pdf

What to include on my CD case and Booklet from Morrighan Humpleby

When considering the product of my digipak I thought back to GCSE graphics where I produced my own cd case. Looking back at it, it looked very basic in terms of what was included on the front and back of the cd. This was due to how little there was. It just didn't include all the things you see on a normal cd case. So this was something I knew I needed to look into to create an effective and aesthetically pleasing, realistic digipak.  I did some research online into the conventional things included on a CD case. I came across a PDF document with a long list of all the things you must/should include and how to write and place them. This PDF proved to be very helpful. So I converted the document into a Powepoint for ease of use and followed that when creating the information on my digipak. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

Zombie Make up

A major thing I need to think about is my make up for the zombies in the video and what look I want them to have; conventional, unconventional, comic like etc.

After looking into a few different styles of make up for a zombie, I think I want to keep it away from the conventional zombie, with the green face and things like that and still for a more contempary style of make up like that of the character from warm bodies shown above on the left. A white pale face with dark eyes. In terms of costume for the character, I considered all the actors wearing the same thing, like all black or something similar. Like the actors in the video for Black Chandelier and also considered the actors in their own clothes, just a bit scuffed up and dirty, which I feel would work better. If there was a zombie apocalypse, it would make sense that the zombies are just in there own clothes from where they were bitten. So for continuity wise so work with the narrative of the video, their own clothes would make more sense.

Filming

Something I will need to consider is the time at which I film the video. I needs to be dark, but as I learnt last year the time I choose to film has to be planned very rigorously, last year we had an issue with the quality of the filming ruined due to how dark the it was when we filmed. This year it should be a little bit better as I will be filming with a camera or better quality but I still need to be careful as to how and when to film.

Todays date is the 30th of December and I intend to film within the next two weeks. Today I checked the sunset times in Norwich;

As you can see the sunsets at 3:44pm, school finishes at 3:25 so if I were to film after school I would be cutting the filming very, very fine as I would have to get all the actors dressed up and with all there make up, set all the cameras up etc. Which probably wouldn't happen, as I will also have to film it before the sunsets as it will be dark and have the same problem as last years filming. However, on Friday December 19th, it is the end of term at school and we have a half day so finish the day at 1:15. This would then give me time to get the actors to the location, do their make up then sort the cameras and lighting out. This means that I could make sure all the actors know what they are doing for the filming outside atleast, then start filming, hopefully before 3:44, so around 3 ideal.

December 21st is the shortest day of the year so the sun will set later and later from that date onwards meaning I can film later as it will get dark later and later.

.

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. 

Planning- Location

The location for my filming is going to be a very hard to find and plan, which keeping within Health and Safety regulations. But I have done some research into places around Norwich I could film in, but if I can't find something perfect and safe, I might have to use somewhere not perfect and make it more dystopian.

Below is a mind map of the main things I need my location to do and be for my production and I hope to find somewhere that meets those needs.

After doing some research on the internet to find suitable places, I came across a few that seem a good option. (Click images to link to the page online about the building)

This area is more appropriate than the nursery  shown below, as it has the industrial look to it, which is something a lot of rock/heavy metal music videos feature. However there is a very obvious, big health and safety issue. Looking at the photographs on this website there are a lot of structurally unsound, however I wont really know how bad it is until I see the location, if I choose too.  

This is an abandoned nursery in Norwich that as it says on the website is 'Possibly the closest I will ever get to a zombie apocalypse!', however I'm not sure if it's gonna have the right feel for my work. I want somewhere that looks abandoned and dystopian, but I feel with this location because there is still children toys etc around, I'd have to clear all that up and tidy the area up before filming in it.
One difficulty with the both of these locations is trying to find exactly where they are. On these websites authors are often very secretive about where the buildings are which could prove to be difficult when trying to find it. 

Another option I have is to find somewhere less derelict and abandoned, and make it feel more dystopian by the way I film and construct the location. One option would be to look into filming in a local pub called the B2. The band often play in this venue, and it is a small room situated behind a pub, and has a dark dingy look to it. The fact the venue i small, it could be an advantage as it means I don't have to worry about making sure I have lots, and lots of actors for zombies to fill the space. 

Animatic

A good way to consider and plan and visualise films is to create an animatic. In year 10 we did a unit in Media Studies where we planned a music video so created an animatic.


VTS_01_1 by morrighanrocks

As you can see it does demonstrate what my intentions for the music video have been very clear in the animatic. Although it doesn't show all the detail in terms of camera angles and lighting etc. But I could have then develop my animatic later to show these details.

Once I consider the story to my music video more, I will create a story board that I then animate later to show the story of my footage better.

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.

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.

Update on Final Cut Express Progress

For about three weeks I have been tying to upload videos to Final Cut Express, but was facing problems at very stage. From actually having a lincese on a working Mac, to actually get the clips into the software. The manual and everything I read online stated that the clips should be added though the Log And Transfer window, in a MOV or MP4 format, however it wouldn't let me upload a video on that format, or any formats at that. 

So in todays lesson, I looked at it in a different angle. So tried to convert it in a software called MPEG Streamclip, a software I has seen used in some videos or articles about uploading to Final Cut Express. But even when I tried to add the video though the 'Log and Transfer' tab it just didn't work. So looking at more videos, I came across someone who uploaded it through the import file tab on the file tab. Before this hadn't accepted any of my file types, however after converting one of my clips to evey single file type available to convert to on MPEG Streamclip, there were four it let me open; DV, AVI, WMV and MP4. However as you can see from below, when I actually added the clips to my timeline, it wouldn't let me play them but instead display an image reading unrendered. When I googled this error message it was hard to follow the issue, 

In the end I discovered that the DV file didn't didn't display this message, as you can see here. 

Upon further research when I got home from Sixth Form and wasn't faced with any blocked websites, I came across this answer and advice explaining the error message; 'any time you edit your movie, you need to re render it, it does take a long time to do for the first time, but as you make only minor changes in your video, you can render it faster, but to render the audio and video, you need to press "alt+R". For more detail just look in the sequence menu on the bar on the top of the screen.' So when I'm back at Sixth Form and on the Macs I will try this,

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.

Website Style

The look of the website is also very important. It needs to work and conform with the style of the music video and of the CD cover. To make me website i will be using Wix. I have got screenshots of a couple of website layouts that I could use for my website. The look to the website will in most cases be completely different but I have put them in as examples of what I could do in terms of layout.

The website to left is very simple but allows me to change is a lot. The theme is nice, however has more of a film style to it, rather than music.

This website has the potential to be very eye catching, obviously all the pictures and text be would be changed. It has a simple lay out, that can easily be made more personal and effect for the style of band I am working with.

This website like the previous is very simple but that isn't always a bad thing. One plus both these websites have is that the home page allows me to fill it with an image of the band for the audience to see as soon as they open the page.

This page is again similar to the previous two, however it is set to have more information shown on the front page. However it does also have a classy, higher class more prestigious look to the work, something I don't necessarily think it appropriate for the band I am working with.

This is the best style of page I feel. It gives me the ability to make the whole homepage a picture of the band, meeting a convention of many band websites from many genres, but unlike the previous pages, you can scroll up and down on each page, whereas on the previous styles, the page was everything you could see in the image. This style also still has tabs like before. I think this would be the best choice of website, as it looks professional, but most importantly, it means I can put the most important aspects of the website and latest news on the homepage for the audience to find straight away.

To prove that the rights can be edited to look more appropriate for the genre of music I'm working with I put together a quick mock of a website for the band Pantera. I used them as Black Syndicate have said they take a lot of inspiration from Pantera. As you can see the site style still looks effect in a completely different genre. 

Problems With Final Cut Express

I have tried to work on Final Cut Express to make my practice/experiment, however we have had a huge amount of issues with the software.

The only computer in our class that has the license uploaded has no Chrome, meaning when I get stuck working on it, I cannot use the internet for helping, resulting in me constantly switching between computers. Also, Final Cut Express requires the files to be in a MP4 or MOV file type, but even when I converted my files using Handbrake into this format, they still didn't upload. I have now spent three lessons trying to get past this issue, but it still isn't working. My tutor has recently found the handbook for the software, so I will read through the booklet to help, in hope that by next lesson I will be able to work on the software.