Final Storyboard

 Here are pictures that show the final storyboard of our piece:

As a group, we believe that our final storyboard outlines a music video that will be very successful if it is executed well.

We used a template to create our storyboard, which included sections for us to plan the shot duration, the visuals of the shot, the camera instructions, what sound will accompany the shot, and allowed a section for us to make any additional comments if required. This storyboard template was more advanced than the one we had used during the creation of our thriller opening sequence at AS level. On the storyboard that we used then, we only specified the visuals and the camera instructions. However, our experience last year taught us the importance of detailed storyboard planning, as we felt that the information on our storyboard then did not give us enough guidance, hence making the process more difficult for us. A more detailed storyboard, including the more fine details, such as shot duration, really help you to get an idea of what the product will be like when it's finished.

Some things that have changed since the draft...

• We have added titles to the first shot in our video, as this is a common convention of music videos. It allows the viewer to establish the artist and the name of the song at the very beginning of the piece.
• Overall, shot lengths have decreased. We had initially planned for quite a few shots to be around 5 seconds in length. However, we found that shots of this length became uninteresting, as they felt unnecessarily long. 
• Shot order has changed, as when we started filming, we realised that in order to tell the narrative effectively, the shots should be in a different order.
• Some of the shots that we included in our draft are not in our final storyboard. This is because, as we started the filming process, we realised that some of the shots we had planned were not effective for the purpose we wanted to use them for. This meant that we had to substitute those shots with new ideas, which we came up with whilst out on location, and during brainstorming sessions. 
• We filmed a shot of the word "Sorry" written in the sand with the sea washing over it, which we intended to use as the titles. However, we then decided that we actually still wanted to open our piece the way we had initially planned. We really wanted to include this shot, so we decided that we would put it at the end of the video, as though it was the conclusion to the apology that was the song itself.

Our final storyboard may be subject to change if we need to employ our contingency plan for any reason, or if we think it is necessary during the post-production to phase to improve the final quality of the piece.

"Sorry" Moodboard

I have used Pinterest to create a moodboard for the our music video, to demonstrate the overall aesthetic that we want to achieve in our final video. Creating a moodboard has allowed me to clearly identify the image we are trying to create, and it provides inspiration for when we are filming for our video. We wanted to use rainbow colours/imagery to be representative of the LGBT+ theme, and we wanted to use dark imagery to be representative of our protagonists inner conflict, and the subsequent misery this creates. Additionally, we wanted our characters to wear clothes similar to those we have included in the moodboard, as these are stereotypical 'edgy' clothing, and outfita auch as these are often worn in indie/alternative music videos.

"Sorry": The Meaning of the Song

One of the reasons that we chose to change our song to 'Sorry' by Nothing But Thieves was because we felt that the lyrics were really fitting in order for us to be able to portray the narrative of our piece effectively. We felt it was important that we developed a knowledge of the purpose of the original music video, and gain an understanding of the meaning of the song to the artists.

Using the 'Songfacts' website, we were able to gain the following information:

Point 1 - Conor Mason (lead singer) sings of causing heartbreak now he's moved on from being a carefree teenager. Joe Langridge-Brown (guitarist), who co-wrote the track with Mason, explained: "'Sorry' is about getting older and the difficulties associated with it. It's about looking inwards and facing your demons. The song hinges around a flawed individual who can't hold down a relationship, both to the detriment of themselves and their partner" 

Point 2 - Conor Mason told 'Kerrang' (Rock music magazine): "We made the setting feel dark, desolate and hopeless, which reflects the song. It's about looking forward, facing your demons and having a moment of clarity. The video is representative of that moment, where you have no choice but to face your true self. It's your last two hours on Earth, so, what do you do?"

Point 3 - Conor Mason told 'The Sun' (Newspaper): "It's a song about dealing with growing up, the problems you come across and the flaws you can't seem to escape"

How does this information relate to our music video and its narrative?

In regards to point 1, our narrative is about finding yourself as you grow up, and not being afraid to embrace who you truly are. In our piece, Hannah begins to succumb to her inner demons, and turns to drinking and smoking to help her cope with her questioning of her sexuality. However, as the piece progresses, she faces those inner demons and chooses to embrace her sexuality. In terms of a 'flawed individual', this relates to how Hannah views herself at the beginning of her piece. She doesn't accept her sexuality, and sees herself as being abnormal for it. This inner conflict driving her to drinking and smoking, as previously mentioned. Not being able to hold down a relationship could be compared to the relationship of Hannah and Josh, though Hannah does not end this relationship without a justified reason, so it does not compare exactly. Alternatively to the point made by Langridge-Brown, it was actually holding down the relationship with Josh that was detrimental to Hannah, not ending it. Though, fitting with his point, ending the relationship was detrimental to Josh's happiness.

In reference to point 2, we used a black and white effect at the beginning of our video in order to reflect the misery and isolation Hannah feels, and the darkness in her life. Hannah looks to her future, and her moment of clarity comes after her inner battle with her sexuality, where she decides to not try to suppress her feelings any longer. I think it is true that the narrative of our video is fitting with Mason's statement: "The video is representative of that moment, where you have no choice but to face your true self". Hannah reaches the point in her life, where she is unable to hide away from her sexuality due to how unhappy she is feeling, and her bad habitats she has developed as coping mechanisms. She feels as though she can no longer waste her life in attempting to live in denial, and can no longer live in the gloom and misery that this comes with.

Finally, point 3 relates to our video in ways similar to those that I have previously mentioned. It is Hannah, confused about her sexuality, and turning to alcohol and smoking to try to cope. She views her sexuality as a flaw, until she overcomes her fear and embraces who she is, though she faces the problem of breaking up with her boyfriend, Josh.

Risk Assessment

Before we began filming in each location, we needed to carry out a risk assessment of where we would be filming. Carrying out a risk assessment in necessary to ensure the safety of our actors and filming crew, throughout the filming process. Assessing the risks can allow us to implement control measures, so that we can reduce the probability of incidents happening.

To complete the risk assessment, we needed to assess the likelihood and severity of the risk, which we did by using this grid that we found on the internet:

Our Risk Assessment:

Group Roles

During the production of any media piece, there must be a highly skilled, enthusiastic and committed crew. Each individual must have their own assigned role, which is suited to their area of expertise, as this ensures that the production of the final piece will be of the very best standards possible. Roles within the crew also prevents confusion in responsibility throughout the production of the piece.

As we want our music video to be of the best standard possible, we decided that it was important for us to allocate roles within our group. This would also make the production process a little easier for us, as we would be clear on our responsibilities.

Obviously, despite us having our assigned roles, there will be areas of production that we will work on together. The planning of our piece, such as the narrative ideas and the storyboard, need to be contributed to by everyone in the group. Having each of us input to the ideas for the video will make sure that the piece is the best it can be, and that the narrative is as fully developed as possible.

After sitting down to assess the attributes of each of us, these are the group roles we decided:

Director:

The role of the director is to oversee the production as a whole. They are in charge of directing people on set whilst filming is taking place, to make sure that the scenes that are shot are suitable for use in the video. The director makes sure that the filming process runs as smoothly as possible, by having a clear knowledge of the aims of filming each day, and by monitoring the roles of the other crew members to make sure everything is being completed to a necessary standard.

Jasmine Greene

It was decided that I would be the director of the music video, as I have strong leadership skills. I am innovative, so I can improvise on ideas if we encounter problems with filming certain shots whilst we are on set. I am also a strong communicator, which means I am able to explain my ideas to the group well, and that I am able to direct them properly in terms of minor details within each shot. Being able to communicate with my team also allows me to be able to monitor everyone's progress and make sure that all tasks are being completed, and to the necessary standard.




Producer:

The role of producer predominantly involves planning and organising all aspects of production. It involves making schedules for filming in co-ordination with cast members' availability, co-ordinating editing and overseeing the process, and arranging any props that are needed for filming. They also lead the casting process.

Jade Dibble

We chose Jade to be the producer in our group as she is a very organised individual. She is skilled at planning and organising, and enjoys making schedules. Jade is also a good communicator, therefore, she can be relied on to converse with cast and crew members to ensure their availability, and then organise a schedule around this. Jade is also very observant, which means that she will be the perfect candidate to oversee the production process alongside the director.






Editor:

The editor is responsible for the post-production of the film. They need an incredible eye for detail, as well as the intuitive nature to decide which is the most interesting, yet logical, order for the footage to go in. They must also have the ability to be able to match the footage to the music, to ensure that it flows well.

Hannah Martin

We decided that Hannah would be responsible for editing as we know she is very methodical to her approach to tasks, and does pay meticulous attention to detail. Her creative mind allows her to make excellent decisions when it comes to what she believes the audience will most enjoy. Hannah is also musically talented, and therefore, is suited to making sure that the editing fits to the rhythm of the song.







Costume and Make-up:

To be in charge of costume and make-up, an individual must be fashionable, and must be skilled at applying make-up. The person chosen for this role must also have the ability to pay attention to detail, as they need to ensure that there are no continuity errors in wardrobe or make-up areas.

Caitlin Elward

Caitlin was extremely suitable for this role, as she is a very skilled make-up artist, and has a good eye for fashion. Her role will involve putting together outfits and creating make-up looks that are symbolic in terms of their placement in the video. The costume and make-up is essential to add to the aesthetics of the video. Additionally, Caitlin will use her organisation skills to create a diary of outfits and make-up, to avoid any continuity errors.

Draft Storyboard

Seen below are pictures of the first draft of our storyboard:

Our draft storyboard was created over a number of days. We began it during a session in which we brainstormed what our video could potentially look like. We considered how we would use mise-en-scene symbolically, and how we could use it in our piece to make it visually appealing. We talked about how we could use cinematography in order to help portray the narrative of our piece, by using close up shots and extreme close ups to signify importance of elements, and to portray the emotion of the characters. We also spoke about significant lyrics within the song and considered what shots we would use to represent them. 

We found creating the first draft of our storyboard to be challenging, as it was something that we were starting entirely from scratch. Though having full creative control over the project was something we liked, it was a very daunting task when you have to start getting your ideas down on paper, and turning them into a plan for a piece that could be viable. Once we got into the process, however, we found that it was an enjoyable task.

Over the process, our storyboard will change and develop. During the production process, we will conduct more research (particularly into already existing products) that will influence changes to our original plans. Other influences will include experimentation with shots, and what we are faced with when we reach location. 

Contingency Plan

A contingency plan is vital when undertaking a creative project, to ensure that the production process can still run as smoothly as possible if you run into any problems. The contingency plan outlines any disruptions to filming that may occur, and how we will overcome these issues.

For our contingency plan, we needed to consider the availability of the members of our group, possible weather conditions and methods of travel to filming locations. We decided that these are the factors that would be most likely to go wrong/cause us problems during filming, for these reasons:

The availability of our group - Members of our group have lots of other commitments outside of school time, such as part time jobs, which means that they may not always be able to attend filming sessions. It is difficult to arrange a period of time in which all members of our group are free for a long enough period to go out to location and film.

Weather conditions - The weather is out of our control, so it is always a possibility that this may affect our ability to film; especially as we are using a multitude of outdoor locations to film in.

Methods of travel - No members of our group have the ability to drive, and therefore, we are reliant on being able to have lifts from other people. We will have to attempt to schedule filming around the availability of people that will be giving us lifts.

Our Contingency Plan

Availability of our group - If Hannah is unable to film, then we will have to reschedule our filming session. This is because Hannah plays the role of the protagonist in our piece, which means that she is included in nearly every shot in the music video.

Josh and Jade are featured in many shots within the video, so it is important that at least one of them is present at most of our filming days. If one of them becomes unavailable, we will attempt to arrange to film with the other, so that time is not wasted. They are not initially planned to feature together in any shots, which means that it is not necessary for them both to be present. If we know Josh is unavailable on an occasion in advance, then we will attempt to schedule to film with Jade on this day.

It is essential that there is a member of the group available to operate the camera when we are scheduled to film. It was decided that I will be the main camera operator, and if I am unable to attend a filming session, then Caitlin will take on this role. However, if neither Caitlin or myself are able to attend, Jade will have to be the one responsible for filming. This will mean that during these shooting sessions, scenes with only Hannah, or with Hannah and Josh can be filmed. We would be unable to shoot scenes with Hannah and Jade, as although Josh is in our film, he is not in our group, which means it would be unfair to ask him to assist us in this way unless it was absolutely necessary we filmed on that occasion. If no one is available to operate the camera, then filming will be required to be rescheduled.

In order to be able to communicate effectively about our scheduled filming days, we have created a group chat on Facebook. This allows us to have a place to discuss times, and also provides a platform for people to use to tell the whole group that they are suddenly unavailable, rather than having to message everyone separately. This also allows for ease of attempting to alter the filming arrangements if the original plans have fallen through, as we could see who else was available.

In Jade's role as the producer, she is responsible for making a filming schedule, and co-ordinating when everyone is available. This proves to be difficult due to the late issuing of work rota's for some members of our group, which means that there may be a few last minute changes to schedules. In order to try and combat this problem, we will have multiple filming plans that we could carry out on each day that are reserves for the original plans. This will mean that we will not need to waste the time that we have allotted to filming, and it will help us keep on track with our time management plan.

Poor weather conditions - Unfortunately, the time in which our production process will take place is winter. This means that it is likely that we will be faced with a lot of bad weather, which has the ability to be the reason of cancelling a scheduled filming session. With review of the weather forecast, we will attempt to arrange filming for days that weather conditions are meant to be ok. However, as the weather is so unpredictable, if we find we have a reasonable day with lots of time available, we will attempt to film as many of the outdoor shots we have planned as possible. This would prove to be an advantage to us if we were hit with a period of bad weather, as we would have all of this footage to work with during this time. Additionally, if we make sure that we film outside on any days that there is appropriate filming conditions, we would be able to film all of the indoor shots during a period of bad weather.

Methods of travel - Relying on friends and family for lifts to filming locations that are not accessible by public transport can prove to be unreliable. As we have to work around the schedule of those people, this limits our availability to film. We will not be able to venture to filming locations as of when we would like to, which adds pressure to our filming sessions, as we will have to ensure that we film everything well, and that we film as much as we can in the time we have at each location. If no one is available to give us a lift, then we will be unable to film.

As an attempt to try and combat this, we have tried to mostly choose filming locations that we could reach by public transport, or that we could walk to. This would mean we would be able to get there without the necessity for anyone to drive us there. Additionally, to attempt to alleviate pressure of filming in locations that we cannot access without getting a lift, we will try to come to agreements with certain people of when they will be available to take us to location. Planning this in advance will help us to be able to fit our schedule around their commitments and their availability, to try to make sure that we stick to our project timeline.

If our arranged lift cancels last minute, we will attempt to arrange another lift. If this is not possible, then we would have to cancel filming on that day, and reschedule it. However, if we were approaching our filming deadline, we may have to brainstorm a similar filming location to those we have planned, and making the best of what we can access ourselves at that point.

Target Audience

In order to identify the target audience for our music video, it was vital that we created a questionnaire. Below is a PowerPoint presentation that I have uploaded to SlideShare that details the results of the questionnaire, and includes analysis of these results.

Audience research from Jasmine Greene

As a result of our target audience research that we carried out through our questionnaire, we will aiming to create a music video that is suitable for both males and females between the ages of 16-20. We will create a narrative music video for a song of the alternative genre. We will focus on developing the narrative so that it is interesting, and we will ensure that the cinematography of the piece is varied and enticing. We will look to distribute our music video on YouTube to begin with, as this platform is free and easily accessible, and is used frequently by our identified target audience. We will aim to have our music video distributed via other methods, however, TV marketing is expensive unless the song is featured in chart shows.

Filming Schedule

Here is a filming schedule that we created so that we all knew what days we were expected to film. This also provided us with a basis to make sure that we were on schedule with filming, and including what the aim of the shots were for each day gave us an idea of what we had left to film. 

Here is the filming schedule we created:

In compliance with our contingency plan, we needed to allot time for any extra filming that may be needed. Here are the extra days that we dedicated to filming if we needed them:

The filming schedule may be subject to change last minute, due a variety of reasons. However, having produced a schedule means that we are able to keep track of what has and has not been filmed, and then we can attempt to rearrange filming/arrange to film something else in compliance with what we have not marked off on the filming schedule.

"W.D.Y.W.F.M" Moodboard

I have used Pinterest to create a moodboard for the our music video, to demonstrate the overall aesthetic that we want to achieve in our final video. Creating a moodboard has allowed me to clearly identify the image we are trying to create, and it provides inspiration for when we are filming for our video. We wanted to use rainbow colours/imagery to be representative of the LGBT+ theme, and we wanted to use dark imagery to be representative of our protagonists inner conflict, and the subsequent misery this creates. Additionally, we wanted our characters to wear clothes similar to those we have included in the moodboard, as these are stereotypical 'edgy' clothing, and outfits such as these are often worn in indie/alternative music videos.

Music Video Ideas

Here is a bubble diagram I created using Bubbl.us to display the ideas that our group brainstormed for our music videos:
 

We identified the four different aspects of our music video that we would need to think of ideas for initially, in order to construct a narrative: themes, imagery, locations and characters.

When discussing themes, we identified narrative themes that we had seen in other videos that we thought were portrayed successfully; heartbreak and relationship breakdowns are common themes in many genres. We also discussed themes that were topical to current societal issues, which is when we identified themes such as LGBT+/sexuality and mental health. As these are still taboo subjects in society, we decided that it was important to provide representation.

Imagery is key to the success of a music video, as a music video is a promotional tool for the song, and it needs to be visually engaging. With our chosen genre (Alternative/Indie), common imagery/visual elements that are included in videos are dark lighting, alcohol/smoking and edgy clothing.

Locations, like imagery, are what help to make the music video engaging. It is important to select locations that are visually stimulating (e.g, the beach), but that also help to contribute to the narrative (e.g, houses).

Characters are dependent on the chosen narrative of a piece, as the key contributors to this. We discussed that we would like to use a female protagonist in the piece, and that we would include key characters such as a romantic partner, and a best friend. However, this may alter along the creative process, as the narrative may alter from our initial ideas.

Lyric Breakdown of "W.D.Y.W.F.M?"

Here is an annotated copy of the lyrics to our chosen song:

On it, I have included notes about filming, and ideas for shots that we may want to include in our video. I have also colour coded themes and opportunities to make the genre of the video clear via the aesthetic. As the song is based around the theme of relationship breakdowns, there were a multitude of lyrics that created themes of distress and self-conflict. I thought this would be a good opportunity for us to show the protagonist having a breakdown via inclusion of shots of alcohol, smoking and drug abuse. 

Potential Song Choices

The first step of planning for our music video, was to brainstorm songs that we could create a music video for. We sat down as a group, as it was vital that all members of the team were involved in picking the song that we would be working with. We created a mind map of our ideas, in which we decided on four bands, and then picked four songs by each of these bands, of which we would pick from.

Here is the mind map that we created during our brainstorming session:

We narrowed down our choices to 4 possible options, with reasons for selecting each of the songs:

1. Somebody Else - The 1975
2. Anything - Catfish and the Bottlemen
3. No.1 Party Anthem - Arctic Monkeys
4. W.D.Y.W.F.M? - The Neighbourhood

Somebody Else - The 1975

There are multiple reasons as to why we chose this song to be one of our top four. Each member of our group are fans of alternative music, and subsequently, we are all avid listeners of this artist. The video for this song uses a combination of lighting, camera shots/angles and editing techniques in order to convey emotion, which is a key focus point of the narrative. The narrative of this song focuses around a relationship breakdown, and the thoughts and feelings of one of the individuals within the relationship after they have broken up. Themes of relationships and emotional conflict are present, which are themes that we wanted to create a music video based upon. For this song, we came up with the idea of a music video that followed the protagonist as he is conflicted about his true feelings towards his ex-lover. Despite this, we chose not to use this song, as we felt that the narrative potential for the video would be very narrow. We did not think that the lyrics allowed much room for alteration from a particular narrative, which we felt would limit our ability to be creative in our portrayal.

Anything - Catfish and the Bottlemen

This lyrics for this song form a narrative surrounding a relationship breakdown, which is the theme that we wanted to incorporate into our music video. The song is fitting with our desire to make a music video for a song of the alternative genre. However, as a group, we thought that the lyrics and the tempo of the song would be more suited to a performance type video, which is not what we wanted to create. We chose not to select this song for that reason, as we wanted to creative a narrative style video.

No.1 Party Anthem - Arctic Monkeys

The lyrics of this song are very self-explanatory, and outline a clear narrative, which means they do not leave all that much room for alternative interpretations. The narrative has a clear structure, which would be easy to follow in terms of creating a music video, though it limits creative ability. After consideration, we were unsure whether the tempo of this song was of a pace that would lend itself to an interesting video in terms of the narrative, as it is quite a slow song. We felt that the nature of song would require shots to be long in length, and we felt that it would be hard for us to convey our narrative in this manner, whilst maintaining the interest of the viewer.

W.D.Y.W.F.M? - The Neighbourhood

This is our chosen song.

There is not an already existing music video for this song, which we viewed to be an advantage. It meant that we could have full creative control over the narrative, as we would not be influenced by anything that we had already seen. Their already existing videos featured an aesthetic that is typical to the alternative genre, which is similar to the one that we wanted to create in our music video. These videos also focused on themes that were similar to those that we wanted to base our video around. The lyrics of the song focus on relationship problems, that contribute to the breakdown of the narrator. We felt that the lyrics of this song had room to create our own interpretation, after identifying themes of self-conflict, relationship troubles and emotional battles with self-acceptance. We came up with the idea of a narrative that focuses on a female protagonist who is in a heterosexual relationship, who begins to question her sexuality. Her confusion over her sexuality, and the self-conflict she experiences lead her into a downward spiral of despair, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. The title "W.D.Y.W.F.M?" is an acronym that stands for "What do you want from me?". As a group, we saw this line to represent desperation and confusion, which contributed greatly to our narrative ideas. However, the song would be told from the narrative stance of the protagonists boyfriend. We felt that creating a music video on an issue that is topical within society is important, as it will help to raise awareness and open dialogue on sexual preferences. We would hope that it would highlight the difficulties that the LGBT+ community still face in modern day society, where they may be scared to embrace their sexuality and who they are, for fear of repercussions. For these reasons, we decided that this would be the song that we create our music video for.

Time Management Plan

It was essential for me to create a time management plan at the beginning of the project. This is because it gives you a timeline to work by, and establishes goals to work towards each month. Having a time management plan ensures that you are able to keep track on your progress, and see whether you are on target. 

Here is the time management plan I created:

In this time management plan, I have not outlined every detail of what I will need to complete throughout the process of completing this project, as this would be excessive information. A time management plan must be simple and straightforward so that you are able to clearly understand what is expected of you. Instead, I have given one title to tasks that actually include multiple smaller tasks, and I have selected the very key points of what needs to be done. With this basic outline, I will still be able to assess whether I am on track or not.