Saturday 5 April 2014

'Barbara Kruger' Set





Filming Day 6- Final Shoot!!!

4th April 2014

Today we filmed our very last scenes for the video. Once again we filmed the in green room however, it was not the same boring white wall we filmed against. I covered the wall with my 'Barbara Kruger' images which turned out very effective on film. 










Friday 4 April 2014

Filming Day 5- Outcome

3rd April '14

Today we filmed in the dance studio where Amelia performed her contemporary dance. 
As always nothing ever goes according to plan; the intial plan was to film Amelia using the mic and mic stand in the dance studio (Like Beyonce's 'Love On Top') but I was unable to get the mic. However, that was the only setback we faced during this shoot and everything else went accordingly. 

The mise en scene for today was a 'behind the scenes' look at Amelia's dance rehearsals. She was dressed in her leotard and tights and we also filmed some shots with her wearing a leather jacket and converse trainers to reflect the pop-rock genre. Her hair was tied up in a high pony tail and she wore her make up normal with her signature black eye-liner and red lipstick. The overall 'look' for this shoot was cool and casual. 


 

'Love on top' Video
I had initially planned to film Amelia performing just a dance sequence with no lip syncing however, since we were unable to film in the theatre I knew that lip syncing whilst dancing would help fill in the gaps in my video.  The use of the mic during the performance is very effective as it fulfills the  performance concept of the video very well.  It is also very good use of mise-en-scene and props. I used Beyonce's 'Love On Top' video as inspiration for this shoot. As stated above, I was unable to get a mic for this shoot which was very disappointing. 

Intertexuality or eclectic borrowing are common features of post-modern media. Recreating a scene like 'Love On Top' signifies Beyonce's influence on new artists. In one of my earlier posts, I reported Beyonce's record breaking new visual album release which had no prior formal announcement or promotional package. Beyonce is an artist which many artists -male or female- aspire to be, her success has inspired many and is the driving force behind the motivation for young new female artists such as Amelia to achieve the same level of success as Mrs Carter. Featuring a 'Love on top' scene is a show of respect for Beyonce and also a show of character on Amelia's behalf.   







Thursday 3 April 2014

Filming Day 5- 3rd April '14

3rd April 2014

The images below show the costume, hair and makeup from today's shoot. 

 








Scheduling Issues

Getting A Hold Of Amelia

During the filming process it has been very difficult to arrange a filming schedule due to the clash in timetables with Amelia and I. Amelia is drama, dance and performing arts student which requires her to spend a vast majority of her time rehearsing. Most of the times we have filmed it was done after college hours (4-6pm) however, recently Amelia has been unable to film after college too. 


Wednesday 2 April 2014

Filming Day 4- Outcome

April 2nd 2014

Overall today was a successful shoot and our biggest disadvantage was time. We filmed over lunch which left us with only a one hour time slot. Minus time for hair and make-up and in the end Amelia and I just less than forty minutes to film.

 Another setback we faced was the missing guitar. Although the original plan was to film Amelia playing the guitar during the acoustic verse- which would've been perfect with the mise en scene- we couldn't seem to find a guitar. Other props used in this shoot was the amplifier which we used as a seat for Amelia.

The lighting was much better than the last shoot. I seemed to have figured out how to set up and position the lights. In order to get bright and clear footage the lights must have some distance from the subject and in our last shoot I did the opposite positioned the lights very close to Amelia which made the footage very dark and unclear.

I also used a range of angles today, mostly high angle as Amelia was sat down. I also shot some footage from a side angle which showed off her hair and make up. 









A Grecian Goddess

Filming- 2nd April '14

The images below show Amelia's hair, make-up and costume for today's shoot. You can also see the location of the shoot which was in the media green room. 

This look is more natural compared to Amelia's other looks however, it does not lack glamour. The diamanté hair band represents Amelia's status in the music industry, pop princess. Her long blonde cascading locks exemplify her calm and collective manner.
   
Her demure make up shows that she doesn't always have to live up to the grungy pop-rock image however, her thick black eye liner insists that she is not abandoning her pop-rock roots. This look also represents her independence as an artist by choosing to alternate between different looks and images rather than conforming to her stereotype. 

Her long white Grecian style dress emphasises her 'goddess' like physique. She is standing tall to show the world that she is strong and tough. Amelia's body language is the epitome of a modern woman; her back is straight, her chest is out, her chin is up and her head is high all of which embody confidence with the slightest of ease.





 








Filming Day 4- 2nd April '14

Plans For Today 

Once today we will be filming in the media green room against the white walls. I want to film the bridge of the song today but more importantly the acoustic part of the song. The lyrics are;


[The Bridge]

The feelings are lost in my lungs (2.22)
 They’re burning, I’d rather be numb (2.25)
 And there’s no one else to blame (2.29)
 So scared I take off in a run (2.33)
 I’m flying too close to the sun (2.36)
 And I burst into flames (2.41)

[Acoustic]

You make me glow, but I cover up (2.47)
 Won’t let it show, so I’m (2.53
Puttin’ my defences up (2.56)
‘Cause I don’t wanna fall in love (2.58)
 If I ever did that (3.00)
 I think I’d have a heart attack [x5]  (3.05) (3.10) (3.13)

Mise En Scene
The mise en scene for today is simple. We will be filming against the white wall and have brights lights reflect off the backdrop. Hair and makeup will be fairly natural; Amelia is wearing a white Grecian style dress. Her hair will be braided at the front so it creates a very 'earthy' look. 

Amelia will be using a guitar as a prop to create the illusion  
 Acoustic songs remind me of nature and sitting by a fire and singing. I have created a mood board to show the ideas I have for this shoot. As you can see it is all very simple and natural and the reason I chose this is because during this verse the song is very soft and soothing. 

Cinematography
The cinematography will also be simple for this shoot and will only consist of close ups and mid shots. I want close ups of Amelia playing the guitar and also shoot at different angles which I haven't tried so far. 

Editing
When editing I am going to experiment with the black and white effect. 
I want to over lay two shots; a close up of her Amelia playing the guitar and her singing.
To achieve this effect I think a fade is used however, I am unsure until I actually edit the video. 

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Designing the Set

Location Overhaul 

As stated in my 'Filming Update' post, there have been some issues regarding the locations. Unfortunately, I wont be able to film in the theatre or recording studio due to prior bookings. This interruption in filming  required me to think of new ideas to accommodate my video. 

Barbara Kruger Designs 

For my A2 textiles I am doing a project on 'Issues' and looking at a particular artist; Barbara Kruger. Barbara Kruger is a conceptual artist and her work mostly consists of black and white images with declarative text over layered on top. She is renowned for her signature white text highlighted in bold red. Kruger is a feminist and in the 60's she campaigned for many woman's rights such as the legalization of abortions. For this cause she created, which is one of her most designs, 'Your Body Is A Battleground'. 



I have since began creating my own 'Barbara Kruger' designs and to use as a backdrop for filming. I intend to cover the white wall in the green room with all of my own designs to create a different set. The significance of this backdrop is 'female empowerment'. Kruger is a feminist and Heart Attack has some sexist remarks. For example, the lyrics "But you make me wanna act like a girl paint my nails and wear high heels" is seen as quite offensive to women.





  




Filming Day 3- 14th March '14

Back to the Green Room

This is our third shoot. We are back in the green room after having filmed in the theatre our last shoot. Like our first shoot, we are filming against the white wall in the green room. 

Mise-en-scene 

Lighting 
The lighting is a lot darker compared to our first shoot which was caused by not positioning the lights properly. Although, there is no compromise to the quality of the footage due to the moodier lighting I however, prefer the bright lighting. I feel the footage looks a lot clearer and more professional when the lighting is bright and vibrant. 

Hair, Makeup & Costume
In the first shoot the concept of the costume was 'Rock n Roll Glamour'. The juxtaposition of the 'Rock n Roll' and 'Glamour' personifies the pop-rock genre of the song and artist. 
Amelia was dressed in a black crop and full tulle skirt accessorised with a sparkly choker however, we toned it down for this shoot. Amelia can be seen wearing a tartan top representing the rock elements of the song. Her hair is dressed in big and bouncy curls and her make up; smokey eyes with red lipstick. 










Filming Update

Change in Location

Initially I had planned to film at three different locations however, this proves to be more difficult than I had anticipated. The recording studio is a vital part of the video for example, filming Amelia record the song will fulfil the "Behind The Scenes" concept of the video as it shows the raw making of the song. Unfortunately, due to the high demand of the recording studio Amelia and I will be unable to film in the studio.

This drastic change calls for a creative meeting!