3B & C Beat Editing & Lip Synching

Cutting the Beat

Cutting to the beat is such an effective editing technique in the music video is because when creating a music video you need to think how the visuals of the Music video interpret the track for example when creating the music video, you don't want one long cut otherwise the audience will find it boring and very predictable but if you cut to the beat, the visuals will become to interpret the music, so this will make the beat and the cuts will come together to create a visual sequence. Most cutting to the beat would sync to the visuals in the sense that every time there is a a kick or a Hi-hat there will be a cut and a change of angle movement and change location.  Over the Summer transition period Daniel, Eunice and I created a music video based of the Track "So Long" By Krept and Konan. The genre of this track is Grime and we followed some of the conventions associated with Grime. In the Video we used One Long Cut (One Take) because this is a common convention in grime and we also used also used a "Tracking Away Movement" which is a common convention which is used to make the artist look powerful and Intimidating as if the Camera is running away from them. In this music video we didn't use beat editing and we believed it was okay without beat editing but then we watched Exemplar music videos and then we realized the importance of beat editing. Beat editing is so important because it enhances the audience due too all the cuts for example a long take can bore the audience but if you have various angles and shot types it can immerse the audience and a significant relationship between the music and its visual.

Lip Syncing/ Miming

Lip syncing is a common convention is any genre of music, it links the subjects in the music video so we can establish who the artist is, so when creating a music video you have to consider the subject who is miming or lip syncing the lyrics. the problem with the Music Video we created was that we had Eunice rapping Konan's Verse but as we can see you Eunice is a Girl and Konan is a Rapper with a very deep and monotone voice, so the lip syncing is poor because it doesn't look very professional.

Also regarding Daniel's lip syncing, he had very little time to recite his lyrics and learn them, also because we only had one long take of the video and not multiple recordings so we had to go with what we had. so now when we go to creating our next video i know that we need to film two or three takes per scene so it will be easier to lip sync due to the variety of shots we will have.


My Beat Editing Task

Comparing My Summer Video To My Beat Editing Task: Beat Edting

If I compare this to my Summer piece of work i can say that there is a massive difference because i feel as if i have a real understanding of beat editing. If you look at my summer piece you can see the music is one long cut with two cut aways which is impossible to beat edit due to the lack of various shots but if you look at my beat edit piece you can see i have incorporated various shot types which made it easier to cut to different shots depending on the beat. Beat editing is very important because it keeps the audience entertained however the audience can get very bored if it is just one long cut. An alternative way to edit to the beat with a lack of shots would be to throw in effects such as an earthquake effect which tends to be quite common in Genres such as Rap, Pop and EDM. When using a programme such as final cut its quite easy because you can place markers in the timeline so these markers can represent instruments such as the kick and hi-hat which tends to be what you cut to. Also you need to find clips that sync to the beat, so the clips need to match the pace of the song. For example for a fast-paced up-beat song you would you things such as a timelapse or hyper lapse but if it was slow paced song you would have slow motions shots or even still images.

Comparing My Summer Video To My Beat Editing Task: Lip Syncing/Miming

If I compare this to my Summer piece of work i can say that there is a massive difference because i feel as if i have a real understanding of Lip Syncing. The only problem i had when creating this was lip-syncing for example i had Eunice rapping Konans part and Konan has a very deep voice so even though she was lip syncing it was difficult to establish that she was the artist however if you compare this to Nigel Lip-Syncing "Turn Down For What". You can Establish that Nigel is one of the Artists. Lip-Syncing was very important in my summer work because the beat was very slow paced however it was progressional so it relied on The lyrics and the lip-syncing. i have improved my lip-syncing because the lyrics were learnt and they were synced correctly.

Task One

Artist: JD Tucker
Genre: Rap
Track: Dallas State of Mind 

Drums: The Drums play a massive part within the track, for example the song begins with a with a gradual instrumental that involves a violin and a sample and then at 25 seconds the snares and Hi-hats begin to kick in when the vocals start. The drumbeat is a regular but contains off beats to keep the rapping from clashing so when ever there is an offbeat he starts his next verse. the Drums are fairly repetitive for the reasoning that this can make the song catchy. The off beat is used to indicate the start of a new verse, so for every 4 bars there is a news verse due to the off beats.

Vocals: the vocals drive the track for example the tone of the track is quite aggressive, also of you listen to the lyrics is rapping about harsh reality so the track has an aggressive tone in order to the the artist's message across. the tone of the artist's voice is deep to show a dominant input into the track. the lyrics remind me of a black and white gritty documentary of America showing urban culture and it its downfalls, this got me thinking of filming the harsh reality of crime in America.

Instruments: The track contains Hi Hats, Kicks, Violins and a sample all these together drive the track, the difference is that the instrumental is quite slow and repetitive but the rap is very fast, aggressive and Dominant, so instruments in the track all work together in order to sync the the lyrical input of the Artist.

Task Two

Task Three

Task Four

Task Five
Waiting for the artist to reply to my Question.

Task 6

TASK 2Biii

Post Modern Styles
Homage
in music videos, the artist pays homage to another artist for example homage can be displayed through a Prop, Location and tone. homage is quite common because many older artists tend to inspire younger artists and the reason the younger artist would homage would be to show gratitude and appreciation for how the older inspired them. homage is also a way of honouring the artist and making sure they past lives on. homage cannot always be a good thing for example they could paying homage by endorsing the culture just in order to widen their fan base and their profit.
Examples
Homage To "The Beatles"

Homage To "ET'



Parody
Parody is a genre that is intended to mock the artists image and song. a good example of this would be when the comedian humiliates the artist and this sparks a humerous reaction which can give the video a chance of going viral. the comedian would choose to make a parody but they would have to use current news in the video to sort of spark a humorous outrage.
Examples:
Wrecking Ball Parody used to mock Miley Cyrus

Happy Parody to mock Pharell Williams



Pastiche
pastiche is when someone imitates ther style of the music video but it is done in a respectful manor. a good example of this would be when Miley Cyrus like the style in Sinead O Connor's "nothing compares" has a similar close up that involves the artist crying.Miley used this a way to launch her new image of a rebellious teen.
Examples:




Whose style she copied

Animation
animated videos tend to be animated all the way through or parts of it tend to be animated. stock motion and digital are the two types of animation that tends to be used in music videos. a good example of a digital animation video would be "Good Morning" by Kanye West. and a stop motion example would be "Ready, Able" by Grizzly Bear.
Digital
Stop Motion


Allusion
allusion is when you have a subject associated to with a place or event in history for example the video " Diamonds are Forever" By Kanye West, it would be linked to the illegal diamond trade going on in Sierra Leone. Another example would be YG's Track with Nipsey called "F*** Donald Trump" which sort of discusses the issue going on today and how it effects black and Hispanic people.
Based on Illegal diamond trad in Sierra Leone

Based on Racist Controversy Created by the presidential election

TASK 2bi

Goodwin's Theory

a) in-concert and ‘as live’ footage (performance)

when music videos have a live performance in them , this can be used to sell the artist for example when bands tour and they need to advertise in order tell tickets. so the music video becomes an advertisement for the band so you can get a feel for how the band perform and this can help your decision on whether to purchase tickets. Performance videos tend to have lip syncing and choreography, to create the image of being at a live concert more realistic. locations of live performances tend to vary depending on the popularity of the artist so some artist with tour in pubs and bars and some of the bigger artists will perform in arenas and concert halls.

Examples:

b) interpretative; (Music and Visuals - illustrative, amplified)
Interpretative is when you have the visual of the videos link to the music or the lyrics for example in the Katy Perry track "Firework" the lyric "firework" is portrayed in the video. Another example is in the Track " Lamborghini" by Ace Hood every time the word "Lamborghini is mentioned there is a Lamborghini which appears on screen. when associating your lyrics with your visuals you intend to either Amplify or Illustrate the lyrics.
Examples

c) narrative
Narrative is when a story is told throughout the music video. as a narrative the lyrics or the visuals do not have to relate to each-other. In most narrative videos the song tends to become a soundtrack for the story which is being told throughout the music video. Narrative music videos tend to contradict the lyrics and the visuals with no links what so ever.
Examples

d) impressionist (conceptual)

impressionist music videos tend to be quite artistic and metaphorical based for example conceptual videos a based off of colours, themes and tones. for example a certain colour could reflect a mood or a certain instrument in the track. the artist wouldn't tend to be shown in their own music videos due to conceptual music videos tend to come from Indie artists so their star image doesn't tend to matter.
Examples

e) referencing (intertextuality)
Intertexuality in music videos are very similar to the term "Easter egg" that we use in video games. Intertextuality are little references placed throughout music videos that can pay homage to other media outlets that could be TV, Games, Video and Film. for example in the music video " Californiaction" there are links to video games such as Grand Theft Auto. Also with the David Guetta Track " Hey Mama" there is homage payed to the Film " Mad Max".
Examples

TASK 2A

ROCK AND METAL
Jordan
Mise En Scene
Rock and Metal have music videos which contain dark themes but they would voyeurism but in a way to objectify women. Throughout metal music videos instruments would be apparent. the artist or band would appear in dark clothing with Gothic tone of make-up. most Metal music videos tend to be violent, abrupt and filled with gore. blood is a apparent in these videos. symbolism is used a lot in rock for example references to cults is Apparent and the use of masks. The location of metal and rock tends to vary between locations such as churches, houses or metal asylums.




This video below is also linked to the notion of looking and voyeurism for example it can be about how we view women and objectify them. For example the half naked girls being tied up and slaughtered like animals.

Editing
The editing in rock music videos tend to be very dependant on the track for example if the track becomes very heavy and the pace of the song is moderately high the editing will fall in suit and it would become rhythmic editing.


Camera and lighting
the lighting in the video tends to be low-key to create a sinister vibe on the artist, the camera shots tend to be close ups which tend to be demanded by the record label. this camera movements tend to be quite violent and abrupt in order to enhance the fear factor.


Intertexuality
Intertextuality is a common convention in Rock and metal. it seems to be apparent for example in this music video there are links to the hit film "The Shining" in the"Slipknot -Spit it Out" Music video. also another music video with an example of intertexuality would be "The Red Hot Chilli Peppers song called "Californication".

Slipknot- Spit It Out








The Shining Hallway Scene

In this Red Hot Chilli Peppers video it is another example of intertexuality due to the links it has to a game called Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas









Californicaton by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers

 

Another example of intertextuality is when Linkin Park paid homage to the Anime fans by creating a video that could potentially widen their Audience.

Indie

These videos tend to have varying combinations of conventions; such as bright and dark colours and lighting. Sometimes black and white depending on the tone of the lyrics and music. 


Indie music videos tend to be a mixture of narrative and conceptual. However, there are also performance based videos. A performance music video is a type of music video that  features the artist or group singing (lip syncing) The purpose of this kind of music video is to give the audience and fans a in-concert experience. A narrative music video is a video that tells a story. The narrative can be linear or non- linear. The purpose of a narrative music video is to convey a message. Conceptual music videos rely heavily on poetry and metaphors. These videos do not tell a story in a linear way, rather, they create mood and feeling.

The focal point can either be the main vocalist or the performance of the whole band, or even the band or artist not making an appearance in their music video. The narrative music videos in this context usually are more representational or symbolic, rather than illustrating the lyrics. In this sense, they are typically quite versatile. The editing techniques differ based on the pace of the music, whereby it can vary from slow to fast pace. The artists are generally presented in a casual manner reflecting upon their outfits. Indie artists typically try to promote their independent status in the music videos. They do this so that they can be seen as "different" or "unique". This helps to create their star image. 

Mise-en-scene (Location/settings,props and costumes)

Many Genres of music videos have a unique visual theme.This is normally something the audience will recognise and can relate to. Props,costumes and location all make up Mise-en scene. "Mise en scene" plays a large role in a lot of music videos. Props and costumes help create a artist's identity and sets them apart from other artists. They also make the video look and feel realistic. For indie music videos, the common props are normally the instruments. As mentioned before, indie artists want to promote their independent status and be branded as "real" musicians and creators. Using actual instruments in the video helps reinforce this notion. In indie music videos, the artists typically wear clothing that relates to the theme of the video. The clothing that indie artists wear in their videos often symbolizes something or creates meaning. For example, the clothing could represent the mood of the music video. If the mood of the music video is happy and energetic, the artists will wear bright colored clothing.However, If the mood of the video is dark with angst and sad, the artists will wear dark colored clothing (Black and grey). 

Locations that are often used in indie music videos are "everyday places". The purpose of indie music videos is not only to promote the indie artist, but to create a "real" image that the audience can actual relate to. This is why locations such as skate parks, residential areas and cities are used in indie videos. 





Foster the people's "Call it what you want" music video uses instruments. 

(Foster the people: "Call it what you want")

The Givers's "Up,Up,Up" music video is mostly set in new York city. However, a chroma key  effect with green screen is also used.

(Givers- Up,Up,Up)





Rock Mafia: Fly or Die

Rock Mafia’s Fly or Die music video is very different. This music video separates itself from the typical Performance and narrative videos one would usually see. The music video itself is an animated narrative. It uses a combination of 2D and CGI animation to complement the song and tell a story. It does not use any actually real footage. This video can also be considered as a concept music video. Concept music videos can include both performance and narrative aspects. Usually, concept videos are based around a surreal, poetic idea. This idea usually grabs the audience’s attention and draws them in. Songs within the indie genre tend to use a mixture of bright and dark colours in their music videos. The fact that both bright and dark colours such as black, red, orange and blue are used in the video, shows that this is a convention of indie music videos. The lyrics of the song relate to the visuals in the video. The video and song are telling the same story. The story is that a village has been attacked and raided by an evil Dictator/tyrant. The dictator and his army have taken control and destroyed most of the village. Everything the dictator touches turn evil and is stamped with an “Anubis industry” logo. The dictator himself is riding a giant Anubis robot. The logo is the letter “A” with an eye over it.

Anubis is an Egyptian god that is often associated with mummification and the afterlife. Anubis guided the souls of the dead through the underworld kingdom of his powerful father. His father was Osiris, the god of the dead. The fact that the giant Anubis is destroying everything could symbolize that he is taking the people of the village to the underworld. In other words, he is “Killing” them.  Not that far from the village, a group of people who seem to be monks, are meditating in a cave. The monks sense danger coming from the village and start to flee using flying vehicles. A girl who seems to be an apprentice is also trying to escape. However, her flying vehicle does not seem to work. 

At this point of the video, the chorus of the song starts, which is “Fly or Die”. The chorus of the song implies that the people must “fly” or risk being “mummified” and turned evil by the dictator and his giant Anubis. 

Editing techniques 

The Editing matches the pace of the music within particular indie music videos. This is common in indie music videos.This creates rhythm for the audience because the visuals are more exciting to watch. In the video below, the pace of the visual effects matches the beat of the song. 

(Bloc Party: Ratchet)





Camera Work and Lighting

The most typical camera shots used in indie genre music video are close up. Close up shots introduce the artist and it helps to promote their "star image". Close up shots highlight the artist’s talents when they are singing. Crane shots are also popular when filming live performances as it allows different angles. Long and wide shots are used as establishing shots to set the scene of the narrative in the music video.​

(Miles Kane- Don't forget who we are)

(Crystal Fighters - Love Natural)

MISE-EN-SCENE
Music videos from the pop genre are normally performance videos which is either narrative or is just dance. The three music videos in this report are all of artists that are women, which are lip syncing to the song. The lyrics of pop songs are based on the good aspects of life which is shown through the mise-en-scene. The music video is bright and in someways dark because the song is about hiding herself from the paparazzi. 

Costume
In the first music video, Piece of Me by Britney Spears, she has a number of outfit changes, but all of her outfits reveal certain parts of her body, just like the second music video, Madonna Hung Up. This is shown as voyeurism because of the way women are portrayed in these music videos. They are hardly wearing any clothes and the first song is being shown that Britney Spears is being sexualised by the way they are dressed. When it comes to music videos, costume is very important because it creates an image for the artist. For example, if the artist was to wear dull looking clothes, they wouldn't attract their target audience. However, if they were to wear designer or popular clothes, they would attract their target audience because the target audience are young teens and they like to follow the trend their artist sets.

Location/Settings
Normally, the location and or settings for a pop music video is based or filmed in either a club or in front of a green screen because it is a convention of a pop music video as it shows how colourful pop music is; like my example video above. 

Colours
Pop music videos generally have bright colours to bring the songs and music videos to life. My next example, This is What You Came For, is full of bright colours to represent the beat of the song. This music video is a performance music video because the artist, Rihanna is lip syncing to the song where there is a background of people partying and jumping up and down in the back or either on a green screen. 

Choreography
Choreography in pop music videos is popular because of the up-beat tempo. It is used in music videos because if the song was to be performed in either a music festival or concert, the artist and back up dancers will be able to repeat what was used in the music video, in real life. It will create a type of reality where the audience will be able to relate to the dance as they will focus more on the performance than the song itself. 

Performance


In this music video, there are lens flares, and colourful flashing lights from the effects used for this. There is a party atmosphere with the crowds partying and dancing and in the parties there would be alcohol that connotes a fun atmosphere. 

CAMERA & LIGHTING
Most music videos have a range of shot types such as close ups, extreme close ups and mid shots. This is to create the innocence of the artist and also their personality from their music. Close ups are also used for the use of lip syncing, to show the emotion in the artist's face. In Britney Spears' Piece of Me, there is high key lighting and also lens flares. 

EDITING

Pace, lip syncing, cutting, transitions, rhythmic montage, tonal montage
The tone and pace of pop music videos are quite fast, as they cut to the beat, which is also rhythmic montage. There is also transitions such as wipes, which wipe from one scene to another. Also, fade in and outs are frequently used in music videos as they represent the many different effects used rather than just cutting (and also using jump cuts).