Live Performance Tester

Narrative Tester - After Effects

Here we have used the editing software 'After Effects' to trial out an idea of having the reflection having a mind of its own whilst the man is stood still. Firstly we filmed Kelly standing still, looking into the mirror for a few seconds. We then filmed Kelly standing in exactly the same place but this time moving his right hand and pulling faces. Once we had the footage uploaded to After Effects we made two layers and split them down the middle just left of Kelly's shoulder. We were able to mask one layer so when played through, the reflection would be moving whilst Kelly looking into the mirror would be still. This attempt was fairly successful and gave us a great idea of how we  need to film and then edit the footage for our narrative. 

Audience Research Interviews

From the audience research interviews we have found that for a metalcore video people expect to see alot of close ups with camera movement and alot of quick pace editing. 

Having some knowledge of other metalcore videos we know that these are quite conventional filming techniques but they look very effective when executed properly. 

Editing is one of the most important parts of production and making sure we have enough footage is key when filming our promo. Having lots of cuts in a short amount of time not only goes along with the pace of the song but it also looks very effective and pleasurable for the audience. 

We have decided to have a narrative in our music video and will attempt to be original with our ideas whilst also staying in the same structure and feel of a typical metalcore video with a dark storyline. 

Narrative

The main idea of our narrative is to be very abstract and bizarre for the audience. We found from our audience research that some people expect the narrative to be hard to understand and not completely tell the story, leaving it on a cliffhanger or leaving it for the viewer's imagination to decide.

From this we wanted to create something that was exciting to look at but also strange and original with the main plot line open for discussion and consideration.

Idea


The opening shot would be of a blindfolded figure coming into focus who seems disorientated and confused. He stumbles across an old mirror only to have his reflection act in a completely different way. The reflection has an old book in his hand and looks to the right, hinting to the figure to search for it. The blindfolded man turns to find an old bookcase holding many books. He begins frantically searching through the books, not knowing what to look for until he finds 'You've only done this to yourself' written in one of the books. The man looks back at his reflection in the mirror to find it has disappeared.

The protgonist in the narrative will be a smartly dressed man who is blindfolded. The audience will have no idea of his past or why he is in this state but I find this adds to the mystery and abstract approach to our narrative.

The old book will be a significant prop in the narrative due to the reflection indicating that the man has to find it. It also links back to the band's name, In Archives.

The old mirror will be very effective in the narrative, its age is interesting and it also is more attractive to the audience and makes sense to have an old mirror rather than a more modern one.

Having the reflection behaving completely different is an intertextual reference to the horror film, 'Mirrors'. It also adds to the abstract approach as well as fitting in with the metalcore genre with a dark and sinister nature of the narrative.

Performance Shot Run Through

Performance shot run through

Run through 1 – Pan forward and back with a dolly of the whole band

Run through 2 – Pan side-wards

Run through 3 – Still footage of the band

Run through 4 – Crane Shots

Run through 5 to 10 – Full song, handheld, walk through the members

Run through 11 - Each band member plays through the song on their own

Video Shoot Check List

Music Video Shoot Check List

Zak’s camera – battery charge, memory cards and tripod

Sony Handicam

Lighting – Industrial lights, floor lights x4

Extension Leads

Laptop

Speakers

Leads