Research and Planning: Storyboarding

When creating our storyboard we knew it wouldn't match the music video exactly as we were going for a conceptual music video and we were also filming on location which meant there was a lot of factors that might have hindered us from achieving the camera shots/angles we hoped to achieve. 

A lot of the storyboard are various ideas that we had for the music video that we hope to try out and then we'll review the footage later. We decided to structure our music video like this because its conceptual based and therefore it's hard to determine how it'll turn out. Ideas for a good shot might not look as visually pleasing as we had originally hoped once we look back on it; likewise we might have really good ideas for shots but when it comes to filming on location it might not work or unforeseeable factors might prohibit us from filming. 

We hope to include a variety of angles and shots that fit with the conceptual theme as well as using clever editing to show match on action. We gained a lot of inspiration from both Western and international artists and their music videos; the idea of using a cleverly editing match on action is something we want to try as we feel it'll make our music video stand out and link nicely with the concept that we are hoping to achieve. Low and high angle shots is another thing we hope to try as it makes the content more interesting for audience members to watch, it forces them to watch from another angle that they're not used to watching content from - therefore it stays longer in their head.

Overall, we want the music video to have a chilled, relax sort of vibe about it. We want it to be aesthetically pleasing to watch and therefore hope to have a colour theme that runs throughout. We want the visuals of the music video to reflect the message of the song, that the protagonist has it under control but there's an element that is slightly slipping, a facade. 

Research and Planning: Institutional Research

When creating an artist or band, it's important to think about who can promote them, manage them and produce their music the best. With so many record labels across the own, some major, some independent it's important to consider who our artist would be signed to and why.

The Internet, the group we took inspiration from, are signed to two record labels:

• Columbia Records
• Odd Future Records

Columbia Records:
Columbia Records is an American record label which is owned by Sony Music Entertainment, one of the 'Big Three' music labels across the world. Founded in 1887, it's headquarters are in New York City and they sign artists of many different genres. Some of their well known artists include:

• Adele (Soul/Pop)
• Beyoncé (R&B/Pop)
• Calvin Harris (EDM)
• Daft Punk (Electronic/House)
• Earl Sweatshirt (Hip Hop)
• J Cole (Hip Hop)
• One Direction (Pop/Rock)
• The Script (Pop Rock/Soft Rock)

The majority of their artists focus on pop music which strays away from the kind of music The Internet and our artist wishes to make; however they do manage artists and bands who wish to create an alternative sound.

Having plenty of funding means that being signed to this record label allows Lia Tamera to get promoted very well and gives her plenty of opportunity; however being signed to a record label so big means that she might often get overlooked and her personal wishes on her music, concept and overall sound won't be taken into account.

Odd Future Records:

Odd Future Records is an independent recording company founded by Tyler the Creator, a member of the Hip Hop collective Odd Future, in 2011. With it's parent company being Sony Music Entertainment, it is a subsidiary record label company. Created as a means to solely release music from Odd Future, which at the time include the members from The Internet, it focuses on a niche market of music genres:

• Hip Hop
• Alternative Hip Hop
• R&B
• Neo Soul
• Hardcore Punk

This record label better suits the musical tastes of The Internet and therefore our artist too. With only a handful of artists and groups signed to this label, it means that our artist, Lia Tamera, would be able to produce music that fits to her style.

However, being an independent label means that they wouldn't get the funding to promote and market Lia Tamera as an artist as well as a major music label company could. She would, on the positive side, have her opinions heard and valued as often independent music companies care more about the music they produce rather than how much sales they make.

Research and Planning: Analysis of Chosen Song - Under Control by the Internet

Song Analysis

Research and Planning: Copyright

After we decided on which music track, we need to ask the record label for the copyright permission in order for us to be permitted to post our eventual non-profitable music video onto social media, such as YouTube.

Here is a screenshot of my email that I wrote and sent to Sony Music, considering that Columbia Records is a subsidiary label.

Research and Planning: Band and Artist Biography

The Internet Biography

Background Info:
The Internet are a hip hop, neo soul band formed in 2011 consisting of six members, two of which were Odd Future members. The Internet achieved a lot of their popularity as Syd and Matt belonged to Odd Future and so many of their fans support both groups.

Their Breakout:
The Internet achieved a lot of their popularity as Syd and Matt belonged to Odd Future and so many of their fans support both groups.

Discography:
Purple Naked Ladies - released 2011
Feel Good - released 2013
Ego Death - released 2015

Lia Tamera Biography

Background Info:
Lia Tamera is a solo artist who focuses on indie soul, whilst incorporating elements of R&B into her style of music. Born 9th of November, Lia considers her inspirations to be one large spectrum, from currently hiatused pop boygroup "One Direction" to ex-Odd Future members turned global sensation "The Internet" to world reknowned Asian female rapper "Kisum."

Her Breakout:
BBC Introducing is a programme created in 2007 to help aspiring musicians breakout into the industry. After submitting an EP she created on her own, BBC helped support Lia by playing her music on their various radio shows which allowed her music to be heard on a wider scale and attract attention of fans and industry labels. Her breakthrough came as she joined the independent record company: Odd Internet.

Current:
Her debut album, 'The Kids Aren't Alright' is set to be released in summer 2016. She will further promote this on BBC's Introducing stage at major festivals such as Glastonbury, T in the Park and Radio 1's Big Weekend.

For more information on BBC Introducing click here.

Research and Planning: Artist Moodboard

Artist Moodboards

We created a mood board to show the overall artist concept that we want to show in our music video, it includes possible filming locations and fashion styles we hope to emulate.

We included the location of places where we hope to film our music video in; Camber Sands, Clapham Common and Brick Lane. We wanted to show the contrast in locations, the difference between a beach, a park and a populated area in a city.

Sad, love songs often feature a beach in the music video as the main singer often strolls dramatically across the shore. Our song, Under Control, fits this convention well, but we're keen not to show the lead singer as a stereotypical heartbroken girl.

We also plan to film in a busy city to contrast against the soft setting of the beach. In Brick Lane, there's a lot of street art which we plan to film in front of and possibly use a wall to film close ups of the lead singer. As we'll be filming in the autumn, an idea we'd like to pursue is filming in a park as the colours would also contrast with our other previous filming locations. These three filming locations are all different and so will contrast nicely against each other, allowing us to show different sides of our filming ability and concept.

We included pictures of women whose fashion style we want to show in our music video; some of these people include Zendaya, Kendall Jenner, Willow Smith and Gigi Hadid. We wanted the style of the music video to show both casual clothing, but also with a level of fashion. A lot of these women are fashion icons and their style will fit the concept of our music video well. Zendaya's makeup in the middle photo is something we hope to emulate, a natural and simple look, with elaborate headwear..

We also included pictures of men wearing androgynous clothing as this simple yet effective style is an idea we'd like to replicate.

Finally, here is a moodboard of styles we wanted to emulate, with masculine and feminine touches.

Research and Planning: Music Video Analysis

Music Video Analysis

I will be analyzing two music videos our target audience prefer in terms of video direction, cinematography, and artist representation. The first music video that I'm going to be analysing one of Beyoncé's latest and most recognised videos. The title is "7/11" and the director is Beyoncé herself.

Beyonce is one of the most famous celebrities in the world. She started in 1997, in a girl group called Destiny's Child, until she went solo and became even more successful. She shot this music video all herself on her iPhone camera accompanied with a tripod and a fish-eye lens. I believe this was a bid to get closer to her impressionable fans by giving off the comfortable and relaxed vibe. The genre of it is hip-hop. trap, and R&B.

We know this because of the tones and familiar music techniques reminiscent of the song are present. She also features her own rap and vocals over the beat. In terms of music videos, however, the genre would be home video. The video performance is concept based. There is no visible or obvious narrative, other than a party setting. The main meaning of the video is stripped back to basics: having a good time. There are no stereotypes or representations in this video in terms of negative connotation. It's simply a group of women having fun together. Black women, other than Beyoncé, are shown throughout the video, and are not side characters or romantic interests as they usually are in the music industry's music videos as a whole.

Black women as a group are represented overall positively instead of sexual objects or with a aggressive disposition (which are products of hip-hop stereotypes and the genre as a whole), however, in this, there is none of that generalizing. The image that Beyoncé is creating is her chill edge and relaxed nature. The only references to intertextual media would be the product placement of her own Christmas jumper line that was released months after the music video. In order to spark audience interest, she subliminally promoted her own clothing line. There is also the classic American party trope with the red solo cups. One of the most interesting camera shots would from 1:13 to 1:16, when Beyoncé sings "Spinnin', I'm spinnin', I'm spinnin' while my hands up" when she spins around, and then spins again in a different position, pictured in this gif I made.

The final music video analysis I have is about Justin Bieber's "What Do You Mean?" that was directed by Brad Furman.

Justin Bieber is a Canadian solo artist who debuted back in 2008, under Scooter Braun's label. The genre is electric pop, and dance, and we know this from the "flute instrumentation, piano chords and tropical synths, bass and "slick beats" elements with the sound of a clock ticking" making a young adult, party aesthetic. The video is purely narrative based, with zero conceptual elements. The story shows Justin making a suspicious deal with a strange man before meeting with a girl in a shady hotel room. He battles with the girl's emotions and wants, respecting things like consent and her space, until they're kidnapped. 

They escape together, and end up at a party, signalling a happy ending. There are mostly teenagers and young adults referenced in this, and are displayed with a positive and carefree attitude, enjoying their sports and activities together. The adults are portrayed as violent and aggressive, which links to the masks, weapons and the darks clothing they wore. This creates the look and image of positivity and moving on from past unbecomings like in Bieber's past. A reference to intertextual media would be the Calvin Klein product placement during the bedroom chain of scenes.