NEW SPOTIFY APP ON THE GUARDIAN

The Guardian has just released a new Spotify app which allows users to listen to albums reviewed by the guardian or observer.

This updated version of Spotify allows commercial partners to tie in for mutual benefit - synergy.

A2 MEDIA STUDIES CALL SHEET FOR HELENA BEAT (KEYBOARD & BOGGLE ANIMATION SHOOTS)

• Track - Helena Beat - Foster The People
• Length - 3:45
• Shoot date - 2nd December 2011
• Location - DT Studio Claremont Fan Court School
• Shoot location:

• Crew: Alex Atkinson, 07523208980, aatkinson@yahoo.co.uk
• Crew: Will Jones, 07708633380, willjones567@hotmail.co.uk
• Camera equipment (Nikon D3100 Digital SLR camera)
• Lighting equipment (Angle poise lamp)
• A Green Table Cloth, One Roland Keyboard (Same as used in the performance shoot), One Boggle set.
• 2nd Animation scene so no costume included.

OUR VINYL SHOOT

The shoot of our spinning vinyl was a success. We decided to use a vinyl in our video because it helped us to achieve a retro feel in the mise-en-scene.

In the set up, we had some problems achieving the levels of light needed for capturing our footage, however, we found that the best way to achieve it was to use natural lighting instead of our own.

Here are some of our stills in the shoot, showing the different lighting in different parts of the room:

LIGHTING UP THE KEYS

Indietronica typically contains heavy use of keyboards and synthesisers, which is why my group and I decided to further this concept by lighting up the keys on the synthesiser (the one used in the video by singer) in different colours. 

 



We took this influence from the Michael Jackson's video for Billy Jean: When Michael Jackson walks through the streets, the slabs on the pavement light up. We have cut these images to the beat to tie in with the codes and conventions and to tie in with the art-house/neo-psychedelia theme.






We used green, red, blue and yellow as our primary colours:

NME ARTICLE

Are Major Labels About To Abandon The CD? Er, No

PLANNING THE BIKE SHOOT

We decided to feature a scene of the band cycling to the recording studio. This fits youth culture and added a narrative line. The Smiths cycled through Manchester in their video for 'Stop Me...', they are the icons of Indie so it was a good idea to reference their video as an influence for ours.



Another video we are using as an influence is Arcade Fire's video for 'The Suburbs', whose bike shoots are more angled towards youth culture as they have teenagers cycling not young adults, therefore their behaviour in the video is more playful than in The Smiths.




LOCATION
We haven chosen to shoot this at an alleyway in Hampton Court because it iscentral to where everyone is coming from and we can also keep the area we want to film in quite private.

PROPS
We need 4 bikes at Hampton Court somehow! As not all of the cast members own a bike, it will be neccessary to borrow these and get them to the location in advance of the shoot date. Fortunately, one of the cast members lives locally and is able to store the bikes. We will need a tripod for the camera.

COSTUME
As it is cold outside in December, all the band members will be wearing coats and not the same clothes as the performance shoot as this is a different period of the video.

SCHEDULING
As this shoot is to be done outside, the ideal is to have good weather and on a nice day so we are reliant on the weather being good to also achieve the ideal lighting quality. As it is winter, we can't do this after school so have set aside several dates to keep free so we can decide on the day when we see the weather.

POP PALATE

The talk by Trudy Bellinger called 'Pop Palate' gave very good insight into directing pop videos. She has worked with Girls Aloud, Pixie Lott, Sophie Ellis Bextor. She explained about how the videos are designed to suit the artist and song.

The British Music Experience interactive gallery was very interesting, a whole musuem of music through the ages and touch-pad guides of the history with lots of donated memorabilia from artists and other instruments.