Literal Video: My Turn

After watching a few literal videos, I made my own to Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together".

Making the video was actual really enjoyable and fun, and seeing as I love singing it was an exercise that wasn't super daunting to me.

Below is my version of a literal video:

Skyping Interview with Simon Bradshaw

After analysing the previous covers, we had a skype interview with Simon Bradshaw - the lead in all three bands. We asked him a couple of questions, here is some of the feedback we got from him.

In regard to the recurring colour red:

-       All their favourite bands had one colour.

-       The ‘Marlowe Red’

-       He said they found the colour and thought ‘We quite like that’.

-       It was a way to try and tie in and keep the albums consequitive.

In response to the question: “Why no artist on the cover?”

-       They were never a “skinny indie band”

-       He was a primary school teacher in his mid 20s – it wasn’t cool.

-       All eight people in the band had very different looks.

-       They never looked that great, as there wasn’t a lot of coherence between the members.

Simon was in Testcard whilst in Marlowe at the same time, he just liked the idea of having a different electronic sound as well as the indie boy band vibe.

In response to question: “What does ‘Deep breathe fake air’ mean?

-       It was thought on whilst on a plane. He remembers seeing the hostess spray that aerosol into the air during the flight and he thought “I am essentially breathing in fake air.”

Analysis of Album Covers: Marlowe, Testcard and Roja

We did not hear any of the music before analysing the albums and the covers.

Marlowe

“It’s Turning Me on” EP

Woman sat putting lipstick on

Red background, black image.

Woman wearing short skirt and making herself look nice with make up could imply a club mix. The type of music that is quite relaxed and chilled. Looks a bit like the Maroon 5 Songs about Jane album.

The girl looks like it’s hand drawn which implies a sense of “real music”.

I like this cover, and would probably pick it up.

“Darksparklecorner” Album

Child sat in bed, looking scared.

Music that is inappropriate for children.

I wouldn’t pick this album up.

Dated image – looks like the boy in ‘The Snowman’

Looks 80s – music based on this era? For those who identify with that period?

“A Day in July” Album

Makes me more confused over what style music they are.

Aimed at older generation,

Organic artist impression.

Culturally diverse.- not in the uk.

Isolation – lyrics means something?

Much lighter than other albums.

“Deep breathe fake air” Album

A scientific approach  - more analytical lyrics.

Continuous colour theme. 

Title implies some sort of critique “fake air

The overall impression I get, is that over time the band have matured a lot. The music style is still not obvious to me. I get the impression that they write their own stuff and are into deep lyrics.

Testcard

“Lines” Album

Indie style, laid back but still has clever lyrics.

Based upon the fact that the image is very precisely drawn.

Simplicity.

Unplugged. – testcard means offline.

Roja

“Promises I should have kept”

Spanish.

Hand drawn element

Lasso

Woman on a horse

Drums –horses feet. 

Goat Videos: My Turn

13:10pm :
I myself produced a Goat Video to the hit song, Baby by Justin Bieber. It has been uploaded to Youtube, so we shall see what comes of it.

13:36: I have just checked back on the video, and it has already received a few views (might possibly by me!) but YouTube has attached an ad to the video. It has nothing to do with content of the video as it's for Urban Outfitters. So far YouTube has not taken it down for copyright - RESULT

Lip Synching Exercise

In order to prepare us for next years course, we did a group lip synching exercise which involved us practicing filming and mouth the words to the song "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk.

As a class we went to the studio, where we were split into three groups of about five or six. Laid out was three situations where we had to film. The first and most basic, filming up against the green screen. The second and a little more tricky, a set made up of a flat covered in wallpaper with a built in window and a sofa. And the third and most difficult, a flat made to look like a rocky mountain - in this one movement was involved so the dolly track was also laid down.

The first situation (the green screen) was easy to film, as it required keeping the camera in the same place and letting the actor do what they wanted in front of the camera. The second (sofa set) wasn't more difficult but we had more levels and angles to play with, we took some shots from above looking down on the actor lying on the sofa. The final situation wasn't only the hardest but the most technical. The timing between the actor and the man pushing the cart along the track had to be spot on or the shot looked messy. I happened to be the lucky one who got chosen to push the cart, and my actor lip synching was Charlie Feeney. Before we shot we spoke about where we were going to start and stop (we placed tape on the floor so we knew) and then did a few practice runs. In the end, the continuous shot that we came out with was really well done and smooth.

We then went up to the editing suite and began chopping up all the shots to create a show reel. We now had access to all the clips shot by the whole class, so we had a lot to choose from. The moving shot of Charlie lip synching where I was pushing, was used in every single video in our class - which to me is saying something about the quality of the shot!

Literal Videos

Literal Videos are another form of parody, in which the lyrics are changed to narrate literally what the artist or actor is doing in the music video. These have become hugely successful as they are very funny, but also point out things in the music video which are questionable.

Below are some particularly funny examples of Literal Videos:

Goat Videos

Goat Videos are the latest Youtube phenomenon. What it involves, is taking a well know music video and inserting a goat screaming (like a human) in time to the music. What makes the videos so funny, is not only the bizarre noises these goats make but the fact that you know exactly when the sound is going to come on, yet it gets you every time.

Below are some examples of Goat Videos (that haven’t been taken down for copy right):