Influences for my Music Video

The vintage TV style filters used in-between the brighter live performance shots and close up action shots of the instruments of the band. The flicking between colourful and older looking shots like in my music video between the bright blue shots this goes between colour, vintage colours and black and white effects.



The technical use of the Nikon D3200 to record for this music video showed the capabilities of the camera being able to film in low key lighting to a fast and strenuous pace. Also being able to cope with the live performance element of recording. Also their video Dead Transmission influenced me in the use of the broadcasting old TV/ Radio effects and the use of the static in the background of the performance gave me the idea of having similar effects in my video for some cuts in-between shots.



Gave me ideas for possible shots that could be used for example the close up shot of the singer and the low angle shot of the double bass playing. It again gave me the idea of filming at a live performance as it gave across the energy and the bright colours of the stage lights. Also gave the initial idea of filming from the point of view from the audience (however in the final cut I decided against this as I did not have enough necessary footage).



Having the manual focus option to be able to blur and focus shots quickly for effect. Also this video is partially performance which further showed how typical it is for the genre. This video gave me the main inspiration for the distorted shots.

Music Video Rough Cut

Here is my rough cut of the Mojokings song 'Whatever Happened To Rock 'N' Roll?'



This is the rough cut edition of my A2 Media project. The music video is of the Mojokings and their song "Whatever Happened To Rock 'N' Roll?" filmed on location at The Voodoo Lounge in Stamford. This work is a first draft and will be changed and edited further with special effects later on.

Thank you to the Mojokings for letting me use them for my project and allowing me to film them for this video.

Review After Filming

After filming the gig at the Voodoo Lounge for my music video I would say that it was very successful. I managed to get plenty of footage throughout the night, including clips and full length videos of the song I am making the video for "Whatever Happened To Rock 'N' Roll?" which was performed twice for my benefit, once at the beginning of the set and at the end for their encore. I believe the choice of camera was a good selection as it performed exceptionally, keeping up with fast objects and taking rapid shots especially in the glaring flashing lights from the lights setup on stage. It managed to give my high quality video and audio in the low light, in terms of the visuals it was as good quality as actually being at the gig.

I was able to set up prior to the band coming on stage which meant I was able to get the camera correctly tuned and set for recording in low lighting. In terms of recording the band were very kind and helpful by giving me a song sheet meaning I knew when they were going to be playing the correct track. The audience were well behaved which meant that I didn't have much trouble with people trying to get into shots or jogging the camera etc.

Photograph taken by myself from the
Mojokings gig at the Voodoo Lounge
in Stamford on the 21st of  November.

However not everything did go according to plan, in my shot list and storyboard I had planned to get shots of the audience for the band, and from the audience research via my questionnaire this was something that my target audience wanted to see also. Although this was not possible to get a good shot of the audience as there weren't as many people who attended the gig as originally anticipated meaning in some of the shots the crowd look rather thin and I don't believe it reflects the true scale of people who attend performances by the Mojokings, their gigs are generally very busy and this is what I wanted to capture. I have tried to use some camera tricks to make it appear that there were more people, this was done through using close over the shoulder shots like it was from an audience members point of view, also these shots were inspired from The Brains 'Misery' music video which I have attempted to reference through the use of similar shot types.

Another thing which was a slight technicality was that the banner I had planned to be featured in the background could not be hung up. Though the Mojokings had the banner there was nowhere to actually hang it. Despite this after all I think it was actually better to not have anything in the background and having the plain black stage wall as it's actually less distracting from the band performing, so in actual fact this may have been a plus overall.

The venue itself was a good choice as it is a unique looking place with a great atmosphere even with few people. The stage was also great for getting multiple angled shots since it was open at the front and sides meaning it could get central shots as well as ones angled and ones from the side which were like seeing the audience from the bands perspective. Generally it allowed me to get a variety of shots as despite being a small venue there was plenty of space to get multiple shots.

In conclusion it was a very successful recording where I managed to get lots of brilliant shots as well as some good photographs which I may be able to use for my poster or digipak production in the future. It was tough to get all the footage filmed at once since I only had that night to get all the footage I needed, it was also the end of the bands tour for the year so there wouldn't have been any other opportunities to film the band live, but I believe that I managed to get all I needed for the video and I would say that I managed to get it done to a good quality standard despite some inconveniences.

Saturday 21st of November - Day Of Recording

Today I will be recording my footage for the Mojokings music video. I will be travelling to Stamford for the evening and recording the band perform. The event is from 8:30-12:00 so it will be late and the Mojokings are performing last. I have gone through the shots I need to get and I will make sure that I get critical shots such as ones of the lyrics when the song is playing. Since the music will be dubbed over the top of the performance some other shots e.g. general ones of the band performing will not be noticeable as different and therefore I can use this footage as well in the video overall.

To avoid any technical issues I might come across tonight I have done all I can to reduce them. Such as battery are charged on the camera, I also have backups in case for some reason the ones I have die randomly and also if anything goes wrong with my camera which I cannot sort out I do have a backup camera in the form of an iPad which if necessary could also perform the task of recording the band.

I have also spoken to the band and finalised details about the song and their performance so I know when they are playing the track for me to record. Although the Mojokings aren't playing until late I will be getting to the venue early so that I can set up my camera and also practice getting some shots of people coming in and set my camera up correctly so that it is ready to film the band when they do come on, this will save me less stress leading up to the recording as things will already be sorted and I won't need to sorting things out at the last minute.

Story Board

Shot List & Technical

Shots:

These are a list of shots that I would like to have featured in my music video:

• Start off as black with Mojokings logo "rock 'n' roll has got to go"
• Cut to close up of Oli playing drums
• Cut to footage of Rich playing bass (mid shot) with drums in background
• Cut to (close-up of) guitar and pan across band showing all instruments
• Close up of Paul singing
• Shot of crowd dancing and people drinking
• Focus on people's tattoos & clothes
• Side angled shots showing all band 
• Low angle shot of double bass
• High angle shot of guitar & Paul on vocals
• Close up of Mojokings bass drum
• Action shot of band preparing to go on stage
• Slow motion shot of Oli on drums
• Pan across drinks balanced on amplifiers 
• Shot of Paul playing guitar with Rich in background on bass (including some people in shot from the crowd)
• Close up of mouth saying the lyrics
• Eye line shot of drummer
• Angled shot looking down the guitar

Settings/ Technical:

• Background Mojokings, Whatever Happened To Rock 'N' Roll banner
• Shake effect on camera shots symbolising the loudness and power of the song (when bass & drums are shown)
• TV static style transitions between shots
• At the end of the video slowly fade out to black with crow cheering in the background
• Slow down of some fasts shots i.e. drums & crowd dancing
• Take sound from live performance to begin the song i.e. song name or 'thank you' at the end to incorporate into the video, make it different and seem more realistic
• Saturation of shots to make them seem bright and vibrant
• Intertextual references through costume can be made through featuring other bands T-shirts  merchandise - this is a conventional feature of Psychobilly music videos

Camera & Equipment

Nikon D3200:

Camera I will be using to film my music
video is the Nikon D3200

Primary Research: To record my music video I have chosen the Nikon D3200 DSLR camera. The reasons I have chosen this is because mainly of its video quality in low light which is something that is key for my video since when recording the band it will be in an underground venue with no natural light, only ones from lights on stage. The video also needs to be high quality since in dark conditions most standard video cameras will make the picture seem grainy, by having this DSLR camera this should be avoided. To make sure that this camera is good under low lighting conditions I researched in terms of reviews of what people online thought of its performance as well as watching demo videos on YouTube of people recording a street at night i.e. low key lighting and this seemed really clear. The motion of the video was also very fluid which is again something crucial to my video as I will be recording shots which are energetic and fast so having something which will be able to cope with this is very useful. Another reason for using this camera is its technical aspects which are very high quality, the video it records is 1080p quality and for standalone photography it has a 24 megapixel lens default with it which I will be using. This was all primary research.

Secondary Research: I also conduced some secondary research in what camera to use for my music video whereby I got in contact with some well known Psychobilly bands through social media and I asked their advice on what they recommended in terms of cameras for videoing performances in low light as well as what cameras they used for their own videos.

I firstly contacted a Canadian band which I knew the members of called The Brains who had their video Misery recorded relatively recently as to what they might recommend or if they knew what was used for their video. Unfortunately they did not know what was used for that specific music video as it was not filmed by them, however I was directed to two useful website which gave me information about cameras and what ones are best for low key lighting as well as useful instructions and pointers on how to film bands.

Screenshot of the conversation about cameras and the links directed to me by The Brains.

Secondly I contacted friends in another Psychobilly band called the Graveyard Johnnys (see music video analysis) and I asked similar questions i.e. did they know which cameras they had used in their recent music video 'Little Witch' as well as what they used for their video Dancefloor Of Death, this was more useful as it was recored in conditions that will be similar to when I record the Mojokings, the camera used seemed really good quality for this video and crucially it was of a live performance i.e. a performance based video. From their response it turns out that the camera used for their video Dancfloor Of Death was the Nikon D3200 with its standard lens which is what I ended up getting since it was good quality and a reasonable price. I also could take some good photos of the Mojokings at the recording and possibly incorporate these images in to my Digipak or advert since my camera is also a professional photography DSLR. From research into the equipment I am going to use I believe I have made a good choice based on research online (reviews, demo video on YouTube) and also advice from other Psycohbilly bands.

Screenshot of my conversation with the Graveyard Johnnys. Initially I contacted the band on Facebook however I got more info from talking to the band at one of their gigs.

Other Equipment:

Other equipment that I will be using/ need for recording the Mojokings include a tripod which I can mount to my camera and this will allow me to take panning shots and stabilise footage i record as oppose to hand held shots which may be shaky.

I have also considered using my iPad to have setup in one location so that I can get continuous footage from one perspective (shot angle) if required for footage. I could have it setup in different places throughout the night to capture different footage. I would then have my Nikon used for moving shots at it is likely to cope better with the movement and produce a higher resolution shot which is what I'm aiming for. The idea of using multiple cameras is something I discovered when researching cameras for live band performances where on a website someone had written that to get all the shots needed it is best for you to have 2 or 3 cameras at different angles meaning you can include all aspects of the performance.

Treatment, Location, Props, Costume & Casting

Poster of the event I will be attending to
record the Mojokings on the 21st of
November.

Treatment:

For my music video I am going to do a performance based video. This is what's typical of the Psychobilly genre as it gives both fans and new listeners of the band the ability to experience what it is like to watch the artist live at one of their concerts. It gives them a feels for the people, the venues and the atmosphere of the music scene for that genre; however most importantly it gives them a view of the band members so they can see what they are like. For existing fans it takes them back to past gigs and also might tempt or remind them to go to another event that the Mojokings are playing at. The band will be main feature of the video with the shots being focused on them playing the instruments and the vocals of the song. With fast pace editing in-between shots good lip-syncing will be key. The idea of this type of video is to make the person watching the video feel like they were at that gig, like they are a member of the audience watching the video. Another idea for this video is a performance video with a twist, not only showing the band playing but the people at the gig and what they're doing. The idea of having a live performance also was inspired by The Brains music video 'Misery'. For technical aspects of the video i.e. special effects (SFX), this was rated as one of the most popular technical aspect of a music video in my audience research. I will also use transitions taking inspiration from the Graveyard Johnny video 'Dead Transmission' and the Hellfreaks video 'Godless Girls Fun' I am going to have some shots as though they are on an old fashioned TV with shots going out of focus or being distorted. The general idea is that I am going to attend one of the Mojokings gigs and record them live which is conforming to my audience research as they wanted to see performance of the band for their music video.

Transitions I intend to use in my video include a TV style static as an overlay to footage linking to the idea of a broadcast in the song and also reference to 1950's black and white television. Close ups of instruments are also also a stereotype of the Psychobilly genre being especially heavily featured in performance videos.

How I'm Going To Film The Band:

Important shots such as the initial drums and and lyrics will be recorded when the band play the song, however with some technical match on action with other shots such as generic instrument shots can be recorded throughout the night; it doesn't necessarily need to be that song. With the song overdubbing the footage the shots will match sound. Lip-syncing will also be a key aspect of this video as they need to be correct to make the video believable. To make sure I have all the shots I need for the video the band will perform the track twice, once at the beginning and once at the end. There may be an issue with getting footage of the band if people are dancing/ wrecking at the event however by filming early on I should be able to get all the video I need before people begin and also by filming some later on I should be able to get some good shots of people doing this later on from the audiences perspective.

Location:

Photo of a band playing at the Voodoo Lounge

The place where I will be recording the Mojokings is a venue in Samford, Lincolnshire called The Voodoo Lounge. It is a small and atmospheric venue which is underground. They do many Rockabilly/ Psychobilly gigs and have had well known artists of these genres such as the Graveyard Johnnys and The Meteors. These are all bands which my audience would be familiar with. The Voodoo Lounge itself is a small room underground with a stage in the centre of the room, meaning there is plenty of room to get different angled shots from lots of different perspectives, including ones from behind the band and facing the crowd. The venue is an ideal place to film as it is great conditions for filming a band due to there being no distracting natural light. It is also a small low roofed place which has a great atmosphere when lots of people are all together watching the band. Though it is not a local venue it is one of the better places to record a music video because of it's quirky feel & look. It is also likely to bring in lots of fans from all over the country as the Mojokings are band headlining at the event. People who know them from the Norfolk areas are likely to attend the even as well.

"Hidden underneath Mama Lizs in a vaulted Victorian wine cellar is the Voodoo Lounge. An intimate and individual live music, comedy and dj venue decorated with some unique Obey Giant artwork. Specialising in up and coming bands, playing original material from all genres the Voodoo Lounge has gained national acclaim, attracting acts from the USA, Canada, Brazil, and the Europe as well as home grown artists." - http://www.mamaliz.co.uk/index.php/voodoo-lounge 

Props:

Since I will be recording from a venue many aspects such as glasses of people drinking and instruments etc. will already be there since it will be at a live performance. I will make sure to make a point of features such as the interesting bar and decor of the venue as well as any significant props that are there such as posters for the event.

• Camera
• Tripod
• (Band) Instruments

One key prop for my video is the bands banner which is pictured in the photo (right). It is a large feature of the bands logo and the lyrics from their song "whatever happened to rock 'n' roll?". This would be very good for my video in terms of referencing the song. Many bands in the Rockabilly/ Psychobilly genre have these type of banners to promote themselves at gigs, it also adds to the look of the band and gives the appearance of status. Another key aspect of the props are the instruments, each band have their own signature sound depending on what they play. To conform to technical aspects of the genre I will heavily feature the double bass (slap bass), which is the icon of the Rockabilly/ Psychobilly genre and what the style of music is mainly characterised by. Having this featured in the video helps with identity of the band and recognition of new audience members as it helps them realise the bands genre, if they are in to that type of music then they are more likely to enjoy a video knowing the band have a double bass.

Costume:

Mojokings famous
'Punk 'n' Roll' t-shirt

Costumes will depend on the band but the crowds and the band will both be wearing clothes of the Rockabilly/ Psychobilly style. Typically this consists of deep blue jeans with turn-up's which is the icon of people of this genre. Often people will attend gigs like this wearing the T-shirt of the band or ones similar to them, even ones of the venue or bands that have played there before. Popular footwear for this style include Converse 'Chuck Taylor' plimsoles and Doc Martin boots. The band members are likely to conform to this style and they generally wear their well known stripped T-shirt (which is part of their style and the style of their fans). The clothing fashion style goes for men and women however the women may wear dresses with different 1950's designs on them generally conforming in this sense and with their hairstyles to the Pinup look. This even is likely to be more casual therefore people of both genders are likely to wear simply T-shirts and jeans. This would appeal to my target audience (predominantly males aged in their 40's) as they would want to see people of the Rockabilly/ Psychobilly style featured in the promo as it makes it easy to relate with in terms of genre conventions. I will also use intertextuality in my costumes referencing other bands which is something done in Psychobilly music videos primarily through the band members and audience who may wear merchandise from more well known bands to promote and make link to them.  Below are some examples of the male Rockabilly/ Psychobilly look.

Casting:

For casting of my music video I will actually be recording the band and therefore they will obviously play themselves, since it is a straightforward performance video I will not need anyone specific although I will consider getting family or friends to 'pose for the camera' i.e. singing along to the band and wearing a T-shirt of a different band to give aspect of intertextuality (linking to costume). People attending the event have been notified that they will be filmed prior to the event and will just be generally recorded for the video as part of the crowd. Listening to my audience research where people wanted to see the audience of a band featured in the video, this allows them to gain an element of what the atmosphere is like at their gigs.

Song choice - 'Whatever Happened To Rock 'n' Roll?'

The song I have chosen for my music video is 'Whatever Happened To Rock 'n' Roll?' for many reasons. Firstly I chose this song as it is very fast pace and loud which I believe will show off the bands skills as performers and their energy when singing the song. Having seen the band perform this song live it always gets a good reception from the crowd and it is also one of their favourite songs to sing. Since it is so fast pace there will also be a lot to film regards band members playing their instruments and people in the crowd are more likely to be active. Secondly it is also one of the more famous songs known by fans of the Mojokings which will mean that is popular amongst them in terms of promotion as well as people dancing and having a good time. Finally the song title itself works well with the band as it like their own iconic phrase where they have "brought back rock 'n' roll to the 21st century" it also signifies their hard hitting original sound with the fusion of Rockabilly with garage and punk.