Planning & Pre-Production

The first stage for making our music video was to come up with what we wanted to portray. We decided to aim for making our video narrative-driven as opposed to the other (Irish) music videos we watched because like Andrew Goodwin we thought that a music video is just a visual aid for the lyrics. Therefore, this influenced our approach to the pre-production as well as our thinking from the research. For example, we thought as to the type of typical conventions from other similar products we wanted to implement and, also those which we decided to oppose and put our own original twist on to.

We analysed the song itself from the lyrics to the mise-en-scene in the original video:

This in itself was very helpful in creating a starting point for us to be able to get ideas across. It eventually led us to coming up with storyboard drafts/shot lists, animatics for conceptual purposes and our progress pitch detailing how far we were at and what we wanted to strive towards.

Once our ideas were finalised, we set out to accomplish the more practical side of pre-production. We started by confirming the dates that we had free periods during the school week as well as the weekend to actually film.

 

We also went location scouting for possible places to use in our music video:

  Locations

For casting we thought carefully about who we wanted to portray and represent in our music video which is explained at length in the link. Our main actor, Adrian for example knows how to play the guitar very well as the 'audition' video below shows; it was just a matter of getting him to learn the lyrics and guitar chords closer to the date of filming:

With almost everything in place we had to come up with a risk assessment and shooting schedule because we were nearing the deadline to start production. Although we did discuss that we might change some things during production so the copies in the links might not be completely accurate to the final product and instead act as a broad guideline as to what we accomplished later.

Finally, as a group we had to self-evaluate how we felt we were doing so far like a progress check. Overall, we felt as though we were in a good position as we most aspects to a proficient standard which would prove to be helpful in the production stage of our music video as it helps to be prepared.

By Alex

LOCATIONS UPDATE / ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS 

Throughout the process of producing our media product we have had to change and/or use different locations for various reasons. A main reason is some locations were not suited appropriately and so others had to be looked into.

This is BRENTFORD DOCKS the location we used in our actual production, as it was convenient, appropriate, and suited the mise en scene appropriate to the genre of our music of irish rock.

We also used it as it had an appropriate sign and also boats entering and exiting the docks as we filmed which helped to benefit the production value.

This is my humble abode, to which shots and clips were filmed of the inside pub scene to which my house suited the mise en scene and had an appropriate table of which we used.

The Butts , this location was ideal for progressions shots which imitate that of the Beatles shots and the progression in time. Our group used not only the roads to cross in the shots but the brick walls as part of our Digipak and the tree's for various clips.

This is Hammersmith High Street, this was used for various shots to link up and develop the narrative , including the moment at which Taro a fellow group member meets the other two buskers whom have previously began playing music together.

This location is Ealing Common where various drain shots and panning shots were taken as  a play on the words of the lyrics. It is an appropriate location as it suits the mise en scene to the genre of our music but also fits in well with progressing the narrative.

By Shane O'Reilly

For our media product we intend to cast different people for various roles in our music video. We intend on having a narrative/ performance and our narrative will focus on the struggle and hardship of young people trying to find work in the by showing characters from the past and the future.

The Casting

The Protagonist

This is Adrian Garncarek who will be playing our lead role in our music video. He is a white male who is 5'11 and is 18 years old. Our aim when trying to cast our lead man was to find someone who is white and and young cause the song talks about the struggle Irish people went through and we want to portray a young Irish man as this person. As well as that we needed our lead man to play a guitar for a few scenes in our music video and he has the skills to do that we is very beneficial for us.

The Mother

This is Caitlin Arnell-Argles who will be playing our supporting role of the Mother and partner of the protagonist. She is a white female who is 5'5 with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She was casted for this role because we are trying to portray a young relationship trying to make in this world even though times are hard. She pass for an Irish woman because of her hair and her freckles.


Other Band Members

:)

I Taro Bedeau will be playing the role as one of the band members. I am a black 6'0 male and I am 19 years of age.  My role is to play the character of a young person tying to find work in todays age but is then discovered by the band leader who is played byAdrian Garncarek. The point of this is to firstly show that times have changed but we still go through the same problem today. With me playing the role it shows the viewers that the times have changed by showing that we have progress from racial times to a more diverse culture in the present.

The other band member is played by Shane O'Reeily. He is 5'7 male is 18 years of age and he was cat for this role not only because he can play an instrument but ale we wanted to make sure the band member was a young white male to play as a fellow irish man but is part of the modern times.

By Taro Bedeau

Risk Assessment 

Risk - Low potential risk of crew or equipment falling in to the river. This will be addressesed by making sure that we are simply not too close to the river, ton the point were we are in any danger.

Busking scene
Location - Outside East Acton Town station / Ecronwald street

Risk - When filming on the road the potential risk was mild because of the risk of getting hit by a car but however what we did to overcome this was having one person look out on the road whilst the others were filming as wells making sure it was not a busy road to use.

Train scene
Location - Inside East Acton Town station platform 9 3/4
Risk - For the scene it was required that we film protagonist to enter the film carriage and that the film crew enter the same train afterwards. the risk was that either the film crew miss the train or there being a trip hazard whilst getting on the train. This was overcome by making sure that when filming we were next to the door of the train so that way we can make sure we did not miss when boarding.

Kitchen scene
Location - Portobello Road
Risk - There is a low risk because we'll be using candles in this scene but we will be making sure that any fire hazard is not near the candles therefore no risk of a fire.

Pub scene
Location - Shane O'Reilly House
Risk - Very low risk again due to the simplicity of all the shots being indoors. Working in a small area so have to make sure that all staff members on the day know the fire exits and procedure as well as ,akin sure to not collide with each other and to make sure to look where we are going.

By Taro Bedeau