To do

Although we have had our deadline. Our teacher has given us some feedback on our video and has told us to change it accordingly to make it better. George has come up with a few ideas to replace the shots that we need to get rid of.To replace the cartoon shots there will be more shots of me.This will include a shot of a hand tapping along to the rhythm of the music which will go alongside a shot of a foot tapping followed by me looking out of the window "when i look out my window

Production Diary #7 (Group Post)

Production Diary #7 (Group Post)

i been busy sketching and labelling, drafting up the storyboard, while ben been constructing a website and social media presence, and George has been carrying out research into magazine interview layouts, as well as digipak influences.

We are now prepared to start filming some elements of the production such as the performance, although the storyboard is not yet complete; after identifying availability of the school drama studio (spacious setting) and creating a rough shooting schedule, we will be able to film the performance sequences which will act as the base layer of footage for inter-cutting shots to layer above.

Production Diary #6 (Group Post)

We have now summed up our general visual ideas for the video and the artist profile. Today we split three tasks between the each of us; I started to create some mood boards, Kaitlyn began drawing out a storyboard and Ben started to build and customise a website for COSMO.

The mood boards will gather influences together from other artists, for us then to identify what resources such as make-up and clothing we already have available or could get a hold of. The storyboard will obviously provide an indication of the shots we will take, and how they could be brought together in editing, while the website will help to boost COSMO's presence, to correlate with the Facebook page, a Twitter profile, various interviews and a digipak. 

Production Diary #5 (Group Post)

Today we started to consider our artists' name, image, profile etc. After searching through many quirky, psychedelic-sounding and 60's resonant names; we came across COSMO which really stuck, due to its bold impact and reminiscence to psychedelic and glam music of the 60's and 70's -KISS, QUEEN and T-REX to name a few.

We then began to come up with some logo designs, and design ideas for a digipak and website, influenced by similar artists such as The Doors and Pink Floyd.

After drafting some designs, we searched for some similar (and royalty free) typography to use and play around with in Photoshop.

Bold, simplistic, minimalist

Quirky, Psychedelic, Grungy

Modern, Stylised, Subtly Dark / Gothic

Donovan and similar artists; Pink Floyd, The Doors, T-Rex

Production Diary #2 (Group Post)

Today we discussed our music video concept in greater detail with our teacher, identifying the logistics, potential locations and scenes, potential difficulties and so on.

After discussing the concept, we have a clearer idea of the performance element of the video - the performer will have to move slowly with the beat of the track, and be dressed to suit the tone in a subtle way, i.e. not quite as Gothic as we originally intended.

As a group we are now ready to go forward and prepare a timeline and storyboard along with the lyrics, lists of props and clothing and a vague timetable for when we are available to film.

Production Diary #4 (Group Post)

Yesterday we filmed a few recee shots, some to test lip syncing, and others to try out some artistic shots with unusual items. As soon as this has been edited, we will be able to get a general overview of how the final production might look.

Following on, today we continued with pre-production by locking down some final ideas and drafting a rough storyboard; although there are a number of shots set for specific points in the timeline, some are not so set in stone, and are likely to be moved around and tried in different places in post-production editing. 

Ben noting down some final ideas

Production Diary #3 (Group Post)

Today, we divided a number of tasks between us; drafting a lyric timeline and storyboard, research into similar music videos, and research into similar artists' websites and digipaks.

We have found that the videos, websites, album covers etc. of similar artists are very different to what we visualise; we plan to modernise the vibe of the 60's psychedelic track, and have explored modern artists such as Jack White and their videos and digipaks.

diary

Whilst the storyboard is approaching completion, we decided to take an opportunity to start filming; although the storyboard is not yet complete, we thought it appropriate to shoot some footage for the performance elements of the video. we contacted one of the school's drama teachers to book use of the drama studio for an hour after school, on Monday October 6th, when we were all freely available.

Our first crack at the installation, askwardly trying
to work around a cupboard, stapling sheets to the wall

Lights! Camera! Cosmo?

Our second attempt, this time working flat against a wall

Camera test, me having perhaps a little too much fun

Creating some glam with make-up and bandanna,
accompanied by some Gothic lighting

to do list

Things we have done so far:
Long shot mic adjust
med longshot mic adjust
close up light
close up guitar neck
close up eyes
close up lips x2
med long shot mic
micky mask
micky mouse
tapping feet
close up sitting down tilt

Things we need to do
 Manaquin head
bunny girl
demon horns
pocket watch
cheshire cat
dunny
beatle juice
bens eyes
+ more

Props:
Micky mask
Manaquin head
bunny ears
micky mouse
 cheshire cat
dunny
beatle juice
mic stand
mic
watch
demon horns
guitar

production diary

After finishing our first part of filming we fortunatly don't have far to go. The next thing we need to do now is get the rest of the shots finished which will include alot of psycadelic props that make you think about the themes of the song. Props will include alice in wonderlands cheshire cat, micky,bunny mask,manaquin head, dunny, beatle juice etc. The theme of the song is paranoia  and dealing with bad trips. Therefor we have decided to go extrememly 60's hippie with our themes. The filming for this went extremely well. My job was to film the performance work on lighting and georges makeup. I decided to use purple and green makeup because i feel purple and green is an extremely hippy combo i took influence from scobby doo's the mystery machine

performance

possible wig ideas

Me looking into costume ideas for the other people that may be featured in our video.

production diary

After deciding to go with donovans season of the witch we thought it would be good idea to add objects into the video that may link strongly or lightly to the theme of the song along with people. we had the idea of people wearing masks because of the idea that people are not what they seem.

group availability

George made a timetable which shows when everyone in the group is available to film for the music video. It is important for us to know when everyone is available so we can book filming locations. We also exchanged mobile numbers so that we could contact each other when we had idea's and when we wanted to plan filming or any other related activities.

Production Diary #1 (Group Post)

Today we had our first group meeting since making a final decision on the choice of song (Season of the Witch). The first item on our agenda was location; for the minimalist and conceptual video we currently visualise we require a large white space, of which is used for many music videos that have influenced our vision such as Lazaretto by Jack White. 

Our first thought was that we could use our school's dance studio, as it is a large room with a white wall; however the flooring is grey, and to have performance shots like the one above we would need a more flowing backdrop to create the most professional aesthetic. For this reason, our best option may be to purchase a large white sheet, to set up like a proper studio with sufficient lighting either at home or at a large room in school.

We also started to consider the performance element of the video; to inter-cut with the unusual artistic shots of objects, a strong performance will be vital. Although the song was performed by Donovan who had a psychedelic 'hippy' look, the tone of the song and our visual concept for it are quite dark and Gothic. For this reason, we feel that our performer must have a clean, almost vampire-like Gothic appeal, like Marilyn Manson or Jack White for example, perhaps with some interesting accessories such as shades, bandannas and shock-rock make-up.

Finally, we listed some potential artistic shots. These include:

• Close-ups a guitar/bass being played, and a 'go-pro' like shot from the guitar headstock looking down the fret-board
• Close-ups of hands and feet tapping along to the rhythm
• Close-ups of people's faces, mouths and eyes darting around
• A balloon with a phrase such as "HELP" written on it being popped
• Close-up shots of various items such as a lava lamp, a lucky cat, a sand-timer, light-bulbs and drug paraphernalia, with follow-up shots of them being destroyed towards the end, in slow-motion.

Our next step will be identify what props, clothing and resources we already have, draft a storyboard, and then plan the performance element(s) of the video.