Lecture by Phil Tidy

Last week our class attended a talk by Phil Tidy, a music video producer who excelled by working with global celebrities such as Skrillex and curating BUG in conjunction with BFI for seven years. 

He described the features of each stage of production and gave some advice on what conduct works most effectively in the industry. He then showed us some of his works and told anecdotes as examples of difficulties that appear when realising a project. Here are some of the videos that Phil found challenging to work on:

Don't Falter was one of the first Phil's music videos for a professional artist. Because of the limited budget they relied on environmental filmmaking, which means that the location is not controlled by the crew, and shot it in a real supermarket instead of hiring a studio. 

This was also one of his earlier projects. Because of the minimalistic budget and close deadlines, the video was shot on the streets of Miami with the script being adjusted in the process of filming.

As Phil was trusted with greater finances, chaotic scenarios of this type became increasingly rare. Nowadays he works with celebrities whose managements have the opportunity to provide reliable conditions and are more focused on the quality of texts rather than their costs. 

Moodboard

Kids ages 15-17 statistically spend at least 1.5-2 hours a day playing violent video games. Last year alone 1.28 million copies of UFC 17 were sold world wide.st 1.5-2 hours a day playing violent video games. Last year alone 1.28 million copies of U

C 17 were sold world wi

Young kids from the age of 15 become more interested in the gym and getting into shape to look good this capoeira element shows them that you can be fit and have a six pack by doing dance and martial arts.

Credits to: Kristien Alexandersen

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Conventions of similar products

Our group has chosen four artists of the same: The Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, Martin Garrix and Avicii. We examined their music videos and established similarities and differences in generic conventions to our project. The attached presentation provides the results of this analysis. The presentation had to be split in two because Slide Share was lagging when it processed a single file.




The problem persisted on page 4, in a sense that some text disappeared, so here is a screenshot from the original presentation:

Target Audience

In the last lesson we were introduced to JICNARS and VALS scales, target marketing and consumption behaviour tools used by media to profile their audiences into different categories. Determination of the audience with the use of Jicnars is based on the social class, occupation and perceived economic status. It divides the audience into six criteria: A (upper-middle class), B (middle class), C1 (lower-middle class), C2 (skilled working class), D (working class), E (the lowest state).



VALS is a proprietary research mythology used for psychographic market segmentation. VALS includes three primary motivations that matter for understanding consumer behaviour: ideals, achievements and self-expression. Psychological traits such as energy, self-confidence, intellectualism, novelty seeking, innovativeness, impulsiveness, leadership and vanity in conjunction with key demographics determine an individual's resources. Various levels of resources enhance or constrain a person's expression of his or her motivation.

The target audience for our video, as well as most of the audience of the modern musicians, is very young with the age ranging from 17 to 19 years. Because of the fast pace electronic genre and the video being dominated by the martial arts theme - the gender is male. 

According to JINCARS, the adult target audience would be in B, C1 or C2 sections because most of people in these sections have enough finances and time to party and be fond of electronic music. According to VALS they would be in "strivers" section. Here are two features of this group: "- are centre of the low-status street culture   - use video games as a form of fantasy". This type of individuals would be interested in the combination of electronic music, 1930's performance style and the exotic, action packed master arts. 

However, as mentioned earlier the main part of the audience is likely to be underaged, as teenagers are currently the main consumers of music. The VALS system was amplified to categorise teenage buyers. Our music video would be most suitable for "innovators" (those who wish to make their make their mark), "rebels" (who to remake the world in their own image) and "trendies" (who crave admiration from the peers). The energetic content of our project is suitable for young people with ambitions and vulnerabilities that they struggle against. 

Feedback from the pitch

As a group, Aidan, Kristien and I discussed the comments we received after pitching our music video, which were the following:

- Reconsider the TV element. Having a separate set is too much contribution for this minor detail. Either think of an alternative way to present it or get rid of the scene.
- Collect more information on capoeira and see their performance live. Their part will be the most difficult to film, so it is important to thoroughly know their performance.
- The lead singer will be the centre of attention. It is vital to rehearse singing and dancing with him.
- Find out requirements of the boxer to provide the best conditions for an impressive training scene.

We decided to drop the television element. We also distributed tasks among ourselves to do the research necessary for the shoot, such as collecting information on capoeira, the lead singer and the boxer. When we will have enough knowledge we will once again council our teachers, who fulfil the role of a studio in this project, and assign each other with actions that will provide the best possible conditions for the shoot day.

Individual goals

We distributed tasks among members of our group. Kristien Alexandersen chose to contact the lead singer and the boxer, as well as think of more details for the set design. Aidan Murphy is to research props and costumes. I have to get in touch with capoeira athletes and start drafting the shot list.

Here is a message in our WhatsApp media group where I confirmed that services of the capoeira academy are available and that the filming requirements will soon be sent:

Group Pitch

We used this Prezi presentation to pitch our music video to the head of Hurtwood Film Academy. He gave us some feedback and a green light.

Group Treatment

Aidan Murphy, Kristien Alexandersen and I made this treatment to outline our music video.

Development of my idea

After improving my ideas according to the feedback I received, I chose this one to take to my group:

Brothers on the slide

The elements remain the same; there is the performing band, two men capoeira combat and a narrative on the streets of London. Instead of having a realistic set up for the underground fight, the ring will look more simplified. For example, it is going to be only two lit up fighters in a dark studio, surrounded by black. This isolation reflects their concentration on the combat, like there is nothing else in the world apart from their opponent.



Seeing that most of the class members picked a modern genre of music for their music videos, I have looked for an alternative to the funky rock that I originally wanted to use. I couldn't find a decent substitute, but I will continue the search according to my future group's preferences.

Early Feedback

I received the following feedback to these pitches:

Alt-j  -  House of The Rising Sun

- It is risky to rely on movement of the sun to shoot time-lapses and scenes in the forest, since the sunlight is very limited in January and winter weather forecasts are unreliable. 

- The number of locations should be reduced

Brothers on The Slide 

- Locate the band and the fighting ring on the same studio to save time on the filming day

- Develop on the capoeira idea to make it more abstract

The Fade Out Line 

- Depict the characters' fears more abstractly. This will reduce the number of required locations and make the video more artistic.

- Think of the set design that would reflect the atmosphere best

Independent Projects

Over the summer holidays I was working on a music video for a rock band in Moscow. I was working in a team with two of my friends. From April to June we were writing the script, drawing the storyboard, picking the locations and covering other aspects of pre-production work. When I came back home in July we started filming.

We started the post production in the end of August and the video was finished in November. Here is my version of it, which has minor differences to the copy that we handed over to the band:

My second project was an advertisement for an action quest. This is a form of immersive theatre, where the audience has to escape from a zombie-infested location by using weapons and completing storyline missions.

The video is still incomplete, because I received all the material required for editing in October and did not cope with the volume of work that was demanded by the school, university applications and supplementary occupations such as this project. Nevertheless, here is what I managed so far: 

         

The third idea

Artist: Phoebe Killdeer & The Short Straws    Title: The Fade Out Line    Genre: Rock

The song is about fear and how it causes all problems in life. Fear comes from the past and affects decisions we make. 

For the video I would use three locations: 

- the studio

- roof of a high building 

- an office with a presenting board 

- other necessary locations to show the characters' fears

The video starts in a room with a stage and the singer sitting on it surrounded by musicians. She is in dim light to create an atmosphere of storytelling. In front of the stage an audience sits on separate chairs, wearing suits and evening dresses. As she sings the camera moves to every member of the audience and shows what he or she is afraid of. The video ends with characters attempting to overcome their fears and studio lights going out.

The name of the artist for this campaign is Mary Jane, here is the website I created for her: https://georgypapz.wixsite.com/website-2

The second idea

Artist: Brothers On The Slide  Title: Cymande  Genre: R&B Soul

The song is about criminal life that people are forced to live to survive. 

For the video I would use three locations:

- the studio for the band 

- Guildford streets at twilight

- The studio, a gym or a basement for the fight scenes

The music video will combine the performance element, shots of people walking through the twilight or night city organising an illegal fight and the basement where the fight will take place. The combat will be between two capoeira fighters, since it is the most musical of the martial arts and doesn't require much physical contact to look impressive. 

The end of the storyline is police surrounding the building and everyone trying to run away, but the video will end with two capoeira fighters performing to the drum beat which ends the song.  

The name of the band for this idea is Refill, here is the website I created for them: 

https://georgypapz.wixsite.com/website

The first idea for a music video

1 Artist: Alt-J   Title: House of the Rising Sun  Genre: Alternative/Indie

The song was inspired by Animals' 1964 track with the same name, which in its place was taken from an American folk song. The lyrics tell the story of a family affected by gambling. There are four locations - the studio with the band, they have a sheet with colours of sunrise in the background. Views of the sunrise in a forest and a man walking through it:

An abandoned house built in the studio with the use of green screen to make it seem like the house is in the forrest. :

London at sunrise:

A new flat in London: 

The video fades in from 01:01 with a forest panorama filmed from a hill, showing a sunrise time lapse. Then the sunrise is shown from inside the forest, sunlight falls on trees' stems and throws shadows of branches. There is a man walking through the forest.

Then there is a short shot of an abandoned house, which shows the poor situation of the family that the song is about.

On 01:27 we see a guitarist playing the rhythm part in a studio, then the singer and the rest of musicians. They stand in front of a sheet that has colours of sunrise on it. The colours slowly become brighter and spread wider. For the first half of the video (until 02:46) the image alternates between the   band, the forest and the house where we see people's shadows moving on the walls, while there are no people. 

The second part starts with continuation of the sunrise we've seen in the forest panorama, but now above London. There is a new, cosy flat which contrasts to the ruined house. There also are shadows on its walls and the floor without anyone inside. The same man walks through the streets of London at the sunrise and images of the nature are replaced with shots of the city streets. The background of the band becomes brighter and more white. 

The video ends with a shot of the ruined house that falls into darkness (the light that comes through the windows becomes dull until it disappears).

Explaining the video:

Unlike Animals' version, Alt-J's song is about the past. Painful memories, especially from the childhood, can be an obstacle to accomplishments and a better future. The two houses represent the past and the present, the city and the forest show how the man's mind travels between the unpleasant memories and the happy present. The point of the video is to show how we chew on the problems of the past, although they no longer exist. 

The of this campaign's band is Cleanair, here is the website I made for them: 

https://georgypapz.wixsite.com/website-1