Research into a Music Video Director

Anthony Mandler - Music Video Director

Production Log

Independent Research

Recent trends in music videos

This week we started creating the scripts for our music videos.
This task made me think about the structure of my video and after watching several other music videos that have been recent successes, I have come to realize that many of these use prologues with voice-overs to almost set the scene for the music video and give an insight into the lyrics before the music even begins. I liked this idea of audiences being able to understand and relate to my music video so have decided to imitate this prologue/voice-over idea with my own video.

Here are some examples:

Taylor Swift - I knew you were trouble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoKguSdy4Y

Rihanna - We found love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg00YEETFzg

Chris Brown - Don't wake me up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOowQeKyNkQ

Conventions of a music video

Production Log

Independent Research

One of my ideas is to use my friend's band and have a narrative music video with some clips from a live performance.

There are 3 songs to choose from and these are the lyrics for the songs. Once I decide on a song, I will analyse the lyrics which will help me to decide what the video should look like in order to connotate the message behind the lyrics.

The Right To Criticise:  I remember when We'd hang around with people we didn't like I remember when Their opinions were the only ones that were right I remember when You sat me down and you looked me in the eyes I remember when You sat me down You sat me down And said However Whatever Come over Deliver I wish I was a little less kind I had the right to criticise Do you remember when You had your victims all dressed up in a line? And told them over and over again That they'd lost their mind That they'd lost their mind That they'd lost their mind But you ain't no brother of mine However Whatever Come over Deliver I wish I was a little less kind I had the right to criticise Even with a cross strung round your neck Sitting proudly on your chest You let the devil in And let yourself become a wreck However Whatever Come over Deliver I wish I was a little less kind I had the right to criticise

Stood In My Corner:

stood in my corner
he's stood there again
stood chasing shadows of passing men
he walks into the pub
with his fist in the sky
starts a fight
with the bar tender
who is far from surrendering
he knows why he's here

God knows how it happened
it started with drugs
but now he's alone
to roam the high road

Just ten years ago 
he'd sit with his wife
unaware from now and then that he'd leave paradise
now and then he'd remember
that old sweet sane fella
that everyone'd known

God knows how it happened
it started with drugs
but now he's alone
to roam the high road

There he goes
King of the high road

Stood in my corner
he's stood there again
stood throwing bitterness
in the faces of men
it's always the same
things ain't gonna change

God knows how it happened
it started with drugs
but now he's alone
to roam the high road

Disguise:

VERSE
My hands they're tied
And secrecy's why
You thrive to hide
Behind a disguise
It's false its fake
It's eating me inside
It's eating me inside
It's eating me alive
You see me 
I try to fight
But I'm tired

CHORUS
Let me go
Let me know
(help me escape)
Let me go
Let me know
(before it's too late)

VERSE
I'm getting stronger
I ain't gonna listen
Cause now i know
Yeah I know
That i'm my own
I'm my own

CHORUS
Let me go
Let me know
(help me escape)
Let me go
Let me know
(before it's too late)

OUTRO
Just like a puppet you pull my strings
Expecting me to do everything you think

Initial Planning Ideas

1) After considering the resources that are available to me, one of the ideas I have is to use my friend's band 'Tyrnats'. They have recorded 3 songs so far, therefore I will analyse the lyrics to each song as well as looking into which one is the most diverse to help me pick which one I would like to use.
If I was to go with this idea, I would make my music video a narrative video with some live performance throughout as the song builds. The narrative would depend on the song that I choose but I would probably decide to have a more metaphorical narrative rather than one that is a direct reflection of the lyrics as I think it would show more creativity and imagination as well as making the video more interesting to watch.

2) I also have back-up ideas, one of which would be to use Mariah Carey's 'Emotions' or Christina Perri's 'A thousand years' and have a video with a 1930's Old Hollywood, glamour music video of a singer performing the song all in black and white.
In order to create this theme I would need to use an old microphone and have my performer in a long gown with pearls and feathers in order to immitate actresses such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. I would also show clips of old films through super-imposing them onto old film posters or photographs as the actress sits in her bedroom and reminisces on a past love.

The actress would be sitting at her dressing table with her elbow resting on the table and her face resting on her hand. She would then go for a walk through her room and photographs, movie posters and things like tickets would remind her of her love, then the shot would cut to a clip of her and her lover experiencing things like going to the cinema or having a picnic etc.

History of Music Video

Resource Audit

• Actor - 1 male, 1 female
• Dancers - up to 3 males, up to 4 females
• Band - Tyrants
• Locations - Waterloo grafitti park, central London, dance studio, garden (ethereal theme), 'studio' looking room