Lighting Ideas Inspired by other Music Videos

Due to changing our plans on the style of our music video, we have had to think of alternative ideas. We discussed that we didn't want a narrative, so we are going to create a video that has more effects and focus on the artist.

I have had a look at many different music videos that do not have a direct narrative. Last lesson, we discussed that we liked the ideas of using a lot of lighting in the music video, so I tried to get videos that had effective lighting effects. I came across 3 videos that I thought had effects that could be good to use in our music video:

We Found Love - Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg00YEETFzg

In this video, a projector has been used to project filmed footage in parts of the video throughout on top of Rihanna. The footage is of clouds, buildings falling and isolated land which connotes the idea of feeling depressed and breaking down. It reflects well off Rihanna and creates a unique way of using lighting to connote furthur ideas and emotions of the artist. We could use this to achieve the same effect.

Airplanes - B.O.B. featuring Hayley Williams 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn6-c223DUU

In the video, lighting is used to create silhouettes of Hayley Williams, the artist who features in the video. This makes her figure stand out, but the dark lighting also hides her identity like she doesn't want to anyone to see the state she is in. However, it could connote that she is in a dark place as well, which is similar to the mood we want to express in our music video.

There is also overlays used in the video of lightning over the top of footage which I thought would be effective to create a dream-like feel that represents the artist is being thoughtful and thinking about her relationship.


There is also flashing lights in the video to create tension with different light filters. This picture shows a blue light filter over the artist to make the atmosphere look sad and cold.

Ring the Alarm - Beyonce 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY_mrU8MPfI

In Beyonce's video, she also represents herself as hurt and broken as her partner is cheating on her with another woman. They use red lighting in this video to represent her anger. The light moves like a search light, which could be good for our videos as search lights are used in war, and could reference the war aspect in 'Love and War.'

Beyonce is also filmed in the corner of a room with only a little light. It looks similar to a spot light which would also be good for the war reference. The location of film in this picture makes her look cornered and vulnerable, which is the macro element we would like to express as the song has depressing lyrics.