Micro Elements - Editing

Editing is the stage where the camera footage has been shoot, and is cut and manipulated with effects and transitions to create the final product. There are many techniques within editing to create a film, which can be used to create an effective music video:

• Graphic match
• Eyeline match
• Continuity (Action match) 
• Shot reverse shot
• Cut away
• Jump cuts 
• Cross-cutting (cutting between two scenes of action that happen in two different locations. The characters normally meet up at the end)
• Parallel editing (similar to cross-cutting, but edits between two different shots of action around the same location). 
• Slow motion 
• Ellipsis (when unnecessary action is cut out because it is not needed to tell the story)
• 180 degree rule
• Text (Title, actors, credits)
• Transitions (dissolve, screen wipe, etc)

Micro-elements of Sound in our own Music Video

When making our own music video we have to incorporate Rita Ora's song 'Love and War'. Our filming will be based around the music as it is a music video. At this stage, as the song doesn't include speech or any significant non-diagetic sounds (other than the music)  the only micro-elements of sound that I can think of is the actual song 'Love and War'.

Micro-Elements - Sound

The micro-elements of sounds are divided between diagetic (speech) and non-diagetic (sounds added during editing such as sound effects.)

In film and TV non-diagetic can be used to add extra more emphasised sounds such as a door shutting, footsteps, dialect pre-recorded and added over the top etc. However, as we are making a music video sounds used are generally the artists song sometimes this does include speech, or instrumentation which would be a form of non-diagetic sound.

Sound micro-elements:

• Diagetic
• Non-diagetic
• Sound track
• Voice Over
• Music score
• Dialogue
• Sound scape - helps add the drama of the scene - such as owls and crickets at night
• character motif

Ellie Goulding 'Lights' and 'Starry Night'

Ellie Goulding's music video 'lights' is a great example of a music video that mainly focuses on the artist but in an interesting way. For example there are a lot of close-up shots of Ellie's face. They have used a vast range of multi-coloured lights in this video which helps to engage the audience. By using the different lights illuminating her face creates a different and more interesting approach.

By changing to a short, blurry depth of field (like in the photo above) and making it so it will gradually coming into focus will keep the audience intrigued and add to the mystery of the music video.









We could use a range of shots including close-ups, mid-shots and long shots, we should also shoot from lots of different angles including looking up at the artist (like the angle used in the image above of Ellie Goulding). This would help to engage the audience.



By using multi-coloured lights or adding a filter when filming would also help create the mood of being sad but still feeling hopeful towards a better future with her boyfriend/partner. Although it would be easier to use a filter during filming we could however also add a colour filter on final cut afterwards.

This photo was taken from Ellie Goulding's music video 'Starry Night'

This would be a great effect that we could try out in our own music video.  If we were to do this we would have to film the artist singing in front of the green screen. We would add either a photo of the sky/lights or film a short shot of lights or the sky. We would then layer this with the main shot of the girl singing and then create two shots of her, but we would have to make them translucent to add to both sides of her.

change of plan

Having considered all the genre characteristics of a narrative music video we have decided that it would be better to focus more on just the artist and the special effects instead of making a story to go along with the lyrics.

Micro Elements - Cinematography

Cinematography is the framing and camera shots of a film. Cinematography includes camera shot, movement and camera angles. We should be considering the point below when thinking about camera for our music video to get a variety of shots and macro elements:

Camera shots

• Extreme close-up
• Big close-up
• Close-up
• Medium close-up
• Medium shot
• Medium long shot
• Long shot
• Very long shot
• Extreme long shot
• Two shot
• Over the shoulder shot
• Point of view shot
• Bird's eye view

Camera movement

• Pans
• Dolly
• Zoom (in or out)
• Crane
• Handheld
• Tilt
• Tracking shot
• Crab

Camera Angles

• High angle shot
• Low angle shot
• Dutch angles

Amateur Vs Professional

In this post, I will be analysing the differences and similarities between a students music video, and professional one by a famous artist. I will be analysing group 13Q1-50 video on the song 'Thinking Man's Session' by The Nextman, with a professional video from called 'Dilemma' by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland.

Student Video



This video does not have a particular narrative, but amplifys the song with the micro elements fitting to the beat. The genre to this music video is Hip-hop, and stereotypes of it have been put forward into this video with the mise-en-scene, cinematography and editing, so the music video can be identified easily of it's genre.

Professional Video



Nelly is known for doing music mainly in Hip-hop, pop and R'n'B, and is a famous male singer and rapper. The song above can be considered as R'n'B or Hip Hop, which means both video's have music video's set on the same genre. Unlike the top video, this one has a narrative about a new girl who moves into town, and Nelly sets his eyes on her. They get together after a few complications, and it turns out to be just like a happy ending, like in the films. This has elements of film with the romantic narrative, and the use of text in the beginning to introduce the stars and the title of the song. It's similar to how actors and the main title are introduced in films. There is also film techniques used in the camera work and mise-en-scene to make the video look more professional. This gives the music video a Hollywood effect where the song narrates the video and the character's feelings.

 

Micro Elements	Similarities	Differences
Camera	Handheld camera movement.	Movement looks smoother in professional video.
	They both use different camera angles such as low angles.	The student video uses dutch angles to create tension whereas the pro doesn’t. The pro also uses high angles, where the student dosen’t.
	Variety of shots.
	They both use camera movement.	There’s more variety of camera movement in the professional video compared to the student, such as cranes. It is also smoother in movement.
	Both videos have the artists talking to the camera.
	The camera quality is not as good as ones used in professional videos as they are on a lower budget.	The quality of the camera is more professional in Nelly’s video compared to the student.
Editing	The camera footage is edited to the music.
	No text.	Text is used in the professional video to introduce artists and song title.
	Parallel editing is used to go from different locations and time periods.	There are more locations and settings in the professional music video compared to the student one where it is based around a housing estate.
	Dissolves
		Student video uses fast motion at times, while the professional one uses slow motion.
	They both use effects.	The student video uses more effects such as reversing and repeating movement
	They both use jump cuts and match on action.	The professional video uses more matches on action, while the student video uses more jump cuts.
Mise-en-scene	Costumes are very similar with the baggy t-shirts and trousers, with hats and ‘bling.’	There are females in the video, so girly and tight fitting costume is used to highlight their figures.
	Both videos are shot in a neighbourhood which will relate to the audience as we do not live the life of a celebrity.
	There are no definite female characters. One is seen in the music video, but is wearing clothes similar to the boys rather than tight or girly clothing like in the pro video.	There a female characters in the video.
	There is a duet in the video that take turns singing.	There is also a duet in the professional video, but one of them is a female. Both people in the student video are boys.
	There is a difference of location variety and characters in both videos. In the student video, they do not have many locations or cast as the professional.	There is more and bigger location in the professional video as they have a higher budget. This includes the amount of cast members because of the same reasons.
	There are gangs of men/boys in both videos.