Final Hand In Date / Last Day Of Editing

Today was the final hand in date for the music video, at the start of the day we still needed to edit about a minute of the video but with the help of Jess and Meg (the two who helped with the majority of the editing) who were with me the majority of the day we managed to get it done and burnt onto a DVD. A link to a daily motion version of the final version is below. Initially i am very happy with it and the work I and the others have put into creating and editing it. It took allot of frees/weekends/after schools.

The Skeleton Boys - One Night In October by Harry_Tibbles

Analysis Of The Feedback Received Regarding Our Music Video

After we had created our draft music video, we received feedback from both Mr. Smith and Mrs. Abrahamson:

Click Image To Enlarge

Click Image To Enlarge

After receiving the lengthy feedback from Mr. Smith, we used and did not use some  parts of his advice. I will talk through the points he has made and tell you the changes we have made with regards to his feedback.

1. We changed our video so that the band are playing in the lead up to the lead singer saying "oh, language is dead". However, some clips were deleted from memory sticks unintentionally and so we no longer had the new clip, so we had to fill up the space with other clips.
2. We have attained on-the-beat editing in the first opening seconds.
3. Singer is now singing and opening his mouth more.
4. No need for improvement.
5. We have used spots on the floor to ensure band members are in the same place when we are filming them.
6. We have changed the acoustic guitar for an electric guitar.
7. We tried this, but it does not work at all, as we cannot re-film a part that was unintentionally filmed  as it does not look natural like the draft version.
8. 51 seconds was used as another shot for the draft did not work - so we have changed that.
9. We have done this.
10. We have cut down on the hula and hawaiian, although it is still in the video.
11. We have adapted our original idea so that it seems more fun and genuine.
12. We will use this idea.
13. We are keeping the strobe lighting scene as we have tweeted the little comets and they said "The bit with the iPhone lighting is class".
14. We have used the idea of a trail of chalk.
15. We have cut back to the singer by using more of the boat scene.
16. We have developed the forest scene sufficiently.
17. The faked darkness was only for the draft to show where we intended to use 'night-time' shots.
18. We have given the band members cocoa. (Much against our own will).
19. We have tried to make our idea clearer that they are making shadow puppets that are clear to see from the inside and the outside, not people scaring them - so we have tried to make that a bit easier to understand for the audience.
20. Read and understood, captain.
21. We have changed the sleeping in the car to another shot from another scene that we have re-filmed.
22. We have done this - band members go out of the shot one by one as they finish playing their instruments.

Feedback: Draft Music Video

Mr Smith said...

Both Mrs Abrahamson will offer you feedback on this.

Congratulations on producing a complete draft, many of the shots are framed beautifully and it resembles your animatic very closely.

31 October 2011 10:29

Mr Smith said...

Further to what I said today here are some tips and things I've noticed. Before reading remember I've not bothered to tell you how brilliantly you've worked and that currently I'd place the video in band 3 (if the singing was convincing then it'd be band 4).

Mr Smith's 22 pointers:

1. band must be playing from the start, move clip from 14 seconds to before video and insert new performance sequence.
2. Maintain beat match that you have from 0-8 seconds until lyrics begin at 19 seconds.
3. Singer needs to sing
4. footprints are brilliant
5. mark the floor so the band are always stood on the same spot for the montage between 37-40
6. Keep electric guitar (ditch acoustic) in caravan for shot at 40 and subsequent interiors
7. I know 48 is a filler but the guitarist is excellent, get him to do that once the singer sings in the re-shoot.
8. 51 too random, something needs to be there for pace but I'm not sure it is that shot
9. 53-58 see previous point re guitar and floor markings
10 59-106 too much hula (or rather something interesting needs to happen, maybe insert performance)
11. 111-113 see the monkees credits and them on the beach, try and emulate that as currently it is just one man running down a hill (http://youtu.be/w2hzusE4veM)
12. 125 cut back to vocalist then remember floor markings for montage.
13. 126 not sure party strobe scene is clear enough (could it begin with an extablishing shot of exterior showing the caravan in darkness really brightly light and ready for a party?)
14. Cycling great. Could he leave a trail of something like brightly coloured chalk? (this would be unbelievably time consuming though)
15 137 -152 is very good but possibly too long without at least a brief cutaway to singer
16. I can't really comment on the forest as it is a bit rough around the edges and features Jess trying and failing to look a boy. Maybe take Tibbles' generator to the woods and rig up some fairy lights
17. 202-3 the faked darkness doesn't work
18. When in the boat don't be tight, give them some cocoa or something
19. The tent sequence is a nice idea but not yet there. Was the idea that the band are inside whilst someone outside makes a silhouette of a wolf and the band evacuate the tent?
20. 225 up to 247 as stated previously use electric guitar, get the singer to sing, less hula.
21. The asleep in my car isn't right
22. Play right up to the end then wander off.

These are both the comments Mr Smith posted on our final draft music video post; we took this advice well for our re-filming process and have either accepted the comments or adjusted our draft video plan and made it fit into the timing. For example we have changed the start (referring to comment 1), as we have the band playing their instruments at the start whilst the lead singer is making his way to the performance location.

Personally I agree with the majority of these comments and think that the changes we are in the process of making are all the right ones in terms of our style of video.

Mrs Abrahamson said...

Hi all,

Well done indeed. A video draft which demonstrates incredible planning, hard work, enthusiam and time-keeping.

Re the chalk idea that Mr Smith has suggested - you can get chidren's scooters which actually draw chalk as you scoot if you know anyone with one! ?
I can't top the 22 points but will reiterate the lead singer needing to open mouth wider! the bunk bed bit is a bit strange - avoid/change. Agree that music play unitl end, THEN walk off.
Keep up the hard work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



We also agree with the comment Mrs Abrahamson gave us on the post as she suggests similar changes to Mr Smith; she also emphasises that the lead singer needs to open his mouth more and look more enthusiastic - we have covered this within our re-filming throughout.

As an individual I also appreciated the comment 'Keep up the hard work!!!!!!!' as this gives us encouragement as a group for our entire refilming process; which we have now finished.

Final Filming: Barn

Filming in the barn was successful and we feel that the performance shots were a lot more enthusiastic and inventive than the previous ones in the draft; we did one shot where we just played the whole song and let the band do whatever they wanted and sing whatever parts they knew to see how relaxed they were when no pressure was applied to do particular things.

The only down side to filming all day yesterday was that Joe was unable to attend as he had work commitments; this meant we had to juggle his role into our own roles between the three of us however it worked well and we feel as though we have enough footage to cover our performance in the barn.

Final Draft Music Video

Final Draft Music Video
The Skeleton Boys - One Night In October