Music video plan

Introduction Explanation

Lighting Normal hallway lighting

Darker light downstairs in background, bright light

upstairs

Fade in from darkness suggests that the character is ‘escaping’ or walking away from

darkness of the normal world.

Camera style Facing actor – hand-held camera close-up shot In facing the actor, the close-up shot denotes that the piece is personal and also

displays the emotion of the actor.

Close up shot of the door-handle This is an indication that the character in the video has reached his ‘sanctuary’, and

allows for the next scene to ensue.

Shot length 13 seconds continuous shot This is the amount of time the musical introduction lasts for. The split timing includes

the time involved in the close-up and the time taken for the camera to travel and hit

the floor.

Mise en scene Closed doors Closed doors are a metaphor to being ‘shut out’ (to the world, and inside the

character’s mind, he is shutting out everything except the thought of the girl he is

writing this song for), and indicate a pathway to his ‘sanctuary’.

Key lyrics N/A Lyrics are not appropriate, as there are none in the musical introduction.

Editing Fade in from darkness The fade-in from darkness is to promote/enhance the sense that the character

portrayed has left darkness and has transitioned to the light.

Zoom in and out (to next transition) The zoom-in-and-out represents the crossing from outside of the door to inside of the

room.

Props N/A No props are used within the shot.

Movement Actor walks through hallway

Actor reaches the door (close-up on actor’s hand?)

The walking upstairs to the bedroom symbolises a ‘sanctuary’, where the character in

the video can express him: the close up on the hand upon the door-handle represents

the intro to next scene.

Actor Male, average-looking. Using a male character means that the target audience can see an ‘emotional’ side to

the male character (which opposes the male stereotype), and appeals to the Indie

audience.

Location Stairway leading to bedroom, top landing The stairway is appropriate for reaching the bedroom but also denotes ‘climbing’,

going to a higher place for safety or to get away from something.

Costume Flat-peak hat

Tight dark t-shirt

White belt

Skinny Jeans

Boots

The fashion is generated to link to the indie audience: It has similar characteristics to

the target audience (such as skinny jeans, tight t-shirt), but has quirky ‘individual’

touches (such as the flat-peak cap, the sophisticated belt, formal jacket and the

boots).

Make-up Facial hair Facial hair appeals to the ‘indie’ target audience

Main scene (bedroom scene) Explanation

Lighting Natural Natural light from the window helps to generate a ‘natural’ light effect which is loosely linked to

being artistic; an indie stereotype.

Camera

style

Camera 1: Stationary: Camera 1 is a stationary camera which does not change throughout the video.

The use of a stationary camera dictates that the video is voyeuristic; an insight into the life of the

character portrayed in the video. The camera will be situated partially behind a cupboard, with

the door in-shot to insinuate a ‘peeking’ effect, further generating the sense of voyeurism.

Camera head level The camera is head-level to insinuate another human is watching.

Shots of character looking out the

window

The character is shown to be looking out the window, displaying that he is thinking, symbolic of

curiosity and creativity; an intertextual link to the indie genre.

Medium shots of character playing

guitar

The character playing guitar relates to the target audience through the sense that the character

plays music for what we assume is his ‘love’. The playing of the guitar also has an intertextual link

to the indie genre.

Medium shots of character looking at

picture(s)

looking at pictures (which relates to the narrative of the video)

Medium shot of character writing lyrics The imagery of the character writing the lyrics suggests that he is writing for the person described

within the song.

Camera 2: other shots: Camera 2 is the name for the camera which is used to display focal shots.

Extreme close-ups of actor looking

through magazine

Shots of the magazine display the character looking for inspiration: instead he sees wording such

as... “Stay together” (page 22), “The insecurity council” (Page 47), “the choices I’ve made being in

the band have taken a severe toll on the relationships in my life” (page 50), “gusts of cosmic wind

in my head” (page 56). The lyrics mentioned suggest how the actor is feeling.

close-ups of the character playing

guitar

Actor’s guitar is focused upon to display that the actor is playing it.

Extreme close-up of actor messing up

writing lyrics

Stationary close-up of the lyrics being scrumpled up and thrown down, ties in with “Filled with

good intentions that never go as planned”, this shows how the actor is not perfect, which the

target audience may be able to relate to (being indifferent and aiming NOT to be perfect – an

indie intertextual reference).

Close-up shot of actor looking at picture

frame

Actor looking at picture frame links with “I’ll only let you down again”, to show his sadness:

showing a sensitive side to the actor which aims to appeal to the target audiences.

Over-shoulder shot of character

drawing something

As the audience, we cannot see what he is drawing: the camera tracks and pans to see what he is

drawing but cuts to the next shot before the audience gets to see what the drawing is. This is to

draw the audience in and makes them want to watch the video closely to see if they can find out

what the image is.

Key lyrics “You are the closest thing to perfect these

eyes have ever seen”

“Filled with good intentions that never go as

planned”

“I’ll only let you down again”

Character looks at different pictures (we assume of the person he’s singing about).

Links with the shot of the actor messing up writing lyrics

Character throwing down the picture, and looking glum

Editing Cross-fade to the magazine title (Q)

Cross-fade to 5 other pages

Pan across significant visuals/wording

Fade to black.

Cuts from when the character is looking at

the pictures (from when he picks up a

picture, to his reaction before putting the

picture down).

This fading is used when the actor is looking at multiple pictures in a magazine – the cross-fading shows

progression of time and gives the shot sequence fluidity. The panning across the words/visuals represents

the character reading. The fade to black is to symbolize the end of the shot sequence.

In using a cut, an ‘unknown’ amount of filming is not shown to the audience, which means that they do not

know how long the character has been looking at the picture. In addition to this, the cut makes for quick

progression which represents how the character may want to ‘cut’ past thinking about whomever the

audience assumes is in the picture.

Mise en

scene

Wooden cupboard

Window

Bed

Mirror

Wooden unit

Flowers in a pot upon the window-sill

The wooden cupboard is to allow for the voyeuristic ‘peeping’ effect.

The window allows for the display of the character being creative, almost philosophical.

The bed allows for the character to perch on the end and play the guitar. It is also visual of the fact that the

character is in a bedroom.

The mirror is not important until the ‘bridge’ of the video. It is symbolic of a typical bedroom.

The wooden unit is symbolic of a typical bedroom. It also allows for idle placement of insignificant objects,

and also for the actor to write lyrics upon.

The flowers are symbolic of ‘creativity’, which is sought after by the target market.

Props (in

use)

Magazine (NME)

Lyrics on paper

Guitar

Picture frame

The magazine is to appeal to the target market: displaying the character in the video is knowledgeable on

indie magazines.

The lyrics on the paper are a tie-in with the ‘creative’ aspect of the video, and also allow for the association

with the key lyrics, as the character is supposedly writing lyrics to the song for somebody else.

The guitar symbolises the character’s creativity: he is shown to be writing the entire song. It also appeals to

the target audience.

The character in the video is seen to be drawing, but with his back to the camera – this denotes secrecy and

hides the image he is drawing (which is to be of the kissing characters at the beginning of the video).

Costume Flat-peak hat

Tight dark purple t-shirt

White belt

Skinny Jeans

Boots

White wooly jumper

Red wooly jumper

The fashion is generated to link to the indie audience: It has similar characteristics to the target audience

(such as skinny jeans, tight t-shirt), but has quirky ‘individual’ touches (such as the flat-peak cap, the

sophisticated belt, and the boots).

The character changes costume mid-way through the video; this is to suggest insecurity in the way the

character is dressed up.

Intertextual

reference

Staind – it’s been a while The guitar scene; where the actor is looking at the pictures of the girl is loosely portrayed in the film, as the

actor is looking at pictures and playing the guitar.

Main scene (bridge) Explanation

Lighting Natural Natural light from the window helps to generate a ‘natural’ light effect which is loosely linked to

being artistic; an indie stereotype.

Camera Medium shots of actor looking in mirror,

changing clothes – a lot.

Medium shots (camera 1)

The many changes of clothing suggest that the character has insecurities, which has links with

modern teenage culture, which also has a link to the majority of the Indie stereotype.

Key lyrics N/A There are no lyrics in the bridge; only instruments.

Editing transition(s) Lots of quick-cuts This is to demonstrate progression of time without using up too much video time thus not boring

the audience.

Props Changing clothes

Picture frame

The actor in the video changes clothes frequently in order to ‘change’ for the person he is singing

about in the video.

The picture frame is used to establish equilibrium to the scene; it aids in bringing the video back

to its original pace.

Costume Combination of clothes

(original clothes):

Skinny Jeans

White belt

Boots

Flat-cap

Purple T-shirt

(extra clothes):

Formal jacket

Dark t-shirt

The combination of clothes is to represent how the character in the video is trying to ‘change’ in

order to become a better person (perhaps after what he has seen in the magazine). Toward the

end of this scene, the actor changes back to the original costume which shows he would rather

wear his own clothes and be happy.

Intertextual

reference

Reference to weight and appearance. This scene tackles the issue of weight and appearance; trying to improve how the character looks

within the video. This is aimed at a young target audience due to the relevance to today’s

stereotypical issues (weight and how we look) and links to the theme of the video (“not being

good enough”).

Outro Explanation

Lighting Natural Natural light from the window helps to generate a ‘natural’ light effect which is loosely linked to being

artistic; an indie stereotype.

Camera Stationary (camera 1)

Mid-shot of character playing

guitar (camera 2)

The camera is brought back to camera 1 to show the equilibrium has been reached.

The Mid-shot demonstrates the character is back to his ‘normal’ self playing guitar as he did before.

Editing transition(s) Fade out to black As the character leaves the shot, the image fades to black, symbolizing the end of the video.

Props Guitar The guitar is to show that the equilibrium has been reached and that the character is back to his normal

self.

Alongside the lyrics “You are the closest thing to perfect”, the character puts down the guitar and walks

past the stationary camera and out the door.

Costume Original clothes to be put

back on (flat cap, purple t-

shirt, skinny jeans, boots,

white belt).

Original clothes are to represent the equilibrium and to show the actor is back to his normal way.