Emily Aldred Music Video Production Diary

This is a production diary by myself about my groups music video to Avicii’s ‘Hey Brother’ with my two friends, Shauna E Leacy and Sarah Murray.

Beginning ShotsDuring the beginning shots, we filmed at Irlam train station. As Ryan was the actor, we had him walk up the stairs of the station, as if he was just arriving. Then the video cuts to Ryan waiting for the train, while on his phone. We can see on his phone, that he is about to play a song, which is where the song kicks in and the train then soon arrives and he boards. The next shot is of the sister (Shauna) getting off the tram at a stop. We then see the tram leave the stop and the sister walking down the ramp. With Shauna and Ryan acting in these scenes, myself and Sarah took the lead with Sarah working the camera and myself directing the shots. We used a variety of different angles on the shots such as the camera zooming in on the the brother pressing play on the song.

Town ShotsFor the town shots, myself, Ryan and Shauna took a trip to town to film the footage. Sarah couldn’t join us as she had work. We filmed around town of Shauna and Ryan walking about in different areas. We had the brother and sister crossing streets, down alley ways, sat in a church square and stood still for a period of time in a busy area, which after being edited, is sped up to give the effect of time passing by quickly by the surroundings moving fastly around the actors. As Sarah was unavailable, I took on the task of being the cameraperson and director. I had help from Shauna when it was not her scene to film as Shauna was a part of the group. Again, we used different angles such as when Ryan’s sat on church steps, we filmed several angles to keep the video interesting and not boring with one continuous scene.

The Locks ShotsMyself, Ryan and Sarah took a trip to Irlam Locks to film Ryan’s scenes. The first scene to appear of the Locks, is Ryan stood on a ledge throwing stones. Myself and Sarah decided to share roles of director and cameraperson, giving each other input of ideas. I filmed the shots of Ryan at the Locks with Sarah being the director this turn. I filmed several angles again of Ryan throwing stones into the Locks such as a side view, then an over the shoulder view and Ryan playing around with a stone in his hand. Sarah and I then had an idea from the rough draft scripts of the brother clapping along to the beat as it kicks in during the song, so we filmed Ryan clapping at normal speed, a slower speed and a faster speed and then we would decide which one we preferred. I preferred the faster speed as I could then slow it down during editing.

Café/Media City Shots

With all of our group an Ryan present, we went to a local café and filmed with permission. During the brainstorming process, we had an idea of the video referring back to the brother and sisters childhood’s as they eventually end up meeting up at their childhood home. So I drew a sketch of the house as the sister would of remembered it which is the one Shauna is sketching in the video. During the scene in the café, we had an idea for the sister to have a drawing of the house from when she was a child which is present in this scene. Sarah took to her role of cameraperson again and I, the director again. Sarah had an idea to show the sister drawing from different angles which would also show the audience the setting she was in, a café. Sarah then went outside to film a shot of the sister continuing to draw with café customers sat behind her which doubled and myself and Ryan. We then went to Media City to film the sister walking about after being in the café, which was shot by Sarah and directed by myself.

Forest/Moss ShotsFor the forest scenes, myself and Sarah (Shauna was unavailable) took Ryan to film scenes with. We thought that since the sister had the two drawings, we would show the brother having his own ‘thing’. We decided we would the brother smoking as at the time, Ryan wanted a cigarette and the smoke had a good effect with the camera. Sarah and I both filmed a scene of Ryan smoking each as we were both stood on either sides of him. We then had Ryan walk away from the camera, with the shot focusing on the cigarette as he walks away. Another day, Sarah, Shauna, Ryan and myself walked down Cadishead moss to film the ending parts of the music video. The next few shots were of the sister arriving at the house and walking towards the house. We filmed Shauna walking towards the house, but during editing, I gave the clip an effect to make it look like it was ‘jumping’ forward a bit to get things moving forward and not dragging on.

Moss ShotsAforementioned, we went down to Cadishead moss to an abandoned house/bungalow. As a group, we had an idea that the sister could arrive in front of the house and show the drawing from previous in the video. We had an idea to show the drawing, finished in front of the house, then she would lower the drawing to reveal the house now so it gives the viewer the idea that its the same house. For this shot, I filmed it and Sarah directed Shauna into moving the picture to match the camera angle. We then filmed Ryan walking towards the house to meet Shauna, his ‘sister’. Again, we filmed him walking towards the house from a distance but during editing, I gave it the same effect as the sister walking towards the house, a ‘jumping’ effect to get the video moving along. I liked the brother shot as the background setting was a field, a moss road and the sun shining down on everything. I thought the sun shining down gave the video a nice up-lifting effect .

Moss ShotsThe next few shots, we filmed as the previous slide. These shots were important to film as it showed the brother and sister finally meeting up at their childhood home. The first screenshot is of the brother taking a picture out of his pocket, to which he then gives it to the sister which is revealed to be the two siblings when they were younger, sitting on a sofa inside the house. Sarah filmed the two shots as I directed the shots. Sarah and myself watched the picture swapping shots back to get the right scene to happen again, but film from a different angle. This was tricky as we had to keep attempting to film again and again to get the right height and hand movements as the first shot. The next shots were of the road sign. This sign is the sign of the street the house is set on. Sarah filmed these shots of a wide shot and close up. I think she did a great job as they came out with great quality and angles. During editing, I chose to use the two angles as it kept the pace up for the video rather than showing one shot for a long time.

Moss ShotsAfter switching pictures, the brother and sister continue to walk around the side of the house. Again, Sarah filmed the two walking, and again during editing, I gave it the ‘jumping’ effect to keep things moving. I directed these shots, telling Shauna and Ryan when to stop at the right spot.The next shot was of inside the house. Sarah filmed a panoramic shot of inside the house to show the audience what the house had become since being abandoned. As the panoramic shot got to the open bay window which the glass has been smashed out of, I then assisted Sarah in zooming the camera in to show the brother and sister stood outside the house. The brother puts his arm around the sister and it zooms in to them. I directed as well by telling Ryan when to put his arm around Shauna.The last shot I filmed by zooming out with the camera attached to the tripod. This is the last shot of the video and it shows the two drawings from the sister and the picture of the two younger siblings brought by the brother, sitting on the fireplace which has been slightly destroyed. With this shot, it could’ve been filmed better by myself for if I didn't’t trip up over the tripod and a door lying on the floor. I edited this clip to be in slow motion to avoid the shakiness of the shot.

Building/Scenery ShotsThrough out the video, there are shots of buildings and surroundings separating some clips of the brother and sister walking about different areas. I filmed most of them with Shauna as it was during our trip to town and because Sarah was unavailable. Sarah filmed the shots of the Locks and the Media City Lowry. I decided to edit these clips into a sepia / black and white effect as I thought it was easier to realize what the shot was off and I thought it made it easier to realize what shots were of the brother and sister. I also sped up some shots of the scenery such as the Manchester Wheel so the clouds and the wheel would travel faster. I also sped up the shot of the Church as it made the clock and clouds move faster. I think surrounding shots help set the tone of the video, and make it clearer to the audience of where the brother and sister are walking about.

On Set PicturesDuring filming, I took some pictures on my phone and we took some pictures on the camera as a group as well. These pictures are from scenery such as the abandoned house, the café, Media city (in front of the new Coronation set), in Irlam forest and at the top of the Imperial War Museum looking out onto Media City Lowry.