Monday 29 November 2021

Production -Merch progress

 29.11.21 - creating merch








These items were drafted from the internet then personally created by me in picsart, these pieces are intended to be put onto my website to convey a large sense of branding as 'Blonded' the brand is a factor which is largely pushed on my website, this also arises the opportunity for intertextuality as if my models can wear these t shirts in my music video then this demonstrates some 'Frank Ocean' intertextuality. 

Friday 26 November 2021

Production -Editing progression

26.11.21

This lesson was spent progressing on the editing on my music video, through pro create and picsart app features I have created various text effects to reflect the zeitgeist of the video. 

Things achieved this week, (week report commencing 21.11.21): 

-Edited video 

-Started editing effects onto overlay 

-finishing touches to website

-Adding posts to enhance website 

-Updating blog

-Extra pictures taken for website 


Tasks left to do: 

-Add intertextuality to music video 

-Finalize website 

-Create merch samples (strong brand needs to match brief) 

-Record player shots 


Website draft pictures 









Tuesday 23 November 2021

Production -Music Video progression

 22.11.2021 - Editing prep 

This lesson was spent preparing footage, by colour correcting, stabilizing and cutting clips to desired lengths. All of this work is to help the process of editing my video run seamlessly when I come to finalize the project. 

Throughout the time spent on this I also downloaded a copy of the song and trimmed it to fit the timings, I looked back over my story board and inspiration folders to ensure my idea is an all encompassing view of what I want to represent. 

The past few days have also been utilized in taking final photograph to fill any empty spaces on my website. These images were composed in dark, stark lighting to display the feeling my video radiates. Use of model : Mkiyah who represents the artist of BLONDED for my final piece. 


Use of side on golden lighting is to give a glow to Mkiyah, this is not only used in order to be flattering but it also connotes the view that Mkiyah holds aa crucial role in this final piece. Golden lighting portrays a sacred and impactful idea, and this was expected to hint at the fact that Mkiyah is of great importance. 

This is all intended with the purpose of subluminal hints. My piece isn't to be taken as literal as what it seems, it is meant to make you think nd view things with a deeper stance rather than passively watch (which Henry Jenkins would argue is good as he agrees that audiences are more active in modern day and want to be more active in their participatory culture).

Overall, this photo holds the impact that this individual is important and has power, hence why she is seen as the 'main' artist of the song 'Nights'





Time was also spent going over my Website, ensuring all information was correct and up to date, and publishing blogs that I felt were relevant to the social view that BLONDED holds. 

These blogs include, up and coming artists which reflects and community feel to the music industry and a get involved media page which reflects the zeitgeist of today as it utilizes modern media platforms.  

Tuesday 6 July 2021

Planning -Website inspiration

 1. Arlo Park's website

Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho, known professionally as Arlo Parks, is a British singer-songwriter and poet. Her debut studio album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart, she is mostly known for singing R&B soul and pop. 

Her website entails a darker theme which I intend to take inspiration from, aswell as this her use of imagery and animations promote her almost grunge like aesthetic which I also intend to relay into my own website. 

As we can see here, not only is indicating her own unique style through symbolic codes but she also promotes her own products, the use of record animations and hyperlinks to music videos and her music. I specifically like the minimalistic style of her site and the imagery.



2. Frank Ocean's website 

Whilst this website belongs to the artist of 'Nights' (the song I am going to use) it is also holds many features that I feel would look good to be on my own website. 

At the bottom of this website we can view this darker aesthetic but right at the top we can see current issues being displayed, I intend to relay this into my own website as I feel it correlates with the beliefs that my music video will promote.The subtle promotion is also inspiring as we can see the sacrifice of commercial advertisement. 


3. Tyler The Creator's website 

Tyler's website is more explicit in its promotion as he also make highlighting of his sub brand 'Golf Wang' I enjoy this idea as I feel it resembles a counter balance of everything he stands for (fashion and music)

I find the use of high style editing to promote fashion and Tyler's brand inspiring as I like the idea of on-trend editing as this will be more interactive to a 16-25 year old's audience. Aswell as this the use of a colour scheme I enjoy as it is the first signal to who's website this is and the aesthetic they were intending on promoting  


4. Willow Smith's website 

Willow Smith keeps close to her aesthetic throughout her website and I would like to relay this onto my own work, down to fonts and imagery it is truly displaying Willow as Willow.

This simplistic design allows Willows to shine through her hyperlinks 'show shop etc.' I intend to take inspiration from this as the simple design will allow me a pure base to then add on extra's to promote my artist for who they are.Specifically her use of editing in pictures is something I would enjoy replicating.  




Friday 2 July 2021

Planning- Inspiration

 Things that have inspired my music video 

Other music videos: 


White Ferrari - Frank Ocean 

https://youtu.be/K9AtF6lKsnU

I felt inspired when watching this video, it entails various scenes also shot in London, and various dark locations with this recurring theme of 'artificial' light and naturalistic shots, the 2 main characters appear to be in love and we see a staggered approach to how their love pans out; I liked this concept of not conforming to norms, there is little chronological order yet the concept still remains clear and the realistic imagery incapsulates exactly what I plan to capture when I start filming my music video. Also, not only just the visuals but the song is also by the same artist, therefore the tempo and editing is similar to what I am basing mine on. 


Ivy - Frank Ocean 

https://youtu.be/_Sw8INyyvfg

In keeping with the theme of frank ocean music video vibes, Ivy also entails a naturalistic mise en scene which I intend to replicate; it also holds a jumbled up order that keeps a clear structure and also shows how environments change when we are in the presence of those we love. 


Images:









I felt particularly intrigued by these 2 images, both can be found within my public Pinterest board that is dedicated to my music video (link : https://pin.it/1Z7OsMq) 


Both images, in my opinion capture these small parts of growing up, which will be specific to my 16-25 age audience) 

I like these almost dark and grunge aesthetics for the darker sections of the video as I feel capturing events can only be relayed to the audience if the environment also represents what I am trying to imply, for example if I wanted to show a darker mood I may chose a scene such as one in this image.





When looking at the lighter sections of music video I feel these images show what I intend to film, we can clearly see the stressful side of growing up, hence the array of work on the table, but this use of natural sunlight and angles provides a much happier mise en scene and this, I feel, is showing how life's problems do not just melt away when we are 'in love' but life can become brighter and more bearable, which is exactly the message I am trying to portray. 

Planning -Nights brief











Tuesday 29 June 2021

Planning- Lyric run down

 Nights - Frank Ocean, lyric analysis 


Instrumental (quick panning of Eve and Scarlett's face with projector image) 

Round your city, round the clock (opening scene, lift doors opening to signal start, walking out to signal 'round')

Everybody needs you (Pan over London view (dark setting) to symbol this weight of 'everybody')
No, you can't make everybody equal (E setting stuff down on train looking tired, dark, train transition)  
Instrumental (glitching, distorted pan of S and E walking through busy London streets (separate)) 
Although you got beaucoup family (following S around everyday life) 
You don't even got nobody bein' honest with you (reflection of S in train, lonely people in LDN) 
Breathe 'til I evaporated (attempt zoom in transition to Eve lip synching on projector) 
My whole body see through (S standing in busy crows of people walking distort with Eve's video) 
Transportation, handmade (train leaving with S on it) 
And I know it better than most people (flickered shots of E + S and just S)
I don't trust 'em anyways (S leaving train) 
You can't break the law with them (flicker of S alone and S + E happy) 
Get some gushy, have a calm night (up to 'gushy' is sun, onwards is a busy night with city lights) 
Shooters killin' left and right (S goes on laptop to scroll through news 'shooters killing' intertextual) 
Workin' through your worst night (S on laptop in dark room working or on anywhere 'work related')  
Instrumental (flicker busy LDN city) 
If I get my money right 
You know I won't need you
And I tell you, (bitch) (Image of S + E happy, zoom into image transition) 
I hope the sack is full up (image becomes reality)
I'm f#ckin', no, I'm f#cked up (light environment E + S happy) 
Spend it when I get that (picnic)
I ain't tryna keep you (light bed)
Can't keep up a conversation (in clear deep convo S + E) 
Can't nobody reach you (E reach out to S, brush cheek) 
Why your eyes well up? (E now in the mirror sad, 'eyes welling up' without S)
Did you call me from a séance? (E distant in a group setting) 
You are from my past life (flicker or S + E singing this lyric, side on) 
Hope you're doin' well, bruh (flicker of S + E in same environment) 
I been out here head first (E flopping into bed, twist transition)
Always like the head first (S now being with E) 
Signal comin' in and out (S and E laughing happy) 
Hope you're doin' well, bruh (flicker alone E and S + E in bed) 
Everybody needs you (E lyric, projector) 
Everybody needs you (S lyric, projector) 
Ooh, nani nani (Eve walking) 
This feel like a quaalude (Scarlett walking)  
No sleep in my body (awake in bed looking at polaroid pics)  
Ain't no b#tch in my body 
New beginning's, ah
New beginning's, wake up akh
The sun's goin' down (sunset)
Time to start your day, bruh (work laptop S)
Can't keep bein' laid off
Know you need the money if you gon' survive
The every night sh#t
Every day sh#t
Droppin' baby off at home before my night shift
You know I can't hear none of that spend the night sh#t
That kumbaya sh#t
Wanna see nirvana, but don't wanna die yet
Wanna feel that na na though, could you come by?
Fuck with me after my shift
Know them boys wanna see me broke down and sh#t
Bummed out and shit, stressed out and sh#t
That's every day sh#t
Shut the f#ck up, I don't want your conversation
Rollin' marijuana, that's a cheap vacation

My every day shit, every night shit, my every day shit
(Every night shit, night shit, night shit, night shit)
https://youtu.be/XaN9PtE-dII - link to clean version of nights (cut off point at 2:39)