Case Studies part 1.

Media studies A2 Preparatory Task

Media studies A2 Preparatory Task

Brief A: Music promo task.

You could be happy -Snow Patrol (Northern Irish/Scottish alternative rock band)

Coldplay (British rock band)

Good enough – Lifehouse ( American Rock band from Los Angeles)

All three tracks have been released but don't have a music video. These songs above are the 3 potential music tracks I could use to produce a promo video.

I think the song, 'You could be happy' by Snow Patrol is about regret for letting go of someone special, and having to come to grips with the fact that he lost his chance. But, is now if left with nothing except to see her move on and doing well. I don’t think it has anything to do with his “true love” not loving him back. He makes it clear that this girl wanted him, but he didn't want her and pushed her away.

If I was to use this song for my music video, I would want to portray what I think the song is about into a story for the video. I would have scenes where he could be walking on the street by himself, or perhaps in his house. Flashbacks in the video, would appear to show the audience past events of what happened between the male and female actor. For example: The couple arguing, the couple sitting and laughing together, sleeping. These will link to the lyrics, “But you weren't happy the day I watched you go"- The female actor can walk out the door leaving the male actor standing there. "And all the things that I wished I had, not said". There can be a flashback of the actors arguing, and throwing things around the room. "Is it too late to remind you, how we were?" there can also be another flashback, or even if it's a hallucination were he can see them in front of him and then they can disappear. They can be laughing, and enjoying each others company.

For this song I think only 2 actors are needed. I'll ask people from LSC and other friends in different colleges if they wouldn't mind acting for the video. I would like some shots/scenes to be taken on the street and perhaps in a house. The flash backs, can be taken in different places such as the park, to show the audience how they used to be as a couple. What they used to do together and how they used to feel about one another. I would like the male actor to lip sync, in this video. I think it'll go quite well, to the song as it's slow with a steady pace.

Flowers: I would like the male actor to give the female actor flowers, for a flash back as she sits at the table. He could be reminiscing and as he sits there remembering her and that day, there's a flash back which shows the couple sitting at the table with the flowers he had given her. 2) Tea mugs: They can sit together in the house drinking tea, or they could be out in a cafe having coffee.

U.F.O- Coldplay.

I feel this song ‘ U.F.O' by Coldplay has to do with a point in someone's life where they're just stuck, and really struggling to understand that point in their life. Wanting to achieve something, or maybe get somewhere that feels unattainable and it's just hard. It's just difficult, and you can hear the crying out to whether it's God, love, or some kind of positive force, that the character knows he'll find hope. That eventually, he'll get there, and it'll be alright. That's what I take from it anyway. I think this song is beautiful, one of my favourites, I think the length also is perfect for a music video.

If I was to use this song for my music video, I would want to portray as a journey. I would have the male actor walking towards the camera as the camera moves back to show the actors surroundings, their body language and mise-en-scene. I can imagine the actor walking on the street, as everyone else surrounding him is frozen. This is a metaphor as to how their life is. Their stuck, confused, in need of getting them back on track. Also, this video can be shot in the forest. I can get shots of the trees above, and how lonely they feel in the forest as they walk on. The forest (hollow ponds) I don’t feel that this song requires a lot of actors and different props. I believe that it can be kept quite simple and still have an impact. “Lord I don't know which way I am going”. He could be sitting down on a bench, confused. Still got such a long way to go”. He could be walking a long path, to show that he’s still got a long way to go.

I believe that this video would be extremely different to the videos played on television nowadays: this song is just about 2 minutes and the lyrics are quick compared to the songs that are played on TV. I would like the male actor to lip sync; I think it would also work very nicely, as it’s again slow, and a steady pace. 

Good enough - Lifehouse

I guess in life, you can never please everyone and it’s a horrible feeling for those people who can never make their parents and loved ones proud enough. The singer is making a statement, being able to speak to those who have never been proud enough. Making a statement to say “this is who I am and that’s all I can be”. It’s a song I think a lot of people can relate to and understand at some point. How it’ll link to the lyrics:  I want the story to be about wanting to make loved ones proud. It’s quite a sad song, so I want the video to be quite sad. Perhaps to portray different families and how a member of the family wants to make the proud for example: not getting good grades in school, changed personality/sexuality, doing something that makes them happy but family don’t approve.

For this song, I would like quite a few actors in this to portray different families and different situations. This will be diverse, and to show that it happens to a lot of people and different people can relate. Everyone in the video has a story to tell, for example there could be three characters.

A character for example: Her situation could be that she’s not getting the grades her parents want her to get. They expect her to do the thing, she doesn't want to do. She’s angry, uncomfortable because she’s not what her to be? There would be close up’s of her face, showing her facial expressions. (to show that she’s upset). There can be a special effect, when it everything goes in slow motion, to show she’s really alone. It would match the video because the song is a slow paced song. Some scenes could be taken at different homes, at schools (classrooms) Maybe props can use such as computer, phones, bag, letters ( writing a letter to their loved one) Locations can be a mixture of places such as the park, different homes, on the street. This video would be different, because I feel it holds quite a lot of meaning and is very diverse. I can imagine all the characters singing a chorus together. I do like this idea, however I do think that I would also be quite difficult to film and get prepared because it’s not planned out as much as the other two.