Post Production- Music Video - Don't Take It Personal

Final Magazine advert and digipak production

This is my group and I's magazine advert final production. 

We used this type of font for our magazine advert and digipak to show that they both link together and colour theme. Also, we put a cross on the magazine advert to support the lyric when he says 'Only the Lord knows how I didn't lose it' although we didn't show this in our music video, this was to support and link the music video and digipak. Furthermore, this is important to ensure that they link because audiences wouldn't know that they are both for the same artist and the same song name if they weren't link, this would have brought confusion to our audience.

In addition, on the digipak we included a bio, so that audiences can know and understand more about Yugen's success in his music career and we have added a track list of songs that have been included to the digipak so that audiemces can see what's song are after each other.We also wanted to make clear juxtaposition innocence and his ghetto lifestyle. On the bottom left hand side of the digipak, his hand are opened which could siginify forgiveness which is another way to show his religious side.

Evaluation Part 5

Pre-production

Technologies

Twitter was used toget in contact with the artist Yungen and to ask permission to use his song to produce a music video to it.

I used blogger to record each stage of my and I's production.
This was successful because it enabled me and my group to keep track on our stages. We sort of used it for a check-list so that we knew where we were at within the process. Blogger has also enabled my group and I's to embed Power point, Excel and word which made our Blogger look more interesting and creative. This was easy to use as we were already familiar with the site and we used it wherever and when ever we wanted.

 Furthermore, we used YouTube to do some research on other music video of Yungen to have some Ideas for our music video. Also we used YouTube to upload focus group feedback, group evaluation, etc so that we could embed it onto our blogs. The process of this was very simple and easy to use. Also, this was used to upload our final production to recieve feedback.

Having to use Final Cut Pro for last year's production, using this again for my A2 was simple and easy. (Edited audiences feedback) During this process of our production we used Final Cut Pro to improve parts of our music video that needed improving on, this was special effects and swapped certain scenes that were a bit repetitive. This has also helped to trim to adjust some scenes so that lip syncing was well synced and cutting the scenes to no longer than 5 seconds. This was done successfully as this made our music video look more visually interesting to watch.
                            




used Excel and PowerPoint for our shooting script, analysis, call sheet, etc. As were already familiar with these documents, we had no trouble using them.

  

Production

For our production we used a filming camera to shoot some footages for our music video, we had not trouble using this as we used this last year. We used the camera without a tripod, so we used it hand held because we wanted to challenge ourselves to keep it steady. We also used a photo camera to take pictures of the artist for our digipak and magazine advert and locations that we used. This was also done successfully and we had no problem using these cameras. However, when we imported our footages through the Mac computer onto Final Cut Pro we had some technical difficulties plugging in the camera to get the video to import, this was because the video signal was not working but in the end we managed to import all of our footages to edit them on Final Cut Pro. Also, some of the footages quality was quite poor but it had a great advantage to the theme of put music video.

Post production and evaluation.
Being very familiar with the software that were needed for out product, I think our music video looks very professional, audiences also think its very professional. Especially the digipak and magazine advert have a great link together and I think there are no more improvments to be done in our magazine and music video. However, the digipak have a little bit of improvements needed with the bottom left picture of the digipak. The artist was meant to hold a rosary bead or a bible to then again signify his religious side and to also link all three products even more.

Photoshop was used for editing our magazine advert and digipak.

I used OneDrive to convert work into Blogger, OneDrive was very successfull because it was easy to use, access this at home and allowed me to transfer work from PowerPoint, videos and Excel into my Blogger.

Focus Group- evaluation part 4

My group and I got a group of students to watch our post production and gave us some feedback on what they like about the music video and what could have been better. We had some positive feedback and a negative feed back which was the use of different special effects. Some special effects made some scenes look professional and some not professional. So what we did was to use only 3 or 2 special effects that made our music video look even more professional throughout which we improved on. Other than that lip syncing was great, the use of different camera work, narrative, the use of lyrics put into actions and the narrative. Some students would listen to this sort of song because they can relate to the story and some wouldn't because it not their style of music. 

One of the feedback was that they could relate to it with personally knowing people who've went through this kind of lifestyle at some similiar stages the artist went through. 

Wheb planning our music video we decided to go for a full on narrative which the lyrics are put into actions, however not throughout the whole video which wasn't that awful and were able to catch the viewers attention. 

Furthermore, as the way the sister was represented , this subverted the Male Gaze theory of woment being objects to men for pleasure. In our music video we showed the sister playing a role of a big sister who is taking care and being there for the artist. 

Overall, I think that our msuic video was a huge success as in comparison we subverted theconventions of what you would expect to see in a  grime music video, artists use guns, they smoke, killing, etc. Where as in is our music video is opposing to what you would expect to see in grime music video as we used love in the sense of family love.

To conclude, in future I believe that my group and I would need to improve on adding more scenes showing the relationship of the artist and his sister as his sister was the only one there for him whilst their parents were not around. Also, there were too many happy scenes which was not our aim to have a happy theme but mostly a sad, fustrated theme and being more alone if we were to produce this music video again.

Evaluation Part 3

This is a screenshot from our final music video of our artist in the studio. With showing his passion for music, we used a close up shot of him rapping into the microphone. By showing him in the studio rapping into a mic shows that he is hard working and shows the work that we as group were working towards having a final production.

In this scene, low angle was used to signify how powerful Yungen is when he raps to the camera with confidence and willing to express his feelings to the camera. Also, in this scene he is with his friend rapping together and shows that at some point in his life he is not isolated like he was in his past. The black clothing connotes that he has had a bad past which makes him who he is today.

This medium wide shot shows how stress Yungen was when he was struggling at home alone which the colour (low key lighting) of this scene shows the tough period he was going throgh at the time and gives a low emotional feeling. As a group we were able to show this scene and link it with his lyrics when he says ' my mum f** to Jamaica and left me at 13...' this shot signifies how fustrated he was and the seperation that he had with his mum.

This is a close up shot to show the artist's facial expression, along with showing the black hoody again signifies evil which is against his religion. It shows that he was felt so isolated, struggling and nobody to look after him that he had to do evil things to be able to survive. Even though we showed his religous side, the black clothing is represented to the audience so that they can relate to his actions/ lifestyle.

This is a two shot which shows the relation that the artist has with his older sister playing on the IPad which links with his lyric- 'It felt like my older sister was the only one there' We used black and white special effect to denote the past and supports the lyircs. The black and white effect also shows the peopel who he loves and thinks about, the theme of love is shown strongly that him and his sister had.

Evaluation Part 2

Johnson Oladuji 13 Media: Evaluation Part 2

Week Fifteen

On week fifteen, my group and I recorded our evaluation of our post production. We had to talk as a group about the developed skills we developed over time, challenges we faced and how we conformed and or subverted the conventions, by also including Mise-en scene, narrative, genre, Editing, sound and camera shots, movement and angles.

Furthermore, we also recorded a feedback video for our post production, we had a gathering with our target audience to give us some of their opinion of our chosen song, music video and artist. This has helped us to discover what we could have improved on, change and or keep to fulfil the target audience's escapism. I will talk more about this experience on another post (focus group- evaluation part 4).

Week Fourteen

On week fourteen my group and I finished the finishing touches of the music video, the digipak and the magazine cover page. We split up the work load, so Johnson would spend approximatley 30 minutes on editing the music video and then swap with me (Cherly), Timi would spend half an hour on editing the digipak and so on. We split up the work load so that everyone in the group can be involved and put their in put to also be able to talk about it in our evaluation.
When editing our media product we shared our opinion on how well the products been edited so that the product can have a better outcome.

Week Thirteen

During this week my group and I carried on editing our magazine cover page and our digipak.
What went well was agreeing to stick to the plan of our magazines cover page and digipak. We made sure that our magazine cover page and digipak had the same theme, colour and similar images.




Here are some examples below of Britney Spears digipak and magazine cover page. The digipak and magazine cover page have the same style of writing, colour, theme and image. This shows the importance of how the theme of the magazine cover page and didipak should be linked.

Evaluation Part 1

What brief were you working to?

Ive been asked to created  a magazine advert,  a digipak  to promote the artist who's called Yugen and  a music video. The artist's Yungen who is a 23 year who specialises in grime music. He is from Herne Hill and  Yungen is known for his versatility in grime producing upbeat and slow songs. Yungen is also known for a lot of punchlines he tends to use in his grime music videos. The artist has his own clothing line called Forever Yung hoodies, T-shirts and hats are distributed for his fans. He is also part of music label called PlayDirty with Krept & Konan who are his team members.

The image below shows proof of permission that Johnson sent to Yungen asking if he we could use his song and do a music video to it. Johnson direct messaged Yungen on Twitter asking if we could use his song - Don't Take It Personal for our A2 production.

The music genre is Grime and it is one of the most popular genre in the UK. There are many UK artist such as Dizzee Rascal, Skepta and more who make grime music. Grime music video have conventions and  tend to use a lot of young boys smoking, rapping in blocks of flats with friends, they use cars, etc. What attracted me to Yungen music was the different ways that his music video is presented. For example at 1:25 of Yungen's music video - Too Real with a medium wide shot it shows a cross on a door which subverts the expectation of conventions of the grime genre. This showed a religious side of the artist that audiences would probably may not have though of him being religious and this shows that he has strong faith in his religion as a Christian. In comparison, we don't see other grime music video using this kind of side.

Week Twelve

On week twelve as a group we took some more pictures for our digi-pak, we also made sure that the images are similar to the ones that we took for the magazine cover page so that they can look similar having the same styles, colour theme, and font style. We made the images send out messages that could express Yungen himself. For example, we used an image of a  Rosary cross chain
which signifies that Yungen is a Christian.

Week Eleven

These are three  pictures out of  20 pictures we took of Mohammed who's playing as Yungen for our magazine cover. After choosing our preferred image we stared editing our magazine cover page using photoshop. We used photoshop so that our magazine cover page can adapt to the Grime music video, Yungen's style by doing that we added different elements such as emerging to images together  to have a special affect on the cover page. We added texts such as the artists n ame, the  name of the song, realise date, hashtags, etc.

Week Ten

On week ten as a class we went through exam questions and model examples to help us revise for our up coming exam. This is to help us understand the exam question and to help us remember keys words,  using theorist to back up our points and to structure of our writing.  

Week Nine

On week nine we planned which days we will film, and on the same week we started filming at Mohammed's house who is the main character playing as Yungen. Whilst filming we took pictures of the location. We used Mohammed's house so that the video can be realistic and to adapt to the lyrics which is what Yungen is sharing his story.
Furthermore, another day during week nine, we did some more filming of Yungen rapping in the hoods where he grew up. We chose this location because our target audience can relate to the struggle that most young black boys go through in these kinds of areas.

Week Eight

On week eight as a group we split the work load, Johnson completed the casting list, I did the risk assessment and production schedule, Timi wrote the lyric description on the shooting script.
We spilt the work load so that as a group our group work can be done quicker and one can help the other if there were any difficulties. As a group we completed the shooting script, the shooting script was  time consuming because we had to complete 88 camera angles types, shot and movements, put each sentence of the lyrics on each line which adds to 88, duration, music and sound effect, graphics, description of action, equipment and actors.
Also, checked the weather forecast so that we know what the weather would be like during the week we film and so that the rain does not damage the camera. We booked to set up a small stage so that we can capture Yungen performing on stage.

Week Seven

On week seven as a class we learnt about Web 1.0, Web 2.0 and the future technology Web 3.0.
We learnt about how the internet has change over the past few years  and how it has enabled the audience to interact more. Also, we looked at different types of newspapers and how newspapers are different now than before. furthermore, we learnt about the Long tail theory and how that has enabled the audience to have more choices within what they watch, how they watch and when they watch.
The Long Tail Theory shows how choice within in the Media and how choices have now spread

Week Six

Week six- We were given tasks to complete magazine analysis where we have to analyse a band or an artist name, reviews, pack-shot, main image/ focal point, other aspects, action line and body copy. This will support us to analyse our own music album. This showed us the importance of how to create a magazine cover and what feature should be included in order to provide information to the audience and for the magazine cover page to look eye catching. I have analysed 3 magazine cover pages which are Beyonce "I am Sasha Fierce" , Chris Brown " Exclusive" and Gwen Stefani " Love Angel Music Baby". I did not choose the same type of music genre because if I analysed the same song genre the would not be much of a difference within the analysis of the cover pages.

Furthermore, within my analysis I explained why certain features were used, how they've been used, the theme/ mood of the cover page and many more. I think that it is important to analyse all these areas so that audiences know who the magazine cover page its targeted at.

Week Five

Week five-We got put in groups and as a group we decided which song we were going to use for our music video.  We divided the work load that was given to us to complete so that each one of us has something productive to do. Also, we discussed what types of locations we could use, we chose our artist, we came up with 2 different  type of clothes the artist will wear in the music video, etc.
Also, we recorded a video of a group of people to support us to what they would expect in a grime music video.

Also, we made them listen to the song (Yungen- Don't Take It Personal) and told us what they thought about the song, if they would listen to it or not. This has helped my group and I to use expectations, choose to subvert and conform conventions of real grime music videos.

Week Four

Week Four- In week four I presented my pitch, explaing what genre and why, who will be in the video, what location and why, what costumes would be worn, etc. When a student finished presenting their pitch, the audience (class) gave negative and or positive feedbacks on what they liked about the pitch and what can be inproved. Questions where also asked. I think this was beneficial because it supports you when you want to create a music video as different ideas are shown and given, improvements are given and you would able to make a final decision.

Week three

Week three- week 3 I have been posting latest theories on to my blog sharing my knowledge on what I have learnt. I've posted different music video examples and explaining how they conform with the theories. Furthermore, I posted my chosen unsigned artist's lyrics as well as my pitch as a powerpoint where I explain what genre I've chosen,why I have chosen it, what I would like to include in my video, my permission and what costumes would be worn.

The key concept that I have been focusing are genre and representation theory because I think it's important to know what genres target audience listen to and how the music video should be represented in order for the target audience to relate to it.

The main decisions and revisions that I have made was to use different theories and show how they conform to my music video.

Character Profile

Mohammed is our main character who plays Yungen.
 We chose Mohammed to play as Yugen because........

Job Roles

Flat plans

This is my group and I's first draft of our digipak, we used images that will represent Yungen. We used an image of a cross on a pair of hands which shows that he is a Christian and he strongly believe that God was going to get him through the tough times, Yungen sitting on a staircase in a block, Yungen walking in the hoods and a picture of him in a place where there is graffiti's on a wall. These images shows that Yungen went through a tough time in the hoods when his mother or father weren't there to take care of him. 
Also, we created an idea of how Yugen's magazine cover page would look like to advertise Yungen song "Don't Take It Personal". We have included the song title, social network @ names (Twitter and Instagram). 

This is our final digipak plan and our magazine cover page, we need to include more features on to the magazine cover page because I think have a lot of dead space does not make to cover page eye catching by Identifying the personality of the magazine.
2. Attract the target audience
3. Lure the reader into the magazine4. Establish a visual identity (consistent use of format) 
The 4 points are not just for the magazine cover page but for the digipak as well. We have also added background and colour that will relate with the digipak. 
We have included the release date of when the song will be released and where the song will be available.

Lyric, Don't Take It Personal- Yungen

Yungen - Don't Take It Personal

As a group we decided to use johnson's song choice because it had more potential, we thought that it would have been easier to film, find the locations, props, etc. 

This song is about the artist himself how he's life really is and his stage name may look happy but his life is just like everyone else. We see this where he says: ''CJ is living is a nightmare, Yungen is living a dream' CJ is initials whilst Yungen is his stage name and  basically implies he goes through what people go through daily. Also, he tried running away from his troubles and everything this is when he says: ''Too young to understand but old enough to be scared.

"My dad took me to Jamaica until everything cleared'' this shows the problems he was going through as a young kid and despite being so young he had to go through this. We also see that he has hated his mum because she always left him and believes the reason why he's had a bad child hood was because of her lack of presence it his shown when he says: ''My mum fucked off to Jamaica

Left me home alone at thirteen that shit made me hate her''. Despite the fact he mum has abandoned him he still loves and he says: ''Tryna rebuild with my mum hoping that she's going to change

Even though they say she's to blame'' Here he shows he has a heart and because someone does bad to you doesn't necessary mean you do bad to them as well. This song may relate to most young boys who hardly had their parents around.

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

They just see the final edit

They don't ever know behind the scenes

CJ is living a nightmare, Yungen is living a dream

All our fake smiles for years now are starting to wear off

Shit they don't got a clue to where i be

They say i'm paranoid, but you try being kidnapped as a kid

A gun put to your head and taken from where you live

I saw psychiatrist for months and people mess up how you think

I swear to God i ain't been the same since

Too young to understand but old enough to be scared

My dad took me to Jamaica until everything cleared

Comeback to a new house new school now everything so weird

Thinking back still leaves me in tears 

Fast forward some years

My mum fucked off to Jamaica

Left me home alone at thirteen that shit made me hate her

Probably because I used to love her so much

She was gone three months and barely kept in touch

Going through hell thinking life ain't fair

I felt like my sister was the only one there

No electric no gas, but who could I tell

because if i do i'll probably end up in care

So while you was out robbing man for fun

I was robbing because I had to

Everybody called me a bad yute
That took me out because they didn't have a clue

They judged me I just wish they knew

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

I ain't been school in weeks
I was out on the streets
There weren't one single lesson teaching me how to eat
Has your house ever been so cold that you can't sleep
I was in the ends trying to make ends meet
yeah my mum comeback
but she was gone again before I knew it
It's sad, I just got used to it
But when she came back for good she kicked me out, yeah I've been through it
Only the Lord knows how I didn't lose it
They try to put me in a hostel in a ends that I got beef in
It's so peak that I ain't sleeping
I just wanna go home but it's real here and I ain't leaving
Tryna speak to God.. all I got was the ceiling
Hoping my Dad will come & save me but he ain't tried
Plus one of my closest friends just died
I felt like my whole world was crumbling before my eyes
there was times I didn't wanna be alive
But take this all away I wouldn't be who I am
Even though it wasn't part of the plan
Real shit that turn me from a boy to a man
I'm trynna sort out everything that I can
Tryna rebuild with my mum hoping that she's gonna change
Even though they say she's to blame
But for once in my life I don't need her, but I want her
I still love her I hope she still feels the same

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you..

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

I Don't Need You 

But I want you...

Cast List

Production Schedule

Shooting script

Risk assessment

Locations

My group and I chose this location which is a messy sitting room because this connotes with the narrative of Yungen's song. Showing in the music video how Yungen used to go through tough times when his mum was away and this shows that he couldn't really look after himself.

"My mum fucked off to Jamaica

Left me home alone at thirteen that shit made me hate her". He mentions that his mum left him alone at 13, so he was still too young to handle all the responsibilities such as charging electricity, gas and rent. He had no money to take care of the utility. 

We used this location because says: "I was out on the streets
There weren't one single lesson teaching me how to eat" this explains why he was out on the streets, he had to rob people's purse, phones to sell, etc to be able to provide himself because he had nobody to look after him.

We used this location because he is happy with the life he has now because he is an artist who inspires others by sharing his story and how he became who he is now. He performs his songs featuring other rappers/singers, to entertain his fans.