Music Video CCR

 It's time to consider the job that was accomplished after the difficulties that were experienced during the music video's development. Although the film is far from flawless, the experience was instructive and worth noting

Numerous elements of the video both conform to and go against the norms of Christmas music videos. The fact that the product lacks footage of a musician or band playing the song distinguishes it significantly from popular culture creations. The majority of music videos have this, but in order to build a tale with the video, the production did not adhere to this guideline. Many of the shots used in large productions, such as three shots and pans, are present in the video, though. There was one shot in the video that stood out among the others because it was a POV shot. This shot was used to enhance the storytelling element and give diversity to the existing shots in the project. The video's settings, costumes, and props all adhere to the standards set by similar music videos of the same genre. Videos that play holiday music all have festive decorations, fun hats, and cheery lighting. The project's upbeat tone is evident throughout and is almost required for music videos including holiday music.

Teenagers are used in this project to blur the lines between the traditional and modern. Since the song we selected is from 1963, each character virtually acts as a modern-day stereotype of teenagers. The characters all dress in trendy clothing including hoodies, jewelry, and body piercings. This aims to appeal to those between the ages of 13 and 19. The goal of the endeavor is to update the song while preserving its timeless feel and melody. Like most teenagers, the characters are seen hanging around and engaging in activities that fit the video's holiday theme. If the project was a video, it would probably be distributed on websites where teenagers and music videos typically congregate if it were a video. This implies that the video would be available on Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. Additionally, the video would be broadcast on channels like MTV Classic, which is dedicated solely to the broadcasting of music videos. As more generations tune in to cable networks, this is where the video would reach a larger audience.

I gained a great deal of knowledge about filming and editing during the course of the production. My team's first project with transitions was this one. It significantly reduced the video's "choppiness," which was one of the main criticisms of the initial video. The team was faced with an abundance of footage to sort through throughout the editing stage. This had both good and bad effects. Unsatisfactory shots from multiple takes that were shot made it difficult to duplicate the original vision we had. My team had trouble reducing the quantity of footage we had. As a result, numerous entertaining and interesting shots from the video were removed. Although a POV image of the group riding bumper cars was captured, it was finally abandoned due to time constraints. Even the filming process itself imparted knowledge. This project's filming was significantly more challenging than the prior one. When all three members had to appear in the video at once, it was challenging to film more than one character. In terms of what worked and what did not, I discovered a lot about the three photos.

The music video employed the same strategies as the prior project. However, some aspects of the industrial process did change. We divided up the filming duties among the three of us rather than having just one person do it. This indicated various phone models and levels of quality. We experimented with that while we were filming because each phone has different capabilities. We divided that up when the editing process started as well. To complete our video, we used two separate programs: CapCut and Videoleap. CapCut was mostly used for simpler tasks like clipping and moving around scenes. The technical elements, including adding transitions and music, were mostly handled by Videoleap. We discovered a lot easier method for obtaining music for this project. We just got the song as an mp3 file from a website instead of screen recording it. As a result, the tedious extraction process was eliminated, making it much simpler to add the song to the film.

Music Video

 

The music video can now be released at last. We ultimately chose Andy Williams' song, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." I have learned a lot about editing and filming while making this video. Although there were some difficulties throughout the filming, I am still appreciative of the opportunity. I sincerely hope you'll like it!

On the Nice List

 Upon further inspection, our footage wasn’t as bad as described.There were several shots that could be saved. We will thus keep the video we have previously captured. We're going to return to the park, though, to make the beginning less choppy by taking a few simple shots Thankfully, we won't have to pay a fee to enter the park's area where we will be filming.

Plans to reshoot went well.We were able to complete several sections of the video with the basic shots we required. It's time to edit now. We decide to distribute the task among ourselves. This was done to make sure that everyone had a say in the direction the video should take. Additionally, dividing the task makes it easier to edit it all at once. Unfortunately, Victoria was unable to edit the movie using computer software because of the equipment she was using. She ended up using the editing program she had previously used for the project because the laptop she had was faulty and unstable. Since my computer worked a little better i just used the program she was initially going to use.

I started by putting all the takes we took in a big project and muting each clip. Then I watched the whole thing, cutting awkward and unnecessary moments. I then rearranged the clips to tell the story we wanted to tell. Victoria and Aidan did the same thing. We wanted to make it as fluid as possible.

With the clips in the proper order, it was much easier to see simple mistakes that made the video choppy or confusing. The video was far longer than the allotted time for the project, which was another major problem we encountered. After reaching this decision, I talked with my group about the solutions we may use to remedy the situation. It was not an easy choice, but we had to cut a lot of different scenes in order to shorten the running time.

A short deliberation period leads to the music video being within the limits of our assignment.The song was then added to the video using the program's overlay capability. I could experiment with fading the scenes into one another and other such things once the song had been included to the video. With a fade-out at the end, I chose to make the video straightforward.

Filming in the Winter Wonderland

 Because we decided to go through with Santa’s Enchanted Forest, we had to make some changes to our video. To cut costs, we chose to build it around a trio of individuals. We required an actor because our group consists of three people so one of us could film. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure one in time for the filming date. We had a lot of issues as a result of this. Filming the three of us and participating in the videos was quite challenging. We had to work against the clock because we had to film after school.

We recorded multiple takes of us moving about and taking part in park activities while filming. Because they did not have all the events that they used to have, we ultimately had to stray from our storyboard. We went to the park on a Wednesday, so it wasn't quite as crowded as it typically is. As a result, filming was simpler than we had anticipated.

One of us would record the scenes while the other two were walking to an activity. Then we would position the camera such that it captured a simultaneous shot of the three of us. Since my arms were as long enough, I could get the angle that the director wanted. In order to make the video more comprehensible, we also took a number of POV shots. Despite the lack of snow that Florida weather brings, we managed to get numerous images of the park's landscape.

We were able to better understand the look we were going for with the video thanks to the footage. The song selection was drastically reduced as a result. Songs that were too contemporary or energetic were excluded from the list of possible songs.

At the conclusion of the video, one of my favorite shots from the shoot will be displayed. We are seen leaving the park while being zoomed in on by a "Happy Holidays" sign.

Wardrobe Malfunction

Time to engage in a serious discussion. I must be honest and say that we did not plan what we would wear for this song video. It was typical for us to switch back and forth between our alternatives. We eventually decided on some straightforward clothes for the characters, but not before having a discussion about it.

Originally, we wanted to put the characters in ugly sweaters to add to the theme of the video. The idea was to dress warmly in order to mimic the numerous videos we saw while conducting our research. We rapidly decided that this was not a possibility. No matter what time of year it is, Florida's climate is always very hot. Our characters wouldn't be comfortable wearing bulky clothes. even more so considering that we would be filming for a couple hours.

The alternative was to put on Christmas pajamas. This was a cute and fun choice that effectively conveys the message without placing the characters in an uncomfortable situation. We decided to have only one character wear the Christmas pajamas as only one of us had any to wear. The other two donned shirts with well-known holiday designs and figures. This addressed both comfort and beauty, which were prerequisites for the outfits.

Even after deciding on pajama bottoms and Christmas shirts, the costumes lacked some finishing touches. They had the impression that something was missing. One of the characters was going to wear a jacket because it was going to be a little cool, which obscured the pattern on his shirt. We consequently determined that we had to include some holiday-related accessories. Fortunately, the characters could wear a wide variety of hats and headbands.

The inclusion of the accessories gave our costumes the ideal finishing touch. Finally prepared to film, we hope to do so later this week.

A first Christmas View

Now that we have a sizable amount of material, it's time to edit and combine it. After review, several of our takes weren't that great. This was most likely a result of us dividing up the filming duties among ourselves because of the large group we were filming with. Despite that, we obtained some fantastic pictures. 

We captured us playing games in numbers of photos with the decorations. One of the things we needed were something  that would aid in the film's flow. Many pictures of us entering activities were captured. The number of videos we have of us leaving the activities was our problem. These were substantially more challenging due to staff rushing us to get out of the way to allow other guests in. Which led to rushed photos.

We felt that we overshot ourselves talking and moving while we were filming. The truth turned out to be the exact opposite of this. We required additional transition pictures to demonstrate how we entered and exited events. The middle was kind of confusing, but the beginning and end were strong.

I believe it will serve our interests best to re-film several scenes. This would require returning to the park, which is an expensive choice. If we do shoot there again, we will have more time to invite someone, which will eliminate many of the problems we encountered while filming.

If we don't do that, we might need to come up with another solution to improve the feel of the documentary. This might entail moving the scene entirely and reshooting everything. We would have to throw away everything we had if that were the case. This is doubtful because we have a number of photos that merit inclusion in the video. To make the movie as good as it possibly can be, we still need to capture additional minute details.

Back from Break

 Now that Thanksgiving break is over, I feel an explanation is owed for the lack of work my team did. Our group was very busy this week. Each of us had jobs which we needed to be at. I was personally sick the entire time and could barely move. We were also celebrating the holiday with our family members, which kept us occupied for the majority of the break. Between work, family, sickness, and even practices, we really didn't have any time to meet up. Even though we did not film, we did get a lot of discussions done about the project. We condensed the initial idea we had for the music video as a whole. Using the rubric, We chose particular photos that were necessary for the video's rules and flow.

   My group opted to select a different music for the video after giving it some thought. We are staying in the same genre of holiday music but going in a different direction with the song choice. We have several reasons for the change. One significant one is the song's heavy emphasis on romance. It wouldn't make sense to include a love song in our video because we want to make it about a friend group. Additionally, the song starts off very slowly. In our opening scenes, a character picks up the other two characters from their home and converses with them in the car. It wouldn’t work with the slow intro of the song.

    We have a couple songs in mind we could use as replacements, but we aren't sure yet. My main objective is to make the experience worthwhile because it is very expensive. We also decided to cut down on the number of actors we had due to costs. Filming will be challenging because of this, but we'll try it out first and see how it goes. To obtain the most value for our money, we need to take as many shots as we can.

Filming Locations

 After talking to my parents, I’ve come to the conclusion that Santa’s Enchanted Forest might not be the best location for the music video. We all live a long way away from there. Each ticket would also cost roughly $50 per person. It won't be possible to pay that much for each actor if we want to hire a large number of them. This means that we might need to adjust a few aspects of our project to account for these circumstances. Although Santa's is still our #1 pick, the following are a few different possibilities to consider in case we ultimately decide to switch the venue.

The Mall

We could base the music video around a cheap holiday activity at the mall. The cost of the photo session with Santa Claus is free. Additionally, it would give the video a humorous aspect. Malls are typically beautifully decorated for the holidays with bows, trees, and stars. However, because most malls aren't yet fully decked out, the video's theme might be less overt at this time.

Tradewinds Park

An additional choice for a location is Tradewinds Park. The park hosts an event called "Holiday Fantasy of Lights." The location is decked out for the holidays. We would only have to pay for tickets per car rather than per person, making it significantly less expensive than Santa's Enchanted Forest. The price of the tickets is $24, although there are a few days when it drops to $20. The site has drawbacks despite being highly joyful. We are not permitted to exit the vehicle at the park. This implies that panning and wide shots would have to make up the majority of the shots. As we need to offer a range of shots in the video, this would provide a significant challenge for us.

Driving through several areas and exhibiting their decorations is a close second. If that option is selected, we are more likely to have the protagonists watch a movie together or engage in another festive activity, like baking cookies, near the end of the clip in a festively decorated home.

  Santa's Enchanted Forest appears to be the greatest choice for us, despite the fact that each of these possibilities has advantages and disadvantages of its own. The setting is fantastic, and there are many various things for the actors to do. We will proceed with the first option for the time being, but if it doesn't work out we'll pick one of the other possibilities.

Storyboard for the Music Video

 Scene 1- The opening scene will begin with all the actors meeting up in front of a house as everyone is being picked up to go to Santa's enchanted forest. 

Scene 2- A establishing shot of the opening entrance to the fair. This scene will show the setting of the music video and will help 

Scene 3- The actors will walk down "Mistletoe Lane" as they enter the forest and begin to explore. Will use a wide shot to capture the entire street and environment. 

Scene 4- This shot will continue with the exploration as it sets up the scene following 

Scene 5 - We will use tracking shots to track the actors as they go on their first ride. This will be used to show how fun Christmas events can be and will be shown to emphasize holiday spirit                         Scene 6 This will be to actors on the ride. This will be a medium-close shot of the actors riding the Merry-go-round.

Scene 7- After the Merry-go-round We take a three-shot of the actors walking away from the ride. Still exploring Santa's enchanted forest we use this scene to show how happiness can be created from this holiday. 

Scene 8- In this scene, we will wait in line to greet Santa. This scene is helpful for the video because it adds to the effect of Christmas with Santa. ( If needed we can replace this scene with us eating food instead) 

Scene 9- Comes down to a two-shot between Santa and the actor that decided to meet with him. This whole interaction creates a good feeling mixed with the effect of Santa on Christmas. 

Scene 10-  After meeting Santa we start with a low angle and the archway leading to the Tallest Christmas Tree in Florida. This will be the final scene and could also be seen as an Establishing shot 

Scene 11 - Under the archway, all the actors will be shown with excitement and joy as this is the main highlight that Santa's Enchanted Forest Advertises. This will most likely be a point-of-view angle or a close-up 

Forming a Plan

 Props - 

Due to the great expense that the location requires, much of the budget is not allocated to props. This is because the set will provide a majority of the props. Fake snow, lights, and carnival food are just a few of the props that we may use in the music video.

    Costumes -

Like the videos we reviewed, the actors will be in warm, festive attire. Not as warm as those seen in the music videos due to the climate we live in, but warm enough to emphasize the season. The actors will be wearing colors like red, white, and green. Some will wear traditional Santa hats or reindeer antlers. 

    Schedule - 

11/19/22 - Finish researching, planning, and storyboarding the music video.

11/29/22 - Go to the theme park and shoot all scenes.

11/30-12/5/22 - Edit the footage and finish the music video.

    Location List -

We decided to film our music video at Santa’s Enchanted Forest, a Florida-based holiday theme park filled with rides, decorations, and food. The music video will showcase a group of friends going through the park and enjoying it. As a result, multiple parts of the park will be shown. Additionally, the group will be shown getting in and out of a car.

    Backup Plan - 

If we can’t go to Santa’s Enchanted Forest, we decided on going to Tradewinds Park. The park hosts a drive-through event where we can show Christmas lights and decorations. The park will be a much cheaper choice than  

Song Choice

 The song that we have chosen for our music video is Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You". 

• In most music videos an idea or theme is represented through the actors, objects, and props throughout various different scenes. The scenes in this video can take place at different places occurring at the same time or follow a "storyline" with the music helping emphasize the story portrayed through the song. A traditional music video convention mainly focuses on the artist or band performing solo or in front of an audience. There is no plot, only a collection of camera angles and movements. In general, the objective of a music video is to help visualize what the song by itself couldn't. 
• Music videos overall are used with various camera angles, shots, editing, and movements to create certain feelings, express different genres, and explore all the themes and different messages of a song. Although the primary purpose of music videos are used to promote the sales of musical recordings, many take on a different approach and allow for artistic freedom with the film. This has allowed for new and unique ideas to take place which incorporate both elements of film as well as musical components. 
• The Mis-en-scene for music videos includes elements including lighting, props, clothing, hair and makeup, setting, and color. The genre and aesthetic of the music video typically dictate these elements. These factors are very significant in terms of contributing to the chosen genre. They are used in music videos to emphasize how significant the characters are. They are also used in many ways to portray characters.
• In most Christmas music videos there is heavy usage of shots like two-shot, medium close-up, and wide shots to establish the general feeling of Christmas. The overall similarity between all these videos is the theme of happy times with family members or loved ones. The strength of Christmas music videos are the use of nostalgia and emotion conveyed in the video through the lyrics. Great examples of some Christmas music videos are Wham's "Last Christmas, Michael Bublé's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" videos. 

In today's day and age, most songs are usually accompanied by a music video, creating a visual impact that is just as important as the song itself. It allows for a new perspective to be gained from the song as well as to show the artistic talent behind a director, an artist, and their work.