A2 Music Video: Inspiration Continued

Wildest moments- Jessie Ware

A2 Music Video: Further Inspiration

For my sins- Jess Mills

A2 Music Video: Copyright Letter

I wrote a short letter, as there was no available email address, to the recording company to state my intentions for using their song ‘Who you are’.

A2 Music Video: Costumes

For the majority of the video, the main actress will be wearing a dressy outfit, like she would be going to a party or other social event, and will later change into something more casual.

This first costume will consist of-

·        Shorts & top

Or

·        Skirt & top

Or

·        Dress

·        Heels or smart dressy shoes

Makeup will consist of –

·        Heavy eyeliner and mascara              -All of this is for visual effect, so when she

·        False eyelashes                                     removes it in later scenes it will be more

·        Overdone blusher and foundation         obvious.

Second Costume will consist of-

·        Plain top

·        Jeans

·        Cardigan

Makeup will consist of-

·        Minimal makeup/natural looking

The extras costumes will be similar to the main actress’s first costume but personalised to fit each extra.

A2 Music Video: Actresses

Due to the fact that the majority of my target audience is female and the artist (Jessie J) is female, it would make sense that females would appear in my video. In my video there will be three actresses, one will act as the main singer/artist, she will be the focus through out the video and the other two will act as extras. All three actresses that I am going to use have consented to being in my video and extra projects related.

A2 Music Video: Copyright

In order to use my selected song ‘Who you are’ by Jessie J, I will need to gain permission from the record company and explain my intentions/use for the song; I will also have to explain that I will not be making any profit from this what so ever. I understand I may not get a reply but I will presume that means they have no problem with me using this song choice. ‘Who you are’ has various record companies so I will write each a letter or email explaining my intentions. The recording companies involved with the making of‘Who you are’ include:

·        Lava Records

·        Island Records

I will have to research both of these companies contact details, whether it is their email or addresses. After various research I have discovered that both companies are owned by the UGM (Universal Music Group), meaning I will have to contact them to get permission. Universal Music Group International (UMGI) is headquartered in High Street Kensington, London.

The London address for UMGI is-

364-366 Kensington High Street  London, Greater London W14 8NS

A2 Music Video: Ideas from lyrics

    Personally, I believe that the song who you are’ is about the artist finding acceptance; not only in the music industry but in life. In various interviews she states: ‘I kind of lost myself. It's very personal. It's about being true to yourself. Don't lose yourself in any situation you're put in”. This song also went on to be her choice for the album title: "This song saved my life musically. The day before I wrote this song I was ready to give up music. It's amazing how three-and-a-half minutes of melody and lyrics can change your life and I'm so happy that not only has it saved my life but it's saving other people's. That's why my debut album is called Who You Are."

   

• Here I will write some brief ideas on what I believe the lyrics mean and how I could interpret them in my music video.

"Who You Are"

A question a large percentage of the population want answered, due to the title being called ‘who you are’ and not ‘who am I’ shows that she has already established her life/her identity and she wants to help others do the same

I stare at my reflection in the mirror:

"Why am I doing this to myself?"

Losing my mind on a tiny error,

I nearly left the real me on the shelf.

No, no, no, no, no...

Asking herself why she tries to fit in with other people, with society, why doesn’t she want to be her own person? This section could feature the actress staring into the camera, like she’s looking at the mirror, but use a different angle to what the original video uses.  

Don't lose who you are in the blur of the stars!

Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,

It's okay not to be okay.

This is her saying that it’s okay to be different; you shouldn’t live your life thinking what other people would do. At this section I could cut to the actress in a different scene, where she’s outside, possibly at night.

Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart.

Tears don't mean you're losing, everybody's bruising,

Just be true to who you are!

(who you are [x11])

This section could be a close up on the actresses face as the artist is stating, everyone deals with the problem, everyone goes through a struggle to find themselves, and that the fans/listeners aren’t alone.

  

Brushing my hair, do I look perfect?

I forgot what to do to fit the mould, yeah!

The more I try the less it's working, yeah

'Cause everything inside me screams

No, no, no, no, no...

Showing how the more she tries to fit in the more she doesn’t want to, she doesn’t want to fit the music industries idea of a ‘pop’ artist, she wants to be unique, her own genre. I could have the actress in the mirror again but doing different actions than what she previously was, maybe more anger.

Chorus repeats...

Yes, no's, egos, fake shows, like WHOA!

Just go, and leave me alone!

Real talk, real life, good love, goodnight,

With a smile, that's my home!

That's my home, no...

Small quick shots for the majority of this section, cutting to different scenes and different camera angles, but when the lyrics ‘with a smile, that’s my home, that’s my home, no’ go to a close up on the actress. Which coveys how the artist is so confused but finally finds acceptance.

No, no, no, no, no...

Don't lose who you are in the blur of the stars!

Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,

It's okay not to be okay...

Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart.

Tears don't mean you're losing, everybody's bruising,

Just be true to who you are!

Yeah yeah yeah .

One idea for this final chorus is that the actress could be sitting in a chair, in whatever setting I choose and the camera can pan around her, but she stares straight ahead still lip syncing. At the end the camera can go into a close up and the actress can finally smile, illustrating how the artist’s journey to become accepted and find herself is over, and she’s finally happy to be who she is.

What I did over the holidays

What I did over the holidays:
-started my story board.
-asked the actresses if they would be willing to be in my music video, they said yes.