Field Gravesend, Abandoned Swimming Pool, Hall Christchurch, Wrecked Garage, Bluewater Car Park, Road (close), Church
Monday, 4 November 2013
Location Possibilities
These ideas are for the live performance location. Other locations will only be featured shortly.
Field Gravesend, Abandoned Swimming Pool, Hall Christchurch, Wrecked Garage, Bluewater Car Park, Road (close), Church
Through putting it on the map I could see how easy each location was to access and also judge whether we would need permission to shoot there.
Field Gravesend, Abandoned Swimming Pool, Hall Christchurch, Wrecked Garage, Bluewater Car Park, Road (close), Church
Song Possibilites
You Me At Six - Reck-less
This song is an option because I really like the beat and the lyrics to this song and they also suggest that love is blind.
The Killers - When You Were Young
This song is an option because its a brilliant rock song with soft verses to a heavy chorus.
All Time Low - Circles
This song is all about a relationship going around in circles constantly. Quite a heavy song throughout.
Avril Lavigne - He Wasn't
Another song about a relationship but this time about it not working out. Woman lead vocalist.
All Time Low - Running From Lions
A metaphor for running away from a relationship for reasons unknown.
All Time Low - Lullabies
A metaphor for losing someone you love, "waiting to say, I miss you i'm so sorry"
All Time Low - Therapy
The song that everyone who has had or has depression will understand more than others.
Blink 182 - I miss you
A song about missing a loved one. Quite a slow song into a bigger ending.
Lost In Colour - Searching for the sun in the dark.
A heaving song. metaphor for every cloud has a silver lining.
This song is an option because I really like the beat and the lyrics to this song and they also suggest that love is blind.
The Killers - When You Were Young
This song is an option because its a brilliant rock song with soft verses to a heavy chorus.
All Time Low - Circles
This song is all about a relationship going around in circles constantly. Quite a heavy song throughout.
Avril Lavigne - He Wasn't
Another song about a relationship but this time about it not working out. Woman lead vocalist.
All Time Low - Running From Lions
A metaphor for running away from a relationship for reasons unknown.
All Time Low - Lullabies
A metaphor for losing someone you love, "waiting to say, I miss you i'm so sorry"
All Time Low - Therapy
The song that everyone who has had or has depression will understand more than others.
Blink 182 - I miss you
A song about missing a loved one. Quite a slow song into a bigger ending.
Lost In Colour - Searching for the sun in the dark.
A heaving song. metaphor for every cloud has a silver lining.
Sunday, 3 November 2013
How a Stars image develops over time through music video
The star who's image development I am analysis is Alex Gaskarth, Lead singer of the American band All
Time Low. Alexander William Gaskarth was born on the 14th December 1987 in Essex, England. When he was only six years of age his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland. This is where he and fellow band mate Jack Bakarat created the band All Time Low in their first year of high school.
Alex is lead singer for the band All Time Low and the genre that they cater for is mainly the punk rock/ punk pop genre.
In the earliest official video Alex is presented very much as just a typical teenage punk rocker. The long hair the skinny jeans and the fact that they will jump to anything with a decent beat to it. The video is from 2005 so when they were around the age of 15/16 and is a very simple video. In this video because they aren't that well known at the time the lead singer doesn't take as much of the camera time as they would today. They are just portrayed as an amateur band, and not a lead singer with musicians behind him/her which is how I feel music videos are made nowadays.
For example when he is singing the chorus the majority of the time the camera isn't actually on him, its elsewhere, its on them mucking around on the sofa, its on the bassist, its on the drummer. (1:30 - 1:50). To be honest from this video he isn't shown to have any star image as of yet.
Alex, well the whole band really are never specifically playing a character as they are always playing themselves but in different roles. They have had one video where they aren't playing themselves and they are based on someone else and this was for the song "I feel like dancing" and was a mimic of pop icons music videos for example, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Although Alex has never played a character he himself has been in many different roles; These include being on a chat show, being on a singing competition, being a mole in a whack a mole machine, and many others but most commonly he plays himself as a lead singer in a band.
In nearly every one of their videos he is performing, he is rhythm guitarist and lead singer and in the majority of the bands music videos he is included in a live performance. The most obvious one is for song TimeBomb. This is one of their newer up to date videos and in fact the idea for the video was thought up by Alex Gaskarth, Who has a lot more time on the camera than he has in previous videos.
The main visual motif that comes with Alex When hes performing is mainly the fact that he stands with his guitar slanted down the side of his body. He will also play it that way when he is playing live, its a habit I think but its turned into a motif that you recognize him for. As you can see in the image hes holding his guitar and slanted to the side. Although he doesn't do this all the time he does also switch sides.
A more obvious visual motif is of course his hair. It is if you like his trademark. It hasn't changed dramatically since the band first originated and therefore he is recognized for it. The long scruffy look. It may have changed minor in colour over the years including; black, blonde and even pink but never strayed from its original style. Other motifs include his stereotypical punk clothing for example skinny jeans and T-Shirts with writing on them.
The record company don't attempt to sell the star specifically they attempt to sell the band with Alex's Face. The record company is Hopeless Records, and when you go on their website they appear regularly.
Alex is at the front of the main image with his trademark hair flaring to the right. What they are doing is using the lead singer to sell the band pretty much which is a good tactic because as the band portray in one of their videos, although it is a band, the lead singer gets most of the original attention. Its only fanatics that then move on to the other band members when they get to know them a bit more.
During the Videos there are regular close ups of Alex when hes singing and when hes playing guitar or a certain role. He is the face of the band and this has changed a lot since the band first got together. When people say All Time Low people now think of him.
The videos very much present Alex and the band as who they are. All the videos are very creative, very different from any music video that has been produced before and that really reflects his personality and that affects his star image positively. All the videos involve props and some sort of dressing up. In the song "Six Feet Under The Stars", He is dressed up in a white flat cap, pink shirt and large sun glasses. This gives him a showoff, kind of vibe. In "Backseat Serenade" he is dressed up as what I can figure is a dog costume. This gives him a sense of immaturity and takes them back to the young band they once were. His costumes very much go with the theme of the video and are not placed specifically for him although he is a major part of the process.
For example, in the video for "Coffee Shop Soundtrack" he is wearing a towel as is everyone else but due to the filming you notice it on him first before any of the band members because due to his prestige he is positioned in the middle of the band because maybe he is considered the most important?
In most of the videos a Fish eye lens is used to film Alex because he is centered and it makes him seem larger in the image therefore more powerful and more impressionable.
In the bands newest video; "A Love Like War" Alex is pretty much at the front of nearly every shot throughout the video. This shows a correlation on how a stars image changes through their career, compare this to their original circles video and how much Alex was involved then compared to now. Alex is even on the thumbnail of the video. As the camera pans around during this video Alex's face is always the first one you see. The camera is set at the same height throughout and this is done so that Alex is the one you see the one the video is based around.
Applications that have come around during the existence of the band have also helped music videos and the way they develop. For example Youtube. Youtube has changed music videos as well as lots of other filmed media. But the way I watch and analyse these videos is through Youtube, so now Youtube is the target audience.
In conclusion, Throughout the time that All Time Low has been a band, it was only when they became popular on a small but still worldwide scale that their music videos started to reflect more on the lead singer now but I say more because its not entirely. A quote from the drummer Rian Dawson: "We are each one part of this band" and they know this which is why although their videos have changed since 2005, they aren't completely mainstreamed as others are today. Alex has developed massively though and you can see it, from a young immature teenage bouncing around to a mature man who still enjoys the music that he makes. But not only the video has progressed with him, his music as well. It was a lot more towards the rocky side when they started but as time went on they have edged towards pop punk. His image is a lot more important nowadays and it has change significantly since the band was created.
Alex is lead singer for the band All Time Low and the genre that they cater for is mainly the punk rock/ punk pop genre.
In the earliest official video Alex is presented very much as just a typical teenage punk rocker. The long hair the skinny jeans and the fact that they will jump to anything with a decent beat to it. The video is from 2005 so when they were around the age of 15/16 and is a very simple video. In this video because they aren't that well known at the time the lead singer doesn't take as much of the camera time as they would today. They are just portrayed as an amateur band, and not a lead singer with musicians behind him/her which is how I feel music videos are made nowadays.
For example when he is singing the chorus the majority of the time the camera isn't actually on him, its elsewhere, its on them mucking around on the sofa, its on the bassist, its on the drummer. (1:30 - 1:50). To be honest from this video he isn't shown to have any star image as of yet.
Alex, well the whole band really are never specifically playing a character as they are always playing themselves but in different roles. They have had one video where they aren't playing themselves and they are based on someone else and this was for the song "I feel like dancing" and was a mimic of pop icons music videos for example, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Although Alex has never played a character he himself has been in many different roles; These include being on a chat show, being on a singing competition, being a mole in a whack a mole machine, and many others but most commonly he plays himself as a lead singer in a band.
In nearly every one of their videos he is performing, he is rhythm guitarist and lead singer and in the majority of the bands music videos he is included in a live performance. The most obvious one is for song TimeBomb. This is one of their newer up to date videos and in fact the idea for the video was thought up by Alex Gaskarth, Who has a lot more time on the camera than he has in previous videos.
The main visual motif that comes with Alex When hes performing is mainly the fact that he stands with his guitar slanted down the side of his body. He will also play it that way when he is playing live, its a habit I think but its turned into a motif that you recognize him for. As you can see in the image hes holding his guitar and slanted to the side. Although he doesn't do this all the time he does also switch sides.A more obvious visual motif is of course his hair. It is if you like his trademark. It hasn't changed dramatically since the band first originated and therefore he is recognized for it. The long scruffy look. It may have changed minor in colour over the years including; black, blonde and even pink but never strayed from its original style. Other motifs include his stereotypical punk clothing for example skinny jeans and T-Shirts with writing on them.
The record company don't attempt to sell the star specifically they attempt to sell the band with Alex's Face. The record company is Hopeless Records, and when you go on their website they appear regularly.
Alex is at the front of the main image with his trademark hair flaring to the right. What they are doing is using the lead singer to sell the band pretty much which is a good tactic because as the band portray in one of their videos, although it is a band, the lead singer gets most of the original attention. Its only fanatics that then move on to the other band members when they get to know them a bit more.
During the Videos there are regular close ups of Alex when hes singing and when hes playing guitar or a certain role. He is the face of the band and this has changed a lot since the band first got together. When people say All Time Low people now think of him.
The videos very much present Alex and the band as who they are. All the videos are very creative, very different from any music video that has been produced before and that really reflects his personality and that affects his star image positively. All the videos involve props and some sort of dressing up. In the song "Six Feet Under The Stars", He is dressed up in a white flat cap, pink shirt and large sun glasses. This gives him a showoff, kind of vibe. In "Backseat Serenade" he is dressed up as what I can figure is a dog costume. This gives him a sense of immaturity and takes them back to the young band they once were. His costumes very much go with the theme of the video and are not placed specifically for him although he is a major part of the process.
For example, in the video for "Coffee Shop Soundtrack" he is wearing a towel as is everyone else but due to the filming you notice it on him first before any of the band members because due to his prestige he is positioned in the middle of the band because maybe he is considered the most important?
In most of the videos a Fish eye lens is used to film Alex because he is centered and it makes him seem larger in the image therefore more powerful and more impressionable.
In the bands newest video; "A Love Like War" Alex is pretty much at the front of nearly every shot throughout the video. This shows a correlation on how a stars image changes through their career, compare this to their original circles video and how much Alex was involved then compared to now. Alex is even on the thumbnail of the video. As the camera pans around during this video Alex's face is always the first one you see. The camera is set at the same height throughout and this is done so that Alex is the one you see the one the video is based around.
Applications that have come around during the existence of the band have also helped music videos and the way they develop. For example Youtube. Youtube has changed music videos as well as lots of other filmed media. But the way I watch and analyse these videos is through Youtube, so now Youtube is the target audience.
In conclusion, Throughout the time that All Time Low has been a band, it was only when they became popular on a small but still worldwide scale that their music videos started to reflect more on the lead singer now but I say more because its not entirely. A quote from the drummer Rian Dawson: "We are each one part of this band" and they know this which is why although their videos have changed since 2005, they aren't completely mainstreamed as others are today. Alex has developed massively though and you can see it, from a young immature teenage bouncing around to a mature man who still enjoys the music that he makes. But not only the video has progressed with him, his music as well. It was a lot more towards the rocky side when they started but as time went on they have edged towards pop punk. His image is a lot more important nowadays and it has change significantly since the band was created.
Behind the Lyrics
Lullabies by All Time Low.
The true meaning behind this song is probably about the death of his older brother. He was an alcoholic and its thought that he committed suicide "throw the bottle, break the door and disappear" When he says disappear he means return to England, his parents and his brother tom had gotten into a fight about his alcoholism and went back to England where he was from. He briefly sings about the pain his brother left behind with the family. Alex was young when his brother died (i believe) about 12, so when he says "i could have learnt so much from you, but whats left now?" meaning every little brother learns from their big brother and how he is gone, losing that opportunity Its a very powerful and sad song, and not many people who hear the song know the true meaning.
Make it a sweet, sweet goodbye - it could be for the last time and it's not right.
"Don't let yourself get in over your head," he said.
Alone and far from home we'll find you
Dead like a candle you burned out; Spill the wax over the spaces left in place of angry words. Scream to be heard, like you needed any more attention; Throw the bottle, break the door, and disappear.
Sing me to sleep, I'll see you in my dreams, waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry." Forever's never seemed so long as when you're not around it's like a piece of me is missing. I could have learned so much from you but what's left now? Don't you realize you brought this family a world of pain? Can't you see there could have been a happy ending we let go?
Sing me to sleep, I'll see you in my dreams, waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry."
Sing me to sleep (You've taken so much with you) I'll see you in my dreams, (But left the worst with me), Waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry."
Dead like a candle you burned out; Spill the wax over the spaces left in place of angry words. Scream to be heard, like you needed any more attention; Throw the bottle, break the door, and disappear.
Sing me to sleep, I'll see you in my dreams, waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry." Forever's never seemed so long as when you're not around it's like a piece of me is missing. I could have learned so much from you but what's left now? Don't you realize you brought this family a world of pain? Can't you see there could have been a happy ending we let go?
Sing me to sleep, I'll see you in my dreams, waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry."
Sing me to sleep (You've taken so much with you) I'll see you in my dreams, (But left the worst with me), Waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry."
The true meaning behind this song is probably about the death of his older brother. He was an alcoholic and its thought that he committed suicide "throw the bottle, break the door and disappear" When he says disappear he means return to England, his parents and his brother tom had gotten into a fight about his alcoholism and went back to England where he was from. He briefly sings about the pain his brother left behind with the family. Alex was young when his brother died (i believe) about 12, so when he says "i could have learnt so much from you, but whats left now?" meaning every little brother learns from their big brother and how he is gone, losing that opportunity Its a very powerful and sad song, and not many people who hear the song know the true meaning.
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
Go Pro Camera
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to borrow a top of the range Go Pro camera from a teacher at my school to do some camera tests on. I have posted the best results on other posts including:
Camera Test Two
Camera Test Three
The camera was a bit tricky to get used to but after a little while I got the hang of it. Although it is an expensive piece of kit, its also pretty much indestructible when inside its most suited case.
It came with a lot of equipment including multiple cases for different uses, Cleaning equipment, multiple memory cards and card reader.
It also came with a handle for the camera. I did test this in my garden and it didn't really make much difference apart from the obvious fact that it gives you a better grip.
It came with a suction grip as well which I found very useful, I used this to stick it to my car to improve upon my Camera Test One. I didn't explore as many angles as I wish I could have because I didn't have enough time because I had to get the camera back and I was also loosing day light.
And It also came with a head band which it attached to for POV shots. I tested this in Camera Test Two and Three. The Head cam actually performed better than I thought it would. Only issue is that the camera does sit higher than the head so this needs to be taken into account.
Camera Test Two
Camera Test Three
The camera was a bit tricky to get used to but after a little while I got the hang of it. Although it is an expensive piece of kit, its also pretty much indestructible when inside its most suited case.
It came with a lot of equipment including multiple cases for different uses, Cleaning equipment, multiple memory cards and card reader.
It also came with a handle for the camera. I did test this in my garden and it didn't really make much difference apart from the obvious fact that it gives you a better grip.
It came with a suction grip as well which I found very useful, I used this to stick it to my car to improve upon my Camera Test One. I didn't explore as many angles as I wish I could have because I didn't have enough time because I had to get the camera back and I was also loosing day light.
And It also came with a head band which it attached to for POV shots. I tested this in Camera Test Two and Three. The Head cam actually performed better than I thought it would. Only issue is that the camera does sit higher than the head so this needs to be taken into account.
Music Videos Watched - With Sandhya Gulsin
Music Videos we have watched as a group and analyzed briefly:
- All Time Low - A Love Like War - This video is based on a small set which looks very much like an old fashioned cinema. Throughout the video it is like you're watching a tape reel and the black separators block your view every now and then and the shape of the cinema gives the effect the cameras rotating.
- All Time Low - Timebomb - This video is pretty much a live performance and a chase scene. I don't fully understand it because its a little strange. The set is on top of an abandoned building which i think is very effective.
- Blink182 - Dammit - Based in a cinema this video just tells the story of the lyrics and nothing more. There is also a small set for the live performance.
- The Killers - Somebody Told Me - I really like the lighting effects in this video with the separate bulbs and the setting of the live performance pretty much in the desert.
- The Killers - Runaways - Once again I like the lighting for this video. At the end of the video they are standing on red lit up stages and have some sort of animation of a road over their heads which I feel is very effective.
- The Killers - Read My Mind - This is a strange video, but that's why I like it so much! its very different and effective. Its filmed in Japan no doubt about that.
- Paramore - Still Into You - This video is quite simple compared to others. It all seems to be filmed inside one house with bmx's, baloons, ballet dancers you name it. Another random video.
- Avril Lavigne - Skater Boy - This video follows the lyrics of the song but is also very dramatic and definatley not simple. The effect of this video is massive as she pretty much causes a gridlock.
- The Summer Set - Lightening in a Bottle - This video is a bit slower than the ones we'd normally analyse but I like the song so I made Sandhya watch it. Its simple just a load of kids having fun while they are young.
- You Me at Six - Bite my Tongue - I think this video is brilliant, The lead singer uses a massive control pad to control the rest of the band who are strung up like puppets. Its also on a very dark eary set.
- Fall Out Boy - The Phoenix - This video is part of an album of videos. They all tell a story and this part is about the band being captured for stealing something and the lead singers hand gets cut off.
- Blink182 - The Rock Show - I like this video because it is just natural. The four band members just running naked through their hometown. And a naked performance as well. Simple but effective.
Monday, 14 October 2013
Camera Test Three
Bike head camera test:
I used the head band that came with the Go Pro when I went for a short ride on my bike. You cant see much of the bike for half the time although its is kept moderately steady considering.
I used the head band that came with the Go Pro when I went for a short ride on my bike. You cant see much of the bike for half the time although its is kept moderately steady considering.
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