POSTMODERNISM

 

Recently we worked on Postmodernism used in films, tv programmes and music videos. Postmodernism is a concept which has currently become popular, used as a way of describing & grouping styles of thought and culture. Most postmodern texts play with meaning and exhibit intertextuality (referencing to other texts that might be recognised by the target audience). They present a whole range of readings that can be interpreted by a diverse audience however the audience perceives the text - for example a children's film such as Toy Story 3 appeals to children for its funny characters and bright colours exhibited in the pictures below..

..however, the humour used is ultimately aimed at an older audience - maybe to attract the parents who take their children to watch the film - as exhibited in this preview from when "Barbie meets Ken". This interaction between the two characters shows stereotypical 'corny' romance which Disney is known best for, but pokes fun at the way these two famous doll icons were "made for each other". By using the humour to connect with an older audience, this makes the film appealing to a diverse audience and not just children for which it at first appears to be intended.

 Many sophisticated visual puns, as used in advertising, can be described as postmodern. This Burger King advert uses sexual connotations to appeal to an older audience - probably a more masculine dominated audience that would find these sexual connotations amusing with the references of this burger being a "super seven incher".

Postmodern texts also use referential techniques such as bricolage, using images or ideas that are entirely juxtaposed to their original function - such as the Stomp dance troupe which use every day items to create music.

With Postmodernism in mind, part of my task is to incorporate Postmodern references within my music video.

My Postmodern references come from the research I have done, looking into other music videos of similar and different genres and also from films I have seen that I think interlink well with my choice of audience.

Firstly I have chosen to link my music video with that of Telephone by Lady Gaga, previously analysed in my research. I liked the clever use of jump shots and transitions in her video which added to the narrative of the song. Within my storyboard on number 1 I have used a jump shot in shots 2 + 3 where my character sits up quickly in bed.

I will also use this same effect for the 'electric shocks' to exaggerate the reaction of the robot girl. I am aiming for my video to have comic book elements as I feel this relates well to my choice of target audience -teenagers aged 16-19. I have gained this impression of my target audience from my questionnaire after mentions that I should include humour and cliche's in my video. This lead me to the film Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, a recently released film based on a Canadian comic book about a 23 year old slacker who falls in love with the girl of his dreams. 

He then has to battle off her league of evil ex-boyfriends to win her heart. This cliched story line grabbed my attention and having seen the film it references a lot to the comic book it derives from; for example the use of comic fonts and onomatopoeia to exaggerate the action in this action-comedy.

   

This also goes alongside my analysis of The Hoosier's video Goodbye Mr A which also is set to look like a comic book and pokes fun at well known comic book heroes with the references within the music video.

Within my video I plan to use similar onomatopoeia such as in the first sequence from number 1 of my storyboard, where she yawns on the bed I might use a large font such as the one used above, but saying YAWN! and during the sequence shot outside with people going past her on the street I will use hearts to show the viewer the robot girl's reaction when she notices the boy watching her in the street.

FILMING GONE WRONG.

Unfortunately, even though my cast - both Ben & Ali - turned up for filming today, we were not aware however that there would be a market when we were filming. For the sake of continuity, we have decided to film on another day when the market is not there.

FILMING CONTINUED

After a week of filming my robot girl main character and the boy she discovers in town, I have started on editing the video sorting out transitions and trimming the clips to the correct timings. I have tried to make my final video as close to the storyboard as possible.

FILMING CONTINUED

Today I filmed Ali in her room for the introduction of my music video. This part is where she wakes up and gets dressed into several costumes before adding on her robot head prop. This part of the video takes inspiration from Lady Gaga's Telephone video which I previously researched - I particularly liked the use of jumps and transitions and thought they added to create a great effect that fit the plot and lyrics. Within my video I will use this idea but as Ali is waking up, where she sits up I will use a jump shot that shows a relationship between the visual and lyrics spoken "electric shocks"  amplifying the meaning so it represents a jump or shock sensation that you feel when this happens.

 

 These images show me filming on a digital camera, which I chose because of its high quality as it is a HD camera of footage and ease of use. 

FILMING

Today I started filming as on the schedule; with the help of Ali Smart playing my Robot Girl character. I filmed her running past the gate of a church yard and up to the school. I chose to do this part first as they are quite short shots but actually make up a lot of the video; there needs to be a lot of shots of her running to create the sequence and keep the pace of the video flowing well alongside the pace of the music. I took a lot from the side angle keeping the directly shoteyeline with the robot girl to maintain the connection with the audience. It was very bright and sunny outside and I wanted to capture her running into the sunlight where there was a slight lens flare.

The props we used were the cardboard box, silver robot head; which was slightly annoying for Ali to run in, but we overcame this problem as she held it as she ran. The costume I asked her to wear was a black top, black tights and boots and a cute grey netting skirt. The reason I chose these particular items were that they aren't too over the top, the netting skirt adds femininity to her character against the quite rugged and boyish boots. The boots are very military style which combines with the idea that a robot is similarly very military in the way it moves and that it is programmed to do things. I also felt the masculinity was important to keep prominant in the genre as Indie is a very masculine dominated genre and we do not have the masculine presence of the band.

CD COVER IDEAS

I have started thinking of initial ideas for images for my CD cover. I am still unsure about how the font of the title will look so I have just mainly focused on the image. I am trying to link the image to the song and the band; my first image is of a 'beware of electrocution' sign where I have drawn a robot in the place of a man. I chose to do this because it fits with the title of the song - Electric Shocks - and is an easily recognisable image with the added twist of the robot that interlinks with the video of the robot girl and the band's name Robot Disaster.

My second image is of the lead singer with a sparkler which I don't like as much as the first idea because although it interlinks with the video where I will have sparklers used in a dancing sequence of shots, I don't think it represents the band well or the song. However the sparkler links well with the video and uses mise-en-scene as representation of the song title.

I spoke to my teacher about these ideas and he suggested that I could use sparklers in images inside the cover sleeve. I am considering taking video stills from the dancing sequence or taking photos after filming the dancing sequence that could be used as he suggested.

 I also have been inspired by this image of Fox Base Alpha's cover for the album Saint Etienne.

I like the idea of someone holding the electric shocks sign I have created, so I have drawn some ways in which the sign could be incorporated within a picture rather than just a picture of it.

These two images of how the sign could be incorporated within an image on the CD cover I am pleased with and think I will show to my target audience and the band as I think both would look equally good on the CD sleeve.  In the first image I have used the sign as an embroidery patch that has been sewn onto G-Star's shirt. The canted angle of the photo suggests anonymity and "coolness" as the camera would be shot from quite a low angle suggesting he represents people of a higher status and appearing as if he is more important than the viewer of the image. The patch works well as it becomes part of his costume and not just a prop. By being something that he wears it makes the symbol become subtle and a part of his identity. In the second I have used the sign in a similar way to Fox Base Alpha but I have kept the sign to being triangular. My other idea does not use people though it is merely just mise-en-scene and use of the setting as the image. It shows the sign on a fence. I was inspired by a part of the Lady Gaga Telephone music video I analysed in my preliminery research.

STORYBOARD

I have finalized my storyboard for my music video, the song is approx 3 minutes 40 seconds long and within my storyboard I have put above each picture the approximate timing of the shot - and lyrics if there are any, the type of shot and the angle of the shot as well. Then below I have briefly explained what is happening in the shot and explanations for my choices of shot and the effects I aim to achieve.

The narrative of my storyboard is as follows:

My girl character is seen asleep in bed, with a panning camera shot that leads to a close-up of her face. As soon as the lead singer says "Friday nights" her eyes open suddenly and she sits up - shown as a jump shot - on "Electric shocks".  I have used these fast actions not only because they fit with the pace of the song but also to show her in a supernatural kind of way - as if she is "superhuman" and unreal.

We then see some more jump shots as she is changing, getting ready for school, trying on different outfits. We never see her put them on but the impression is that she is changing as if by magic with each different pose she makes in front of the camera which she treats like a mirror as we start to see close-ups montaged with medium long shots whilst she puts on her jewellery and ruffles her hair.

We then see her come down the stairs and as she opens her front door - again a close-up shot chosen to concentrate the audience's attention on the jump shot used to create the effect of an electric shock which she receives as she touches the door handle.