This is a collection of key moments during the production and planning of the music video. These include management meetings between myself and the client, film shoots and official documentation relating to the development process of the music video.
Client Meetings
Meeting 1 – Jan 27th – 21:00pm
Topic of Discussion – Choice of Song, Meaning of Lyrics, Influences, Blog, Biography and Design Brief
Outcome/Action Plan - I am to set up the blog for the project in time for the follow up meeting next week. I will write a biography for Mischa that covers his influences as an artist, his goals as a person and a detailed description of what inspired him to write the song he wants me to record the video for. This is to be completed within a week so that we can commence the planning and production of the music video.
Meeting 2 – February 5th – 20:00pm
Topic of Discussion – Initial Ideas, Lyrical Representation, Upcoming Live Events
Outcome/Action Plan – This week we discussed the best way of representing the meaning of the song, and if this was even possible. Without being told the meaning of the song, i would have thought it was about something different, and this reminded me that everyone interprets the lyrics in their own unique way. So i have agreed to look at how other artists of a similar nature portray themselves in these songs and music videos. At the same time, i am going to research what people think the song is about. In the next week I will build up a catalogue of images that people draw of how this song makes them feel. this is purely experimental, and i may not build on the images, but i would like to see the broad spectrum of emotion this song creates.
Mischa is also playing a gig at an event in Bournemouth that has been put together to raise money for the Haiti earthquake. This footage is only for the sake of archive footage which i will use when putting the DVD together of all his live footage. I like the thought of getting some casual busking footage as it means i can get a pure indication of Mischa talents in the purest of forms. This gig is on sunday so I need to plan how im going to film before i shoot.
Meeting 3 – February 22nd – 16:00
Topic of Discussion – Experiments, Upcoming Live Events
Outcome/Action Plan – This was a very brief meeting and was primarily for me to show him how i was progressing with my ideas. I showed Mischa my experimental meaning piece and he loved it, as it was very true. I explained the reasoning behind it, that everyone interprets these things differently and he agreed. The idea that there was this underlying current of sadness and joy that linked us all in different ways rung very true once the final piece had been completed. The deeper concepts touched on in this piece will give me some good starting blocks to build from and develop my concepts steadily. the other topic of discussion was the upcoming live event called Pink Moon. This was another opportunity for me to get some decent footage of Mischa playing live. We discussed the desired outcomes of this shoot with the final piece in mind. In time, i will interview Mischa about his music and influences etc We chose several songs that would give him some interesting material to talk about, and it was these songs we decided that Mischa would play during his upcoming gig. The name of these songs are Paranoids and Fears, Memories and Overworked and Underpaid.
Meeting 4 – March 16th – 19:00
Topic of Discussion - Filming Schedule: Dates, Times and Content
Outcome/Action Plan –
Film Shoots
Haiti Fundraiser – The Old Firestation, Bournemouth – February 7th 2010 18:00
This was a very important shoot for me. It was actually an opportunity not to be missed in that it was a very unique event, it was for a good cause and i thought it would fit in very nicely with my documentry when i put it together at the end of this project. In terms of what i wanted to achieve I had set myself a mini experiment. I wanted to use an editing and camera trick to create a multicamera version of ’On My Own’ with only one camera. It did actually work in theory but i did not get a big variety of shots. Mainly because with only one acoustic artist it is harder to create the illusion because there were less instruments to imitate. The other was to just get a couple of really nice clips of mischa playing some unique music. Nothing fancy but i wanted some nicely composed shots to use in my blog and in later developments. Overall it was a very successful shoot but it is a long long way from where i want to be. I am happy with what i achieved which is the main thing really.
Pink Moon – Chaplins, Bournemouth – February 23rd 20:00
Mischa was the final act of a very well organised music night in Boscombe, Bournemouth. It was clear to me that this night, although not incredibly vital, was another ideal chance to make some vital mistake and even get some decent footage of Mischa aswell as other acts. The main issue i encountered almost immediately, was where I was going to film from. The area we were filming in was no bigger than 15 x 20 meters. Add seating and sound equipment and this limited you to maybe two realistic vantage points. I decided not to over complicate things, so i set up camer behind the coffee bar, directly opposite the microphone about 15 meters away. By and large this was fine, it meant my footage was never going to be too stylish but all i wanted was some nice, clean footage that looked nice. The multi coloured lighting the organisers used was excellent and so far this was the best i had seen. I encountered two problems, neither of which were crucial…but both were equally annoying. All throughout Mischas set there were people walking in front of the camera which meant i only managed to get two songs that weren’t ruined. This was despite numerous artists requesting the audience don’t walk in front of the stage, on my behalf. The other issue was that just before I started recording ‘On My Own’…..the tape ran out! I believe this is what is popularly known as Sods Law. An abstract theory….that seems very real now i can assure you. Panicking, I rewound the tape about 20 minutes and started recording….over the stuff i recorded of Mischa at the beginning. Luckily, this footage wasnt great to begin with….but i was rather annoyed i lost my cool. The important thing to take from this experience though is a lesson. Ultimately, whilst people walked in front of the camera, this was largely down to my poor positioning…but i was rather limited in choice so i wont beat myself up about it. Overall, i got what i came for…which was two decent clips of a couple of songs that I had in mind…so that when i interview Mischa about them I have some live footage to back it up.
The Journey to & From Work
