Critical Creative Reflection- Music Video
Critical Creative Reflection- CCR
How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues?
Hello everyone and welcome back to the blog! Today I am looking back over my completed music video and reflecting over how everything went. In the creation of my "Viva la Vida" music video by the artist Coldplay, I wanted to go against the grain of traditional music videos by telling a story about someone's struggle with their mental health, a topic which is not often put to use in most music videos, especially involving a man and his mental health. The music video dives into this topic by telling a story of a boy who after goes looking for his friends who's not really real. And after endless searching eventually finds them again, which reinforces the idea that they never came to terms with their mental health and are clearly not doing anything about it if they are continuing to live in this delusion. This represents the struggle of men's mental health in the modern society of today, an alarmingly large percentage of men today struggle with their mental health today and receive almost no help for it, almost like it is considered taboo. Not a lot of effort is done in our current society to help men with their struggles, in fact the idea of men struggling with mental health is not a subject that is taken very seriously. It is thought of as an issue they should be able to solve on their own. Most men therefore try to cope and live with their struggle instead of actually finding a solution which is demonstrated in the music video when the boy is content with his life after reconnecting with his imaginary friend.
How does your product engage with audiences AND how would it be distributed as a real media text?
My music video engages the audiences through the visual richness and storytelling it portrays. The use of color grading and scenic shots and photography throughout the music video works as an attention grabbing gimmick as beautiful footage is hard to avoid looking at. Along with the storytelling magic also used, the perfect editing and special effects also work to make the video visually appealing and easy to watch. The special effects used give the audience something interesting to grab their attention as they don’t know what will happen next. As for the means of distributing this video, the video will debut on popular streaming services first. Specifically released on YouTube and social media as these are the biggest platforms for audiences interested in visual media. And due to the algorithms of these social media sites, high quality media is rapidly recommended to others which only further spreads the video to others.
How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
Over the course of the assignment, my production abilities improved dramatically. I developed my skills in visual storytelling and discovered how to use visuals to communicate difficult concepts and feelings. To tell a better story I learned all there is to the editing process and preparation. I spent many weeks planning out the dates, wardrobe, set and actors for each planned day of filming. This method of planning ahead magnified my production value and efficiency leading to a better performing video. The countless hours spent in the editing process made me a near master at using my software. I had the editing process down to a routine and habit, getting work done way faster than on previous projects and creating a higher quality edit. The numerous hours spent filming and constantly reshooting scenes also led to a great improvement in my camera work and in my creativity. As I spent more time at each set filming I was able to see scenes in my head clearer and improve them on the spot, I got better at improvising when troubles arose and I found myself better at directing what I wanted in each scene.
How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?
The production of this music video relied on a large range of modern technologies in this production. High-end video editing tools made it easier to create smooth visual effects and transitions, which improved the overall aesthetic. One of these high-end editing tools was the Adobe Premiere Pro editing software. This software was the holy grail when it came down to editing this project. What I love about Premiere Pro is that I can truly extract every ounce of creativity from my head and apply it to my job, thanks to this program. Although I initially found it difficult to understand, it helped me with the editing I required for my music video. It is merely too complex; its hundreds of capabilities might be a little overwhelming initially. However, things improved quickly; I simply had to do a few YouTube searches to begin using the software efficiently. The software choice was obvious to me as no other brands out there can really achieve what Premiere is able to provide, which is why I love using it so much. Besides the software I used in the production I also utilized a few pieces of hardware. I believe the choice to use hardware like my tripod and ring light were an extremely important choice in this project. In order to achieve a professional and visually appealing look in my music video integration of hardware like tripods and ring lights were a necessity. I used ring lights for their ability to generate even and gentle lighting which was an essential tool for elevating the visual appeal of actors or scenes and to properly portray a message clearly. The flattering illumination that they provide also goes well with the mood of the music. You can’t have a dull and dark video, which ring lights helped me avoid. Now, tripods offer the fundamental steadiness required to capture smooth and stable video. The stable camera angles are essential for delivering the intended message without the jitters and shakes that come with filming handheld. This was especially important to have during the filming of the beach scene where the waves can easily ruin the smoothness of the video. Thanks to tripods I was able to achieve a professional looking footage for the music video. That is all the time I have today, thank you for reading.
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