A2 Media Studies

Advanced Portfolio Music Video Checklist

All of these tasks need to be completed.
The list is a minimum. Be creative and inventive to get the top grades!
ONGOING: MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION BLOG ENTRIES

Aim for 2-3 posts per week. Give lots of detail about the creative decisions you make
on a day to day basis about filming, editing, photoshop etc..

Explain how production and editing is going

Upload LOTS of photos of you and your group planning ideas, storyboarding, editing
on iMovie / Final Cut, behind the scenes pics of you on location...

Be creative in your use of ICT: use instagram, snapchat, screen shots of twitter, vlogs,
prezis, embedded youtube clips, tube chop

ONGOING: A lot of ongoing evidence of research into other music videos that link to your
track

Upload LOTS of inspirational music videos, but also tubechop adverts, extracts from
films and TV dramas

Aim for minimum one video per week.

Comment on why youve selected each video on your blog using technical terms: are
you inspired by the editing, mise-en-scene, camerawork, low key lighting, framing,
colour palette, narrative features.. etc.

My advice is to look at as many as you can, even if just a few seonds of the video are
of interest. A good tool to edit YouTube clips is http://www.tubechop.com/

Post about the conventions for music videos, and the generic conventions fit the
genre you are working with. Think about how music videos of the genre are instantly
recognisable to represent that genre.

ROLLOVER: Genre research

Detailed research into your chosen genre including: record labels, target audience,
how the band/artist represents themselves on album covers, magazine interviews,
Guardian Media online, BBC news etc..

ROLLOVER: Analysis of similar media products

Tick when
completed

At least four music videos analysed in detail, with videos embedded in your blog.

Make links with the genre of your track and apply Goodwins and Archers analysis of
music videos.

You may also want to think about representation theories such as gaze theory (Laura
Mulvey), star theory (Richard Dyer) etc.

ROLLOVER RESEARCH AND PLANNING: a brief storyboard and preliminary video

Copy the opening 20-30 seconds of a real music video shot-for-shot. Embed screen
within screen so the examiner can see the original video alongside your own version.

ROLLOVER RESEARCH AND PLANNING: Location recces

Use rollover and the summer holidays to upload lots of primary and secondary images
of inspirational locations you could use to film your video.

Keep locations to a minimum, but be creative a simple but unusual backdrop can be
extremely effective

Use resources you have: what connections do you have to interesting locations?

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: upload a Treatment Pitch

Make a Prezi or PPT with screen shots of planning stages, your script, narrative /
performance elements, how this fits with your genre.

Video your pitch and upload.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: Intertextuality in music videos

Define intertextuality, upload video with examples of intertextuality

What are YOUR influences are and how might you use these influences in YOUR
video?

This part will help broaden your research where you can focus on (for example) film,
advertising, fashion, television, video games, print media etc.
AUDIENCE FEEDBACK stage one : planning stages

Write questionnaires to discover who are your audience?

What videos do they like, why they watch music videos, what they expect of a video
from your genre.

Reflect on your findings in your blog posts. Ask your audience your ideas and get
initial feedback. Comment on what you found out from your questionnaires and how
you will use this information during your planning.

Do some audio or video recordings of this audience feedback: vlogs, focus groups etc.

This part is on-going especially during your planning and production process.
AUDIENCE FEEDBACK: stage two

Upload classification of your target audience: who are you targeting in terms of age,
gender, occupation (social grouping), hobbies and interests - what films, TV shows,
other music does your audience like? (media grouping) How can you appeal to your
audience through their wider intersts?

Upload audience theory: Uses and Gratifications, Ferdinand de Saussure, Roland

Barthes, Stuart Hall oppositional/negotiated/preferred readings; hypodermic syringe
theory..

You will need to produce questionnaires and surveys to upload: use

www.surveymonkey.co.uk or a similar website write face to face questionnaires, film
a small focus group, create a twitter account for your artist and request feedback. Be
creative in your approach.

Get audience feedback at each stage of planning and production: before planning
your storyboard ideas, your storyboard, your initial edits, ideas for costumes, props,
locations etc..

EVALUATE: how you will use the information.

Audience Feedback stage three:

Film focus groups what did your audience think of your final product? EVALUATE:
what you found from the feedback and what you would change next time.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: copyright permission

Email the production company for your chosen track. Ask permission to use their
song, state for educational purposes only, print screen the email, upload image onto
your blog

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: music industry:

Who are the main television companies which show videos?

Where do audiences watch music videos?

What is the purpose of music videos? (think about the business side of music videos)

What makes someone watch a music video again, and again, and..

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: record labels from your genre.

How are music videos products distributed? Through what avenues? Why is social

media important for these companies; how are record companies using social media?
What can you do thats similar?
You may also want to look into streaming sites such as LastFM and Spotify.
RESEACH AND PLANNING: Storyboards

Upload the lyrics to your chosen song. Annotate lyrics with your ideas.

Upload your storyboard: either paper version, or create an iMovie using google
images. Break down your video second by second.

Produce a shooting schedule in an Excel document and upload.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: create an animatic of your storyboard and upload.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING:

Use Excel to make a shooting schedule with a list of people involved, props,
equipment, location, filming dates etc. Take this with your on shoots

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: mise-en-scene: costumes and props

Documentation of costumes and props: screen shot copies of receipts for any props
bought, any artwork produced or backdrops, screen shots of purchases eg from
Amazon

FILMING YOUR VIDEO: upload a final locations list and recces.

You need to have evidence of this before you go and shoot do recces of a variety of
possible locations. Take photographs. Compare advantages/disadvantages of
locations. How do your locations fit with your music videos genre? Explain

REPRESENTATION of people/groups in your video how are you representing groups (think
about your audience and representations which will appeal to them). Upload images of
costumes and makeup justify your decisions.
DIGIPAK RESARCH AND PLANNING
Analyse at least four digipaks from your genre focus on all elements of the album CD
covers:

What is a digipak? History of digipak design, size, dimensions

Conventions of digipaks from your genre

The fonts used for artists from your genre

The layout, colour palette for your genre

The use of images and positioning: photographs, artwork

The small legal print information on the back

Create your own digipak. Ensure there is a clear link between your two ancillary products and
your music video eg through images, font type, design, theme..
How effective is the combination of your music video and digipak?

Who is your target audience and how does your digipak appeal to this audience?
(colours, images, font type, similar design to other digipaks in your genre)

How did you use technology in the construction and research; and planning stages of
your music video and digipak?

What media technologies have you used in the production of your

imovie, Photoshop, Paint, blogging, incorporated ideas from other subject areas
photography, art

MAGAZINE ADVERT RESEARCH AND PLANNING

Analysing at least four adverts for artists/bands from your genre

What images and font style do they use?

Tour dates? Biographies? Links to other companies that may sponsor the band?

Look at the positioning of the page; the layout of text and images.

Create your own magazine advert. Ensure there is a clear link between your two ancillary
products and your music video eg through images, font type, design, theme..

ONLINE TOOLS
www.wordle.net - an online tool to produce creative thematic word clouds/brainstorms
www.bubbl.us - online brainstorm/mindmap creator
www.prezi.com - interactive presentations
www.pixton.com - an online comic strip creator
www.scrapblog.com - online scrapbook tool
www.mashuparts.com - the ability to combine multimedia to form another product
www.sketch.odosketch.com - online sketching
www.mindmeister.com - online mindmap creator
www.smartdraw.com - create 3d graphs or spider diagrams
www.spicynodes.org - online organisation tool for websites
www.gliffy.com - flowchart creator etc
www.evernote.com - upload photos and make notes on top to preserve ideas
www.springnote.com - create group notebook online
www.glogster.com - online poster construction
www.my-diary.org - free online diary
www.goanimate.com - create animations for free
www.polljunkie.com - create online polls/questionnaires
www.animoto.com - create short 30 second videos out of photos or video clips
www.voicethread.com - upload docs and allow people to leave comments
www.authorstream.com - upload and share powerpoints to blogs/websites
www.slideshare.com - upload and share documents to blogs
www.mixbook.com - create photo albums and share online
www.timeglider.com - create online timelines for projects/research
www.timetoast.com - create online timelines for projects/research
www.voki.com - convert text to speech online voice for websites
www.prezentit.com - online presentations
www.vcasmo.com - synchronise videos and slideshows side by side
www.worditout.com - word cloud generator
www.sketchfu.com - Create a drawing, save and play back as a movie of the drawing being
created. Embed into any webpage www.a.freshbrain.com - decision making tool
www.openstreetmap.org - online editable world map useful for location details
www.tadalist.com - free to-do list creator
www.video2mp3.net - convert videos from youtube to mp3
www.wallwisher.com - online comments board
Some more here: http://ashfieldmediastudies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/some-useful-onlinetools.html

MARK SCHEME
At A2, in terms of production 40 marks will be allocated to the main task and 10 marks each for the
two ancillary tasks.

Construction of your music video: Level 4

32 40 marks

Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction must be

evident. The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the
following technical skills:

holding a shot steady, where appropriate;

framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

shooting material appropriate to the task set;

selecting mise-en-scne including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;

using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and appropriately;

using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task.

Research and planning on your blog : Level 4

1620 marks

There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.

There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

Time management is excellent.

There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and planning.

There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

There are excellent communication skills.

Evaluation on your blog:

Level 4

16-20 marks

Each candidate will evaluate and reflect on the creative process and their experience of it. The
questions that must be addressed in the evaluation are:

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and
evaluation stages

Level 4

1620 marks

There is excellent understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions

There is excellent understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the
production.

There is excellent understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

There is excellent understanding of the significance of audience feedback.

There is excellent skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.

There is excellent ability to communicate.

There is excellent use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.

Level 4 (Print) this will be for the print ancillary tasks

The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following
technical skills:
awareness of conventions of layout and page design
awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size
accurate use of language and register
the appropriate use of ICT for the task set
appropriate integration of illustration and text
framing a shot, using a variety of shot distances as appropriate
shooting material appropriate to the task set; selecting mise-en-scne including colour, figure,
lighting, objects and setting
manipulating photographs as appropriate, including cropping and resizing.