POP VIDEO 2009 / 10

THE BRIEF:
As a group we are to develop a concept, image and brand for a new singer, group or band and develop and produce their first pop video, their first DVD cover and their first magazine advertisement. In order to establish the group and especially their image and brand for a particular target audience.

THE FIVE STAGES OF PRODUCTION FOR A POP VIDEO:

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT –
Forming a group: me, Tom Leader and Jorden Pinchen.
Choosing a track and artist.
Beginning to develop ideas within the group how the song will be treated in terms of: performance, possible narrative, possible other images.
Pitching ideas to the commissioning executives/ marketing department of the record company. Pitch includes:
- Storyboards.
- Target audience.
- Institutional context.
- Lyrics to the song/s.
- Current images of the band or artist.
- The basic concept behind the video and the ideological values behind the concept.

PRE-PRODUCTION –
· Call sheets for the day.
· Group roles list (producer, director, camera coordinator, chief editor, lighting designer and studio floor manager).
· Sorting out cast, location and props.
· Producing a time line: how the song lyrics will coincide with the visual.
· Creating storyboards which include technical directions (shot number, shot type, camera movement, sound track lyrics, lighting, actions, location, special effects, and editing transitions).
· Floor plans/ lighting plans.
· Shooting schedule – shot by shot, locations, am/pm etc.
· Equipment list for shoot day.
· Cast list, produced after camera tests are done to see if the cast “work” on camera.
· Plans for DVD cover and magazine advert.

PRODUCTION – This is carried out on the previously planned shoot day – the footage in and out of the studio is all filmed and safely labelled and stored. The crew all carry out the jobs in which they have previously been assigned to.
POST-PRODUCTION – The editing of the footage is carried out, directed by the lead editor. This is done in “After Effects” and “Final Cut Pro” and possibly in “Photoshop”. The CD/DVD cover and Magazine advert are also carried out in this stage. Also test out the pop videos on an audience, possibly other students or teachers or even a wider market – www.youtube.com .

DISTRIBUTION AND EXHIBITION (After effects and CGI are done here)–
· Established television outlets e.g. terrestrial/subscription.
· CD.
· DVD.
· Internet, social space (Facebook, Myspace etc) and marketing sites.
· Mobile phones.
· Publicity.
· Word of mouth.

www.skillset.org/filmbiz and Michael Rabiger’s book “Directing” (Focal 2008) laid out these stages for me