My Rough Cut - Personal feedback

This is the rough cut I showed to my classmates. I haven't developed it much since then, so I still have a lot to improve.

Personally, I like the posterized effects and the colours in the end because it gives the video some brightness apart from the lip sync. I also like the way the video builds up to the end because in the beginning I thought there wouldn't be enough time left in the song to create the ending scene. However it worked so I'm glad about that.

What I don't like about the video is that the black and white isn't as dark as I wanted. Even some of my classmates pointed that out in the peer feedback so I'll have to change that.
I'm also not satisfied with the many different lip syncs. I may have added too many scenes of lip syncing so deleting some of them might be a good idea. When I was editing, I didn't realise how big the lips showed on screen so if I were to still use that scene, I'll make it much smaller. Maybe even show my nose.
Near the end there are short bits of paper falling, powder falling etc which looks very deliberate because each scene is too short and unsatisfying. I'll either delete it or make the scene longer.
Although the build up is quite good (in my opinion), I don't think the picture in the end is shown very well. Considering the long build up, I think the picture should be shown more grandly. I've taken several videos of the zoom out/in of the image so I may consider using other shots.

Audience Feedback

Behind the scenes 2

This shows me and my friend T who helped me during the filming. This was day 4 of filming where I filmed most of the artistic scenes such as twirling around the room, following my hand etc (which you will later get to see in the video). 

Because I couldn't see what was going on through the camera, advice like this was very helpful. This wasn't the only case; T would give me advice on how I should lip sync, and E would give me advice on what angles she thinks is good. So although I had my own idea as well, the advice people around gave me acted partly like feedback so I could improve it. 

Because once again on this day, the battery run out very quickly, I couldn't film as much as I wanted, so maybe an additional one day would be necessary. T suggested putting ink on my face using my hands. Following that idea, I decided to put chalk instead as it could relate more to the lyrics charcoal. chalk etc. And unfortunately we couldn't film enough of this scene so the next session will mainly be this. 

I thought of other ideas that could make the video look more artistic, and thought of using a split screen but without a border in between making it look like there're two people in one scene. By doing this, I could make it slightly surreal and interesting. 

Behind the scenes

This was day 3 of filming.

I had already finished lip syncing, and was already half way through the narrative. According to my plan, I was able to reserve the dance room for the filming, and this was what it looked like. I had wished the room to have less light so I could arrange a spotlight on me in a dark room, however it didn't work. But if I adjust the contrast while editing, it may work alright.

You can see the mats in behind which were impossible to move, so they had to stay there. Once the video becomes black and white, it isn't that obvious as it is now. I was lucky enough to have the large mirror so I could use to show my reflection which I may be able to use interesting camera techniques.

What I found most hard during the filming was to act and direct at the same time. If I were the cameraman the whole time, I know exactly how I want to film it so I don't have to boss people around. However, I'm doing the acting as well, so I felt sorry for those who helped me film as I had to instruct them what specific angles I wanted and felt like I was bossing people around which I hate to do!

Because the camera was the school's and we couldn't prepare it earlier, the first day the battery run out as soon as we started filming. So we wasted all our time for the preparation without doing anything in the end. On another occasion our dance room was invaded by primary ballet dancers who had to use the room after school, just as I was preparing to film. And because my free time and the free time of the people who helped me never matched, we had to schedule the filming date and then shoot which took a lot of time.

Font Analysis

Shot analysis

This shot of me in the reflection is inspired by the shot in Paloma Faith's music video, Stone Cold. I had thought of doing this shot originally but was unsure of whether or not I had a mirror at first, and whether or not the shot will work in the video. And I'm happy about the final shot.
I didn't know the video until I was researching for Sophie Muller's music videos as it is one of her directed videos. Therefore the research on the music video director has helped me base my camera angles.
I liked how in Paloma Faith's music video, the edge of the mirror looks as if it blends into the background. But because my background was very plain, I couldn't do the exact same thing. This also inspired me to do the split screen of the mirror which I have already shown.
In the music video she Paloma Faith is singing into the mirror and she is acting very confident, as if she looks at herself and she knows what she's doing. A very powerful impression is made. On the other hand, I've used the mirror to show myself being worried and insecure. But by looking into the mirror I gain confidence and decide what to paint. So in a way the two videos use the mirror in a similar way, but as the mirror is important in my video and it lasts for about ten seconds, I think there's a deeper meaning in the mirror in my video than hers.

Filming

This is the process of the filming. It took very long either because we couldn't find a good time to film or the room was occupied. But it finished finally. The time taken was the main trouble but getting used to the camera was also quite difficult. And because I wasn't satisfied with some of the shots, reshooting them was also time consuming but I think now I have enough shots to use for the editing.

Editing Diary4

Editing Diary3

Editing Diary2

Editing Diary1