2. The programme we used to create and construct our music video was Final cut express on
the Apple Mac. On this we edited footage that we took for our music video over the past few
weeks.
3. In order to begin editing the music video , we had to make sure that the footage we took was
converted to a MP4 file, otherwise known as Quick time. To bring the footage on to Final Cut they had
to be imported similar, to other programmes through pressing file, import then choosing the folder or
files.
4. After listening to the intro of the song and the length of it, we decided to use fireworks
at the start, this way we would engage the audience from the beginning. After looking
through the fireworks we found one video which contained a section that didn t look like
conventional fireworks due to it being filmed as a extreme close up. Also while listening
to the song, and how there are distinct beats in the intro we wanted to edit the footage
to complement this and therefore emphasising the that it is the start of the song. The
first thing that needed to be done was cutting the image using the blade tool to fit the
length of the intro.
5. Stages of editing the intro
Before the cutting the image, it had to be rendered this was
signalled through the two red lines, the first line We repeatedly had to use the blade tool in this
represented the video and the second was for the audio. process to get the section that we needed. After
doing so , to get the effect we needed we had to
copy the edited footage by selecting the video,
pressing edit then copy and paste.
After putting the videos side by side, we thought we should an a
transition, to the make the videos flow together seamlessly. While
trialling different video transitions we came across a cross dissolve
which effectively executed what we envisioned.
6. Also throughout the video we used cross dissolving with videos of fireworks to the scene
involving the actors, this allowed us to evoke feelings and emotion and emphasis in each
scene. As fireworks can represent different feelings, such as passion, love, anger we used
this as a way to captivate the audience. We done this at the start of the music video,
because we show images that reflect different aspects of there relationship.
7. Tools on Final Cut Express
This is used in general
to select and move clips
One of first thing we did on final cut was adding the song Edit selection tool
Katy B Broken record on the time line. As you can see
This tool is the select track
that the audio and videos were separated on different forward tool.
time lines, the video on top and audio underneath, this Roll tool
was helpful as this allowed us by using the lock buttons
Slip tool
on the side to lock either the audio or footage so it
Blade tool, cut
wouldn't be affective it were to cut the footage if needed videos
whether the duration was too long etc.
Zoom in and zoom out tool.
This tool cropped
videos
Pen tool
8. We used the cutting tool a lot, in the process of editing our music video as it helped us to use
specific parts of the clips/footage needed and to discard parts of the clips we didn t feel was
needed to be included to our video, this also allowed us to piece different clips together which
where either a retake or of the same shot.
9. When we added video s to final cuts we had to render them we had to do this at 2 main places.
1) when we added them to the timeline . 2) when we added an effect to them to make them
work when playing them. To render the clips you had to go on the tab Sequence then click on
Render only Needs render if it was the video that specially need to be edited or Render all if
the music and video clip that need to be rendered.
10. To the intro we had to add text to resemble a professional music video this
included, the name of the artist Katy B and the song titled on a mission , we
were able to place the text on top of the footage of the fireworks. As you can see
from the image on the left that this was made possible because the timeline
enables us to put different videos on separate layers. This wasn t the only piece
of text we added to the music video; because of the frequent scenes of fireworks
that could be considered as flashing lights it was necessary for us to issue a
warning at the start. By looking at other music videos that involve a warning at
the start, we discovered that the warning usually happens before the music
starts. To make our media product as realistic as possible we would have to the
same, so we added the text at the beginning a moved the song forward so it
would begin at the same time as the visual intro
11. The bridge of the song, is apart of the song where it slows down compared to the usually
up tempo beat, to reflect the tone in this area we used less, edits and footage. After
finding the place where the video fitted we realised that the length of the bridge and the
video would be too long to keep the audience engaged, therefore we split the video up
by adding a clip that reflected the lyrics. To accomplish this was simple, as like previously
we imported the video, then used the blade tool to cut the part of the clip we needed.
While using final cut we noticed by putting a overlapping the footage on a time line the
video will automatically cut, in this instance we could use technique as it allowed us to
cut the video exactly in the place we needed.
12. When placing video s of the artist singer onto our video we had to this very carefully to make sure that
the lip syncing fitted into the song correctly. For us to do it successfully we had to play the track
repeatedly and carefully edge the song along the timeline to make sure the artist singing fitted in with
the audio playing at the time to make sure they were sync together perfectly. As our video has quite a
bite of lip syncing we had to repeat this process a few times.
13. After placing the video where it required to be, and watching it by pressing the play, we
became aware that we needed to add a transition in order for the edited footage to be
connected, and flow seamlessly. The transition that achieved the desired effect was cross
dissolve. As you can see from the screen shot on the right, this finished outcome, the cross
dissolve aided a smooth transition.
14. Cross dissolves also helped to
connect the narrative sense with
the performance and abstract
sense of our video, keeping our
video s flowing throughout.
Cross dissolves were frequently used throughout our Music Video, this is because it created a
sense of connection between each scene of our music video. This was essential especially in our
music video as it contains two different tenses, Past and present. And cross dissolves help s to
create a connection , between them giving our video a more professional outlook.
15. To create a sense of connection, we flashed between clips, this was effective as it
captured the audiences attention and also, it filled in blank space in our video. We used
this technique when showing the narrative when the boy and girl character where
playing around or talking flicked between the girl aka the artist singing to the lyrics of the
song.
16. To establish pass and present events in our music video we frequently used video filters to gain a
black and white, as we learned from researching that this is used to represent flashbacks. To add
video filters onto the footage, the video had to be selected then by clicking on effects we found video
filters. However, when looking at the video filters the options were not clearly stated as greyscale,
therefore this lead us to experiment with different filters to find the correct one. After doing so, we
discovered the filter in image control, which was called tint.
17. When actually filming our music video we made sure we had a range of camera angles and
costume changes, so that we could flick between different angles throughout our video to keep
the stimulus of our video flowing. Therefore capturing the audience attention. And also giving
our music video a more professional flare, we did this clearly at the first chorus where the actor
lip syncing in the studio on a side view of her face, whereas for the second part of the chorus a
mid shot is use, the different camera angles helps to express different emotions to the audience
18. For this video we used it to connect the second chorus and bridge to the song, to this we
added a glow and tint which were both in video filters and in image control. Having the tint on
the fireworks, allowed it link with the effect of the chorus as well as transitioning to the
footage which was in full colour.
19. On this footage we used a different video filter in comparison to the other videos we
edited. This filter was called echo, this gave the video of the person a ghost like effect,
this was used to demonstrate that now she's lost her partner, she's losing her self. Not to
mention, we did further editing on this clip, this involved cutting small sections of the
footage out then putting them together which in turn changes the effect and speeds the
walking scene up to relate to the songs.
20. On the last part of our music video we played a large amount of attention on the speed of our
footage, as we wanted each main aspect, Narrative features, Fireworks and heart animation to fit
in with the tempo. As at the end of the video, the music speed up at first, and then slowed down we
wanted to resemble the audio. We had to adjust the speeding of our footages, so they would fit in
with the beat of the track. We did this mainly with the fireworks as we wanted them to go disperse
at beat of the song, in which was a form of syncing. This technique therefore giving our video a
more professional finish to the audience. During this we also added colouring effects to intensify
the firework, in either black and white, or in colour to fit into the theme s to represent the
intenseness of the break up. A
21. Getting the footage of the heart on the final cut was done through windows movie
maker. Firstly , we drew the heart then took pictures of it at each stage of
completing it. Then we imported the images onto the programme, and put each
individual heart on the storyboard, shown to the right. However, playing the footage
we realised that the length of heart was too long so we didn t get the desired each.
To shorten the duration of each heart we had to change the storyboard to timeline,
on here we could shorten or widen the clip by moving the arrows.
22. At this stage we wanted to test different
transitions and effects and see which achieved
the best suited look for our music video. The
transition that we ended up using was the
fade as it connected which image together
and made it seem as though the footage was
originally that way, to add the fade we had to
put it on the arrow. After doing this we added
a effect, because in our music video he had
fireworks, as well as black and white footage,
we trialled greyscale, however the filter did
not feel suited to the video, this lead us to
finding an effect that emulated the fireworks In order to put the video on final cut it had
because of the bright explosion of colours. to be published by clicking this option
above.
23. After publishing the movie, we had to covert it to an mp4 file in order for us to import it
on Final Cut express. When the video was placed on final cut, we cut the footage into
different sections to position them in between different clips which included flash backs
etc.
24. In the last part of our music video we interlink abstract themes to the narrative feature s to create a
more upbeat approach to our video. By this we used different effects to give our video a more up
tempo appearance. By this I mean we added, a contrast in colours this was shown through several
aspects, 1) the fireworks (representing the girls heart break), Whilst editing this we used the glow
effect to intensify the colour of the fireworks, we also slowed down/Speeded up the timing of the
fireworks to make them react to the beat of the song giving a connection between the audio and the
imagery and also creating a contrast between the past Black and white footage . 2) We used stop
animation to create a heart breaking, on this we edited the image to flash various colours which again
contrast on the black and white footage and also with the fireworks as the heart was given the effect
on which it continuously changed colour, this also connecting to the tempo of the music.
25. The text message saying it s over plays a large role in our music video as it symbols the themes
of the break up. As shots of the phone are cleverly plotted amongst several clips of our music
video. At the end of the music video, we though we should express the theme head on to the
audience, by this we put the phone showing the text message right at the end of our video.
Although the shot may have been similar to this featured before in our video we changed the edit
so that the zoom was reversed to create a sense of a backwards storyline.
