​A2 Media Studies

Treatment Analysis

 

Costumes

 

In regards to our costumes we have chosen to have our two main characters Christian and Ruby in specific clothing that changes depending on the scene. However, despite being specific in regards to what we want the characters to wear this may change when it comes to filming depending on the weather conditions and the opportunity in which the chance to film may arise. For the beach which can be seen on our powerpoint presentation we have stated for Christian (Ryan) to wear a grey button up shirt preferably with dark jeans and a blue hoodie with dark trainers or converse to represent himself as an ordinary young fashionable male; we felt this look is typical of the character we are aiming to create in regards to Christian and would fit well within our music video as a realistic and true representation of the artist. We felt his outfit choices were suitable for the genre and also the storyline in that they are smart casual and therefore, sutiable and realistic for a date. For the house scenes and burning scenes we have said for Christian to wear casual clothes in the form of jogging bottoms and casual blue or plain t-shirt with trainers; this simplistic look within the video reflects well with the storyline as this is the part where it’s present tense and he is destroying his memories and attempting to erase his painful past in regards to what he considers a toxic relationship. However, since creating the treatment powerpoint we have also decided he should wear a different outfit for the bowling scenes which we didn’t mention and that in regards to our lip synching where we have decided to have him in an isolated location he should also be featured in a different attire. In the bowling scenes he will be wearing light clothing such as blue jeans and white or light coloured shirt again to show a casual look but also show the difference between him and Ruby as she will be featured wearing dark clothing to present her as the bad person and Christian as the victim in terms of their relationship. For Christian we want to create the effect of an ordinary young male but also maintain his star quality and aspects of an artist via his constant outfit changes which fulfills Dyer's paradox of being oridnary and extraordinary.

When it comes to Ruby, (the female character playing the role of the cheating ex-girlfriend) we have stated for the flashbacks scenes to the beach in which she features she should be heavily made up and be wearing a pastel floral dress, denim jacket and ankle boots; our initial aim is to have this shot look as if it was back in the summer and have them natural looking yet summery. By having her featured in this outfit she is seen as desirable to the male character and links directly to Mulvey's male gaze theory. In our treatment we also stated for her to wear black leggings and a green blouse for the house scenes however, after analysing the storyboard found she doesn’t feature in the house scenes anymore as we eliminated that frame and replaced it with something else decided she could wear this for the arcade or bowling scenes; the female character much like Christian will also have an additional outfit for the bowling scenes. In total, both characters will have different outfits for the bowling, arcade, beach, town and burning shots; this is one aspect within our music video that is typical of most well-known videos and we feel that all outfits are effective in regards to the specific part of the storyline it is featured and is effective in achieving our overall aim in regards to the look we wished to achieve for both characters.

 

Setting/Location

 

In regards to our location our powerpoint still features a broad range that as a team we decided we may have to refine down further. However, we are certain to be using Hunstanton beach for the flashback scenes that will showcase Christian and Ruby at a happier time when they were together and we will also be using Downham Market or King’s Lynn Town centre for some shots of Christian in the current day aswell as shots of Ruby and her new partner. The beach is being used to connote romance and love and the town shot is used within the present day to show the contrast and difference between the two time frames. We will also be using an isolated location such as an old building or overlooking window as this was an aspect we saw within a lot of videos we previously analysed and I felt emphasised the originality, isolation and peace of the genre. We will also be using a house for the bedroom scenes in which we see a corkboard full of photos of Christian and Ruby when they were together and as the song progresses we see them slowly ripped down, burnt and destroyed which is a representation of their relationship and how it ended. By using a bedroom it creates versimiltude and makes it more believable and relatable to our target demographic. We will also be using Hunstanton arcades for some of the flashback scenes as well as a bowling alley which are typical date locations. Other ideas we had that we could use if possible is a restaurant or pub to show a past date or even the cinema or fairground.

 

Props

 

When looking at our props on the powerpoint presentation you are able to see we will be using a variety of different objects to create the desired effect. We will be using a cork board and pins to hold all the photos that will be hung on the wall and one of the most important props we will be using is an acoustic guitar for some of the lip synching. The guitar is a common prop featured in a lot of the videos I analysed as it's the most relevant and applicable prop to our genre and allows us to showcase the artist's talent as well as having a narrative storyline element. During the burning scenes at the end we shall also be using anniversary gifts, an old teddy and a lighter to destroy their superficial memories. The video will also feature a love letter that gets thrown in to the sea and flowers, a camera to take the pictures, a phone which is found to contain text messages to another man and within the arcade we will be using various machines and a dance floor. An indication as to what our props look like can be seen via the pictures on the powerpoint presentation. All the props used aside from the guitar are normal kind of props when applicable to a broken relationship and we felt made the storyline more believable.

 

Lighting, Editing and Camera Work

 

For the lighting we have agreed we will use natural lighting throughout as we have found this to be typical of our genre and for similar music videos we have looked at. However as can be seen via the pictures in the powerpoint presentation we will be using high key lighting for outside shots to create an enigma and make it fit with the idea of it being summer whilst they are at the beach etc.

In regards to editing we shall we using either a black and white effect or sepia for the flashbacks scenes to indicate they are a memory and at times will be using an unfocused effect/blur which can also be seen via our images. We feel that it's important to create a clear divide between the flashbacks and current day in order to avoid making our audience feel disconnected. Other editing techniques that we will be using are transitions which include straight cuts and fades when applicable to create a professional effect aswell as frame overlays at times. At the beginning we will also be using a text overlay across the primary shot of Christian which can be seen in popular artist’s videos similar to the artist we want to create; for example Nina Nesbitt and George Ezra are known to have a signature trademark in terms of their names and the style of font they use on top of their videos. An example of a shot overlay can be seen on the powerpoint via a Nina Nesbitt video which shows her name written over a long shot of her at the beach beside a orange campervan.

In regards to camerawork we will be using a variety of shots but will mainly be using mid shots and long shots to show the story as it unravels and use the occasional close-up to emphasise the artist’s personal connection with the song. We will also be using panning shots and over the shoulder shots mainly within the flashback scenes in order to cover a broad range of different camera shots, techniques and angles.