Green Screen Issues

After uploading our footage onto iMovie we discovered that the lighting for the green screen wasn't the best as you could see shadows and there was a 'fuzz' around the performer's hairline (see below).

We decided to research further into green screening to make sure the next time we film we can make it look as professional as possible. We went onto YouTube and found a helpful video about how to set up both the green screen and lighting.

The video said to peg the fabric tight to prevent the fabric from creasing thus creating shadows. It also said to 'weigh' the bottom of the fabric down with weights. To replicate this as best we could, we used a metal adjustable frame that our fabric could be put on and used thick textbooks as weights.

This is our new green screen filming set up 

Lighting wise, they suggest to point the studio lights at the screen whereas we pointed them at our performer. Pointing them at the screen prevents shadows appearing.

Filming Set Up

Today my co-director and I started filming the intro to our music video. Our idea was to show our performer stood holding a blanket (to represent a bed) and see her turn over to see her phone light up with a text from 'Stop Looking' and saying 'He's not going to call'. We wanted the text to read this as it provides visuals for the lyrics 'I wish that I could call but I know that you're probably asleep'. A relationship between the visuals and lyrics is one of Andrew Goodwin's 7 music video conventions. To do this I changed my co-directors contact name in my phone to 'Stop Looking' and sent the 'He's not going to call' from her phone to mine.

To make this seem more animated, we wanted to make the phone hang down by our performer's head and fly upwards after she turns away. As we were green screening we threaded green thread through my iPhone case so the thread could not be seen.

My co-director stood on a chair so she was taller than our performer and held the two pieces of string, slowly lowering it.

This took a lot re-takes as my co director's shadow kept appearing on the green screen. However, we persisted and tried putting the chair in different places and we came to the conclusion that the best place was behind the studio light. Re-filming this shot meant having to re-send the text from the other phone numerous times. This is what our set up looked like:

Prop and Equipment List for Filming

Here is all the equipment we will need for tomorrow's filming:

• Camera
• Camera battery and charger
• Tripod
• Studio Lights
• Greenscreen
• iPhone
• iPhone case
• Blanket for bed
• Green thread
• Choice of dresses
• Make up
• Computer to play the song
• Song lyrics

Risk Assessment for our Film Opening

Below is the risk assessment for our film opening:

 

3AM Kate Nash Lyrics

The main reason we chose this song was due to the lyrcis telling a story and us as directors, being able to link visuals to the lyrics. This is important as Andrew Goodwin said it is one of the '7 Key Conventions of a Music Video'.

3AM LYRICS

How did it get to 3 am?
I wish that I could call
But I know that you're probably asleep.
Do I really have to get used
To being alone again?
I wish that you were here
You must know that you aren't my best friend
Do we really have to dream?
I'm perfectly happy here
In reality, I'm wide awake
I think about the things
That I can do tomorrow but I'm trapped
Cause it's so dark outside and everybody else is fast asleep
My hand is glued to the remote
The TV has already said
Good night, I'm frozen in my seat
I want to move but I'm afraid
I suffer from anxiety
And I don't want to be alone!
You see, I want to be with

You
You ooh ooh
You ooh ooh
You ooh ooh
Yeah baby

You are the one I think of on a night
And on a night it feels so right
I miss your arms
The way you kiss me
The way you pull me in so tight
It makes me sick the way we fight
When I want you so bad tonight
Yeah baby
You are the one I think of on a night
And on a night it feels so right
I miss your arms
The way you kiss me
The way you pull me in so tight
It makes me sick the way we fight
When I want you so bad tonight

I want to change my need to want
My desires, change my route
Passion is tricky, love is tender
Love is sweet, it hurts, it's you and me
And in one fatal jump she's
Cut off my electricity
And now I'm really stumped
I'll make forever, take forever
Leave the house, it's laugh or cry
And if you cry, you're taken out
There won't be room for mistakes here
I'm afraid this is all or nothing
And I haven't got a hope
At least I thought I had a friend
Turns out I was just a joke
I'm holding on to what I've got
I'm tryna get just what I want
I'll pick the pieces up tomorrow
Cut the pill and take my chances with a half
Yeah baby

You are the one I think of on a night
And on a night it feels so right
I miss your arms
The way you kiss me
The way you pull me in so tight
It makes me sick the way we fight
When I want you so bad tonight
Yeah baby
You are the one I think of on a night
And on a night it feels so right
I miss your arms
The way you kiss me
The way you pull me in so tight
It makes me sick the way we fight
When I want you so bad tonight
If only...

You
You ooh ooh
You ooh ooh
You ooh ooh
You ooh ooh
You ooh ooh
You ooh ooh

New Song Choice

After much deliberation myself and my co-director agreed on the song '3AM' by Kate Nash.



We wanted to keep within the genre of a pop song and we feel this song suit the style we want for our video too. We wish to include elements of stop motion and green screening. Now we have decided on a song we can start working on the content of our music video and the shot types etc.

Slight Change of Plan!

After our inspiring trip to the BFI conference my co-director and I came to the joint conclusion that, after seeing other well done student music videos, we weren't too keen on our initial ideas and/or the song choice. We knew it would be a big risk, time-wise, to scrap all ideas and head back to the drawing board but we felt that our original idea wouldn't demonstrate or allow us to use our much developed editing and directorial skills.

My co-director and I now have to come up with a better video idea that we are both happy with.