Component 3 - Copyright permission

This blog post include an email that (Nadine) made as an permission to use the song, the email will be sent to the singer's label which is 88rising.

Reflection: Sending an email to the artist's label for copyright permission in an MV project is a crucial step, demonstrating a commitment to legal compliance and professional collaboration. This formal communication establishes clear terms, protects the project from legal issues, and fosters transparency. The email trail provides a documented agreement, serving as tangible proof of the understanding between the filmmaker and the rights holder, ensuring a responsible and legally sound creative process.

*E-mail content*
Subject: Request for Copyright Permission: NIKI's "Oceans & Engines" for Media Studies Project


Dear 88rising Team,


I hope this email finds you well. My name is Nadine Diva, and I am writing to you on behalf of my group. We are currently working on a media studies project, specifically a music video, as part of our coursework.


After careful consideration, we have chosen the song "Oceans & Engines" by NIKI for our project. We believe that the thematic elements and musical composition of the song align perfectly with the creative vision we have for our music video. NIKI's artistry resonates with our concept, and we are excited about the opportunity to bring her work to life in our project.


Understanding the importance of copyright protection and respecting the intellectual property of artists, we are writing to formally request permission to use "Oceans & Engines" in our media studies project. We are aware that 88rising manages the rights to NIKI's music, and we would like to ensure that all necessary permissions and licenses are obtained to proceed with our project.


Our project is non-commercial, and its sole purpose is educational, aiming to showcase our understanding of media studies concepts and filmmaking techniques. We assure you that the music video will not be used for any commercial purposes, and we are committed to giving proper credit to NIKI for her contribution to the project.


To facilitate the process, we kindly request information on the specific steps and requirements involved in obtaining the necessary permissions for the use of "Oceans & Engines" in our media studies project. Additionally, if there are any associated fees or forms that need to be completed, please provide guidance on how we can proceed.


We understand the importance of protecting intellectual property, and we want to ensure that our project complies with all relevant copyright laws and regulations. We appreciate your time and consideration of our request and look forward to receiving guidance on the necessary steps to move forward with this exciting project.


Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we eagerly wait your response.


Sincerely,


Nadine Diva M.

Component 3 - Actor/Performer Screen Test

This blog post was written by (Nadine) which contains several of our chosen stage names and what we have chosen to be the stage names of our artists as well as who will be the actors in our MV along with the reasons why we chose them.


Artist
To ensure our artist aligns with her Asian background, we deliberated on selecting an aesthetically pleasing name for her. It's crucial that the name complements the artist's image on album covers and song titles, influencing how the audience perceives her. However, considering the need to cater to an English-speaking audience, we aimed for a name that strikes a balance between her cultural heritage and a Western appeal. The chosen name leans towards a mixed feel, with a first name carrying a Western vibe. We specifically aimed for a name that resonates with the calm and gentle demeanor exhibited by some of the original singers of the song. Additionally, the name was selected to align with the overall vibe of the song and to be adaptable to future branding efforts.

These are some the lists of the name we discussed:
1. Dylan
2. Youra
3. Luna
4. Sze
5. Jeju
6. Chila

Ultimately, we settled on the name LUNA for our artist. We found it to be a straightforward yet representative choice that aligns with our vision. The simplicity of the name adheres to industry norms for female artists while maintaining a unique quality that sets our artist apart. LUNA not only stands out but also seamlessly captures the desired vibe we aim to convey through her music.


Cast
Given that "Oceans & Engines" narrates the tale of departure, we perceive it as a song imbued with the sincerity and innocence of a teenage soul once entangled in love but ultimately facing failure. To visually capture the essence of the song, we've decided to cast two individuals who will play pivotal roles in our music video. In line with our initial choice of an Asian woman as our featured artist, we have opted to recruit an Asian woman for a lead role. We envision someone with a calm demeanor and a cheerful appearance to embody the essence of the song. Additionally, we're looking to cast a male actor of Asian descent to complement the storyline and bring authenticity to the project.

These are some lists of the potential actors from our discussion:
1. Daudy & Monik (Theo's friend)
2. Davin & Melody (our friend)
3. Ethan & Nathasya (Theo's friend)

Furthermore, the narrative for our music video revolves around the protagonist (the artist) grappling with the lingering memories of her departed lover. We aim to portray the moments of joy and happiness shared between the artist and her late partner, followed by a depiction of the emptiness that persists in the artist's life after the departure. In keeping with the intimate nature of the storyline, we have opted to cast only two individuals who will portray the couple. Our focus will be primarily on the female lead, allowing the narrative to unfold through her perspective.

After careful consideration and discussions, we are pleased to announce that Ethan and Nathasya, both close associates of ours, have enthusiastically agreed to take on the roles in our music video. We believe that their chemistry and capabilities will effectively convey the emotional depth and authenticity needed for the storyline.


Screen Test
Having solidified our cast list, we've taken the next step by arranging screen tests for the potential actors we've identified. This process will enable us to assess each candidate's ability to embody and portray the characters envisioned for our music video. Through these screen tests, we aim to determine the best fit for bringing the narrative to life, ensuring that the selected actors authentically capture the emotions and nuances essential to the storyline. This meticulous approach reflects our commitment to delivering a music video that resonates with the intended narrative and emotional impact.

Reflection: Through thoughtful discussions and considerations, we have successfully chosen an artist name that not only complements the selected song but also aligns with the essence of the original singer. This meticulous selection process has proven instrumental in guiding our choices throughout the casting of actors for our music video. The chosen artist name serves as a guiding aesthetic, helping us identify and select actors who seamlessly match the song's vibe and align with the image we aim to project through the stage name. This interconnected decision-making process ensures a cohesive and harmonious representation of our artistic vision in both the artist name and the accompanying visuals in the music video.

Component 3 - Screenplay and Story Board

This blogpost (written by me, Theo) contains the timeline development on our music video and the screen play

Timeline Development:

We started listing our ideas and fitting our brainstorming about the scene by annotating the scene side by side with the the lyrics, pre chorus, chorus and bridge. This rough annotation will make it easier for us to understand the big idea of each parts of the song hence for me(Theo) as the producers can do the production effectively and organize.

Reflection:

Together, we created this lyrics sheet, which certainly assisted us come to a conclusion on the shots and provided us with ideas for the specifics of the scenes, the planning, and the equipment we would need. We are able to create a better and more comprehensive storyboard as a result of this information.

Screenplay:

The screenplay was written by me and this will give more detail and better understanding for both actors and the production team

Reflection:

At first I was thinking that we only need beat sheet as it's more useful in making music video which all I got to do is just creating a table side to side for certain portion of duration and the scene but turns out after making the screenplay also very useful from the production field side especially me as the cameraman to understand what angle to use

Storyboard:

Reflection:

The timeline, screenplay and storyboard is very crucial in the pre production phase as this medium aligns our idea properly. The storyboard visualized each scene, guiding our narrative seamlessly. It ensured everyone understood our vision. Meanwhile, the timeline helped manage resources efficiently and anticipate challenges. Flexibility was key as we adapted to unexpected hurdles. This experience underscored the importance of meticulous planning balanced with creative flexibility. Moving forward, I'll continue prioritizing detailed storyboards and timelines while remaining adaptable to ensure smooth productions.

Component 3 - Genre Research

 This blog will explore on my research on Indie  music video genre convections

Indie is short for independent. 

Sound 

Sound is clearly one of the most important features in the music video. The sound has to be clear and precise especially if the music video is of a live performance. Effects can be included onto the sound of the tune within the music video like distortion, echo, increase the volume or decrease it in certain areas etc, conceivably to represent diverse characters/ artists and their nature. Moreover to appear distinctive feelings and styles. Diegetic sound can be included either at the starting of the music video included in section amid the music video or at the conclusion of the music video, to form and shape a story or narrative to the music video or to highlight a individual expansion to the melody straightforwardly from the artist or to underline something specific that gatherings of people ought to center on. EG- Lana del ray adding a speech at the conclusion of her national anthem video.

Camera 

Extreme close ups are the most common to presents and highlights the artist/character. This angle is pivotal for introducing the star appeal and give the audience more connection to the main singer in the narrative. Highlights the feeling they feel and highlights the song chorus they are singing if they are lip syncing

Long shots are used to established the setting scene of the narrative music video

 
Medium shots portrays to the audience the artists/performers outfits and the setting they are in. It also useful in portrays and connotes more about the artist personality and style. The setting being shown so clearly is key as it implies to audiences the message and suggestions of the video and links to the songs lyrics and impression. 

 
Tracking shot helps tell and portrays the music videos narrative by showing the full set/setting and the whole nature of the character and the videos environment. By this audience can be more familiar with the setting

Editing 

Editing and the opportunity to edit is very crucial when producing in indie music video editing the video to have an old fashioned/sepia effect colour grading. Most music videos possess some sort of effect or even special effects to create a smoother and more complex interesting scenes.

Slow or fast cutting sequence is a useful editing technique to match or add to the pace and theme of the video. Either fast cuts to show action and dramatic scenes in the indie music video or slow smooth cuts to present an emotional or dramatic scene/music video. Contributes to the emotion of the video and the modification of the mood of the video. Both techniques play a significant role in reflecting the music

Mise en Scene

Indie music video is typical known to be low budget, the main settings of the music video are in studios, beaches, cities, park, etc. These are the places that can access easily and can also create a very mystery setting but maintaining the basic at the same time. Lots of indie artist have a retro look and this created through sets they use, props but also their appearance

 

Reflection:

By doing this further research specifically on Indie music video genre convection really helps us in staying on the track for our music video so it will align with our song choice

Component 3 - Location Scouting

This blogpost describes the development of the locations (including location scouting) that me and my team have been discussing and deliberating on for the filming of our music video, along with any changes and reasons as to why we made those changes along the way.

locations:

For the location we decided to pick the location that represents our mainland which Bali which well-known as their nature landscape while matching with the genre convection of Indie/alternative music video which is low budget and our choice of song "Oceans and Engines" that we choose where this project will heavily revolve around engines and oceans theme or related. These are some list that we think will fit our music video concept where we purposely represented each place has core memory which plays a big role in her character.

• Balangan Cliff
• Pantai Nyanyi
• Grand Lucky Parking Lot
• Saga coffee shop
• Ikea store

Reflection:

By doing this we could prevent some unpredictable situational problem as we know in advance about the location setting and characteristics as we know in advanced about the location before the actual production

Component 3 - Technical Skills

Throughout the project I encountered a lot of technical problems. In this blog post I will detail how I solved the problems.

1. How to embed a file into blog post

I found this video of being helpful of how to upload an embed file into Blogspot

2. How to embed a pdf into blogpost

I watch this Youtube video to learn how to embed a pdf and post a pdf file into blogpost

Reflection:

By doing this I could present the files better for visitors when they visit my blog

Media Ecology - Jan 6 Smartphone

 On January 6, 2021, a noteworthy and disputable occasion took put within the Joined together States. A huge gather of supporters of then-President Donald Trump accumulated in Washington, D.C to challenge the certification of the 2020 Presidential Elections comes about, which had announced Joe Biden as the victor. The essential center of this gathering was a rally close the White House, where Trump and other speakers tended to the crowd. The circumstance heightened when a parcel of the swarm walked to the U.S. Capitol, where a joint session of Congress was within the handle of certifying the constituent college comes about. A few people within the swarm breached the Capitol building, driving to a violent and chaotic scene interior the Capitol. The occasion brought about within the clearing of officials, harm to the building, wounds, and a few passings. Law authorization, counting the National Protect, were called in to re-establish arrange and ensure the Capitol.

Smartphones played an critical part in a few perspectives of the January 6 occasions such as documentary where many individuals in the crowd used their smartphones to documented events, take photos and videos of protests and violations in the capital. This user-generated content serves as vital evidence for law enforcement, journalists, and investigators to piece together what happened. Social media also plays an important roles in influencing publics opinion especially misinformation, foreign interference and hate speech. This has contributing in making the protest more intense. Live streaming is the main media to addresses a real-time view of the situation. These live broadcasts allow people around the world to watch events as they happen. Accountability as 4,444 smartphones play a role in identifying and holding individuals accountable for their actions during events. Images and videos captured on smartphones have helped law enforcement identify and arrest people involved in crimes.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/22/jan-6-capitol-riot-facebook/