Storyboards - Miss Miller

The purpose for having a storyboard enables organisation and structure for when it comes to film a production. By creating a storyboard for our music video, we are able to recognise which shots need to be filmed at what times, where and how. The way in which we have planned a storyboard ahead of filming means that it saves time and ensures we only capture shots that will be relevant, flowing and generally make sense when it comes to editing our video. As well as this, it also helps to outline the mise-en-scene featured throughout each shot, giving us time to prepare anything that may need to be accounted for in order to carry out the shots in a way in which we intend. Storyboards also aid to accord timing and allows us to recognise where to adjust shots to make them fit the timing of the song or enables us to acknowledge where particular shots need to take place - matching the lyrics and visuals, for example. Having this organised element as part of planning ensures that every shot is counted for, editing is outlined and mise-en-scene is considered. Not just for filming, when it comes to editing the video the storyboard is purposeful as it demonstrates what scenes need to have particular lighting for example, or effects such as filters. Additionally, it is an opportunity for all group members to combine ideas and have evidence of this, rather than just going off to film whatever a member feels would look effective. It ensures that the video can be planned and filmed as successfully and efficiently as possible as all group members are satisfied with the structure and know to raise an opinion on the choices made.

Primary and secondary research that I have carried out has helped to plan my music video and the storyboard in different ways through different aspects have inspired me. The answers retrieved from the questionnaire that was carried out as part of my primary research were considered when creating our storyboard. When carrying out this particular research, after knowing the genre and artist in which we wanted to make a video for, we wanted to retrieve more information on this basis from our target audience. The results showed how a narrative and performance style music video were favoured, and so by evenly integrating the narrative and performance scenes within the video, as reflected in our storyboard, this enables us to satisfy our target audience. It also more generally allows the styles portrayed in the video to be more evidential and by storyboarding this, it helps to distinguish how we could link both the different style scenes together. As well as this, if emotion needs to be illustrated on a certain lyric maybe a performance style shot could fit in whereas if there is a part of the song that suggests a story, a narrative style shot would fit better here. By taking note of this while storyboarding, it allows us to ensure that a consistent balance of the styles are maintained, as well as keeping the target audience satisfied. Slow timing of shots and filters were very much favoured editing styles of the audience that were questioned during the primary research. Evidently, the storyboard reflects use of slow timing of shots, for example at frame 1 to emphasise the movement and dramatic nature of the artist - also creating a climax to where she appears on stage. As well as this a black and white filter will be applied to particular shots such as the narrative scenes to reflect the past, for example frame 18 and 23. We chose to include these editing styles for effect but also to show consideration for the target audience and what they request to see in a soul genre music video which also enables us to strengthen the conventionality to the soul genre. The stage was the most popular chosen setting for a soul genre music video that was picked by our participants of the questionnaire. This setting is displayed in our storyboard as part of one of the performance style settings, where the artist is literally filmed on stage as if she was performing at a genuine concert. This idea seemed to be appealing to the audience as they feel it gives a more realistic and raw vibe where they feel they can connect with the artist more and easily. Secondary research inspiration was taken from all the soul genre music videos in which we had watched previously before creating the storyboard. For example, in Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' the shots changed fairly quickly and frequently, however, the video still managed to maintain a flowing and soulful effect due to the use of editing. In this particular video, the pace is slowed by the slow timing of shots rather than the more contrasting frequent changes of shots. We have ensured to also incorporate the narrative and performance scenes together by interweaving and switching between one another - this was taken from inspiration from Paloma Faith's video for 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This'. We found this most effective when watching this music video as it allowed the audience to follow a narrative but at the same time as retrieving genuine and raw emotion from the artist that matches or contrasts the emotions portrayed by the artist in the performance scenes. In Gabrielle Aplin's 'Power Of Love' the artist plays the piano which demonstrates further talent and an unexpected one for the audience to recognise. Although this artist is not from the soul genre, we were still inspired as we found that it would look really effective in our own video to use as the minimal instrumentation that is used, meant that the artist could really make use of this and portray emotion in a particular way. This also enabled us to create interest within the performance scenes, preventing it from becoming disinteresting. By having two settings, it also shows how the artist can perform and express their emotion anywhere - which makes them seem more talented and appealing. We incorporated these shots throughout the video as we found that this also helped to link the performance scenes throughout. 

My group and I discussed the different ideas in which we had for the storyboard - from the basics of the simple ordering of shots, to the lighting and editing within each one. We managed to create a group storyboard by finalising the ideas in which we developed and inserted them in a particular way that we felt would be successful and flowing for the video. For example, we all favoured using a black and white filter, likewise with our audience, and so we included this editing style within allocated shots within the storyboard for effect. We chose to apply the filter to the scenes that are showing the artist in the past which is when she is with her friends. Lighting was another feature that was discussed within the group. We managed to agree that we would like high-key lighting on the positive scenes (narrative scenes) and low-key on the more negatively emotive scenes (performance scenes). An inspiration was taken from Ella as she suggested that using frequent appearances of close ups, that this would help the artist to express as much emotion as possible. For soul music videos, a lot of emotion needs to be portrayed in order to achieve audience engagement - a very important aspect and intention. Kane suggested that panning shots helped to reflect deeper connotations such as how the artist feels that their life is progressing. The smoothness and wide nature of a panning shot allows much of a setting to be shown which reflects how much the artist has going on in their life as it captures numerous different content material all within one shot. We were inspired by this idea and so have chosen to use panning shots of London and during the performance scenes as we found that this shot would most effectively be used at these parts in our video. As a group, we found the decisions we made quite difficult because we want to make the video as successful as possible, with a full audience understanding of the video and its narrative. By making a risky decision it could loose the audience's understanding and lack the emotion that is intended to be put across to the audience. 

In order to be fair and allow each interpretation of the audience member to be counted, we took it in turns to draw the pictures and label the headings for the storyboard as it allows each of us to visually show the idea that they had. However, the roles were generally allocated in the end to save time and act efficiently. Hannah and Kane drew most of the pictures for the storyboard whereas, myself and Ella wrote most of the labelling and details of the shot below each frame within the storyboard. The pictures are important as they help to visually portray how the shot is going to appear and allows us to match up to the camera when filming. The detail labelling of each shot is also important as it shows how the shots will look, for example what lighting it will have and what actors will be included within the scene. This saves tim when filming and editing because everything is planned and we know how to prepare for capturing each shot that is shown.

The storyboard is shown below:

The benefits overall of having a storyboard generally help to save time when it comes to filming. This way, we can be fully prepared for the shots in which we need to film and will help us to also be successful in them as it gives us a good idea as to what we want to capture. In addition, we are not only able to know the general details of each shot but we can visually see what type of shot in which we want to create. Therefore, when it comes to filming, instead of having to read all the information about the shot, to save time, by visually seeing what the shot generally looks like, we can just capture what we witness on each frame within the storyboard. When filming, the storyboard wasn't followed 100% due to the fact that some shots were difficult to achieve effectively. For example, in the shots of the artist walking out of the telephone box, it was difficult for us to capture a high angle shot due to the surroundings. It could have also put a group member at risk whilst trying to capture it and so this was replaced with a mid shot as we still found that this showed how the artist exited the telephone box. Furthermore, we found that the shopping centre setting was too unprofessional as many members of the public tended to be open to waving in the camera. We cut this setting out but still carried out the hometown Theydon Bois setting shots that are noted in our storyboard. At frame 23, we put in the storyboard that we wanted a long shot of the artist up against the greenery background, however, when it came to filming, we found that this shot wasn't exactly flowing and as effective when placed within the other shots. We decided to just use a panning shot of the artist and then a close up as we found this more effective. Storyboarding our ideas helped filming as it saved time and allowed us to recognise what we needed to get prepared before filming particular shots. For example, we needed to ensure that we had a microphone for iconography for some performance scenes.