Similar music video textual analysis

Due to the similar genre, I have chosen to do a textual analysis on the song 'You're on' by Madeon because our song doesn't have an official music video.

Camera
The video features various camera shots that are used in a very voyeuristic nature such as close ups and two shots of the seemingly attractive people that feature in the video. The frequent low angle shots used on the mysterious futuristic aspects of the set may suggest the human fear of the unknown since these aspects seem to be represented as quite intimidating.
Mise-en-scène
The video uses a very bright and plain colour scheme which gives a futuristic and technologically focused theme which matches quite well with the genre of the music.
Editing
Similarly, the editing matches the genre and the technological tone of the video by using many futuristic looking special and visual effects which are used to 'wow' the audience. The bright lighting and colour scheme reflects the upbeat and cheerful tone of the song itself.

Song Choice for Preliminary Task

After much discussion, we have decided on a song to use in our preliminary task. we decided on 'Leaving You' by Savoy and sound remedy. It is a song that I am personally unfamiliar with but other members of the group knew. I believe that this track contains an even mix of instrumentals and vocals to be able to be creative with.

Pharrell Williams- Happy

We have been looking at the Music video to 'Happy' By Pharrell Williams due to its significance of being the "First 24 hour music video"

Textual Analysis:
Camera:
There are two main shots used in this video; mid shots and long shots. Every person in the video is always dancing, so mid shots are used to show the person dancing and what they are wearing. This shot is mainly used on Pharrell, the lead singer, to show that the focus is on him, and that he was the most important person in the video. Long shots are also used a lot, to show the location of the dancers as it is varied throughout, and to show the person in the shot dancing in their entirety.
Throughout the video, the angle of the camera does not change and is always aimed straight in front of the people/person dancing. However, as the people dancing are always walking forward, the camera shot used is always a tracking shot moving backwards, most likely using a dolly to do so. 
Editing:
Cross cutting is used constantly in this video. Pharrell Williams is the main character in the video, so he takes the predominate position, but cutaways are used throughout to show the other people dancing. No transitions are used at all in the video as it seems to appear realistic as possible, and simple cutaways are used throughout.
Mise-en-scene:
Throughout the video it cuts away to different people dancing in different locations, such as in a street, a school, a kitchen and in a church. There is a large variety of people in the video, showing all different cultures, age groups and social groups. For example, there is a shot of a young girl dancing enthusiastically, and another shot of an old man dancing outside of a shop, showing the variety in types of people who enjoy this song and like his music. The location of the video constantly changes, as the idea is that everyone all over the world and in different places are all singing and dancing to the song. It was probably filmed all in one city, but all of the dancers are shown in different locations to suggest that none of them know each other. The lighting throughout is natural as it is all taken during the day, as it is meant to appear as a naturalistic video, showing normal people living a normal life.

We were also tasked with recreating a 1 minute version of the video ourselves. Here is our video (first one in the playlist):

Steps for a successful music video

1. Research
This involves watching a wide variety of music videos from various different artists in order to understand the different conventions linked with different genres and how this sells the product.

2. Groups
Choose your group wisely,  your friends may not be a good choice as they may be a distraction (work over pleasure).  Make sure the members of your group are reliable and that you exchange phone numbers immediately.

3. Choosing a track
When choosing a track, remember you don't have to like it. Try to avoid your favourite artists and well known tracks. BE ORIGINAL

4. Pitch

The one page pitch is a vital part of the coursework as it is the moment your ideas are first presented together. This pitch must be simply expressed, and shouldn't drag on for too long. It allows you to explain your initial ideas for your music video through a single piece of paper that you will present your teachers with. If anything significant and original is involved, ensure it stands out.

5. Previous Student Work

it is strongly advised that you look over any previous work by other students so that you can evaluate the good, the bad and the interesting aspects of them all. For example look out for specific camera shots but ensure that they have not been used so much previously that they have become cliché. Use both the good and bad features to build upon.

6. Planning & Shooting

The best work is always well planned and performing acts such as storyboarding and discussing different ideas with your group, reflect well on your group. When filming, always ensure the date is set and the group are able to meet in the location without this it is possible that people will make other plans.

7. Editing

Always ensure you don't go over the top with special effects; they are capable of either making or breaking a project and using too much in unnecessary places could give your project an unprofessional look.

8. Screening & Feedback

Ensure that your finished piece is shown to multiple people in order to get feedback on how to improve it. DO NOT just show it to your friends as they may not want to be too critical and you may not get the answers you need.