In order to collaborate initial ideas that I had for my music video, I created a rough cut of the opening verse and pre-chorus (38 seconds). This allowed me to understand and see the effects of certain shots as well as get used to the more complex workings of 'Final Cut Pro,' as opposed to 'iMovie' which I used to create my AS coursework.
The opening shot sees a heart drawn into sand. Straight away, the audience will be able to understand that the song and video are probably going to focus on the issue of love as a heart connotes this instantly. Also, it gives ideas of the setting, like somewhere such like a beach, which is a conventional and familiar location for the audience and suits the pop genre in this way too as it is not particularly abstract.
The editing then moves along at the same time as the opening ringing chord, therefore meeting the convention of editing matching the beat and pace of the music. This brings us to a two shot of a couple, sitting close to each other and looking into each other's eyes. The intensity of this portrays the fact that they are together and the bright lighting with shadows behind them adds to the atmosphere to make it romantic and carefree, the dark, harder moments behind them.
When the lyric changes to "the perfect day", we see the couple playing a game in the sand, laughing and sharing a happy moment so the audience can see how happy they are when they are together. The long shot shows only them and the game they are playing so it is entirely focused on their emotions and time together. "Sun sinking low in the sky" is matched with a two shot behind the couple as they sit together on the bank. The composition of the shot is such that the sun is setting in the top corner, with rays falling on the couple themselves as if they are perfect for one another in this romantic setting. This works to meet the convention of lyrics matching the visuals as well as fitting with the genre of easy-going boyband pop and the theme of the song.
The following shot matches the opening of a heart drawn into sand except this time, it is preceded by the heart being wiped away. The editing again matches the beat of the song to fit with this typical convention. The idea behind this sequence of shots is to act as in an inciting incident type sense; so far, the couple have been perfectly in love, yet the wiping away of the heart could see this changing as both the music video and the song goes on.
Next, the previous two shot of the couple looking at one another and talking is used once more so all is well at this point. The line 'that crazy look in your eye' is sung to which an extreme close up shot is used of the girl's eye followed by the boy's eye and back to the first one once more. This all fits with the conventions of both editing and lyrics matching the visuals and beat as well as working to establish the bond the couple has between them.
When the pre-chorus is reached, the duo are seen holding hands from a long shot, running over the snow in the field they have previously been located in, the editing effect of slow motion applied to intensify the moment with the line 'we ran in slow motion over the sand, into the ocean holding your hand.' Their faces show the happiness that they are feeling together in this way, not letting go of one another, therefore matching the theme that the song has set up to this point, with not a care in the world and being together forever.
However, the next line states 'but then it gets hazy, and I lose you and then that's when..' To this, the pair holding hands slowly let go of one another and the point where the perfect scenario has turned bad has been reached. A haze effect has been applied to this shot in order to both match the lyrics convention and distort the reality of the situation so the audience can read deeper into the song and video and wonder if the singer/male character has, in fact, been dreaming the whole sequence.
Overall, I have learnt a lot through putting together this quick 38 second sequence. If I was to have more time, and for the real piece of coursework, I will set the location at the beach in order to make it more realistic and relevant to the lyrics of the song. Also, I would use a wider range of shot choices at a greater frequency to replicate the real life examples of music videos as close as possible so the repeat of the two shot sitting down is not seen twice and is more diversified. The characters in my actual coursework will, additionally, be a real couple not just acting to make the whole video much more natural and believable that they are in love.
