I also took part in a music video for a song called 95 by Everything in Paris, a small indie/rock band. This project was directed by Max Stimson, and I took on the role of assistant director. Throughout the entirety of this production, Max and I worked closely, and kept in constant communication through weekly meetings in person or on Zoom calls. At the start of the production process, we brainstormed ideas for the narrative and came to the decision that the lyrics and tone of the song was fast-paced and upbeat, so the narrative arc should mirror this. We decided to make an entertaining, humorous, and satirical video which follows the UK Government Officials and their illegal scandals during lockdown in the Covid-19 Pandemic. During the pre-production process, this and other government related topics were plastered across the news, so we decided we should take the audience on the same journey that UK citizens faced throughout the pandemic, by poking fun at the Prime minister and other party members.
My main role throughout the production process was to oversee the shoots taking place, by organising the cast and crew, managing the camera and sound equipment, and transporting it between shoot locations and well as monitoring the shots that had been carried or still yet to capture. The most challenging aspect of this role was keeping organised and tracking every shot, and whether it was shot to a professional standard. I also found it difficult managing the production team to ensure that they were on target for the day and if we were going to make enough progression, or whether we would need to adjust the hours for the day. For each shoot day, I created a detailed shot list, along with the location, the crew required, and the actors involved, this spreadsheet made it much easier for me to keep on top of the long list of shots. As the day progressed, I ticked off the finished shots and then liaised with Max to ask him what else he wanted to add or adjust so that it could be as close to his original vision as possible.
One of the biggest issues we faced on this shoot was the lighting, due to filming at night-time, it made it difficult to achieve the desired effect. Despite regular meetings and conversations with the director regarding the prospect of filming during the day, we both decided it would be more effective to film in the dark due to the lyric repetition ‘all night’. We also agreed that we did not want to bring in any continuity issues or cause confusion to the narrative by constantly switching between light and dark. We ended up having to rely on the lighting available to us through street-lamps, cars, and shop windows. The other problem we encountered with night-time filming was the limited available shooting hours, between busy streets, rain, and sunrise, it was hard to keep the lighting consistent for the same scene. I feel we dealt with this situation the best we could, and the shots chosen for the final edit give an element of realism, which adds to the aesthetic of the piece.
Despite the issues we encountered, I think the final music video is of good quality and follows an original, entertaining, and progressive narrative arc. I also think that the introduction before the lyrics start was a crucial aspect of the video, drawing attention to the ‘secret lockdown parties’ and helps to contextualise the storyline of the ‘clowning’ government. Throughout this production, I worked closely alongside Max to support him and offer help with the decision making, whilst also following his direction and supporting the other cast members on set. I believe that I did the best I could in the role and overcame personal organisational barriers in order to make a visually exciting and comical music video.
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