Camera- Preliminary Task

Camera Preliminary Task

I have created a video montage that shows the different camera angles, shots and motions that can be used within my pop music video. This allowed me to understand how to create the different shots, use the different camera angles and learning how to learnt the motions, with this I could see if how easy it was to shot the camera techniques and see if the shots would fit in my music video. 

I decided to create a video montage of the different camera angle, as it allowed me to learn how to shoot the different shots and the problems that may occur when filming these shots, as I now know the problems I can put precautions in place to ensure that these problems are avoided and that a better quality shot is produced. This means that less time is wasted when filming the different shots in my music video and I can then spend more time on editing and producing an enticing music video. 

Evaluation of Camera:

Camera Angles:

Oblique/Canted Angle-This is a camera shot where the angle is set at an angle, this angle is tilted laterally. This shot was very easy to complete as you just have to hold the camera steadily or attach it to a tripod to get a clear and clean shot. However, if one does not have a tripod or steady hand the image can become unclear and shaky, this can result in a poor quality shot and could affect the music video. 

This angle allowed me to ample the space in the shot, giving the viewer a clear shot of the background e.g. an airport scene. This gives the viewer a wider perspective, making the picture seem bigger. 

This shot also has many meanings that can be inferred by the audience, this is because this shot is used largely in horror fills to build tension and suggest instability. This would suit my music video as I want to create a story about a reoccurring problem of today’s society e.g. oppression, bullying, homelessness etc. By using this camera angle I could suggest to the viewers that today society is unstable or that the actor’s life is unstable due to the problems he/she is facing, suggesting to the viewer the serious effects of issues in the world. 

Low Angle- This is when the camera is positioned at a low angle on a vertical axis, this is shot below the eye line looking up. This shot was also easy to film as the camera was easy to hold steady making the shot of good quality, but before filming this shot I would need to make sure that the actor and any props in the video are positioned so they are in the shot to ensure that I do not waste any filming time. As if I didn’t complete this task it would mean that the actor or prop may not be in the frame and therefore would have been a waste of time. This shot would be great to use in my music video as it can make an item I am filming seem bigger and more powerful, as well as in the shot including more of the setting such as the sky and sun. This can allow the audience to see more of the setting and background, I want to include the background in most shots as I will be filming abroad, by including a unique and desirable setting it may entice more viewers to watch the video. 

This shot can also infer many different meanings as it makes the item seem larger, as you already know I want to have a story involving social issues and by using this shot it could make my weak character that is being effected by issues of our world such as oppression seem more powerful as the story evolves. If I were to use this shot, I would most likely use it at the end of the video to suggest the viewers that the character has become stronger and has fought through the issues. This may entice more of those to view the video as they want to be empowered or to watch the story as it speaks to them. 

High Angle- This shot occurs when the camera is elevated above the action to give a general overview. This shot was the hardest to film as it was difficult to create that height and to remain within the health and safety limits. Not only that at being such a high height it made it difficult to hold the camera steady, resulting in the shot needing to be performed again, wasting filming time and daylight. Not only that this height made it difficult to instruct actors and to position them, so I had to position the actors, view the sight in the camera and if they were not in the correct position I would have to complete this process again until the positions were set. 

As you can see this took time and effort, however this shot does have many advantages to entice viewers and create the story. This is because the high angle is usually used in pop music videos to show a party like atmosphere, however I will be using this shot to infer weakens for the subject, this would be great to use at the beginning of the video to suggest to the viewers the toll the social problems take on certain people, as it shows that the actor seems smaller than he/she actually is. By using a commonly used shot in pop music videos, but changing the meaning of the angle may make my video more unique that others and entice more viewers to watch and connect with the story or my character. 

Eye Level- This shot is where the camera shows the subject how we would see them at our eye-level and is one of the most common shot in pop music videos as it is used so that the artist can feature in the frame, ensuring the music video to be viewed, this shot shows the subject and how we would see them at our eye-level. This shot was also easy to preform and did produce a high quality shot. However, the shot does not include a lot of the background and so the viewers may not be enticed by the shots as they do not know the artist, so I would need to use this in-between shot that have the background in so that those shot sets the scene for the ones to come.

Over the Shoulder- This shot is where the camera is positioned over the subject’s shoulder, this is usually used in pop music videos to see a phone screen in the subject’s hand, or another person talking to the subject. When filming this shot it was very easy to complete as the camera was steady and the shot was of good quality. The advantages of using this shot is that is allows the audience to have an insight into what the main subject sees form his/hers point of view, if I were to uses this shot I would make the audience aware of the effects issues have on a certain subject e.g. someone bullying you, people ignoring you, someone surprising you. This adds realism to the shot as the audience sees the same view as the character and can connect and feel the same emotions the character feels, allowing them to connect with the storyline even more as they feel as if they are in the character’s shoes.

Camera Shots:

Long Shot- This shot is composed of the subject’s whole body as well as the surroundings. These shots are typically used at the beginning of pop music videos yet they only show the setting of the area, allowing the viewer to understand the location of the video. This shot was slightly difficult to film as I was filming in a public place I had to make sure that all those who were in the shot gave their consent in being in the film, as well as being further away from the action It was harder to instruct the actors and position the props and so the shot was time consuming to complete. 

By using this shot it that can be very difficult to see the scene in detail, resulting in viewers missing major part of the shot such as facial expression and props. This shot would therefore have to be used at the beginning of the music video to set the scene of the story and to use the exotic setting to entice the viewers to watch the video, this is because they may have a desire to go to areas such as the USA and they will therefore want to watch the video to see the amazing sites. 

Wide Shot-  This shot shows an overall view of a whole setting, this allows the viewers to see the whole setting without a particular focus, this shot is typically used in pop music videos on dance routines so that the audience are able to see the whole routine. This shot was easy to film as I could easily get the whole surrounding, props and people within the shot, however it was very difficult to get a good quality shot as the camera easily came out of focus and reflected the sunlight, resulting in not visible to the viewer. If I were to use the shot within my music video I would need to ensure that the camera is facing a way from the sun to ensure that there was no reflection on the camera, resulting in less re-shoots.

Other than that the shot was clear and great to film as would be great to use to set the scene or to use as a transition shot between two major events of the video, for example a view of a shop front and the subject walking into that shop, the scene then cuts to a close up shot of the subject within the shop.

Medium Shot- This shot is composed of the subject from the waist above, these shots show the artist as well as the background images. This shot is commonly used in pop music videos as they are used to promote the artist and suggests dominance and power of the subject, as well as being use to show the context of the location. This shot was easy to film, but I had to ensure that the camera remained steady to allow me to produce a high quality shot. The advantages of using this shot is that you are able to see the face, some of the body and the background, allowing me to show the subject face, emotions and body language suggesting the effect of the song, storyline and effect of problems. I could use this to allow the viewers to see the facial expressions of the subject, if the subject is crying or sad it would infer to the viewer that the subject is struggling with the problems that he/she is facing, allowing for my storyline of social problems to be developed.

Within this shot you are also able to use composition and positing of props to create a more realistic setting or a better, aesthetically pleasing shot. For example, if there were bright flowers or lights in the background it would make the shot more eye-catching and pretty, enticing more viewers to watch as the shot is more vibrant.

Yet the shot does not show the whole background or body so the viewer is unable to see the whole shot and may miss key details.

Close-Up Shot- This is when the subject takes up the majority of the frame, these shots are commonly used in music videos to promote the artist.  This shot was very easy to film as it was easy to position the camera and get the subject in the correct position, this shot allows the viewers to see facial expressions and the body as well as some of the background and props. This shot would be good to use in my music video, as you already know I want my video to have a story about wider issues in society, by using this shot I could show the audience the different emotions of the subject and suggest to the audience the toll the issues take on an average person in today's society. 

However, by using this shot you aren’t able to see the wider background, therefore the viewers may miss important detains of the music video, if I were to use this in my actual music video I would have to pair the shot with one that shows the details of the background first to allow the setting to be established and then move to the close up shot so that key details are not missed. 

POV Shot- Is a shot that shows what a character is looking at represented through the camera.

This shot isn’t usually used in pop music videos, but has recently been used in Hailee Seinfeld’s video ‘Let Me Go’, used to tell a story in a unique way as many pop music videos do not use this camera shot. This shot was the easiest to shot as it didn’t matter if the shot was unstable as it made the scene look more realistic, as if the viewer of the video is actually the person looking around and seeing the sites of the exotic area. This shot would be great to use in the music video as it is very creative and unique, enticing viewers as the shot hasn’t really be used frequently in the pop music industry. As well as the shot really capturing the settings and people in the video enticing those who want to imagine themselves in the exotic location.

This shot would also be great to use to tell a story of problems in society such as bullying or homelessness, by using this shot it may connect more with the viewers as it may seem as if they are in the shoes of the subject that is being bullied, is homeless etc.

Tracking- The camera moves alongside the action, generally following a moving figure or object. This shot is usually used in pop music videos when the camera follows the actor or scans a crowd. 

The shot was difficult to film as I had to ensure that the camera motion was smooth and did not become unstable or changed speed, I did have to re-shoot the video a once as the first video was of poor quality. But other than that the tracking shot would be great to use as it would allow me to follow the subject and create a story using the shot.

Camera Motions:

Pans- A movement which scans a scene horizontally, so that it sweeps around the scene. 

This motion is typically used in pop music videos to scan the location of the video, this is us to set the scene of the video, allowing the viewer to really see the location. This would be used at the beginning of my video to allow me to introduce the characters and the location, the exotic desirable setting will introduce more viewers, as they may want to go to an area like the one I will be filming in. When filming this motion, I did have some difficulties, first the speed of the pan changed when I was filming, so I did have to re-shoot the shot to ensure that the pan remained the same speed, so the shot will be steady and of good quality. I also had trouble as the camera was unsteady without the use of a tripod, If I were to use this motion within my actual music video, I would use a tripod to ensure that the shot isn't shake and is clear and nice to watch. 

Tilts- A movement which scans a scene vertically. This was slightly harder to film as I had to ensure that the camera travelled in a straight vertical line, but after a few attempts I was able to shot a good quality tilt. This shot allows the viewers to see more of the background and the exotic location, but not all the background can be seen so viewers may miss important details. However, this motion is a great way for the viewers to see the area and the sunny setting, this would entice those to watch the video as they want to see more of the exotic location. 

Evaluation of Video:

While making this video I only had a few problems, my first was the weather, as you know the weather can be unpredictable at times and I had to base the shots around different times in the day to ensure that the sun remained shining and the weather was consistent, the sun also allowed the shots to have better lighting and make the surrounding visible for the camera. 

However, the sun also reflected off the camera making some shots less visible resulting in some re-shoots, having seen this problem it has resulted in me to take more precautions when filming to ensure that I don't waste time re-shooting shots, I will therefore have to position the camera so it is not in direct sunlight and causes reflections to ensure that quaintly shot are made.

The other problem was that some of the camera angles are harder to film as the camera was unstable so I also had to re-shoot these shots, resulting in time being wasted. If I choose to go ahead with these shots I might think about investing in a tripod to ensure that the shots are steady, this would result in a better quality shot and video. 

Other than that I enjoyed filming the video montage as I learnt a lot about the camera angles, which has inspired me to think about different shots that I could use the camera angle in during my music video. 

I decided to edit this montage on the application 'iMovie', I found this really easy to use due to a number of different things. First it was extremely easy to import all the videos, this made the process less time consuming as it didn't take long to get all the videos onto the application. I had the ability to easily add audio to act as the background music, this made the video better to watch as it made the video more entertaining and great to listen to. 

I was also able to easily edit the different shots, making it easier to put the montage together, this allowed me to create a montage that ran smoothly and is aesthetically pleasing to watch, as the editing allowed me to ensure that the shot wasn't shake and that all the shots were all clear and ran together well.

Lastly it is also extremely easy to add titles and traditions, this allowed me to make it clearer to the audience what the different shots were and the transitions allowed me to make the video montage flow better and look good for the audience. 

As I completed some re-shots this wasted some of my editing time, but by using iMovie, it made the editing process quicker as I had used this application before so I was use to the editing processes and the set up and was very pleased with the outcome of the video. 

If I were to improve the video I may have wanted to use a different editing software, that had better transitions and titles to use, this would have resulted in a more aesthetically pleasing video that was smooth to watch. I would have also used a tripod to film the shots to have saved time filming, resulting in less reshooting and more time to edit the video. The use of the tripod would mean that the quality of the shots would be better, more steady and clean.