Critical Reflection: “Under the Bridge” Music Video Film Project Two: Ryan Stark

Challenging/Using Conventions Our music video, which is for the song “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, mainly uses pre-existing conventions. A good amount of what we display throughout our video is present in other, well-known music videos today. Our music video, which is for the song “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, mainly uses pre-existing conventions. A good amount of what we display throughout our video is present in other, well-known music videos today. Throughout our film, slow motion is very predominant. In order to push the slow, depressed feeling of our song, my group members and I edited all but two scenes in slow motion. Many other well-known music videos that we researched also use slow-motion scenes to go along with slow beats or slow, thoughtful points in the song. Throughout our film, slow motion is very predominant. In order to push the slow, depressed feeling of our song, my group members and I edited all but two scenes in slow motion. Many other well-known music videos that we researched also use slow-motion scenes to go along with slow beats or slow, thoughtful points in the song. Our video also follows the norm in terms of title and character listings. We displayed the name of the band at the beginning of our video and then proceeded to list the “band/group” members in rough order of appearance. Our video also follows the norm in terms of title and character listings. We displayed the name of the band at the beginning of our video and then proceeded to list the “band/group” members in rough order of appearance. Title screen displaying band name

Challenging/Using Conventions (cont.) Throughout our music video, we followed an established shot/action guideline that we found in many videos that we researched. Most videos that featured multiple characters seemed to divvy up the shots and go back and forth, slowly progressing in movement and alternating setting, but still keeping general order in tact. We used this tactic in our video as we went back and forth from scenes of Cody, Brad, and Diana. Below is an example of us flipping from character to character in our video: Throughout our music video, we followed an established shot/action guideline that we found in many videos that we researched. Most videos that featured multiple characters seemed to divvy up the shots and go back and forth, slowly progressing in movement and alternating setting, but still keeping general order in tact. We used this tactic in our video as we went back and forth from scenes of Cody, Brad, and Diana. Below is an example of us flipping from character to character in our video:

Challenging/Using Conventions (cont.) In order for our video to go along with the deep meaning of our song, my group members and I decided to match up some video shots with the actual lyrics of the song. This is a very common aspect of many music videos, nowadays, as directors look to add meaning and spark interest for the actual video along with the song. Fading, transitions, and other musically-timed aspects were all included in our video (feet walking to the beat). One example of another music video that timed its shots with the lyrics was “In Too Deep” by Sum 41. In order for our video to go along with the deep meaning of our song, my group members and I decided to match up some video shots with the actual lyrics of the song. This is a very common aspect of many music videos, nowadays, as directors look to add meaning and spark interest for the actual video along with the song. Fading, transitions, and other musically-timed aspects were all included in our video (feet walking to the beat). One example of another music video that timed its shots with the lyrics was “In Too Deep” by Sum 41. As the singer says, “bending over backwards”, the video cuts to a man doing backflips As our singer says “Sometimes I feel like my only friend is the city I live in, the City of Angels (Los Angeles)”, our shot features a faded picture of the city’s skyline

Challenging/Using Conventions (cont.) In order to reflect the depressed mood and meaning behind our song, my group members and I altered the brightness and contrast in certain shots. Most of our video is dark and gloomy, but once our characters befriend each other and gain happiness, the colors begin to look more vibrant. This effect is present in many music videos today as directors use predominately black and white for sad points in the song (Adele - Hello). In order to reflect the depressed mood and meaning behind our song, my group members and I altered the brightness and contrast in certain shots. Most of our video is dark and gloomy, but once our characters befriend each other and gain happiness, the colors begin to look more vibrant. This effect is present in many music videos today as directors use predominately black and white for sad points in the song (Adele - Hello).

Representing Social Groups/Issues My group’s song, Under The Bridge, is one in which the overall mood is gloomy and dark. The song is about the singer reflecting on his dark past and how he was alone at many low points in his life and felt like he couldn’t get back up to save himself. That being said, our video targets people who feel alone and depressed. Possibly a more specific audience, our song/video is targeted towards teenagers and young adults. Our video is meant to serve as a beacon of hope for depressed individuals who feel that “there’s nobody out there.” One aspect that my group members and I wanted to include in our video was a happy, hopeful ending for the audience. With that, we wanted to establish a deeper meaning and representation of the issues presented (depression, loneliness). Representing these social issues as beatable and weak, we established a happy ending that serves to resonate with the audience. My group’s song, Under The Bridge, is one in which the overall mood is gloomy and dark. The song is about the singer reflecting on his dark past and how he was alone at many low points in his life and felt like he couldn’t get back up to save himself. That being said, our video targets people who feel alone and depressed. Possibly a more specific audience, our song/video is targeted towards teenagers and young adults. Our video is meant to serve as a beacon of hope for depressed individuals who feel that “there’s nobody out there.” One aspect that my group members and I wanted to include in our video was a happy, hopeful ending for the audience. With that, we wanted to establish a deeper meaning and representation of the issues presented (depression, loneliness). Representing these social issues as beatable and weak, we established a happy ending that serves to resonate with the audience. Ending scene depicting our three individuals together and happy in each other’s company

Engaging Audiences As stated in the previous slide, our video targets teens, young adults, and almost anyone else who is dealing with depression or hardships. It is on this sad, downtrodden level that we wanted our video to connect with the audience. In order to further engage with our audience, we wanted to provide hope and power to the viewers by depicting a happy, friend-filled ending. The audience should know that no matter how alone or desperate their situation may seem, that there’s always someone who’s feeling the same way…they aren’t alone. As stated in the previous slide, our video targets teens, young adults, and almost anyone else who is dealing with depression or hardships. It is on this sad, downtrodden level that we wanted our video to connect with the audience. In order to further engage with our audience, we wanted to provide hope and power to the viewers by depicting a happy, friend-filled ending. The audience should know that no matter how alone or desperate their situation may seem, that there’s always someone who’s feeling the same way…they aren’t alone. Alongside engaging with an audience who feels the same way as our characters, our video is also meant to engage other audiences as well. Our video, which generates compassion, empathy, and sympathy, also connects with those who want to help individuals in need of a friend. Even though their life is filled with companionship, maybe they feel for those who aren't as lucky as them. Our video serves as a call of duty for those who want to lend a helping hand and change the world one person at a time. Alongside engaging with an audience who feels the same way as our characters, our video is also meant to engage other audiences as well. Our video, which generates compassion, empathy, and sympathy, also connects with those who want to help individuals in need of a friend. Even though their life is filled with companionship, maybe they feel for those who aren't as lucky as them. Our video serves as a call of duty for those who want to lend a helping hand and change the world one person at a time. Even though our video may target different people, the same central goal of overcoming depression and empowering the audience is still the main, central theme. Even though our video may target different people, the same central goal of overcoming depression and empowering the audience is still the main, central theme.

Distribution of our Music Video After weighing the different options, my group members and I decided that YouTube would be the best outlet for our music video. We believe that our video would reach the largest audience and gain the most views possible through YouTube (along with YouTube’s music video channel of VEVO). YouTube videos require no subscription or charge whatsoever. Because of this, our video could be viewed as many times as possible and reach literally anyone who has a computer with internet access. This point is crucial as many people who are depressed or alone (our main target audience) spend a lot of time to themselves on their computer, inside, etc. With this comes another very important aspect that YouTube brings to the table: comments and video suggestions. As our video clearly demonstrates, people who are alone and sad need someone to overcome their problems with. The YouTube comment section provides a perfect outlet for people to connect and speak with each other. Helplines and friendships can be established through this medium, which brings more success and attention to our music video. Lastly, YouTube also provides a Suggested Videos” section which is connected via the tags we place on our music video. Through use of this feature, viewers can watch videos that may help them overcome stress, sadness, depression, etc. Overall, YouTube seems to be the best place for my group and I to distribute our video. The easy access, feedback, and helpful features all make YouTube an ideal place for our music video to gain recognition and spread. After weighing the different options, my group members and I decided that YouTube would be the best outlet for our music video. We believe that our video would reach the largest audience and gain the most views possible through YouTube (along with YouTube’s music video channel of VEVO). YouTube videos require no subscription or charge whatsoever. Because of this, our video could be viewed as many times as possible and reach literally anyone who has a computer with internet access. This point is crucial as many people who are depressed or alone (our main target audience) spend a lot of time to themselves on their computer, inside, etc. With this comes another very important aspect that YouTube brings to the table: comments and video suggestions. As our video clearly demonstrates, people who are alone and sad need someone to overcome their problems with. The YouTube comment section provides a perfect outlet for people to connect and speak with each other. Helplines and friendships can be established through this medium, which brings more success and attention to our music video. Lastly, YouTube also provides a Suggested Videos” section which is connected via the tags we place on our music video. Through use of this feature, viewers can watch videos that may help them overcome stress, sadness, depression, etc. Overall, YouTube seems to be the best place for my group and I to distribute our video. The easy access, feedback, and helpful features all make YouTube an ideal place for our music video to gain recognition and spread. Example of YouTube’s VEVO account alongside the video’s comment section / extensive number of views

Developing My Skills Over the course of this project, my skills in terms of generating meaning my through videos has increased greatly. Although I already have a good understanding of the filming and editing process, I gained extensive amounts of knowledge from this film project in particular. Overall, I learned how to develop deeper understanding and connections through the videos I create. I now know certain aspects of music videos that are absolutely vital in order to make them look official and real to the viewers. Developing connections and understanding with the audience is very important when making a good music video. In order to do this, when editing, I incorporated several established tactics such as slow motion, high/low-key lighting, and intricate fade/transition techniques. With this project, I also learned the importance of having good settings and scene locations. Without specific, meaningful locations, the shots seem empty and generally very shallow. Generating meaning through the video was the main skill that I developed through this project and researching various music videos as well as experimenting with various lighting and angles all helped tremendously. Just as the last project, I also gained a greater appreciation for the use of storyboards and shot planning. Pre-planning makes the filming and editing processes move much smoother and efficiently. Brainstorming ideas and talking with my group about plans for our music video also proved as a learning experience for me as we were able to weigh the options of each idea and follow through with whichever one we thought most benefitted our video. Over the course of this project, my skills in terms of generating meaning my through videos has increased greatly. Although I already have a good understanding of the filming and editing process, I gained extensive amounts of knowledge from this film project in particular. Overall, I learned how to develop deeper understanding and connections through the videos I create. I now know certain aspects of music videos that are absolutely vital in order to make them look official and real to the viewers. Developing connections and understanding with the audience is very important when making a good music video. In order to do this, when editing, I incorporated several established tactics such as slow motion, high/low-key lighting, and intricate fade/transition techniques. With this project, I also learned the importance of having good settings and scene locations. Without specific, meaningful locations, the shots seem empty and generally very shallow. Generating meaning through the video was the main skill that I developed through this project and researching various music videos as well as experimenting with various lighting and angles all helped tremendously. Just as the last project, I also gained a greater appreciation for the use of storyboards and shot planning. Pre-planning makes the filming and editing processes move much smoother and efficiently. Brainstorming ideas and talking with my group about plans for our music video also proved as a learning experience for me as we were able to weigh the options of each idea and follow through with whichever one we thought most benefitted our video.

Integrating Technology In order to produce the desired effect and final product for our music video, my group members and I used a healthy dose of technology and hardware in our filming/editing processes. We filmed our video with the Canon Vixia HFM40 HD Camera. The camera provided good, clear shots for our video and also allowed for easy playback so that we could decide whether a shot was good enough right after the shot was taken. In order to provide stabilization and smooth camera movements, we used a steering wheel camera stabilizer. This worked out very well for our video as we felt our shots moved and rotated just as we had planned. Camera stabilization was also very important for our video as slow motion shots were very prominent throughout. Any slight movement or shaking would create drastic problems for the overall quality of our video. Below is a shot taken with the stabilizer: In order to produce the desired effect and final product for our music video, my group members and I used a healthy dose of technology and hardware in our filming/editing processes. We filmed our video with the Canon Vixia HFM40 HD Camera. The camera provided good, clear shots for our video and also allowed for easy playback so that we could decide whether a shot was good enough right after the shot was taken. In order to provide stabilization and smooth camera movements, we used a steering wheel camera stabilizer. This worked out very well for our video as we felt our shots moved and rotated just as we had planned. Camera stabilization was also very important for our video as slow motion shots were very prominent throughout. Any slight movement or shaking would create drastic problems for the overall quality of our video. Below is a shot taken with the stabilizer:

Integrating Technology (cont.) Once we finished filming, my group and I began editing our video. The two programs that were used to edit our music video were iMovie and Adobe After Effects. iMovie was used in order to place the entire video in order and create smooth transitions. iMovie is an easy program to maneuver when working with simple editing such as transitions, titles, fades, and brightness. We used Adobe After Effects for scenes that needed more advanced editing. When Diana stares off into the nature preserve, the city scape of Los Angeles fades in and out. Photo tracking along with opacity and sizing were all aspects taken into account when editing that scene through After Effects. We feel the cityscape added a new dimension to our video that allowed the audience to physically see what the singer was talking about at that point in the song and, in turn, make deeper connections. The opening scene of our video also used editing from Adobe After Effects. While Cody walks down the dark tunnel by himself, a transparent graffiti outline slowly maneuvers across the scene. This was done with a green-screen, keying effect through After Effects. We felt that this immediately set the tone of our video and established the grunge feel that we wanted to portray. Once we finished filming, my group and I began editing our video. The two programs that were used to edit our music video were iMovie and Adobe After Effects. iMovie was used in order to place the entire video in order and create smooth transitions. iMovie is an easy program to maneuver when working with simple editing such as transitions, titles, fades, and brightness. We used Adobe After Effects for scenes that needed more advanced editing. When Diana stares off into the nature preserve, the city scape of Los Angeles fades in and out. Photo tracking along with opacity and sizing were all aspects taken into account when editing that scene through After Effects. We feel the cityscape added a new dimension to our video that allowed the audience to physically see what the singer was talking about at that point in the song and, in turn, make deeper connections. The opening scene of our video also used editing from Adobe After Effects. While Cody walks down the dark tunnel by himself, a transparent graffiti outline slowly maneuvers across the scene. This was done with a green-screen, keying effect through After Effects. We felt that this immediately set the tone of our video and established the grunge feel that we wanted to portray. The graffiti effect: Cody walking in background as transparent graffiti floats over the shot.