Planning setting and iconography

Settings and iconography are both vital when it comes to the producing a music video. This is because both have a huge impact towards the viewing experience for a viewer and also what they would expect to see throughout a music video of a certain genre, with our video being indie. The location where a specific part of a music video is shot creates the scene and sets the tone for that segment in particular, which then allows to get across feelings towards the audience, also the location may be conventional to the genre itself. When it comes toiconography, its role relates back to the audience and genre again, as items are included in the frame which the viewers would associate with a particular genre of music. It gives a more realistic viewing experience for the audience as it shows that the music video belongs to a certain genre and will contain aspects that appeal towards the chosen target audience. 

There are a wide variety of settings that me and my group have discussed, gathering ideas on what locations in particular are accessible enough to us and what would suit certain parts of our music video. The first location we came to a conclusion to include was to use Buckhurst Hill station for the use of our narrative, more specifically showing a few shots filmed on the streets before the artist enters the train station. We have chose this location in particular as it will assist the portrayal of the artist from the offset, also providing a point towards our narrative. Because the locations throughout our video will change from rural to urban at given points, the choice of using this location will be more for the purpose of the artist as showing himself as a down to earth every day person, due to the urban setting, which then will help towards creating a relationship between the viewer and artist himself through portraying him as a relatbale character, as the viewer may be able to relate to the current position the artist themself is in. Furthermore the artist will also be shown entering the train station carrying his instrument to play, shortly after leaving his hometown, which is buckhurst hill. The location itself does not limit the possibilities for filming as its purpose is used specfically for the opening of our music video, as it will be used to show an everyday setting so extravagant shots wont be needed. and are unessasary here. When it comes to the crew, the location will in fact be beneficial as me and the other group members either live in buckhusrt hill or next to it, as well as other potential people such as our friends which may be used for filming, which should make the shots pretty easy for ourselves to film and re-access them if they need to be repeated or changed. One health and safety risk for example which may be an issue during this segment in particular could be posed when entering the station to film the shot/shots, because if we choose to film during midday or rush hour evening time, there will be a large number of commuter's coming back from work  or going to work which will pack the station where we want to film, making it a little bit risky for us as the equipment we carrry or one of our group members could possibly collide a member of the public. To overcome this hazard, myself and my group may need to film this scene in particular during an off-peak time, to avoid the rush of the station and it being overcrowded and any other potential risks which could come from travelling peope and the location. The weather should not be too much of an issue when filming this scene as it mainly takes place inside the station, although for the part before the artist himself goes into the station, the visibility must be good enough to provide clear visuals. As long as filming this won't take place at night and the visuals are unclear to see and too vague, it should not be much of an issue if the weather isn't really too sunny or dull as when the editing stage comes up, the saturation levels will be altered to be lowered in order to provide with a somehwat grainy effect.

The next location my group and I discussed and brought up also relates to the narrative, the location for the next scene is Liverpool street station in London. One scene where this location is used is when the artist will be shown busking at the train station and around it. We chose this location as it is conventional to our indie genre, as it's a busy urban place in the city of London, the capital of the country where many videos are filmed. Because of that, using this shot will allow for portray the concept, as there is a contrast in the visuals that is seen between the urban and suburban locations. This will put an emphasis on the artist struggles as this scene will show how despite there being such a huge number of people there in passing to see him, he will receive pretty much no money from anyone passing him. This then allows for the audience to feel sympathetic for the artist, which may then create a relationship between the viewer and the artist through the down to earth portrayals. The location will however limit what my group and what I will be able to do in regards to our film crew and our content. This is because in order to get to this location we want, it should take around 25-40 minutes on the central line service, coming from where we will travel in at Buckhurst Hill, which will likely not be a location which we will be able to get additional cast members to help us due to time commitments, also the fact of the matter it maybe being difficult to re-film certain scenes, however it shouldn't be too much trouble for me and my group as we can access the central line easily any time of the day due to lighting and other aspects we may be restricted for  our filming time. In terms of the Buckhurst hill station scene, a health and safety hazard we may encounter is filming in the station during peak times, where it will be overcrowded, as time goes by, which will increase the chances of something dangerous happening. The weather will not really be too much of an issue with this chosen location as the majority of the lighting we use which will be present in the visuals will all be artificial and edited. Also with the first location stated, another scene will take place using the exact same location of our Buckhurst Hill, although this time it will focus upon the very beginning of our narrative, as the artist will now be seen leaving his home, which will take place before the scene that follows at Buckhurst Hill train station.

Another location which will be used during this music video will be actually on the train itself, as the artist himself will be seen travelling towards central London from buckhusrt hill in the attempt to make money busking on the streets around liverpool street. There will also be another scene which will include being in a moving vehicle, this scene in particular however may be potentially difficult to film as it will take place and be shot inside of the taxi, which the artist is taking on the way to the station. We have chose to use this for its relative value towards the narrative of our music video, as the scene is important towards portraying feelings and getting them accross towards the viewer, as well as the artists representation and the way he also comes across to the audience. It shows the artist as hitting rock bottom, of his career and as well as his life as a whole, as he is shown running away from the taxi because he can't even afford the fare. This shows the struggle which the artist is shown is going through, which emphasises this towards our audience. The shot is not specifically conventional to the genre however as it is not a commonly used form of iconography, although the way which it is used allows for the artist to come across in a particular way. This does not link with the lyrics in our chosen song.

Throughout our music video, there will be various forms of iconography present from start to finish. The first example of iconography that will present and would also be commonly expected to be present in an indie genre music video a guitar. We have chose to use this for various reasons. First of all, it is very important to feature the artists performance throughout our video and videos in general, which  is shown in our production has a large relevance during the busking scenes which contributes towards portraying our artist. As well as this, it is also vital as it is acommonly used piece of iconography throughout the indie music genre, so including a form of a musical instrument is needed to ensure that the music video itself follows the codes and conventions of the actual genre, as well as the use of the iconography. Furthermore, the scenes where the artist can is seen playing his guitar is mainly during the parts where he is busking, which shows the struggle in which the artist goes through in his life to get the life that he wants, and shows him as being a down to earth character who just wants to get by in life doing his own thing, which may appeal to the target audience due to this down to earth portrayal, as it is relatable. It also does link with the lyrics of the song as during the song it mentions the struggle that the artist himself is facing, alongside how he also wishes to change the way he is living, which is evident through his own street busking. This therefore will create a relationship between with the music video, alongside the additional presence of  having the narrative and also the implied narrative. It will also help towards the portraying of our concept as it will put an emphasis on the struggle which the artist goes through himself, showing the harsh reality of the real life struggle of making it big in the music industry, a dream of many and espeicllay our artists.  The next form of iconography shown will be of a money bucket, which is going to be used by the artist during filming our scenes where he can be seen busking in the public places we chose. We have chose to use this  particular form of iconography as it carries importance, one being to show the viewers how the artist receives no money whilst busking as the money bucket will be evidently empty, alongside its relevance during the point in the narrative where it ends up getting stolen. In these two scenes which it's present in, it will also then show the audience how the artists personal position is failing to get better and how the fact that also no one is giving him money as he is playing, which further emphasises the struggles of the artist and shows him then as being just irrelevant to the majority of people. The audience then can create a relationship with him as they sympathise with the artist himself and the position that he is in and trouble he faces. Another example of iconography will be a notepad used, which will be used during the part of our narrative where the successful and superior artist is present and in the frame, and a fan approaches him requesting an autograph. We have chose this use of iconography as it will show the successful artist as being just that, as it then shows the audience how this character is important and also very successful, which will allow for a contrast to be present between the portrayal of the artist throughout the video and show that the two are indeed opposites.

Throughout our video, the artist will be seen wearing mainly black clothing or dull lifeless colours on him, which will stay consistent through the whole video. This is conventional to the indie genre itself as it will show off the artist in a number of different ways which may be taken differently. It will also then show how he has no hope at all with the current position he is in and facing, and we will emphasise this feeling of hopelessness and depression reflecting through the visuals of the video too. This chosen form of iconography links in with the nature of the songs lyrics, as they are dark and miserable during some points, as it tells a story of the artists own bad personal life and struggles. This then creates a relationship with the audience as it helps them relate to the artist.

The artists hair in the video will be messy and also natural looking, which will not change throughout our music video. This therefore shows how the artist doesn't have himself straight and maybe cannot even afford to look good and that music is his only care, also the fact that his life is unorganized just like he is. His financial struggles link towards the lyrics of our video as it could relate towards alchohol abuse, which may be a problem for him, shown through the lyrics. "I drink to remember, I smoke to forget", which couldbe the reason behind all his poor lifestyle. This therefore then creates a relationship between the style of music video as it is important towards the artists portrayal, which is shown throughout the narrative as the artist himself being in a poor position. As well as this, through showing the artist in this certain way it then allows for the concept to be more clear to the viewers, as it will also then show the contrast between the successful artist as coming accross more apparent and relevant.