Song Choice 3: Taylor Swift- Shake It Off

Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off is so typical of the pop music genre. The repetition in the song makes it very catchy and the up-tempo beat would suit a performance based music video with my artist lip syncing. My idea mainly revolves around dressing my artist up in different costumes to match the lyrics.

I go on too many dates

But I can’t make them stay

For example while singing the first line, my artist would be dressed up as if going on a date- beautiful make-up, hair up, wearing a nice dress. Then for the second she would be wearing the same dress but her hair and make-up would be a mess- with mascara running down her face to suggest she has been crying.

All the costumes would be exciting for the target audience- which would be young girls. Furthermore the focus on the artist would be ideal to promote her image.

Song Choice 2: Lilly Wood & Robin Schulz- Prayer in C

My first thought for a music video for this song was narrative-based, focussed on a woman's distress after her boyfriend left her. I pictured my artist singing in a wood in winter, with leafless trees metaphorically symbolising the end of the relationship.

However I then thought about creating a concept-based video- focusing on the metaphors, I could produce a music video themed around global issues such as climate change. For each verse I would film a scene showing the opposite if the lyrics- what humankind has done to destroy our world.

Hey, when seas will cover lands

And when men will be no more

Don’t think you can forgive you

For example in this verse I would film teenagers driving on a road trip. I would combine close-ups of the actors' elated faces and the exhaust fumes to show their complete disregard for the fact that they are using precious resources.

These scenes would contrast with the chorus.
 

Ya, You never said a word

You didn’t send me no letter

Don’t think I could forgive you

Here my artist would be performing alone in a wintery wood. She would be singing to the previous generation who used all the resources and left her world very primitive and obsolete. For her appearance I was inspired by the styling of the ‘Grounder’ leader Anya in American T.V. show The 100- messy hair with loads of tiny braids, and heavy makeup including black eye shadow.

 

Song Choice 1: Birdy- Light Me Up

 

This song is so beautiful and emotionally powerful. When I listened to it I thought about how it would make a fantastic performance based music video with a narrative interwoven. I think the contrast between the emotional verses and the powerful chorus' would be great to work with. I would use light and colour to visually reflect this contrast. For the verses I could have my artist in dull grey or black clothing and possibly shoot in black and white. But in the chorus' of the song I would be using a lot of lights (for example disco lights and fairy lights) and colour.

For the bright choruses I would channel Charlie XCX's disco lights in Boom Clap and Rihanna's bold makeup in Who's That Chick.

Inspiration: White Background

 

I really like how white backgrounds look in performance based music videos. The sole focus is put on the artists and other performers, so I think it would be very effective for a pop music video. Many of these videos are in black and white, however I want to include a lot of colour in the costume and make up of my artist- more like Lady Gaga.

 

 

Lady Gaga- Bad Romance

 

Beyoncé- If I Were a Boy

 

 Beyoncé- Single Ladies

 

 Beyoncé ft. Lady Gaga- Video Phone

 

 Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell- Blurred Lines

 

 Justin Timberlake ft. T.I.- My Love

 

 Lorde- Royals

 

 Professor Green ft. Lily Allen- Just Be Good To Me

 

 

 Madonna- Lucky Star

 

 Pixie Lott- Gravity

 

Snoop Dogg ft. Pharrell Williams- Drop It Like It's Hot



Inspiration: Costumes and Characters

I really like how the artists in these videos play multiple characters. I think it makes the narrative more interesting and gives a comic effect. Furthermore it shows off the artists' talents, especially in the case of Swift in the You Belong With Me video. The variety of costumes and make up are also very visually exciting, and appeals to the target audience of teenage girls. I really want to incorporate this idea in my video because I think a video exploring lots of characters is very fun.