techniques- stop motion/ pixilation

Stop motion (stop frame) is a animation/film creation technique used to make an inanimate object, which can be physically manipulated, appear to move on its own. The subject/s are moved or adjusted in small increments between separately photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when played as a continuous sequence.

Clay figures/ figures with movable joints are often used as they are easier to reposition or reshape. Stop motion using clay models is called clay animation or 'clay-mation'. Some well known clay-mation examples of clay-mation are the Wallace and Grommit films, Chicken Run, Pingu, corpse bride, Coraline (which was the first stop motion film to be filmed in full 3D) 

Stop motion has also been used in many feature films such as the original Star Wars trilogy, being used in 'Star Wars' (later named Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)in the chess scene, to animate the tauntauns and AT-AT walkers in 'The Empire Strikes Back' and to animate the AT-ST walkers in 'Return of the Jedi'. The technique also features in many of the shots in the Indiana Jones film 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' including the ghosts scenes and for some shots in the closing sequence of the 'Terminator' movie.

Go Motion is a variation of stop motion that involves programming a computer to move the subject slighting between each exposure.

The pixilation animation technique is also a type of stop motion, where "live actors are used as a frame-by-frame subject in an animated film", this is done by taking repeated shots/frames of the posing actors who change position between shots, then during editing the frames in which the actors are changing position are deleted leaving the desired shots. This, as with all stop motion, can appear very smooth or very jumpy depending on how many frames are taken and how much the subject moves between each consecutive frame.

Pixilation animation was used in the music video for The White Stripes song, 'The Hardest Button to Button' directed by Michel Gondry.

Another music video, also for The White Stripes, this time using regular stop motion is the video for 'Fell in Love with a Girl' which uses LEGO building bricks to create a LEGO animation (Brickfilm) and was shot frame-by-frame rebuilding the LEGO between each frame.

Pixilation is a technique that I admire and have been somewhat inspired by after watching this video. It is something I may consider including in my music video if it is an appropriate match for the style of music.

Analysis of videos by similar artists

In order to gain a better knowledge of what makes a good music video for the indie-pop/rock type genre I have watched numerous videos by artists that are of a similar style and genre to The 99s. While doing this I have tried to pick up on all techniques used to create these videos, especially reoccurring techniques, which I can categorise as conventions for this genre. I am especially interested in finding these conventions as they are something I will be able to borrow and use in my video, this will increase the chances of my video being a hit with fans of this genre and they will enjoy watching the video because of the known and recognised video type. Whereas if I used conventions from the rap genre then the video is unlikely to be successful as it does not suit this style of music and fans would probably find it boring.



Instread of analysing every shot of a few videos I find it more useful for techniques and inspiration to watch lots of videoa and just pick out the main techniques nand themes used in those videos then I can look at what is common and what ideas I can gain from these videos.



Similar Artist: The Kooks, The Maccabees, Guillemots, Razorlight, The Smiths


The Kooks-Sofa Song:

This video uses:

• Lots of close-up shots of the lead singer, putting emphasis on the words he is singing and showing it is his portrayal 
• Shot of a city skyline lit up art night are used at the beginning- maybe representing a hectic busy, city lifestyle
• An overlapping pixelated effect is used throughout the video which adds a quirky feel to the video, at some points the effect gives a sense of double vision as the person seen is displaced into the next pixelated picture.
• Mid close-ups, close-ups and mid shots are used at other significant music parts of the song to show the other band members, for example a close-up of the the bassists hand as he plucks the bass guitar string when the bass line first kicks in and a mid close-up of the drummer when a short drum-roll occurs at a break in the lyrics. 

The Kooks-Ooh La:

 
This video uses:

• The opening of this video resembles a French chat show, with presenter/ audience dialogue being heard. This is an addition to the song, purely for the video
• The main section of the video (in Paris) has a grainy, black and white filter applied. This gives the impression we are looking at events that happened in the past
• A Gaussian blur effect is occassionally used to somewhat obscure the image, which gives the impression of uncertainty and ambivalence and the haziness connotes confusion
• When the actual song starts you soon realise the French theme is continued as the video is following The Kooks band member's seemingly sight seeing around Paris. Symbolic symbols of Paris and France such as the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Coeur, typically French Citroën 2CV car
• Slow motion has been added in post processing to give a dreamy, flash-back feel to the clips
• The ending of the video returns to the studio chat show and has credits rolling up the screen to continue the television program theme

The Maccabees- Toothepaste Kisses:

This video uses:

• This video is set in a traditionally styled bar/pub
• It has a smokey, dull, grittyness to the footage
• The video starts of with two people kissing in the bar who, one of these people moves on to kiss somebody else, the tow people kissing are constantly changing and as they are doing this the couple are always moving around the bar area

The Maccabees- Pelican

This video uses:

• CGI-Travelling through space- stars moving towards camera, Earth in centre
• Lyrics "In the middle, in the middle" edited so graphic is travelling past the centr of the Earth which has been bisected 
• Objects in the centre moving towards lens- passage of time throught life. Baby milk, toys, pictures of boy growing older. Representing lyrics "Before you know it, before you know, before you know it- pushing up the daisies"

The Maccabees- Feel to Follow:

This video uses:

• Dark shots- shot of road, camera on front of car driving
• Flashes of orange/ hue adjustments
• Lots of shots of loactions, moving about, city, the sky, shots into branches/trees- natural things- countryside life
• hanging out washing- daily chore, country cottage
• walking around cottage- drab and dull colours, nice view out of the window
• Slow motion shots of sheep dog running, girls skipping etc
• people levitating- atmospheric sense goes with music

Guillemots- Made-up love song #43:

This video uses:

• reduced colour saturation filter
• video is of band sitting lounging in crampoed, cluttered room.
• slow panning tracking shots matching slow beat of song
• singer covers camera with hand shot goes black- hand is drawn away from camera and full colour is present, singer on the beach running about, wearing a suit
• Performance on the beach
• Lots of playful running around on the beach splashing in the sea, throughing instruments/ objects into the air.
• finishing with lead singer covering the camera lens again with his hands to create a 'to black' transition

Guillemots- Trains to Brazil:

This video uses:

• Low colour saturation
• Shots of children running through the playground at school
• Band performing on stage in school performance
• integrated shots of boy running through school up school stairs, cutting back to close up on lead singer each time.
• band playing in school assembly

Guillemots- We're Here: 

This video uses:

• Time lapse photography- long shot across lake reflection of sky, see day break, clods wisp over lake and go again. Matches eerie atmospheric start to song, rumbling sound.
• When drum beat comes in shots switch between dark (mountains black and in shadow) and lighter, repeatedly until other instruments come in
• Guitar/pianeo chords see time lapse of road near lake car light go past and create paths where they have been
• Lots of different time lapse shots of theings happening- icicles melting, close-ups of dripping. different shot compositions of the lake, trees etc.
• Animalks- deer, swans, ducks 
• Shot duration long but movements (clouds, water, cars) in shot moving very fast as have been speeded up.
• Like a slideshow- not liunking shots to spoecific lyrics

Razorlight- America:

THis video uses:

• Aerial shot of city/ shot of a map
• Shot of typsica american drive-in with huge sign saying 'Razorlight' chown as slightshow on old fashioned slide prjectors shown by clicking noise
• Cuts to long shot of band playing in studio/ practise room-relaxed atmosphere to suit slow guitar picked start.
• Wispy cigarette smoke visible in back ground coming from cigarette in ash tray. Show subdued nature of band 
• Slight haze/ blur to create obscurity.
• Bright stage light in front of camer create glare and lens flare.
• Ash tray, pizza box, apple core- relaxed session been there a while just before "I light a cigarette cause I can't get no sleep" lyric
• Slideshow still running behind them
• Shots of wrecked car- symbollism for broken life/ trouble in America
• Words on card "Feel" with road behind them like hitch hikers when "tell me how does it feel" lyrics are sung, word on card response "lost" and "feel" followed by "nothing"

Razorlight- Before I fall to Pieces:






This video uses:

• Shots of man dressed in superhero costume watching lots of ol tv screens stacked up- with fuzzy 'tuned out' picture out. some showing chickens
• He levitates the remote to himself and changed channel onto one where you see a band playing
• Heavy drinking- finishes a pint, then has wine glass, then has anothe pint glass- links to "One more drink and then I'll go"
• Pigging out on food- pizza, dohnut- highlighting fixated nature people have with tv
• Colour changing hues when band seen on screen like strobe lighting
• Turns second screen  to the 'band channel', female superhero joins him on sofa, third superhero sits on sofa.
• Main character trying to kiss female- being pushed away
• 5 heros present now
• Old photographic filter applied to some shots
• Bright white screen with Razoprlight written in black and band members dressed in black walking towards camera disrupts the dullness of the video thus far
• fades out to starry sky

Razorlight- Somehwere Else

This video uses:

• black and white filter from the begining
• camer spiralling in on singer in cobbled street
• tracking shot singer walking with camera towards lens
• Shots of him in shop, pool/snooker hall, cafe, london streets, underground station- lots of locations relating to the singer "I really, really wish I could be somewhere else, than here"
• repeated shots of him walking down streets on the pavement etc
• 360 degree pan- singer walking in circle whils lip syncing
• Snow starts falling
• Ends up in the same place he began on the same shot but reversed- camera zooming out

Razorlight- In the morning:

This video uses:

• Grainy, yellowy brown filter
• performing in community centre
• sheets being pulled off diffferent things in the room
• Audience strarts dancing in group

Razorlight- I can't stop this feeling I've got:

This video uses:

• Black and white
• Shots start blurred
• hazy shots- can just see guiar being picked
• close-ups of singer to emphasise lyrics
• performance element
• lights flashing/ glinting of instruments flares the images
• no storyline just live show performance type shots
• lots of close-ups of instruments

Song Lyrics- Oh Me, Oh My

Every day I seem to turn around-

I'm on my back again,

cause I know there's something better than

this room I'm living in.

Looking outside- the sky is black.

I know a better place,

cause if these four worlds are closing in,

we're wasting time and space.

Oh me, oh my.

You know that I got something to say,

oh me, oh my,

I think about it everyday.

Oh me, oh my,

You know that I've been changing my ways

cause I dream of better days...

Dirty old towns ringing in my ears,

and don't I know just why

cause there's nothing changing in this town, 

the same grey northern sky.

Gotta get away, got to start again,

gonna turn my life around,

cause if these four walls keep closing in,

as ground hog day goes round.

Oh me, oh my.

You know that I got something to say,

oh me, oh my,

I think about it everyday.

Oh me, oh me.

You know that i've been changing my ways,

cause I dream of better days with you now.

(Instrumental interlude)

Oh me, oh my,

You know that I've got something to say.

Oh me, oh my,

I think about it everyday.

Oh me, oh my,

You know that I got something to say.

Oh me, oh my,

I think about it everyday.

Oh me, oh my,

You know that i've been changing my ways,

Cause I dream of better days with you now.

The 99s- Target Audience

For the band I have been researching I believe the target audience that I should target is 14-25 year olds as this age group is usually into their music and many people of this age listen to music of the indie genre. People of this age are often into their clothes, and fashion and many people try to dress indie and style themselves on musical icons such as their favourite bands.

The lyrics of the songs they create are very relevant to people of this age so the audience can sympathise with the band writing the song and the melodies are very catchy so people are likely to sing along to the songs.

To appeal to this demographic I would market the band mainly online using social media websites like facebook, twitter, myspace and websites like YouTube and blogs. Another method would be music tv channels and radio stations.

I will need to do some analysis to find out what appeals to this target market group.

The 99s- Background image

This is a picture of the band relaxing on the moors near their home town, they have a simple, sophisticated, but individual dress sense. 

Contact with chosen band- The 99s

I contacted the band via the email address from their unsigned profile page. I told them I am an A-level Media Studies student and need to create a music video for a song by an unsigned band, and said I was interested in creating a video for their song, 'Oh me, Oh my' and asked if they objected to me doing this.

I got a prompt reply confirming it was fine for me to use their song, adding that they would love to see the video when finished.

Chosen Artist- The 99s

After looking into the chosen three artists I decided that the one I would most like to create a video for is The 99s as I think the band persona seems a lot more refined than the other bands and the songs seem more professional and polished. As well as this I like the clean tones of the bands music, and their simple, but modern fashion style.


When I first heard this band I started to hear influences and make comparisons between their music and existing, similar bands. The bands that first sprung to mind are The Kooks and The Zutons with strong Beatles, northern sounding, Byrds-like melodies.

The 99s- Background information

After reading the description of The 99s that was written on unsigned.com and various other websites, I have found out a little about them and their target audience.  


The  band are from Saddleworth, north-east of Manchester in the foothills of the Pennines in the borderlands of Lancashire and Yorkshire. A place which will forever scarred with the memories of the Moors Murders. Despite this, the melodic indie-rock trio, The 99s, are very proud of their roots and instead of grouping themselves as another Manchester band, they proclaim their Saddleworth origins.


The three band members developed their musical identity through time together at school, and grew into a band when bassist James Loughlin and drummer Adam Quigley recruited Johnny West as singer and guitarist after admiring his performances in local folk clubs. The lads decided that fate had dictated their band line-up was complete, when all three seats in Adam's van were filled.


The band have since established themselves as a great live band and song-writing group after intense local gigging and appearing on Clint Boon's renowned XFM show and In The City festival. In 2009 the lads then took their gigs to London and had three successive gigs sold out at highly praised venues in the music industry such as, The Water Rats and Club 229.


As time has gone on the three have established their own musical style which has grown in confidence and as drawn together many influences which now sits between pop, folk and rock. The bands musical style can be heard to draw inspiration from the folk and brass bands of their hometowns as it does from Northern bands such as The Beatles. Their sunny, Byrds-like melodies take you far from any notions of grim Northern mills and moorland. 

"“We want to put where we come from back on the map for the right reason,” says West. “The music we write reflects our area. We write songs on top of hills.” "

Possible artists

When searching for an artist I could produce a music video for I came up with a shortlist of three bands that i thought could be viable to direct a video for.

These bands were:

• The 99s
• The Ginger Bread Men
• The Bad Robots

I will need to do some further research and planning to decide which would give the best result.

Andrew Goodwin's Six Points

• Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

This means that music videos for the same genre of music often show similarities and use related kinds of themes/ shot types. I will research music videos from artists that are the same genre and style as my chosen song and analyse videos from these artists for conventions and begin thinking about how I can apply these to my music video.

• There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

This is basically stating that the footage/shots/ themes and mise en scene should reflect the lyrics of the song in some way. To do this I will analyse the lyrics to the song and film the video showing scenes constructed around the imagery created in the lyrics.

• There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

This is also saying that that the footage/shots/ themes and mise en scene should mirror the music or beat of the song. I could do this by filming dull/grey skies and rainy weather in my video to match a sombre song or sunny, weather to match an upbeat cheerful song.

• The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).

A method of using lots of close-ups of the artist themselves is used by the record label to market and advertise the artist. To do this I will have to cut regular close up shots of the lead singer.

• There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

This is drawing from the fact that in a high proportion of music videos women are portrayed as sexual objects. This may or may not be relevant to the genre of song I choose to film for.

• There is often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc)

In other words, parts of other films, music videos, characters etc. may be used in a video to attract attention of people who already know and like the material being referenced. For example the music video for 'Buddy Holly' by Weezer using the television programme 'Happy Days' as a setting and theme. This only works if the two texts are closely related, if something immediately springs to mind when I listen to the song then, this could be utilised, but it would need to be a clear cut and well known reference for the audience to understand it.