Contrast of Ideas

The inspiration for my FMP has been drawn from some of my favourite music videos, such as Marry The Night by Lady GaGa, Alright by Kendrick Lamar, and Let It Go by James Bay.

Marry The Night by Lady GaGa

This is a 14 minute music video, where the first 9 minutes are short film, and the last 4 minutes turn into a music video. The first part of the video is slow and follows the demise of an aspiring ballerina in a dark short film. But then the video completely changes in the end as it shows her 'get back on her feet' and become the best again. 

I liked this video and enjoyed the slow paced first part of the video. I also like the fire effects in the music video. It shows her dancing on top of a classic car while rain poured down around her. This added to a great atmosphere and mood and I'd love to do something similar in my FMP.

I disliked the pretentiousness of the film. A lot of the monologue seemed very fake and it felt as if they were 'trying to hard'.

Alright by Kendrick Lamar

This in my opinion is one of the greatest music videos ever made! I've watched it countless times and it never gets old. It starts off with a moody and hip-hop heavy monologue by Kendrick Lamar himself. Then kicks into the music video after about 2 minutes and 40 seconds. The music video is racially and politically driven with strong themes of both. All topped off by atmospheric black and white shots and death-defying stunts.

This music video has made me seriously consider making my music video in black and white. I love the feel and mood of it. And although at first I didn't like fire in black and white, now I'm starting to enjoy it visually, after much experimentation.

I disliked the really badly edited special effects in the final scene where Kendrick is falling to the ground from a lamp post. You can clearly see where the masked around him to make the ground he was on seem bigger than it actually was.

Let It Go by James Bay

This is a very slow-going music video, only reaching its 'visual peak' towards the end as Mr. Bay slow motion walks away from a building as it explodes into flames. I like how they really sell the idea of the whole house burning down without actually showing a great deal of the house on fire, rather we just see tight close ups or medium shots for the destruction. Most of which would of been done in post anyway! The less special effects work, the better! This is the kind of technique I'd like to use in my music video.

I disliked the cinematography in some of scenes. I thought at times it was just a little bit too dark, which made it hard to see what was actually going on. I think if the just used a very dim light, they would be able to show the detail in the shadows, without compromising that 'dark and edgy' look they were going for.