Kyle Andrews "You always make me smile"

Kyle Andrews "You always make me smile": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grnkCPxdTdU

I like the opening shot of the music video as it is quite unique as it uses the Rule of Thirds as the balloon and text are not directly in the centre of the screen, but instead are just off to the side.

This shot is good as there are lots of different colours and already the viewer gets a feeling of happiness as they can hear the crowd screaming as the guitar starts playing. Also the song is quite lively and happy, so the use of bright colours, Mis-En-Scene, add to the theme of the song.

I like this medium shot of the singer as he is standing directly in the centre of the screen and has the crowd of people behind him. I also like the bright colours as it suits the song perfectly as it is a happy song about being in love.

I like the use of different shot lengths and heights as it gives the audience a wider view of the surrounding areas and in this shot, shows how many people are taking part in the water fight.

This shot of the singer is very colourful and I like how he is focusing on playing his guitar in the middle of a water fight, as though he doesn't notice what is happening.

I find this action shot of the water fight interesting as it shows the participants having a really good time and this fun theme suits the theme of the song. I also like the actual video as it is quite unusual as the idea of filming a water fight is really unique.

I really like this shot as it is a good use of depth of field as the person in the foreground is blurry yet the singer and the other water fight participants are in focus.

This shot is good as the camera is looking up at the singer, who is standing on a mini stage, whilst the water fight is still going on in the background.

I like the angle of this shot as it is looking down on the singer as he is being carried by the crowd. I also find that this shot suits the happy theme of the song as it is showing the humanity and happiness within a group of people.

The ending shot of the singer is a close up shot and I feel that it sums up the whole theme and ambiance of the song as it shows the singer emptying water from his guitar. I like the use of different transitions and angles between the shots as it makes it more interesting to watch.

Tom Frager "Lady Melody"

Tom Frager "Lady Melody": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VadTd3uYCg4

I like the opening screenshot of the singer as it is quite simple as he is just sitting, with his guitar, against a wooden shed. I also like the use of the Rule of Thirds as the shot is made more interesting as the singer is not directly in the middle of the screen, but instead just off to the side.

I like the use of animation in this scene as the singer is playing his guitar whilst a cartoon version of him walks across the bottom of the screen and I believe that this makes the video quite unique as it is using both live and animated footage.

I like this scene as it is shot from a different angle and allows the audience to see more of the surroundings and location that the singer is in as well as a different perspective of the singer.

Throughout the music video there are different shots of the singer and his life, i.e. him surfing or walking along the beach with his dog. I like these different shots as it makes the music video more interesting as the shots are not just of him playing the guitar.

This shot is a close up of the singer. I like this shot as it is similar to the close up of the dog as they are both in the same place. Also, the cartoon version of the singer again walks across the screen and is a good use of live and animated footage.

Again I feel that the use of animation with live footage is a good combination as it makes the music video unique and entertaining. Also, the words "Lady Melody" appear on the screen at the same time as the singer says them, which adds a unique touch to the shot.

The use of the Rule of Thirds in this shot makes the scene more in interesting as the singer is not sitting in the centre of the screen. I am thinking of using shots like this in my music video as I like the different types of shots and angles as it makes the music video more interesting.

The use of shots that are not entirely of the singer make the music video more interesting as they allow the audience to see different perspectives of the singer as well as allowing them to see the hobbies that they are interested in, like surfing and walking his dog on the beach.

I feel the use of action shots of the singer add to the song as it is quite a relaxing song and it suits the genre of "surfer dude". Also the use of slow, smooth shots really suit the "chilled out" theme of the song as there are no bright flashing images or really fast animations as this would ruin the theme of the song.

This shot of him surfing helps add to the "surfer dude" feel of the song as the relaxing acoustic guitar rifts suit a beach location, rather than a busy city.

Johnny Cash "Hurt"

Johnny Cash "Hurt": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clq01TXQR0s

The opening shot of the singer is a medium close up of his guitar. I like this shot as it just shows him playing the guitar and nothing else and I think this adds to the simplicity of the song.

I like this shot of the singer as it shows him playing the guitar as well as singing. I may use shots like this in my music video as I like the transitions between shots as it gives the audience different perspectives of the singer.

I think the use of a medium long shot in this scene is good as it allows the audience to see more of the objects behind the singer and it also makes the scene more interesting to watch as long shots are mixed in with close ups, instead of just consisting of the same type of shot.

I like the transition from a medium long shot to a close up of the singers face. I think that within acoustic music songs it is important that there are a lot of different shots of the singer as it makes the music video more interesting to watch and gives the audience a different perspective of the singer.

This shot shows the singer with his hands on the cover of a piano. I like this shot as later on in the video he is playing the piano and I feel that without a shot of him by the piano would mean that later on in the video when he is playing it, the audience may question where he got it from. Also, it enables there to be a reference point for the audience to refer to during the video.

This is the type of shot that I was talking about in the previous screenshot, as the singer is now playing the piano. I like the way in which the use of lighting and use of chiaroscuro means that everything in the foreground is black whilst the background is bright.

The shots of the singer playing the piano are almost match-on-action as he opens the piano case and then starts to play it. I also like the way in which all the shots of him on the piano are different and that there is never just one shot of him playing the piano, but there are a combination of shots.

I also like the way in which shots of him playing the guitar are mixed in with shots of him playing the piano as it makes the video more interesting and also allows the audience to see different angles of the singer.

I think that this shot of him playing the piano works really well as it shows the individual notes that he is playing and along with the other shots of him playing the piano adds to the somberness of the song as the piano notes make up the deep base of the song as it climaxes.

I think that this shot of the side of the singer's face is really good as it is a different angle to the other shots and I also like the use of the fill light to give his face more shadow. I may use a shot like this in my music video as I really like the use of side shots of the singer's face as it allows the audience to see different shots of the singer and helps to make the music video more interesting.

Rise Against "Hero of War"

Rise Against "Hero of War": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DboMAghWcA

The opening shot of the singer in "Hero of War" shows him sitting on some swings in an abandoned playground. I like the use of the long shot as it shows the audience the location of the song and the surroundings that the singer is in. Also, this shot uses the rule of thirds as he is not sitting directly in the middle of the screen, but instead just off to the left.

I like the use of a medium close up in this shot as it focuses more on the singer, rather than the surroundings. I also like the way in which the camera shows a long shot of the singer whilst the music is playing, but the moment he starts singing, the camera zooms up to him. I may use this effect in my music video as I like the contrasts and transitions between each camera shot.

Every time there is a shot of the singer, the camera angle is always different, meaning that two shots are never the same. Even though the camera has moved a tiny bit, it still gives the audience a different perspective of the singer and makes the music video more interesting.

I like this medium shot as the audience get to see more of the surroundings that the singer is in. I also feel that the location of this song really suits the theme as the song is about the experiences of soldiers fighting in Iraq/Afghanistan as well as the pain that is suffered by the civilians and this can be seen in the playground where he is sitting as there is no one there apart from him, meaning that it is too dangerous to play there now.

Throughout this music video, the singer is never directly in the centre of the screen but either just off to the left or right. This makes it more interesting as the audience are able to see more of the surrounding features of the buildings and playground that he is sitting in. For my music video I am thinking of using the rule of thirds as well as different camera shots to make the scenes of the singer more interesting.

I like this shot of the singer has the audience can only see the top of his guitar and it just makes the shot more interesting, rather than just having the whole of the singer and guitar in the shot.

In this shot, the camera is not in a fixed position, but is slowly moving around the singer. I like this as it is different from the other shots of him and makes the shot more interesting. I may incorporate this into my music video as I like this idea of using fixed camera shots with moving shots.

I also like this shot as it again gives the audience a different perspective of the singer but also shows them a different angle of the deserted playground. For my music video I am thinking of using long shots combined with medium close ups as it will make the video more interesting as it will give the audience different perspectives of my singer.

Throughout the music video there are numerous shots of civilians in war torn streets. I like this shot as the  Mis-En-Scene matches that of the playground that the singer is in as the surroundings in this shot are dirty and almost baron.

I also like the use of narrative in this video, as it talks about the experiences of soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan. I feel that scenes like this go with the music video as the song is quite dark and somber and the images of soldiers walking through worn torn streets and deserted warehouses adds to the theme of the song.

I like this shot of the boot stepping on the broken glass as it adds to the somberness of the song as it is talking about the destruction and pain caused by war and this can be scene in this shot, where the soldiers are walking through a warehouse, as there is broken glass and piles of rubble littered over the place.

Green Day " Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)"

For the media task I have chosen to recreate a music video as I feel that this will be easier to do than a short film or a 1 minute trailer. After searching through numerous music videos I have decided to choose The Wrestler by Bruce Springsteen as I feel that this is a suitable song for the atmosphere and surroundings of Jersey. After having chosen the acoustic genre, I researched 5 acoustic music videos that I feel will give me some ideas for my music video, such as different shots of the singer as well as different transitions between shots. Also, as the song that I have chosen to recreate is quite somber and simplistic, I will not be using that much narrative, so in the videos that I have researched I will be focusing more on the different shots of the singer.

Green Day "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMUlLQkta50

For the opening shot of Good Riddance, the main singer is sitting on a bed with his guitar. I like this shot as it gives the audience a view of the type of room that he is in and also lets them find out more about the character. For example the room is quite simple as there is not much in it, apart from a few old photos, a bed and a lamp. However, the blandness of the room, which is helped by Mis-En-Scene, matches the song perfectly as it is a very simplistic guitar song.

The next shot of the singer is a medium close up. I like this as the singer is not directly in the middle of the screen, but just to the side of it and at an angle, which uses the rule of thirds, meaning that things just off the centre of the screen are more interesting than those bang on in the middle.

 This is a close up shot of the singer and yet again shows different angles of him, making it more interesting to watch from the audience's perspective. I also like how he is not looking directly at the camera and I am thinking of using this in my music video as I find that singers who look directly into the camera can be somewhat distracting and for me it feels slightly awkward. However, because he is not looking at the camera, it seems as though he is looking out into "space" like he is reflecting on something in the past and I believe that this adds to the song as it is about things you have done in the past.

I like this shot as it gives the audience a unique perspective of the singer. The elevated shot also shows the audience more of the Mis-En-Scene, such as rubbish and bits of paper, that is in the room.

This shot is good as it is a change of scenery yet the Mis-En-Scene stays with the theme of the song and the other room. For example, there is not as much in it except for a ripped poster and a couple of chairs. The Mis-En-Scene is consistent throughout the music video and adds to the simplicity song.

This shot is a medium close up of the singer. Just behind his right shoulder are some objects that may tell the audience some more information concerning the singer, and as it is just off to the side, it makes it more interesting for the audience to watch.

In this shot, the camera has just moved slightly to the right, allowing the audience to see a different perspective of the singer and the objects behind his right arm. I like this shot as nothing has really changed since the last shot of the singer and this gives a feeling of consistency between each shot and helps to add to the song as they are simplistic shots of the singer and they go with the simplistic theme of the song.

This is another long shot of the singer, which allows the audience to see more of the room that he is in and a different view of him. Also, the singer is not looking at the camera, but again is looking off into the distance, as though he is reflecting his thoughts.

I like this close up shot as it shows the singer hunched over his guitar and looking to the ground. I may use this type of shot in my music video as it shows that the singer is busy with his thoughts, rather than looking directly into the camera at the audience.

 This is another shot of the singer but this time he is in the room he started in. I also like the angle that he is positioned as he is not sitting directly in the centre of the screen and not looking directly into the camera.