Music Video First Draft & Focus Group Feedback

This is my first full draft of the music video.

I showed my focus group and the response was incredibly useful and constructive. The main thing they addressed was the lack of clear narrative in the video. There is a lack of commitment to either abstract visuals or an actual storyline that is explored.
This is an obvious problem in the video, going hand in hand with the recognized lack of connection with the video and the song lyrics. Although the shots are nice and the visuals work together, there isn't a clear link between the theme of the two, so I am now thinking of the option of changing the song.

Some more minor criticism were:

• The shots start feeling a bit "samey" after a while. Although of course the overall look of the video should look the same, the feedback is right in saying that a few of the sequences I have put together in the video begin to look a bit repetitive and an interest is lost from the audience. 
• There is a sequence with the ocean where I have attempted to use editing techniques to reverse the sea and forward it again, to the time of the beat. My audience would like this to be refined and explored more, as having it halfheartedly done just once doesn't use it to it's full potential 
• The shots of the lanterns over Imogen's hair should be explored and used more 
• There was a suggestion to merge two shots, an ink one and a beach shot, combining the two and maybe some others could help bring the different type of shots together 

I came to the conclusion that the lack of a relationship between the video and music was a very detrimental factor of the video, so decided that a different song might work better with the type of footage I had collected.

FINAL MAGAZINE

Vining out with (((o))) lyrics

Sittin’ in your vibe and you be stylin’ out too quickly
Man it's just the way you do it when you move so swiftly
Vibin’ out to you, it makin’ me too human
Smokin' out the way I feel emotion
Emotion
So good, it's so bad, it’s so bad, it’s so new
I’m wishin’ at the end of June

Clouds in my shroud in my vision grow clearly
Can’t see ahead if I’m fine when I leave me
What is the sayin' when you should let go
What is so impossible?
Do me like that with a smile, with a smack
With a you nose, you know me, no you know me better

No rainy, no windy, no sun
Just music and just with the one
I’m fine like that, fine like that, fine
I never be losin’, I’ve won every time

No, you know knows me no better like that
Fittin’ in, your styling out too quickly
Man it’s in the way you do when you move so swiftly
Vibin’ out to you make me too human
Smokin’ out the way I feel emotion
It’s so good it’s so bad, it’s so bad it’s so new
Wishin’ at the end of June

Clouds in my shroud in my vision grow clearly
Can’t see ahead if I’m fine when I be leavin' me
What is the sayin’ when you let go
What is so impossible though?
Do me like that with a smile, with a smack
With all your nose you know better like that
When we be on the scene when ya gottem
Wingin’ me weather

No rainy, no windy, no sun
Just music and just with the one
I’m fine like, that fine like that, fine
I never be losin’, I've won every time


The lyrics to this song don't carry a particular narrative. They are written poetically but disorded, but paired with the  peaceful and melodic instrumental and airy voice they sound deliberate and harmonious.
This means that the visuals are able to be abstract/ carry a narrative without having to follow a particular theme from the song. 

Thought Beats - Goodwin's Theory

Music Video Theorist, Andrew Goodwin has condensed the codes and conventions of a music video into 5 ideas. One of them is Thought Beats.
Thought beats is the idea that the audience can see the song in the video. Music videos and narrative ideas are correlated to the beat, rhythm and tempo of the song through the use of cuts, editing to the beat and repeating shot taking. The structure of the song, the speed of the beats in the song and the voice of the artist are all aspects to be considered and explored when creating the visuals.

Goodwin also explores the relationship between the Music and the Visuals used.
He believes you can:

Illustrate= the video uses images and ideas to illustrate the meaning of the song.

Amplify= atmosphere and deeper meanings of the tracks re repeated to keep a particular idea in the audiences mind- without the emphasis or acting of lyrics

Disjuncture= the meaning of the song is ignored and the visuals are totally abstract.