Test Shots

We have spent a day testing the quality and workings of the camera we will be using. Taking test shots of people and local scenes, we are happy with the camera and are learning the correct lighting. 

We may also use these shots as part of the music video.

Update - 31st January

So far, we have kept up with the schedule in the way that both the storyboards and camera script are complete. 

We have also started to research the locations. Rosie has contacted both Barry and Porthcawl council, and we are awaiting some response. The original response was that Barry filming would cost us £100 per day, but we are still trying to work something out, using the fact that we are college students as a way of getting the prices down. 

So far, our budgeting ideas include only a cake sale (which has so far been put aside, because there is not enough money in it, especially seeing as other groups are doing that same), and sponsoring from local businesses. We are yet to make a move on these businesses. 

Production Schedule

This is the production schedule I have devised for the Ghost Town music video, giving the dates of everything we have to do, and who will be involved in each thing. 

Month	Date	Holly	Rosie	Joby
January	24th	Start blog
	25th	Storyboard	-	-
	26th	*	Location scout
	27th	-	-	Camera script
	30th	Risk assessments
	31st	Casting and release forms
February	6th – 9th	Filming beach scenes
	10th	Half -term
	13th – 18th	Filming abandoned building scenes
	20th – 21st	Filming auditorium scenes
	27th	-	-	*
March	7th	Editing begins
April	1st	EDL
	4th	DEADLINE

* = Unavailable


Also, throughout filming, we must remember to keep Edit Logs.

What We Need

These are the initial lists of what we will need, in terms of cast, props and locations – 

Cast –

- 4 band members

- 14+ audience members

Props – 

- Instruments (one guitar, one bass, one drum kit and one microphone)

Locations – 

- Auditorium

- The beach

- The arcades

- The fair

- Empty streets

- Boarded up buildings

- A bandstand

We are thinking that we will ask for permission to use the college auditorium for the band and audience scene.

We have also chosen Barry Island as the location for the other scenes, as it has all the stuff we need in one, easily accessible place.

It is also useful that it is winter, so Barry should be less populated at the times we need the streets to be empty.

Proposal

For Ghost Town's music video, I, as director, proposed a partially black and white depiction of an empty seaside resort to suit the meaning and sound of the song.
The beginning of the song could quite easily be heard as the lapping of the waves and the sounds of the arcade games, but obviously, the games should look like they haven't been played for years - giving it an eerie, 'ghost town' effect. The style of the music also suits the beach scene well.
Scenes can include; the beach itself, with views of the sea, the promenade and the sand; arcade games; disused fairground rides; boarded-up shops; an empty stage (to show the deserted clubs etc.); a lone seagull (to show the only remaining life in the town); and an empty street. Montaged together, I think the effect would suit the song, especially of the external shots are filmed in the dark and the internal shots are in black and white.
Also, to add to the theme of 'ghost town', maybe the use of transparent images of people (as seen in Doctor Who - the ghosts that are later revealed to be Cybermen) would be an interesting method to make the video unique atmospheric.


This proposal has since been accepted and the pre-production work begins today.

Ghost Town

For our music video project, we have been given the song ‘Ghost Town’ by The Specials.

Our production group consists of –

Myself as Director

Rosie Skinner as Producer

Joby Hill as Director of Photography (DOP)