Research, a lot of ideas, and some test shots.

So, following on from what I said at the end of my last post, I've been looking for a unifying theme between my video, album cover, and website design, something they do on a regular basis. For example, Tegan and Sara's current website uses both the imagery and colour scheme from the album cover for "Sainthood". Inspiration wasn't entirely forthcoming, but thankfully it did literally hit me. One of the peices of artwork blu tacked on the wall above my computer desk fell off. This simple little black and white ink sketch of Tegan is from a while ago (ignore the colour and writing around it), but it's the kind of motif I'm looking for. Like their music, it's very basic and simple, and I think a sketch similar to this of the twins would be an excellent album cover, something not overly stylised and very basic (a lot like their music) while fulfilling basic record label needs of using imagery of the artists. It'd also be a theme that would work well with the website. I also like the idea of using a monochromatic colour scheme for both the album cover and the website. Jonathan Glazer's video work has taught me just how effective and noticeable can look.

I've also, obviously, been thinking about the video itself. Everything from my research points to the same thing. (Focus group videos should be uploaded next week.) It being such a simple song, the lyrics are definitely the main focal point when listening and the more literally the song takes the lyrics, the better. Bearing this in mind, I've been looking around and getting a few photo's with ideas I have for certain sequences based on the lyrics. The overall feeling I want for the narrative the video does twist it's meaning slightly. The song itself is about being a twin, and getting away from someone who people believe is identical to you and being your own person. However, I've been trying to think of a narrative that more people than just twins can relate to, so I'm going to be following the very simple idea of a girl coping with a break up, and learning how to be herself and not just someone's girlfriend. While it's a little contrived and overdone, I believe that, especially for a band like this with a following that tend to be in their late teens to mid 20's, it's something a lot of the fans will have been through at some point. The first idea is based around the opening lines.

"Go downtown, watch an early movie.
The seats are cheaper
They don't mind if you put your feet up."

So, going with this literal thing, I think shots just of the main character going to watch a movie would work. I've been looking for a cinema small and with a little more character, because of this idea of somewhere small and downtown that the song puts across, rather than a big chain where putting your feet up would be considered a sin (something I know from personal experience!) and thankfully the older cinema in bury has just that look. The manager let me in last week just to grab a couple of photo's, but I have to apply in writing for permission to film. Will be posting a letter at the end of the week because it's just got that "older cinema" look about it, and I've decided it'd be perfect for those shots.


These are the shots I got from in the actual screen. I like the angle in the second if I just want to show the central character. I do like the idea of having the actual screen on film though. I think showing a film of the character on that screen and then zooming into that film would be a great transition into whatever I do next in the video.

Which brings me into my next idea. Again, simple and very very literal. The following lyrics in the song are:

"She's out on a highway.
She's got a home made sign that says:
'Go ahead, try and figure what my future looks like'"

I like the idea of the character standing out by the road holding this up on a sign, but I thought about using four different signs, each with part of the lyric, and her just throwing them away. Originally I was inspired by this iconic Bob Dylan video. So my friend Megan agreed to take a few photo's in a couple different locations so I could show what I mean.

I don't like the lighting in these, I think it needs to be lighter, and earlier in the day. But I wanted to look at how it would appear on a town street, especially since having Megan "on a highway" is more of a risk than I'd like to take.



I much prefer the lighting in these shots, though the signs a little hard to read. I also preferred the location, although I'd need to film at a very different angle since it's not obvious here that she is in fact standing on a bridge over an A road.

So yeah, nice to know the whole creative block thing has finally gone. I'm continuing with this whole literal idea and drafting some rough storyboards at the moment, hopefully will be showing those off next week. :)