Peter Fraser - 10 Steps To Success

In the article called '10 Steps To Success' in the MediaMagazine, principle examiner Pete Fraser wrote about the 10 crucial steps in order to succeed in making a music video for the A2 course. This article was very useful as it explained in detail what I need to do and not to do in order to make a good and original music video.

1) Research

• Music videos have a variety of different conventions relating to its genre.
• Music videos also have thousands of pounds worth of budget.
• The video has to sell the song and the artist, must be worthy of loads of replays.
• Goodwin's convetions theory is a useful framework to begin the creation of the music video.

2) Getting in a group

• Work only with people who are reliable - good communication, organisation and practicallity.
• Allow for a deadline earlier than the actual deadline. 

3) Choosing a track

• Choose unfamiliar material - it is more like the reality of the music business: you do not have to like the music.
• Pick a song that can stimulate ideas.
• Think about performers, locations and use of shots.

4) The pitch

• Be prepared to pitch the ideas of the chosen track, a single page of ideas, simply expressed, which would enable anyone reading to image the finished product.
• Needs to stand out, have a hook in the first paragraph and have a clear idea of location and narrative.
• Stand out from the crowd.

5) Look at previous student work

• Previous students work can tell you what works well and also what doesn't go well.
• Avoid using well known songs.
• Do not overuse effects or use them to disguise poor footage.
• Avoid aimless driving shots and use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.
• Shots of people walking around, speeded up footage or reverse footage.
• Do not use found footage, use your own unless there is a good reason.
• Avoid over the top stories.

6) Planning and shooting

• Timescale is crucial.
• Use your deadlines and time constraints to focus your thinking and working practices.
• Storyboard as much as you can.
• Plan ahead and use props, costumes and locations.
• Make sure you know basic controls of a camera and that you have a tripod.
• Don't forget to bring the CD.
• Check your footage early on.

7) Editing

• Load footage sensibly, load and edit in chunks rather than importing it in one go.
• Name the files for easy location.
• Use effects sparingly and in planned fashion.
• Make sure lipsyncing is correct with song in editing.
• Expect to make compromises - some things will need to be done to make final product work.
• Apply filters to even up lighting.

8) Screening and feedback

• Expect feedback for your product - ask questions to prevent "it was good" responses.
• Did it remind them of any other videos or media texts?
• What message does audience get from the video?

9) Writing

• Follow guidelines given by teachers.
• Begin writing early on but do not leave it until the very end.
• Do not leave the writing full of excuses, it should cover the whole process, use technical language accurately, include the feedback and your comments, place the video in terms of the industry, relate it to examples and conventions and include an analysis of finished product.

10) Marking

• Leave that to the teachers.