Music Video Song Selection-

Hi everyone!

After a lot of deliberation, I have finally decided on what song I am choosing for my coursework. Being very indecisive by nature I knew that this decision was not going to be an easy one, which is why I started putting together my first playlist during the Summer... :) Nevertheless, I wanted to share with you the selection process which has led me to finally choose my song for the coursework.

Check my next post to see which song I have finally chosen :)

Hope you enjoy this post!

xx Natalia

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Top 3 Songs- The Moodboard Showdown

As I liked all three songs (plus a couple more- the original number was 7...), I decided to jot down ideas for the concept of a music video for each. To portray each of the ideas here, I will use mood boards to convey the aesthetic and mood that I was aiming for.

Here are the top 3 ideas I had in mind:

False Confidence- Noah Kahan

Link to the song on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWRWuY3pV2c

The song talks about the concept of "False Confidence", of being always manipulated by your fears and putting on a façade that doesn't allow you to be yourself. This dance by Sean Lew and Kaycee Rice explains it very well.

My idea for this song is to represent that concept through the use of symbols such as mirrors and post-it notes in which the words "false confidence" would be written. The narrative would be conceptual (not exactly linear but not random either).

My 'character' would go through a series of events that would end up in her taking off one of the post-its from her forehead, arm, etc. every time she tried to put up a façade. At first, it would be very simple for her to do so, but towards the end of the song, she would get tired of it and finally choose to gather the bravery to be herself.

I had planned on filming with natural lighting, at different times of the day to create the impression of the events happening over some time. The verses would focus on the build-up to a social event and the chorus.

At first, she would stand in front of the mirror, choosing which post-it to wear (as in the personality, as well as her outfit). the first chorus would be her happily walking on the street and enjoying her new outfit. the interlude- musical interval, would be her waking on the same street with different paces and different outfits, each time looking a bit more discouraged. The second verse and chorus might show her struggle to keep up with that until, in the climax, she would rip up all the post-it notes and have a complete make-over for the end of the song.

I think this is a feasible idea, as I would need to really think about clothing and decor, but the settings would be easy to find and I would probably film most of it during the day or with good sources of lighting (not at night in the middle of the street).

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Sweet Little Lies- Bülow

Link to the song on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-V462WSXLU&ab_channel=NewMelody

This was my first choice in Summer. The song talks about listening to the "Sweet Little Lies" of a hypothetical lover. Its mood is much more dramatic than the previous song, which would have to be reflected by the lighting and decor of the song.

In this case, the narrative would be non-linear, and would focus on the artist and her aesthetic. I would portray her as a teenage girl, to appeal to her teenage audience, in her room with neon 'tiktok' lights. She would be metaphorically listening, in an old-fashioned cassette to achieve a more vintage aesthetic look, to the lover's sweet little lies, as would appear written on the cassette. This act of wilful listening mirrors the message in the song.

In terms of the different scenes, I am picturing the room, writing in her diary some lyrics of the song; the bath (without water) in red lighting when she says "code red"; an outdoor setting with thick black sunglasses when she says "I wonder if the sun will shine again", etc.

For this song, as it is not narrative-like, I would need to make sure that the locations don't turn repetitive, and that I can find enough original settings that make this song work. It would be a challenge but it could also be very aesthetic and I could research some interesting transitions to create a more dynamic feel. I could also experiment with time-lapse footage and different camera styles (such as retro-style footage).

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I Miss You- Clean Bandit ft. Julia Michaels

Link to the song on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VKIm0sWW4U&ab_channel=SyrebralVibes

This song would also follow a non-linear narrative that focused on the image of the artist. The song talks about the artist missing a lover after a breakup. However, the rhythm is rather lively and has some instrumental parts.

For this song, I would film outdoors in the countryside. I would perhaps use a drone to film from above and obtain different shot angles. I would also use a notebook to write "I miss you" and some other parts of the lyrics, perhaps having some pieces of paper laying around a picnic tablecloth with the singer sitting in the middle, etc. I could use different locations such as also in her room, and finish filming during the golden hour, at sunset for a more dramatic effect.

As in the other video, I would have to make sure that my shots were varied and dynamic enough to make the music video entertaining and not monotonous. However, it could be a pretty and aesthetic music video with many interesting shots.

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