Open To Offers Research

Influences

After speaking with the band, and agreeing to film an interview (which will be posted in the next two weeks), I asked them what their influences and ideas would be for there first music video. James Lovatt (lead vocals) said that a combination of a narrative story line along with a performance element would be what the band would be after. My own suggestion was to also include a montage of part the bands lives, such as parties, gigs and recording that could break up the story line.

I also decided to research the bands influences and interests such as bands like Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, The Kooks, The Enemy and The Libertines, and I plan on asking the band to identify any conventions they wish to include from any of these bands and any conventions they would like to disregard or break in their music Video.

 The Kooks - 'Naive'

One part of this video that both me and the band identified as a success full part of the video was the 'strobe' lighting from the stage that was slowed down to look like a dull flicker. I suggested that this would make the performance shots look more powerful and emotive if the combination of a strobe light and slow motion were used.

Another convention that is used in this video and most other videos is that the whole band are included in the video, in almost cameo appearances, and the band felt that this would help convey the identity of the band and it's members.

The Libertines - 'Don't Look Back Into the Sun'

This video contain the performance elements that Open to Offers desired to really sell the band and showcase the quality of their live performances.

Similarly to the Kooks video Don't look back into the sun contains strobing and heavy use of lights to make the video more visually stimulating.

The performance shots are broken up by cut away shots to a guerilla style filming of the band in their 'every day life'. Shots like these where the band members look directly to camera make the video look more personal, as if the video is addressing the viewer directly.

Very fast cuts are used in this video, which may not be a necessary convention to include as the tempo of most of the bands music is not as fast as this song.