FIRST EDIT SEQUENCE // SPLIT SCREENS

When we originally pitched our idea for this assignment, we had the intention to include split screens within our editing. Inspired by other music videos such as Vampire Weekend’s ‘Sunflower,’ our initial aim whilst filming was to generate many shots from different angles in order to develop content for a split screen. This particular sequence begins establishing the space and the characters. From the first shot we are introduced to Laneway Studios and the character it exhibits. The first shot is particularly striking, one of our members Ziggy capturing perfect details at the right moment such as the car lights flashing and a bat flying by. We are introduced to sounds of the crew and band setting up and visuals of the studio space. I believe these first establishing shots to be a real strength of this sequence. No matter what you create, whether that be non-fiction or fiction content, establishing shots are crucial. They help the viewer develop an understanding of where the characters/subjects are and what story is about to unfold. I feel this has been achieved in this sequence. Another strength of this sequence is the use of ‘titles.’ Because this non-fiction piece is a live session, it is easier to get away with using title cards in order to introduce the subjects. Jamie did an excellent job creating these in Photoshop. They ultimately fit the quirky and ‘out-there’ nature of the band. However, the major weakness of this sequence is the use of split-screens. Once again, it was our original aim to use split-screens, but once we got to the editing stage we realised how they didn’t come out as nicely as we anticipated. They begin at 25 seconds in and last for a majority of this sequence. Firstly, the actual appearance of these split screens is not visually pleasing. Both shots are from different cameras and therefore look completely different; they don’t compliment each other at all. Sure, a colour grade may help slightly but there is a difference in quality here that I don’t think could be fixed. Secondly, the split-screens carry on for far too long. There are only two or three shots in this sequence that introduce other members of the band. Although we aimed to stick on the lead singer while he was performing, we could have experimented with different shots in the split-screen to change things up. Hence, we decided to get rid of this idea and remove the split-screens in our final edit.

SECOND EDIT SEQUENCE // NO SPLIT SCREENS

Like the first sequence, we included the same edit of the establishing shots and title cards. The main difference in this sequence is the removal of the split-screens and the inclusion of normal, well framed shots. The aim in this edit was to try and introduce more members of the band and experiment with different shots so the viewer wouldn’t become bored staring at one single member for too long. What I believe to be a major strength of this sequence is achieving that exact aim: showcasing the other members in a better way. In our first sequence we stuck on the lead singer for a majority of the time, only drifting over to the other members a few times. This time, we show that there are two singers in the main shot of the lead singer, allowing viewers to distinguish who is who and that there are in fact two as opposed to one. In the middle of this sequence it cuts to another part where we try to achieve the same thing. We included a variety of different shots from wider or lower angles which we hoped would keep the viewer engaged. I am really satisfied with the amount of experimentation we as a group were able to conduct with our camera work. This allowed for the editing stage to become easier as there was more to work with. A downfall of this sequence, however, would still be the fact we are stuck on the lead singer for perhaps a beat too long. Our aim is to ultimately keep the viewer engaged but this might not be achieved if we keep the camera on one member for too long. The music and band itself is energetic and upbeat. It encourages us to be able to play with rapid shots and having the edit even become a little frazzled as it cuts to different members; the viewer is then encouraged to keep up with what is being shown to them and not become bored. There is also a shot in this sequence where you can see a light behind the bassist. This could be fixed in a colour grade but it is best to avoid these types of shots in general as it looks messy to the viewer.