Notion - ID# 377
Maine West
Music Video
Entry Description
This is a music video for the song "Notion" by the Rare Occasions.
Copyright Info
Recent Teacher Comments
- 4/23 9:30 am - STORY: The narrative in your music video is easy to follow. Living life fully is communicated through powerful imagery, dance, and metaphors. Your use of visual metaphors like the (1:08-1:11) is meaningful, but consider whether it’s needed. I thought your visuals already lay out the story. So ask yourself: was the intention to add clarity or just to fill time? If your visuals are strong, trust the audience to connect the dots. If you do include text, try to include it stylistically with how it’s done in the rest of the video. SOUND: Your audio is mixed appropriately. You time your edits to the beat of the music and it works really well with the flow of your video! As a bonus, consider adding subtle SFX under your music track. I think you can definitely add a door closing/slam sound at 0:11 as you cut to black. Adding some extra SFX can really add more texture to your audio! CAMERA: You incorporate a variety of different camera shots and creative angles, which makes your music video visually dynamic. The profile shot at 0:18 is great- well framed and effective for setting up the hand that creeps into frame. The bathtub scene at 0:26 includes a great cutaway of the faucet, which helps with pacing. Your opening shot is also well framed, but the actual window frame is overexposed. Consider adjusting your exposure and shoot in manual mode so that you have more control over the highlights. At 0:09, the lighting is a bit too harsh, especially with the sun directly on the subject. Consider using a diffuser or filming at an earlier/later time of day when the sun isn’t so harsh. Also when looking at this from at 0:09, the shot is just slightly crooked. Always double check that your tripod is level. Other overexposed shots like at 0:12 and 0:18 can be adjusted by again, using a diffuser, filming at an earlier/later time of day when the sun isn’t so harsh, or using an ND filter if you have access to those. LIGHTING: Overall, I think you include some creative and cool lighting choices. You have a beautiful shot of a silhouette at 0:37 and the red lighting at 0:51 directly ties into the lyrics and mood that you’re going for! There are some spots where your footage changes tone color. For example, your opening window shot is a lot warmer than your outdoor shot at 0:16. Always check your white balance, and try to keep it consistent throughout your video. EDITING: Your editing is very creative and a clear strength of your video. You use overlays, transitions, and rhythms that progress the story forward. Your sequencing from 0:54 to 0:57 is a great example of editing to the beat. Your text overlays along with video overlays keep your video dynamic. I like how we start to see more overlays towards the end at 0:43 as the music progresses along with the theme. Overall, you show a lot of vision and creativity through your piece! I’m excited to see what you create next! Great job!
- 2/18 11:15 am - The video opens with a strong exterior establishing shot, which immediately grabs the viewer's attention. This shot is an effective way to set the scene and provide context for the video, as it helps orient the viewer to the environment and gives a sense of place. The added layer of seeing the subject through the window not only creates a sense of mystery but also invites the audience into the story, making them curious about the subject’s actions and what might unfold next. It’s a great visual choice that adds intrigue and layers to the opening sequence. Your use of text is also well executed, especially in how it complements the overall theme of the video. It integrates smoothly with the footage and enhances the storytelling. The typography choices are clear, and the text transitions are visually engaging, helping to emphasize key moments in the song. Furthermore, the editing to the tempo of the music is spot-on. The way the cuts and transitions match the rhythm and energy of the track keeps the video dynamic and engaging, ensuring that the visuals never feel stagnant or disconnected from the music. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into timing the edits to match the flow of the song, which elevates the overall impact. Another standout element is the variety of locations used throughout the video. The decision to incorporate different settings helps to maintain visual interest and adds dimension to the story being told. Each location feels purposeful, contributing to the overall mood and narrative of the video. Additionally, the subjects featured in these locations are equally intriguing, with interesting personalities and engaging performances. Whether it’s the lead performer or other characters interacting with the environment, the subjects add depth to the visuals and keep the viewer invested in what’s happening on screen. The combination of these elements—effective exterior shots, engaging text, sharp editing that follows the music's tempo, and diverse locations with compelling subjects—creates a cohesive and visually captivating music video. To take it even further, you might consider experimenting with even more diverse camera angles and lighting techniques to further highlight the subjects and locations, adding a new level of intensity to the scenes. But overall, this is a strong, creative, and well-paced music video that draws the viewer in and keeps them engaged from start to finish. Great job on the overall production and execution—it's clear a lot of thought went into each aspect of the video! I look forward to seeing how you continue to develop and refine your visual storytelling in future projects.
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