Planning: Props.

So we've really begun to delve into our planning stages. We're beginning to make lists and tick planning things off, well I know I am! So one of the things on my list is actually to sort props out and to make a list of all props that we need. Here it is:

Shot Number	Prop needed	Who needs it?
1	Bed	Max
2	Laptop	Max
3	Laptop x 2	Max and Amber
4	Jumper	Max
5	Jumper	Amber
6	Keys	Max
7	Headphones	Amber
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25	None
26	Bubbles x 2	Jaz Pickwick and Abi Kaines
27	None
28	2 balloons	Eve/Max and Amber
29	balloons	none
30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35	none
36	music notes	Out of shot extras
37	music notes	out of shot extras
38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47	None
48/49	Picnic basket, crockery, cutlery, picnic blanket	Max and Amber
50	camera	Amber
51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57	none
58	Duvet	Max and Amber

So I then went through this list and highlighted the ones that me and Carla need to supply in dark blue. I then highlighted the ones that our actors, namely Max and Amber, need to supply in red. 

The most important one to source at the moment is the music note because we need to make these, rather than having them already at our disposal. I thought we can do two different types of music note, so that there are two different associations with music. The first type of music note I thought about making was this one:

Mainly because this is the main one that most people can associate with music, along with this one:

I plan to make these out of cardboard by tracing the shape of the notes on the cardboard and then cutting them out. I also need to plan to attatch them to a pole. For this I was planning to get some double sided sticky tape and to stick the seperate music notes on top of a long pole so I can then dangle the pole into the shot where it is needed to represent music and singing. For the long pole, I was thinking either long plastic piping or a broom handle, as both are fairly long and thin, and not very heavy. This is perfect because I need to be able to stay behind the camera but the music notes need to be seen. I still have yet to choose this so I will make my decision later on in the process.

Our props are essential to our video for a number of reasons. Most importantly, is that they connect with one of Goodwin's six, a link to music and visuals. For example, when the song says 'carelessly growing up and growing old' we see music notes in the background, and because it is a partcularly upbeat section of the song, it connects the music and the props.

Also the fact that we want every aspect of our music video to appeal to our target audience, the 'indie' stereotype of 16-25 year olds. We plan to do this with our props as well. For example by making the jumpers 'on trend' with a possible vintage style, and vibrant patterns, that will appeal to our target audience because they will associate themselves with wearing that jumper. That is a strong link to the costume element of our video as well, but as the jumper is the main element of the shot, we considered it a prop as well. For the jumpers I was thinking possibly, styles like these for our actors:

I still need to source and make some of our props, but we are well on our way to being fully prepared for filming. I should be putting up a picture of me with a practise of our cardboard music notes :)

More to follow :)