Planning lighting & colour

Lighting and colour is important within a music video as it can help a scene come across more realistic. It can also make the music video more conventional to its genre and different lighting can portray difference moods. For example low key lighting may reflect emotions and bad moods in a soul genre however if flashing lights are added it can portray fun and a good time within a dance genre.

The first style of lighting we chose to use within our music video is natural lighting. We will use this style of lighting when our characters are waking up in London and finding their way home. We chose to use this lighting as if we chose any other style the setting would not come across as realistic, it is unlikely that London in the morning will be pitch black? By using natural lighting we are able to portray the setting allowing the audience to have better knowledge of what is going on. Natural lighting of the sun rising will inform the audience that it is morning and the boys are waking up from falling asleep in the city. This style of lighting is not actually conventional to the dance genre however it is necessary in order for us to portray our narrative to the audience. 

The next style of lighting we will use will be low key lighting with flashing lights. We are using this style of lighting as it portrays the party scene we want to include within our narrative, through the party being dark with flashing lights we are following the conventions of the dance genre as the representation of a party through the lighting also represents people having fun, dancing, and being happy. This type of lighting will build a relationship with the audience as they will be able to relate to the party scene and the buzz flashing lights create at a party, hopefully making them feel the beat of the song and wanting to go to a party like the one we are portraying. 

The third type of lighting we will be using is again low key lighting, however this time there will be no flashing lights. We will use this style of lighting during the last of the shots where Jake goes home to his empty flat. We are using the low key lighting to create a glum atmosphere as Jake is sad that after having fun with his friend George he has had to come home to living on his own whilst George goes home to a loving family and home. This type of lighting is not conventional to the dance genre as it is not associated with having fun and being happy. Although it is not conventional we still feel we can use it as it will help us build a relationship between Jake and the audience as we want them to feel sorry for him and understand our concept of the importance of having family AND friends.

The colours we are aiming to use throughout the music video vary. Colours within the London scenes will simply be natural as it is hard to change them and we want the scenes to look natural anyway. This effect the audience by letting them relate to the realistic setting leading them to think, this could be them one day.

Within the party scene you will not see many colours however we the colours of the flashing lights to be luminous party colours like pink and green. I feel the colours are both very bright colours and do not promote sadness, only happiness therefore will be able to have a positive effect on the audience. Also I feel the colours contrast each other well, they are easily liked by both genders as they are common within the party scene. Using these colours follows the conventions of dance as they portray happiness and partying.