If the person that I select is self-conscious when being filmed, it will be evident within the shots. As well as making my music video seem unprofessional, it will also make the audience feel awkward watching it resulting in a disconnection between the video and the viewer. Moreover, if someone cannot efficiently sing along to the lyrics, the music video will lack a sense of realism which will also be distracting for the viewer; they would be focusing on the disjointed connection between the visual and audio instead of concentration on the message of the song.
I also believe it is vital that the actors I select have a particular look that will appeal to my target audience who are revolved around the indie genre. Due to this, I think it is important that the people I select are fans of indie music and the indie lifestyle; this means that they would be able to portray a believable character with conviction.
- Ashley Paddick -
Ashley has a very bubbly and enthusiastic personality which results him being an overall confident individual. Many of this traits were strengthened by Ashley's great love for performing which he has developed throughout his GCSE and A-level years by studying drama. This resulted in him playing a major role, in which he acted and sang, in a school show that hundreds of parents, teachers and students watched. By being a self-assured performer, Ashley thrives in front of the camera, both through lip syncing and dancing, and isn't apprehensive when making eye contact with it. Additionally, because of his experience of live theatre, Ashley only needed one take to film his tape for casting - this shows that he is reliable and wont waste time whilst filming.
Moreover, Ashley is a massive fan of the indie culture as well as loving EDEN's music in which he proved when he lip-synced to 'Fumes', the chosen song for my music video. Already knowing the song lyrics confidentially ensures that Ashley would without a doubt be suitable for the role. He was also very adept at lip-syncing, effectively pronouncing each syllable as well as performing different facial movements whilst miming to different tones like higher and lower pitches - this made the performance seem realistic.
- Thomas Mckenna -
Thomas is quite a calm, collective and confident individual, however he gets nervous in front of a camera. Even though he felt apprehensive being filmed, Thomas was still able to perform to a high quality standard demonstrating his strong and realistic ability to lip sync as well as consistently keeping eye contact with the camera. Despite nerves, he was able to complete his casting video in one take proving that Thomas is a responsible, reliable character - an ideal candidate for the protagonist role for my music video.
Unfortunately, Thomas has a very busy schedule with both school work and work being his main focuses in life. The fact that he doesn't have a flexible routine would make it difficult planning and organising multiple dates for filming and practises before hand.
- Julia Bickle -
Julia has four years of drama experience however she still feels awkward performing in front of a camera which would generate an uncomfortable atmosphere in the music video. This is shown by the fact that she rarely makes eye contact with the camera - this is an extremely important feature of the music video as it enables there to be a connection between the artist and the viewer. Additionally, Julia isn't punctual and gets easily distracted. She wouldn't be an appropriate candidate for my music video as she wouldn't be able to keep to the schedule and would not be focused on the task at hand.
On the other hand, after multiple takes, Julia was able to successfully lip-sync to the chorus of the song effectively miming as well as conveying realistic emotion, however this seemed comedic at times due to the over dramatic hand gestures. Nonetheless, I still believe Julia wouldn't be a very good candidate due to her inability to remain focused and the fact that she is rather abstracted.
- Taylor Tillin -
Within this performance, Taylor emits confidence and a strong ability to perform which is most likely due to her experience in both GCSE and A-level Drama as well as her performing/singing on stage in front of an audience. This self assured nature is essential; ease on the screen will also make the audience feel at ease. Taylor's confidence is both conveyed through her convincing mime and her dance moves that naturally go with the rhythm of the song, making her more entertaining to watch compared to someone who rarely moves.
Personally, I believe that Taylor isn't suited for my music video because, as proven by her chosen song, she is a big fan of pop - the almost opposite of indie. I think that it is vital that the actors I select have a particular look that will appeal to my target audience who are revolved around the indie genre, therefore I believe it important for my actors to also be big fans of the indie genre.
- Megija Ignate -
Megija seemed rather fraught within her casting video resulting in her performance lacking sincerity as it appeared quite comical at times. This may of been due to the overdramatic dance moves or the fact that she is always on the cusp of laughing. Her uneasiness is also illustrated by her reluctance to make eye contact with the camera, failing to make that crucial connection with the audience.
Regarding her performance, it was sometimes unclear what words Megija was miming to as her pronunciation and wasn't exaggerated. Moreover, Megija messed up her words within the casting video deeming that she isn't a reliable subject for my music video.
- Paula Kowalska -
Paula is clearly a self-assured individual, keeping the audience captivated through her ability to keep eye contact with the camera as well as effectively filling up pauses within the song through movement and dance. Additionally, Paula has a great interest with the Indie genre, often attending gigs and buying merchandise related to her favourite Indie bands. This means that Paula will comfortably fit into the Indie style as this is her favoured genre anyway.
As well as this, Paula emits a positive ambience through her enthusiastic and bubbly personality. I think is vital for the role she is auditioning for as she would be mainly featured in the scenes from the past, where the couple were happy and in love.
Selected Candidates
Ashley Paddick
Paula Kowalska
These are the selected actors for my music video. Ashley will be the main protagonist with Paula being his love interest. I believe that these two will be idea for their roles as they are both confident, enthusiastic and share a love for indie music. Furthermore, they are close friends meaning that they'll be comfortable with each other on camera making the audience feel at ease. Hopefully this natural bond comes across in film too.
