Planning setting and iconography-Miss Georgiou

Planning setting and iconography
14/10/2014
Vasil Nikolov

Settings and Iconography is crucial in a music video as it allows the audience to understand more about the content and concepts behind the movie of the music video. Furthermore it informs the viewers about the genre of the song before they have heard it due to the conventions that they use to link the visuals with the song. In our case, the settings and iconography provide the audience with elements to relate the song to an indie music video with a very slight mix to result in the video becoming more interesting. It also provides them with further information surrounding the artist and allows them to understand the significance of each location. The iconography incorporated in a music video confirms the genre of song and allows the audience to be aware of what to expect throughout.


The first location which we are planning to use is a beach. We have chosen it because it can easily give out positive memories, and can provide the connotation of happiness. This can be seen in the lyrics as the audience would understand from Lana that she had very warm feelings towards him when they met. The beach will only be used to portray flashbacks that contain her memories. The first shot (panning shot) will be used to show the beach and hint to the audience that the beach is an important location. There will also be mid-shots of the couple strolling around and enjoying their day. Even so there will be challenges that we will have to deal with. An example would be filming at a certain time of the day, so that the beach visitors will not ruin the filming. Health and safety is another issue as the chance of water ruining the equipment is greater than if the filming was in a house. Furthermore, the weather plays a vital role in the filming and as we are in the autumn/winter period, filming can be badly affected due to poor weather conditions. Therefore we will have to check for the most appropriate day to film.
Another location that we will use is the theme park. We wish to show the positive memories as it is very conventional for a love story for a couple to be on rides when they are in their early love-life. POV shots with the combination of fast editing will also be involved when the beat has also increased. The couple will be seen on different rides in the park. This will create a lovely sequence of past memories that show that they had positive memories together. A challenge would be cost as we need to pay to get into the park. Due to the surroundings, our group will need extra care as the equipment might be damaged or stolen from pickpockets or children that are not careful.  

The next location that we will use is the couple`s  living room. As we are presenting them as a normal couple, the house will be very average. This will allow the audience to relate as they also live in similar houses. The difference dis that there will be a room in which there will be a table containing poker equipment. In the video, the room will consist of 4 blokes (one is the boy-friend) and at one point Lana will be sitting upon the lap of her bf. This would add on to Goodwin`s theory as one of his clauses state that voyeuristic images are always included in the music video. As Lana would want to go out with her bf and enjoy the evening, she would constantly try and convince him to stop playing for the money and at that moment the much loving couple will start to deteriorate. Towards the end of the game the character would loose more and more and then blame Lana for the loss. This would then deteriorate into objects being smashed and the true meaning behind his second love would surface...his love for money. This is conventional for an indie genre as the artist would sing how the relationship deteriorated due to money or alcohol habits. At this point the main (and only) hazard is the glass shards that will fly into any direction following the impact. In reality ww will make sure that the glass is smashed in a different environment and that there will be a container to catch the flying pieces.

Finally, we decided to choose the forest as our final location as it is a quiet and isolated environment for our Artist to think and reflect upon the send of her relationship. The location is linkable to the themes of nature and are conventional for the indie genre as they are cheap and force the audience to look mainly upon the artist. It would be effective for the video as the loneliness of the forest is the most peaceful place a person with a broken heart would want to see. It should be mentioned that the ground is uneven and may make the camera operator slip if he is not being careful. Furthermore, lighting is once again a challenge as the forest may become dark more quickly, resulting in loss of filming time. Overall, the weather isn't a large problem as the more dismal the weather, the better as this would reflect the artist's deep emotions, and create a difference between bright flashbacks and these darker present day clips.

Throughout the video, there will be set iconography such as cigarettes and alcohol. Although not in the original plan, we decided to add it as in the due to the lyrics given by Lana: "he was like James Dean'. And for the younger readers, James Dean was a Hollywood  star known for being a 'rebel'.  Lana would also be seen smoking whilst she is with the bf, thus showing that she is following his every move in order to look attractive for him. showing his effect on her. This also an element of the Dyer's star theory as there is a clear element of negative habits and rebellion.

Another link we will link to this is the consumption. Both sides will be drinking from one bottle and when thay split up, the character will drink on his own. Following the breakup, Lana will also start drinking more which would show that she is developing negative habits following the break up. The use of such iconography is standard for the indie genre as they usually reflect past events.

In Conclusion, both the settings and iconography are conventional for the indie genre and will result in not only intriguing our target audience but also might intrigue more members of society from the opposite gender.