Production shots 2

Photos taken at our video-shoot at Westerfield train station.

We will use this shot as a transitional shot to link between two scenes.

Here we are ensuring that the chair was blown up to a certain degree in order to show continuity between shots.

We used a passing train to film a transitional shot in which the artist appears from behind the train as it drives off.

Existing product inspiration - City and Colour

City and Colour - The Girl

This music video was also inspiration in the process of planning and constructing our product, as it contains the original influence for using some form of furniture as a platform the 'performance' side of the video. The artist is seen seated and performing on a stool underneath a bridge, and the juxtaposition of this home-furniture in a natural setting seemed appropriate for our 'indie' theme and the isolation and humbleness of our character/artist.

Rough storyboard

A first-draft story board for the first half of our music video. Outlines the basic shots and what will happen in them.

Ideas for final scene

Upon deciding that the final scene will be filmed at our last location, Felixstowe Beach, we have come up with some ideas of how to make the last section of the music video more powerful than the rest to compliment the build-up and final chorus of the song.

We came up with the idea to use a close-up shot of the artists mouth lip-syncing the words 'So when the waves come' just before the final big chorus comes in, followed by a shot of the artist kicking up sand, which will then be edited to be in slow-motion for dramatic effect. 

We also thought that the narrative could be made more intense and gripping at the end and have the artist walking or running into the sea holding the inflatable chair above his head. This would then reiterate the themes and title (The Aquatic Escape) of the video as he could be seen as 'escaping' out to sea. 

This would then be followed by the very last shot of the lift coming up, containing the chair which will deflate after the music has stopped to show that the 'journey' has ended.

Video inspiration: Ed Sheeran - Small Bump

This video of Ed Sheeran performing an acoustic version of 'small bump', has inspired parts of our music video. Although unlike ours, it involves no obvious narrative elements, the moods and emotions conveyed in it are very similar to how we intend our video to come across. Similarities include the fact that as the artist is sitting and playing on a boat as it moves along the river, the camera also captures pedestrians walking by who seemingly have no regard for him. The boat simply moving is inspiring in the way it could portray a journey. Furthermore, he wears normal, every-day clothes. The style of music is also reminiscent of the song we are using, as it is simply acoustic guitar and vocals and has a sombre, emotional feel.

Lyrics Analysis

The lyrics begin with the line, "So when the waves swallow us." which immediately sets the theme of the song and suggests that it is related to the ocean. "When words are just not enough." shows that there is a yearning in the song, that perhaps there is an element of 'loss' involved, which then leads onto the next line, "When the salt water fills our lungs, I'll be there to drown with you." Which brings these themes together and also introduces the notion of 'love' into the song. It implies that the character/artist is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the person/place/object in question.
The song can be interpreted in more than one way, but primarily plays on the themes of climate change, and love, either for a person or a personification of the Earth. The lyrics talk about the damaging effects of global warming on the Earth around us and how we, as a race and the inhabitants of Earth aren't doing enough to help; that eventually we will pay the ultimate price for not taking action. It makes the point that simple words aren't enough, and if we want to make a difference we need to do something about it. The lyrics also almost tell a story, and we plan to put this across when the music is combined with video, showing the journey the character/artist takes and the sacrifice he makes at the end.
The chorus, "I've been waiting for a silence, a silence to break. In the water, in the waves. I've been waiting for a silence, a silence to break; so we can carry out the aquatic escape." says about how the artist has been waiting for the ultime peak of 'ignorance' which in this case is depicted as silence, in order for him to escape from it all. This will be shown in the video as a large event at the end, related to the ocean.

Lyrics

The Aquatic Escape - Gryphen Ford

So when the waves swallow us,

When words are just not enough,
When the salt water fills our lungs,

I’ll be there to drown with you

So when this town crumbles and falls,

On my knees I’ll be watching the walls,

And we won’t regret anything at all

And I’ve been waiting for a silence a silence to break,

In the water, in the waves

And I’ve been waiting for a silence to break,

So we can carry out the aquatic escape

So when the tide is coming in strong,

And I never want to do you wrong,

Our ship is sure to sink, but we can swim swim swim

‘cos it took me a long time to find you x 4

Oh when the waves come,

When the waves come

They’ll wash away our sins tonight

They will wash away the sins that we can’t hide