Music Video First Draft

Ignore the watermark and slightly low quality; I'll be using the full version for my final piece. I am also planning to re-film several of the scenes involving the girl, to make them seem more natural and panicked. I am also going to cut back on the amount of screen time the creature gets, as I want to shroud it more in mystery and retain some scary elements. Also, the guitar solo in the middle needs to be filled out with more quick shots of random, unsettling images. This is very Manson and I think it will give the video a strange, disturbing feel.

Album Advert, First Draft

Still needs work to smooth it out and make it look more professional.

Album Digipack, First Draft

All pictures hand drawn on Photoshop CS2 by me. Unsure about some of the fonts, but I like how it looks so far.

Record Label

I have chosen to make Interscope Records the record label Danse Macabre are under. They are a major label in America, having signed acts like Blink-182, Papa Roach, Rise Against, and Van Halen. They were also the label for Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson at one point, producing seven of Manson's eight albums. Obviously, this means they're a great label to sign my band who are predominantly based on Marilyn Manson.

Inspirational Pictures For My Digipack

This image was the inspiration for my digipack cover. I loved the exposed muscles and bones, and the way the string hooked in his arm held it up.

This image gave me the idea for a face that had no eyes, which will also be used on my digipack cover. I like the jester theme as well, but don't think it would work for my ideas.

This image put with the artwork, 'The Butcher Boys' gave me the idea for the face trying to scream without a mouth. I will use a similiar design inside of my digipack.

This classic image of the Dance of Death, after which my band got their name, inspired me for another image I will use in my digipack. I plan to create a picture of some skeletal type figures dancing in the moonlight. Simple, but it links to my band well.

Second Piece of Digipack Art

This is the second piece of art I have drawn for my album digipack. It will appear under the front cover so it is staring right at the person as they open it. This image was inspired by a piece of artwork called 'The Butcher Boys' by Jane Alexander. I have always liked the look of this sculpture, showing three demonic humanoids sitting on a bench, and I decided to use some of it's imagery inside my album, though it is once again, hand drawn by myself.

First Piece of Digipack Art

This is the first picture I will use in my digipack art. I have hand drawn this myself using Photoshop CS2 and this is the method I will use for all of the art in my digipack. It will feature inside the actual digipack instead of on the front or back of the cover, as I recognize that it is a controversial image and so must be hidden slightly, inside of the packaging. The other images I am planning to draw are a lot tamer in comparison.

Controversy

One of the images I am planning to use is quite controversial as it shows a man with broken legs crucified on an upside down cross. Obviously this contains a very macabre and disturbing theme and could also be controversial within the Christian community for the use of the cross. I use the upside down cross as a tounge-in-cheek reference to Satanism which heavy metal is often connected to and mean it as its original use which was an Ancient Roman torture device rather than a Christian symbol. I will also create a 'clean' version of this image minus the gore so as to create the option for my artist's album to be sold in mainstream shops.

The artist that my band is based on is Marilyn Manson who is well known for his shocking actions and images and that's why I am using images like this in my album art. Below are some of Manson's controversial images to show that my ideas fall within my genre conventions and aren't just pointless blood and guts.

  

The use of the cross symbol in these images caused controversy among the Christian community, especially the Holy Wood album art which showed a representation of Manson as the crucified Christ, and the logo for their 'Guns, God, and Government' Tour which featured a cross made up of guns.

  

The Antichrist Superstar album by the band also caused controversy due to its content and Manson's declaration that he was the Antichrist. The images throughout the album are also quite grotesque and disturbing.

 

During live performances of the song Antichrist Superstar from the album of the same name, Manson performs from a fascist style podium with a swatstika-like lightning symbol on it. This is supposed to represent the fascism of the modern media and Christian society and is made even more controversial by the Bible ripping that he performs as he sings.

 

Their album Mechanical Animals also created controversy due to Manson's costume during a lot of the songs featured on it. Trying to represent an alien type lifeform, he wore a full body suit which gave him breasts and covered up his genetalia completely. This shocking look caused much controversy in America and many shops refused to sell the album without a sticker covering the artwork.

A lot of Marilyn Manson's image is based around shocking images and themes and I am trying to incorporate this into my album art with the controversial images, although I will create 'clean' and 'dirty' versions of each to avoid issues.

Marilyn Manson Poster Art Examples

Album Art Explanation

I have decided that the artwork for my digipack will be quite grotesque and disturbing in its design. I have decided to do this as my genre, heavy metal likes to play on the morbid and bloody themes that shock modern society. It will tell people what the album contains straight from the get go, even if the particular song I am using is slightly softer by metal standards, going more for a creepy vibe. Below are some heavy metal album covers that go for a blood and guts design:

All of my artwork will be hand drawn using drawing software on my laptop and such all the gore will be fake for obvious reasons. I feel that with my genre, I could either go down the Satanic shock route as bands such as Slayer have, the modern plain shock route as Marilyn Manson did with their album Mechanical Animals, or the disturbing, suffering route as the albums above have. I decided to go with the latter as it will be shocking, which is what my band would aim for, and it fits with the horror theme that my video is taking.

I was also inspired by the artwork, 'The Butcher Boys' by Jane Alexander which shows demon like humanoids, that have no mouths or eyes and appear to be malformed and disfigured. I would like to try and incorporate some of this design into my digipack artwork.

Risk Assessment

Equipment

• Possible damaging of equipment during filming. To prevent this, take care when handling all equipment involved in filming and don't leave them lying around anywhere they may get damaged, such as on the floor.
• When using any electronic equipment, ensure all plugs are plugged in completely and carefully. Do not get electronic equipment into contact with any water. If it begins to rain whilst using electronic equipment, ensure it is all covered and protected from the rain water.
• If using wired equipment, ensure all wires are out of the way and don't cross any walkways where people could trip over them. Also check all wires before using the equipment, to make sure they are all intact and not coming apart.
• If using a tripod or similar stand for filming, make sure it is stable and locked in place before using it.
• Store all electronic equipment in a dry, safe place whilst not using them.

Makeup and Costume

• Cast members could have allergic reactions to makeup during filming. Test some out on a little bit of their skin beforehand and see if their is any reaction. If a reaction begins after makeup has been applied, remove immediately from person with cold water, and if reaction persists, seek medical attention.
• Shoes used for certain costumes may be impractical for running or in certain locations. Make sure all cast and crew have sensible shoes for off camera.
• Some costumes such as the long flowing cloaked costume, may create a tripping hazard for the cast member wearing them. Create costume so that it is not too long as to trip up its wearer, and get cast member to take it off when they aren't filming.

Location

• As the video is being shot in a dense wooded area, many risks and hazards will face us. Trees, roots, plants, animal burrows, all create tripping hazards and the cast must be aware of all of them as they move around the area.
• For scenes when cast must run through the forest, ensure they are fully aware of the route they are running, and make them walk it before filming, so they can spot any dangers and decide how to avoid them. If possible, stick to paths and don't go off of them too often.
• Film during the day and make sure the light is good, to make sure cast and crew can see any tree stumps or roots before they film.
• Make sure all cast and crew stick together during filming and don't get seperated unnecessarily.

Narrative Theories of my Music Video

Todorov's theory of equilibrium fits with the story of my music video. The girl starts off in a state of equilibrium as she walks peacefully through the forest, but the creature pursuing her creates disequilibrium. Whereas most stories that follow Todorov's theory enter  new equilibrium after the evil being is defeated, mine does not, and the girl is left comatized on the ground at the end of the video.

It also contains some of Barthe's enigma codes. Throughout the video, the viewer is unsure of whom is following the girl and this mystery continues thoughout. Only near the middle, do we realize that they aren't just stalking her, but are hunting her.

The final narrative theory represented in my video is Levi-Strauss's theory of binary opposites. The girl is sweet, innocent, and calm whereas, her binary opposite, the creature hunting her, is dark, evil, and dangerous. This highlights the conflict between the two characters as it progresses.