8/2 Lesson Idea for grades 11-12: Music Video

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Assignment: In groups of threes and fours, pick a song and develop a concept to illustrate that song in narrative fashion, using video. Try to evoke a particular mood that you associate with the chosen song. 
Grades: 11-12
Background: Students will have already done video projects before, and explored the different kinds of video making and editing techniques available to them.
Materials: Phone/Camera/Video Recorder, iMovie or equivalent editing software, variety of costumes, props, and colored lamps.
Questions/Ideas to think about:
Which songs do you listen to that feel like background sounds for your life? 
How do you feel when you listen to your favorite songs? 
Where are you when you listen, and what are you doing while you listen? Would you prefer to be in an imaginary universe?
What happens to the mood of a scene when you change the lighting? The time of day? Brighter, dimmer, natural light vs artificial, nighttime vs daytime, afternoon vs evening?
What kinds of clothes do you wear when you listen to your chosen song? What happens to the narrative when you change your aesthetic? 
What kinds of props help illustrate your concept?
Directions: 
Each group must pick a song, choose a mood to color the video, and develop a narrative to illustrate the song. This narrative can be based on your own experiences with the chosen song, or you can develop an imaginary narrative. Decide on location(s), lighting, costumes, and props. Pick a person to be behind the camera and people to act in the scene. Decide if you would like to have the camera person and actors/actresses switch off, or if you would like to keep your roles consistent. Work together to edit the video in iMovie. Remember to add the song in separately from the video. 
Individual Group Discussions:
How will you start off your music video?
How will you end it?
Do you want your mood to be dark, happy, relaxed, energetic, comical, or romantic?
Which type of lighting will best communicate your chosen mood? 
What kind of clothing/aesthetic do you associate with your chosen song?
How will you move your narrative along? Will you illustrate the lyrics literally? Or will you create your own narrative to attach to the music? Will your video take place in one location, or in multiple? Will the camera follow the subjects? Or cut to different scenes?
Reflection: 
Watch all music videos together as a class. 
Discuss how each person's video illustrates a particular mood. Does the mood shown connect to how you feel when you listen to this song? Or is it completely different? How is it different? Does the narrative shown enhance your listening experience? What did you enjoy about making the music videos? What did you find unenjoyable or difficult?

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 14, 2018 at 12:03 PM

    Hi Danielle. This sounds like a fun lesson ! I love all the questions you will ask your students, and how you also have specific instructions for the group. I think it will flow smoothly.

    ReplyDelete

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