Coming up with ideas

The first idea for my group (with Edrei, Georgie & Nat) was to have a representation of the brain through movement. Someone would move and it would send shock waves to the other dancers and they would copy, a fluid movement between dancers. I wasn't really sure about this idea because i keep thinking of this project with more of a film with dancing in rather than a film just about dance. Having something that is a bit cheesy is something that is bothering me too.I picture a film with dancing in and i think my brain is immediately thinking cheesy musical. I want something more poignant, with an actual concept & point to it. 

My initial way of coming up with ideas was to find different pieces on music, listen to them and think of ideas from there. I like this process because the music has to fit the visuals, and if i want to do a music video, it seems strange to me to not have it fit with the music. I haven't actually stuck with a song because i feel a bit strange making other people listen to songs i feel a connection with in case they don't feel the same.

 We have met as a group today & initially came up with a list of stuff to do for next week including finding music, thinking of concepts & different styles of dance and music to work with. We then ended up chatting and have come up with a concept;

Breaking the mould - a film involving simple movements that represent everyday life & how we all go through the same routines. Also can link with the collective conscious idea which we've been looking at in theory. The idea is to have simple movements in different locations to show this idea, and having someone try to change the movement, but be put back in that place. We don't want it to become a cheesy dance video so the idea of just having a few sounds, maybe linking with what they are doing (clicking keyboards, walking, tapping etc) and also the idea of speeches that talk about this idea of repetition and everyone being trained to be the same etc. I'm a bit concerned as to whether this is original or not, i want it to be a powerful piece that isn't too in your face, but a subtle piece showing our ideas through dance.

 When we spoke about the idea, my immediate thought was of the beginning scene in Shaun Of The Dead 

 The main things we need to think about are locations. We want this to represent everyday life so I'm concerned about the locations because i don't want to just end up using the university because you'll be able to tell. From the locations, we can think of what can happen in the location, and then we can think of sounds and actions that happen. We are thinking of creating a soundtrack from the sounds that can be used as the beat to the dance so we need to have that decided before we think of the dance itself. My other concern is the dancers, but I've suggested not necessarily using professional dancers, we could use public or students because the dances won't be complicated, but obviously we want it to look good so we'll have to think about it.

A hunt for dance videos

I've grown up watching music videos. We have lots of videos just full of music videos taped from MTV. I used to watch music channels all day long.  It was so facinating to me. I used to watch the countdown of greatest music videos, and have my dad show me videos he found interesting. His love of Bjork also influenced my love for music video, her bizarre but beautiful promos are a facinating thing to see at a young age.

This love of music video has made me very excited about this project. The element of dance has also facinated me, because dance can be so visually pleasing and emotionally enticing.
I have started my research into dance video by thinking extremely hard to remember videos that have had dancing in. Somehow when asked to find something, your mind goes blank. But i will start with a few.

The Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be 

This is my favourite music video. I love the movement, the transitions between real life & this nightmareish world. And i think it's a perfect example of using dance and movement to create something out of the ordinary. Michel Gondry is a favourite director of mine & a big influence on me.

I decided to look into this video & found that it was influenced by Busby Berkeley, a director & choreographer. I have started watching his films, and i'm facinated in his use of geometric patterns in dance.

From Dames

Daft Punk - Around The World

Keeping with the Gondry theme, I feel like i always end up mentioning this video as inspiration. I just love the idea of turning elements of music into different movements. The robots represent the singing, the athletes represent the bass guitar, the disco girls represent the keyboard the skeletons are the guitar & the mummies are the drums. Something so simple but so visually pleasing is something i'd love to be able to create. 

On the Choreography, Gondry says "I was sick to see choreography being mistreated in videos like filler with fast cutting and fast editing, really shallow. I don't think choreography should be shot in close-ups."

Kate Bush

Kate Bush is an obvious choice for dance in videos. Her most famous being Wuthering Heights. There are two versions, the first i'm more familiar with, but the second involves more camera involvement which i find interesting. I love how she brings music & dance together, as if her body is flowing with the rhythm.

Second Kate Bush example is "Running Up That Hill" Which i also enjoy. I like that she has a partner, it feels intimate & emotional. I also like the lighting & colour in the video. Kate herself describes the video as

 ' a nice serious piece of dance, simple, well-filmed and give dance a chance in a real way in this pop world.'  from here.
I think that's why it's so appealing, it's a pop promo, but it is different in how it shows dance. In my research for music videos with dancing, i'm trying to stay clear of the stereotypical dance routine that is very popular in the pop world. To me, it is dancing, but it's a different kind of dance. I think the dancing that Bush portrays has more emotion to it, and is interpretive of the music.

Fatboy Slim - Praise You

I'm sticking this one in because i have a fondness to it. Directed by Spike Jonze, it has a silliness but it makes you smile. He's actually the main dancer in this video, which makes me smile even more. I also happened to perform this dance in my primary school with the rest of my class. I remember being the only person who had seen the video, and loved that i was basically living the video.

The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

I thought i'd include this one because i love the look of the video. The black & white mixed with the spotlight lighting works really well.  I also think it's a good representation of how this project should make us think about how men or women are seen in our work. Kate Moss is a massively popular model, and here she's seen to be pole dancing. It is meant to be seen as erotic rather than art. If it was a professional pole dancer, this video would be seen to present that dance in a different light. 

Bombay Bicycle Club - Luna

I love this video because i love synchronised swimming. I'd love to make a video involving swimming and water but i'm not sure how feasible it is in a uni environment with risk assessments and such. 

Singin' In The Rain - Good Morning

I wanted to look into musicals to see how the camera interacts with the dancing and tells the story. I like this scene because of how much the camera is moving. It follows every little movement and is bouncy like the dance. It gives the dance more of a fluid look and it makes the happiness portrayed in the dance feel bigger and brighter. 

Money - Hold Me Forever

I like the video because it's based around dance, specifically ballet and it's like a portrait. I love how it's shot and it's just a nice video. I like the idea of having a film about dance as well as having dance in it.