(Beatles) Montage Project
All you need is love… and a bunch of photos to put into a video montage. You will first be placed into a group and, collectively and democratically, choose your favorite Beatles song. If you don’t have one, I have them all so you should definitely get one from me. Next, you will all decide on a visual theme. You should not have every image or idea written in stone, but you should definitely have some in mind. I have listed several suggestions for photos below. Do not limit yourself to these, but you should include these. You should also feel free to include some images that are not necessarily your own (stock photos or short stock footage).
I will try to show you some inspiring films/music videos/music montages and have a brilliant and relevant guest artist or two during the course of this project for inspiration. Make sure that you always come to class ready to work (no time to shoot photos during class).
You should think carefully about how you would like to approach your montage. Many of the Beatles’ songs are narratives or stories of some sort. Think about how you can tell a story through visual imagery. You can also include photos of words to make an impact in your montage. Timing is everything in montage and music video. Using slow fades or super-fast image cuts will make a very different statement mood-set. Try lots of different transitions which coordinate with the music, rhythm, lyrics and overall tone of your song.
Project must include:
« A minimum of one roll of film each (reshoot as necessary)
« Proof sheet for each roll
« Two best prints (5x7 size)
« All photos from roll scanned and sized for video editing
« A final presentation which spans the length of your chosen song with intro and ending.
« Evidence of teamwork. This means everyone has images, everyone helps to edit the montage and everyone gathers round while others are editing...
Photos Should Include:
« 4 backdrops (fore, middle and backgrounds)
« 2 objects of choice
« 2 people
« 1 landmark (something large like a building, etc.)
« 3 flora or fauna (plants or animals)
« 1 musical instrument
« 1 form of water (any form will do!)
« 2 body parts
« 1 flying object (not necessarily something which usually flies)
« 2 of your own photos not shot for this project (or parts of them)
« 2 of a classmate’s photos –or parts not shot for this project (NOT chosen by you)
« 1 dining establishment
« 5 written words (typed, signs, etc.)
« 1 street sign
« 2 pieces of evidence of someone being in a place (unmade bed, empty coffee mug, clothing on floor, etc.)