Learn about our passion for music video production. Find out how, where and why we started. Follow along our journey we will showcase; behind the scenes , tutorials, and exclusive videos of our adventures and memories made whilst recording our latest music video, ‘Anything’, by The Shoals
This segment includes our take on the importance of location, the equipment used and how these elements solidified the developing the concept of the music video.
Locations & Equipment
Locations:
Central characters hometown
The scenic intervals were filmed in a range of locations with different visually appealing qualities, this was to ensure that the music video met the original concept of an indie music video whilst still conveying mainstream music video conventions throughout . The concept of time passing by as the characters develop and strive to fix their difficulties within the relationship. Which stems from growing up too quickly in modern day society.
Using their homes allows a more personal and authentic touch to the concept.
Newcastle Upon Tyne
The scenes reflecting friends meeting up and playing pool conveys the emotions felt whilst being in a relationship which is unhealthy, however our blonde character is limited to feeling a sense of freedom as her partner is in the friend group. This was included to demonstrate the hardships which the central characters make efforts to overcome and salvage together. We believed that filming this in a city would represent the isolation felt whilst being a teenager – as those around you sometimes don’t notice that you’re struggling.
Equipment:
Sony a6100
A majority of the footage you have seen was filmed on my Sony A6100 camera , this helped to convey mainstream elements of archetypal mainstream music videos , but it also allowed the clips to look produced to a high quality. This was necessary for the production as I believed al the moments needed to be captured for how they truly were.
Digital Kodak Camera
Whilst shooting videos on-the-go with friends bringing a small digital camera allowed filming to feel casual whilst still setting a narrative. This has helped the production as it has allowed to capture candid moments yet they align with the plot and they convey a reception of teen hood and hanging out with friends combined with the emotional elements which coincide that.
The Importance Of Location
These are the photos we captured whilst finding a range of perfect locations for our music video. It was important to us to find landscapes which encapsulated a similar experience to hearing the lyricism embedded in , ‘Anything’. We wanted to ensure that we had incorporated all elements of the complexities and experiences we face during the nuances of adolescence.
The different locations explored aligns to the movement of time and the progressive changes within an individual from childhood to adulthood. Resonating with Williamson’s lyricism throughout, ‘Anything’, and The Shoals most popular album. We believed that filming the resolution of our main characters putting aside their struggles, and working together, should be set in a city close to us and our origin (Newcastle Upon Tyne) as it showcases the fast paced movement of time as well as character development which is crucial. Utilising locations close to home had also allowed a sense of escapism without travelling hundreds of miles, within many coming of age media products their is a common theme of teenagers yearning to leave their hometown and reconstruct their identities – whereas in our music video we wanted to illustrate a sense of freedom in the relationship due to the characters going through struggles (healing addiction) in order to stay with those you love.
Anything MV - The Shoals 