The summer holiday is going to be weird this year. Since we've been 'locked down' for over 100 days already, the 40-odd days of holiday will probably seem pretty short. But next year (from September) is going to be even stranger, because we'll be coming back to college. Things won't be quite the same as before, at least for the first month, and time will be tight. So it's essential to make the best possible use of your time before coming back.
Please note, I do not want you to complete a crazy amount of work over summer. You've been working hard in difficult circumstances over lock down. But, since you are legally unable to do much over the holiday anyway, it would be massively useful for your grade to think about the following activities.
This is not a prescriptive list. You don't need to do all of this. Apart from the first task, which is really important.
Main task: Shoot B-roll for your music video: this is the big one! This is your summer work!
B-roll is filler. Establishing shots, inserts, 'continuity shots', whatever you want to call it. If you go down to the park with your bubble of friends, shoot some footage on your phone. If you go for a walk (please do go on at least a few walks), shoot some footage on your phone. The severe vistas of the Fens can make for excellent, moody establishing shots. A closeup of a ladybird climbing a blade of grass can symbolize... I don't know, youth or happiness or something.
You can all start shooting your music video now!
It doesn't matter how terrible your phone or camera is. IN fact, the worse the quality of footage is, the better. It's retro. But you'll be mixing up this footage with footage you shoot later on in the process. It may give your video an uneven quality, but that's really cool.
You can even start shooting performance shots. Using interesting costume, makeup and props, you can shoot the master/performance shots of your music video. If you have a white wall in your house, it can double as a basic studio backdrop. Borrow someone else's phone and use the torch as a key light.
Even if the footage is unusable, it will be great practice for the real thing.
But remember: this is your summer work. I will be checking your footage when you come back. It can be on your phone, that's fine. It will help me to assign your predicted grade, so take this seriously.
Bonus task 1 - Make a terrible film
The music video director Nick Wynne gave this excellent advice to anyone who wants to get in to the creative industries: make terrible horror film with your friends. Honestly, it's one of the most instructive things you can do, and it's great fun too. Simply put, if you're not making stuff already, you're not going to get anywhere in the creative industries.
I've made a bunch of absolutely terrible short horror films, but only one has survived. Me and my mates in my shared flat in London decided we wanted to make an 80's style zero-budget slasher film. We shot it on a broken video camcorder for £0. It's not very good. But it was really fun. (let me know if you want the link...)
You can edit it on anything you want. On your phone, or on your computer using free software like Windows Movie Make or the Apple equivalent. It's all good. Anyway, it will hep your predicted grade and will be really fun.
Bonus task 2 - Start a blog
If you are thinking of taking a subject like photography, media production, art or something similar at university, I've probably already bugged you to start a portfolio blog already. Everyone else: you should start a blog. It could be on
- Photography
- Film reviews
- Politics
- Animal rights
- Fashion
- Sports
- Literally anything you want
Once more, it will help your predicted grade, and will be an amazing thing to talk about in your personal statement/job applications. So go for it!
Thanks so much for your hard work over lock down, and please use these tasks to help you have a fun and relaxed summer. Make the most of your time, and I will see you all in September!