Critical Evaluation of AS media Production Essay Example

Additionally, we explored various locations in the Greater Manchester area such as vacant libraries and a deserted hospital in Warrington. Eventually, we stumbled upon the ideal spot that had been right in front of us all along: an abandoned Crankshaft Factory in Eccles that all group members were familiar with.

After performing a brief exploration of the site and ensuring the building's safety, we were given permission to film within the premises. The rough and industrial atmosphere of the location was ideal for the character we had envisioned. Prior to production, we needed to create a strong storyline to accompany the main band shots in the video. Our inspiration for this narrative came from videos like Metallica's "One" (which we had mentioned previously) and Deicide's death metal song "Homage to Satan."

The music video for Iron Maiden's Be Quick or Be Dead (1991) influenced our decision to choose an industrial setting for our video. As a Metal genre, the song we selected addressed serious and sometimes evil themes of death, entrapment, and hell. Therefore, we crafted a story based on these themes. Our video entails a man awakening in a derelict building where he used to work, wearing old-fashioned formal clothing. He soon discovers that everything he once knew and loved has been destroyed, including his deceased wife/partner found in a room with her eyes open.

We aimed to capture the intense emotions that the situation evokes, with the opening line of "Trapped in Purgatory" conveying the idea that the protagonist's waking environment is worse than death. Despite facing challenges during filming, particularly related to the difficult location, such as transporting the drum kit to the abandoned factory,

we opted to use a green screen for band shots instead. This allowed us to focus more on what we were doing by repeatedly filming band shots without the inconvenience of instrument transportation.

Our initial plan was to feature a large group of people in the band shots, similar to Slipknot's "Duality" music video. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts prevented us from executing this idea.

While hip hop music videos often showcase a glamorous and sharp appearance, as seen in Jay Z's "Lost One," metal and rock genres typically convey a darker and rougher tone. This is exemplified in music videos such as Foo Fighter's "Everlong," where two characters are trapped in parallel nightmares.

The video depicts Slayer, the musician, as brooding and unrelenting. To establish a somber mood, we concentrated on capturing the band's facial expressions, particularly those of the frontman. We instructed him to maintain a serious demeanor and occasionally give a threatening glare, which he executed superbly. Additionally, to create an air of dissonance and accentuate Slayer's powerful music, we dressed the protagonist in outmoded "nerd" clothing.

To prevent the character from resembling a fan rather than a distinct persona, we refrained from outfitting them in a large leather jacket and Slayer t-shirt. Slayer is recognized as one of the forefathers of contemporary metal, alongside Metallica, Anthrax, and Megadeth - all instrumental in forging the genre that popularized metal throughout the early 80s. Our target audience ranged from adolescents to older metal enthusiasts who may have been fans of Slayer during their earlier days. Thrash Metal emerged as an insurgent response to mainstream "cheesy" rock music styles like Glam bands such as KISS and Whitesnake; therefore, we avoided

including comedic or cliche elements like long hair, tight pants, or denim jackets in our design. It's typical for Metal videos (including Thrash Metal) to capture full band shots while moshing or rocking out; examples can be seen in Slipknot's 2001 video for "Left Behind."

The band's display of unity and engagement with fans through "moshing" during concerts strengthens their connection. By understanding and catering to their audience's preferences, the band effectively brings themselves closer to fans. Our narrative effectively resonated with our primary teen demographic who regularly view music videos. The theme of struggle and insanity was utilized, as it relates to horror films often enjoyed by Slayer fans who are drawn to darker ideas such as death and killing, aligning the genres of Metal and Horror.

Our character's descent into madness at the thought of losing everything captivates the audience. The connection between horror and metal is evident in music videos like Metallica's recently released "All Nightmare Long," which tells the story of a post-nuclear world through its narrative-like structure. We wanted a touch of horror in our video, without going overboard and creating a short film instead of a music video. To avoid being too disturbing and alienating viewers, we struck a balance between mild peril and shots of the band. While Slayer's music is extremely niche, our popular song's video would only appeal to fans of this genre.

Due to its genre, the new video may not be suitable for certain mainstream music channels. However, it is well-suited for channels like Scuzz, Kerrang, and MTV2 that are particularly dedicated to rock and metal music. Promotional efforts can also be directed towards magazines that

cater to the same crowd, such as Metalhammer, Kerrang, and Terrorizer. The video was previewed to media groups that produced different genres of music videos, such as Gnarles Barkley and Duffy, and the feedback was positive. Many people felt that the video had a great mix of heavy metal elements while still maintaining authenticity and not coming across as too tongue-in-cheek.

Our aim was to break away from the typical Metal music video stereotypes, which are often limited by budgetary concerns. Rather than releasing multiple singles, Metal musicians focus on selling albums, merchandise, and tickets for their live performances. Consequently, it is not uncommon for Metal bands to release only a few singles or none at all. For instance, one of Metallica's most renowned albums, Master of Puppets, did not have any associated videos.

Although Slayer is a renowned figure in the music industry, contemporary bands such as Slipknot, Lamb of God, and Devildriver are leading the way with more current music videos. With many bands now using the internet to promote their songs and videos, I believe that even Slayer's videos would benefit from this approach.