Music video original idea (plan A)

 This song was made because it was an alternative to the original song which had more of a music background. The music was replaced with vocals. The main aim of the song was to change the meaning of the original song slightly by changing the lyrics. Instead of the song being about a relationship between two people it’s about the relationship between God and the singer. The video was posted on YouTube.

The artist Omar Esa is an artist who is independent. He has made a wide range of different videos. From wedding songs to more Narrative songs. This video “hello” is the first video he borrowed from another artist.

The style of this music is vocal. All instruments are replaced with vocal sounds. The reason for this is because in Islam many Muslims don’t listen to musical instruments so vocals replaces instruments and create something new. The footage was not animation or cgi it was all live footage.

They lyrics where altered in many places, for example in one of the passages from the original song:

“Hello from the outside

At least I can say that I've tried

To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart

But it don't matter it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore”                                                                                                                                     

However in Omar Esa’s version of the song he changes it to:

“HELLO FROM THE OUTSIDE,

I WILL NEVER SAY GOODBYE.

MY LORD I LOVE YOU, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU’VE DONE,

YOU SAVED ME FROM LIFE,

IT DOESN’T TEAR ME APART ANYMORE.”

In my opinion the song with the changed lyrics sounds happier then Adele’s original. In a way the song shows a different approach with confronting feelings. In the original track the topic is more about the singer talking about being heart broken. However in the other version, the song speaks more about how the singer has been healed from some affliction.

In the background of the Omar Esas song there was a humming tune which played in the background.  When the singer beings to sing in a high pitched voice the humming changes slowly and goes to a higher pitch tone for a few seconds.  This is to empathise on the voice of the artist.

In terms of the music video Omar Esas video is original there barely any cuts its one long film. However in Adele’s original version of Hello there are an estimated 87 cuts. Also in Adele’s music video you could see a story unfolding and the cuts show the story going from present to flashback. In her video the filter changed when going back to the flash back and to the present timeline.  The similarities between both videos is that the pace is slow.

One of the main differences I would like to point is that Adele lip sync her video while Omar Esa who did a cover mainly singed for his video and there wasn’t a lip sync. 

Music video Assignment 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3-_lWyqx-s

Hafs al Gazzi is an independent artist.  The purpose of making this video was to make something for his channel. Also the video was made to show a story to the track. The artist is reaching out to his audience as well. This is because many people would not know his track on google play so putting it on YouTube would help people see his content. The mean reason why the location was in London was because the director was based in london.  Also the reason why the music video was not performanced based was because Hafs al gazzi could not make it to london for filming, so the director made a last minute video with a actor they where in contact with. In terms of lyrics the reason why he wrote it was because he felt  he needed to wake up to his belief in faith. So he wrote the lyrics talking about him waking up and going back to his faith. He knew others felt the same way. The lyrics where slightly self centered. 

The tracks genre is spiritual because the lyrics talks about being guided back to God and being guided back to the righteous path. The footage of the video is all live and it’s not digital animation. This video is not like other videos. In most videos the artist would lip sync the music to the video.  However this artist does not do that he has more of a video with his track playing in the background.  It’s very unique and different compared with other videos. The style of the song is narrative while the video is just a performance. In some ways a story unfolds because as he visits all these locations the last location he visits is regent’s park mosque.

The lyrics of the song is a narrative. It tells a story of a person who wants to go on a good path and stay away from his desires.  When the lyrics come to part of reflection in the video the actor looks across in the open. This gesture is a symbol of looking for meaning as well reflecting.  In this part of the song: “Somehow I feel the light is gone

Let me see the light before night comes

One more chance to change my ways

Let me see the light before night comes”

This Talks about how death is coming and how he wants another chance to redeem himself before death comes. The light represents life while night represents death.

The song is made up of 2 things a drum beat in the background and the singer’s voice. However for the singer’s voice they used a child’s voice as well and sync both voices together. It has a deep voice and high voice contrast to it.  In the beginning the video starts off with humming setting the tone.  The drumming in the back comes in when the artists begins to sing. Many other music videos have drums as the base.

Majority of the shots in the video are mediums shots. The cuts are very smooth and are in sequence. The video can show cut from cut without confusing the audience. Its very simple and effective and the video is not complicated like other videos. Mainly showing the actor in front of iconic places in London. In some cuts the camera moves when the actor is still, it pans out showing the view. What I found very interesting was the use of over the shoulder shots because in many music videos is centred in front of the artist or actor but rarely behind them. The video itself is roughly shot with the same white balance which shows the mood of the video.

(Iconic place)
In this shot as the actor is walking away the camera moves showing the area. You can see how empty the area is. In a way it shows how he feels being alone on his path.

(os)
This over the shoulder shot showing the river and south bank. This is another shot showing the actor reflecting while looking across. This shot can be interpreted as being thoughtful. Many people find looking out into the open as being comforting

(close up) 
This shot is a low close up. This shot shows the actor walking illustrating he is on a path walking and being guided. 

(Long shot)
This shot showing his back can show and empty path in front of him. 










(medium shot)
This shot shows the actor leaving chinatown and going to the next location. Majority of the shots are medium shots. Focusing more on the actor. 









Costume:

• Trench coat jacket (Navy blue)  
• Jumper (cream colour)
• White chequed shirt
• Chino trousers (sandy colour)
• Trainers

The costume for the actor is casual clothing. The clothing itself has no impact to the lyrics or video. The actor can blend in to the general public. 

Throughout the video the actor walks in many iconic locations in London. All locations are in central London. 

This location is Chinatown in Central London. The first 14 minutes of the video is In this location. This scene looks like it was filmed during the day around 7am to am. 

The next location is at the River Thames not far from the houses of parliament. This location is not far from 

















This was the closest image i could find near the location of the shoot.  

Tamesis Dock

This location is Trafalgar square. The actor is walking down some steps.

















This location is near the river Thames.




















This location is right next to the London Eye. This location is very iconic because many tourists go on there to look at Central London and other places from above.

This next location is under a bridge near the canal.

The last location is regents park mosque (masjid) which is a very iconic place for Muslims in London. This location can represent spirituality. It also represents unity because muslims from all over london visit this mosque.      

This picture roughly shows the path they took for filming the video. 







































  lyrics

BACK TO YOU

Struggling to keep on your path
Shaitan has taken me away from you
Desires control what I do
No regret for sins touches my heart

(Chorus)
Guide me back to you O Allah
Show me your beautiful way
Guide me back to you O Allah
Take me away from the darkness

Guide me back to you O Allah
Show me your beautiful way
Guide me back to you O Allah
Take me away from the darkness

Wonder will I have time before
Death knocks to change my ways
Have I prepared enough for the next life
I know that little time remains

(Chorus)
Guide me back to you O Allah
Show me your beautiful way
Guide me back to you O Allah
Take me away from the darkness

Guide me back to you O Allah
Show me your beautiful way
Guide me back to you O Allah
Take me away from the darkness

Somehow I feel the light is gone
Let me see the light before night comes
One more chance to change my ways 
Let me see the light before night comes

Somehow I feel the light is gone
Let me see the light before night comes
One more chance to change my ways 
Let me see the light before night comes

(Chorus)
Guide me back to you O Allah
Show me your beautiful way
Guide me back to you O Allah
Take me away from the darkness

Guide me back to you O Allah
Show me your beautiful way
Guide me back to you O Allah
Take me away from the darkness