Diary Entry: Third Day of Filming

Saturday 7th January 2012

Call sheet including costume/prop list

Myself and Monica met at 11.30am in Kingston and went to Clinton's to purchase our main props for the day - helium balloons. 2 red and 1 black.

Epsom Downs (Narrative)

After picking up Olly and Charlotte, we drove to Epsom Downs to film the 'Balloon Scene'. I had suggested this location because I would frequently visit there with my family as a child and I remember the park and golf-course being extremely blissful and picturesque; a setting which would reflect a joyous past memory of the couple's romance. We arrived at 1.00pm and came across a steep hill which overlooked a gorgeous view of London and we instantly knew this was our location.

We used the dolly to slowly track behind the couple as they climbed up the hill to almost 'invite' the audience into Olly's retrospect, creating a sense of intimacy between the artist and the audience. However, we did experience some problems with using the dolly on such an uneven terrain and in windy conditions as this made segments our footage appear shaky and amateur. Therefore, in the editing process we will eliminate such footage since the purpose of using the dolly was to create a smooth flow of seamless camerawork to compliment the gentle instrumentation and heartfelt lyrics of the song.

Standing on the pinnacle of the hill, Olly and Charlotte release two red balloons up into the cloudy sky. We filmed one continuous shot where the camera pans from the couple releasing the balloons to then focusing on them flying off into the atmosphere. (We only had one chance to capture this so we are thrilled that it worked!) The balloons are metaphorical for the couple's love which is further expressed through the colour imagery of the vibrant red, holding connotations of love, warmth, passion and most dangerously, lust (foreshadowing Olly's unfaithfulness). Furthermore, the natural inter-weaving of the balloons add a subtle element of synaesthesia to our music video since the flowing movement meshes perfectly with the delicate piano melody and soothing grain of voice. In addition, as the balloons travel further away they appear more distant from the camera which foreshadows the eventual separation of the couple. 

Sophiya's House (Performance) 

At 3.15pm we went to my house to film Olly singing against a white wall in my garden whilst holding a black balloon. In contrast to the two red balloons, this black balloon is symbolic of Olly's solitary stance and gloomy disposition which also clearly highlights a shift from the retrospective past into the reality of the present. Whilst the abstract concept (convention of MV) of the balloons serve to symbolise the couple's relationship, we also hope to convey the significance of colour imagery in our music video. For example, Olly is dressed in dull, grey clothing reflecting his emotional emptiness, yet he is stood against a pristine, white background. This juxtaposition of colour (chiaroscuro) almost singles him out from society since he seems stuck in a dark and lonely state of mind. Also, he is placed in the centre of a mid-shot so the white, empty space surrounding him in the frame signifies his entrapment.