Song Change

Due to the amount of work and the budget required to pull off a music video to the correct standard, it simply isn't possible for us to achieve.

The Michael Jackson/Fall Out Boy song idea, seemed good at the time, but now we are on our way into the planning process, we can see how many complications and issues there are.

We have therefore chosen a new song: 'Hey watch this' by The Auteur. They are of a similar genre to Fall Out Boy as so we do not need to change much when it comes to genre, mise-en-scene or mood boards.

This video will be narrative based with the band acting as characters. We will try to add in a few scenes of performance, because that is what the type of genre expects.

Music Video Pitch Presentation

This is our Music Video Pitch Presentation. It was designed by me, based on a rough version created by Amy and its content is the result of a collaboration between all three of us, as was the presentation itself.

Music Video Pitch

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Download it Here

My moodboard

The moodboard has dark images and some have an almost gothic feel. This is in reference to the darker "emo" side to Fall Out Boy, as opposed to the tounge in cheek pop punk styling. This is due to the way they dress and the way they are seen as people in the media. The reason I have used the darker images instead of the poppier style is to reference the way they will be dressed in the video. The bat-heart is a logo for both a clothing label owned by FOB bassist Pete Wentz and the record company to which FOB are signed. At the center of the moodboard I put an image of Michael Jackson's trademark glove, as our video will also reference Michael Jackson. I included images from Tim Burtons 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. There are also reference to the "emo" fashion with the eyeliner, tattoos, fringes and the photos of the band, I included this as it is the sort of thing we will be wearing during the video.

The style of Michael Jackson which we use will be be created to make an obvious juxtaposition with Fall Out Boy's style, as this will add to the clash/confrontational theme of the lyrics/video as more than a clash of the artists, as it will be a clash of style and genre as well. Therefore we will dress MJ in exaggerated outfits with bright colours such as in his early 80's era, which will clash with Fall Out Boy's emo image. The video will create a bigger clash in terms of rock and pop, as both the style of each genre and the video conventions of the genres will clash, as the band are interrupted from their live performance (typical of a rock video) and the video will then become more narrative based (like in a pop video).

Music Video Narrative Summary

This is a rough narrative outline of our video. Details are subject to change as the narrative is developed into a full script and storyboard.

As the video opens, "Fall Out Boy" are getting ready onstage to perform, even though the room is empty. They start up and their fans begin to file in as word of the apparently impromptu performance spreads. The crowd really starts to get into the performance and word eventually reaches the bar "MJ" is in.

Cut to "MJ" in the bar, dancing along in his signature style. He is interrupted by a member of his crew informing him of the "FOB" performance. He becomes angry and storms out of the bar, gesturing for his crew to follow him.

Back with "FOB", the band and crowd are really getting into the song and are jumping around quite a bit. The bassist, "Pete Wentz" suddenly stops and pulls out his phone. He has received a text signed "MJ". He looks at it confused, then tries to get back into the groove of the performance. Not long after though, the doors burst open and the music stops as the band turns its attention to the newcomers.

"MJ" and his crew walk in and stare the band down. There is a standoff reminiscent of the one at the start of the Smooth Criminal video, which ends in the same way - with "MJ" tossing a coin. In this case however, it doesn't land in a jukebox starting the music, it hits "Pete Wentz" in the head. The music starts back up and the band and their fans charge at "MJ" and the dancers.

A fight breaks out (Involving dancing and rocking out more than actual fighting) and eventually the fans and dancers spill out of the building. The band and MJ angrily sing at eachother to "Beat it", getting increasingly rowdy. As the song ends, "Pete Wentz" whacks MJ upside the head with his bass, drops it and the band walks out, leaving MJ on the floor struggling to get back up.

My Mood Boards

Song Lyrics

They told him don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it

You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it

They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it

You have to show them that you're really not scared
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare
They'll kick you, then they beat you,
Then they'll tell you it's fair
So beat it, but you wanna be bad

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it

Beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or who's right

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Beat it, beat it, beat it

Mood Board

This is my mood board for our music video of the 'Beat It' cover by Fall Out Boy. I have included magazine covers, clothing labels, relative clipart, cd covers, genre images and pictures of the band.

Music Video Analysis: "Beat It" - Michael Jackson

Beat It is a 1982 song by legendary American Pop singer Michael Jackson. The video, which launched Jackson's stardom to international audiences, was directed by Bob Giraldi and set the tone for what would become Jackson's trademark style.

The video's visuals and narrative are tied directly to the lyrics of the song. Jackson sings advice about a confrontation - a person or group of people have angered another group (These groups are likely gangs, as depicted in the video). The angered group tells the other(s) not to show their face(s) around any more, and the song continues advising them not to antagonise the situation and to just "beat it".

The vide reflects this by showing two street gangs, apparently rival ones, marching through the city to have a fight. Acting upon the lyrical advice to avoid confrontation, Jackson himself eventually stands between the two gangs as thy are about to fight and convinces them to stand down.

The visuals are also tied directly to the music, in a style that would become known as the definitive Michael Jackson music video manner. Significant portions of the video involve highly choreographed dancing (Notably the gang's fight is really more of a dance number with weapons) to the rhythm and melody of the song. Even in shots where there is little call for dancing, we still frequently see actions in time with the music - such as Jackson shaking his arm for emphasis to the rhythm.

Furthermore, the video is edited in such a way that the majority of the cuts, particularly in the early scene in which word of the impending fight spreads through a pool hall, are at the change between bars.

Jackson himself is general shown either dancing, or in pose designed to suggest he will be dancing soon. This reflects his image as a heavily performance-oriented singer. As a result of videos like this and Thriller, Jackson would eventually become as well known for his over-the-top dance numbers as for his songs. Notably, this video create the Jackson-Trademark "mass dance number" which would be a frequent motif in subsequent iconic Jackson videos, such as the video to Smooth Criminal.

Overall then, this is a hugely influential music video - both for Michael Jackson himself and for the medium generally. One of the most significant and well-implemented efforts to marry stage musical class performance with a narrative in a music video of its day, it still stands up today as incredibly well produced.

Watch it here.