Source of inspiration - music video

Source of inspiration

Source

My source of inspiration is the music video for Lukas Graham's "seven years". This is great inspiration for an urban drama as it contains lots of locations and editing techniques that would be useful when making a film in this genre. 

This is the video:

Plot

The story line in this music video is inspiring because it is about how from a very young age this boy has had a rough line demonstrated when he says, "by 11 smoking herb and drinking burning liquor." However, by the end he has overcome the problems of his childhood and is touring the world with his band, he also has a wife and children. This would conform to the conventions of an urban drama as it is clearly a rough part of a large town. Demonstrated by the skate park and the bin that is on fire. 

Locations

The locations used in this music video would also conform to the conventions of an urban drama as films of this genre tend to be set in large cities but not the well known parts, the back streets that are rough as demonstrated by the use of graffiti and fire.

The skate park in this video could be used in an urban drama because it would be a place where gangs hang out. 

There is also a theater used to support the story line this may not work in an urban drama as having the young troubled children in a high class theater so it would subvert the common conventions of an urban drama but it would be necessary to show how the characters overcome their issues to make it in society. 

Mise-en-scene

The use of the fire bin with "green light district" written on the front shows how rough the area is and would help to conform to the common conventions of an urban drama. 

Also, the use of the writing shows how these stories he is telling come from his personal experience. This would work well in an urban drama as it shows the vulnerability of the character as he feels he needs to write his life down in a diary. 

Editing techniques

The video is edited into black and white which subverts te common conventions of an urban drama but is inspiring and could be used at the beginning to show how difficult and sad but then as the character starts to grow up and his life gets better it could go back into colour to show how he has improved his life by working hard and to conform to common conventions. 

Slow motion is used frequently in this video at the beginning when the paper is floating down around Lucas Graham, when he throws the book and when there is a large explosion. This could be put into an urban drama to add to the feeling of sadness and much like the black and white it would stop using as much slow motion towards the end. 

I also like the use of a time lapse as the piece of paper burns down to ash, this editing technique could be used in a different way in an urban drama for example to show how busy the city is a time lapse could be made with people walking around and cars driving past.

Evaluation

My group could use some of the features from this music video in our coursework as it is a similar genre and so the conventions will be the same. The storyline in this is more heartfelt and personal showing the victim pushing through all the difficulties he comes across on his way to success, our coursework will follow the villain to subvert common conventions.