Plan of action!

Due to the recent developments regarding toy guns, we've decided that the best things to do next are:

• Write a letter to the council asking permission to film with toy guns in a public forest.
• Keep on looking for another private location.
• Think of ways to film the music video without using guns. 

Replica firearms in a public place; are they legal? Posted by Cathy

So, we have a problem. Our private loacation which we were going to use for the main part of the shoot (involving the combat scene, using plastic guns) is now unfortunately unavailable. Because of this, we need to re-think the entire video in regards to what we can and can't use.

'As of the 1st October 2007 it became illegal to manufacture, import or sell realistic imitation firearms dated from 1870 onwards.'

source: http://www.beararm.com/replica-firearm-ban.html 

This explains why all of the toy guns we've seen in the shops which we were going to use in the video have been bright orange. To get over this problem, we were simply going to paint the guns black. However, we've done some research and realised that doing this is also illegal as it is classed as an 'imitation firearm'


'If you create a replica weapon, and people believe that it is real and are threatened by it, then the punishment is the same for that as carrying a real weapon.'


So it is actually illegal to walk around with a toy gun if it looks realistic. This means that unless we find another private location, we won't be able to use guns in our video. 

Our Soldiers

Chris

Daniel

Connor 

War.

Here is photo from when Jared Leto performed on Jay Leno, with US soldiers in the background, showing his support for what they do.

30 Seconds To Mars Albums

A Beautiful Lie (2005)

30 Seconds To Mars (2002)

This Is War (2009)

Music Videos

Different aspects from these music videos are inspiration for our music video

Nickelback - Far Away

Taylor Swift - Mine

My Chemical Romance - Ghost of you

Three Doors Down - When I'm Gone
(Emotion of Soldiers leaving their families behind)

Digipak - Album Front Cover Design - Sarah

This is the design we would like to use for our Album cover, created on a Wacom Tablet by Sarah

The Making of 'Hurricane'

This is a video posted on YouTube by 30 Seconds to Mars. It shows the process, ideas, direction and intention of their music video Hurricane. This is definitely something which is worth watching, it has influenced us so much to see the thought process and ideas behind the making.

Making of Hurricane

Very helpful!!

The Echelon

"Some people ask us if this is a cult; I say this: It's something special. It's not for everyone - it's only for those who understand."

- Jared Leto

Image, Concept and Marketing - Your Video

Information about our target audience, artist image, the visual style and the concept.

Advanced Portfolio Research - Textual Analysis Sarah Ellis

This is my textual analysis sheet. I analysed the video for Panic! At the disco's 'The Ballad of Mona Lisa'. I analysed this song because the band also have quite a strong image like Thirty Seconds to Mars do so I thought it would benifit our process.

Music Video Analysis Sheet

We were shown music videos in lesson time and completed this sheet analysing them and giving them a mark out of 40.

Music Video Target Audience Demographic Analysis Report

This sheet helped us to pinpoint a specific target audience for our band by writing down what types of catagories of people our band fit into.

Digipak Design Template ideas

Front cover - Large cloud of smoke, fills the cover, fluffy cloud - as if from IED explosion.
- Silhouette Of soldiers in the cloud of smoke x4
- faded triad (black/blue) in cloud of smoke
- name '30 Seconds To Mars' written in capitals in the middle strip of the triad


Back cover - photograph of front of soldier, arms by side and photograph of the back of the soldier, stood in the same position ( greyish/ dusty colour - background) virgin records logo, barcode. Names of songs on album at the bottom of it.


Inside cover - photograph of soldier pointing gun straight at the camera - Zach.


CD - 2 Glyphics either side of cd and 2 rifles - black

Post Three: Synergy and Marketing by Sarah Ellis

Thirty seconds to mars maintain their image across a range of media by using symbols.

These are the symbols that allow the band to spread their image across various medias. The triangle is called the triad and it's main message is unity. The small symbols underneath, translate into 'Thirty seconds to mars' and symbolises the echelon. These symbols are printed on a wide range of merchandise as shown below.

The bands earlier album covers were quite minimalistic and plain whereas the resent covers have been more vibrant but still minimalistic as if the band are trying to say that its not whats on the outside (the cover) but the inside (the music). It shows how their image has changed in a subtle way. 

They use synergy to promote and sell as they combine their symbols with a huge range of other things such as merchandise, websites, albums etc.  Audience participation is basically a huge part of what the band are about. They love their fans and want to encourage everyone to be themselves. They use their symbols and 'the echelon' to convey this,

Post Two: Visual style and image by Sarah Ellis

It is evident by watching their videos, that Thirty seconds to mars love to play around with lighting. Evidence of this comes from the silhouette effect used in the video 'Kings and Queens' (Bottom) and the lighting effect for their shows, shown in 'Closer to the edge' (Top). Close ups are a big thing in their videos also. Both of these videos contain fan appearance. In 'Kings and queens' they took part in 'the ride' and in 'Closer to the edge' at the beginning they incorporate fans speaking. Differences are obviously the fact that one video is entirely show based but what is still conveyed is the strong messages in both.

The typical visual elements in the mis-en-scene that signify Thirty seconds to mars are in my opinion, the lighting. They experiment with lighting often and it is always very effective. It highlights the band and also usually impacts their performance and narrative. The settings they use are always very different. In more recent videos they seem to have taken a liking to the orange and black colours of the silhouette. Costume is more about sleekness and individual style. 

Their visual image is in my opinion about individuality. The hair, the constant image change.

They use an abundance of close ups and a variety of shot types which is hugely important especially in the narrative. They use words on screen to hammer the messages home by hearing them and seeing them visually which is a clever idea. I would say that I can see some aspects of their videos relating to other media texts. 

Their video for 'The Kill' is heavily based on the film 'The Shining'.

Post One: Image and Genre by Sarah Ellis

Thirty seconds to mars use various elements in order to identify themselves in their music videos. Their videos are alive with a vital combination of performance, narrative and also conceptual ideas. They create narratives that can be interpreted by the viewer and put forward very few narratives which are able to be fully understood without thought and consideration. They use the element of individuality as due the the development of their image and sound, they have become a unique band instead of just another product of a genre. They try to convey elements of unity. Thirty seconds to mars is very fan orientated. Messages and ideas that the band believe in have over time, become the most important element of their videos.

They are of the rock/alternative rock genre however they are very different from other bands in their genre as they have become in a way, a completely unique artifact.

Over time, the image of Thirty seconds to mars has changed countless times.

This is an image from their first video 'Capricorn' filmed in 2005. In the beginning, the bands image was more heavy rock. The guitars in the song were heavier and their entire image and music had a heavier feel. They fit more into the alternative genre. They combined a mixture of performance and complex narrative. They also encorporate conceptual ideas. 

In 2006 they released the video, 'The Kill'. Their image changed from rock to emo, with Jared sporting black hair and eyeliner. They still conformed to their conventions and include narrative, performance and conceptual elements.

Their image changed yet again in 2009 with the release of their video, 'Kings and queens'. Jared lost the eyeliner and became more mainstream. His look became casual and sleek. Instead of the typical aspects of their music videos, they became more orientated with performance and conveying messages of what they believe in as well as the unity of their fans. 

In 2010 they released 'Closer to the edge'. Again, followed with a change of image. Jared now sported a pink Mohawk. The video was a show reel of their performances and was solely about the message of unity. Towards the beginning the band were more generic but over time developed into a unique band.

The generic conventions that are evident in their videos are performance, and a lot of lead singer/band and instrument close ups. The film style has become more lighting focused over time. 

Post Three: Synergy and Marketing by Laura Mossendew

Post Three: Synergy and Marketing

Triad symbol necklace

One way in which 30 Seconds To Mars maintains their image across a range of media is through the use of symbols, (e.g. The Triad and gylphics) with the majority of merchandise on their website containing some of the 30STM symbols. 


30STM's CD/album covers help to contribute to their image, with 'This Is War' having a tigers face on the cover, which could relate to album by showing the power of a tiger, to help represent how powerful war is, or the fact that the tiger is baring its teeth could be representing a soldier's 'war face'. The album cover for 'A Beautiful Lie' has the 30STM glyphics printed on the back.


The band are currently signed to music label - Virgin Records America, who help to produce the music that 30STM create, they also produce the album and singles for sale in shops and online. Tours across the world also help to promote and sell 30 Seconds To Mars' music.

 All of the band members also use social networking sites such as: Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. These websites allow the audience to communicate better with the band and allow them the opportunity to get to know them better. This helps to encourage audience participation within the band's lives. It also gives the fans chances to win competitions and be in music videos - E.g. Closer to the edge





Guitar picks with 30STM glyphics

This Is War - Album Cover










Post Two: Visual style and image by Laura Mossendew

Post two: Visual Style and Image


Some typical visual elements and mise-en-scene that signify 30STM are: Triad, Echelon, dark colours, silhouette of band against sunset, instruments (guitar, drums etc.) dark costume, natural environment (eg woodland, desert, urban areas).

Silhouette against sunrise < - Kings and Queens

Silhouette against sunrise < - Beautiful Lie

30 Seconds to Mars' visual image is quite a dark and 'depressing' one as the band members tend to dress in black in their music videos and on photo shoots.


The use of quick cuts is used in most of 30STM's music videos to fit with the pace of the song and beat. Close ups of the band members and lead singer Jared Leto performing helps to create meaning as the audience can see the expressions on their faces, showing how the band feel (e.g. - anger at the ice caps melting)

Post One: Image and Genre by Laura Mossendew

Post One: Image and Genre.

Thirty Seconds To Mars - The Kill (Bury Me) <-Link

This music video is ‘The Kill’, released January 24^th, 2006. In this music video several of the band members wear eyeliner as part of their costume, they also all wear black plain clothing(shown left). Although 30STM don't have one specific genre, they are a mix of several there are similar artists around to compare them to, for example; Panic! At The Disco (shown below).
Panic! At The Disco - I Write Sins Not Tradgedies. <- Link.
 Some of the ways in which they are similar is the use of formal clothing as part of the costume, with both bands wearing suits and white gloves in the performance section of their video and eyeliner. Both bands also include both narrative and performance in the videos.

However, over time 30STM image has changed considerably, with the band ditching the eyeliner and black clothing, for brightly coloured clothes and hair (Jared Leto)

Another way in which 30STM has changed is that over the years their music has become slightly more mainstream. 

Generic Conventions: Guitars, Drums, Mic Stand etc.

I think that the style of the video has changed a bit, with more outdoor locations being used and trying to convey a stronger message to the target audience.

Post Three: Synergy and Marketing by Cathy Mallett

I think that 30STM are that big now that they almost don't need to promote themselves. However, the Echelon have created various fan sites, Facebook groups, even ebay accounts selling only the band's merchandise.
These are some ways which 30 Seconds to Mars promote themselves, their style and their music and ways to get their audience involved:
- Merch stalls at gigs
- Interviews
- Acting (Jared in particular has appeared in many films and shows)
- Tours
- Released DVDs
- Soundtracks (They've recently featured on the sound track for Legends of Guardians
- Live performances for tv shows e.g. Live on Leno
- Photoshoots
- The members have Twitter accounts so fans can actually talk to the band
- They do webchats, again so the fans can ask them questions
- Competitions

30 Seconds to Mars' album covers do not seem to have a certain trend. Their older covers show the band and their some what 'emo' style. However, their most recent cover is very symbolic of fighting for what's right. CD/Album Covers:

Most recent.

One of their older covers
















As you can see, the generic themes of 30stm Album artwork seems to be:
-Similar colour scheme (red, black and white)
-Intense images
-Similar font
-The band and album name

I think the album covers show 30 Seconds to Mars as being quite rock influenced and almost gives them a 'bad boy' appeal. I think the best thing about their covers is that they can appeal to both genders and sexualities.

Post Two: Visual style and image by Cathy Mallett

I've chosen these two videos by 30 Seconds to Mars:

Kings and Queens (2010)
The Kill (2006)

I've picked these two because there is a significant time gap between when each were made so it shows the bands change.

Typical visual elements in the mise-en-scene:
- Big performances
- Weird elements; in The Kill, there are two of each of the band and it's quite twisted. In Kings and Queens, there are hundreds of people dressed funny riding around for no apparent reason.
- Symbolism and meaning; The Kill- finding who you truely are, the doubled up band members are meant to show how everyone at one point battles with themselves. Who they are, and who they want to be. Kings and Queens shows freedom and unity. It's a link to the Echelon, and the entire 30stm family.

I think 30STM's image in their videos is intended to be honest and true to themselves. They don't try and over dress etc, they just wear what they would if they were performing. Obviously Jared Leto (the lead singer) is very attractive which creates sex appeal. He's often featured in the videos without his shirt on, bringing in a huge female audience.

As Laura previously posted, the triad is very important to the band and therefore important to their videos. The band use various effects to show the triad. For example, in Kings and Queens, the cyclists cycle in a triad shape. In their other videos the triad flashes up. Also, the band sometimes have the triad branded on their clothing (which they wear in the videos):

This is the triad on the back of Jared's jacket in Kings and Queens.