Proposal

To gain a brief glimpse into a journey of love and lifelong commitment, we will follow a young couple through some of their adventures before closing with the couple in their old age, still in love.

The song I have chosen to create a music video for is “How Long Will I Love You?”, which I covered and played for the first dance at my wedding. When I initially developed my idea, I didn’t know Ellie Goulding had created a video for her version of the song – it's interesting to see the parallels between her work and my vision. I would like to create something that echoes her method of storytelling, but in a way that is unique to me. As my cover has a deep personal meaning, I aim to incorporate themes and locations from my own relationship.

Two of my friends are willing to participate in the making of the video. I will shoot short scenes at various locations, such as woods, beaches and moors – these natural landscapes are the perfect setting to illustrate the wild and free love between this couple, as well as the adventures they will face in their future together. Two specific locations I have in mind are Becky Falls and Dartmoor, both in Devon. I don’t need permission to shoot in either location, although as both are open to the public, I will have to bear this in mind when framing shots and filming, especially if it is busy. Becky Falls has an idyllic woodland walk and a large waterfall, which will be a stunning backdrop for us to work with. Dartmoor is vast and rugged, offering a wide range of settings to shoot in. To close the video, the couple, now elderly, will walk away from the camera with hands held, their relationship still as strong as ever it was.

The realism of the scenes emphasises that love isn't just found in fairy tales.

Goulding's video shows the key events in this couple's relationship.

Another video I have been inspired by is Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”. With strong ties to fantasy and Shakespearean lore, the imagery used is typical of the romantic genre. What I find most intriguing, however, is the use of lighting. Swift is frequently back-lit by sunlight, alluding to the ethereal nature of her relationship. The skies are bright white, and both indoor and evening scenes are candlelit, reinforcing the theme of a fairy tale romance. To strengthen the idea of a perfect “happy ever after”, all lighting is incredibly soft and flattering.

I will aim to use as much ambient lighting as possible to complement the natural settings we will shoot in, but I will have to choose when to shoot very carefully. These shoots will take place during late autumn and early winter, so I will have to consider the weather forecast and time of day in my planning. An overcast day would be ideal; this would provide soft lighting and we would be less likely to encounter members of the public.

The bright back-lighting emphasises purity, a key theme in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".

Close-ups are used to evoke the feeling of intimacy.

The target audience is teenage girls and young women, aged between 13 and 21. Due to the popularity of streaming websites such as YouTube in young adults, this is the age group most likely to be interested in a music video. Girls and young women are more likely to enjoy watching music videos and listening to songs with themes of romance.