Music video

Final group advert

Final group digipak

Evaluation - Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

I think it is important to evaluate your work because it enables you to reflect on what went well and what things can be improved on. Through evaluating my work, it allowed other people to feedback on what is positive and negative about my music videos and ancillary products and enables me to make any necessary changes.  Once we finished our rough cut of our music video, we uploaded it onto YouTube. We decided to use YouTube to showcase our music video as it encourages the person viewing to leave comments. This is beneficial when it comes to evaluating our work as it gives us a different person’s perspective on our work.  YouTube is also suitable to showcase our work as it is a worldwide video-sharing website site therefore has a large viewing audience.

One comment we received from YouTube was “The artist is only present in the performance and it is not his situation he is relating to”. However in order for us to conform to Dyers star theory, the artist must appear absent for the consumer. In order for this to happen we decided to use a male and female to act within the narrative rather than use the artist himself. Therefore this enables the audience to relate to the artist as he is singing about a situation which most likely and individual watching has also experienced. Therefore this encourages the audience to relate to the artist through his facial expressions within the performance, on the basis that they have a good understanding of what the song is about.

 Another comment we received was “The performance should be more integrated with the narrative” However this relates back to the previous point as in for us to make the artist appear absent from the consumer the narrative and performance need to be separate. However we did show a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. An example is when the artist sings ‘I remember years ago’ he is seen to be in an isolated location. This is then followed by a flashback implying that the artist is reminiscing over his own memories. It also connotes that he is sad due to his own personal experience of a relationship breakup.

 The third comment we received from YouTube was “The music video displays elements that are typically seen in these kinds of videos” This is a positive comment as it highlights that by conforming to the codes and conventions a pop music video, it has attracted our target audience making our music video a success.

The comments made me feel positive as a producer as I feel that the audience responded well to the music video I created. Even though there were some negative comments in relation to the narrative and performance based element of the music video, I feel that this was constructive criticism that just gave us room to improve the music video even more. This was effective as through creating a rough cut we were able to get constructive feedback that gave us the opportunity to improve our final cut. The feedback I got would help me if i was working in the media industry as I have learnt that the audience prefer for the artist to feature in the narrative as they want to be able to relate to the artists lifestyle. 

Did you make any changes based on the feedback?

Evaluation - Question 4

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Target Audience Feedback

Target Audience Feedback

• Why is audience feedback important to a production?

Audience feedback is important to a production as you are able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our through the comments of the target audience. This is effective as it allows you to see if you have created a successful music video and whether it meets the audiences expectations. Depending on the comments received from the target audience we can take into consideration of what they have said in order for us to make any necessary improvements. These improvements could be to do with the way in which we have edited something or even the narrative. From doing this it enables us to ensure that we have created a successful pop music video that appeals to our target audience.

• How did you receive audience feedback from your target audience? (screening of production, focus group, questionnaires)

In order for us to receive feedback from our work, we uploaded our music video to YouTube. This is one of the most popular video sharing networks that reaches a worldwide audience. Another reason as to why we decided to showcase our music video on YouTube is because its a mainstream social network in which people around the ages of 14 - 30 use to view the most recent music videos and therefore through uploading our video, therefore it is likely be viewed by people of the same age as our target audience (14-24 years old). YouTube was also effective as it encourages the viewers to leave comments and to like the videos once they have been viewed. This was vital in the process as we wanted to see whether our music video was successful through the feedback. By looking at the the positive and negative feedback, I am able to identify the strengths and weaknesses within my music video and whether we conformed to the conventions of a pop music video. 

One comment we received from YouTube was “The artist is only present in the performance and it is not his situation he is relating to”. However in order for us to conform to Dyers star theory, the artist must appear absent for the consumer. In order for this to happen we decided to use a male and female to act within the narrative rather than use the artist himself. Therefore this enables the audience to relate to the artist as he is singing about a situation which most likely and individual watching has also experienced. Therefore this encourages the audience to relate to the artist through his facial expressions within the performance, on the basis that they have a good understanding of what the song is about.

 Another comment we received was “The performance should be more integrated with the narrative” However this relates back to the previous point as in for us to make the artist appear absent from the consumer the narrative and performance need to be separate. However we did show a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. An example is when the artist sings ‘I remember years ago’ he is seen to be in an isolated location. This is then followed by a flashback implying that the artist is reminiscing over his own memories. It also connotes that he is sad due to his own personal experience of a relationship breakup. 

The third comment we received from YouTube was “The music video displays elements that are typically seen in these kinds of videos” This is a positive comment as it highlights that by conforming to the codes and conventions a pop music video, it has attracted our target audience making our music video a success. 

• How would this feedback benefit your production and the industry?

The feedback I received will benefit the music industry as social networking sites are often used as a key source for promoting new and popular artists. Therefore through using one of the most mainstream social networks (YouTube) it successfully promoted my production. The feedback will benefit my production as I am able to evaluate my work through considering the positive and negative feedback. I am also able to see whether my video was a success in appealing to the target audience of 14-24 year olds by creating a conventional music video.

• Explain how you have followed the aims of the brief by creating a music video

The brief for the media coursework was to construct a music video of a maximum of 5 minutes, and to create ancillary products such as a magazine advert and a digipak. This required us to work as a group in which I joined up with three other group members; Jagoda Jasionowska, Dipika Sharma and Jamie Gregory. I have followed the aims of the brief as I created a music video that was in the given time limit. We also carried out research as a group to find out what the target audience expect to see within the music video before creating it in order for it to be successful. Before creating our group ancillary products, each group member conducted research on pop magazine adverts and digipak and designed their own. This was so that our products would all be conventional to the pop genre appealing to our target audiences expectations. Overall I think that my group and I created a successful music video as we conformed to the expected codes and conventions of a pop music video which received positive comments from our target audience.

Evaluation - Question 2

Evaluation - Question 2

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Evaluation - Question 1

Question 1-

Introduction

The brief for the media coursework was to construct a music video of a maximum of 5 minutes, and to create ancillary products such as a magazine advert and a digipak. This required us to work as a group in which I joined up with three other group members: Jagoda Jasionowska, Dipika Sharma and Jamie Gregory. My role within the group was to film our music video using the equipment provided. Through doing this, I learnt how to film a variety of 3 second camera shots whilst using the tripod to keep the camera steady. I also took the responsibility of creating the storyboards for our music video which required me to plan the micro elements of each scene; this included the camera shots, lighting, actors, location etc. I found this effective as the roles I took on within the group enabled me to have a clear understanding of the story line and what needed to be filmed. Throughout the process of filming, we encountered problems that made it difficult to film as not everybody was free at the same time. Due to this there was an unequal division of work between each group member as not everyone was present whilst filming. Overall, I believe that my group created a successful music video and ancillary products as they conform to the codes and conventions of the pop music genre. Through prior research we conducted, we found that conforming to the convention of the music genre is effective in attracting the target audience therefore making our products successful.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

For my A2 media, I was asked to create a music video for my chosen artist (James Arthur). The purpose of a music video is to appeal to an audience as it improves the chances of the audience remembering the song, in turn increasing the artist’s profits and success. Each music video consists of a narrative, performance and concept based. The narrative story helps sells the artist’s song as it gives the audience a better understanding of the meaning. A music video also enables the target audience to build up a relationship with the artist as the performance based section shows the artist facial expressions conveying their emotions. This is effective as the audience are able to relate to the artist.

When conducting research, I analysed two theories one of them being Goodwin’s theory. Goodwin suggested that a music video should show a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals as depending on the message of the song, an illustrative narrative gives the audience a better understanding. Therefore the audience are more likely to be able to relate to the song and buy the album. Through analysing real music videos I found that this was conventional to see within the pop music genre as well as other genres and so I conformed to Goodwin’s theory by using the same technique. In my music video, when the lyrics say ‘I remember years ago’ flashbacks are shown of the couple when they were happy. I believe that this is one reason as to why my music video successful as it provides the audience with a good understanding to what the song is about and shows them how the relationship started off as positive and they were happy and further along the song they begin to argue and eventually break up.

Goodwin’s theory also suggests that there is a relationship between the music and visuals. This is where the editing is either parallel or contradicting to the beat of the song. Within pop music videos it is conventional for the editing to be shown parallel to the music as it creates a continuous flow throughout making it more enjoyable for the audience. Therefore we incorporated this into our music video. Towards the end of the music video, the pace is increased conveying the artist’s emotions of anger and sadness in which we used fast paced editing. This correlates to the card burning scene connoting the pain and hurt cause from the breakup of the male and female.  This was effective as the fast pace editing contributed to the chaotic intense atmosphere enabling the audience to relate to the artist through his facial expressions. This represents a conventional pop music video as they usually use the same pace editing that correlates to the beat of the song. It is conventional for the editing to be shown parallel to the music as it creates a continuous flow throughout the music video making it more enjoyable for the audience to watch.

My video also conforms to Dyers Star Theory, which consists of two paradoxes: The first one being that the star must be simultaneously ordinary so that they are relatable and extra-ordinary for the consumer. The second paradox is that the star must be presented in the media and absent for the consumer. Therefore when creating my music video, the artist wore casual clothing such as jeans, and a chequered shirt. This was effective as the audience perceived the artist to be an ordinary person rather than being represented superior to them. This is successful as it encourages the audience to relate to the artist as he is portrayed to be a down to earth and therefore they are able to build up a relationship, in turn they invest into the artist’s music. My music video also conforms to the second paradox as the artist only appears in the performance element of the music video rather than both performance and narrative. This means that he is absent from the consumer as the audience isn't provided with a video that shows the artists day to day life and relationships. Therefore this is where the star starts of as a 'real person' and eventually gets transformed and constructed into the idealised role model.

The codes and conventions of a pop music genre consist of the artist’s representation as being ‘ordinary’ as suggested in Dyers Star Theory. This is evident in Demi Lovato’s music video ‘Give your heart a break’ as she is seen to be wearing a black dress with a jacket and boots. The artist being represented as an ‘ordinary’ person prevents the audience feeling that the artist is superior to them and makes them relatable. However through her clothing, Demi is portrayed to be stylish, and a fashion icon in which she appears ‘extra ordinary’ for the consumer. The audience are therefore more likely to view her as a role model and imitate her clothing, in turn increasing her popularity and success. Within my music video, I constructed the artist’s representation as an ‘ordinary’ person as I felt that it would attract a larger mainstream target audience.Through conducting prior research we discovered that our target audience will range from 14- 24. This is the most popular age group that listens to pop music videos and therefore our artist 'Callum Blake' will appeal to them.  This artist is seen to be wearing jeans and a shirt; however in the white cliffs of Dover the artist wore a Super dry jacket. This is effective as the artist promotes other designer clothing connoting his wealth as status. This makes him appear extra ordinary for the consumer showing that my music video conformed to Dyers Star theory.  In turn this means that my music video also conforms to the codes and conventions of a pop music videos as the artist is seen to be an 'Ordinary' person with a down to earth, friendly personality however through micro elements such as clothing, he then transforms into the audiences role model in which they aspire to be him.

Another convention to the pop music genre is a narrative story of a relationship breakup. This is also evident within Demi Lovato’s music video in which she is seen to have broken up with her boyfriend and is reminiscing over the happy memories they once shared.  Mise-en-scene within a pop music video is significant as the different elements all have various connotations. Within a pop music video it is conventional to see the artist performing in an isolated location as it connotes their importance. This was evident in James Morrison’s music video ‘Broken strings’ where the artist was seen to be singing in an empty hotel room. This is effective as it makes the artist the audience’s main focal point and detracts their attention from the location. Within my music video I conformed to these codes and conventions as I filmed the artist performing in the White Cliff of Dover showing that the artist is isolated and vulnerable due to the relationship ending. r  Close up camera shots were used to show the artist singing the song in which his emotions were conveyed. Therefore the audience sympathise with the artist and build a relationship with him. Due to this my music video conforms to the stereotypical conventions of a pop music video.

Another convention to a pop music video is that artificial lighting is used. This is usually created to enhance the artist’s appearance making them appear in the best possible light. This technique is commonly used in pop music videos when the artist is seen to be performing in which the lighting changes parallel to the beat of the song. This is effective as it creates a continuous flow throughout the video and makes the artist stand out from other people or other mise-en-scene elements such as location. An example of this is in Justin Timberlake’s music video ‘what goes around’. The artist is seen to be performing in front of an audience with backing dancers in which a spot light is used to make him stand out.  This further connotes the artist’s importance and focuses the audience’s attention on him and his performance. This is something that my group considered when filming the music video as we filmed Jamie performing in a drama room with only a spotlight focusing on him. Therefore this prevents the audience from getting distracted by the location and encourages them to build up a relationship with the artist by looking at his facial expressions. At the beginning of the music video, the lights are seen to gradually brighten as the lyrics begin to start. This is an additional example as to how my music video conforms to Goodwin’s theory as there is a relationship between the music and visuals. Overall my music video conformed to the codes and conventions of a pop music video in order to attract the mainstream target audience and to make it a success. 

Rough cut

Rough Cut

Why is a rough cut important to consider?
A rough cut is important to consider when creating a music video. This is because it allows you to evaluate your first draft and enables you to make changes in order to improve it. Through reflecting on your work, the rough cut is a good opportunity to get other peoples opinions on the what you have created so far, and to collect positive and negative feedback. Therefore depending on the comments it gives you a chance to improve on your work my making an necessary alterations which you wouldn't have considered if you hadn't created a rough cut.

Why is it important to consider audience feedback
It is important to consider the audience feedback as it gives you an understanding of what your target audience expects to see within your music video. Through the use of feedback from the audience, you are able to make any changes that suit them, in turn increasing the popularity of the music video. This therefore would make it successful as it meets the criteria that the audience want to see in a pop music video and more people are likely to watch it.

How did you receive your audience feedback? Youtube, interviews?
We received our audience feedback through uploading our rough cut onto YouTube. We decided to use Youtube as it is one of the most popular video sharing sites that enables viewers to comment and like the videos easily. This is what we needed in order for us to improve our work in which we gain both positive and negative feedback. Once we got this feedback it allows us to make any necessary changes upon the elements of the music video that they didn't particularly like.

What feedback did you receive?
Through uploading our work onto YouTube, we received both positive and negative comments. This was beneficial to the process of making our music video as we could identify what went well and what didn't. Therefore taking in consideration of the comments we was able to make and necessary changes.One comment we received was ' The artist is only present in the performance and it is not his situation he is relating to'. However in order for us to conform to Dyers star theory, the artist must appear absent for the consumer. For this to happen, we decided to use a male and female to act within the narrative rather than use the artist himself. Therefore this enables the audience to relate to the artist as he is singing about a situation which most likely and individual watching has also experienced. Therefore this encourages the audience to relate to the artist through his facial expressions within the performance, on the basis that they have a good understanding of what the song is about.

Another comment we received was “The performance should be more integrated with the narrative” However this relates back to the previous point as in for us to make the artist appear absent from the consumer the narrative and performance need to be separate. However we did show a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. An example is when the artist sings ‘I remember years ago’ he is seen to be in an isolated location. This is then followed by a flashback implying that the artist is reminiscing over his own memories. It also connotes that he is sad due to his own personal experience of a relationship breakup.

The third comment we received from YouTube was “The music video displays elements that are typically seen in these kinds of videos” This is a positive comment as it highlights that by conforming to the codes and conventions a pop music video, it has attracted our target audience making our music video a success.

How will the feedback assist you with finalising your final music video?
The feedback will assist me with finalising my final music video as I will use the comments from the target audience to make improvements to my music video. I am going to add editing effects to show the differences between flashbacks of the male and female when they were happy, so the audience can see that it is a memory and that the artist is singing about the different memories you go through within relationships.

Group Planning

Group Planning

In our first initial meeting, we discussed possible music genres and artist's to create our music video. This required the whole group to research different artists of various music genres. Originally, the group was swaying more to the indie genre looking at artists such as Nina Nesbit, and Ed Sheeran however we was unable to agree on a song choice that we all agreed on. We also discussed the struggle we would face finding a female to act as the artist as no female member of the group wished to be in the music video. Therefore as we all enjoyed listening to pop music genre we decided to focus our attention on male pop artists such as James Morrison and Plan B and concluded that we would create a music video for James Arthur's new single 'Impossible'. 

Within our second group meeting, we worked on our initial planning post. This consisted us as a group to do research for video inspiration in which we all analysed James Morrison's video 'I wont let go' and Lana Del Rey's 'summertime sadness'. This was effective as we found that both videos conformed to the codes and conventions of the pop genre. Therefore we discussed that in order for use to create a successful music video we would have to conform to the stereotypical conventions of the pop music genre. We then went on to analyse the micro elements of our music video such as mise-en-scene, cinematography, target audience, artist representation, editing etc. We then went on to annotate the lyrics to our chosen song choice 'Impossible' in which we discussed the narrative we would create and how we could show a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals.

The third meeting we had we was still working on our initial planning ideas however we started to create our first storyboards of what we had discussed the previous lesson. When creating the storyboards we has to go into detail on the Mise-en-scene elements we would use within a music video. One thing that stood out to use as a group was the location we would use for the artists performance element. One of the group member suggested that we used a significant isolated location as it would be extremely conventional to the pop music genre. This would be therefore effective in connoting the artists emotions relating to the narrative and lyrics. Therefore we decided on the White cliffs of Dover as it would be a great performance setting and convey the isolation of the artist.

In order for our music video to be conventional we needed to show stereotypical conventions within our music video. Now that we have used conventional settings within the performance based element of our video we needed to incorporate significant iconography. Now that we decided that we would have a narrative based on a broken down relationship, we thought that playing cards would be effective in symbolising both the male and female characters. The king and queen of hearts represent the characters and how they played each other and treated their relationship like a game. From the beginning of the planning process we all felt strongly that we wanted to used elements of fire within the music video as it has strong connotations. This gave us the perfect opportunity as we decided to build a tower of cards and film it being on fire and crumbling down. This is effective as the fire connotes the pain and hurt caused from the relationship and the tower falling connotes the break down of the relationship.

Once we started the filming process, we come across some issues. One of the problems we had was that when filming in Dover we didn't anticipate the difficulty of using the equipment on the uneven surface and the strong winds. Therefore we was only able to use a small portion of the footage that we recorded due to shaky camera shots. Therefore we decided as a group that we would use to performance locations. The second locations we chose to use was a dark room. This was accessible as we was able to use the schools drama studio which we was able to use a spotlight and a plain back background. This is conventional to the pop music genre as the artist are often show to be performing in an isolated location. Through using the black room, the audiences attention would be focus on the artist only rather than the location and therefore they are able to build a relationship with the artist.

After filming a few more scenes, the majority of the members of the group was unhappy with the music video so far. Therefore we has a group meeting and discussed about changing the narrative to our music video. After a long discussion, we changed our ideas to a female being homeless due to her drug addiction. Unlike the rest of the public the artist would walk past the female on a number of occasions and finally help the female out. This would therefore portray the artist in a positive light increasing his popularity. We was able to incorporate iconography with the pills. We were able to film some successful scene of the female homeless at the train station begging for money however we soon learnt that the narrative became too complex and we was unable to film the music video successful.

This required us to have another group meeting with the help of our teacher. We was then advised to go back to our original narrative. However rather than repeating our mistakes, we concluded that it would be effective if we separated our narrative from the artists performance. Therefore we film a male and female acting our a relationship with positive and negative memories and eventually the break up. The artist is seen to be singing in isolated location about his own experience of the narrative. The audience are therefore able to build up a relationship with him through his facial expressions. Through separating the narrative and performance, we was able to conform to Dyers star theory as he suggested that the artist must be present in the media however appear absent from the consumer. Therefore this keeps an element of mystery about the artists 'normal' day to day life/relationships.

Digipak Analyisis

Digipak Analysis

• What is the purpose of a digipak?

The purpose of a digipak is used to promote the sale of the album by providing special features that encourages the audience to buy the CD rather than downloading the music. A digipak is usually a 4 to 6 plate of folded card with a CD case in the middle. A digipak consists of images of the artists and provides the audience with content about the album. It also has a list of songs that feature on the album giving the audience an insight to what is on the CD. In order for the digipak to promote the album, the covers are usually designed to be eye catching so that it stands out attracting the audience attention.  One of the slides consist of a thank you note in which it tells the audience more information about the artist and the music behind it.

• How is a digipak different from a CD album? 

A digipak differs from a CD album as it provides the audience with more personal information about artist/band and therefore helps the audience build up a relationship with the artist. In comparison, CD albums are basic and provides less personal information about the artist.This in turn prevents that audience form building up a relationship with the artist and therefore reduces the likelihood of the audience buying the artists album. Digpaks are also effective as they often provide the audience with a special addition of CD album which may even contain bonus tracks; This is something a CD doesn't provide. In order for the digipak help the audience build a relationship with an artist, they consist of high quality images that have certain meanings. This helps connote a certain message the artist is trying to portray rather than just an ordinary picture of the artist. However a limitation to buying a digipak is that due to them being made of cardboard material, they are more prone to rip compared to a plastic CD case.

I am going to analyse a Ellie Goulding's digipak in order for me to gain a better understanding of what codes and conventions are expected to see withing a pop artists digipak. Therefore when It comes to me creating my digipak I will be able to use thins knowledge to create a conventional digipak.

Within the digipak, the artist has been represented as an 'Ordinary' person. This is evident as through her clothing the audience can see she is wear casual clothes. The images used of the artists either consist of a mid shot or long shot which she is seen to be wearing simplistic top and shorts. This therefore highlights that the digipak conforms to Dyers star theory and therefore portrays the artist to be relatable. This is effective as it enables the audience to build a relationship with the artist as they don't feel that they are superior to them. Therefore when creating my digipak, in order for me to conform to the codes and conventions I am going to use the same technique by portraying the artist as an 'Ordinary' person.

Within the digipak, an image of the artist is shown on all four slides. This is effective as it connotes to the audience the artists importance and focuses their attention on her. One of the images used on the digipak is a mid shot of the artist playing the guitar in the studio. The camera shot used is effective as it enables the audience to see her facial expressions in which she is seen to be smiling. This highlights to the audience her love and passion for music and shows her working hard in the studio. It also connotes the artists talent as she not only sings but can play musical instruments and therefore encourages the audience to buy the album. This is conventional to see within the pop music genre and therefore when I design my digipak I am going to use images of my artist throughout the slides, but more particularly images of the artist playing his guitar. Another image of the artist is a long shot in which she is seen sitting in an isolated locations. This is conventional to see within the pop music genre as not only does it focus the audiences attention of the artist but it connotes the artist emotions. I am also going to use this technique to convey the artist feeling vulnerable and lonely; these are both themes that occur throughout my music video.

On the digipak, the text that has been used consists of black and white. This is effective as you can see a contrast between the two colours making it stand out against the background. Therefore the texts becomes eye catching and draws the audiences attention to digipak and in turn entices them to buy the album. The colours used is also effective as it is non gender specific and therefore attracts a wider audience. However the text used is more swirly writing suggesting that her target audience is aimed more at females. On the front cover of the digipak, the artists name has been written in a large font placed at the top of the slide. This is effective as it makes it stand out and connotes the artists importance. The artists name is also a recognisable feature and therefore this is effective as it will draw her fans and other people who are fond of her work attention and encourages them to look at the digipak. The artist new single is also written on the front cover however in a smaller font. This reflects that its not as significant however it further promotes the artists work.

The digipak promotes the pop music genre by conforming to the codes and conventions. One convention is that on the front cover, the artists gives the audience direct eye contact. This is effective as it enables the audience to engage with the artist and therefore encourages them to look at the digipak. Through having the artist giving the audience direct contact, it attracts them to buy the album as it the are able to build a relationship with the artist.

The research I conducted in digipaks is going to assist me when creating my individual digipak as it have learnt that it is crucial to conform to the codes and conventions of the pop music genre in order to attract my target audience. Therefore I am going to use images of my artist that represents him as an 'ordinary' person. I am also going to use and image on my front cover showing the artist give the audience eye contact. This will be effective as it will attract the audience encouraging them to buy the album. I have also gained a better understanding of how o use the Photoshop software that will enable to create different effects using the different tools.

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Group Magazine Advert EDIT ME

Group Magazine Advert

How did your group share your ideas and designs around?
Before creating our group advert, we evaluated each group members individual designs. This was effective as we was able to look at the elements that was conventional to the pop music genre and use them within our group magazine advert. Within each of our designs we purposely tried to include elements of our music video such as iconography in order to show a correlation between the main product and ancillary texts.

Jagoda Jasionowska
Through looking at Jagoda's individual magazine advert, I realized the effectiveness of the fire in terms of it catching the audiences attention. Therefore as a group this is something we felt should be used within our group magazine advert as it makes the text stand out from a unique perspective and therefore it is different from other adverts. The magazine advert consists of conventions of a pop music genre as it included a mid shot out our artist. This appeals to our audience as the camera shot reveals micro elements such as clothing in which the artist is wearing casual clothing. This attracts our targeted audience as they are able to build a relationship with him as they can relate to him. This is something that has been considered through all of our work. I thing the advert could be improved through using different images of the artist. Through previous research into magazine adverts, I found that it was conventional for the artist to be facing the camera in order for the audience to see the artists facial expressions. Therefore the image used I feel prevents the audience from building up a relationship with the artist as they are in someways restricted.

Which magazine will you submit and why?

The magazine advert we decided to use was my individual digipak. The reasoning for this was

Group Digipak EDIT

Group Digipak

      

How did your group share your ideas and designs around?
Once each group member designed their individual digipaks, we all looked at them and discussed the strengths and weaknesses. We then decided which slide we liked most and combined the digipaks together in order to create our final group digipak. When doing this, we made further improvements using Photoshop so that they all linked together and conform to the stereotypical conventions of a pop digipak.

Jagoda Jasionowska

This is Jagoda's individual digipak in which she incorporated the theme of fire and playing cards in her digipak as these we the key iconography elements used within our music video. This is effective as it conforms to the codes and conventions of a pop music video through the connotations of the iconography and shows a direct link between all of the products. The narrative of our music video was based on a male and female who had broken up. At the beginning of the music video happy flashbacks were used to show the couple when they were happy and as the song progresses the relationship begins to fall apart. The use of playing cards represent the relationship and how they played each other. The king and queen of hearts are symbolic for the male and female characters. At the end of the music video we used a tower of cards and set them on fire. The connotations of the fire show the pain and hurt felt from the relationship and shows the destruction it caused. The tower of cards falling shows the relationship break down and them splitting up. As a group we all felt like using these themes would be significant in making our ancillary products successful and therefore we decided that we would use it within our group digipak.

The the images used within the digipak are conventional as she has used both long shots and mid shots. The long shot image of the artist enables the audience to see the artists clothing. This is effective as he is seen to be wearing casual clothing which is a stereotypical convention of a pop music video. This is because the artist isn't represented as superior to the audience in any way and therefore they feel as though they can relate to the artist. This also conforms to Dyers star theory as he suggested that the artist should appear ordinary for the consumer so that they are relateable. The mid shot of the artist is effective as it enables the audience to see the artists facial expressions. Therefore this conveys the artists emotions with enable the audience to build up a relationship with the audience. In one of the images the artist gives the audience direct eye contact which is effective as it draws the audiences attention making it more personal to the individual.

To improve the digipak, I think that it would be effective to incorporate some colour. Each slide on the digipak is black and white which is effective as they all link together however i think elements of colour such as the red on his jacket would be effective in connoting hidden meanings. Through using colour on the digipak it would also stand out more making it catch the audiences attention. Therefore this encourages the audience to buy the album making our products more successful.

 Which digipak will you submit and why? 
The digipaks we decided to submit was both mine and another group members (Jagoda Jasionowska). This was because we felt that ours both conformed to the pop conventions well and both showed a direct link between our main product and ancillary products. From my digipak, we used the front cover, CD cover and the thank you slide and from Jagoda's digipak we used her tracklist. We felt that our artist images could have been better location wise and therefore Jagoda re-done those slides to improve them. In order for both mine and Jagoda's digipaks to match we had to make some changes. As my slides consisted of elements we edited elements of colour to the artist's image. For example, through using photoshop, we kept the colour of the guitar and changed the rest of the image to black and white. We also used the same technique for the artists jacket. We felt that this would be effective in making the digipak unique and therefore stand out to the audience. 

Group digipak

Storyboards

Storyboards

What is the purpose of a storyboard?
The purpose of a storyboard is to help gain a better understanding of what we want to see within our music video and to display each scene in the chronicle order we wish to edit them. Through creating the storyboards, me and the other members of my group discussed the micro elements we plan to use when filming each scene of our video. These elements consist of the camera shot, location, iconography, lighting, actors, sound, and editing. Through creating our storyboard we was able to save time when filming as we all had a good understanding of what location we was going to use and what iconography we would need to bring.

How did you use your primary and secondary research that you carried out, to plan your music video?
The primary and secondary research I conducted helped me create my music video as I gained a better understanding of what is expected within a music video. The Primary research I conducted was questionnaires in which I asked 40 people questions on what they would prefer to see in a music video. One question I asked was whether they preferred to watch music videos that conformed to the conventions or whether they preferred to see a diverse music video. Once we gathered our finding we learnt that the majority of the people we asked preferred a conventional music video. Therefore when designing our music video storyboards we consciously included stereotypical conventions to the pop music genre as it would attract our target audience. Further primary research I conducted was the Vox Pops. This is where I interviewed people asking them further questions about music videos. This was effective as I learnt that the majority of people we interview preferred to listen to pop music. Therefore we felt that our chosen artist was a suitable to use as he is a pop artist and would appeal to our target audience.

The secondary research I conducted was looking at two different theories. The first theory I analyse was Goodwin's theory in which he suggested that a music video should show a link between the lyrics and the visuals. This is because it gives the audience a better understanding of the meaning of the song. Therefore when conducting our music video, we also used this technique for example when the lyrics say 'I remember years ago' we will show a flashback of the male and female. Goodwin also suggested that there should be a relationship between the music and the visuals. This is something we also Incorporated into our music video as when the songs is slow, we are going to use slow pace editing, however when the chorus starts the beat increases in which we will then use fast pace editing. The second theory I analysed was Dyers Star theory. Dyer suggested that the artist should appear ordinary for the consumer in order for them to be able to relate, however appear extraordinary to be viewed as an Idol. Therefore when creating our music video, we dressed our artist in casual clothing so that he doesn't appear as superior to our target audience. However when filming certain scenes, our artist was seen to be wearing designer clothing such as Super dry. This is effective as it shows the artist to be fashionable therefore encouraging his audience to invest in the same brand (extraordinary to the consumer).

How did you and your group storyboard your music video?
To create our storyboards, as a group we had a discussion of what we want to include in our music video. This required us to decided on specific locations and what iconography we could use in the music video. We also discussed combined our ideas and spoke about micro elements such as what lighting we would use when creating our music video and what actors would be needed in each individual shot. This was effective as when it came to designing our storyboards we had a good understanding of what we wanted to see within our music video and how we were going to achieve them.

How did you share the responsibility?
When creating our storyboards, we split the responsibility between two group members, myself and Jagoda. Jagoda took the role of drawing each camera shot whereas I wrote what location, camera shot, sounds, editing, iconography, and actors we would use.

Did you follow your storyboards, or did you make changes?
When filming our music video, we followed our storyboards as much as we possible could. However when we edited our footage we felt that is would be beneficial to add more happy memories of the male and female into the music video. This was because we wanted to show a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. We found that the song only increased pace and changed towards the end of the song in which we didn't have enough positive footage.

Digipak Reflection

Digipak Reflection

How did you use your research into digipaks to start planning your own?

Through conducting research into digipaks, I was able to gain a better understanding of the codes and conventions for the pop music genre which I am able to imitate when creating my individual digipak. This would ensure that my ancillary product will be conventional to the pop music genre and therefore attract the target audience. One thing I learnt in particular when analysing a digipak was that an image of the artist is significant in creating a successful digipak. This is so that the audience recognise the artist and his music and are more likely to buy the album. Therefore when creating my digipak I used mid shot images of my artist in order for my digipak to be conventional. This is also effective as the audience are able to build a relationship with the artist through his 'ordinary' clothing and facial expressions.

Do you think your digipak is conventional to your genre? Consider the colours/connotation, images, layout etc
When creating  my digipak I conformed to the stereotypical conventions of a pop music genre. This was done by using long shots/mid shots of the artist within four of the slides. This is effective as it highlights the artists importance and enables them to see what the artist is wearing. The artist is seen wearing casual clothing such as jeans shirt and a coat as it would portray him as an ordinary person. This therefore the digipak conforms to Dyer's star theory and allows the audience to be able to relate to the artist rather than feel inferior to him. This is a stereotypical convention of the pop music genre. My digipak also conforms to the pop conventions as I have used images of the artists guitar. This highlights to the audience the artists talent  and therefore it further promotes his work. This is an example of how my digipak conforms to Dyers Star theory as it represents him as 'extra-ordinary'.

The colours I used within my digipak conform to the pop music genre.  Through using photoshop I edited all of the images to black and white, however I kept elements of colour. For example on the front cover, I kept the artists jacket the colour red. This was effective as it the colour red connotes love and hate, all themes that occur throughout my my music video. Therefore this shows a direct link between both of my products. The colour red is also non-gender specific and therefore I doesn't attract a specific target audience. The colour of the artists name is written in white. This is conventional as it stands out against the black background catching the audiences attention.    

Another convention I conformed to when creating my digipak was using an isolated location. This is often seen in pop music videos throughout the performance section as it focuses the audiences attention on the artist rather than distracting them with the location. Therefore when creating the images of my artists on Photoshop, I used a plain grey background in order for the artist be the main focal point. I used both a close up and mid shot so that audience we able to see the artist facial expressions in turn enabling them to build up a relationship with the artist. Through using isolated locations it helps the audience identify the music genre and therefore determines whether they will be interested in the album.              

Do you think your target audience will be able to build a relationship with your artist?
I think that the target audience will be able to build a relationship with the artist as in 4 out of the 6 slides on my digipak, I used images of the artist. Each of these images consist of the artist facing the camera. Even though in most of the images the artist doesn't give the target audience direct eye contact due to him playing the guitar, the audience can still see the artists facial expressions which conveys his passion and love for the music. This allows them to build up a relationship with the artist and encourages them to buy the album. However the front cover is the most important, and therefore I used an image of the artist looking at the camera. This is so that the audience can engage with the artist and are more likely to by the album.Within the digipak, one slide consists of a thank you message written by the artist. This helps the audience build up a relationship with the artist as they are able to get an insight the artist themselves as well as their music. The message further portrays the artists passion for the music and entices the audience to buy the album.

What choices and decisions did you make and why?
When creating a CD cover, I decided to create a newspaper effect and made the artist the headline. I included an image of the artist to the side of the article and some information about the album. I decided to do this as it connotes to the audience that the artist is popular attracting a mainstream audience. This is something different and therefore it is effective as it stands out from other digipaks attracting the audience attention. The text on the CD cover was written using different font sizes. The largest font size was the artist name as it is the most recognisable feature, therefore the audience will immediately know who the artist is encouraging them to look at the digipak. However I also used a large font for the artist new single 'Impossible' to further promote the artists album and the music video. This conforms to the pop music genre and therefore shows that my digipak is conventional.

I also decided used the black and white colours throughout each of the slides to create a continuous theme. My decision for this is due to the fact that within my magazine advert, I also used a black and white image. Therefore is shows a link between each of my ancillary products. However within some of the images I used Photoshop tools to keep elements of the colour. This subverts the conventions of a pop music video however I believe it is still effective as it shows something different. Therefore the audience will be intrigued and look at the digipak whilst making it stand out from all the other digipaks.

What could you change and why?
If I was to change something on my digipak it would be that I would use more than one conventional location. This would be effective as it would highlight to the audience what genre of music it is and therefore they will know whether or not they are interested in buying the album. Through using plain location it is hard for the audience to identify the genre and so it doesn't attract my target audience as much as I would like it to. 

How will this draft assist you with creating your group digipak?
Through creating my digipak, it will help assist me when designing our group digipak as it gave me a better understanding of what went well and what I didn't like. I think it is important to conform to the conventions as it allows the audience to identify the genre of music and therefore I would use simplistic, isolated locations. Through creating my digipak using Photoshop, I was able to gain better experience through using the various different tools and effects. This is going to help me when creating my group digipak as I understand what tools to use to create specific effects.

Magazine advert reflection

Magazine advert reflection

First Magazine Advert

My research into magazine adverts helped me plan my own design. Through looking at the magazine adverts of James Morrison and Plan B, I learnt that it was important to conform to the codes and conventions of the music genre in attracting the target audience. I also learnt that the artist was a significant element in terms of the promotion of the album. Therefore when I made my first draft of the magazine advert I used a mid shot image of the artist facing the audience. Therefore the audience will be able to see the artist representation and build a relationship with the artist through his facial expressions.

When looking at the Plan B magazine advert, the first thing you notice is his name placed on the top of the page in a large bold font. This is effective as it connotes to the audience the artists importance and therefore when creating my first draft I used the same technique. To make the artists name the most prominent feature of the poster I used a large bold font in order for it to catch the audiences attention. Beneath the artists name, I mentioned the artists new single. This was also done on both of the magazine adverts I analysed as it gave the audience a insight to the singles that are on the album. The artists new single being placed on the poster in a large font is effective as the audience will recognise the song and therefore be more likely to read the advert and buy the album.

On the first paper draft of my magazine advert, I incorporated elements that feature in the music video; this being the reoccurring theme of the cards. I have chose to use the king and queen of hearts as the cards connote the artists break up in which the song 'impossible' is about. Therefore it catches the audiences attention as they are intrigued to understand the meaning behind it. I have also drawn the cards on fire as not only does it stand out and catches the audiences attention, but it symbolises the artist emotions of anger and pain. Photoshop is going to help me when creating my second magazine advert as it will be able to edit the colours and images on the advert. For example the background colour is going to be black as it stands out enticing the audience to read it. The colour of the fire is going to stand out and draws the attention to the cards intriguing the audience. I also planned to use white writing on the advert as it will create a contrast with the back ground making it stand out from everything else on the poster.

Second Magazine Advert

The second magazine advert I created using Photoshop. As I had little experience using the software, before I began creating my magazine advert I learned how to use the tools and what they did. One tool i used a lot throughout the process is the magnetic lasso tool. This enabled me to crop out a shape and place it on a different layer. I use the tool to crop the outline shape of the artist and placed it onto a plain background. The image i used of the artist was a long shot. This was effective as the audience were able to see the artist playing the guitar highlighting that he is talented and can perform. It also allowed the audience to see the artist clothing, in which he is seen to be wearing a shirt and trousers. Even though the clothing is 'fashionable' they are still casual reflecting the artists representation as 'ordinary'. This is effective as the audience don't feel inferior to the artist and are more likely to buy the album. This also conforms to the stereotypical conventions of the pop music genre.

On the second poster, I used white writing on a plain black background. This is effective as it makes the writing stand out from anything else on the poster drawing in the audiences attention. The colours used on the poster are non-gender specific. This in turn attracts a wider audience rather than singling out a specific gender encouraging the most amount of people to read the magazine advert. I also used the same idea as in the original draft of the cards, however I used a red king and queen of hearts. The colour red connotes the love the artist felt in the relationship and the pain that was caused due to the break up. This gives the audience an insight to not only the new single but the meaning behind the album. The audience are therefore encouraged to buy the album as the are intrigued.

Final music video

Final Music Video

Magazine advert analysis

Magazine advert analysis

The purpose of a magazine advert is to promote the artist and their music to a targeted audience.To inform the audience of the music genre, the magazine advert follows generic conventions of the type of music genre the artist belongs to. Mise-en-scene elements are important within the magazine advert as it portrays various meanings. Different colours mean different connotations such as red symbolised love or evil. This is conventional to see in a pop music genre. Elements such as clothing is important as it promotes the artists personality attracting the audience. 

In James Morrison's Magazine advert, the artist is represented as an 'Ordinary' person. This is done through mise-en-scene elements such as costume. The artist is seen to be wearing casual clothing such as jeans and a jacket. This is effective in appealing to the audience as it portrays the artist's personality as approachable and friendly. The audience therefore don't feel as though the artist is superior to them in anyway. Through these elements, the advert highlights the music genre of the artist as it is conventional to see pop artists in casual clothing. This means that the artist conformed to Dyers star theory as the artist is represented as ordinary.

The magazine advert  looks almost sepia as the artist is seen to be wearing a brown jacket and the writing is also in brown. This is effective as the colour appears warm and inviting for the audience encouraging them to read the magazine advert. A long shot is used to show the artist sat on the pavement which the artist is placed in the middle of the advert. This is effective as it connotes the importance of the artist whilst making the artist the main focal point. Underneath the artist the artists name is written in large font and is bold. This is effective as it highlights to the audience who the artist is and those who are a fan of the music genre will recognize his name. It also establishes the artist and further connotes the importance of the artist.

The colours used within the magazine advert is sepia with brown writing. This is a gender specific colour which is effective in attracting a male target audience. However the colour brown have certain connotations that relate to the lyrics of his songs one of them being a break up. Therefore this gives the audience an insight to the type of music the artist creates. The choices of images used in the advert are effective as the artist is seen to be sitting on the pavement. This is effective as it is simplistic allowing the audience to focus mainly on the artist and writing. The connotations of the image also reflect the album and how he is 'ordinary' like Dyers star theory, rather than being in a more popular location. This represent the artist as being down to earth and casual which further promotes the artist.The artist is further promoted through the camera shot in which the artist is seen to be looking in the same direction.Therefore the audience can see the artists facial expressions enabling them to build up a relationship.

The artist image is shown as a large image at the right corner of the page. This is significant as it connotes his importance as he is the artist that created the album. The image consists of a mid shot which is effective as it shows iconography and costume. The artist appears to be formal as he is wearing a suit and tie. He is seen to be looking away from the camera holding a microphone as if performing. This highlights the fact that the artist is talented. The camera angle creates shadows across the artists face making the poster more about the music and performance rather than the artist himself.

Above the image the artists name is written in large font. This contributes to the artist importance making his name stand out. Therefore the magazine advert promotes the artist. The colour of the text is written in red which creates a contrast with the black background. This is effective as it is eye catching for the audience drawing their attention to the advert. The only other text that is written in a different colour is the name of the advert. This is shown to be white making it stand out against everything else on the poster. This is effective as it makes the title more memorable for the audience. On the magazine advert, the text promotes the album by stating that its the multi- platinum album of the year followed by stars placed next to song titles. The stars connote the quality of the album and therefore ensuring the consumer that it is worth buying.

The colours used within the poster could show a correlation to the meaning of the songs. For example the colour red could connote love or anger implying that he has been hurt. This contrasts with the black background reflecting the sadness, depressed emotions felt by the artist. This helps promote the music genre and it is conventional for the lyrics to be related to the artists emotions or relationship based. The magazine advert  attracts the target audience as it stands out. The colours used within the poster are bold and stand out. Therefore the audience are more intrigued to look at it and are encouraged to buy the artists album.

This research is going to assist me when I create my magazine advert as it highlighted the importance to conform to the conventions of the pop genre in order to attract the target audience. When i create my magazine advert I have decided to used  a large image and font size of the artists name to connote the artists importance. This is effective as it promotes the artist and their album which is effective in encouraging them to buy the album. I am also going to use bright colours to create a contrast making it stand out; this will in turn draw the audiences attention to the advert.

Include a summary at the end of your blog to show how you will use your research to inform your planning and creating your own advert for your own artist.

Film schedule

Film schedule

Why is a filming schedule important to have?
It is important to have a filming schedule when creating a music video as it allows us to have a clear idea of what needs to be filmed in terms of the camera shots, locations, what equipment is needed, iconography etc. Before filming our video, as a group we discussed which days we were all free to film and placed it into a table as shown below. We also discussed what would be needed when filming in certain locations as in costume and equipment so when it came to filming our music video we was prepared. This was effective as it saved us time on the actual day as we were able to filming for more time rather than sorting it out on the day. The filming schedule was a significant factor in helping us complete our music video within our deadline as we had a clear idea of what need to be done.

Did you follow the schedule while filming, or did you make any changes?
Throughout the process of making our music video we found that we would have to make some changes to our filming schedule. One of the problems we encountered when filming was when we organised to film the card burning scene, when we tried to light the cards the wouldn't burn. We decided to change the day where we could re-film the scene using different cards and by placing paper in better the sections to help it burn. We followed the filming schedule as much as we could throughout the whole process, especially on the days we organised to go to long distance locations such as the white cliffs of Dover.

Shot	Date & time	Location	Content /Action	Shot type & Duration	Costume/ hair/ make up	Iconography	Personnel	Equipment
	01.11.13 12:00 pm	White cliffs of Dover	Artist performing i.e. miming to the lyrics as well as playing the guitar	Mid shot, long shot	Artist Costume:  casual clothing consisting of jeans and jacket Hair: Natural Make-up: Natural	Guitar	Artist Camera person Location manager Director	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card
	07.11.13 15.05 pm	Drama studio	Artist performing with the guitar	Mid shot, Long shot, Side angle	Artist Costume:  casual clothing consisting of jeans and checked shirt	Guitar, stool	Artist Camera person Location manager Director	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card
	21.11.13 16:00 pm	Indoors - bedroom scene	Male and female featured in the video will be seen playing cards & their relationship will be made clear to the audience	Mid shot, Long shot	Male: jeans and top Female: leggings and long sleeve top	Cards	Actors Camera person Location manager Director	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card
	25.11.13 15:00 pm	Outdoor - Various locations	Flashbacks of male and female in a happy relationship	Tracking shot	Male: jeans and coat Female: leggings coat	-	Actors Camera person Location manager Director	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card
	27.11.13 17:00 pm	Indoor - kitchen	Cards will be built up in a tower and set alight	Close up, mid shot	-	Cards	Camera person Location manager Director	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card
	03.12.13 15.05 pm	Indoor - living room	Female is seen unpacking a box filled with photos of her and the male together	Close up	Casual clothing	Cards	Camera person Location manager Director Female actress	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card
	05.12.13	Outdoor 12:00 pm	The male and female will be seen arguing	Long shot	Male: jeans and coat Female: leggings coat	IPhone	Camera person Location manager Director Actors	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card
	06.12.13	Car 13:00 pm	Arguing scene between male and female	Mid shot, Low angle	Male: jeans and coat Female: leggings coat	Car	Camera person Location manager Director Actors	Digital camera, batteries, tripod, memory card