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Evaluation 1

Transcript:

Music videos usually fit into the category of narrative or performance. When I researched the indie genre I found that most videos are a combination of both, with about 70% narrative and 30% performance. The performance element is usually the artist lipsyncing to the lyrics alone, as shown in dodie’s Sick of Losing Soulmates. However, I challenged the convention with this as my music video is entirely narrative. I felt that any lipsyncing would detract from the narrative of the song and so did not adhere to that convention.

I used Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition Theory to contrast rural and urban. This is a technique that music videos often use to make the conflicts of the central characters clear as they cannot use dialogue and so I used it to make the two narratives and their similar themes obvious to the audience.

Another convention of the indie genre is a shallow depth of field that allows the audience to feel close to the characters, often used because indie artists tend to write personal lyrics that they want the audience to connect with. So I used this convention in my indie music video, particularly when the character is being confronted by her parents, as this is the moment I would want the audience to feel the most sympathy.

There are quite a few conventions within editing for music videos. One of these is that the editing of a video fits to the beat of the song, with quick cuts, which makes the video easier to watch. I used this convention to partial extent, as whilst the cuts of my music video do align to the beats of the song, they are a lot slower than in a typical indie music video. This is because the song was a slow and thoughtful one and I wanted the editing of the video to fit that tone.

The convention of colour grading in indie music video is that the colours are desaturated to reflect the mood of the lyrics and this was a convention that I built on for my media product. However, I also developed this further by slightly increasing the contrast on key emotional shots in order to make the contrast and conflict in the two character’s lives clear to the audience.

Evaluation 2

Transcript:

The combination of my main product and ancillary texts is effective to great extent. This is because I used cracked paint imagery to illustrate the theme of conflict and the breaking down of lives in the music video. This was then transferred to both my digipak and my magazine advert, as shown here. Another effective way I combined the music video, the digipak and the magazine advertisement was through location. The photos I took for the digipak and advert were in the same place as one of the key scenes in the music video, which made it easy for the audience to make those connections. I also linked the products through the artist, who appears in the background of 3 shots of the music video, so whilst she does not distract from the narrative of the video, audiences will be able to make the connection between the products. If I were to make both products again, I would have made the artist more prominent in the music video to make the link clearer. Another way I could have made the combination of my main product and ancillary texts more effective would have been through making the font used in my music video the same as on the ancillary products, which would have reinforced the artist’s branding.

Evaluation 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

 Transcript:

From my audience feedback I have learnt that our use of insert shots, although questioned by earlier feedback as slightly too long, was effective in communicating the themes of our music video. Earlier in the year, my group and I made a video in which we lipsynced to our chosen song. The audience feedback we got from our peers was that lipsyncing did not fit with the tone of the song and the audience agreed with that when we screened the final product. Another thing I learnt from the audience feedback I gained was that the ending of our music video was too abrupt. This was something that was noted in earlier feedback and so we made efforts to change the ending so that the two characters spend a bit more time thinking rather than moving straight towards each other. We did this by using some extra footage however the final audience feedback made it clear that this had not been entirely effective. Feedback also showed me that the audience had found the ending a little abrupt. However, I learnt that the slow cuts of the narrative style of our video was effective and audiences found it to work well with the tone of the video. I also learnt both throughout the process of making the music video but also once I got my final feedback that the audience enjoyed the themes of the video and how it addressed issues that young people face, meaning that I successfully reached my target audience of young people.

Evaluation 4

Transcript:

In the research and planning stages I made use of the internet, particularly YouTube, to research the conventions of music videos and the indie genre. I also looked at amazon.com for the research of other digipaks by indie artists, which I used for inspiration for my own digipak and magazine advert. I also used iMovie with my group to create a draft of the video using the storyboards we had created, which helped me with my planning as I was able to map out the cuts I would use in editing. Blogger was a useful platform on which I could document my planning, research and construction process and I was able to easily get feedback from my peers as they were able to access my work quickly and easily. Blogger also made the evaluation stage much easier as I was able to quickly look back at the process of creating my media products.

For the construction of my media product, I used a DSLR camera, which allowed me to use a shallow depth of field for my music video, which helped me to create meaning behind the shots I used. In addition, I used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit together my media product. This was a more powerful editing software than iMovie, which I used for my foundation portfolio and so I was able to have more control of the precise, small cuts needed in a music video. This led to a better quality final product that adhered to the conventions of a real media text.

For the construction of my digipak, I used Adobe Photoshop to create professional looking products, which I was able to do because of the amount of control that Photoshop gave me over the images I was creating. I also used YouTube to watch tutorials on how to use the software as I had not used it before.

Finally, I used Prezi for my evaluation stage as it is an effective and simple way to communicate many ideas. I also used a DSLR camera and Premiere Pro to edit videos for my evaluation in a way that got across my ideas quickly and clearly, especially through the use of inserting images on top of video.

Completed Digipak and Magazine Advert

Here are my final digipak and magazine advert for my artist and album.

The Inside of the Digipak

The final part of my digipak to complete was the two inside panels. Convention showed me that this was where the expressions of gratitude from the artist usually went, as well as information about the musicians also involved in the album.

I also decided to make the circle where the CD goes cracked paint, to continue the theme that crosses the music video, the digipak and the magazine advert.

Here is the finished inside cover.

The Back Cover of the Digipak

The next part I had to work on was the back cover of the digipak. I decided to have a simple back cover with a block colour not only because it is a convention as shown below, but also because the front cover of my digipak is quite busy, with an edited photo and text.

Albums with plain back covers to their digipaks.

It was also important than I continue with the colour scheme so I used the colour picker tool to pick the colour of one of the bricks that is in the background of the front cover. I then used the white and purple that was in the writing on the front cover as well as the same two fonts, which continued the artist's brand. 

I also did some research into the conventions of the small print always found on the back cover. I found it varies from one album and record company to another and so came up with my own variation, using my own record company. I also added the website of the artist so that consumers could find out more, which is a marketing technique used to increase brand loyalty as customers who know more about the artist tend to become more attached.

Completed Magazine Advert

I created my magazine advert in Photoshop Elements, which allowed me to have control over precise edits to the photo.

The original photo I used was this one:

It is set in the same place as the digipak cover and the artist is wearing the same clothes, which is a convention that I noticed many times in the research I did on magazine adverts. This allows the customer looking at the advert to easily make the link between the two. 

However, I didn't want the two pieces to look exactly the same so instead of doing the cracked paint effect on the face as on the album, as shown here:

I wanted to do something different, whilst continuing to use the cracked paint imagery used in the music video. So I surrounded the artist with cracked paint, showing how it was overwhelming her, and providing a contrast with the slight smile on her face that portrays the calm feeling of some of the songs on the album. 

I then added the text to the ad, ensuring to use the same font and colours that I used on the digipak cover to unite the two products. I added a review to the top of the advert, as I had seen this ton a few times and this is an effective way of getting customers interested in the product. I also added a hashtag with the name of the album to the bottom of the ad as this is a helpful way to get "hype" and buzz around the release of the album. If the hashtag gets trending on social media, more people are likely to check the album out. So although I am using older more traditional means of advertising an album with the magazine advert I think it is important to combine old and new marketing techniques to ensure maximum promotion. 

Here is the finished magazine advert.

Researching Magazine Advert

I've been looking at how magazine adverts align with the album covers of artists and also the conventions of adverts.

Magazine adverts always have the release date of the album, usually in very large font. This is because it is the most important piece of information on the ad.

They also nearly always use either the same or very similar design to the album cover. This is so that customers can very quickly spot the album when they go to buy it, as it looks the same as the magazine advert. This is done both through photos or artwork and having the same fonts and colours as on the album cover. So this is something I will be looking to do, as I took a lot of photos of the artist I will be using, so I can use two photos of her in the same setting to create that link.

Another convention of magazine adverts is that they often include the website of the artist. This is so a customer can visit the website of the artist to find out more about them and that site may also have clips of songs, as well as any music videos that artist has produced. This allows a customer to decide whether they like the music of the artist before purchasing the album.

Finished Digipak Front Cover

I got a digipak template from the internet and wanted to ensure that my front cover that I had created fit well, by cropping it to the needed size.

Here's the template:

I then cropped the design to fit the proportions shown on the template and got this final front cover.

I decided to use this photo of Kirti as she links the music video and the digipak in a more subtle way than just using myself and Megan on the cover. This is because she appears in the background of the music video several times.

I also used a photo set in the location of a key scene in the music video, where my character is confronted by her parents.

Font is also a key part of the branding of an album release and so I used "Adam CG. Pro" and "Messenger Pigeons", both of which I downloaded from the internet rather than using default fonts already installed on the computer. This meant that the fonts had more chance of being uncommon and standing out.

So now I just need to put together the other 3 elements and the cd cover is complete!

Tom Odell Digipak Analysis

I have analysed Tom Odell's album cover as his music has a similar sound to that of the song we used for the music video and so I wanted to see how his management and publicity team approached representing his sound.

Using Photoshop Elements

I have begun to put together my digipak and as part of that I am going to include the image of cracked paint as a link to the music video and the themes of it. As in Tessa Violet's album cover, I want to blend the image with a portrait of the artist, in order to get across the surreal calm feeling of the music.

To do this, I need to learn how to use Photoshop. I'm practicing on the thumbnail of a YouTube video I made a couple of months ago.

Here are my two images:

I found it was quite easy to blend the two, simply using the Opacity tool:

Opacity at 100%

Opacity at 20%

But I also wanted the cracked paint to fit over only the face of the artist so to do this I had to crop the cracked paint layer to fit where I wanted it to. I used the Lasso tool for this. 

making the selections with the lasso tool

the first rough draft using this technique

In the final piece, I would then get rid of the cluttered background to ensure the artist is clear.

I have now learnt how to use Photoshop Elements in the way I will need for my digipak. Now I need my photo of the artist for the front cover of the album and the magazine advert.

Megan's Bag

During our music video, Megan's character drops her bag off as shown here -

We decided to do this because we thought that although Megan's character runs away from home with the bag that she packed, halfway through the narrative she realises she wants to leave everything behind, hence dropping the bag full of reminders of her past.

I needed to clarify this as there was some confusion amongst the audience at the screening over Megan's character's motivations.

Tying together the digipak and music video

Something that I've been thinking about in terms of my digipak is linking the album cover and the magazine advert with the music video in a way that will be easy for audiences to understand. So I've been looking at the album art for Tessa Violet's EP Halloway. 

The album cover uses very similar imagery to the music video for her single Dream with images blended between the artist and nature. A cream background is also used for both which makes the artist the focus of the image. Blending images is something I am interested in doing for my digipak and so this is good inspiration. 

However, despite there being such clear links between the album art and the Dream music video, the other video from this EP has no link to the album art whatsoever, showing that although it can be helpful, links between digipak and music video are not essential.

Digipak Design Ideas - Artwork

I've been looking at the artwork of many indie genre digipaks and have found that generally, they do not show the artist, but rather use simple artwork and colours to convey their meaning. Therefore, I would like to use the below photo but editing the colours - blue sky on the outside covers, pink on the inside - and editing the photo to give it a more surreal feel, by distorting the image. This is because whilst the sound of the artist is calm - it's also a bit dreamlike and so a realistic looking CD case would not get across all elements of the music, which wouldn't sell the album well.

Hayley Kiyoko's album cover, which combines a portrait of her with surrealist elements

Imagine Dragons album cover, which uses photo manipulation to create a slightly dreamlike image

Magazine Advert Research

I found this advert from the release of Bon Iver's second album. The artist dominates much of the picture and the font is very distinctive and the same as the font on the album, so that audiences can make the connection between the two. There is also a very similar muted colour scheme of green and yellow, as well as when the album is being made available.

This advert for Florence and the Machine also uses the same font and artwork as on the album cover, allowing the audience to make that link, as well as providing important information about the release of the music.

Digipak Design Ideas - Fonts

Looking at fonts, music artists tend to have a specific font that is a part of their branding. Here are a few examples of this:

So I've been looking at different fonts and have decided on a loopy handwriting style to evoke the dreamy feel of the artist's music but have yet to decide on a specific font. Here are some of the fonts I've been looking at, the middle one is my favourite as the top one feels too childish:

Digipak Track List Ideas

When creating my own digipak, I will have to establish the identity of the artist and part of that involves the track list of the album. Most albums typically have between 8 and 12 tracks on them.
I have been using name generator websites to get suggestions for song titles. Here are a few examples of those websites:

I have also been using exercises in class to generate ideas for song titles and bands names. For example, we played a game not dissimilar to Consequences and ended up with the following band name:

Some ideas I have had for the track list are:

1. Hues (the song we set the music video to)
2. Distant
3. Trouble
4. Stone Rhythm
5. Weapons Of Realism
6. Suspicion
7. Slough
8. Madison
9. Sometimes It Just Has To End

Media Showcase This Evening

This afternoon is the media showcase, wherein we will show our finished music video to an audience and get some feedback for our evaluations. Below is the speech we have written for before the music video plays to give the audience some context.

"Hi, we're Mac 3. This is our indie music video set to Wash by Bon Iver. We paid close attention to rural and urban contrasts in order to make the separate narratives of the two main characters clear. We'd like to thank Mr and Mrs Goulding for helping us out on this project and hope you all enjoy!"

Final Music Video

Here is the final music video.

Digipak Track List - Researching Other Artists

I have been researching the digipaks of indie artists in order to get a greater idea of what I should include in mine and what the conventions are.

Firstly, I looked at Bon Iver, as they are the band whose song we have used. Below is the track list from their self titled second album.

A common theme of this appears to be one word titles, as well as locations, perhaps locations that are significant to the artist and relevant to the content of the song. So, I may use a couple of locations on my track list, as well as sticking to mostly one word titles.

I also looked at the track list of The 1975's I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It. 

Again, one word titles are used but many are also in the first person, suggesting the more personal feel that the indie genre carries and so this is something that I will use on my digipak track list.

Evaluation Questions

Here are the questions that I will need to answer for my evaluation. I am looking to retrieve audience feedback of my production in order to strengthen the evaluation and will do so at the showcase evening in March.