As you can see, now I have started to add extra information onto my album advert such as when the album will be available to purchase, who the reviews are from as well as the band's website. I have tried to use some interesting but at the same time simple fonts to make my audience intrigued but not to make the album advert appear too complicated. At the moment, I have a strong idea about what I want the image to be - two hands holding a photo in flames. I think this will go well with the title of the album and my music video for the single 'You'. However, I realise this image may be difficult to produce so I am still yet to take a picture for my advert.
In these drafting posts I will be presenting the ongoing progress of my album advert poster. This is how my advert currently looks. As you can see, at the moment it is very simple and only includes the basic features of an advert. I have included the album's name as well as the artist plus the reviews and how the album can be purchased. For my advert, I used a simple layout before to help me the presentation.
This week I am happy with my progress as I have managed to complete all my research tasks. I recently looked into the rock genre as well as the influence rock had over the years. It was interesting to learn about how the different styles of rock music came about, as well as the rock icons at the time and the influence it had on society. Now that I have completed these tasks on my blog, I can focus on my music video, digipak and album poster. Then the planning posts should be a lot more easier to complete as I can record my progress and planning as I go along.
This week I also filmed using the green screen. This is one of the most important aspects that I wanted to include in my video. I generally think the filming went well and I was able to gain some good footage. I also think I took a large amount of footage so I will be able to have a wide choice when it comes down to editing. Having filmed the scenes with the green screen for my music video, means I have completed all my filming - apart from any re-shoots that I may have to do later on.
I have now started editing in class, which has proved to be difficult already - mostly because it is very time-consuming. I have started by organising all my footage in folders on the left hand side on Adobe Premiere. Now I am going through each clip and selecting the footage I want to be at the beginning of my music video. I am also continuing with my album poster by adding more specific information such as the ratings and reviews.
Behind the scenes photos from the green screen footage:
Audience research will help me with my music video as while I am creating my
video, I will constantly refer back to my research so I meet the demands of my
audience. Specific research I have also discovered such as the charts about
what my audience would prefer within the video and the digipak will also help
me a great deal when going ahead with these tasks. I will take on their advice
regarding the narrative and performance in the music video, the image based
didpak etc.
Learning about the influences of music styles (specifically surrounding
the rock genre) will help me with my music video as it has given me ideas of
how to display the rock genre. I have also learnt about the history of rock and
the famous rock artists during each decade.
This post will help me with my music video as it will
teach me about the rock genre which is the genre of my chosen song. I can take
this extra research into account when creating my video, but I also believe
this vital information will also help me with my other two ancillary tasks to
create a typical rock-looking digipak and album advert.
This week my main
priority has been filming my music video. The other day I was fortunate enough
to film in one of the drama studios at my school. Here I was able to film my
artist’s performance of the song. This involved the artist singing to the
camera however there was no dancing involved as my song is a slow ballad. I
believe the lighting was one of the most important things as by altering the
lighting I was able to create different effects. In some shots I was even able
to create a silhouette of my artist however in the majority of shots, all the
lighting was focused on her so the footage looked high quality and it was clear
she was the main focus.
On Friday, I also
went to London to film a time lapse with Vanessa (the artist in my video). It
was quite difficult due to it being winter and it getting dark very early
however I am happy with the footage I got. The filming was very simple as
Vanessa only needed to sit on a bench for a length of time. However, if there
does appear to be huge problems with the lighting due to it being dark, I may
have to go to London again to re-shoot.
I have also started
to produce my other ancillary task – my magazine advert. In class we looked at
previous examples as well as what makes an effective album advert. I found this
extremely helpful when I first starting to create the template of my album
advert for the The Pretty Reckless album ‘Light Me Up’.he filming was very simple as Vanessa only needed to sit on
a bench for a length of time. s a slow ballad. y for the audience.s
This week I posted
the proposal for my music video. This included the ideas behind my video such
as the heartbreak story, the props and the different locations. Of course I was
aware of these ideas long ago, but by posting my pitch, I can now take on board
these ideas for future filming as I am yet to complete all the filming for my
video.
I also analysed the
lyrics of my chosen song. I went into a lot of detail as I feel this specific
song is very emotional even if the song is quite short and repetitive. By doing
this, I will be able to look back at the PowerPoint I created in order to think
of more ideas for my music video and to get the message of the lyrics across in
a stronger way for the audience.
This will help me with my music video as it will help me work out how I can present these lyrics on screen. For example, as the meaning of these lyrics are quite emotional and powerful, this presentation will help me with the type of emotions I want my artist to show when I film my video. I also believe this presentation will help me create an appropriate theme for my video if I know exactly what the lyrics mean, giving me a greater understanding of the song overall.
I believe this is a significant piece of planning that will help me with the production of my music video as I can always refer back to this proposal while filming to make sure I have incorporated all of my ideas. It will also be interesting to look back at this proposal later on to see any differences I have made and to look back at my initial thoughts.
During half term I
had the time to shoot some of my music video. I was able to plan days so I
could film in both my house and in a local field. Some issues I was faced with
were things such as the lightning however I worked around this and tried to use
as many lights as possible, especially for the footage in my house. I found out
the filming was much more time consuming than I thought as I had many ideas and
many things needed to be set up. For example, I had to draw the rose beforehand
so my artist could then paint it after, and her painting would be included in
the video. Moreover I made sure I used a
wide range of shots to make my video look as interesting as possible.
This week I also did
some research in the band The Pretty Reckless. Some of the information I discovered
was quite intriguing including their change of name, as well as other
information about the lead singer Taylor Momsen.
Some photos from behind the scenes of the footage I shot over half term:
These photos show the locations where I shot, as well as the props I used and how I tackled the lighting when I was shooting at home.
The song I have chosen for my music video is called 'You' by The Pretty Reckless. They are an American rock band from New York and consist of four members: Taylor Momsen (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Ben Phillips (lead guitar and backing vocals), Mark Damon (bass) and Jamie Perkins (drums). Before joining the band, Ben Phillips used to co-write songs along with Taylor and a rock producer named Khandwala. They were originally called the Reckless however they had to change their name due to trademark problems and their first concert was on May the 5th 2009. As they have only been active since that year, they are quite current within the rock industry however they have had two albums since that date and many successful singles...
Their two albums include 'Light Me Up' from 2010 and more recently 'Going To Hell' in 2014. 'Light Me Up' included three singles, most notably 'Make Me Wanna Die' which reached number one in the UK Rock Charts and number four for the US Hot Singles Sales. Other singles from this album included 'Just Tonight' and 'Miss Nothing'.
From 'Going to Hell', the singles 'Kill Me', 'Going To Hell' and 'Heaven Knows' were released and topped the US and UK rock charts. Their most recent single to date is 'House On A Hill' which came out in September and is a slow song compared to the others similar to 'You'. As they have a mix of genres including alternative rock and post-grunge, there is quite a mix in their music styles which can be seen throughout their songs. Some are considered hard rock whereas some are slow and personal.
The band have also supported Evanescence on tour and have been nominated by the Virgin Media Music Award for 'best group' and 'best newcomer' as well as Taylor winning the award for 'hottest female' by Kerrang this year...
Clearly, Taylor Momsen is the most significant and popular member of the band - having been in the limelight her entire life. At a young age she stared as Cindy Lou Who in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' as well as portraying the character Jenny in the popular TV Series 'Gossip Girl' before being in the 'Pretty Reckless'. As well as acting, she has also done a great deal of modelling however in interviews she expresses that she has always loved music.
Researching the band has also helped me for the creation of my music video as I know understand the style of their music more clearly. This has therefore helped to think about how I want to carry on shooting my video and what other ways I can portray and display this particular band such as the type of themes I can include in order to properly promote their music.
This week, I have done some research into the equipment I
will be using. This includes the camera, the tripod and the software programmes
I will use for editing my video and for my other ancillary tasks. I feel as
though it is important to know about the equipment before I used it, especially
to learn about all the important features and controls so I can achieve the
best possible results. I also watched many tutorials in order to prepare myself
to use this equipment and software.
As this week is half
term, I have planned to do a lot of filming. Now I know how to use the
equipment, I am planning to film some footage at my own house as well as on
location (such as in a field or in the local woods). In my house I will record
footage of my artist painting as well as other small tasks. The footage in the
fields/woods will be the flashbacks of the ‘couple’.
This will help me with the creation of music video as I am now more familiar with the type of features and tools I can use from this range or equipment in order to make my production work look professional and to a high standard.
Painting Scenes (My House):
Filming - 29/10/14 16:00-19:00
Editing - 3/11/14 - 7/11/14 primarily. I would then continue to edit any appropriate shots until my finalised video.
Flashback Scenes (Local Fields):
Filming - 29/10/14 14:00-16:00 (filming outside at this time means it would still be light, therefore I would be able to achieve high quality footage).
Editing: 3/11/14 - 7/11/14, then 17/11/14 - 21/11/14 as I would need to edit these shots along with my green screen shots - the flashbacks scenes would be used in the background. I would then continue to edit any appropriate shots until my finalised video. I also feel the editing process for these scenes as well as the green screen ones will take longer than the other shots.
Performance (Drama Studio):
Filming - 13/11/14 15.00 - 17:30
Editing - 13/11/14 - 14/11/14 primarily. I will then continue to edit any appropriate shots until my finalised music video.
Time Lapse (London):
Filming - 14/11/14 16:00-19:00
Editing - 17/11/14 (the time lapse shouldn't take more than a lesson or two to edit)
Green Screen Scenes (Classroom):
Filming - 17/11/14 13:30 - 15:10
Editing - 17/11/14 - 21/11/14 - I will edit these shots along with my flashback shots. I will then continue to edit these until my finalised music video.
This is the filming/ editing schedule I created before making my music video. After I had a clear idea of what I wanted my music video to look like, I made this schedule to organise the filming dates as well as give myself an idea of when I could begin to edit these shots. I feel as though this schedule helped me as it reminded me of the the scenes I had to film, as well as keeping my editing process on track.
As I am close to
filming my video, I want to make sure I have all the necessary planning posts
completed as I feel as though these will really help me when it comes down to
shooting, especially the costume planning and the prop list. When I do begin to
film, I will look back at these for guidance.
The song I have
chosen for my music video is ‘You’ by The Pretty Reckless. As The Pretty Reckless
are a rock band, I want my artist style to look somewhat like a rock artist. This
may include the heavy make-up she wears or the dark clothes. In fact, for this
post I also looked at images of Taylor Momsen (the lead singer in the band) for
style ideas. She tends to wear rock style clothing and dark black eye make-up.
This type of look is something I think is relevant to include in my own video
also.
The props list was
also necessary to create. This included all the pieces of clothing I needed for
the costumes, the objects I wanted to shot within my video and the vital
equipment. As I mentioned before, I will look at this before shooting so I don’t
forget any important props for my video.
My latest post was
my moodboard which I created to express the themes I want to portray within my
music video. I enjoyed creating it as searching for particular images to go
with the song gave me even more ideas for the production of my video. I also
used the song I am using in my video in the background to create a stronger
sense of what my final music video will look like.
This will help me with the creation of my video as it will be remind me of the themes and aspects I want to include such as the objects, types of shots and the locations. I have also used the actual song for my music video in the background to create a sense of what my final video will look like.
This post describes the type of props I will be using when shooting my music video. This will be significantly useful as I will use this post as a template for when I plan to shoot my video to make sure I don't forget anything and have all the essentials I need.
Personally, I think styling is very important when it comes to music videos or any type of production. It is clear to see that costumes are well-thought out before filming so this post will help me with my music video later on.
Primarily, I would like my model/artist to have quite a casual look. This is purely to keep the main focus on the narrative taking place within in the video and on the props. Therefore, I may stick to a simple plain t-shirt and jeans. This can also portray the type of simplicity she is feeling at the time as my video isn't supposed to be particularly glamorous. As my video is about a heartbreak, my artist is supposed to appear upset, therefore her costume also has to link in with her mood. Taking this into account I may use a long black shirt to relate to the dark theme of the song. Perhaps some of the clothes I used may be ripped and tattered to further suggests the hard time she is going through. I own a couple of baggy shirts/tops which I could also used for my video. As my song is from a rock band, it may also be important to use a type of rock style. This may include dark colours that I have mentioned before, leather jackets and boots.
Moreover, I think make-up is also very important when it comes to styling. For my artist, I want to use dark eye make-up and dark lipstick as I also think this will go with the theme of the song. The hair will be quite simple however I may get my artist to wear a type of hat such as a beanie while filming.
Below are some images regarding my costume and styling plans. There are also some images of the actual artist that I will be using for the song in my music video as I think her style is also relevant to the type of image I want to recreate. This will help me with my music video as it will give inspiration when I actually shoot my video. It has also given me a starting point for considering the type of clothes I will need for my production.
Recently, I have been doing more research into the music industry. I looked at music directors, music labels and existing music videos. Researching music videos was part of my similar product research and I think this helped me significantly regarding ideas for my own video.
I now have a good idea of what I want my video to look like and have created a mind-map expressing all possible ideas. Now that I have a very clear narrative and theme, I will be able to start shooting soon. Below are my ideas for my music video:
This is my presentation researching into existing music
labels. I have looked at some of the main ones in the industry including
Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony BMG. It was interesting to
find out how each label started and what artists are signed to each one. This
can help me with my media studies as it can teach more about the music
industry, giving me better insight to the type of product I will be producing
(a music video).
This is my Prezi I created on research into music directors.Within the Prezi, I discovered the history of each director as well as their most famous music videos to date. This type of research can help me with my own work as I can consider and take into account the different type of style each director uses and perhaps put this towards my own music video I will create.
As I have chosen a rock ballad song for my music video, I thought it would be useful to research and analyse typical rock ballad music videos to find out the typical conventions they use. I will be able to take some of these on board when creating my own music video and this way, I was also get a better feel of the rock genre. Below are some examples of rock music videos I have found/seen before. I have tried to find slow songs I can analyse as I will be using a very simple slow song for my own video.
The Pretty Reckless - Just Tonight
This first video is one by the same artist I am using so will have a very similar theme to my own video. I thought it was important to research by artist in more depth so I took a look at many of their music videos and thought this one was very successful as it uses a lot of symbolic features (a similar aspect to what I wish to include for my own production) and very clever use of mise-en-scene. From the very beginning a close-up shot displays blood, meaning this is definitely not a pop genre type of music video. The dark lighting also gives a sense of the music genre and the dark theme that carries on throughout the song. The audience is then introduced to the lead vocalist Taylor Momsen who also plays guitar. She is wearing a tight red dress and dark heavy make-up, again emphasising the type of artist she is as her style even comes across as goth-like.
When the song starts in the background, we see the performance side of the video. In this part she wears a long black dress, a chocker necklace and again dark make-up as this type of style is linked to the genre rock and would be very normal to see in any type of rock video. In the background, the viewer can also see the rest of the band however as Taylor is the main singer, she is the one we see the most throughout the video. Other various close-up shots of a rose dipped in red paint, blood running off her hand and a bug are used for symbolic reasons. For example, the rose (which can be used in many romantic songs) symbolises love, beauty and passion yet the fact it is in red paint could suggests a type of dangerous love or heartbreak and this is not a normal way of presenting a rose.
The music video is shot inside some type of warehouse which has also been decorated to represent a type of old mystical house, especially the stair case. Shots of a cracked mirror has also been used for symbolism. Mirrors have a lot of connotations - the fact this mirror is broken may imply she is finding it hard to discover who she is or that some sort of trust is broken that can no longer be fixed. As well as the rose in red paint earlier on, there is also a close-up of a rose on fire. This could highlight the artist's anger and is also an example of the video;s progression as the situation is becoming more and more extreme.
There is also various examples of distorted and jumpy editing such as quick pace cuts and blurred shots. This may suggest the type of confusing and troubled time she is going through and overall, links with the chilling theme. The use of flashing lights also gives off the same kind of feel and sets off a hectic atmosphere. This is when the song gets louder and increases in tempo.
Close-ups of the artists when she makes eye-contact with the audience almost reflects a cry of desperation. I feel this also makes it more personal for the viewer as they can try to understand her emotions better. The use of blood running down her eyes is also an extreme and unique way of showing her sadness instead of just showing her crying. Towards the end, the audience can see all the red painted roses hanging on the wall by a wide shot - this explains that the artists has been working on this throughout and has now finally created a piece of art in some way.
Paramore - Monster
This is another artistic style video by Paramore. Similar to The Pretty Reckless, they have a main female artist who is shown more often than the rest of the band members. However all band members play an important role within this video. For instance at the start, all members are shown with their heads just above water. This is a kind of intellectual technique and makes the audience think about what this could mean. These types of shots may suggest they are being hold back from something (e.g. they are drowning and can't escape their monsters). I think the use of birds-eye view shots of the artist makes her look more vulnerable and the fact that at one point she reaches out towards the camera, emphasises that she wants to escape.
Suddenly as the music tempo increases we see the band performing in an enthusiastic way. I have discovered that rock band music videos nearly always include the band performing at one point. At this point, there is also another setting introduced: a hospital. This type of location may have been cleverly selected to symbolise something within the narrative. Clearly, a hospital is not a positive place therefore this setting undoubtedly has negative connotations and links. The hospital may portray a frantic and chaotic atmosphere, especially by all the mess as it looks like some sort of tragedy has happened. Shortly after, the hospital starts to break down even more - making the band members go into chaos. Around the time this video was filmed, the band almost broke up. This entire video may suggest what was going on at the time. The hospital implies the healing process they had to go through in order to fix the situation. There are also long shots of each member running down a different corridor however they all meet up in the same place at the end, suggesting they are a team again.
Furthermore, a type of circular narrative is used as they all run to the room where they started performing in at the beginning. I personally think this is a clever way to conclude a video as it makes the audience realise everything that was going on in the earlier stages. The final shot of the water is also quite significant as it shows that the band isn't there any more. In other words, they managed to escape their own monsters and are finally at peace with themselves.
Although this video has more personal symbolic aspects in terms of the band's break-up situation, it is still very emotive for the viewer and the technical aspects are also very exciting to watch.
Evanescence - My Immortal
As this video is entirely in black and white, I believe it makes it more unique compared to other music videos. The first shot we see is her feet covered in bandages on the side of a water fountain. The bandages in particular, may propose the idea that she is weak and vulnerable at this moment in time. We also see the piano that is played throughout the song in a different room with, which is supposedly, one of the other band members. Close-up shots of the artist's hands wrapped in bandages are also shown to again highlight her damaged character. The fact she is also lying on the ground for many shots displays this same kind of weak emotion as do the many high-angle shots of her.
The setting looks like an old traditional city which goes well with the costumes used. The main female singer wears a classic white dress while the other band members wear suits. This may be something that you wouldn't expect within a rock music video yet it goes well with the sad, romantic theme. The fact she is wearing a white dress and is in a town where she is surrounded by children conveys the innocence within the video. For one, she is clearly the victim in her scenario. The use of the water fountain, the dress and the old car also gives the video an antique feel. I also think the use of the tree leaves falling on her while she sings is an effective shot as it uses full use of the props to create a sweet, natural environment. Compared to the first video, this artist wears a lot less make-up and her hair is curly to again display her natural beauty.
Another interesting point to make is the fact she hardly ever looks into the camera - while she sings, she looks another way as if she is calling out to someone else far in the distance. Her body language and the way she moves her hands out is also a significant aspect as it looks as if she is reaching out to something she cannot find. For example, this may be linked to losing someone close to you.
She goes from lying on a bench within the town to lying on a roof top somewhere in the city - this is another example of progression through a music video and the shot on the roof may be more interesting. Again, like the two previous videos, as the music increases in tempo we see the band perform. This time it is through a window of an old traditional looking room to fit with the rest of the video.
At the end, it almost appears the artist is crying into her own arms which makes it very emotional for the viewer and the video ends where it started - at the water fountain.
Analysing these types of videos was very helpful as although they were all different in some way, I think I can take parts from all three to help me work on my own music video. For example from the first video, I thought the use of symbolism through the rose and the cracked mirror is something I'd definitely like to include. Moreover, the task she completes (hanging up the roses on the wall) is something similar to what I have discussed before in my planning so I will think about how I can
in-corporate something similar in my own work. All three had very effective close-up shots and I think this is also something I can create for my own video. As well as a similar use of shots, they all appear to have some sort of narrative behind them, even if the narrative is not clear, which is an approach I also wish to take.
This past week I have been working on my blog both in class and at home. Recently, my main focus has been research so I have learnt more about the music industry by finding out about the typical music video conventions as well as the music channels. I think it is important to learn about this type of information if I am creating a music video myself, as it gives me some background knowledge regarding my piece of work. As I am personally interested in music, I found researching this type of information about the industry exciting as it is background information I never knew before. Especially my post regarding the music channels as I learnt about how major and successful music channels like 'MTV' started out and how they have progressed/changed over the years. MTV in particular now airs more reality TV shows and documentaries as well as VIVA yet VIVA is still very music orientated.
I have also been thinking more about my own music video. Now that I have a basic idea and song for my music video which will be 'You' by the Pretty Reckless I am able to make a start on the planning side of my coursework. I chose this song as is goes with my type of 'heartbreak' theme plus there is a repetitive music sequence and lyrics which I think will be easier to create a music video for. In my opinion, I think this side of the blog will also be very interesting for me as I will enjoy seeing how my ideas progress and I like the creative side of the course. Taking this into account, I have made the location reece planning post to discuss the type of locations I will film. These were also discussed in my initial planning ideas post were I spoke about being able to film in a busy city like London as well as a deserted place such as a field or the woods. These locations are very accessible for me plus I have also considered shooting in my house for more of the basic shots and in the studio for the performance part of my video.
For the rest of this week and next, I would like the continue with more research posts yet I am also going to start focusing on the planning side to get a very specific idea of what I want my final video to look like as I will have to start shooting very soon.
This is a PowerPoint I created on the different types of music channels available today. In my presentation I have discussed and talked about the ones I think are the most popular, explaining their history and what types of programmes they air. This task has helped me understand the importance of music videos today and how vital it is to get them across and show them to an audience. This helps promote new music and creates a relationship between the producer and the consumer. It is also interesting to see how some music channels have evolved and how their audience has potentially changed.
For my video I would like to use a range of locations to go with my narrative. I think the idea of including both indoor and outdoor locations will also make my video look more unique and interesting. As I want to include parts of a narrative and a performance I may have to use both general locations and a studio. As I am lucky enough to have access to a drama studio in my school, I will most likely use this for the performance parts in my song. Other main locations will include central London which I can use as my main city, my house for other simple shots and perhaps fields or the local woods. The drama studio also has a range of different facilities that will come in handy for my production. Furthermore mirrors and certain objects such as a projector will also help with the creation of my video to create a range of effects and originality.
London- this location will include the time lapse in my
video. This will be of my main artist standing/sitting in London while people
are walking behind her. As this footage will be sped up, it will appear that my
artist has been there for a long time – this will display her lack of care and
motivation, as the narrative behind my video will be a heart-break story were
the protagonist is upset and doesn’t want to move on.
Other Locations (Fields/Woods)
-these locations will include the flashbacks of the couple in
my video, highlighting a more positive time in the protagonist’s life. I have
chosen this type of location as I believe this is something a typical couple may
be doing.
Obviously, this post will help me significantly with the production of my music video as it tells me the different location ideas where I will be able to film. Each location has a purpose for a significant event in my video and this post will remind me of this, as well as the different areas I will be able to film in.
This is a post I created, explaining the typical conventions
involved in a music video. I have describe what particular micro-elements
(camera, sound, editing and mise en scene) are involved in the production of
these videos as well as giving examples about the typical conventions used in
different music genre videos.
Since being back at school, I have started to consider more ideas regarding my music video. I have thought about locations, the model I will use and what song.
Furthermore, I have given myself specific targets on what I will need to complete each week. These targets include certain posts I wish to complete for that week as well as improvements I may need to make on already existing posts. As I have found out, for A2 epecially, I will need to include as much detail in my posts as possible to reach the maximum marks for my coursework. Therefore I am already starting to go back to previous posts in order to improve them. This week, I have also set myself targets to complete certain research tasks. Ones I completed were my post on music video theory and 'what is a digipak?'. It was interesting and useful to research the different theories as these will also come in handy for my media exam.
A digipak is a type of packaging for CDs or DVDs, typically made from cardboard with an internal plastic holder for one or more discs. Digipaks typically consist of a gatefold paperboard or card stock outer binding with one or more
plastic trays capable of holding a CD or DVD attached to the inside. This product was the first alternative to jewel cases to be used by major record companies. This type of packaging is used for CD singles or special editions of CD albums. However, this packaging tends to show signs of wear more quickly than a jewel case. Big companies such as domestic U.S. printer and disc replicator Oasis Disc Manufacturing reccomend using a UV coating to protect the didgpak and make it last longer.
Digipak-style cases grew in popularity among record labels and recording artists in the early 2000s. Manufacturers have also sought to reduce environmental impact and improve
functionality by introducing recycled components into its trays - one has even been recycled from plastic bottles.
Here are some examples of digipaks:
I have chosen to look at digipaks that include a female
artist as when I create my own digipak, I will be including a female artist
also. The digipaks I have looked at are all relatively different styles as they
all include different colours, camera shots and fonts. By researching these
digipaks, it therefore gives me a range of ideas for my own.
I have also realised that some sections of the digipak only
include a single close-up shot of the artist, for example the Marina and the
Diamonds digipak. I believe this looks professional and may include this type
of style in my own product.
For my own product, I would also like to include a specific
house style, which makes it clear that each section belongs to the same digipak
which these examples have done successfully.
This post will
help me with the creation of my didpak by making me aware of the different
conventions digipaks include and how to present them effectively in my work.
There are many theories and theorists related to music videos. In my
post, I am going to talk about some of the theorists I have began to look at in
class as well as some I have researched myself.
ANDREW GOODWIN
Andrew Goodwin identified 5 key aspects of music videos: thought beats
(seeing the sound), narrative and performance, the star image, relation of
visuals to song and technical aspects of a music video. THOUGHT BEATS: The first step is to look at the structure of the song
(e.g. chorus, verse). Secondly, look at the voice of the song. The voice of the
artist is very unique and can create a particular trade mark/way for people to
identify them. (This also relates to Roland Barthes' theory of the grain of
voice). Thirdly, focus on the artist mode of address. Music videos can be
stories, therefore the artist can be the story teller. NARRATIVE & PERFORMANCE: Goodwin explains that music videos should
ignore common narrative as it is important in their role of advertising. Music
videos should be of the same standard every time and narrative and performance
should work together to keep the audience interested. The artist should also
star in the music video to make it more authentic and realistic for the viewer
(miming is still a popular music video technique; the artist just needs to make
it look real and professional). STAR IMAGE: This is a meta narrative which is a big story that describes the
development of a star (the music artist) over time. This also takes into
account the artist’s image which can change/develop overtime and plays a role
in the production of their music videos. RELATION OF VISUALS TO A SONG: There are 3 main ways in which music videos
work to promote a song. The first is illustrate – this is the most common
process where music videos use images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics and
genre. Second is amplify where meanings are manipulated and repeatedly shown so
the audience doesn’t forget. Third is disjuncture where the meaning of the song
is completely ignored. TECHNICAL ASPECTS: This includes camera, mise-en-scene, angle movement,
sound, editing and special effects. Lighting and colour also help set the mood.
SVEN E CARLSSON He said a common approach to music
videos is the use of binary opposites. These drive the narration of the video
forward. He also believed that music videos fall into one of two categories:
Performance (where the audience can see the artist singing or dancing) or
Conceptual (where the audience watch something else in the video, not the
artist).
He also created the theory that most
performance movies (music videos)make
the performer not a performer anymore because they are in fact restricted in
the way they can perform. Artists are being used to sell their voice, face and
lifestyle.
MICHAEL SHORE Michael Shore’s theory is different
from the previous two. He concludes that music videos are recycled styles that
contain an information overload so contain views of adolescent male fantasies. Therefore
videos contain elements of speed, power, girls and wealth. All this conveys
into soft-core pornography with clichéd imagery.
One of the videos I admire is 'Everytime' by Britney Spears. As I am a Britney Spears fan myself, I have seen lots of her videos and many of them have a story and subtle messages behind them which I think makes it more personal for the viewer and also makes them feel closer to the artist by helping them to understand their side of the story. In 'Everytime' we constantly see Britney struggling with every day life in the spot light. Even as the video just begins, we see a billboard of the glamorous star which juxtaposes with who she really is and feels. Throughout the entire video, she is also wearing white which symbolises that she is the victim in this scenario. I think connotations like these can have a huge effect on the audience by making them look at the bigger picture. As we see the struggles she has to face, we begin to sympathise with star which goes along with the sad tone of the music - again, another clever way to tell the narrative. Towards the end we see her attempt to commit suicide. This is when shots of her running down a white hallway are shown (this was used to explain how she is 'running into the light'). When she is saved, she begins to run back and at the very end we see a new born baby... meaning with every life lost, a new life is welcomed to the world. From my point of view, this is different from most pop videos as it focuses on a more serious narrative instead of a performance.
This is another video I admire which is both performance and narrative based. I feel music videos that have a narrative approach are more personal for the viewer therefore these are the type of videos that tend to inspire me more. Again, this video ('Bring me to life' by Evanescence) is linked closely to the lyrics, describing a girl who needs to be saved which can have many different interpretations by the audience. The video generally has quite a dark theme which I believe makes it more intense for the audience. It appears that the main protagonist is dreaming about what her life may become if she continues this way. Footage of her walking/climbing on a high building continues to make the video more alarming and shocking. This makes the viewer feel sorry for her and in some ways they may want to help her. The band performing is incorporated within the video as they are seen through one of the windows of the building.When she is gazing through the glass window singing it is almost as if she is trying to reach something that is unreachable (she's been kept in the dark for so long, it's too late). The struggle when she is about to fall emphasises how desperate she is for her life to change. In some ways, when she falls it could be the realisation she has within her dream. This is a great music video to me because it expresses a message that can mean different things to many different people yet the video is still very powerful in the way it performs the lyrics to the viewer.
I also admire 'Because Of You' by Kelly Clarkson because of its emotive message about how a bad relationship between parents can lead you take on different decisions later in life. At the beginning, we see Kelly fighting with her partner/ the father of her child however before the situation gets out of hand, there is a manipulation of narrative time when the present is paused and Kelly returns to her past with her younger self to learn from the same mistakes her parents made long ago. As she walks backwards, it also emphasises how she is going back in time to remember what happened. When she looks in the mirror and sees herself as a young girl, the audience now know this her realising how she used to feel. After she goes through her traumatic past again, she knows she has to put things right to save her own family. This is when she goes back into the present and stops the fight between her and her partner so they can lead a happy family life and not go through the same things Kelly did as a child. Personally, I believe this video is very emotional and successful through the way it tells the story as we see it from Kelly's point of view therefore we have a greater understanding about the song's message.
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