Planning/Drafting of Magazine Advert

Magazine Album Poster

Planning/Drafting of Digipak

Planning/Drafting of Digipak

From my last drafting post, I have now started to edit the inside of my digipak including the section where the disk goes and the extra panel where I will later place my credits and thank you's from the band. I wanted the disk part of my digipak to also include a fire type element to link to the album title therefore I have placed this image of a rose in a flame from my photoshoot. I believe this image looks effective as in the close-up you can clearly see the flame plus the red rose also contributes to my colour scheme and house style of my products.

Planning/Drafting of Digipak

I have started to place my main images onto my digipak template as well as some main text including the album title, the band's name and the tack list. However, I am still unsure about which images to use for the 'inside left' and 'inside right' part of my digipak. At the moment, I feel like my 'inside left' image (on the top right hand corner of the template) may look more effective as my front cover as I think the close-up shot looks very professional. However, I also wanted an image that linked to the title of the album 'Light Me Up' which my current image of the burning photo does, therefore I may rearrange the images as I continue to develop my digipak.

Music Video Draft 3

This is another draft of my music video. From my previous draft, I have continued to make changes to and edit my green screen scenes. I have now positioned my model on the left or right of the screen, rather than in the middle of the shot so the footage behind of the flashbacks can be easily seen by the viewers. As these flashback scenes are important in my video to help tell the narrative I believe this change was necessary. I have also made my artist in colour so this contrast more with the ‘flashback’ scenes and lets the viewer know these are too separate shots. Moreover, I have altered the transparency and opacity tools, so my artist doesn’t fade in the shot and she is clearly the main part of the scene. I feel my music video is now looking more professional, however I still have some changes to make in terms of brightness and I would also like to include a wider range of shots if possible.

Evaluation Question 2 Draft

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

For my A2 Media Coursework, I was required to create a music video as my main product along with my other ancillary tasks: the magazine album advert and the digipak. To make the combination of these tasks effective, I wanted to keep a similar theme and house style in order to make it clear that each product is promoting the same artist and also to suit my chosen music genre: rock.

The purpose of my main task is to promote the single as well as to help the fans connect to the band, whereas existing fans will continue to idolise the main female singer. Using a heartbreak narrative along with close-up shots of the artist displaying her sad emotions will give the fans more of an insight to the song yet the fans will also expect a typical rock artist appearance, as the song is by a rock band. In my music video, I presented my model as a typical female rock artist – this included her wearing a typical rock outfit such as a skull vest top with shorts, black tights and black biker boots. She also wore heavy dark make-up and the colours I included in my video were also quite dull, giving an overall dark theme. For example my time lapse in London was taken in the dark at a later time in the day. I feel this highlighted a sad theme within my video, therefore linked to the narrative. Dull colours are also quite common to find in rock music videos, as opposed to bright colours which will normally you would be expected to find in a pop music video. Red was also a main colour within my video as the painting scenes included many close-up shots of a rose, an iconic romance prop. For my album advert poster and digipak I also used dark colours such as black and dark red to link to the theme and start to create a particular house style. Using this type of lighting within my video as well as these particular colours within my main task and my ancillary tasks also helps portray the rock music genre.

I believe the main role of my magazine album advert is to stand out to the reader, and instantly give off the impression that it is advertising a rock music album. It will also need to include relevant information such as the release date, the platforms it is available on and reviews from respectable and trustworthy music magazines like The Rolling Stone and Mojo. I feel my poster serves these purposes as it includes an intriguing image of a rose/photo on fire which instantly links to the tile of the album ‘Light Me Up’. This image is also quite unique, in the sense it is not simply an image of the artist, which many album posters are, but rather an interesting object. This is also a concept quite commonly used for rock genre advertisements as the band’s appearance and how attractive they are normally isn’t important. I have also used fire in other images which appear on my digipak to highlight that these products are all promoting the same album. As well as similar images, I have also used the same fonts to again display a particular house style.

In my opinion consumers who purchase digipaks are normally dedicated fans of the artist, especially as today most music is normally purchased online, therefore I believe the digipak should be more personal but still include typical rock genre conventions. For my digipak I have included images of the main female artist as I believe she will be a main selling point in regards to the band. In these images my model is also wearing the same outfit she wore for the music video, linking both tasks together and highlighting the rock image. Many of these images are also in black and white, as from previous research into the rock genre products including past digipaks from the actual band The Pretty Reckless, many of them use black and white photos. I have therefore edited pictures of my model in black and white, however I have also included other significant images of other objects, for example a rose. This combines all of my tasks effectively as close-up shots of a rose have also been used in my music video. Referring back to the personal aspects of digipaks, I have also included a message for the fans on the inside of the digipak. This is a typical convention of digipaks for all types of music genre and the font that I have used, especially on the cover of my digipak, are the same fonts presented on my poster.

Therefore I think the combination of my music video along with my ancillary tasks are effective as they all work well together and it is clear they all belong to the same band by the house style, including the same fonts and the same colour scheme. They also give off the impression that they belong to the rock genre because many rock genre products use dark colours, images of women normally wearing quite controversial outfits to appeal to the male fans and relevant and appropriate props on their digipaks and posters, rather than images of the band themselves.

Overall, I believe both my main and my ancillary tasks portray a particular genre by the type of style they present through the selection of images, colours and fonts.

Question 4 Evaluation Draft

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

I believe media technologies have played one of the most important roles during my media A2 coursework. This is due to the access of a wide variety of advance technologies we currently have, that allow us to produce professional looking media pieces aimed at a specific target audience.

In terms of the hardware I used for my coursework, the digital Canon 550D SLR camera was the main technological equipment I used for the creation of both my main and ancillary tasks. The different features of the camera meant I was able to shoot in low quality lightning and still make my work look professional and proficient. This was due to the wide aperture, which creates a shallow focus and allows me to shoot in dark locations such as the drama studio. Other useful features include the shutter speed of the camera. Filming in low light conditions means I could also film at a lower shutter speed where less light is needed. However for the construction of my music video, I tried to keep the shutter speed low, at around 1/50, which creates a sharper and better quality image. Changing the lens of the camera for different sections of my music video also determines the fact of whether I could zoom or not. During the green screen and drama studio shoots, my only focus was on my actor therefore I used a 50mm 1.8 prime lens which cannot zoom but allows more light in to focus on one aspect of my video. On the other hand, for the flashback scenes in my video, I wanted to film in a more natural and realistic setting. Therefore I chose to film parts of my video in the local field as well as my own house which focused on a variety of things including the surrounding location. Here I used a different lens for the camera where I was able to zoom.

As well as the range of features that helped me create a professional piece of work for my coursework, the digital camera as a whole included many advantages for filming. Using a digital camera rather than an analogue meant I could review my footage immediately. Therefore if I wasn’t happy with any piece of footage, I could change my actions accordingly – for example, filming from a different angle or changing the position of the lights. Having access to this type of camera also means I didn’t have to send of the images and wait for them to be sent back, resulting in a less expensive and less time consuming process. Personally, I consider this type of technology to be vital for filming a piece of work as complex as a music video, where re-shoots are often needed and a range of location are often used.

Moving onto software, Premiere Pro was the programme I used for the construction of my music video. This programme also included a wide range of features, which resulted in an easier work process. For example, the different layers allowed me to edit my green screen shots efficiently and quickly. This was achieved by adding an extra layer and adding a green screen shot that I had previous edited on top of the background image. I edited the green screen clip by changing the key colour to green and altering the shadow and soften keys. My green screen shot was of my actor miming to the song while the background shot were my couple, which I used as the flashbacks as part of the narrative. Premiere Pro also allowed me to change the speed of my clips; this was useful when fitting the footage in with the music and also for my time lapse scene at the beginning of my video. The programme also included certain video effects, for example the main one I used, which was the back and white effect – this was added to the flashbacks scenes so the audience can easily recognise these particular scenes in my video.

Indesign was the other main programme I used for the construction stage; however this was used primarily for my ancillary tasks- the magazine advert and the album digipak. Being already familiar with this type of software technology, I was able to used skills previously learnt from AS to help make my work look realistic. For my magazine advert, I was able to import images I had already taken with the Canon SLR camera and size it appropriately. As I had previously researched magazine adverts as part of my research stage, I had an accurate idea of what I wanted my final product to look like. Testing and selecting the appropriate fonts available within this programme was part of the process, and being able to use the various text tools to re-size and re-scale the text was vital in making my advert look professional. 

Creating my digipak using this programme was another similar process, as I made sure I used all the advanced tools this type of technology had to offer. I imported previous images I had taken, however I edited some of these shots using Photoshop. In Photoshop I was able to change the images to black and white while still keeping some of the photo in full colour. This was achieved my adding another layer as well as using the brush tool to colour in parts of the photo I wanted to stay in colour. Overall, this was used to emphasise certain parts of the image, such as the lips, to make the digipak more unique and original while giving the audience something to focus on and grab their attention.

Referring back to the research stages of my coursework, it is still clear to see that technologies such as the ones already mentioned were also used in this early stage. The main type of technology during this section was the use of the internet to research the band of the song I had chosen for the music video, using the search engine Google. I feel by learning about ‘The Pretty Reckless’, it gave me more ideas on how to present them in my final product. I also used Youtube to watch some of their previous videos to understand how they often portray themselves towards the public. Furthermore, research into my audience was also an important part of my coursework. Using the internet to do this meant I could learn about the fans of the band as well as fans of the rock genre so I could create a successful product that which is targeted at them.

The internet also helped with the planning stages. I used the internet to search specific rock styles and looks – this helped with the costume planning for my actor.  Presenting my research and planning posts on my blog was also a way I used the internet, as for example, presenting my costumes ideas was achieved through using the website Issuu. Whereas many other posts were presented using Prezi, an interactive powerpoint to display the information I had gathered as well as my ongoing ideas.

Question 1 Evaluation Draft

A2 Evaluation

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

The forms and conventions of typical media products was something I had previously researched in the research stages, therefore I was aware of the ways these products are normally presented. Overall, this helped me with the creation of all three tasks – my music video, my magazine advert and my digipak.

Clearly, my music video was my main and most difficult task of the three. This required a lot of research including the research of famous music directors and of course, the typical conventions of music videos as well as analysing some famous examples. My own music video is for the song ‘You’ by the rock band ‘The Pretty Reckless’ and focuses on both a narrative and performance to tell the story of a break-up between a young couple. Immediately, I believe this portrays typical conventions of a music video as generally many songs seem to be about love or heartbreak, and there is often an obvious relation of the lyrics to the visuals presented within the song. This is one of the aspects Andrew Goodwin discussed when focusing on music videos. He says how these images are used to illustrate the meaning behind the song; therefore in this way my video uses the typical conventions as there is a strong link between my images and the lyrics about wanting someone. This is displayed by the flashback scene of the couple and the passionate performance by my female actor, clearly expressing her love for the boy. As well as the relation of lyrics to visuals, Goodwin also talks about the use of both narrative and performance. This is an aspect I have already mentioned, which again highlights the ways in which my video lives up to typical music video expectations. Including both a narrative and performance, I believe makes the video more intriguing for the viewer as they can relate their own experiences to the story yet the performance is a good way of presenting the actor as a successful artist. A meta narrative is also something I have included, as various camera shots displaying the rose painting overtime concludes how my actor finally completes the painting and this is the overall development of the main star in my video. Close ups and over the shoulder shots were the main type of shots I used to present the painting as I believed the fine detail of the art piece would look interesting to the viewer, and often they would wonder how the final piece would turn out. Technical aspects is another feature Goodwin mentions when discussing typical media conventions and this describes the ways in how I have put my video together through camera, mise-en scene, editing and sound…

Long shots and mid shots of my artist were often used to display her outfit, as I feel this was an important part of the video to show off her rock image and style. This also links to the rock genre of the band, and brings in the representation of my main actor overall. I believe Laura Mulvey is a vital theorist to discuss during this aspect, as my actor can give off both a whore and Madonna persona. The lingering shots of the actor, focusing on her figure and heavy make-up, can give the impression that she seen as an object through the male viewers, which Mulvey believes are the dominant audience. On the other hand, the flashbacks of the couple portraying a healthy heterosexual relationship, suggest my actor is the ‘Madonna’. This could be argued that my video in fact challenges typical conventions of music videos as both sides of this concept are displayed, which is unusual to see.

Editing is also a major aspect of my final music video. For example, the use of the flashbacks creates an episodic narrative. These are presented in black and white to make the audience aware that these scenes are not part of the chronological flow. This type of editing gives the audience more background information to story of my music video, and therefore can create a stronger effect on the viewers as they more easily understand the overall narrative. 

My other production task is my magazine advert. I also researched this task, with regards to other existing magazine adverts selling new albums. Some of the typical conventions included a main image, the artist and album name, the release date and what specific platforms the album could be purchased from. Taking this into account, I included all of these conventions in my own work as well as reviews from well-known music magazines like Rolling Stone and Mojo. I feel by using well respected magazines such as these was more appropriate for a rock band as they are often taken more seriously than other music genres such as pop. This means the audience are more likely to take on board the praise given by these types of magazines. 

As well as these conventions, the image included on my magazine album was considerably the most important feature of this product. This would primarily grab the reader’s attention, plus the link the image has to the album’s title was also an important aspect I considered. I wanted to include an image which included fire, which would link well with the name ‘Light Me Up’. Therefore the flames in the hands was not only a technically impressive and intriguing image, it also would make the band’s album more memorable for the audience. Taking this into account, I firmly believe my magazine advert as a whole uses the typical forms and conventions of the real media products.

Finally, my digipak was my third media product I created as part of my A2 coursework. Again, research into this product was vital as I feel digipaks are quite difficult to design without any previous knowledge as they are more complex and detailed. I started my using a similar image to my magazine advert, as I believe the fire concept is a main selling point regarding the album. Having both a rose and a photograph on fire gives the digipak a type of house style that makes the audience aware that these images all make up the same product. The same font from the magazine advert is also used for the band’s name – again highlighting the house style and how the band will be recognisable to consumers.

Planning/Drafting for Album Advert

This is an image I created in Photoshop using my original photo I took of my model holding I rose. In Photoshop I created the fire effect by using a range of layers, adding the glow tool, alternating the colours and using the magic wand tool to remove the background. I may use this for my magazine album advert, however I feel the fire looks too strong and perhaps a bit fake therefore I may use one of the photos I previous took of a flame going through a rose.

Music Video Draft 2

This is the first complete draft of my music video. From my previous draft, I have completed editing the entire song as well as changing some aspects from my previous draft. As well as finishing my video, I have changed the green screen scenes by adding the black and white effect as well as an antique effect to make it look more like a projector. However, I still believe these scenes need improving and I am not happy with the overall look yet. I always want to add some shots of other significant props such as a rose and a photograph of the couple. I will shoot these within next week, so I can perhaps add them to my video.

Music Video Draft

This is my first draft of the first 2 minutes of my music video. As you can see, there is still a lot to improve. At the moment the green-screen scenes are not yet complete as I still need to add effects to give a vintage projection look as if the flashbacks are being shown on her body, as well as in the background. This is why you can sometimes not see both actors when they are behind the singer (when I finish my video, the audience will later be able to see them both due to the effects I later add). Furthermore, I still need to add an opening shot which is likely to be a photo of the couple.

Drafting my work will help me reflect back on my progress during the year and the amount of changes I make during the editing process of my video.

Storyboard

In my storyboard I have drawn and written what I would roughly want my final music video to look like. In my storyboard I have included my original ideas of the flashbacks and the painting however I may have changed some of these in my actual video and include more/fewer shots therefore my storyboard may not be an exact replicate of my final video. However this has helped me to visual my ideas and decide where I would like each shot to be placed within my video and how long each shot will last etc.

Planning/Drafting for Album Advert

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.

Planning/Drafting for Album 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.