I need to make some improvements to my digipack and poster in orderto make it more professional and more appealing to my target market.
FIRST DRAFTS
DIGIPACK
Add colour to everything- I need it to look more interesting and exciting in order to attract attention from my potential target audience. This includes:
- Background colours: I haven't done any research into the colours/styles that I could potentially use
- Colour the images: I want to paint them by hand in order to make the digipack look hand drawn and painted and for it to look authentic I need to do this by hand
Add legalities- I need to do this in order to make the digipack seem real and authentic as all of the digipacks which I have looked at in my research include the leaglities (copyright etc) so for mine to look professional and real these need to be included (I have made a space on the top left panel for the legalities to go I just haven't added them yet)
Barcode- This needs to be added otherwise people wont be able to buy the album which defeats the object of having a physical copy of the album
Name- I need to add the artist name and the album name onto the side of the digipack so it can be seen when it is standing up on a shelf in a store
POSTER
Add colour- I need it to look more interesting and exciting in order to attract attention from my potential target audience. This includes:
- Background colours: I haven't done any research into the colours/styles that I could potentially use
- Colour the images: I want to paint them by hand in order to make the digipack look hand drawn and painted and for it to look authentic I need to do this by hand
Add rating- I need to add a rating from a music magazine that represents the genre which I have chosen in order to make it look more authentic. This would then mean that it would appeal to the chosen potential target audience
Change positioning- The date of release is difficult toreadso I either need to change the position of things on the poster or change the colour of the text [note this may be easier to read when the images are coloured in rather than black on white which is quite harsh to look at/read]
These are some band posters which have been hand drawn. I think that these look really cool and interesting and would therefore be striking to look at. The aim of the poster is to grab the attention of my intended audience and I think that the fact these are hand drawn makes them stand out. The hand drawn style would be appealing to my intended audience, specifically the creatives as they have an interest in art, and so would therefore be a good style to use when designing my poster and digipack.
EXAMPLES
The image shows some examples of hand made posters which are shown in my media classroom
RUSSIAN CIRCLES
I like the colour scheme as it is quite dark and spooky which has been done to reflect the rock/metal genre of music. This would therefore appeal to this audience and links in well with the creepy, hand drawn image. The colour scheme which I use within my poster and digipack won't incorporate the same dark colours, however the colours need to appeal to the intended audience.
DEVO
I really like the simple image which has been used in a bright colouras it draws attention to the picture which then has the name of the band on it. Although the hand drawn design doesn't really reflect the new wave genre, it grabs attention. I want my poster to have relevance to the genre and my artist in order for all of the products to interlink.
ARCADE FIRE
I like the urban look of this poster. Although it isn't hand drawn, all of the images have been added together to make it look like a collage which has been purposely done to look hand made. The bright colours will attract a young audience which I need to include as my intended audience will be fairly young, such as the tumblr kids.
PIXIES
I think that this poster is a bit strange however it grabs attention because it is something weird to look at. The images used look (intentionally) hand drawn and I think that this works well and the text font used also looks as though it has been hand written. Although it doesn't look stereotypically 'professional' (the colouring in looks messy intentionally), it is eyecatching and grabs atention and looks really good. I want my poster to look intentionally hand drawn like this one does.
I wanted to do my poster in a hand drawn style because:
I think that it would fit in well with the vintage style which I wanted to go with. This would therefore make the 3 products which I am making (poster, digipack, video) look as though it is all part of the same product- which it is- and so would look more complete
It would grab the attention of my intended audience as it will stand out from other posters. They are interested in art and design so seeing the poster with elements from this will be attractive to them.
I think it works well and using photographs would limit me to the vintage, rough look that I want to convey. I have seen examples of previous students work where they have hand drawn the poster and digipack and it looks really good and fitting with their video. Using photographs wouldn't have had the same appeal and I feel this is the same for my project.
I have drawn up some possible ideas for my digipack and poster. This is so I can see what I like and what could be improved for my final product.
DIGIPACK
Idea 1
I have decided to do incorporate both hand drawn designs (the record would be drawn and most of the writing used on the digipack would be hand written). I think that using photographs on the digipack would make it look more professional however I like the idea of hand drawing images as I think it reflects the style of the song which I have chosen.
I have used a lot of patterns which could look quite vintage (yet stylish) ijn the images as I want my video to link in well with my digipack and poster.
Idea 2
This cover (top centre) took insporation from Kanye Wests 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' album cover as it is just a painting which is quite small and placed in the centre. I liked this idea as I thought it looked quite different and, although it is under stated, still has an impact on the person when they are looking at the cover.
I would use girly colour schemes (pink, ourple, etc) however they would be more pastel colours as I think these would reflect the vintage feel which I want to portray.
POSTER
I like this idea for a potential poster because I want it to be hand drawn. This is because it will look more interesting and will stand out among others. I like the home made feel as I think that it reflects the relaxed, fun style of the genre which I have chosen.
I thought that by having a big room whoch is faoilry bright could be really good as it is a large space whcich I could use to fill with lots of props in orderto create a similar mise en scene style that is used in the Florence and The Machine videos.
This is a room in my local village which is available to use. I have found this on the internet and so it would be better for me to go and have a look around it in order to see if it would be a good location to use.
DANCE STUDIO
Using a dance studio where there is mirrors and, again,a large bright space would be good as I would be able to fill with props to make it look better and more vintage in order to adapt to the style that I want.
There is a local dance studio which I need to go and look round, however I went there when I was younger so remember it being very bright and could be quite a good location for me to use.
CHURCH
Another idea which would be a bit different would be to shoot it insode a church. Although this might not look as cool and modern with a vintage twist, it would have an old kind of feel that Florence creates in her videos.
However, a church location might not be the most suitable for my video because the song I have chosen is quite upbeat and the church might not reflect that. Also the lighting may not be good for the video which is important.
I could still go and look around it to see if it would be good to use for some shots as it might be a good idea to change the location for some of the shots.
Mise en scene: There is a lot of random things in the video however the costumes which she is wearing link into the scene well. For example with all of the ballet dancers, her dress is similar however it stands out more in order to make her be seen as the star (which she is). Her hair and make up are very prominent in the video and the unique outfits work due to the randomness of the video. In the first section of the video Florence is sat on a chair surrounded by a load of other props such as a chandelier, a plant, a table and a lamp. The shadows created from the light being shone at the chandelier makes different shapes on the back drop which makes the shot look really interesting. This teamed with the interesting choice of outfit encapsulates the audience and makes them want to keep watching. There are a lot of props used throughout the video and this is the kind of thing which I need in my video as the props hold the viewers attention.
Lighting: The location where the music video has been shot is quite dark and only has light which shows the mise en secene and gives a creepy, mysterious vibe to the video that has been intended to make the audience question. This makes the video more intriguing to watch.
Camera angles/shots: The majority of the shots are very long which allows time for the audience to watch the Florence as she is performing to the song. She is really eye catching and the mid/long shots allow the viewer to see all of her costume which are really impressive and unique. The close ups on her face allow the viewer to see her make up and hair which adds to the captivation of the video.
Editing: The transitions are smooth and they link in well. When it zooms into the dolls house the transition fades so it looks as though it is going through the window which looks really professional. I need to convey the same level in my video so I need to have smooth transitions. The smooth transitions also reflect the sound of the song which is something I need to consider when filming and editing my video.
Story: The dancers make the video have a slight story to it which I think is interesting as that aside, its all quite random which is a really interesting way to present the video. This captivates the audience as, although it is very random and doesn't really have a story, it keeps attention because of this randomness.
YOU'VE GOT THE LOVE
Mise en scene: The moon is really majestic and adds a 'special' feel to the song. The glitter also makes it more glamorous which reflects the artist. The costume used is really pretty and girly as well as being quite different and quirky which reflects Florences style and music. Her hair looks really natural which works well with her natural make up and reflects the song. Dry ice smoke adds to the magical feel of the video and makes it look even more special. The balloons which are added later on continue to add to the magival feel of the video. This continues in the glitter shower when it shows lots of people having a really good time which reflected the pace and lyrics of the song.
Lighting: The lighting shining in the direction of the camera makes the shots look more special and in the moon scene they look like stars. This shows how all of the filming equipment can be used in order to bring the video together and portray a certain idea.
Camera shots/angles: The opening shot of the video is a close up Florences face from the profile view against a dark background. This is a strong way of opening the video and captures the viewers attention. As she turns around, the camera zooms out into a mid shot allowing the audience to see her outfit for the first time which shows her identity. When she is stood on the moon there is a variety of close ups and mid shots from differnt angles which have been used to show Florence to the viewers. Panning is sometimes used which is quite fast in order to match the pace of the song. The mid/long shot which shows her sitting when the balloons rise has been used to show everything happening in the shot to the viewer.
Editing: The transition from the first scene (close up) to her standing on the moon prop is really smooth as the light goes out and then on again and by that time the scene has changed. The quick transition makes the video seem more professional which is something I need to incorporate into my video. The editing when she is on the moon is very fast which matches the pace of the song and works well.
Story: She dances on the moon with confidence which is something I need to show in my video. She does a lot of hair flicking as well which looks really good and confident and reflects the fact that she is a very successful artist. In the end when she is performing to the audience shows the performance convention of indie pop music and adds to her credibility as an artist. Showing lots of people having fun and being "in love" reflects the story of the song.
I like this video because it is fun and random which I think is important with an upbeat song. I intend to use an upbeat song in my music video so I need to have the same kind of fun and energy as this video in mine.
Genre: indie pop
Genre characteristics: dancing, effects, band shots, variety of shots, variety of costume changes
Relationship between lyrics and visuals:
Relationship between music and visuals:
Are there close ups of the artist/star image motifs:
Is there reference to the notion of looking:
Are there inter-textual references:
Is the video illustration, disjunction or amplification:
EXTENDED ANALYSIS
1 Why did you chose the text you are analysing?
I chose this text because it is a fun music video to watch and I want to convey the same energy which they do in the video. I also like how all of the scenes intertwine as it is seamless and links in well
2 In what context did you encounter it?
I encountered it when I was watching a video on YouTube and it was suggested that I watched it so i clicked on the link which took me to the video
3 What influence do you think this context would have had on your interpretation of it?
I don't think that being on YouTube would have influenced my interpretation as much because I would still have enjoyed watching the video if i saw it somewhere else like on a music channel on the TV
4 Which conventions of the genre do you recognise in the text?
Bright and colourful
Shots of the duo used throughout the video
Special effects have been used
Dancing
Some black and white shots
Costume changes
Variety of shot length
Location changes
5 To what extent does the text stretch the conventions of the genre?
I don't think that this video stretches conventions of the genre as it uses a lot of the conventions which are expected so therefore the conventions are followed, not challenged. The story of dance-battle is more hip hop than indie pop however the dancing is more fun and so therefore links back to the conventions of a pop video
6 Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
Throughout the video the story seems to be that different groups of people are having a dance off. Stereotypically, indie pop music videos don't use dance off stories as this is more of a hip hop genre convention however I think that it works well and is fun to watch for the intended audience
7 What sort of audience did you feel the video was aimed at? And how typical do you think this is of the genre/style of music?
I think that this video was aimed at teenagers because of the fun genre (which teenagers stereotypically like) and the video was enjoying, entertaining and fun to watch. I think that this audience is typical of this genre as it is known to be a genre which is aimed at teenagers
8 What sort of people does it assume you are?
It assumes that you are young and are interested in the song. The singing duo "CAPITAL CITIES" aren't a massive duo and so it would assume that you are fans of theirs as well as a fan of the genre
9 What assumptions have been made about your class, gender, age and ethnicity?
The video assumes that you're quite young as the people who indie pop videos are usually aimed at are teenagers. It doesn't seem to specify a gender, class or ethnicity as I think (other than the age) the video is open to a wide audience
10 What interests does it assume you have?
Music
YouTube/music channels
Indie pop genre
Capital Cities as a duo
11 What relevance does the text have to you?
The video isn't really relevant to my life other than it is a music video and I enjoy music. Also its relevant as I am the target watcher/listener and so I should be watching and should be enjoying the video
12 What knowledge does it assume?
It assumes that:
You are interested in the indie pop genre
You like the band/duo
The video keeps you interested
You like the videos concept- dancing
13 To what extent do you resemble the "ideal" reader that the video seeks to position you as?
I am a teenager who enjoys this genre of music and finds the video entertaining and fun to watch so I think that I resemble the ideal listener well
14 Are there any notable shifts in the videos style? If so, what do they involve?
There are only notable shifts in the style of dancing which is involved in the video- Charleston, tap, roller skating, ballet, disco etc
15 What response does the video seem to expect from you?
To enjoy the video and to have fun. This could then lead to me watching other videos posted and performed by Capital Cities. This could then lead to the viewers wanting to buy the music or watch the video again
16 How open to negotiation is your response? Are you invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular ways?
My response to negotiation is very open to response. When i first saw this video I thought it was really weird but i watched it again and realised how much fun it was. This 'fun' is something I want to convey in the video which I make as I think it captivates the audience and makes them want to watch it more which is the point of a video- as well as to make the song fun to listen to/ see the song acted out visually
17 Is there a penalty for not responding in the expected way?
There isn't really a penalty for not feeling a certain way, however the main point of the video is to have fun (as the song is quite fun to listen to and the people included in the video are having fun) so it is expected that you have fun when watching it. If you don't have fun there is no penalty it just shows that you are not the expected target audience
18 To what extent do you find yourself "reading against the grain" of the text and the genre?
I don't really find myself reading against the grain of the text and genre as I just watch the video and get engrossed in it because it is so captivating. The bright colours are eye catching and draw you into the video and it is so busy that you don't really have time to think about anything.
19 How typical do you think this video is of music videos?
I think that this video is very typical of music videos as there are lots of conventions included (such as performance and dancing as well as digital effects). This doesnt make it very unique, however the colours and effects make it very original and originality is something which should be there in all music videos.
It is vital that blogs are kept up to date and that progress is posted regularly. Screen grabs of the
creative process or other updates (evidence of students ‘creating the work’) must be included as
work is being completed.
Thursday 29th August – Friday 6th September
Carrying out research and planning.
To include:
Submit detailed analysis of music videos (at least 3) including conventions and genre
Categories e.g. illustration, amplification and disjuncture. (this was set as summer homework). Any students not completing work to be place on intervention list.
Decide on genre/song of music video
Preparation of a 25 word pitch to include:
Mood boards (e.g. animoto)
Decide on band/artist name and create biography
Post photos of band members alongside existing bands/ artists as exemplars
Examples of other texts
Audience profile and conduct market research (use uktribes.co.uk)
Set up twitter feed for your fictitious band
Teachers to regularly check and leave comments on blogs as part of rough draft marking of R&P.
Monday 9th September – Friday 13th September
Lessons to pitch idea to class and receive feedback
Evaluate class feedback (will be essential for your evaluation)
Refine idea and submit to teacher for feedback
Teachers to regularly check and leave comments on blogs as part of rough draft marking of R&P.
Monday 16th September – Friday 27th September
Comprehensive storyboard of your music video
Construct and post animatic onto blog
Schedule list
Consider representations in your music video (who/what, why, where, how)
Apply relevant narrative theorists to your music video
Post shots of prospective video locations
Write risk assessment
No Filming until all above elements have been completed and signed off by teachers.
Friday 27th September
MUSIC VIDEO Research and Planning MUST BE COMPLETED. Marks will be deducted for late submission.
Monday 30th September – Friday 18th October
All filming of music videos to take place outside of lesson time
Teacher introduces digipak/website/advert (generic conventions, part of the campaign etc)
Research CD covers, band websites, magazine adverts – detailed annotation/analysis
Produce mock ups of ancillary products e.g. photos, drawings, collage, colour palette etc
Friday 18th October
DRAFT DEADLINE for digipak and magazine advert.
Work to be submitted with name(s) and candidate(s) numbers to English office. Marks will be deducted for late submission.
Mon 28th October – Friday 1st November
Complete 1st draft of music video including filming and editing.
Friday 1st November
DRAFT DEADLINE - 3:10PM ENGLISH OFFICE
Work to be submitted on DVD with name(s) and candidate(s) numbers to English office.
Draft video must be posted on blog. Students to be placed on intervention list if work not completed. Marks will be deducted for late submission.
Monday 4th November – Friday 8th November
Feedback on digipak and magazine advert to be returned to all students.
Make necessary improvements and complete final versions.
Friday 8th November
3:10PM work to be submitted with name(s) and candidate(s) numbers to English office. Marks will be deducted for late submission.
Monday 11th November – Friday 29th November
Teachers to have returned first draft marks/comments for music videos
Update blogs with 1st draft teacher feedback (will be essential for your evaluation)
Make plan of action for necessary improvements
Make improvements to music video
Finish filming/editing final copy of music video
Peer assessment and evaluate feedback. Update blog with feedback (will be essential for your evaluation).
FINAL CUT OF MUSIC VIDEO MUST BE COMPLETED BY FRIDAY 29th NOVEMBER
Work to be submitted 3:10PM ENGLISH OFFICE on DVD with name(s) and candidate(s) numbers. Marks will be deducted for late submission.
Monday 2nd December – Friday 6th December
Evaluation questions introduced and taught. Examples shown.
All lessons devoted to completion of evaluation. Written essay format for each question to be completed this week and posted on blog.
Monday 9th December – Wednesday 11th December
• Plan and agree creative ways to present final version of evaluation.
Wednesday 11th December – Friday 20th December
• Answer all evaluation activities individually using a different creative media for each
FINAL EVALUATION DEADLINE FRIDAY 20TH DEC – WORK TO BE POSTED ONTO BLOG AND SIGNED FOR AT THE ENGLISH OFFICE TO INDICATE SUBMISSION. Marks will be deducted for late submission.
ALL COURSEWORK to be marked and marks submitted to NEF by Friday 24TH JANUARY 2014
