Evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
During a period of time, I was able to research and explore current music videos in order to develop planning for my own. I explored various genres of music videos before coming to a final decision on what genre to produce, being R&B. I decided to focus more on female representation in R&B music videos and how they have been presented. When studying these music videos I was able to gather that female R&B solo artists such as Alicia Keys and Beyonce like to focus their videos around themselves and themes of love. These particular female artists have a great deal of performance in their music videos, singing, dancing and close-up shots. For example in Beyonces Halo music video, the audience were presented looking at Beyonce dancing in front of mirror through the eyes of her boyfriend. This wasn’t exactly key to the song yet it was being used to promote Beyonces image. I have also noticed how if a narrative features through the music video it is entwined through the performance and it doesn’t necessarily over dominate the video. If, however narrative is quite key in these particular music videos, there will always being a balance with performance. In some cases, a narrative doesn’t feature at all. In Alicia Keys’ video No One there are no elements of narrative throughout the video, instead it presents her performing. She is displayed, dancing, singing and playing her piano, giving Alicia Keys a positive star image. I wanted to adapt these particular themes of existing music videos to my own. My music video, centres on themes of love and relationships, and obviously also promotes a female solo R&B singer. Similar to other female R&B music videos, performance is heavily presented in my video with elements of narrative. There is a balance. During my performance sections of my video, the artist is presented looking glamorous, attractive and appealing. She is presented to uphold a particular, perhaps stereotypical appearance and elements such up hair, make-up and dress all help to achieve this appearance. Many close-up shots are used throughout the performance to promote the artist and allow audiences to become familiar with her. The artist is also presented on a black background when performing, one to enhance her loneliness with relevance to the song, yet also to enhance her performance, making her appear bold and eye-catching to the audience. Even during the narrative, the artist is being presented with a positive star image. Even though she isn’t looking glamorous and attractive, the fact that she is being presented looking lonely and detached makes the audience, particularly young girls sympathise with the artist. My music video also displays clear relationships between the lyrics and visuals and the music and visuals. A narrative has been included to reflect the current story of the song which is regular idea that occurs in R&B type video’s today. The pace of the video is also very slow and calm for most of the song, reflecting its mood and atmosphere yet it also picks up speed at parts where the music pace increases. For my ancillary texts I also looked at other existing digipak’s and cover’s to assist me with my own projects. I looked at other R&B female covers and tried to draw on their similiarites. These elements helped me when creating my own cover and I began designing it around real conventions of media products today.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
After successfully creating my music video, I then had to develop the advertising for my product, the ancillary texts. This consisted of designing a digipak and the advertisement promoting the digipak. For the digipak, I had to design the front cover, back cover, CD face and inner booklet cover. I took many images of the artist, half from performance and half from narrative as I wanted the digipak to uphold the style of the music video. The front cover of digipak is extremely important as it is the first element audience’s will be drawn and attracted too. I thought it was key, to have a close up image of the artist on the cover. Not only will this be relevant to its particular genre, but it is also obvious that it will attract audiences. Also, the fact that many close up’s of the artist featured in the music video will have contributed to the audience being able to identify the artist. I experimented with different colours and effects for the front image attempting to create an attractive and powerful cover. Accompanying the cover with bold and dominant fonts would then work together with the image creating an appealing and eye-catching digipak. I then used the other images to represent the narrative in the music video but also to connote the balance with performance. I then went on to create the advertisement for the digipak and when designing this advertisement, I had to ensure that it will share the same styles with the digipak. For example the main images on both products would be the same; the exact same fonts and designs would be used and also similar colours. This advertisement is promoting the digipak, so I would want audiences to be able to identify immediately what digipak it’s promoting and who by. I think my digipak and advertisement successfully work well together, the clearly share the same styles and could easily be identified as promoting the same product. When relating to my music video, I feel again, it works effectively. I have described how I have used my digipak to relate and connect to my music video. In terms of audiences I feel both my music video and ancillary texts successfully attract the same target audience, being females between an age range of 12-19. The girlish colours and the glamour of the artist will all help to attract this particular audience.

What have you learnt from your audience feed back?
Before creating my real music video I uploaded the footage onto my computer and begun to create a rough cut for the first verse and chorus. This not only helped me gather how to use the iMovie editing program, it also helped me by allowing me to figure out an order of inserting my shots and clips. Once I completed this rough cut I was able to collect feedback from my peers. I asked 8 people what they thought of my rough cut and how it could have been approved. Suggestions such as improve on the lip syncing, add possible effects and add colour where possibly in the narrative where implied by my peers. After working through different effects and doing more work on lip syncing I was able to gradually create my final video as the audience feedback helped me a great deal. I was also able to gather audience feedback through my ancillary texts for my digipak in. After experimenting with various colours and tints for the main front image, I was split on what one of the images to decide on. I again asked my peers to choose the image they preferred and what they thought was the most affective. Out of 4 images, the black and white image received 1 vote, the green and pink tinted images both received 3 votes each leaving the yellow tinted image with 6 votes. I was extremely happy with this outcome as it strengthened my opinions on this image being the strongest. I then went on to use and build upon this image for my front cover of the digipak. I then included polls on my blog and reaction tabs underneath where my work on my blog. I feel the reaction tabs are a good way of people being able to get their opinions across, it is very quick and easy and they can give their genuine and initial reaction to my work they have viewed. One of the polls asked “Do you feel I have presented the artist with a positive star image? And the second asked “Can you identify a similarity between my music video and other female R&B music videos? Overall so far the results have been extremely positive. 85% of people feel that I have presented my artist positively to the best of my ability. A further 100% of people are able to draw upon similarities between my music video and existing music videos. This informs me that I don’t need to make any changes to my music video or ancillary texts as I feel I have successfully achieved what I aimed to do.

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research planning and evaluation stages?
During this project I used many different technologies. I began using a JVC camcorder to film my footage for my music video. In order to become experienced with the camcorder I decided to film a practise music video to become more familiar with its features and how it works. I also used supports such as tripods and dolly’s to accompany the camcorder whilst recording, which obviously allowed the camcorder to record steadily and also be able to move when needed. The Apple Mac computers have also played a huge part during this coursework project. It was very easy, quick and simple be able to upload all of my video footage onto the computers, particularly to the iMovie editing program which was the main editing program I used. Again, I needed some time to grasp the basics of using iMovie and completing a draft version of my music video helped that. Once the footage was uploaded, I was able to insert the song for my music video and begin syncing up the lyrics to the footage. After all of my clips had been arranged successfully in the right order, I was able to explore the iMovie features to see if any effects would have been necessary for me to use. Different effects were available such as black and white, the contrast and colour could be adjusted, clips could be slowed down and there were also transitions available to use. I also used Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator when designing my ancillary texts, the digipak and advertisement. Photoshop allowed me to edit the images I had taken for my ancillary texts and improve their appearance. There are many different types of tools and brush types available for me to use, for example the healing brush and sharpen tool. After I had employed the many different effects to the images I was able to use Illustrator to add the finishing features such as the text. I went through the texts that were included with the Illustrator program but i couldn’t find any that I thought were suitable to my front cover. I then searched the internet, which has also played a huge part during this project. I looked on various font websites and found some to download which I then went on to use. The internet has also allowed me to use websites such as Blogger and YouTube. On the Blogger website, I was able to create a blog where all my work could be uploaded; I could also create polls where people could give their feedback on my work. I also used the YouTube website to upload my own music videos and also search for existing videos to use for my research. The internet helped me a great deal during this project as did many other technologies.

Ancillary Texts: Advertisement For Digipak

Ancillary Texts: Digipak

Audience Feedback

Here I created a marking system on word in order to receive feedback on my cover image for my ancillary texts. I asked a number of people to mark the box for the image that they felt was not only their favourite but also the most attractive and dominant image. Out of all of the results, the first image was the most popular recieving an amount of 6 votes.

Experimenting With Final Image

This specific image of the artist was the final image chosen to be displayed on my digipak cover and advertisement. I then decided to edit my image in photoshop to help the image attain its full appeal, glamour and attraction. I started by removing the background, making the image achieve a proffesional status. I then begun to air-brush my image by removing any blemishes, spots or an un-even skin tone. This, straight away would assure that the image would not only appear very proffessional but also help the singer attain a flawless and glamorous look. I also went on to increase the lighting and the contrast of the image to help it become more bold, prominent and also stand-out amongst other digipak's. As you can see, there are four images above, all the same yet in different colour tones, one black and white and three with a red, yellow and green overtone. I wanted to experiment with this image to ensure the one I chose would be the better option. I feel black and white images are powerful images in their own state yet for this particular digipak, I feel one in colour would best represent and support the artist and themes. I changed the colour of the artist's eyes in the image because I felt it would dramatically improve the image. I personally feel that people first become drawn and attracted to people's eyes in particular so I wanted to improve on this aspect and make them appear enhanced. I then decided to choose, the first image as I feel it displays colour, attraction and glamour, yet also appears quite angel-like. (Bottom Image) I then went on to develop and edit the image further. The image has been retouched and brightened to maintain an angel-like appearance. Also, you will be able to see that I have begun to complete the digipak cover by adding the desired text.

Ancillary Texts: Digipak Advertisement Draft

Here is my draft for my digipak advertisement and as you can see, it upholds many similiar characteristics to the previous digipak drafts. It lacks colour, is very un-appealing and fails to boldy stand-out amongst the audience. One of the aspects on this advertisement that also contributes to its lack of appeal is the black writing placed on the singer's forehead. It not only makes the poster look distasteful but it would also withdraw the reader from the main image on the advertisement. Again, like the digipak, this poster would fail to attract an audience as their is no eye-catching qualities and woud easily go un-noticed with the public.

Ancillary Texts: Digipak Drafts

These are the drafts for my digipak and as you can see they are very plain and basic. Most of the images lack colour and glamour which overall creates an extremely dull and boring appeal about it. This digipak would be very unsuccessful among the market in terms of making sales, as it wouldn't succesfully attract its target audience. The lack of glamour and appeal would cause it to perhaps go un-noticed and also ignored. The main text font of the front cover definetly wouldn't attract and draw audiences in as it is extremely small. This element would also contribute to the digipak becoming ignored.

Experimenting With Text Styles (Continued)

Texts Styles For Digipak

These were the five text styles that I had considered for being the Mariah Carey title. As you can see it was clear from the start that Mariah Carey's name would be displayed and projected in pink. Not only because she is female, but because the digipak would be targeting young teenage girls to even young female adults. All of these text styles are equally attractive in their own way yet the font that was appealing and eye-catching to me was the last font. One of the reasons I chose this particular font was because it upheld a girlish vibe. It looks as though the name has been drawn in pink lipstick and this appeal, straight away would attract an audience of girls, within an age range of 13-19. The Mariah Carey digipak could be described as a love promo, again attracting many girls with this particular theme.

Images For Ancillary Texts

These are the images that I have taken for my Ancillary Texts. As my music video is part performance and part narrative, I wanted to make that clear by looking at my Ancillary Texts. In the first images, I used close-ups of the performer as many of these type of shots were refelcted in my video. I thought that it would be key for my type of performer to have close-up shots of her face displayed on the digipak and advertisment so audiences would be able to identify the performer and song straight away. In these images, again it reflects the performance section of the music video, as she appears glamorous and attractive. In the second lot of images, I wanted to capture the narrative section on the narrative. She appears, wearing the same attire that she wears in the music video, being sweatpants and a hoodie. She appears without the glamour she presents in the other images, with her hair tied back and no make-up. --------------------------

Digipak Panel's

Below are the three typical digipak panel templates. The first is the 4-panel layout, the second is the 6-panel layout and the thrid is the 8-panel layout. When creating digipak's, designer's will have to consider what panel would be the best option to design on. Elements such as, booklets, pictures and CD's will determine how large a digipak would be. In my case, I have decided to design a CD that will have two sides, one with the music and one with the music video and I also wanted to include a booklet of information and images. I feel the panel that would best suit my design would be a 4-panel digipak layout, so that it the layout that I am going to design my own digipak on.

Excisting Covers Within My Genre

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Here are four covers from R&B female artists: Mariah Carey, Rhianna, Alicia Keys and Beyonce. Before I created my own digipak and cover, I wanted to gather specific ideas and designs so I could bridge a starting point and then build upon my own. When looking at these covers, I can gather how they are all either close-ups or extreme close-ups of the artist. It is also clear what genre of music they centre in, being R&B. Even though they are close-up's it is apparent, by their facial expressions, make-up and hair that they are obviously female R&B singers. Each of these covers would attract their target audience, being primarily teenage and young adult girls. I then decided I would use a similar technique when creating my own cover, using close-ups and making the artist appear glamorous and attractive.

Analysis Of Digipak #1

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In this digipak there are no portrait images displayed of the artist, Chris Velan. Instead it opts for a detailed picture to mount the front cover. I do feel that perhaps an image of the artist would have been more effective but on some level the audience can still gather what type of artist and what type of music genre he is involved in. We can gather that the artist perhaps plays an instrument, preferably a guitar and is involved within an indie/acoustic type genre. The front picture includes images of bumble bees and flowers growing among fields and this creates a calm and peaceful atmosphere among those who are viewing the digipak cover. This images connotes themes of nature and also creates an idea of being free and open. Perhaps this images are very relevant and personal to the artist as it could reflects his personality and maybe’s his views on music. It also somewhat connotes how this reflects the type of music included by the artist, implying that the music will also make you feel relaxed, calm and composed again reflecting the indie, acoustic type genre.
The colour scheme used throughout the digipak is not very heavy with colour yet it’s also not too plain and monotone. A lot of warm colours are used throughout the image such as oranges, reds and yellows, again perhaps reflecting the style of the artist and his songs. The bumble bee is specific is one of the stronger features on the cover, the yellows and blacks used allow the image to stand-out and draw in audience attention. Even though there is no governing picture of the artist displayed on the front cover and also not also of powerful colours have been used, I still feel this cover is extremely effective. I can also gather that Chris Velan is possible a very independent artist, he obviously has a strong fan base through his genre of music and this particular audience will be attracted to this digipak.
There are many different lay-out’s digipak’s can obtain. For example, a 4, 6, or even an 8 panel lay-out and the creator of this digipak has obviously opted for the 4 panel layout. The CD is inserted in the groove where it is then closed and inserted into the front cover box. It’s also very brief about what information is included within the digipak, for example music videos, interviews or bonus tracks.
Underneath the artist name Chris Velan is the name for the digipak, Solidago. I researched this term and was informed that it is the Latin term for a golden flower which name means to “strengthen or make whole”. This then strengthens the image on the front cover as it has more of a meaning that I had thought. The title of the digipak could also connote again what Chris Velan writes and sings songs about, perhaps they are very political songs centring on themes such as world poverty, global warming and wealth. I feel this digipak at first glance could possibly go unnoticed among people of the public as there is no main image or bold strong colours. However when analysing deeper into the digipak, it is clear what genre of music the artist is involved in and his strong views expressed through music. This is all made apparent through the digipak.

Final Music Video: Mariah Carey-Circles

iMovie: Screen Grabs

Rough Cut Of Music Video

Practise Music Video

Before starting our own music video's we were allowed to group up and create any music video of our choice. This would not only prepare us for filimg when it came to creating our own video's but it would also help us when using the editing programs. Me and my group came up with a different idea from a usual music video, we has split idea's of what song to choose so we decided to do a combination of songs. If the video does not work, you can follow the link below it will take you to youtube where you can then watch our music video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8hSaupYWLo&feature=related

Location Images

Target Audience

The audience I want and intend to target and attract during this project are females between an average age range of 13-19. There are many elements that can contriubute in helping to succesfully attract the target audience. The artist is my music video is a female solo singer, singing about love, relationships and primarily boys. This theme will instantly attract teenage girls as they may feel they can connect to the artist and relate to what she is singing about. The way in which the digipak is also going to be designed will also help attract this partiuclar audience as the artist on the front cover will look glamourous appealing and also the feminine and girlish colours like pinks will be used.