Evaluation

Now that i have completed all the tasks in my chosen brief, I will now evaluate my work in detail to show my planning, research, digital technology skills and my creativity. The outline of my task was to produce a promotional package for the release of an album which was to include a music promo video, along with a digi pack design and a poster for the album.

Throughout the process of making my media product, i considered strongly the conventions that outlined my chosen genre (indie/ alternative) in order for my product to look professional and comply with real media products within the same genre. So i feel my work has been greatly influenced by existing media products, which created almost a foundation for me to build upon. However, i wanted to find new inspiration to create an innovative and original concept and narrative for my audience which i feel i have successfully accomplished. My inspiration happened to be my own life experience and my music video almost creates an insight into the changes of what could possibly happen in the future. So in essence i have created a narrative based on one possible path that my life could follow. The narrative is about a girl moving away to London to go study at university and how she has to part from her boyfriend due to the long distance. So the narrative is based upon my own personal story, but i feel it will be able to reach out and touch the emotions of others who will be experiencing the same changes in life or who have had failed relationships and lost love. So even though my idea is original, from my own life experience, my target audience can associate with the themes and emotions portrayed in the narrative.

The conventions that i have used within my video include using characters within a similar age category to my target audience(15-26). This is usually done so that the audience can relate to the characters easily as their of a similar age, creating more interest for them in the narrative as it could reflect familiar issues to them. I conventionally chose my cast through their acting ability and more importantly their image and what it portrays. I picked an attractive couple so that the audience will be further engaged in my music video and I feel the stereotypes of the characters coincide successfully with the narrative. This is because Liv is dressed quite sophisticated and 'posh' with her generic gillet, pony tail, Ugg boots and scarf which shows her wealthy status stereotypically and her ability to get into her accredited university. Whereas the audience can gather from Tom's stereotype that his character is more chilled and laid back through comfortable clothing like hoodies, trainers and joggers, portraying his less serious approach to university. Therefore it relates to him not been successful in his application. So i conventionally used stereotypes for my cast in order for my audience to immediately relate to their character just through costume and narrative.

I also used a local location which is quite generic of indie/alternative music videos as these band's like to show their Independence by either using local city's and streets or even there roots from where they came from. This can be seen in videos like arctic monkeys 'when the sun goes down' where the neepsend district of Sheffield is shown which in fact is the bands home town. I chose to use Beverley as it is the home town of my cast and their lives have been surrounded and shaped by this town. I also feel it brings a personal feel to the video and just like indie alternative bands it portrays the ideology that their videos don't need to be in studios and use editing like green screening but in fact portray local life and realism which is very effective. I very much agree with this ideology as my video has created a personal, realistic approach to the audience in which they can relate to.

I edited parts of my video to black and white which follows the conventions of the genre too. Indie bands such as The Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks and Bloc party themselves use black and white in their videos as it creates more of an effect and more emotion and passion towards the lyrics and meaning of the song. I used it for these reasons too that it creates an interesting contrast in the visuals and my song is very meaningful too, so it further amplifies the deep emotion. However, I only used it in parts as it shows a change in time which is of course the couples past memories together. I also used montage editing throughout my music video to create fast pace, abstract sequences to engage my audience but again i was inspired by existing videos that use this generic style of editing. This was used in The Kooks music video 'Ooh La' and this with many other videos inspired me to incorporate this generic feature so that my target audience are familiar with it in my own music video.

I also edited to the beat of the music which is a main convention of music videos in general. This is done in order to keep up with the pace of the music and create a variety of different shots in sync with the music for the audience to follow and allows more variety. My video is both cut to a slow and fast pace in parts, so taking this generic feature into consideration of editing to the beat i used fast, quick cuts to connect with the fast parts in the music along with longer, short cuts which i slowed down to create a slow motion effect to match the slower beats of the music. However i also contrasted fast music with slow motion clips to contradict the music and the visuals which i also found created an effective result and is also another feature used by some music videos like Prodigy's 'Smack my bitch up' video where it is used to create the illusion that he is under the influence of alcohol and everything is slowed down. My main use was to fit the footage to the beat, but found that it also amplified the emotion to the audience like for example the shot where she is crying shows her tears falling slowly as he kisses her head. Whereas if this was done at normal speed or faster for instance, the emotion would simply be lost. I feel there is also a relationship with the music where it can be illustrated by whats happening in the visuals of my music video. For example, at the beginning there is a fast repetitive drum beat that is played whilst the train is passing which represents the sound of the train on the train tracks. This actually happened accidental whilst i was editing and realised that it worked very well for this reason, so this is an example of how my creativity can be accidental and not always deliberately constructed.

Additionally, I feel that my music video also creates a relationship with lyrics as well which is another convention of existing music videos. The introductory words 'I caught a glimpse but it's been forgotten' is illustrated by the girl closing her eyes to see a glimpse of her own memories of happiness with her boyfriend that could almost seem forgotten. This is then contrasted with tension and a lost emotion when the video cuts back to the present scenes of them in the train station. I conventionally used mise en scene here to further expresses the couple emotions such as the brick wall which connotes that they can't escape whats happening and the colour red signifies love but it shows how its trapped and restricted by the walls. Whereas the memories together can signify happiness through the sun shining and pleasant things like picnics, trampolines and ice creams and the clear blue sky to further represent their freedom together. Also the lyrics 'I made a vow' are illustrated by the boy presenting her with a heart necklace, to show his commitment of affection to her and the heart of course signifies his love for her. The silver is also desirable, almost as if love is what everyone desires. So my video shows a strong relationship with the lyrics just like other music videos too.

Ive used references to the notion of looking, for example certain camera angles and closeups capture passionate scenes of them together, Ive used two shots also to create the effect of the couple been strong together and sharing the same feelings. I have also used closeups for the pleasure of the audience so that they can become involved and attracted to the actors, for example there is a shot of Liv's eyes in a mirror on one scene which appear very beautifully. I chose of course to not show the actors however in a revealing sexual manner as this wouldn't be generic of that genre which I researched before.

I have also used conventionally inter textual references within my music video. There are university letters that are opened by the couple which is a reference to Westminster university and teens opening these letters to find out if they are successful. So the whole video really is a reference to young love, college students leaving for university and failed relationships. It also references to young fashion of this time, with the Ugg boots being generic comforts for students to be wearing at the moment, so the audience can relate to the clothing worn by my cast. I also feel it has reference to cinema and film as its purely narrative and has a clear story that runs throughout just like a short film. I also feel it has reference in particular to skins, as the they use montage editing of young people expressing themselves and enjoying life, especially the last montage of my video as it's more abstract with shots of the sun, a hand holding a necklace and shadows walking. I really like my video in this style though and i have probably experimented with this as i wish to follow this career path one day in the film industry.

However, I feel that my product also challenges and breaks the usual conventions within my genre which i aimed to do in order for it to be creative and original for my audience. Firstly my music video was purely narrative based which isn't common amongst the indie/alternative genre as usually they have a performance based video or split between both performance and narrative. I have also not used any of the artists and just two actors which challenges the conventions. For instance, 'The Great Escape' music video by We Are Scientists, features the artists acting and miming in the band. However I found a video by Arctic Monkeys, called 'lets leave before the lights come on' which features two actors and one narrative with no lip syncing or shots of the band. This is very similar to my music video as its purely narrative with only actors. This also highlights how my music video breaks the conventions like the arctic monkeys as they both share the same ideologies of breaking the mould and been different and individual. I chose to do this because i wanted to be original, i felt i had a strong narrative to play with and also i think the emotion would be lost with scenes of a band playing in between as it may not look realistic or professional. Ive seen a few previous a2 music videos on youtube that made this mistake and realised that a strong narrative can be enough without performance and i feel i have successfully achieved this.

I also broke the conventions by using direct mode of address in some of my shots, particularly in the shots of their memories, they look at the camera directly which isn't very generic of a narrative structured video. I did this however to create a connection of intimacy with the audience and the actors. Additionally it gives the feel of a home video which i felt was appropriate, so the handheld shots look natural and the direct focus of eye contact shows them acknowledging the camera. This also gave me less restrictions, and stationary shots and I felt the freedom to create a variety of hand held shots and any excess movement could be classed as an amateur home video of the couple together.

Lastly i feel i have challenged the narrative by using a love story as it appears quite feminine to be displayed in a bands video, however i feel that it would draw more female audiences in through this narrative and widen the target audience i feel. I think this music video pulls out all the stops by purely using a strong narrative to continually try and engage the audience and I feel it does just that without any shots of the band included. I feel this feminine image will just be one of many themes that the band could portray and shows a different romantic side to the group. I have also challenged the conventions by not ending with a 'happy ending' and with actually quite a sad one. The guy is walking hopelessly down the platform as the rush of the people move around him, everything goes back to normal and he is left there lost, alone and torn on the platform, as he watches his first love travel further away into the distance. However i feel this is more effective as your constantly thinking through the video, this will be resolved and they'll forever be together creating a re-equilibrium in the story. Until you realise that its not going to happen. Some of my viewers had a lump in their throat thinking how easily he let her go, like the typical guy and a few other people agree that its not what you expect until the end and it feels almost as if your on that train with her, feeling lost and uncontrollably becoming distant and alone. Its quite a cold feeling as the last notes drone out and the fade of black kicks in which does sound rather morbid but as my narrative is representing the reality of situations between couples (which could be my own reality) i felt a happy ending would have only added to the cheesiness and make believe of love story's. My video style is more like a short, documentary /film with footage that captures almost the raw feeling of heartache between the couple and i feel it will move the majority of people who watch it in their own way.

The CD cover I feel also uses the generic conventions of the indie/alternative genre. This includes using a signature font for my artist so that my band will be easily recognisable in the future with other albums and advertisements. I also made the band name larger than the album name as I found this a typical convention when researching other album covers. I found that this was because the bands name is more important than the album name and should be the first thing an audience recognises when they see the album. I feel it is quite bold, and eye catching and the pixelated, edgy font reflects the individuality of the group and it's music and how it looks as if it wants to break it's restricted edges of the font. I used a different font for the album name, which was a child-like calligraphy as well which is more personal, reflecting the a personal approach to the song and album.

However I have unconventionally used a different image for my album as it is not of the band themselves which is a common feature of indie band's albums. Instead i have chosen an image which relates to the story of the hit single 'So Here We Are' on the album and reflects the narrative within my music video. The black and white image of the two hands parting over a railway track i feel is very emotive and moving and even if the audience hasn't yet watched my music video they will already begin to understand and relate to the connotations of lost love and break ups. The railway track further amplifies this too, as it shows a form of transport driving the couple apar. So this shows that even though my music video and album cover are connected closely, someone who isn't familiar with my video would gather immediately the connotations of this image. I have kept the front cover quite pure with the white background, which cleverly contrast with the black and white image that is placed in the centre. The white border frames the image neatly to add to the minimalist look but also shows reference to art, and how they may see there music artistically. This also associated the image now with interest and intellect which could reflect the music been more than just a composition but well considered intelligently and that the music is taken seriously. So this already places the band's ideology in a different, individual category but one that's intelligent and thoughtful.

The inside left flap, continues the white theme with a plain white background and the bands name and album name neatly in the centre to further promote the band and its music. This is quite conventional of digipacks, so i thought i would incorporate this into my design too.

The inside centre where CD 1 would be placed has a picture of the band which i feel breaks the conventions slightly as they would normally be displayed on the front or back cover but i have decided to place them on the inside, as the audience lifts the CD out. This shows that the band are more passionate about their music and wish not to rely on their image and good looks to promote and sell their music. So in essence you only see the band when you lift up the CD. This picture of the band again is in black and white to carry the theme across the digi pack. I have also conventionally arranged my band so that the lead singer is at the front as he has the most star status and recognised role by fans. The guy i used for the lead vocalist was very stereotypical of a band member too with his lip piercings, quirky fashion, vintage headphones, long styled hair and of course good looks. Like the majority of bands it's sad to say that the front man is usually the best looking in order to attract their audience and draw them in. This is noticeable in bands like Kings Of Leon, The Arctic Monkeys and We Are Scientists who I mentioned earlier. So i have generically arranged the band members in the composition of the photo for the best possible results of attracting the audience. The other band members follow the style conventions of long, messy hair, tight t-shirts and jewellery. I think the bracelet one band member is wearing creates a feminine, different look to the band and fits with the theme of my music video too, also the other member is wearing a ghost busters t-shirt which is a vintage top inter textually referring to a classic programme. Also the lead singers jacket looks rather military and could show reference to 80's band Adam and The Ants. These references to vintage and retro programmes and bands reflects their music being slight punk revival and reminiscent of the 80's era of music when synthesiser's where introduced which the band actually use themselves in the majority of their songs. I wanted the band to pose serious on this particular picture to show professionalism and reflect a dominant status. This is very generic too for bands to pose seriously and look directly at the camera. However I juxtaposed this image and mood with a more relaxed composition in the second photo placed under CD 2. I used a photograph, again in black and white of the same location for continuity of the band laughing and sharing a joke with each other. Even though of course it was mediated and constructed the band were laughing naturally and i was able to capture the moment very well. There is less structure with the lead vocalist now resting casually against the wall, and they are gathered round in a more circular shape as appose a triangular shape on the serious photo. I feel this created for the audience a communal, friendly feeling between the group and the audience can relate to the laid back atmosphere. Its almost like a behind the scenes photo of the band out of character and not holding a front which they usually adapt to on camera. The reason I used this photo was so that the audience could create a friendly relationship with the group and reveals the group naturally as themselves which fans are always seeking to find out who the real people are behind the band.

I incorporated another conventional feature on the other flap of the digi pack which was a thank you page. I took inspiration for this from the Kings Of Leon's Albums as they always pay tribute to their producers, crew and even their religious beliefs. As this was generic, i thought i would use one too, to further add a professional quality to my album. I kept it plain and simple again to create continuity throughout the digi pack and also the purity of the white, plain background reflects their christian religion and purity as a group which all together shows a contrasting ideology of a band within this genre. The usual ideologies of indie bands are to be messy, unorganised, on the road, under the influence of either drugs, alcohol or both, partying, sex and lots of women. However i dont wish to portray the sex, drugs and rock and roll label for my band with this album and wish to create a different side to them and challenge the ordinary conventions of indie albums to create something new. I want them to find their more romantic,passionate and emotive side and let their audience appreciate their music and lyrics souly and not just their image and lifestyles.

For the back cover of my CD, I lastly incorporated more conventional features of indie albums such as the track names along the left hand side. The main reason i chose to place them here, was so that the the tracks didnt cover or detract the audience away from the image of the train track. The image again is in black and white which looks very professional and artisti and could reflect the nature and music of the band. I really fell in love with this photo as you can just stare at it for ages because you cant see the end of the track as it curves and you imagine in the track elongating and flowing further and further away from you. I feel that it connotes the journeys of life that people go through, just like my music video and how things can change. Also it could portray the journey that my band have come along from humble backgrounds to a succesful career. The names of the tracks are a mixture of existing ones and ones that i have made to try and blend in with the genre, and through researching other track names from indie band albums, they appear to be quite short and snappy sometimes using ellipsis of words to shorten them down. I also generically used a barcode as i found these on all the back covers of albums. I positioned it at the top so that it again didnt interfere with the image and because there not very artistic but are necessary, i felt this was the best place for it. I also created a record company based on the layout of other record companys where they have the name quite small and usually and a logo to represent the label. I feel i created a relevant and original record label for my band called interchange records. This added to the professionalism of the album and further more i conventionally added the copyright information in small print at the bottom as its necessary to be there but it doesnt need to be bold for the audience as its just a legal requirement and not a selling point for the album. So overall my CD cover has challenged the convetnions of real music digi packs and also challeneged them to be original and unique.

Finally my poster has also used the conventions of indie posters. This time i generically used the band as the background to fulfill the image of the poster, so that the audience will imediately recognise the band and associate the bold name of the band with the image of them. I again displayed the name of the band 'Turning Spiral' larger than the name of the album as this is a clear convention as the bands name will attract the audience and not the unknown album. The name of the band 'Turning Spiral' is slightly generic in the sense that other bands within the same genre like friendly fires and passion pit share abstract and unusual names but also how these bands are considerd diffferent them selves and trying to break the mould actually makes the name individual. The name is of course still using the signature font from the digi pack album to create a trademark for the band an association for the audience. I have also used the convention of the date the albums released, but i have simply used the imperative sentence 'Out Now' which should persuade the reader more abrubtly to go and buy the CD. This font is also quite generic of this genre as alternative music, like bloc party's influence of electro can be reflected in the font as it appears modern and digital to the audience. This could also show the bands new sound and how it can be digitally made on synthesisers too. I have included information about hit singles which i have seen used on other album digi packs like mine which i incorporated and lastly I displayed a picture of the album cover on the poster too. I did this not only because its conventional but i placed it next to the imperative OUT NOW so that the audience know what they are looking for in the stores. All these features help my poster to be bold, eye catching, successful and professional and this shows overall that my products can relate to similar products on the market today but also compete against them by being orginal and fresh.

The combination of my video along with my ancillary texts, a digi pack and an album poster i feel all connect and relate to each other very strongly. Firstly i used the theme of black and white for my ancillary texts relating to the past memories of the video which were edited to black and white as well. So already there is a link of continuity throughout my products which the audience will associate those colours with. I feel that the images naturally look better in black and white too so the theme was a good choice as they gained the best results through this editing. The colours act as a recourring motif for the audience to follow and is also generic amongst real media products. So the theme is continuous which strongly relates each of the products together. The bands name creates a signature logo and trademark for them with the pixelated font and I feel that this allows the audience to easily recognise and associate this font with the band further promoting them. Their name, is one of the main componants in each of the texts and is used boldly to draw the audience in and again creates a theme of importance on the ancillary texts, for the bands name to stand out. The images are related closely too as the image on the front cover of my digi pack is of the couple holding hands from my music video which relates the two products together. Further more the image of the album front cover is displayed at the top of the album poster which also features a large image of the band which can be found on the inside of the digipack, so the themes are all continued and related back to through my products so they further promote and support each other. My main point for using just the band on the poster is to attract generically the target audience as they would be attracted to bands they like within the same genre but once there engaged show how the album detracts away from the celebrity status of the band and how they take their music on a more seriously level and not just for fame. So the audience is drawn in generically only to realise that the band is actually quite, fresh, new and individual to other bands which would still suit slightly the ideologies that they follow as an audience.

In order to gain audience feeback i created a poll on my blog and devised ten questions relating to the products i have created for my audience to vote on. I have learnt from this feedback future productions and realised what are my strengths are as well as weaknesses.

I have learnt from these poll results and the first question shows that 71% of viewers think that my music video was the my most professional product which i would agree with myself as i spent the most time on this, but also 28% of them preferred my ancillary text, the poster advertisement. As no one voted for my digipack, this shows that my design wasnt as strong as the poster and my music video and I feel this could have been beaus a later poll states that 66% of viewers disliked the ancillary texts ( probably my digi pack) because they were too simple. A further 50% stated that the some features looked amatuer and not professional. I think this could be due to some of the fonts used generically from Microsoft Publisher and also my original, handmade record company label which isn't the best of quality due to constructing it on publisher as well.

I was very pleased to see that the correct genre (Indie/alternative) was voted 100% which shows that I have used conventions of real media texts within this genre and the audience can relate to and detect this. This is strong positve feedback to gain and from this i feel very confident in my prodcuts portraying and complying with conventions of the indie/ alternative genre. I also recieved 100% positive feedback when i asked 'If the band was unknown, would you buy the album on the strength of my products'. This is a very good sign too as i only asked people aged between 17 to 20 which are within the age range of my target audience, and if the band appeals to them without them relying on already knowing the band, i feel this makes my products very successful.

I then asked my audience if they thought my products related to eachother, as i feel this is very important as they should show continuity for the audience and create a relationship of similarity and themes to support eachother. Earlier in my evaluation i felt that they connected quite strongly together and my audience agrees wholly with 100% voting yes.

I then moved onto my music video as this is the largest product i had to make and asked my audience 'what did you like most about my video' in order to gain positive feedback and highlight the things i did well. In the lead was the narrative of my story, showing that 57% felt this was the most engaging part about my video. I am pleased with this result as the music video is purely narrative based and would not have been successful without an interesting plot. I agree that this is the strongest part of my music video as you want to watch it further to find out what happens next and are engaged fully throughout as the story unfolds. I liked the fact that the narrative was my own personal story too and that it could be dramatised and shown to an audience who appreciates it. The second largest vote was on the location of my video with 42% which i was actually quite suprised at. This is because even though i was happy with the location for the particular mise en scene of scenes and the beauty of the place, i thought this wouldn't have been voted for as there isnt much variety as its all set within the local town of Beverley. However the audience appreciate the location too, and maybe they developed a relationship with the surroundings throughout the video as it's repeated which could reflect how the couple feel and relate to their familiar home town.

However i also asked what they disliked about my video to gain balanced feedback judging on acting, location, narrative and editing. The percentages where split between two categorys with 71% voting for poor acting and 28% for the locations used. As i was suprised before about the locations been a highlight of my video for some previously, i expected the location on this question to be criticised as i could of filmed in a place more recognisable and interesting for my target audience. However i chose to film here as it was picturesque, historical and thought it portrayed the right ideology for the bands song about romance and relationships. If i'd of used an urban, run down or derelict town it connotates the opposite feelings of poverty, crime and anger. The acting i felt was average, as they were not professional and simply a couple which have done drama at school previously. There are scenes were the acting i think is performed quite well like the beginning where she is crying and hugging her boyfriend. However looking back, i now can see the amateur acting skills more towards the end as they dont show enough emotion when she finally leaves on the train. However i will take into account that they are not professional and that those scenes where done in the rush of the public which did make it hard for the actors to focus and concentrate. However the audience have voted 100% on the end scene being effective, but this may be due to the sad ending, contrasting with what they expected, a happy ending. I feel the mood of the video at the end leaves you feeling quite lost and fustrated for the guy, as she is taken further and further away into the distance. I think it also draws upon feelings of your own whoever and whatever circumstance your in. This can be strongly reminiscent of failed relationships and lost love and for people in my circumstance a possible, harsh reality of the near future.

This poll has officially evidenced that my music video has a clear narrative which i strongly believed myself which was positively voted 100% by the viewers. I used multiple questions to challenge the audience and they all successfully chose the correct answer. I feel that the narrative develops a structure more towards the end which is interesting, as many people ask at first what its about but they soon realise half way through. I think this technique is why my narrative is successful as its not generically structured in the way that it lays everything out, it only reveals the crucial content towards the end and almost leaves you not enough time to plan a conclusion in your head which adds effect to the ending as you expect the opposite of what happens. I also gained audience feedback on the song itself which recieved another 100%, as i feel its quite abstract and its melodic music draws you into the diagesis of the narrative. I felt it was perfect for my music video as it closely links the visuals with the lyrics and also the delicate parts of the music complimented the theme of love. Also the repetitive drums almost echoed the sound of the train passing and the fast paced music towards the end before fading reflects the rush of emotions on the platform before been left broken hearted and torn.

I feel overall the feedback from my audience allows me to highlight the success of my media products and also critical feedback has shown where my weaknesses lye and allows me to identify these and think how i could improve and strengthen my production if i were to carry out the task or a similar one again.

Over the course of completing my chosen brief i have used a range of media technologies within the construction and research, planning and evaluating stages of my production. In order to develop my research and and expand my knowledge on the history of music videos i used the search engine Google to find out relevant information and gain access to worldwide links. I also used wikipedia for more detailed and specific information and explanations. I used youtube to watch videos and analyse them which is another website i am very familar with and often use myself at home. I did experience copyright problems however on some of the msuic videos as they had been deleted off youtube by the record company and i was unable to view them. I also experienced lots of misleading videos which featured the name of the song, like people impersonating the videos and singing them which is very common to come across, after all the website was created to star the public for entertainment. This touches on the subject how i have witnessed how the world wide web has changed to web 0.2 - an active, interactive audience rather than a consuming audience like before with web 0.1. I also watched music channels like on Sky digital at home for inspiration for my own ideas which offers a range of channels like Chart Show TV, The hits, Bliss etc. The choice gave me the oppurtunity to explore the different contents of music genres and as i was particularly interested in the indie/alternative music genre for my music video. I found myself watching NME in particular as this offers pure indie music to niche audiences like myself. I did find it sometimes inconvenient as i couldnt pause it or replay the video back to pick up on key features and conventions, also the adverts in between become rather irrating as they create a large gap in between viewings. However, none of these were challenging for me as i was very familiar with these technologies already.

I created my blog on blogger which of course itself is a technology, but i used it with ease this time after previously creating a blog last year at AS level. I use it to store all of my coursework to display my planning, research, construction and evaluative work which I feel is an advantage as i can create new posts and update my blog wherever i am as its on the internet, however i have experienced loss of work when creating a new post as my computer has crashed before ive published it. From this i have learnt to draft my work, and use the automatic save in case this occurs again but it set me back in my work and i had to start the whole post again.

The next stage after reseaching the history was analysing music videos on my blog. I used media technology when embeding videos onto my blog by using the embed code off youtube and then copying it into the html codes of my blog in order for it to appear. However i have found difficulty when doing this as sometimes youtube didnt allow the embed code to be used, also one of my videos was deleted and not viewable on my blog as i didnt have the rights to display the owners video. I also used print screen shots and stills of the music videos to further amplify meaning in my analysis. I did this by pausing the video, pressing the print screen button and then opening up a programme called paint. This enables me to paste the screen shot, cut round the content i desire and save the picture as a JPEG file, which is then easily uploaded to blogger. I just pressed the image icon on blogger, browsed for the file i wanted and uploaded it to my current post. After practice of doing this, I now perform this quite quickly by using short cut keys on paint to paste and save the image. This has saved me time, however i found it fustrating when trying to drag the photo from the top of your blog to the current section where i was working.

I now needed to choose a song for myself, so after using SKY music channels and the radio, I eventually came across a song whilst I was walking to college listening to my ipod on shuffle. I found it very meaningful, melodic and everything around me as i walked created a film before me as the music drew me in. I knew from then on that i wanted to use 'Bloc party's So Here We Are' for my video and therefore had to find the lyrics and print them off to analyse. I used a website called A-Z lyrics.com and found this useful as it had the correct lyrics. I then again used my print screen technique to save the file as a jpeg to print easily. However before this i came across this trustworthy website i came across other various lyric websites where the words were clearly wrong which made me weary of the content i was printing off. So this is an example of how the web is misleading and how the public are interactive in diplaying the lyrics even though they may be wrong. So nothing appears as factual and the amount of links can create confusion for a user of the internet which i have experienced.

Once i printed my lyrics off onto an A3 sheet so i had room to analyse them, i needed to upload them onto blogger. With the assistance of a teacher, i was shown how to use the scanner and upload my analysis of the lyrics to my blog, which is a simple but useful skill i have learnt through doing this.

My next stage after deciding on my song and a narrative/concept for music video was to create a storyboard. I drew each of the shots out individually on paper, noting down the specific shot, time duration, camera angles and brief description of the action been taken. I then needed to turn this into an animatic which is a moving storyboard with additional effects and the music along side it. In order to do this i took pictures of the storyboard on my actual video camera, as it has the ability to take photos and upload them to through a usb connection to my computer. Many of my peers used Adobe Premiere Pro which is what we eventually used to produce our music video on, however i decided to do it at home as i was familar with a programme called picasa which can create short videos like these with additional music. However this failed as i couldnt cut the actual clips down to the actual duration i wanted them to be and only showed the images as a video presentation. Therefore i moved onto a programme called Windows Movie Maker which allowed me to do this and much more. I used effects to create a sketch like effect which brought out the outline in my drawings which i decided to use. I added my music by importing it from my Itunes folder into the programme as it gives you that option. After manipulating the clips i rendered it and created an actual movie file for it which could be played back just like a normal audio/video file. I then went onto my blog and clicked on the video icon to upload it straight from my documents. I had never done this before but felt I carried the task out without any complications it was just time consuming waiting for it to upload eventually onto my post. So these are examples of more media techical programmes i used in the planning of my music video.

To create and edit my music video i used a suite called Adobe Premiere Pro. I was already familiar with this through using it for mini projects in my digital video editing enrichment course and also from a task we was given last year in media studies to create a film trailer. So this benefited me as i was aware already of how to import the footage and use edits like the pen tool to create fades, reverse/speed tools and how to elongate or shorten and cut a clip. However i have expanded my technical skills within this production using in particular special effects like cross fades, change ofopacity and an effect called colour pass which picks out a colour you desire leaving the rest black and white. I also learnt shortcuts in order to work quickle and efficiently like pressing the space bar to playback my video, how to copy and paste clips, copy attributes from one clip to another and also render my work area. I became very comfortable with the editing suite by the end of the production and feel i have widely developed my skills since the beginning of the project. I did experiance problems with the editing suite aswell such as the computer crashing and losing updated edits but however it made me aware of the situation and from now i always press ctrl+s to save my work often just incase.

The construction of my ancillary texts came more with ease as i had previously at AS level created a music magazine cover, double page spread and contents page . I used Microsoft publisher as this was the most appropriate programme to use to construct my ancillary texts. I took photographs whilst on the set of my music video and also at college of my peers posing as the band members. I used my own camera which is a Samsung ES55 which has 10.2 mega pixels and 3x zoom 6.3-18.9mm. I chose to use this as I felt i would gain a clearer quality than if i was to use a college camera. I then uploaded these onto my laptop from the memory card of my camera and selected which photos i wanted to use. At first i began editing my photos in Adobe photoshop at college but then realised i couldn't access the file from home so i decided to use a different programme. I manipulated the images in an editing programme called Picasa 3 which is a free download from google that I have on my home computer. This allows me to use basic fixes like crop, straighten, red eye correction, auto colour and auto contrast. It also allows me to use more advance editing tools such as retouches, where i can elliminate and smooth out imperfections of the face, almost like airbrushing which is a common technique used within the music industry. I used this on the band to smooth out their complexion and enhance their image to futher attract my target audience. I also changed the contrast and highlights of the pictures to create shadows, and turned the image to black and white for greater effect. After i manipulated the photos in Picasa i exported the images into my documents so that i could import them into Microsoft publisher. Here i then incorporated them into a digipack design and also a poster for the album. I further enhanced the images if they appeared to dull by using the automatic picture toolbar such as brighten and contrast. There is also a transparent tool which i used alot for the fonts, so they didnt have a white background and clear one instead.

The majority of my fonts i wanted to look professional and unique to reflect the bands ideology and therefore was reluctant to use many fonts straight from Publisher. Although for small text like the copyright information and track names on the digipack and also the hit singles on the poster, I did use simple fonts in wordart like Microsoft Himilaya and Simsung. For the more unique fonts i wanted to incorporate i used a website called 'DaFont.com' which was really useful as there is wide choice of different genres and styles of fonts. I chose different fonts for the bands name and album name so that they stood out individually. Normally you would have to purchase the font online to use it, however i managed to avoid this by using my print screen and paint techniques as i explained earlier. This became a very common way for me to capture fonts and use them as picture files(JPEG) on my ancillary texts. I also used this technique to print screen the final products so that as an image it was easier to upload to blogger. I also used autoshapes on publisher to create a logo for my own record label which was quite challenging. This was because i wanted two arrows entwined perfectly inside of a circle to represent the name of my record label interchange records, reflecting the interlink and overlapping of the arrows. I found it quite hard to postion them and use the rotate tool to gain a perfect shape, but from this i created a different shape with them still interlinked but on different levels.

I wanted to visualise what both my products would look like professionally, therefore i used a digi pack template to insert each of my cover designs into the six panels to get an idea of the the dimensions of the real product and what it would like. I did this buy saving the template off a website that specialises in different digi pack templates called DiscWizards.com. I used a six panel one as this can include two CD's one for the album tracks and the second CD for my music video of the hit single 'So Here We Are'. For my album poster i wanted to visulise what it would look like as a street advert on a bus stop so I used a wesite called PhotoFunia which allows you to impose your photos for free onto almost anything, from billboards in new york, to the face of the mona lisa. I imposed mine onto a bus stop advertisement set in the middle of a buzzing city at night. I felt this looked really effective and gave me an idea about what it could look like as a professional product.

After completing all of my products, i wanted to gain audience feedback, so i devised a poll which appears on the right hand side of my blog for visitors to fill out. I handed out my blog address to people who are within my target audience in order to gain positive and critical feedback from them. I had created a poll last year at AS so i was familar with creating one on my blog. I devised ten questions for my audience to fill out in order to recieve a range of different feedback from different people to help me evaluate my work.

In conclusion, I feel I have created a strong promotional package for an album release within this genre. My products manage to link well and support eachother and include lots of generic conventions used by real media texts but also incorporating elements of orginality to challenge and compete with other existing album covers, advertisements and music videos. I have progressed along the way in creativity through trial and error in my ideas and have learnt for future reference that simplicity is a key feature to creating an effective product. I have developed and expanded my knowledge on the history of music videos and put into practice my theoretical skills through the use of media language and terminology in my analysis. Further more I have grown confident with particular programmes and edit suites and learnt new technical skills to move from amatuer to a more professional level. However I have also ackknowledged my weaknesses in my production due to audience feedback and poll's. This allowed me to recognise where my strengths and weaknesses lye and how i could change and improve my work for future reference. If i was to do this project again however, i would strive for an even higher level with the use of green/blue screen to create interesting backgrounds, chose a more vibrant genre which i can experiment with and use just one person to star in my video and put all my energy and focus on. I would also use my time more efficiently from start to finish to ensure that my work is to the best of my ability. Overall though, i have put a lot of time and effort into this project and even with the pressures of strict schedules and deadlines, I have enjoyed the creativity and freedom of the project to express my interests and have an insight into the world of the music industry. It has also futher inspired me to follow this career path and I hope to study media production at degree level.

Subsidary 2 - Album poster drafts for my album

I will now create a magazine advert for my album as further promotion. As i have analysed three existing album adverts within magazines and outlined the conventions of what to include in them, i now have a clear idea of what key features to include in my own advert.

Drafts

Here are a few mock up drafts of the basic content and arrangement for my album advert. I will take into consideration the key conventions and try to apply these in similar way to my own product so it looks realistic and professional.

Draft 1

Draft 2

Draft 3 (final draft)

Final product - Album poster for my band's album

This product could also be adapted into larger dimentions to make adverts for transport services like trains and buses or even just billboard adverts on motorways and at bus stops. This is what my advert could look like as a billboard advert at a bus stop:

I am overall very pleased with the outcome of my album poster. It includes all the necessary conventions that an album poster within this genre uses such as the bands name, the album name, when its out, a picture of the artists and of the album cover itself and additional information like it's hit singles on the album. I feel i incorporated these professionally and didn't detract the audiences eyes too much from the image of the band which i feel draws them in as the band is looking directly at the audience. The black and white is very effective continues the theme from ancillary text 1 as it uses the black and white theme. It looks sophisticated and still uses simplicity for effect just like the album cover itself which further creates continuity. The signature font i created for the band earlier is used so that the audience creates a relationship with the band and that particular font and recognise them in the future. The album name is in the same font as it appears on the album which supports the album and the audience can associate this font with the album. The text that says 'Out Now' is in a very bold, black font that creates a digital effect. This shows connotations of a modern band and how the music is technical itself with the use of synthesisers and other technical equipments that produce their music. The boldness and large size of the font captures the audiences eye and stands out to let them know that it is on sale right now, in effect creating immediacy and almost acts an imperative for the audience to go out and by it now. The smaller font at the bottom of the poster to show that it is less important but still relevant information entices the audiences further with the albums hit singles which the audience will associate with and persuades them to buy as it includes them too. Lastly i used an image of the actual album at the top so that the audience can see a sneak peak of the actual product and also so that they know what to look out for when they buy it. I think my poster covers all the necessary conventions and would successfully promote the album and shows a close relationship withe my video and digi pack very well.

digipack - evaluation

I am overall very pleased with my digi pack and feel it successfully follows the conventions of the indie/alternative genre and relates and compliments my music video very well with the continuing themes. The theme of my digi pack should reflect, individuality with its simple yet effective images of romance and how it can be distant for some people which is represented with the train tracks and trains which is a main theme of my music video. I chose to construct a simple front cover as i felt this would be more effective in engaging my target audience.

I took inspiration from this album by the Kings Of Leon 'Youth and Young manhood' which is very simple which is similar to mine with its whit background, simple font and grey scale imagery.

My target audience is a youthful, mixed gender audience aged between 14-25 as this is the age range that Bloc-party's music appeals to as Ive established earlier and I feel it would appeal to them as its simple to understand and the connotations of love and breakups with the black and white image of the couples hands parting over a train track clearly illustrates strong feelings of lost 'love' which is a very common experience which my audience would most likely be able to relate to at this age. I also feel that the image being manipulate to black and white creates more of an effective result with the contrast of black, white and grey shades along with the feeling that love has gone and this was an old feeling of the past. The white frame around the picture I feel creates a focus as it draws your eyes into the image and also makes the grayish/black colour of the font stand out against the white framing too. The Bands font i feel creates almost a signature for the band i feel my audience would relate to easily with their distinct font. It reflects again originality and individuality which is a main ideology of my band and the broken, distorted edges of font could almost show a feeling of trying to break the mould and escaping from generic forms which could reflect how they see their music as less mainstream and more independent. The name of the band i feel is creative, catchy and questions the audiences minds as the words almost contrast one another and it doesn't quite make sense. This could reflect again the abstract themes of the band and the way their lyrics can be interpreted in many different ways and don't always make clear sense. I feel the font of the song name 'So Here We Are' also successfully creates a personal feeling through the child like handwriting which would also relate to my target audience. It could also reflect the personal thoughts and feelings of the band and how they can relate to their lyrics and their own personal experience.

The right inside i chose to continue the theme of simplicity in white and the same fonts from the front to still create that relationship of the font and the band. I did this t also remind the consumer of the band and the album name to further establish that. The center inside image which is shown underneath the teeth which hold CD 1 in place is of the band. This so that when the audience take the CD away it reveals the band behind the production of the music and lyrics. This image again follows the theme of black and white and makes them look rather sophisticated but also could reflect the retro elements of punk revival and new wave music from the 80's era that is can be used within some of their tracks. The way the band is positioned is deliberately constructed too as it has the main singer at the front which shows his central role and strong dominance within the group and also the audience will be attracted to his good looks and dress sense. Then the bass guitarist and keyboard player are either side of the lead singer to show their unity as a trio group but also how their role is less sufficient as they don't sing and just play the accompanying music in the background. Elements of their clothing further more add create the mise en scene of music and the indie genre. The lead singer has a pair of retro head phones round their neck to suggest their love for music and relation to it. The lip piercings and longish styled hair( on all of the band members) creates a rouged, messy look to again create an typical indie fashion look. The lead singer is also wearing a solitary styled jacket which could reference to an 80's retro band of Adam and the ants. One of them is wearing bracelets which is again common amongst indie fashion as they wear feminine elements like this and skinny jeans. Also the other band member is wearing a retro ghost busters t-shirt which again relates to a classic retro item and it is very popular to see band members wearing iconic, vintage tops whilst performing. The pose and facial expression of the band members on this particular photo is very serious and could reflect their strong youthful image. Also it could suggest how passionate and serious they are about their music. I felt lastly that the background of a brick wall suggest an urban, modern environment that they live in to suggest their roots of been an unsigned local band. It could also reflect the brick walls used in my music video in the train station and continue the theme and could show how in society youths feel trapped in between boundaries and 'brick walls'.

The inside left image is again underneath the CD which again is of the band. It is taking against the same brick wall to create continuity for the audience and also in black and white to continue the colour scheme of the digi pack right the way through. The band however in this image are shown very natural and themselves sharing a joke between one another and laughing. This i feel contrasts effectively with the arrangement and seriousness of the previous band image. It is also effective for the audience as they get to see the real characters and personality's behind their star image and it breaks the boundaries of their star status's, therefore creating a friendly relationship with the audience. It could also reflect their strength and happiness together as a band which the audience always wish to think. Even though a lot of bands experience fall outs under the pressure and stress of fame, i thought it would be nice to show this fun side to their images as a band.

There is also a page devoted to the band saying thank you which again is another convention i followed of albums in generally. The audience would like to read this as fans want to know more about the band, who they work with and the support they have. I also created a religious comment about thanking god, which i feel breaks and challenges the conventions of indie bands instead as they aren't normally religious. However i got my inspiration from again Kings Of Leon who worship god and thank him on their album covers. I also thought it would create a good feeling about the band and create a wholesome image for the band, contrasting with all the stereotypes of their music and image which could reflect how no matter who you are you can believe.

I created two spines identically to create a continuing pattern and used a black background with white font this time to reverse it and create variety but still within the same theme for the bands name and album name. This is also helpful for the consumer as it stands out more if it were to be a real product on their shelf and the name would be easily recognisable on the spine and they can relate to what album it is immediately.

Lastly the back cover i am really pleased with as it continues the themes of train tracks from the front cover but doesnt include the peoples hands to signify that love has gone and just like my music video her train has left an empty track like this one. I am very passionate about the picture, i feel it creates a lonely feeling, it has different tones, shadows and textures which add to this emotion of emptyiness and the never ending train track could reflect the progression of life and how you never quite know whats round the corner. It also can suggest that band's music is ever changing and takes you on a journey whilst you listen to it far away from reality. The actual song tracks are aligned along the side so that the image becomes the main focus of the cover. They are in a white plain fault so that they stand out but do not detract the audiences eye to much away from the image. The names of the tracks are a mixture of original songs created by me and already existing songs. I have chosen short, catchy song names that will be memorable amongst an audience and highlight the main theme of the song too and put the the track 'So Here We Are' at the top as again it is conventional for albums to have their hit song or the name of album song at the top. I noted what was on each CD (the album tracks on one and the music video on the DVD) I also included the necessary conventions of a bar code, copyright information created by myself and my own original record company name and logo.

So overall I am very pleased with my digi pack as its very conventional to its genre and I feel would be successful if it were to be an actual product on the market.

Planning for my digi pack - Ancillary text 1

In order for the construction of my digi pack to have the best possible result now that i have researched the product, i will select the most desired photos for my digi pack, edit them, decide the layout of them. I then will add details to the digipack of the bands name, which i will create myself and find a signature font for them too. I will also create a unique record label and logo, track names, copyright information, bar code and website for the band's album. These conventions are visible in the majority of albums and digipacks so i plan to incorporate them all into my own product, so that its professional and follows these conventions.

The creation of my band's name

Even though I am using a bloc party song ' So here we are', I need to create my own band and pretend that they sang the song to avoid copyright and to extend my creativity too. I first looked at different band names from the same genre of alternative/indie rock music. The generic indie bands usually have a name starting with 'The' like 'The kooks', 'The Libertines' and the 'Arctic Monkeys', so i first brain stormed ideas about possible names beginning with 'The' to be also be generic and follow the conventions of indie bands. I first came up with name 'The Spirals' which i really liked as it followed the conventions and creates imagery within the mind of spiral shapes and could reflect how their music progresses and almost spirals out of control. I thought this would be very relevant for the band's music but when i checked if there was a band already with this name there unfortunately was. I had never heard of them before as they aren't well known and simply stream their music online on sites like my space. However i still really liked the word spiral and its connotations so i was determined to incorporate it into my bands name. I researched more bands names and realised that indie/ electro bands which are more specific to my bands genre have more abstract/ random band names. I came across unique band names like 'Metromony', 'MGMT', 'Look sea proof', 'Friendly Fires' and 'Passion Pit'. These inspired me to be less generic and in fact challenge the conventions of indie band names, and seen as my music had a similar ideology of been different and breaking mould I felt it was a good idea to be more abstract and random. I came up with the name 'Turning spiral' which I felt was very original and unique. It creates delusional imagery in your mind and almost confuses you with a double meaning. It could describe a spiral shape turning or in fact something changing and spiralling out of the norm. So this is how i came up with my name, and a prime example of how creativity can occur accidental but more effective in the end.

Possible signature fonts for my band's name

I now want to create a signature font for my band so that the audience can create a relationship and associate that font with the band like a trademark. In order to create a unique style and font for the bands name, i edged away from generic text fonts on Microsoft programmes and searched for them on a website called DA FONT.COM. I choose to use this site as it offers a wide selection of different, creative and unique fonts and i was already familiar with this site from using it last year for my music magazine. However there was difficulties when using this site as it costs and it takes quite a while to print screen the font you desire and paste into paint in order to create it into a Jpeg file ready for my album cover. Also you cant change the colour of the text and are restricted to just black and white, but as i will be going for a sophisticated digipack this shouldn't be too much of a problem. Whilst searching for a possible font, I took into consideration the imagery and connotations of the band name and based my font on these ideas.

I narrowed my selection down to these few fonts:


I liked this font because it has a 3-d effect and almost created the illusion that the letters are turning around which would echo the name of my band 'Turning Spiral'. However i decided not to use it as it doesn't stand out enough to an audience and would not be right for the bands signature font.


I liked this font at fist as it looks very artistic and original which is the theme i was going for. However i decided that its quite feminine and wouldn't be suitable for a band of males. Furthermore it doesn't reflect the genre of music very well and i feel would even be more suitable for an RnB/pop artist or band.


I then finally came across a font that ticked all the boxes for me in its bold presentation, original/unique style and suitable connotations. It reflects the actual name in the way that its broken up into segments when it curves as if it was spiraling and breaking the smooth curves and lines of the text. I feel it would stand out on an album cover well, and i would probably keep the background of the text white like this so not to lose the boldness. Its a shame that this particular font did not allow me to use capitals at the beginning of the words so it was grammatically correct, but i wasn't given that option which is another disadvantage of using DA FONT.COM but overall i really like the font and wasn't prepared to choose an alternative as i feel i have found the one for my band.

Record label name and logo

I now need to create a record label and accompany logo in order for my band to look authentic and professional. I researched the look of other record label company's and their logos for inspiration, but also not to infringe their copyright by accident if i had a similar idea. I came up with the name interchange records which i feel is relevant as it sounds, sophisticated, professional and also its unique. I also feel it reflects music in general as it changes, flows and interlinks genres and bands etc. I also found a relevant font too using again DA FONT.COM to create it. I also needed to create an additional logo to accompany it which was quite hard at first as i cant draw myself even the simplest things. At first i found a symbol already on DA FONT.com of a world which i was going to use which looked like this:

But after feeling that it wasn't original and not my own design, i wanted to create my own logo. I found this difficult at first as i cant draw very well. I then tried using the programme paint but still found it skillfully hard to construct a logo. However, i did make one Microsoft publisher as this enabled me to use pre-made auto shapes like arrows and circles which i needed for my design. The design is of two circles in black and white, with two arrows interlinking almost to reflect the record label 'interchange records'. Here is what the finished product looks like:



Possible drafts for my digi pack album:

Draft 1 -

Draft 2 -

Draft 3 - final draft

Final product for digi pack
This is what it looks like in the style of a 6 panel digi pack which includes a CD and DVD of my music video:

These are the sides individually:

Front Cover

Inside Left

Inside Centre Left

Inside Right

2nd Inside Right

Back cover

Spine of digi pack

Pictures to use in my digi pack

Here's a range of photographs I took around the locations i shot my music video in. I did this so that the audience would be able to relate the music video with the album which the song is from. So these photos could be potentially used for my digi-pack and poster promoting the album and my music video. These are what they look like unedited as once i have done a selection process i will then edit them on a picture editing suite called Picasa 3 which is a free download from google.

Here are the pictures i took:

Digi pack introduction

As I have researched magazine posters for my ancillary text subsidiary 1, I will now look at existing digi packs and research the product in general to find out the history, purposes and advantages of having a digi pack. I have already looked at album covers to gain the codes and conventions of normal/standard albums, so i will be looking more at the style and layout of digipacks and try to incorporate these into my own product through a drafting process.

This an existing digi pack by the classic indie/rock - Oasis - Acoustic volume 1

From my research on digi packs they are a modern form of CD cases in that they don't have the traditional jewel case packaging and that they are made from card or heavy paper which is easily formed into a book-like case. This also saves time, effort and money as it can be easily manipulated into this shape. They were first created by Meadwestvaco which they created their Digi pak product and trademark. Now as this style has become more popular for artists distribution, the generic term digi-pack is a common term used to describe any soft CD packaging. There are pros and cons to this packaging however: the pros of using a digi pack is that its cheaper to make, creates a shatterproof case preventing any damages. The materials used for the digi pack can also be environmentally friendly as it can b recycled, although they are not always made like this. The book- like design also opens up more design and creativity to the producer. A lot of artists and labels however mainly use them for aesthetic reasons (the way it looks).

The cons of using a digipack is that, even though they are shatterproof, they are still very prone to been damaged as they are only made out of thick card which wears and tears after a period of time. Also because the outside is thin, it doesn't protect the plastic teeth holding the CD in place inside sometimes causing them to break. This could result int he CD actually falling out of the packaging as there is nothing to stop the CD as it open like a book. So for these reasons jewel case covers are better in protecting the CD. They are also quite costly so many unsigned or new bands/artists may opt for the jewel case option instead to save money.

There are different types of digi packs too as they come in different sizes such as four panels, 6 panels and 8 panels. For my ancillary task I have been asked to produce a 6 paneled digi pack for my album and therefore create a front cover, back cover and two inside covers which appear underneath the glass cd holder part.

Here is a template of the layout and measurements: