Evaluation - Ancillary

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

Poster:

I found that within my format research the typical conventions of a poster was to be minimal and let the pictures do the enticing in and talking. This is something I have incorporated into my own work as loads of writing will just bore the reader, and for it to be advertised on things like billboards its the branding and shared knowledge of the image which will advertise it more. 

DigiPak:

Within the digipak research I found that the best designs were also the most simplistic too but also the ones that experiment and aren't necessarily the best commercially but the best indie ones as they conform alternative ways of displaying work such as the 'In Between Dreams' one which I was then inspired to create my digipak using the repeated designs and minimal writing which we see on my design. 

Evaluation - Combination of products

All three of my final outcomes all link into each-other in some form or another. The black and white theme within the poster and video directly link in straight away along with the use of the same images between both which was important as the poster is advertising the music video/song directly where as he digipak design is for the general album rather than single. This meant that the album did look a bit different compared to the other two but this was a consideration which was influenced by other artists work. However in all three I wanted to incorporate a modernistic, minimal and simple design which is what Ive done in all three. 

I used the same font in all three as this was part of the branding process which is something that means as a viewer or a member of the audience you're able to recognise and think 'hmm thats Ben Howard's work' which you can see evidently within the three outcomes.

What have I learned from audience feedback?

I have learnt a lot from my audience feedback as it has helped me grow as a producer, director and designer. The positive feedback and constructive criticism gave me a better insight into what my audience actually want, rather than just my opinion I allowed others to help structure and develop the process. Using social networking sites such as Facebook, twitter and Instagram allowed me to reach out to my specific audience as these sites are also aimed at that audience. 

Some people mentioned how the video looked better in black and white rather than a variation of colour and not in colour which furthered the design into the final product which we now see in black and white. I was able to easily correct the aspects they were picking up which was helpful throughout the process. A variation of my audience picked up on how some shots didn't flow and how I should link the song lyrics more to the visuals, although I intended it to be completely abstract the opinions of my target audience made me realise this is what they want therefore I have to incorporate this some how subtly, which is what I did. One person picked up on the bad quality of some of the shots, this is something I was unable to control as I only had those resources to film it with, this is something I will consider for further filming projects.

Using New Technologies

Using new technologies have been extremely helpful in filming and editing my video, as well as planning it, getting feedback of others via the wen and promoting it too. 

To create 'hype' for the release of my music video I researched the current technologies my target audience would currently use, I came across photo editing app 'Instagram' where I released some pictures of the filming process to release only little bits of content which would keep the audience interested and giving them something to look forward too. As well as this I had help with planning with the use of 'Facebook' to quickly contact my model, and any other people I needed to borrow costume or equipment from. In promoting my music video I used both twitter and Facebook to promote both my blog and teaser trailers/ my final video. Again this appealing not only to my target audience, but other audiences in order to get feedback to help the development of my video as with Facebook I got friends and family to share the video itself so it would get around to different people. 

For my ancillary tasks I used photoshop to create the final outcomes, this was because I was familiar with the software and it being extremely professional too. It gave me more freedom to experiment with different effects which was important in my design process. I used tools such as merging, lens flare, cut and crop, CTRL +T, digital binding and desaturation to produce the final outcomes.

I used top of the range software to produce my final music video. I combined both iMovie and After Effects to edit it as iMovie strengthened in the production and combination of the clips but After Effects soared in the editing effects which is something I am proud to maintain working with both software through the duration of the project. The use of technology for the making of both the ancillary and music video such as SLR cameras and video recording cameras came at a struggle at first, but overcoming the start of not knowing how to use them I was able to produce some excellent shots. I also used a variation of lighting and camera lenses which helped create a unique selling point to my video.

Finally using a blog to keep regular referencing to my designs has been extremely important within the development and planning stages of the project. I have weekly updated it so that my followers have something to read and look forward too and keeps them interested.

Challenging Music Video Conventions

My video challenges the conventions of a usual music video in a form that contrasts with the usual music video of the 21st century, my video represents the development of my initial design ideas to the final outcome. Whats different about my video is that it is based around an abstract theme which isn't seen in this day and age. Ever since Michael Jackson's Thriller video, music videos haven't been around the song itself, they've been made into a story, or a fashion statement. I wanted to deter away from this commercialised outake on music as it moves the focus off the music itself and that is something which I discovered I didn't like from my format research as artists such as Rihanna and Lady GaGa are clear examples of this. The video however takes influence from other artists music videos which have shown the inspiration, but also homage in the Ellie Goulding inspired clip which the audience would enjoy as they would see a link between both indie artists. 

Although I wanted to simplify the video down to just the music, I needed to make something which would interest the viewer as well. Elements of postmodernism were incorporated into the video as well, for example the subtle use of product placement of the converse in the Ellie Goulding homage clip as mentioned above. 

Then also showing visual influences from post modern artists such as Nicki Minaj, Kanye and Jay Z, although not in my musical genre I am able to determine what the audience likes. And even though I have a particular target audience doesn't mean to say I cant aim to entice other audiences in as the whole concept is to sell the music video and to advertise the song which is something I have recently learnt. 

By keeping the whole video in black and white also challenges music video conventions for the contemporary age its all about bright colours, bold fashion statements to entice the viewer in where as by simplifying the video by putting it in B&W I had to rely on other conventions to have the same effect to draw the viewer in. The variation of camera angles, editing techniques and different camera lenses I made myself were the three aspects which challenges the music video conventions themselves for these three all draw the viewer in. The different lenses created an optical illusion, repeating the visuals several times which was inspired by films such as Pulp Fiction with the scene of the man glamourising the drugs and it creates this homage of this interpretation. i incorporated several different big edits within the clip as well but was able to make them subtle with the use of black and white which isn't seen in modern day music videos. 

Evaluation Part 1

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

Real Media:

Actor - Storyline is based upon this character

          - Tends to be the singer or artist who produced the song

Sounds - Usually diagetic sound for lip syncing from the artist

Teaser Trailers - A short consumption of clips to keep the fans excited and enticed in

                         - Tends to use a part of the song as the background music

Camera - A variation of eye catching shots to entice the viewer in

             - Dog eat dog industry so always looking for something new

             - Range of different shot angles

             - Tracking shots

Editing - Indie genre have unusual edits which are bold and eye-catching

            - Minimal transitions between clips if any 

My Video:

Actor - Storyline develops the idea of using a character within the video. Mine uses the lyrics within the song to link to the visuals such as 'all I am is the bones YOU made of me', I highlighted YOU and showed visuals of the model within as this acts as her and she is the reason what the song is about. But I challenged this stereotype by making a abstract video where there are several random clips but yet they still manage to intertwine and link in together. 

Sounds - The sounds within my video are non-diagetic for the model isn't lip syncing nor is she acting out anything that relates to the song itself. Its the editing process which makes the link between the two. I challenged again the typical convention of using lip syncing within my video as I felt the age of lip syncing had reached its mature date and it was far too over used in modern society. In order to relate to my target audience and genre I felt by not including this was a correct choice. 

Teaser Trailers - I believe with the influence of other celebrity teaser trailers I successfully complied to a typical convention within a real media product - teasers such as Justin Bieber's boyfriend influenced this. I kept the same idea of using a sectioned part of the song as the background music, and because the clip is so shot, it allows the background music to become a different version of the original song in a way. 

Camera - In my music video I believe I have used a excellent variation of camera angles and shots to really emphasise the song. I believe I used close up shots repeatedly to show detail and to draw the viewer in to this and then long shots to show of the location and scenery. I however didn't keep to the typical conventions of POV shots and tracking shots as this was irrelevant to my storyline so was unnecessary. I then used a variation of effects which were hand crafted by the kaleidoscope lens and diamond filter which shows my understanding of it being a dog eat dog industry and finding inventive ways to portray my work. 

Close up of the models face 

Extreme close up which shows the detail of the spiders web

Long shot of the location and british heritage

Kaleidoscope lens 

Editing - Within the editing of my clip I kept to convention of commonly used real media of no transitions between clips as for my genre it just wouldn't fit and would look tacky along with no rhythm to flow. I then also used a variation of editing techniques inspired from other videos which is seen in a post further down. I created some subtle bold eye catching edits which I felt went with this song rather than having editing material which didn't look right. 

Niggas in Paris influence

Eye level fade into focus 

Audience Feedback Questionnaire

The below questionnaire with feedback allows me to conclude that my project was a success. All three correctly guessed that my target audience was a mix of teens/twenties along with the clear understanding of the genre of the music video. Everyone said that my ancillary tasks linked to my music video in one way or another and the majority loved the simplistic look. 

Can you tell the genre of my music video?

Yes you can its extremely clear that this music video is part of the indie genre!

How well do my ancillary tasks work well with my music video as a whole project?

You can see clear visual connection between the poster and the the video itself aesthetically straight away from the black and white colour scheme along with the use of images within the video itself being used as the poster. 

Does my advertisement interest you to buy Ben Howard's album?

Yes it does, a bit too minimal for my taste but I can understand how it links into your genre. 

If you saw my digi pack on iTunes or in a shop would you be interested in buying it?

Again yes, it displays understanding of the indie genre as well as what is enticing from the viewers perspective and how it can portrayed in a alternative visual. 

What age group would you say my music video and ancillary tasks are directed towards?

I would say mid teens - early twenties. 

Charlotte Young.

Can you tell the genre of my music video?

Yes

How well do my ancillary tasks work well with my music video as a whole project?

You can see visual connection between them clearly

Does my advertisement interest you to buy Ben Howard's album?

Yes

If you saw my digi pack on iTunes or in a shop would you be interested in buying it?

Yes because it is unique

What age group would you say my music video and ancillary tasks are directed towards?

Teenagers

Matt Dunnington.

Can you tell the genre of my music video?

Straight away yes! Indie all the way!

How well do my ancillary tasks work well with my music video as a whole project?

Very good, looks so professional 

Does my advertisement interest you to buy Ben Howard's album?

Yes it does, I love the simplistic layering which really draws you in

If you saw my digi pack on iTunes or in a shop would you be interested in buying it?

Yes 

What age group would you say my music video and ancillary tasks are directed towards?

Mid Twenties maybe?

Holly Arnold. 

Final Video

Since my last draft I adjusted the speed of certain shots to really emphasise each camera angle or edit, an example of one that had been slowed down was the effect of the eye line matching where I made the ferris wheel out of focus then adjusted the movement from out of focus into focus slower to really emphasise the effect. 

With the help of the audience feedback I was able to achieve the best outcome for my target audience. This is the final music video and although I started off with the intention of making my video completely abstract using visuals such as props and camera lenses to refer back to the lyrics make it seem more professional which is something I decided to later incorporate into my final outcome.

Inspiration of shots from other music videos

NICKI MINAJ - STARSHIPS

 

As you can see I was really inspired by this kaleidoscope effect within Nicki Minaj's video as it portrays the post modern work within this generation and really stands out as it is extremely captivating. With this inspiration I then felt the need to show a more simplistic, more minimal approach by making it my own. I was so inspired in the end result you can see the effect being used in different forms but in several different illusions and ways which don't bore the viewer or become repetitive.  

I made the lens with three triangular shaped mirrors hand crafted to go around the lens which I then added in more pieces to create the different effects. Which you can see throughout the video.

 KANYE FT. JAY Z - NIGGAS IN PARIS

After recently seeing the new video from Kanye and Jay Z I believe that by creating a mirror effect it becomes part of the future generation of modernism. Although my music video isn't in the above genres of the previous artists being inspired by their work and portraying it in my own form shows my development and understanding of what sells and what is important as well.

By following a tutorial I was able to create the effect by layering it upon the original video then using the side by side layer effect I was then able to edit the second copy with the video effect of flip, which created this mirror effect. Although this was all well and good the movement from me holding the camera meant that the mirror line moved, therefore using the stabiliser I was able to achieve a steady and secure edit. 

 ELLIE GOULDING - FIGURE 8 

I was really inspired by the start of the Ellie Goulding video after researching artist of the similar genre. The alternative approach Ellie had in her video influenced my work, the reversed effect of the feathers going back up really stands out amongst the worn background. I chose a similar setting but didn't want to use the same props as it would seem like I'm copying her where as Ive just been influenced. I used shells and water instead, I felt mine wasn't as good as hers as I didn't obviously have a good of camera which would effect the detail which was captured which was clear when I attempted to slow down the video therefore I kept majority of it to the same original speed. 

The above print screen shows the production of my influenced version, by using the reverse tool as well as changing the speed of the clip.

Also inspired by the Lady GaGa research I included some subtle product placement of the converse seen in the above shots. This was subtle as I felt it wouldn't fit in with the rest of the music video. Converse considered as a indie fashion shoe option as well.

Advertising of my Ancillary tasks

Using both iPhoto and Adobe Photoshop I was able to create a insight into what my ancillary products would look like if to be advertised within this day and age. Below is the iTunes album artwork which you can see fits in with the surrounding others and I believe presents a professional form. Along with my poster advertisement making a debut in the picture below that and using the distort tool I was able to create the correct angle to fit the page. I then made the poster advertisement into a billboard sign in order to mass advertise it which again was created using the distort tool in photoshop. By making these advertisements it allows me to see how my products would compete in modern society. 

Summary of Analysis - Magazine Posters

From analysing magazine posters I was shocked to see the minimal amount of context which is actually presented within the design. The Ben Howard design was the one that had the most text on it surprisingly, where as the other two had absolutely minimal text which was sup rising, it just shows pictures are the reason behind it enticing the viewer in.

I was inspired by the Lady GaGa advertisement for it was so simple, classy and elegant which is what I believe I have captured within my design. The simplicity of her poster is because of how big and outrageous the picture is which is again something which I interpreted into my own design. 

I learnt that majority of posters are portrait, therefore I was able to come to the conclusion that I wanted to create a double page spread advertisement as this would stand out even more which is what I did. 

Summary of Analysis - Music Videos

When considering what I have learnt from the analysis of the Music Videos I believe I have greatened my understanding and knowledge of what works well within the industry and what doesn't. I have in my own work presented the use of homage and greatened my intelligence on post modernism through my video. 

I was influenced by Lady GaGa's constant use of product placement throughout all of her music videos. I incorporated this into my own work in a new form which I believe hasn't been done before - Subtle product placement. As if it is unintentional however this was the only placement I used for I didn't want to over do it. 

I realised I would be able to incorporate more editing effects than I originally thought. When you think of a professional music video you don't think of editing to the extreme, however after I broke down both Rihanna's and M83's videos it hit me that there is so much you don't realise, its just done subtly which is what I tried to achieve within my work. 

I discovered that you can combine abstract videos with non-abstract in a sense that it is relatable to the song but yet still has a unusual and unknown theme to it which is what my video represents. 

Summary of Analysis - DigiPak

When considering what I have learnt from the analysis of the DigiPak's I believe I have greatened my understanding and knowledge of what works well within the industry and what doesn't. Its a dog eat dog market therefore designers are constantly thinking of new and alternative aspects which will give the product a unique selling point, some work better than others.

I was influenced by the Fantasea back cover NOT to list the tracks just by number. I felt it was boring and had been done repeatedly and this was a shame as the front cover itself was extremely unique and eye catching and the back just let it down which was something I believe I was influenced not to do.

I was intrigued by how none of my chosen DigiPak's didn't use a QR code which is something I felt they missed out on which is why I included one within my design. 

I found out how successful colour schemes and branding which is created improves the success of the design along with making it easy to recognise an artist why is also something I was influenced by with my design of underwater and black and white. 

Final Outcome: DigiPak





Design of my DigiPak

This is the mock up for my digi pan. There will be a variation of filters and different opacity levels to create the final outcome along with text over the CD and under the circle on the front cover. 

THE COVER

This is the above photo I started with from my shoot. I used a fish eye lens on my camera to create the circular effect which you can evidently see. I chose this image as when considering the name of the album - Every Kingdom I straight away thought about a underwater kingdom like Alantas therefore creating this shared knowledge through visuals as this will entice the viewer in. 

I then using the circular marquee tool selected the circle and cutting a galaxy secondary image I then pasted it and adjusted onto the original image/layer using CTRL+T to adjust the sizing. I then changed the opacity and it led to this outcome. I then cropped the circle itself and fitted it onto a new document. A 600x600mm document as this is the size of a DigiPak cover. I then using the sphere tool made it look more round and adjusted the size making it smaller.  Then using the blur tool to go around the edges to make it look less sharp. Then simply adding the text underneath. 

This was the original final design for my front cover. After speaking to my target audience about what they thought and the development process of the design they all preferred the blue colour before it was inverted as it linked into the idea of an underwater kingdom, where as the current cover made it look more sic-fi and space like. Therefore I changed it into blue which then inspired the rest of my design for the digi-pak. 

THE BACKCOVER

Using the same size document I was able to construct the backcover with ease. I made the song list in a individual form as from my format research I was influenced not to do the generic style of just a numbered list. Which is why I produced the set list as a piece of art more than just writing. Using both a bar code to scan the album and a QR code enables the target audience to get content from the album as this is an increasing form of advertising and promotion.

I then added a official paper logo and writing to conform the licenses of the album as well as the copyright to make the back-cover seem more legit and professional. 

THE INSIDE BOOKLET

To create this I repeated the steps of the album cover but used different images. This is because I didn't want the whole DigiPak too look the same. I experimented with different filters and merging techniques the most with this design as I wanted something a little more fun and upbeat which is what I believe I have created.

THE CD 

I used this template to help me construct the design of the CD. As this would make it seem more professional and to a high standard rather than guessing size and measurements which could look rushed.

I repeated the process of the album cover to produce the CD cover. I chose to use the same image as it would show this clear link between the two and becomes this brand in a sense of this magical underwater kingdom.

Development of creating a brand

After collecting the format research results it was clear that each artist had their own type of branding which represented the artist. This is something I was influenced by which led to the development and further research into others work. 

I researched the original Ben Howard font as I believe this was a consistent aspect part of Ben Howards previous branding, but this was the only recognisable factor which you could relate back to the artist. The Serif style font is something I will keep in within my designs. 

I then researched into unusual and alternative forms of presenting my QR code which will also be included, however I felt it was important to keep to my brief and consider the artists branding which has already been created and this particular style which is from fashion magazine Vogue is too commercialised for the design of my digipak. Therefore I will use just a plain design. 

                                      

Due to me also being behind in my design schedule I am unable to take the time and effort of producing my own forest protection logo for my digipak. Therefore I will use one alike the one below as this will help create good press for the design as well as making it look more professional. 

Photoshoot Summary - Shoot Two

Contact sheets above of the second photoshoot as I felt this shoot was more appropriate to the name and songs within the album itself. 

What went well?

• The variation of camera angles meant that I had a wide range of experimentation of the same fish but in different forms. This meant the viewer could really concentrate on the colours or textures.

• The experimentation with the use of different lens' such as the fish eye lens meant that I was able to achieve a variation of different images which could essentially captivate the viewer. By constantly referring back to my format research and reminding myself of the indie genre in order to capture something which would represent this led me to the success of these images.

• By using top of the range equipment I was able to achieve the best quality images which were high in detail. This is because I have an interest in photography which meant I had an advantage within this photography aspect as I know what works well in a shoot and what doesn't. 

What didn't go too well?

• One thing I struggled with was the control and organisation of the shoot. My intentions and plan of what I wanted the outcomes were too look like didn't go to plan as when your on shoot you go with the flow and some shots come out better than others. Along with the lack of control over the composition of the fish and no control of lighting meant that I had to rely on the composition and angles I had to take for which was a challenge but believe overall it was a successful shoot as I overcame all these hiccups.

Below is a variation of images which I believe are successful and show my understanding of camera work skills and understanding of what works well within the camera frame. I have showed understanding of using colour to really stand out amongst the crazy detail within the image along with composition and lighting to higlight the work inside the frame.