Above is the commentary which I have made as a brief run through of the decisions I made for the music video and reasons why.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Evaluation
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Overall my various forms of media I have chosen to do does generally follow the forms and conventions of real media products. However, in the music video there is usually a small peice of narrative where as I chose not to include a story narrative becasue I felt it would not fit with the style of song and may seem out of place. I also chose to not follow this forms and conventions because although most rock music do not include a large peice of narrative there is normally a small amount of narrative however in mine I got rid of this completely. I think this challanges and prehaps develop the forms and conventions of real media products because I think within the rock genre the audience which they attract and follow the music and because I have asserted all of the attention on to the band and there performance the audience which they perform for and who I have made the video for would appreciate watching the band live rather then not watching what they're doing and following a narrative story. On the other hand although I have challenged the forms and conventions of real media products in this way I have also used them in the video. For example I chose to shoot the film in a open place like they shoot in an abandoned warehouse, I couldn't use one so opted to use an empty drama studio which I think uses the forms and conventions of real media products because it is in a similar location.
I think for my ancillary texts they use the forms and conventions of real media products rather than challenge them because I stuck to the methods usually used. For example, on the CD i used a similar colour scheme such as dark, angry colours used to give a representation of the music across to the audience from the rock genre. I have also done this on the website. I have also used the forms and conventions of real media products on the CD cover because like real CD's in the same genre I have featured a picture of the group on the back and kept the front as simple as possible.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The combination of my main product and the ancillary texts are extremely effective as they all link together. For example the the music video easily links with the CD cover as the album includes the song of which I have made a music video for. The CD can then be effectively connected to the website as the website can be used to promote the album if it was a infact a real product. The music video can then be interlinked with the website also the video could be released through that specific site. This is an effective combination of my pain product and ancillary texts because by stretching the product over various forms of media attracting a larger and prehaps a larger variety of ages for example rather then just the audience you were producing the product for therefore being effective.
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
I have learnt from the audience feedback that the video was generally well recieved by the audience because some mention that it fits in with the type of music and genre and matches some of the frequently used forms and conventions.
I have also learnt that it is well edited as some have mentioned this in comments on YouTube aswell as verbal feedback saying that the use of shots that have been edited has been well done as they are cut in time to the music and when the music is chaotic the shots are cut well to match this atmosphere.
I have also learnt from verbal feedback that although there was not a story or narration in the video it still worked well as a live performance video and fit in well with the music, as some felt that adding a story to the video would not have fit well and may seem out of place.
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
I have used media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation firstly by using YouTube. I used YouTube mostly in the research and planning stages in order to look up various forms of music videos within the music genre I was going to create a video for. I also used YouTube in my research and planning to watch music videos in order to understand and acknowledge the forms and conventions used and how audiences and instituitons are used and targeted by music videos.
YouTube was also used in the evaluation stages of my work because I used the site to share my music video in order to receive feedback so that I could learn from what I had done and how I could improve in targeting an specific audience or how I edited and put the video together for example.
The internet was used in my constriction and research, planning and evaluation stages as I used google images to look up various CD covers to plan how I would produce my own cover and how I could go about doing so. I also used internet sites to look up well known artists in the rock genre so I could see what forms and conventions were used to create their websites to promote themselves as well as how they attract the audiences and institutions.
Lastly I used chat sites such as MSN and peer-peer sites such as Facebook and MySpace in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages to share the song to people and asking them what they would expect to see as the music video for the specific song. I also used these sites to ask people to leave feedback on the completed video. By doing this I was able to use the responses I received in order to imrove and make changes to my planning to suit the audience whom I was hoping to target the peice of work too.
Overall my various forms of media I have chosen to do does generally follow the forms and conventions of real media products. However, in the music video there is usually a small peice of narrative where as I chose not to include a story narrative becasue I felt it would not fit with the style of song and may seem out of place. I also chose to not follow this forms and conventions because although most rock music do not include a large peice of narrative there is normally a small amount of narrative however in mine I got rid of this completely. I think this challanges and prehaps develop the forms and conventions of real media products because I think within the rock genre the audience which they attract and follow the music and because I have asserted all of the attention on to the band and there performance the audience which they perform for and who I have made the video for would appreciate watching the band live rather then not watching what they're doing and following a narrative story. On the other hand although I have challenged the forms and conventions of real media products in this way I have also used them in the video. For example I chose to shoot the film in a open place like they shoot in an abandoned warehouse, I couldn't use one so opted to use an empty drama studio which I think uses the forms and conventions of real media products because it is in a similar location.
I think for my ancillary texts they use the forms and conventions of real media products rather than challenge them because I stuck to the methods usually used. For example, on the CD i used a similar colour scheme such as dark, angry colours used to give a representation of the music across to the audience from the rock genre. I have also done this on the website. I have also used the forms and conventions of real media products on the CD cover because like real CD's in the same genre I have featured a picture of the group on the back and kept the front as simple as possible.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The combination of my main product and the ancillary texts are extremely effective as they all link together. For example the the music video easily links with the CD cover as the album includes the song of which I have made a music video for. The CD can then be effectively connected to the website as the website can be used to promote the album if it was a infact a real product. The music video can then be interlinked with the website also the video could be released through that specific site. This is an effective combination of my pain product and ancillary texts because by stretching the product over various forms of media attracting a larger and prehaps a larger variety of ages for example rather then just the audience you were producing the product for therefore being effective.
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
I have learnt from the audience feedback that the video was generally well recieved by the audience because some mention that it fits in with the type of music and genre and matches some of the frequently used forms and conventions.
I have also learnt that it is well edited as some have mentioned this in comments on YouTube aswell as verbal feedback saying that the use of shots that have been edited has been well done as they are cut in time to the music and when the music is chaotic the shots are cut well to match this atmosphere.
I have also learnt from verbal feedback that although there was not a story or narration in the video it still worked well as a live performance video and fit in well with the music, as some felt that adding a story to the video would not have fit well and may seem out of place.
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
I have used media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation firstly by using YouTube. I used YouTube mostly in the research and planning stages in order to look up various forms of music videos within the music genre I was going to create a video for. I also used YouTube in my research and planning to watch music videos in order to understand and acknowledge the forms and conventions used and how audiences and instituitons are used and targeted by music videos.
YouTube was also used in the evaluation stages of my work because I used the site to share my music video in order to receive feedback so that I could learn from what I had done and how I could improve in targeting an specific audience or how I edited and put the video together for example.
The internet was used in my constriction and research, planning and evaluation stages as I used google images to look up various CD covers to plan how I would produce my own cover and how I could go about doing so. I also used internet sites to look up well known artists in the rock genre so I could see what forms and conventions were used to create their websites to promote themselves as well as how they attract the audiences and institutions.
Lastly I used chat sites such as MSN and peer-peer sites such as Facebook and MySpace in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages to share the song to people and asking them what they would expect to see as the music video for the specific song. I also used these sites to ask people to leave feedback on the completed video. By doing this I was able to use the responses I received in order to imrove and make changes to my planning to suit the audience whom I was hoping to target the peice of work too.
Completed website for Stage Exit
For the website for Stage Exit to promote the music video I made and for the CD cover I decided to do 3 pages on a site. I chose to do the home page, the news page and also the photo of the group and will later up load the video onto the site. The link for my website is shown below:
For the front page I decided to keep the same colour scheme which I have used for the album which is red and black as this will show the audience consistancy in the band and will be recognizable and the fans will be able to follow the colour scheme by showing support through trends. I have also kept the introduction short and simple as I do not feel like it is as significant as other pages because visitors to the site would just be wanting to look up the band such as lyrics, photos or events they are doing. I enlarged the band logo as I want this to be well known to the audience who buy the music as this will also be used to promote and help sell the video and the album.
For the events page I kept the colour scheme the same here aswell. I gave a list of all the events that would take place (though aren't actually real) and will use the News page to post about the music video to create a hype and a 'buzz' for the single 'Hate' which will also debute on the album which I have made a cover for.
For the photos I decided to have a couple of the band in order to let the audience familiarise themselves with the group and get an undestanding of what they are like. I have done this because this will also help to promote the group and help get more supporters and followers. This is also the reason why I have included a copy of the bands logo so that the audiences and fans can use the logo as profile pictures on sites such as MySpace and Facebook as this will also help spread the popularity and how well known the band are.
Research and Planning for the Website
After completing the music video and the album cover for the band I decided to research and plan the website that I would expect to see and use to promote the band.
I started off looking at some well known bands within the rock genre to get an idea and understanding of what is typically used on webistes such as the forms and conventions. Below is a list of websites which I looked at:
From looking at these webistes I found the tyical forms and conventions which I shall use for my own. I will be including pictures of the band, news and events and the home page.
Friday, 4 December 2009
Completed Album Cover
Above is the completed version of the album cover I would use to sell my product. I have chosen this style as it uses most of the forms and conventions that you would normally find in the rock music genre. For example, I have chosen to highlight the logo of the band for the audiences purposes as this will be recognizable and could be used in other branches that have broken off from rock music such as the trends that follow it such as fashion, where this band logo could appear. I have also chosen to use dark colours such as Black, grey, white and red as these colours are normally used to represent the music content, for example if some tracks are aggressive it would be out of place to have a happy and upbeat album cover as this can be misconceived by the audiences as it does not fit in with the forms and conventions or the audiences and institutions.
The album cover which I have produced has the bands name bigger then the actual name of the album because in rock music the band is the most important thing to the audience as it is the band that they follow. By knowing this, the album name is much smaller on the cover because it is of less significance in attracting an audience as it is not the name of the album which will make it sell it is the band and their content.
Above is a completed version of what the back cover will look like. On the back I have included a barcode, details of issued license and copyright for Hi- Fidelity Records. I have done this not only because it ould appear on real CD's as it is done to keep the album protected from being copied as it has been copyrighted but I have also done this as it will promote the label 'Hi- Fidelity Records' as the audience that purchase the album might look at what label it has been released on. I have also done this as a promoting tool because I have included the website for the record lable.
I chose to stick with the forms and conventions used in this music genre for the album back cover because I have included a massive picture of the band on the back because this will attract the audiences as the band will or should be recognizable to them. I have also done this because once again they are the main focus and they appear to be having fun in the picture so the audience could have previously just seen the serious side of them performing but now understand what they are like so they have been represented to the audience in a positive light.
The song listing appears on the right hand side and features the song 'Hate' which I created a music video for. The listing appears on the right hand side of the cover as it is parallel to the picture and it is bold and stands out to the audeince aswell as the picture because it is extremely important for the audience to see the content of the band and what they are releasing on that particular CD.
I have kept the colour scheme the same for example the colour of the text and also the background colour as the colours used are the typical forms and conventions that are frequently used in the rock genre. I have used it to show consistany also.
Representations Used in Covers
Rebellion is usually portrayed and a common feature used on Rock music covers. From the CD covers I researched I found that rebellion was usually represented by references to death or twisting what is usually shown in religion and society.
Rebellion is also used in covers by turning something that was seen as peaceful and good such as flowers and then used the wraped around a gun which is connected to anger and violence. This attracts the audiences as they follow their own trends rather then what society want them to follow and this is a way of being able to rebell. For example they can follow goths or punks which is a sub genre that has been created from the introduction and the expanding of the rock genre itself.
Dark colouring and shading such as black/ white and greys frequently used.
Rebellion - skulls bones - crosses over to warning labels and is associated with warnings or dangours.
Trends - Rockers and goths
Dark clothing, cult like, rebellion agianst society.
Rock stars, known for 'Drugs, Sex and Rock 'n Roll'.
I will be using this on my album cover to attract audiences and institutions by using the forms and converntions of the rock genre.
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Impact of Research and Planning for CD Cover
For my CD cover I will choose a font for the title that will be constantly used for the bands name and title over a range of CD's that could be released. I will do this as the writing and style font will constanlty be recognized and associated with the band thus promoting the band aswell as the CD's.
Below are some of the font styles which I may choose to use for the title:
The bands (Stage Exits) logo will be the main characteristic and focus of the cover. This way consumers will always recognize this and will be used and familiar with it. This can prehaps be seen that the audience will stay confertable if the band doesnt constantly change their logos or branding so it easier for fans to show support or consideration for the artists and they can still be appreciated becasue the band has not changed since the latest releases.
Stage Exits logo.
The background that I will use for the background will may twist the forms and conventions like the Bowling for Soup album did by havving the band are shown on the front cover and they are also located in Las Vegas by the welcome sign.
Location - Link back to the title and highlight the 'Stage' and 'Exit'. I may decide to use a photograph of a stage door, with a sign on it saying 'Stage Exit'. This can always be used to include the title within the picture for the front cover. On the back of the case, the back page on the booklet, have a hall with a door in the distancw whilst picture or records are hung on a wall with the picture of the band in each one. Out line of bands shadow at the bottom of the CD whilst the name songs are listed on the floor of the corridor moving uptowards the top of the CD.
Another idea which I had for the front cover of the CD was to have it plain black with just the heart logo appearing on the cover. I will use this idea as I thought that this will be a simple and not over complicated as the band will be recognized by the audiences and the consumers. I have also chosen to keep this idea as it is the debut album and first single that would be released to promote the single as well as video. This will also be time in which the audience will be able to get to know the band as they will be able to know what their logo is and also the inside of the booklet from the CD will include pictures of the band on the inside. I will also be following the forms and conventions unlike the other idea I had as the band will be featured on the rest of the album rather then just the front cover.
Colour Scheme - Dark - Black and Red as these are the bands colours which they always use on other products to promote the bands such as MySpace, posters and other websites.
Inside the Cover/booklet
- Pictures of the band, some in black and white and some in colour. Shots of band in live performance, rehearsals and some of just the band mucking around - shows the audience fun side and also serious sides of the bands performance and their work.
- Lyrics from the band - if not enough room then just use the lyrics from the single used in music video to publicise the album.
- Thank you's from the group.
- Production, publishing, copyrighting details.
- Continue some of the artwork (if any is on the front) some in black and white.
- ringtones for phones, download links for mp3 etc, upcoming gigs listings, clothing ware, collectables etc. (maybe just include this on the website)
- One side of leaflet features lyrics other side a large expanded picture of the band.
Back of CD cover
picture of band on the back with song titles over the top of the picture
Barcode and numbers, record company and also copyright.
Song listings either on the top, far rightor centered. In the same font used throughout the cover to show consitancy.
Front of CD continued...
The title of the band will be placed at the top of the CD. The name 'Stage Exit' text will be a bigger size and in bold as this will then be the first thing which the audience will see at fist glance aswell as the logo. This will be agian using the usual forms and conventions as this is used on many CD's for example:
Nickelback is used rather than the actual name for the actual album such as 'Curb'.
White, Black, Yellow and Red are the usual colours of the text used on album covers, I will therefore be using red as this will stick to the typical forms and conventions but will also be used as this is one of the colours used by the group as representation to their audiences and instituitions.
Measurements for the CD cover is 12cm x 12cm.
Research and Planning for CD Cover for Stage Exit
After completing the music video I decided to move on to looking at album artwork used on artits CD covers for their bands within the Alternative Rock/ Punk Rock/ Rock genre. I looked at a number of albums to help get an understanding of the forms and conventions that I would have to use to attract the audience I would be selling to using representations and audience institutions. I chose to make a album cover that would be with the CD which was to promote the single in which the music video I created would promote.
I began to look at the CD covers for other artists and bands in the genre. The artist(s) album covers which stood out to me the most were:
Aerosmith
Bowling for Soup
Foo Fighters
Green Day
Guns N Roses
KoRn
Metallica
Nickelback
Nirvana
Billy Talent
and System of the Down
Below are some of the front covers that were most influential to me:
After randomly choosing each artist and the artwork used for their CD covers, I began to take notes and look at the details, forms and conventions generally used.
General Forms and Conventions
I found that usually dark colours are used such as Greys, Blacks, White, Reds and Dark Blues rather then bright or upbeat colours such as Yellow, Orange or green. This can be used in my own cover as it would attract the right audience using the colours as representations for my product.
Most covers also use religion. For example, Crosses, Angels and Doves are frequently used in the artwork in the image. These are also used as things that are usually seen as peaceful or gentle are twisted into a different picture or meaning. For example, on the Guns N Roses cover roses are shown around a gun so taking something that is peaceful and loving and interwinding them around a gun which represents violence and anger.
This form and convention is also used on other CD covers by showing tombstones, graveyards and an album cover by KoRn shows a little girl on a swing however, the top of her head and shadow and her shadow connects with the title "KoRn" and looks as if the small girl is being hung.
Death is also represented on album covers in the genre as tombstones, grave yards and skulls are included in the art work.
Violence is another form of representation used to target the specific target audience by including images of guns lying on the floor, images of combat soldiers, bombs and also sleign people on a pavement.
Feelings are also presented on the front covers of albums by using images of tears which have been made into silver, just an eye is seen, aswell as a modern age portrayel of feelings such as a couple embracing eachother.
After looking at the overall artwork and its characteristics for CD cover albums, I looked at that each CD uses.
Album titles of bands e.g. Nirvana, Nickelback and Metallica usually keep the same style and font of writing like a branding and trademark of the band so consumers and their audiences which they attract and provide music for recogize the band and the branding on each CD which they release.
Art work on covers usually consist of the layout format of having art as the front cover and displaying the band on the back of the cover. This occurs on albums for Red Hot Chillie Peppers and Nickelback. However, Bowling for Soup feature a picture of the band on the front cover rather then just the back. This can be used on my own cover as twisting the usual forms and conventions.
Final Version of Music Video and Feedback
Below is the completed music video for Stage Exit's - 'Hate':
Below is the feedback I have recieved on YouTube:
"I like this.
its very creative
and fits in with the forms and conventions of this type of music"
"nice work this is a great video"
"really well done a good video :)"
"Nice work and well edited!"
"Awesomeee video clem and really good setting :)"
"Really good shots, and a good song too. Well edited, I'd give 5*'s"
"Good Video Two Thumbs Up To The Good Work Here"
"this is absolutely brilliant
how compellingly amazing"
"this is great! nice work man!!good luck on ur project :)"
"Great work :PI think the people who did the editing are awesome ;-)AWESOME CLIP TWO! :P Lol!"
Below is the feedback I have recieved on YouTube:
"I like this.
its very creative
and fits in with the forms and conventions of this type of music"
"nice work this is a great video"
"really well done a good video :)"
"Nice work and well edited!"
"Awesomeee video clem and really good setting :)"
"Really good shots, and a good song too. Well edited, I'd give 5*'s"
"Good Video Two Thumbs Up To The Good Work Here"
"this is absolutely brilliant
how compellingly amazing"
"this is great! nice work man!!good luck on ur project :)"
"Great work :PI think the people who did the editing are awesome ;-)AWESOME CLIP TWO! :P Lol!"
Planning for the Music Video
After discovering and understanding the forms and conventions used in Alternative Rock/ Rock/ and Punk Rock genre I ackknowledged and used them in the planning for the music video. I completed a spider diagram of the most popular that I will try to include, this is shown below:
Below are the copies of the story boards I designed for the video:
Sheet 1
Sheet 2
Sheet 3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)