Group Magazine

Question 4

(CANT GET ONTO PREZZI AT HOME WILL TRANSFER TOMORROW)

Whilst I was creating my products, I used many different technologies in order to help myself research, plan, construct and evaluate my project. My brief was to create a three to five minute long music video as well as creating the ancillary texts of a magazine advert and digipak to accompany the music video.

The first process that I took in to creating my project was to research into music videos in order to gain ispriations into what  genre I could chose to base my products on. In order to do this, I used a Mac Computer in order to go onto the website YouTube in order to watch and analyse music videos. This technology device was important for me as I could then decide on what genre and artist to go with in which I decided to go with the indie genre with Ellie Goulding’s ‘Burn’ I chose this genre as from my research, I found it would be the most entertaining and succeful genre to pursue. Whilst I was using the Mac Computers, I also used the internet to research about chosen artist, Ellie Goulding, in order to find out more about her. Using the internet was a strength for my group and I as we were able to receive all the information needed in order to create convention indie music video products. However, the internet also proposed some weaknesses as sometimes the interent would be down, meaning the Mac Computers were not in use, setting us back in our research delaying our project. We over came this by using our mobile phones for internet and researching what we needed to on them. I also used a site called Blogger.com. This is where I was able to record the progress my group and I were making and I could also keep updated on what we had research and what i had found for example. Blogger was useful as it was easy for me at any point along the process of creating my music video to go back and check anything I was unsure about or needed help with. However, because Blogger was on the internet, sometimes, it was a difficult task to access it and get the correct information I needed.

When planning for my music video, i again used merely the same technologies as the research stage. However, the only thing that had changed was the websites that I used. I used different websites in order to get the lyrics of my song to make the planning process much quicker and more efficient. With the research and background knowledge that I already had about the indie genre, technologies such as the internet and my mobile phone were not needed as much. Yet, came useful when wanting to know something quickly.

Once the planning process of our project was completed, the creation of the ancillary texts began. The ancillary texts included a magazine advert and a 6 sided digipak. To create these texts, I used a laptop which had the Photoshop software on it. I had never used Photoshop before therefore I found this a weakness and a difficult task to complete as the software was new to me. As this was a first experience for myeslf, I found it challenging to get to know how to use it, however, after practise and teaching, I was then able to create my ancillary texts successfully. Strengths using photoshop were that it allowed me to add colours and filters over existing images. For example, the use of darkening images to make it more suitable for theme and to create low key lighting which creates a night time effect which then makes the audience understand the rebllious side to the artists personality. This is seen throught all of the images seen in my ancillary texts as I wanted to create a theme of rebellion and mystery in which would captivate the audience. However, some weaknesses using photoshop were the cropping of the images. For example, the lasso tool which allowed me to crop an image for the back page of the digipak was a difficult task. The image was hard to crop precisely which meant for it to take a longer time than expected. This is because the image seen is a ripped piece of paper and for it to be successful; the cropping had to be precise. However, I overcame this by taking my time with it and therefore the end result was successful. 

The next process was for the music video to be created. The equiptment I used to film my clips were a camera and a tripod. The tripod came very useful for my group and I whilst filming as it enabled us to make the shots steady and clear, creating a professional and serious look for the video, meaning the audience can see what is clearly going on and make it more serious for them. The camera was very efficient for my group and I as it enabled for the image quality to be of a high definition, which again enhances its professional look. These equipment also had weaknesses, this is because of the settings that mt group and I filmed in. We filmed in Camden which caused a problem with the tripod as it was in the way and highly inconvienient as this restricted us getting more naturalistic shots as we would have to stop and set it up when we needed it. Whilst filming, my group and I used two HD cameras. We did this as we wanted to fully capture naturally the emotions that are shown in the video. This is seen when the artist is outside drinking alcohol. By using two cameras here, the distressed emotions of the artist are captured fully with a wide range of camera sots making the audience engage in the scene more. This was a strength in the video as it allowed for it to become much more professional looking, therefore creating a wider audience. However, it became a weakness as the two cameras became difficult to handle with. It was a difficult task to accurately set up the cameras in a position that would capture the body language and feelings of the artist. We overcame this however by filming certain clips and watching them back to see if they looked successful, if we wasn’t happy with these shots, we would re film them.

Once the filming process had finished, I then imported my footage onto Final Cut Pro X and then began to edit my clips. Using Final Cut Pro X allowed me to be creative with the filters and transitions that I wanted to use. As I had used this editing software previuosly, I was able to efficiently edit my video allowing for a smoohtly running process. However, because of the genre of my video, this required me to add certain colours to my video such as yellows, blues and greens to enhance a naturalistic and stereotypically indie video. This became difficult as I had to make sure the colours I were adding looked professional and only subtly meaning that it took me longer to do this than expected. 

Lastly, for the evaluation of my project, I used a variety of new media technologies. I had to use a range of new technologies in order to portray my understanding of the wide range od technologuies and accessible today. These included, digital video, Blogger and a website named Prezi. Firstly, I used a word document to construct my evaluation and to make it to the best of my abilty before beginning to add each question into its certain format. Blogger allows for my examiners and teachers to view my work and easily accessible for them to see. For another part of my evaulation, I had to film myself answering a question. This was a downfall in myu evaluation as this made all of my work into sepeate sections making it less easily accessible for my examiners and teachers. 

Question 2

(I CANT GET ONTO PREZZI AT HOME I WILL TRANSFER IT TOMORROW)

During the creation of my groups and I final product, I created ancillary texts to accompany my music video. I created a magazine advert and a digipak in order to promote and sell my artist to my intended audience.  The magazine advert allows for the artist to be promoted to a wider audience, creating for a larger fan base to be created, as well as targeting the niche indie audience. The digipak however, was created for existing fans of the artist in whom want extra information about the artist and want more of an insight of her lifestyle which they will receive through the images and personal message seen. The theme that I decided to follow within both of my texts was the theme of nature and earth in which I believed would be successful in promoting the natural approach of the artist and also makes the audience believe that she is down-to-earth. I created this effect by using specific colours and settings which relate to the naturalistic theme such as greens and browns. I gained my inspirations for my ancillary texts through watching and analysing existing indie ancillary texts.

Before creating my magazine advert, I analysed Ellie Goulding’s magazine advert in that I noticed the theme of nature due to the colours and settings used. This inspired me to then replicate this theme within my own magazine advert as I believed it would create a realistic approach that the audience can then relate to and connect with her more due to the fact she is being represented as down-to-earth. The magazine advert was created on photoshop that allowed for many editing techniques to be used in order  to make a successful advert. Photoshop allowed me to manipulate my images to make them to how I wanted by adding filters, text and resizing the image. One of the main tools I used whilst editing my magazine advert was the use of the lasso tool where I was able to crop and resize my image to make it fit the screen, making the artist the most dominant feature of the advert, drawing the audiences attention towards her. The positioning of the artist was key in attracting the audience as it allowed for the audience to see whom she is and makes the audience interegued and want to know more. Also, another key feature was the use of eye contact. The artist is looking directly into the camera in which makes it seem for the audience that she is looking at them. This creates a more personal feel for the audience as they feel she is directing her attention at them, making them feel more involved in the advert, being drawn to buy it. 

The magazine advert supports the indie genre with the codes and conventions of the media genre being portrayed throughout. From my research, I found that the use of iconography would be successful in portraying the artists personality. I found that a guitar was stereotypically conventional of the indie genre and therefore this inspired me to include this in my own text. I used a guitar on the advert in order to portay the talents in which she has. This makes the audience believe that she is multi-talented and are persuaded into buying her album in order to gain more of an insight to her. The colours used within the advert are greens, browns, and yellows enhancing the natural theme that I wanted to portray. This is conventional of the indie genre as it presents artists as relaxed and easy going which the audience may find attractive and want to buy her album as they feel they could relate to her. The yellow within the advert are supportive of the song title ‘Burn’ which is a reaccuring colour used within all of my products in order to keep the song alive and make the song title stick into the audience’s mind. The clothing also makes a successful link within my products as all clothing seen is the same. This makes the audience understand more about her lifestyle and her easy going nature.

In order to make the magazine advert, my group and I had to discuss which features that we wanted to include in order to come to a mutual agreement on what we believed would look successful. Me and my other group member, Heather Everingham, made our own individual digipak within the planning process. Once these had been completed, we then looked at eachothers and discussed which features we would include on our final product. For example, Heather’s magazine advert showed the use of the yellow title which we then transferred to our final production as we believe this would stick in the audiences mind. Another idea that Heather’s magazine advert had which we incorporated within our final magazine advert was the use of high key lighting. We decided to use this element in our final text in order to make the artist stand out from the darker background. Another reason in why we used high key lighting was to present the artists emotions clearly. The high key lighting makes the audience understand that she is happy and postitve. We wanted to make the artist seem happy for the audience so that they are attracted to her and can connect with her easily.

The next to be made was the digipak which was also created on photoshop. I wanted to carry on the naturalistic theme within the digipak in order for the audience to get a better understanding of the  artists personality and lifestyle. However, before creating my digipak, I researched into existing digipaks in order to get a wider insight as to what elements I could include to make a successful digipak. I took my inspirations from Ellie Goulding’s digipak in which I noticed iconography and body language. Her body language seemed to be upright and confident in which I then incorporated in my final production. Throughout my digipak my artist is seen to be looking into the camera or standing upstraight. This was important as it made her seem confident in herself. This makes it seem that she is proud of herself and wants to present her music to her fans. This makes the audience understand more about her personality. I also wanted to challenge the genres conventions in order to captivate the audiences attention. I did this by creating a mysterious feel to the digipak by including the element of low key lighting. By doing this, it makes the artist seem suspicious and mysterious. I believed this was successful as then the audience would want to buy the album in order to find out more. Because this subverts the stereotypical conventions, the artist then sticks into the audiences mind, creating for a wider audience to be captivated rather than the niche audience. With regards to the music video, the digipak allows for a more rebellious side of the artist to be portrayed. The audience can then buy into this more adventourous, risky look and get an insight to the artists wider personality rather than the snippet that they receive in the narrative of the music video.

Because the digiapk was also created on photoshop. This allowed for each photo seen to be manipulated and created to how we wanted it. As we were subverting the genre, we darkened each picture by using the brighten tool, decreasing the darkeness by 25% on each in order for the mysterious feel to become evident. In order to keep the name of the song alive, we also used yellow writing on the personal message to enhance the ‘burn’ theme. The naturalistic theme is also evident in my digipak through the use of setting. The setting is seen to be outside in an alley way. This is conventional of the indie genre as it presents the artist to be easy going and down-to-earth not worrying about her surroundings, only her music. Because she is seen to be outside, this enhances the nature theme as it makes it seem to the audience she enjoys being outside.

In order to create our final digipak, we looked and analysed eachothers individual digipaks in order to take inspirations from each in order to create a successful digipak in which promotes the artist to how we wanted. We looked at mine and Heather Everingham’s and discussed which elements from each we would gather and use. The first thing we discussed was the use of my back page. My back page was seen to be her with a piece of ripped paper with the song names from her album on there. We believed this would be successful in our final text as it would enhance the easy-going-nature. The ripped paper suggests to the audience that she is down to earth as she didn’t want anything fancy to give the song names, just a piece of paper. The audience can connect with this as they believe she is well grounded and takes her fame position seriously yet tries to keep well grounded. Another element we used was the use of direct eye contact which we took from Heather Everingham’s individual digipak. We decided to make the front page a close up of the artist looking directly into the camera. We did this because we believed that this would create a more personal feek for the audience as the artist is seen to be looking directly at them, engaging them to the album.

Overall, the combination of the ancillary texts and the music video is highly effective in promoting and sharing the artists lifestyle. For example, the same clothing is seen throughout all texts making the audience feel more connected to her and her lifestyle. Each text conforms to the indie genre through their codes and conventions. They are all highly noticeable of the indie genre that means the niche audience will be targeted successfully. 

Question 1

The task that I have received for my advanced portfolio was to create a music video, which had to fit the duration of three to five minutes. A music video is a video put together with many differing and angles and shots which allows for the artist to showcase their song to their audience and also allows for their artist to portray themselves in the way that they want to be perceived by the audience. A music video allows for an artists life and everyday living to be represented, enhancing the relationships between the consumer and the artist as they are able to connect and relate to the scenes being shown to them.

The chosen artist for my media product was Ellie Goulding, with her song ‘Burn’ which conforms to the indie/dance genre. I decided on the indie genre as I believed that I could represent my artist in a way that the audience could relate to her and create a realistic video that captivates my audience. The codes and conventions within my final media product conform and develop the indie genre. I gathered my inspiration my researching deeply into the indie genre, watching existing successful indie music videos to get a deeper understanding of the codes and conventions used and how artists represented. There are several ways in my production in how I wanted to develop the indie genre. The first noticeable convention that I had used was through the mise-en-scene element of clothing. I believe that clothing is highly important in order to present the artists personality. I dressed my artist in a denim jacket, big boots, jeans and a bandana around her head. The clothing that I used develops and conforms to the indie genre as it presents a relaxed and down-to-earth feel which makes the artist seem relatable which the audience can connect to which creates a more personal feel. The shirt that the artist is wearing is checked which gives the artist more edge and individuality over other indie artists.  I chose to dress my artist in casual clothing as they are stereotypical of the indie genre and it will allow fans of the indie genre to be interested in the video.

The second convention that I used also conforms and enhances the indie genre. I used the micro-element of setting. The setting of a music video is important to consider as it allows for the audience to have more of an understanding of the artists life. Through the setting the audience are able to connect with the artist more as they get an insight of where she spends most of her time and therefore the audience can connect with her more as the setting will reflect her personality traits. For example, within my music video, I use the setting of inside the home. I decided to use this as I believed it would create a relaxed feel, creating the representation that the artist is laid back and down to earth. The setting of in the home is conventional to the indie genre as it allows portrays the idea that the artist is an everyday person just like everyone else, making the audience connect with her more as they believe that she is a normal person. To gain more inspiration on setting, I researched into the indie genre to get an understanding of successful locations that I could include in my production. Through researching, I found that I could use bust market places and secluded places to fully capture the artist’s emotions. I then decided to use Camden Lock as another location in order to present the relationship within the video. By using this location, I was able to represent the relationship as loving and relaxed. The audience are led to believe that their love is natural and innocent as it doesn’t matter where they are as long as they are together which is conventional of the indie genre. Another location that I used was a dark, hidden away alleyway which represents the artists emotions as being sad and unhappy. This makes the audience feel emotion towards the artist as they begin to feel sorry for her and begin to sympathise with her. This is conventional of the indie genre as it leads the audience to feel some kind of emotion.

Iconography is important in a music video as it allows for the artist to be portrayed in a particular way. In order to gain an insight of the iconography used in indie music videos, I analysed Ed Sheeran’s music video ‘Drunk’ and I identified that he was playing a guitar. The iconography of a guitar is highly stereotypical of the indie genre as it portrays the artist as talented and musical. I believed this would be successful in my own production as it would show my artist a multi-talented, which the audience will find interesting and will want to find out more about her.  Another iconography element was the use of alcohol which is seen when she is in the alleyway. By using this, it represents the artists rough patch in her life. This makes the audience feel on edge for her as they are unaware of what may happen to her. This is conventional to the indie genre as it leads for the audience to feel some kind of emotion. It also portrays the artists feelings and emotions clearly.

Another convention I used within my music video is the use of cinematography close ups. I have used these particularly as they are conventional within an indie music video and also relate to Goodwin’s theory as their needs to be a variety of close ups in order to connect the artist with the audience. I have used close ups of the artist particularly when performing, for example when the artist is in the area with a white background and she is playing the guitar and singing to the cameras. This was used as a close up in particular because I wanted the audience to feel a connection with the artist when she performs as the audience will be able to connect with the artist better if they can see how and what she looks like. They may even be able to copy her image and replicate it to feel a more personal connection with her and themselves. These conventions used within my music video are very conventional not only to the indie genre but also the music video industries as the close ups are essential so that the audience are able to connect and feel a more personal connection with the artist that before. The use of the close up allows the audience to see every feature of the artist, and because of the artists eye contact with the camera it makes the audience believe that they are signing the music and the song to the audience (only themselves) and nobody else. This makes it conventional as close ups are needed so the artist can connect with the audience better and see the facial features of the artist, possibly allowing them to copy the artists image and feel a more personal connection with the artist herself.

An element that I decided on subverting was the use of make-up. Whilst analyzing music videos for inspirations for my own production, I noticed that indie artists wear very minimal make-up in order for them to be natural. Although I wanted to make my artist natural and appealing to its audience, I believed it would be a successful element for my artist to wear heavy eye make-up. I did this because it gives the artist more of a grunge look. It also makes the audience be drawn automatically to her eyes. This is successful because whilst she is performing, the audience have immeadiate eye contact with her. This makes the audience more connected to the artist as they receive a more personal feel and feel more connected to her as they believe she is singing directly to her.

Overall, my research into the indie genre helped me to understand more into the codes and conventions used and enabled me to create a succesful music video. It also  uses real life elements in portraying the artist and her relationship. Codes and conventions were thought about excessively during the planning process and as I wanted to make sure that my final product conformed to its genre and appealed to my target audience of people aged 16-25.

Question 3

Final Group Magazine Advert

Music Video

Final Production
Charlotte Monksfield 3119
I also worked with Heather Everingham 3055