Friday, 7 May 2010
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Evaluation
The first decision I had to make was to choose a brief. I decided to create a promotional package for a new band which included a music video, poster advertisement and CD cover. I invented a band name 'Edita of the Uprising', created a character list, assigned roles and drafted ideas for the content of the music video. The ancillary texts had to seem authentic and original. The poster was to appear inside a music magazine and the CD cover had to include a front and back page.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My media product follows most of the typical conventions expected from a music video. For example, the video includes a band member as part of the casting. This is a deliberate casting choice that institutions make in order to publicise and bring recognition to their product. Although no official scripting was necessary as the song played over scenes in which speech took place, the video included a story, sense of direction and purpose that most music videos include.
However I decided to break some conventions of music videos for effect. My product does not follow the typical expectations with regards to narrative. A conventional narrative of a music video will include a structured beginning, middle and end with regards to time, setting and progression of events. My video includes scenes which are yet to take place for the characters. The passage of time is not typically used in music videos as it is often difficult to portray this without speech. Therefore I chose to use an 'Old Movie Effect' when editing to suggest there is a time difference between scenes in one location to the other. I decided to do this as it could create an emotional response from the viewer as they may sympathise with lead singer Edita as she is oblivious towards the argument that will take place and is getting ready to go out. I chose to structure the narrative in this way as it enables the viewer to connect with the character and adds interest. This challenges conventions of music videos as it is not conforming to the expected structure. This is also a post-modern technique and reflects the era in which I am writing as I have grown up in a highly post-modern world.
Conventional music videos convey a sense of genre and style that reinforces the songs chosen medium. The band I used, Placebo, is an alternative rock band that often challenge expectations and create unexpected material for dramatic effect. The song I chose 'Broken Promise' however does not represent the band as an alternative-rock band. The song contrasts with a lot of Placebo's other songs as it describes the pain of love and is more emo than rock. My video therefore conforms to expected conventions of the songs genre- emo and alternative, however conflict with the bands usual conventions of a punk-rock style approach. I decided that the song was unique in a sense that it allows the listener to empathise with the singer in a way that other Placebo songs do not. My music video highlights the breakdown of a relationship and is therefore conventional in its content. I develop the conventions of music videos in the way that my product is aimed at a target audience. A conventional product uses mise en scene, style, image and genre to target a select category of consumers. I have used this convention in the sense that I have made my video alternative and set the narrative of the video to fit the song to target listeners that appreciate the band. However I have developed this convention further and attempted to target a wider audience. I have used male and female actors in my video, however focused the central viewpoint from the female characters perspective. This was an intentional decision to attract a wider audience and challenge the conventions of the band. The song I decided to use potentially describes a relationship between two males as the lead singer had a homosexual relationship at the time of writing this song and made several comments about the song to suggest this. I considered creating a video to reflect this however decided to challenge the conventions by using a heterosexual couple to reflect the same issues addressed in the song. By making a female character the central focus I aim to address a wider audience and appeal to female listeners who can relate to the video, without altering the meaning of the song.
Another product I developed was a CD cover to advertise the band. I used conventions of real media products to create a certain image of the band. I analysed other media products to gain inspiration. One convention I found interesting was the layout of many CD covers. I decided to use a layout that reflects the alternative, unpredictability of the band. For example, the swirling patterns on the front suggest an individuality of the band. The colour scheme challenges typical conventions. I edited the video to create an old movie feel and suggest a time difference in the scenes. The colour scheme on the CD cover reflects this as the central image of the two band members has a similar feel to it. The background is plain white to connote a fresh, clean new band. The red and white sketchy editing, combined with the way the band members are looking directly at the camera, creates a warm, personal feel to the photograph. The photograph itself, in many ways, challenges the forms and conventions of CD covers. A typical photograph for a CD cover will usually only show one band member, usually the lead singer. Since the 1980's when music videos became mainstream and especially more recently, music has arguably become more about the appearances of the band, rather than the music itself. Therefore a modern convention of band advertisements is to make the band members appear as attractive and appealing as possible. I challenged this in the sense that I used a sketchy editing style to create a personal feel to the image, as though the band members are in a relaxed setting taking a photograph themselves, unaware of the purpose of the photograph. However in the same way, I comply and use this convention in my decision when casting roles for the band members. I made an intentional decision in who I casted and asked appealing, friendly people who reflect that in the photographs and filming taken.
How effective was the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The main product, the music video, had to relate to the other two products- the CD cover and poster advertisement. I decided to use several features to show a direct link between the products. Firstly, I used the same actress for all three products. Edita appears in the music video as the leading female role, the CD cover alongside fellow band member Jade and in the poster. This is effective as it links all three products together and makes them immediately recognisable by the lead role. I believe the CD cover is effective as a postmodern text and relates to the target audience by being alternative and anti-mainstream in appearance. The poster features Edita of the Uprising's new CD Ruby Red and its main purpose is to bring recognition and awareness towards the CD's release. Therefore, the combination of these two texts is effective as they support each other. I intentionally used a similar colour scheme in the texts as a recurring feature of the band and to relate to the album name 'Ruby Red'. I believe the video, CD cover and poster work effectively together as they bring recognition to the band, promote the new album and have similar iconographic features that link them together.
What have you learned from audience feedback?
I posted two questionnaires on my blog and I am able to learn information relating to market audience from them. I received 14 votes on my polls and although these results are too low to make valued judgements from, I am able to learn some information from them. For example, a higher percentage of reviewers answered that Rock/alternative music is their favourite type of genre, indicating that my products will be appreciated by them, as opposed to Pop or Metal based products. However, as the polls only used a closed-question approach the data is not qualitative and does not give valid opinions or creative responses, the reviewer simply ticked the box that applied best to them. This information can however be easily analysed and assumptions can be made from them. For example, I can learn that if my blog was shown to a wider audience approximately 4 out of 7 would want to change the choice of bands or artists referred to in it.
2 out of 7 people indicated that they would, if given the choice, make alterations to the layout/colour scheme and style of my blog. Therefore, when the poll was completed I made changes to the background colour in response to the audience feedback.
I have also received verbal feedback from peers and have found the feedback was positive. From this feedback I have learnt that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to create a product that will appeal to all audiences. It is more effective to target a specific group of people such as females. It is also effective to choose an even more specific group to target, such as Rock fans or a certain age group.
In what ways do you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My media product follows most of the typical conventions expected from a music video. For example, the video includes a band member as part of the casting. This is a deliberate casting choice that institutions make in order to publicise and bring recognition to their product. Although no official scripting was necessary as the song played over scenes in which speech took place, the video included a story, sense of direction and purpose that most music videos include.
However I decided to break some conventions of music videos for effect. My product does not follow the typical expectations with regards to narrative. A conventional narrative of a music video will include a structured beginning, middle and end with regards to time, setting and progression of events. My video includes scenes which are yet to take place for the characters. The passage of time is not typically used in music videos as it is often difficult to portray this without speech. Therefore I chose to use an 'Old Movie Effect' when editing to suggest there is a time difference between scenes in one location to the other. I decided to do this as it could create an emotional response from the viewer as they may sympathise with lead singer Edita as she is oblivious towards the argument that will take place and is getting ready to go out. I chose to structure the narrative in this way as it enables the viewer to connect with the character and adds interest. This challenges conventions of music videos as it is not conforming to the expected structure. This is also a post-modern technique and reflects the era in which I am writing as I have grown up in a highly post-modern world.
Conventional music videos convey a sense of genre and style that reinforces the songs chosen medium. The band I used, Placebo, is an alternative rock band that often challenge expectations and create unexpected material for dramatic effect. The song I chose 'Broken Promise' however does not represent the band as an alternative-rock band. The song contrasts with a lot of Placebo's other songs as it describes the pain of love and is more emo than rock. My video therefore conforms to expected conventions of the songs genre- emo and alternative, however conflict with the bands usual conventions of a punk-rock style approach. I decided that the song was unique in a sense that it allows the listener to empathise with the singer in a way that other Placebo songs do not. My music video highlights the breakdown of a relationship and is therefore conventional in its content. I develop the conventions of music videos in the way that my product is aimed at a target audience. A conventional product uses mise en scene, style, image and genre to target a select category of consumers. I have used this convention in the sense that I have made my video alternative and set the narrative of the video to fit the song to target listeners that appreciate the band. However I have developed this convention further and attempted to target a wider audience. I have used male and female actors in my video, however focused the central viewpoint from the female characters perspective. This was an intentional decision to attract a wider audience and challenge the conventions of the band. The song I decided to use potentially describes a relationship between two males as the lead singer had a homosexual relationship at the time of writing this song and made several comments about the song to suggest this. I considered creating a video to reflect this however decided to challenge the conventions by using a heterosexual couple to reflect the same issues addressed in the song. By making a female character the central focus I aim to address a wider audience and appeal to female listeners who can relate to the video, without altering the meaning of the song.
Another product I developed was a CD cover to advertise the band. I used conventions of real media products to create a certain image of the band. I analysed other media products to gain inspiration. One convention I found interesting was the layout of many CD covers. I decided to use a layout that reflects the alternative, unpredictability of the band. For example, the swirling patterns on the front suggest an individuality of the band. The colour scheme challenges typical conventions. I edited the video to create an old movie feel and suggest a time difference in the scenes. The colour scheme on the CD cover reflects this as the central image of the two band members has a similar feel to it. The background is plain white to connote a fresh, clean new band. The red and white sketchy editing, combined with the way the band members are looking directly at the camera, creates a warm, personal feel to the photograph. The photograph itself, in many ways, challenges the forms and conventions of CD covers. A typical photograph for a CD cover will usually only show one band member, usually the lead singer. Since the 1980's when music videos became mainstream and especially more recently, music has arguably become more about the appearances of the band, rather than the music itself. Therefore a modern convention of band advertisements is to make the band members appear as attractive and appealing as possible. I challenged this in the sense that I used a sketchy editing style to create a personal feel to the image, as though the band members are in a relaxed setting taking a photograph themselves, unaware of the purpose of the photograph. However in the same way, I comply and use this convention in my decision when casting roles for the band members. I made an intentional decision in who I casted and asked appealing, friendly people who reflect that in the photographs and filming taken.
How effective was the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The main product, the music video, had to relate to the other two products- the CD cover and poster advertisement. I decided to use several features to show a direct link between the products. Firstly, I used the same actress for all three products. Edita appears in the music video as the leading female role, the CD cover alongside fellow band member Jade and in the poster. This is effective as it links all three products together and makes them immediately recognisable by the lead role. I believe the CD cover is effective as a postmodern text and relates to the target audience by being alternative and anti-mainstream in appearance. The poster features Edita of the Uprising's new CD Ruby Red and its main purpose is to bring recognition and awareness towards the CD's release. Therefore, the combination of these two texts is effective as they support each other. I intentionally used a similar colour scheme in the texts as a recurring feature of the band and to relate to the album name 'Ruby Red'. I believe the video, CD cover and poster work effectively together as they bring recognition to the band, promote the new album and have similar iconographic features that link them together.
What have you learned from audience feedback?
I posted two questionnaires on my blog and I am able to learn information relating to market audience from them. I received 14 votes on my polls and although these results are too low to make valued judgements from, I am able to learn some information from them. For example, a higher percentage of reviewers answered that Rock/alternative music is their favourite type of genre, indicating that my products will be appreciated by them, as opposed to Pop or Metal based products. However, as the polls only used a closed-question approach the data is not qualitative and does not give valid opinions or creative responses, the reviewer simply ticked the box that applied best to them. This information can however be easily analysed and assumptions can be made from them. For example, I can learn that if my blog was shown to a wider audience approximately 4 out of 7 would want to change the choice of bands or artists referred to in it.
2 out of 7 people indicated that they would, if given the choice, make alterations to the layout/colour scheme and style of my blog. Therefore, when the poll was completed I made changes to the background colour in response to the audience feedback.
I have also received verbal feedback from peers and have found the feedback was positive. From this feedback I have learnt that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to create a product that will appeal to all audiences. It is more effective to target a specific group of people such as females. It is also effective to choose an even more specific group to target, such as Rock fans or a certain age group.
In what ways do you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
The Internet was an effective method of researching that I used. The World Wide Web enabled me to research the history of music videos and be able to view and analyse specific videos created by real record labels. Search engines such as www.google.co.uk was a useful way for me to type in the certain aspect of music videos I wanted to research and document then document them using Microsoft Word. I also used Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Word to plan and construct my products and to record research I had found. Furthermore, in relation to the World Wide Web I used this site, www.blogger.com, to record the work I had made, saved in a draft format, then publish the post when it had been fully completed. I analysed three music videos during the research stage, using www.youtube.com to search for specific videos. I had to watch music videos in order to get an understanding of the forms and conventions and to be aware of certain features such as the length of the video. Prior to studying Media at A level I had a keen interest in music and music videos, therefore I knew some aspects already. However, it was still vital for me to analyse music videos and watch a wide array of different styles and products to gain a heightened understanding. When using media technologies I often struggled and faced difficulties, however was able to tackle most of the problems. For example, when attempting to upload some posts, such as the magazine poster, the uploading tool on this site would not allow it. Therefore, in order to publish my post I had to use Paint to open my file and publish it using that format. Media technology was vital in the construction of my work. I used Adobe Premiere Pro in order to edit my clips and structure the video into a finished product. I used editing computers, laptops, scanners, printers and video cameras in my production. Editing is important in my music video as it sets the structure of the video. The 'Old Movie effect' creates a time setting and implies the difference in time between each scene that I hoped to address.
What is the meaning of my Music Video and why did I structure it the way I did?
My Music Video tells the story of a breakdown in the relationship of a young couple. I intentionally used attractive actors and the costumes/clothes they were are iconic of characters from television programs such as 'Skins' and 'Hollyoaks'. The video begins with Edita, the lead female role, smoking a cigarette looking directly at the camera. This was an intentional cinematic decision that creates an immediate link between the audience and the character. The camera shot is a close-up shot, a common camera-shot used in music videos, that shows her feelings and emotions. The shot was used to show the sadness in her eyes, however the blank almost expressionless facial features show she is keeping her sadness quite. This links with the song which describes the speaker 'waiting' until he unleashes his anger and sense of betrayal in the chorus. The video also shows Edita getting changed, putting make-up on in her bedroom. She appears unaware of the camera an this point to show naivety and ignorance to the events that will take place later. However, once again her expressionless and serious behaviour intend to imply she, to some extent, knows what will happen later. The scenes often appear to replay, flicker and become distorted slightly to suggest the viewer is watching an old movie on a tape that is damaged. The scenes that show the couple arguing are to illustrate the difficulties in their relationship. The medium shots are used to include clothing, facial features, hand actions and background scenery such as cars, streets and streetlights. The mise-en-scene of these scenes are important as it creates setting and location, informing the viewer that they are outside at night. The dark, street setting creates a darker mood reinforcing the mood created by the lyrics. The characters argue and show aggression towards each other however I decided to show them laughing as well, to suggest a distortion of moods. The song itself seems uncertain about its intentions. The speaker seems angry and saddened by the actions of the person he is addressing in the song, however also suggests love towards the listener. The laughter shows the couple, although are fighting and the relationship is breaking down, are uncertain of their feelings. The distortion of moods also reinforces the intended suggestion of a distorted reality that the Old Movie style editing creates. The characters occasionally look directly at the camera, (when Edita is smoking for example). This shows a link between the audience and characters and also breaks the conventions of this style of music videos. The re-wind effect used as Edita is going up the stairs in her house shows the potential changes one decision can make. She has the opportunity to turn around and go back to him, or to continue getting ready. The re-wind effect was used to show how one choice can change things and is therefore presents dramatic irony as the audience knows that they will argue later, however she does not. This idea however is challenged at the end of the video as she looks directly at the camera, suggesting that she does in fact know the difficulties she faces and the sadness is expressed in her eyes.
If I were to complete this production again I would make several changes and alterations to my work.
Firstly, I would plan the content of my video more accurately. A major difficulty I faced was creating ideas for the content and my original ideas conflicted with available actors/actresses, weather and practicality. Time management was also another problem as I feel I spent too much time researching and planning and this caused problems in relation to filming and storyboarding my product. There are many changes I would not make however. The final choice in actors proved to be a good decision and I feel they fitted the parts accurately. I am pleased with the editing and camera shots used and although I would make some alterations such as including an extreme close-up at the end and a fade-out effect, I am happy with the final product. I would perhaps choose a different song if I were to complete this again. 'Broken Promise' by Placebo had an effective chorus and I chose it for the sudden change in mood and tone, however I feel I would enjoy creating a video to a song such as Florence and the Machines 'Dog Days' or a Pop song to allow for more movement, dancing and faster editing cuts to match the rhythm of the song.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the Research & Planning stages, producing the ancillary texts and the written element of the coursework, however struggled with creatively producing the video. Overall I am pleased with the end result and would recommend this course to others as I feel I have learned a lot.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Revised Planning
Locations List
- House- Domestic setting. Friends bedroom. Stairs. Front door.
- Street- With view of streetlights. Not busy traffic.
Health & Safety
Additional issues that needed to be addressed with regards to Health & Safety-
- Traffic- I needed to choose a quiet area that cars rarely travelled down.
- Ethical issues- (Privacy of others)- I decided to stop filming if pedestrians walked by as they may not want to be included in any footage.
- Stairs- When filming from the top of the stairs at my friends house I decided to be more careful and use handheld filming, as the tripod would have been dangerous to use near the stairs.
Character List
- Edita Sustere- Playing Edita- The leading female role in the video and band member from my represented band Edita of the Uprising.
- Pete McCormack- Playing the leading male role.
- Jade Stipetic- Not portrayed in the video however is another band member, photographed for advertising purposes.
Friday, 23 April 2010
CD Cover
Back page
The mise en scene of the back page for my CD cover is as follows:
The mise en scene of the back page for my CD cover is as follows:
- Song titles from the new release
- Image of the band members- Edita and Jade (portrayed in the background for effect)
- Colour scheme relates to target audience- pink and black.
- Patterns- Swirls and colours are used to add interest and relate to audience as it may be deemed as interesting and edgy (typical expectations of a punk rock band).
- Barcode, band name, website, CD issue number and name of institution.
Magazine poster
I edited the central image on my poster by slightly adjusting the sharpness and colour contrasts and removing the background to create a white, blank background in which the band are stood in front of.
I included side pictures as this is a typical convention used and will help promote advertise the band in adding to the mise en scene of the advertisement.
I included the bands album cd cover as the purpose of the poster is to:
I included side pictures as this is a typical convention used and will help promote advertise the band in adding to the mise en scene of the advertisement.
I included the bands album cd cover as the purpose of the poster is to:
- promote the band.
- promote the release of the new album 'Red Ruby.'
I included a strapline as this addresses the purpose of the poster and is relevant to the advertisement.
The colour scheme was carefully chosen as it relates to the new album release 'Ruby Red'.
Therefore, most colour portrayed on the advertisement are red.
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Thursday, 25 March 2010
Conventions of advertising a band- CD covers/posters.
- The name of the artist and CD album's name.
- A large, dominant photograph of the artist.
- The colour schemes and font will be appropriate.
- Additional contact information e.g. website.
Friday, 12 March 2010
Codes and Conventions of chosen medium
Here I will list the typical codes and conventions of Music Videos and briefly outline how I will comply to these rules and where I will break them for effect.
Conventions
When viewing a Music Video the audience have expectations of what to expect due to conventional features used throughout most music videos they have seen before. Conventions are what people expect to see when viewing a media construct. Typical conventions of Music Videos can be separated into different groups:
Camera shots and style- Conventional camera shots used in Music Videos are different from those expected from Movies or other visual filming. In movies, for example, an establishing shot is usually always used in order to convey a sense of setting and place. In contrast, music videos rarely ever use this shot type as they tend to jump straight into the 'action' of the video and do not portray setting in such an obvious way. Mise-en scene, such as props, are relied on in order to show where the characters may be and why they are there. Music videos conventionally begin with the singer, band or central character of the video. This shows that they are the central focus of the video. Close-up shots are usually used to create setting and meaning. Often simple props are used and shown in the form of a close-up, such as a flower to symbolise love or a persons feet to create a sense of importance in the person who we are following. The camera shots are
Conventionally, music videos are around 3-5 minutes long and often follow a story that portrays the meaning of the song played. For example, Nickelback's song 'Someday' begins with a couple arguing, (without spoken dialogue as not to interfere with the song,) and ends with the deaths of both people after following a short extract of their lives. This ensures characterisation and creates an emotional response in the viewers and is typical of a song relating to love and loss.
Another convention of a music video is that it appeals to its intended music genre audience.
Text is also conventionally shown on the screen at the start of the video entitling the songs name, band name and date of production (often showing the institution name as well).
I will comply to most conventions of a typical music video.
For example, the video follows a narrative and the song will play in the background.
The video will have one central figure, (a member of the band) and will portray a scenario in which she is involved in.
I will break typical expected conventions in the sense of editing. I have decided to edit the filming by giving it an old movie feel to it, suggesting a passage of time between the past and present. In the video the scenes that will be edited to have an old movie effect on will present the past, in which the leading female role is getting ready to meet her partner. The video will flash between the past (her getting ready), to what happened after- her arguing with the lead male role (her partner).
Conventions
When viewing a Music Video the audience have expectations of what to expect due to conventional features used throughout most music videos they have seen before. Conventions are what people expect to see when viewing a media construct. Typical conventions of Music Videos can be separated into different groups:
Camera shots and style- Conventional camera shots used in Music Videos are different from those expected from Movies or other visual filming. In movies, for example, an establishing shot is usually always used in order to convey a sense of setting and place. In contrast, music videos rarely ever use this shot type as they tend to jump straight into the 'action' of the video and do not portray setting in such an obvious way. Mise-en scene, such as props, are relied on in order to show where the characters may be and why they are there. Music videos conventionally begin with the singer, band or central character of the video. This shows that they are the central focus of the video. Close-up shots are usually used to create setting and meaning. Often simple props are used and shown in the form of a close-up, such as a flower to symbolise love or a persons feet to create a sense of importance in the person who we are following. The camera shots are
Conventionally, music videos are around 3-5 minutes long and often follow a story that portrays the meaning of the song played. For example, Nickelback's song 'Someday' begins with a couple arguing, (without spoken dialogue as not to interfere with the song,) and ends with the deaths of both people after following a short extract of their lives. This ensures characterisation and creates an emotional response in the viewers and is typical of a song relating to love and loss.
Another convention of a music video is that it appeals to its intended music genre audience.
Text is also conventionally shown on the screen at the start of the video entitling the songs name, band name and date of production (often showing the institution name as well).
I will comply to most conventions of a typical music video.
For example, the video follows a narrative and the song will play in the background.
The video will have one central figure, (a member of the band) and will portray a scenario in which she is involved in.
I will break typical expected conventions in the sense of editing. I have decided to edit the filming by giving it an old movie feel to it, suggesting a passage of time between the past and present. In the video the scenes that will be edited to have an old movie effect on will present the past, in which the leading female role is getting ready to meet her partner. The video will flash between the past (her getting ready), to what happened after- her arguing with the lead male role (her partner).
LIIAR of a Music Video
Language
The language of the Music Video will be modern, refreshing and powerful. The language is dependant on the genre I have chosen and will reflect the conventions of the genre. I want to appeal to my chosen audience and therefore the language will be important in order to appeal and intrigue the audience.
Institution
The institution of the Music Video relies on the genre. I have chosen a Rock/Alternative music as my genre and therefore the institution will need to apply to the convention and expectations of these genre types. For example, I will not choose an institution name such as 'PopMusic' as it will not apply to my audience.
Ideology
The ideology of my Music Video will subconsciously reflect my own ideologies. This is unavoidable as any producer of a media text will always include the ideologies they hold, without always being aware of this. I aim to include ideologies that will appeal to my audience and not include my own thoughts and reflections on society, culture and the media.
Audience
My target audience are Rock/Alternative fans and people who appreciate music and visual representations. The audience is affected by the ideology, language and institution as all of these will create a representation of music that will influence whether a viewer will appreciate my production.
Representation
This shows how the music video is portrayed and presented as a media text and will influence all other aspects of the piece. The representation is vital as it illustrates how people perceive the production and whether it will appeal to a market audience. A poorly represented media construct will fail to appeal to a large audience and will struggle to reach successful acclaim. With this in mind I aim to represent my video in a conventional manner and make it appealing and intriguing.
The language of the Music Video will be modern, refreshing and powerful. The language is dependant on the genre I have chosen and will reflect the conventions of the genre. I want to appeal to my chosen audience and therefore the language will be important in order to appeal and intrigue the audience.
Institution
The institution of the Music Video relies on the genre. I have chosen a Rock/Alternative music as my genre and therefore the institution will need to apply to the convention and expectations of these genre types. For example, I will not choose an institution name such as 'PopMusic' as it will not apply to my audience.
Ideology
The ideology of my Music Video will subconsciously reflect my own ideologies. This is unavoidable as any producer of a media text will always include the ideologies they hold, without always being aware of this. I aim to include ideologies that will appeal to my audience and not include my own thoughts and reflections on society, culture and the media.
Audience
My target audience are Rock/Alternative fans and people who appreciate music and visual representations. The audience is affected by the ideology, language and institution as all of these will create a representation of music that will influence whether a viewer will appreciate my production.
Representation
This shows how the music video is portrayed and presented as a media text and will influence all other aspects of the piece. The representation is vital as it illustrates how people perceive the production and whether it will appeal to a market audience. A poorly represented media construct will fail to appeal to a large audience and will struggle to reach successful acclaim. With this in mind I aim to represent my video in a conventional manner and make it appealing and intriguing.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Health and Safety
Health and safety should be taken into account throughout my work.
While filming I have ensured that a safe filming environment will be created. One scene in the video involves the actors suddenly becoming loud, bouncy and active. The characters will be running and therefore I must ensure that they are in no harm of tripping up or falling over.
To do this I will move all obstacles out of the way unless they are essential for the clip. I will also place cushions in suitable places for extra precaution.
Safety checks will be made before filming each clip as an added precaution. Any filming made outside in a public place will be carried out carefully and considerately of others.
Other than the points made I will not have to worry about other safety issues as the video is intentionally simplistic and safe.
While filming I have ensured that a safe filming environment will be created. One scene in the video involves the actors suddenly becoming loud, bouncy and active. The characters will be running and therefore I must ensure that they are in no harm of tripping up or falling over.
To do this I will move all obstacles out of the way unless they are essential for the clip. I will also place cushions in suitable places for extra precaution.
Safety checks will be made before filming each clip as an added precaution. Any filming made outside in a public place will be carried out carefully and considerately of others.
Other than the points made I will not have to worry about other safety issues as the video is intentionally simplistic and safe.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Analysis of a Music Magazine poster
In order to create a realistic music magazine poster I have decided to draw inspiration by looking at how other institutions have constructed posters to advertise singers/bands.
The example I am using was taken from Kerrang! magazine and is a poster used to advertise Anette Olzon, lead singer of the band Nightwish.
The photograph taken is a long shot and is effective as it shows the full body of the singer and not simply the face and facial features. This choice of camera shot, alongside her smile and provocative stance, works effectively to entice a male audience. Olzon was the only band member chosen to appear in the poster, possibly because if the other band members were included it would draw the focus away from her and the appealing manner used would be less effective.
The background behind the photograph is cream coloured wallpaper which creates a domestic feel to the image. The logo at the top left corner of the poster is of Kerrang! logo, which refers to the institution that provided it.
The mise en scene of the photograph are iconic of the intended market audience. Olzon is wearing stylish clothing that is typical of rock fans or musicians. Her tattoos are also displayed so that they are noticeable within the shot. Tattoos are another iconographic feature of rock/metal fans.
Planning- Content for CD cover.
I will include a photograph of the band.
I have decided to make the band smile and appear happy and relaxed in order to create an appealing picture.
I will edit the picture in many ways-
- I will enhance the sharpness of the image.
- I will increase the contrast of the image.
- I will alter the colour of the image, possibly making it red to match the album name 'Ruby Red'.
- I will crop the image and cut out the sides in order to focus on the faces of the band members.
The CD cover will also have the band name and the album name as a typical convention of a CD cover.
I will not include the price or any other text as I want to make the picture simplistic, realistic and not cluttered with text.
I have decided to make the band smile and appear happy and relaxed in order to create an appealing picture.
I will edit the picture in many ways-
- I will enhance the sharpness of the image.
- I will increase the contrast of the image.
- I will alter the colour of the image, possibly making it red to match the album name 'Ruby Red'.
- I will crop the image and cut out the sides in order to focus on the faces of the band members.
The CD cover will also have the band name and the album name as a typical convention of a CD cover.
I will not include the price or any other text as I want to make the picture simplistic, realistic and not cluttered with text.
Planning- Content for Magazine Advertisement
With regard to the two subsidary tasks I will complete to support the Music Video I will include planned content and develop reasoning to explain why I choose to present the content in that way.
I have chosen to complete is a Magazine advertisement in the form of a poster. The poster will aim to portray the bands image, present the band members themself, outline the band name, detail an upcoming gig or concert, define the target audience and be suitable to be placed inside a music magazine such as Kerrang!, Q or NME.
I have drafted several ideas for the layout of the poster and have decided that a simplistic design would be more suitable for a magazine. The poster should inform readers of the band and promote itself but be eye-catching and not cluttered with writing and images. The mise-en scene of the poster is important as it creates an image for the band and is vital advertising for a new band to branch out and appeal to larger audiences.
I have decided to plan the poster in the following way and will attempt to stick to this design, however may stray slightly from this when completing the final piece.
The central image will be:
I have chosen to complete is a Magazine advertisement in the form of a poster. The poster will aim to portray the bands image, present the band members themself, outline the band name, detail an upcoming gig or concert, define the target audience and be suitable to be placed inside a music magazine such as Kerrang!, Q or NME.
I have drafted several ideas for the layout of the poster and have decided that a simplistic design would be more suitable for a magazine. The poster should inform readers of the band and promote itself but be eye-catching and not cluttered with writing and images. The mise-en scene of the poster is important as it creates an image for the band and is vital advertising for a new band to branch out and appeal to larger audiences.
I have decided to plan the poster in the following way and will attempt to stick to this design, however may stray slightly from this when completing the final piece.
The central image will be:
I will edit the image, removing the blue-screen background and adding other effects such as lighting enhancement and colour manipulation. The image will be placed in the centre of the page and be large enough to fill most of the page.
Below this photograph will be large font text reading 'Edita of the Uprising', which is the fictional name I have created for the band.
The band name text will be yellow as a convention for an all-female music band. However the bands genre is rock and alternative therefore the colours will mainly match the typical conventions of these genre types; e.g. black, dark blue and purple.
I am undecided regarding the background colour, however a white background with black text in front of it is a commonly used poster advertisement feature and therefore this may be the style I choose. I will decide this when completing the task as the effect it has on the central image is important.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Ideas for band name
- Edita of the Uprising
- Ruby Rise
- Different Jade
- Vicky Whack
- Sinning Sarah
- The Flight
- Heartless Ruby
- Ruby Rush
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Monday, 18 January 2010
Defining Alternative Rock
Alternative Rock emerged in the 80's and has only been fully accepted as a music genre in recent years. Alternative music is a recent genre type and can be generalised to apply to many different types of music, however Alternative rock narrows this genre down to only apply to rock music.
R.E.M and The Cure are examples of Alternative rock music that have been hugely successful, however it is a popular view that alternative rock music struggles to be successful due to its limited audience.
Alternative rock symbolises underground music that can be applied to punk rock and emo styles.
R.E.M and The Cure are examples of Alternative rock music that have been hugely successful, however it is a popular view that alternative rock music struggles to be successful due to its limited audience.
Alternative rock symbolises underground music that can be applied to punk rock and emo styles.
Audience Research
The target audience for my Music Video is Alternative Rock. Most Placebo songs aim to target an audience that enjoys listening to rock music, however the song I have chosen is mostly alternative as it is more emotional and deep than other songs produced by the band.
I have researched the target audience of the band and have found that a high percentage of fans are young. At most concerts held by Placebo the audience are young and a fair distribution of males and females, suggesting that Placebo appeal to both sexes. The lead singers sexuality may lead to more bisexual or homosexual fans as they can identify with him. The majority of fans are aged between 18 and 40 years old, possibly because their lyrics are deep. Some lyrics used need a clear understanding as the audience need to sympathise or be empathic with the person the songs are singing about. Words like ' cockled - eyes' from the Victorian era need an older audience in order to fully appreciate the words used to understand the lyrics and intended meanings.
The video will have to appeal to the target audience and not contradict the emotions and iconography of the song, unless it is strongly supported and is the intended purpose. Fans of the band will appreciate the association with expected aspects of Placebo and be able to recognise similar features in my video with ones seen in their favourite genre type; Alternative rock.
I have researched the target audience of the band and have found that a high percentage of fans are young. At most concerts held by Placebo the audience are young and a fair distribution of males and females, suggesting that Placebo appeal to both sexes. The lead singers sexuality may lead to more bisexual or homosexual fans as they can identify with him. The majority of fans are aged between 18 and 40 years old, possibly because their lyrics are deep. Some lyrics used need a clear understanding as the audience need to sympathise or be empathic with the person the songs are singing about. Words like ' cockled - eyes' from the Victorian era need an older audience in order to fully appreciate the words used to understand the lyrics and intended meanings.
The video will have to appeal to the target audience and not contradict the emotions and iconography of the song, unless it is strongly supported and is the intended purpose. Fans of the band will appreciate the association with expected aspects of Placebo and be able to recognise similar features in my video with ones seen in their favourite genre type; Alternative rock.
Friday, 15 January 2010
Mise-en scene
When filming a video it is always important to keep in mind how the Mise-en scene will be presented. For example, props and setting are important aspects of Mise-en scene and the angle of the camera and where the props are positioned must be considered.
Why have I chosen this song?
I decided to create a music video for the song Broken Promise by Placebo for many reasons.
Firstly, I believe the emotional lyrics and rhythm create good opportunities for filming as the feel of the song changes dramatically from sad and quiet to loud and active.
Although I was not familiar with this particular song before making my decision I appreciate Placebo as a band and believe they create good, interesting music. Therefore I chose to extend my knowledge of Placebo songs using http://www.youtube.com/ to look up other songs. I decided to choose a song from the MEDS album as this has had a popular response from fans and critics, therefore may be appealing to more listeners.
Other songs I strongly considered to create a music video for were:
Firstly, I believe the emotional lyrics and rhythm create good opportunities for filming as the feel of the song changes dramatically from sad and quiet to loud and active.
Although I was not familiar with this particular song before making my decision I appreciate Placebo as a band and believe they create good, interesting music. Therefore I chose to extend my knowledge of Placebo songs using http://www.youtube.com/ to look up other songs. I decided to choose a song from the MEDS album as this has had a popular response from fans and critics, therefore may be appealing to more listeners.
Other songs I strongly considered to create a music video for were:
- MGMT- Kids
- Radiohead- Karma Police
- Avenged Sevenfold- A little Piece of Heaven
- Amanda Palmer- Blake Says
- The Fray- How to Save a Life
Analysis of Placebo song 'Broken Promise'
The song 'Broken Promise' can potentially refer to many different situations and has several possible interpretations.
After researching other peoples interpretations of the meaning behind the song I concluded that the song could potentially refer to adultery. This is supported by the line 'And hide my Cuckold eyes'. The earliest written use of the word derives from Middle English in 19250 and usually means a woman is adulterous. 'Cuckold' is often written as 'wearing the horns', with a connotational meaning of a wife's infidelity. In modern days, the word is often used to refer to male adultery. With regards to the song, the speaker states that they 'hide' their 'cuckold eyes'. This suggests that the character is aware of his partners adultery however chooses to hide from the knowledge. This is supported by other lyrics in the song, ''I'll wait my turn' and 'as we live and learn'. The overall interpretation of the song suggests a man has learnt that his partner has been adulterous and is remaining quiet about having this knowledge, however plans to make it clear that he knows later 'To tear inside you.'
The song title 'A Broken Promise' may refer to a promise made between a couple to remain faithful, however the promise was not kept. The word 'Broken' has connotations for sadness and pain, a broken heart for example.
The song is very emotional and the personal emotion from lead singer Brian Molko is evident. The lead singer of Placebo is openly bisexual and therfore this song may relate to a male relationship he had. This suggestion has been made by fans because Michael Stipe, lead singer from a band called REM, featured as a vocalist in this song and is rumoured to have had a relationship with Brian Molko. Regardless of whether the song has a personal and emotional meaning for Placebo, I believe the song hits deep at the listeners heart and is powerfully emotional.
As a listener myself I obviously hold my own views and interpretations of the songs meaning. When listening to the song I imagine a lonely person commenting on how fate has changed for them, 'Now I watch as tables turn.' The song later changes to a person commenting on somebody elses mistakes and poor apologies. The song is filled with emotions such as love, hate, sadness and regret. The use of the first-person plural 'We'll' suggests unity at the start of the song. In contrast the song ends with 'I'll', a first-person singular word, suggesting detachment and isolation. This is similar to the feelings portrayed in the lyrics. For example, the song starts off as a speaker commenting on the sudden change of events and saying what will happen 'We'll cry about this'. However the lyrics become more aggressive and exclamatory as the song picks up in tune and rythm. 'I'll wait my turn to terrorise you'. This dennotes a person causing pain to another and speaking directly to them. The line connotates for the speaker suggesting many people despise the person he is speaking to as he will have to wait in line to 'terrorise' the person. The line 'Watch you burn' is graphic and causes vivid pictures to spring to mind. The use of 'burn' causes the listener to imagine colours such as red and orange, wheras 'cry'may suggest blue.
Conclusively, the lyrics have an individual interpretation for each listener and although most likely refer to adultery, this may not be the case at all. Overall the song is packed with emotion and musically appealing to listeners who prefer sad, emotional songs.
After researching other peoples interpretations of the meaning behind the song I concluded that the song could potentially refer to adultery. This is supported by the line 'And hide my Cuckold eyes'. The earliest written use of the word derives from Middle English in 19250 and usually means a woman is adulterous. 'Cuckold' is often written as 'wearing the horns', with a connotational meaning of a wife's infidelity. In modern days, the word is often used to refer to male adultery. With regards to the song, the speaker states that they 'hide' their 'cuckold eyes'. This suggests that the character is aware of his partners adultery however chooses to hide from the knowledge. This is supported by other lyrics in the song, ''I'll wait my turn' and 'as we live and learn'. The overall interpretation of the song suggests a man has learnt that his partner has been adulterous and is remaining quiet about having this knowledge, however plans to make it clear that he knows later 'To tear inside you.'
The song title 'A Broken Promise' may refer to a promise made between a couple to remain faithful, however the promise was not kept. The word 'Broken' has connotations for sadness and pain, a broken heart for example.
The song is very emotional and the personal emotion from lead singer Brian Molko is evident. The lead singer of Placebo is openly bisexual and therfore this song may relate to a male relationship he had. This suggestion has been made by fans because Michael Stipe, lead singer from a band called REM, featured as a vocalist in this song and is rumoured to have had a relationship with Brian Molko. Regardless of whether the song has a personal and emotional meaning for Placebo, I believe the song hits deep at the listeners heart and is powerfully emotional.
As a listener myself I obviously hold my own views and interpretations of the songs meaning. When listening to the song I imagine a lonely person commenting on how fate has changed for them, 'Now I watch as tables turn.' The song later changes to a person commenting on somebody elses mistakes and poor apologies. The song is filled with emotions such as love, hate, sadness and regret. The use of the first-person plural 'We'll' suggests unity at the start of the song. In contrast the song ends with 'I'll', a first-person singular word, suggesting detachment and isolation. This is similar to the feelings portrayed in the lyrics. For example, the song starts off as a speaker commenting on the sudden change of events and saying what will happen 'We'll cry about this'. However the lyrics become more aggressive and exclamatory as the song picks up in tune and rythm. 'I'll wait my turn to terrorise you'. This dennotes a person causing pain to another and speaking directly to them. The line connotates for the speaker suggesting many people despise the person he is speaking to as he will have to wait in line to 'terrorise' the person. The line 'Watch you burn' is graphic and causes vivid pictures to spring to mind. The use of 'burn' causes the listener to imagine colours such as red and orange, wheras 'cry'may suggest blue.
Conclusively, the lyrics have an individual interpretation for each listener and although most likely refer to adultery, this may not be the case at all. Overall the song is packed with emotion and musically appealing to listeners who prefer sad, emotional songs.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Shooting Schedule
Due to problems with cast, locations and weather I have had to change the original ideas for filming and remove all previous footage to allow for a new idea.
Filming will take place as follows to ensure the task is complete:
Friday 20th - Film inside the house.
Saturday 21st- Outside, street filming.
Sunday 22nd- Any additional filming required.
Filming will take place as follows to ensure the task is complete:
Friday 20th - Film inside the house.
Saturday 21st- Outside, street filming.
Sunday 22nd- Any additional filming required.
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Song Lyrics
'We'll rise above this
We'll cry about this
As we live and learn
A broken promise
I was not honest
Now I watch as tables turn
And you're singing
I'll wait my turn
To tear inside you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
I'll wait my turn
I'll cry about this
And hide my cuckold eyes
As you come off all concerned
And I'll find no solace *
In your poor apology
In your regret that sounds absurd
And keep singing
I'll wait my turn
To tear inside you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
To terrorise you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
I'll wait my turn
And I'll wait my turn
To tear inside you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
I'll wait my turn
A broken promise
You were not honest
I'll bide my time
I'll wait my turn'
*Side note: Backing vocals are supplied by the other band members as they repeat the word 'Solace' in a quiet whisper
*During the last chorus the backing singers also repeat 'A promise is a promise' in a chant-like tone.
We'll cry about this
As we live and learn
A broken promise
I was not honest
Now I watch as tables turn
And you're singing
I'll wait my turn
To tear inside you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
I'll wait my turn
I'll cry about this
And hide my cuckold eyes
As you come off all concerned
And I'll find no solace *
In your poor apology
In your regret that sounds absurd
And keep singing
I'll wait my turn
To tear inside you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
To terrorise you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
I'll wait my turn
And I'll wait my turn
To tear inside you
Watch you burn
I'll wait my turn
I'll wait my turn
A broken promise
You were not honest
I'll bide my time
I'll wait my turn'
*Side note: Backing vocals are supplied by the other band members as they repeat the word 'Solace' in a quiet whisper
*During the last chorus the backing singers also repeat 'A promise is a promise' in a chant-like tone.
Friday, 8 January 2010
Storyboard Planning
I have began storyboarding and planning my music video. As inspiration I have analysed music videos and looked at many different published videos. After looking out for different themes portrayed in the videos I have decided that nature is an effective theme to focus on. A negative to choosing this theme is that the weather and nature is unreliable as it is not always possible to predict exactly how the weather will be. However, despite this the end result should be effective.
I will produce an animatic to show a paper-print version of how the filmed production will look.
I will produce an animatic to show a paper-print version of how the filmed production will look.
Choice of song: 'Broken Promise' by Placebo
The song I have chosen to create a music video for is 'Broken Promise' by Placebo. I have chosen this song for several reasons.
Firstly, I believe the song offers many changes in rythm and tempo and therefore can include many different moods in the filming. The song starts off with a sad, emotional introduction and develops into a loud, outburst after 55 seconds. My reasoning behind using this song is that the change in atmospheric mood generated by the rhythm of the song can provide different opportunites for what the cast can do during filming.
The lyrics to the song 'Broken Promise' also provide contextual analysis for the evaluation and offer a wide range of interpretations as to what I could film.
Conclusively, Placebo is a popular and familiar song that does not have a music video for it, therefore the video can not be compared to any other.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Preparation for Music Video
As preparation for the Music Video I will produce I will now list various factors that I will have to consider when filming:
- Weather- In order to provide continuity the weather must be the same in each scene that does not include a gap in time. Furthermore, some filming may require a certain type of weather, so this cannot be relied upon.
- Costumes- If filming takes place on different days the actors will have to wear the same clothing both times, unless again the scene does not require this e.g. a memory, flashback or dream scene.
- Timing- I will have to ensure I have enough footage to complete the Music Video and complete it within the deadline.
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