Evaluation Question Four

Evaluation Question Three

It is greatly important to evaluate your work in order to improve the final product of our music video and ancillary texts. It will also make sure that we have considered our chosen target audience throughout the video as well as attracting other audiences that we may have not considered. It will help us to make us look more critically at our music video and the aspects that should be changed as well as things that we should leave unaltered. 

We received our audience feedback through different forms of media such as Youtube, facebook and twitter as these are the ways that we chose to publicise our music video due to it being quick and easy as well as the most efficient way to attract out target audience. Youtube allowed us to gather many different forms of feedback such as the amount of likes and dislikes we received, the amount of views and comments that viewers can leave on the video. This would provide us with both qualitative and quantitative data which was useful to be able to analyse and take information from. We also had a small screening with pupils in our class as well as others in the year to gather their opinions on the video and areas that we should improve or keep the same. They're comments ranged from points on editing and cinematography etc. which we found greatly useful.
                                                                                                                                                 

Comments that we received included: 

•  "The video captured all the different aspects that you would expect to see in a dance video such as the flashbacks and fast paced editing" 

• "Could have been improved by adding scenes from a club etc to emphasise the dance element further" 

• "The narrative was easy to follow and I could sympathise with the graveyard scenes" 

• "A range of different transitions could have been used to make it more complex and professional"

How did the comments make you feel as a media producer?

From the comments that we received about our music video it lead me to believe that we had successfully met the brief that we had been given. We received both negative and positive comments from a number of audience members. The positive comments built our confidence within our work and highlighted the areas that were successful whereas the negative comments were taken on board as constructive criticism. I felt that the negative comments provided us with crucial opinions and identified different areas of our music video that needed to be improved. It allowed us to build upon and adapt our original ideas, making sure that it was as best possibly suited to our target audience as it could be. Most of the comments that were made I found myself agreeing with and helped me to push forward any changes that I felt needed to be made. Conclusively, I believe that the all of the comments that we had collected showed us that we had in fact made a music video that met the brief that we were given, successfully breaking the conventions of the dance genre. 

The second comment "Could have been improved by adding scenes from a club etc to emphasise the dance element further" was an aspect that we felt as a group needed to be added. In order to do so we filmed at a friends party to capture some of the flashing lights to give the impression of a club scene. This we felt made the music video appear more profession and adhered further to the dance genre conventions. 

Another comment that we took forward was "A range of different transitions could have been used to make it more complex and professional". Our rough cut mainly only included straight cuts with some fade transitions. We decided to include a wider range of transitions to give the video a more professional finish without it looking too over loaded with transitions which may have the adverse effect. We also took this comment further by including some effects over certain pieces of footage to show contrast between the scenes - and again to make it appear more professional. For example we applied a black and white effect over the scenes of the car crash to show the difference between the flashbacks and crash. This we felt would make the narrative easier to understand for the audience as it would highlight the difference between the positive and negative parts of the relationship that we displayed.

The feedback that we received would be paramount if we were working within the music industry. It would challenge our knowledge on the conventions of a music video as well as those belonging to the dance genre and whether we were able to break them successfully. It would make sure that we had considered our target audience sufficiently throughout the entirety of the video as well as highlight whether our video was of a high enough quality to stand up alongside professionally produced music videos. It would also emphasise the strengths that we hold as producers and the aspects that we would need to improve upon. As a result of the feedback that we received it would allow us to see whether our music video as well as us as individuals have the skills and qualities to be successful within the music industry. 

Evaluation Question Two

Evaluation Question One

For our A2 Media studies coursework we were asked to create a music video as well as two ancillaries to help promote it. In order to produce these media products we were put into groups, mine consisted of: William Stacey, Max Heath, Luke Thompson and I. We worked as a group to decide upon crucial aspects within the planning stages such as the music genre that we would choose, the song, the artist and the ideal target audience. This therefore made sure that each member of the group would be happy with the end result. We decided that we was going to focus on the dance/house genre as it was a taste in music that each of us shared. This understanding of the genre would therefore make it easier for each member of the group to come up with their own successful ideas. We chose the song ‘Sun Don’t Shine’ by Klangkarussell as it was a song that was popular at the time that we started planning. This would therefore make it easier for us to receive usable feedback as the audience that we were targeting would have been familiar with the song. Due to the fact that the dance/house sub genre originated in the 1980’s it is a fairly new type of music – using produced sounds and upbeat tempo’s it has only fairly recently entered the mainstream. This has therefore made it popular with the teenage age range of 16-25 year olds and lead to the ideal target audience for our music video being fairly simple to identify. As a group each individual came up with their own original and creative ideas for the narrative that we would follow. This gave us a huge advantage as it provided us with a range of options and allowed us to weigh up the pros and cons of each. As a result it enabled us to choose which narrative we felt would be the most successful in terms of both challenging and following the dance genre conventions.

Once these aspects had been decided upon we could then delegate roles in order to work more efficiently. Within the group I adopted the role of group organiser where I allocated the tasks at hand to each individual (as well as myself) and ensured that everyone focused and stayed on task. I completed many of the duties that were essential for completing the planning stages such as meetings and discussions, risk assessment and filming schedule. I also played the female character in our music video due to a lack of willing participants to take part. Lastly I was in charge of sorting through all of the footage that we have gathered. From here I worked on creating a basic time line, using the Final Cut software, for us to work on as well as identifying any areas that we may have needed to build upon or film again. As a group we then collectively made decisions such as effects and transitions that we would include. For example we felt that the car crash scenes and the flash back memories needed to be differentiated in some way. We therefore chose to lay a black and white effect over the top of the crash scenes to show a contrast. This lead to a more professional finish and also made it easier for the audience to understand the narrative. This is where our team work really flourished as each member listened to and took on board everyone else’s opinions making the production of our music video time line more efficient.

By completing these tasks I learnt a range of vital skills to build on my knowledge of A2 Media Studies and my abilities at using different software’s and technologies. For example: by organising the group I learnt essential leadership skills, managerial experience as well as learning to make detailed plans and time keeping. I also learnt skills such as how to operate the HD cameras, set up the tripod’s and prepare all the equipment needed in order to film the music video. I also became more creative in my use of camera shots and angles as I began to understand the different impacts that they would on both the audience and the final product. For example we used a panning shot of the graveyard to introduce the audience to the location and allow them to become familiar with the setting so that they would find it easier to grasp our chosen narrative. This we felt would heighten the effect that the narrative would have on the audience and lead them to be able to sympathise further with the character. By using Final Cut Express it enabled me to expand on the skills that I had already gained at AS level. I had previously learnt how to use basic tools such as importing the camera footage and using the blade tool to cut different sections to produce a time line. It also made me more experienced at using the skills that I had previously acquired making me able to work more efficiently and focus on more advanced tools. My A2 experience has allowed me to take this further by teaching myself how to use different effects and transitions as well as slow and quicken different scenes etc.

I feel that as a group we have made a successful music video that both challenges and follows the conventions of the dance/house genre. I believe that our music video consists of a well thought out and planned narrative that draws the audience in. I feel that the narrative helps to enhance the lyrics of the song and provide a deeper insight. However I also feel that the club scenes that we incorporated within the chorus sections of the song really aided to reflect the more conventional dance/house music video conventions. Secondly I believe that our ancillary products were also a success due to the professional and consistent finish. The ancillaries helped to create a memorable artist image using a consistent colour scheme and fonts etc. It also presented the crucial information, as well as following the conventions of a digipak and magazine advert, that will interest fans and persuade them to purchase the album.

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As the production brief we were asked to create a music video belonging to a genre of our choice and a further two ancillary products, digipak and magazine advert, to help promote it. A music video is a short film incorporating a song used for promotional and artist purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. The purposes include:

• A Market Tool to promote artist/song - A music video is primarily used to promote the sale of music recordings of the artist that has produced the song. They can also be used to promote other companies. An example of this is in ‘Beauty And The Beat’ by Justin Bieber where they promote the new gaming product ‘Just dance 4’ by showing the logo within the video.
• Short Narrative or representation of artist - Many music videos use a short narrative to tell a story within the clip. An example of this is in ‘Heart Attack’ by Trey Songz where his video shows Kelly Rowland (the love interest) and himself falling in love as well as showing their ups and downs. This attracts the audience, as they want to follow the storyline and is also often used to compliment the words of the song and make it easier for the audience to understand.
• Attract a particular type of audience - Videos are used to attract the target market that the song and genre is aimed at. An example of this is ‘The Promise’ by Girls Aloud where they use glamorous dresses and a choreographed routine that would attract teenage girl to watch the video and listen to the music. 
• Buy into the artists lifestyle - The artist’s lifestyle is often portrayed in a music video so that the audience can put themselves into the world of the artist and understand the life that they live. ‘Got 2 Luv u’ by Sean Paul is a good example of this as they show the artist in a club with alcohol and lots of girls. This gives the impression that this is a regular occasion for him and gives the audience an insight into his lifestyle
• Show the different generic conventions of a genre/music video - The generic conventions of a music video are shown throughout each individual video. This alters depending on the genre of the song as well as the artist and directors personal ideas.
• Audience to remember the video - An audience will often remember a song by the video that is played alongside it; especially as the most popular way to listen to music is on TV channels and YouTube where the videos are a main feature. An example of this is ‘Blurred Lines’ by Robin Thicke where the video created controversy and was therefore remembered by a large group of people.
• Audience to understand more about the song - A music video can tell the story behind the lyrics which allows the audience to see both the hidden and literal meaning. This allows them to understand the song in more depth as well as giving them an insight into any themes prominent within the song.
• Build a relationship with the artist - The audience is able to understand the artist through the choice of video and the persona that they create throughout it. This allows the audience to understand the personality of the artist through their choice of video and the different images that it shows of them.

Music videos can either be, narrative, performance of concept based in their style. A narrative based video uses moving image to tell a story throughout the video, it usually involves actors and is sometimes linked to the lyrical content of the song. Performance based videos often show the artist performing the song and is often in a studio or a live performance. A concept based music video usually follow a random concept and have no storyline. They tend to be fairly unusual or utilise a particular editing or filming technique. Different theory’s such as Dyer and Goodwin’s have been created in order to gain a deeper insight into the codes and conventions of music videos as well as the purpose of their creation. The codes and conventions of a music genre are the different characteristics that are present to make it evident to the audience which music genre they are listening too. For example the dance/house genre that we have chosen has a very specific set of codes and conventions that set them aside from other genres. Deep House is a sub genre of house music that originated in the 1980's which initially fused elements of Chicago house with Jazz funk and soul music. The genre is well known for its complex melody and use of unrelated chromatic chords underlying most sequences and a soul, ambient, or lounge vibe vocals. Conventional dance/house cinematography includes the use of handheld camera work, few static shots, a large variety of camera shots and angles and close up shots of the lead singer/s. Mise-en-scene includes night club scenes, flashing lights and people dancing (street dancing, break dancing, raving etc).This is evident in Martin Garrix ‘Animals’ where the majority of the music video is set in a club location with a variety of different types of dancing. This includes break dancing by one of the masked boys in the music video, who is also surrounded by a large group of people raving. This is the setting that dance music would be listened to and enjoy which leads the viewer to feel as if they are there enjoying themselves with the people present in the video, which further adds to the entertainment value of the video. Modern teenage stereotypes would also be expected eg. Alcohol and drugs, as well as high key lighting and a fun atmosphere. Conventional dance/house music includes upbeat music, a repetitive drum beat and produced sounds (techno/electronic style). Lastly, editing styles that would be expected to be used in the dance/house genre would be fast paced/to the beat, a cut to a new shot usually every 1 or 2 seconds, and usually cut to tell a narrative.

Our music video has aspects of both a conventional and unconventional dance/house genre music video through each of the micro elements. The fast paced editing that is conventional to the dance genre has been employed within our music video in areas such as the crash. This we felt would increase the tension and suspense for the audience and heighten the entertainment factor. However we also chose to employ some slower paced editing during the flashback sections of the video in order to portray the emotion of the character as well as show a greater contrast between the memories and high tension car crash. The settings that we used were once again a mixture of both following and challenging the genre conventions. The graveyard setting for example is not an upbeat location that you would expect to see in a dance song. However we chose to employ it within our video to compliment the narrative so that it was easier for the audience to grasp and understand. The club scenes however, used in the chorus sections of the song, do follow the conventions of the genre. Club settings are often used in order to reflect the places that this genre of music would be listened to and therefore create an upbeat and happy atmosphere. This is amongst only a few examples of aspects that both follow and break conventions within our music video.

Final Music Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU_Qw1P0ye4 

Digipak Reflection

Front Cover: 

In order to create my digipak front cover I used a background image of a club scene to follow the conventions of the dance/house genre as it is the setting that this type of music would likely to be played and enjoyed by the target audience. This will therefore further entice the audience to buy the album as it will remind them of a familiar setting as well as grab their attention. In order to make the image more vibrant I altered the Brightness/contrast, Exposure, vibrance and the Hue/saturation. This made the colours of the background image stand out which will help to attract the target audience further and enhance the dance conventions by giving the idea of strobe lighting etc that would be present within the club. The enhanced colours also highlighted the colour scheme that I have included within each ancillary product and make it more recognisable to the audience. 

In a layer above this I inserted the artists name in a bold font to help stand out against the strong colours of the background. I used a dull grey colour for the text so that the background image was the main focal point of the front cover. This is conventional as dance/house artists like the audience to focus on their music rather than the artist image that is created for them. This image is the main reflection of their music which is why I wanted it to be in the foreground. 

Lastly I took an image that we had taken during our photoshoot and used the quick selection tool to cut around the image of our artist and discard the areas of the green screen. This left me with the figure of the artist which I then chose to include a black colour overlay to hide the identity. This is once again conventional to the dance genre as mystery is placed around the artist to create a hype and so that the audience will focus on the produced music rather than the artist himself. The figure is placed with one arm in the air to reflect his passion for performing which further adds to the effect on the audience by making them feel as if they are having fun alongside the audience. This is an idea that I took from my research into Avicii's magazine advert (Magazine Advert Analysis post). I altered the image further by adding an outer glow, satin, inner glow and bevel and emboss. This allowed me to create a 3 dimensional image and allow it to stand out against the vibrant background. 

The digipak that I created is conventional to the dance/house genre as it uses vibrant colours, hidden identity and a club scene. It is also fairly simple with little text which I have also found to be conventional in not only CD digpak's but also more specifically those which belong to the dance/house genre. 

Welcome Note:

To produce my welcome note section of my digipak I chose the effect of a purple colour overlay to be placed to continue the purple/blue colour scheme that I had created in my front cover. I then took an image of the artist (used for my first image) and once again used to quick selection tool to discard any part of the image that I did not need. This left me with the figure my artist looking directly at the camera. This I felt was appropriate for the Welcome note in order to create the idea that he was speaking directly to the audience reading it. I did however choose to once again disguise the identity of the artist to continue the mystery that I wanted to create around him. To create this I placed a darker purple colour overlay over the top of the figure which allowed his identity to be covered while still allowing the audience to see that he is facing them. I once again wanted the image to stand out against the background so therefore chose an inner glow. The use of this once again created consistency throughout my digpak as the same effects had been used to create a similar effect on the audience. 

Lastly, I included a note from the artist to make the digipak appear more personal as well as give an insight into what the audience should expect from the artist. This in turn will lead to the audience to be further enticed to buy the album and to find out more about the artist. I used the same font that I chose for the front cover so that the consistency flowed throughout and would also be more memorable for the audience. I also decided to use a bright white so that it contrasted the dark purple colours of the background image as the text is the focal point of this page. 

CD Cover: 

The CD cover is fairly simple in its construction, however it successfully enhances the dance/house conventions as well as continuing the colour scheme of the previous pages. The image that I have chosen as the background conveys the conventions of the genre by showing beams of light coming from the centre circle. This conveys the club setting as bold lighting would be expected to be used. I once again used a purple colour overlay to go above the blue colour that the image was already present. This continued the purple/blue colour scheme that I have incorporated throughout. 

To create the perfect circle of the CD I placed a white box over the top of my work and used the eraser tool to cut a large whole and reveal the image left underneath. To produce the smaller middle circle I used the ellipse tool and filled it in a white colour. I then inserted the artist name 'Willzon' in the same font as I had selected previously. I then changed the opacity so that the background image could be seen through it as I felt would give it a more professional finish. 

Image 1: 

For my first image I decided to take the image that I chose to use for the welcome note but without covering the artists identity. This I felt would give the audience an insight into the artist and give them enough information to remain interested. Using the photoshop app on my iphone I adapted the image by reducing the noise and sharpened it in order to create a more professional finish and make it appear as if it could belong to a real album digipak. From here I then opened it onto photoshop as a layer. I then added a colour overlay to continue to purple colours that I have used throughout. The background image behind the artist is a bar location, displaying alcohol bottles on the shelf. This follows the dance/house conventions as mise-en-scene would reflect the club/bar setting that the music would be played which would therefore include teenage stereotypes of alcohol etc. This page of my digipak also breaks the conventions by focusing completely on the artist. I felt that this was necessary however to create a familiarity for the audience and build an artist and audience relationship. 

Image 2:

Lastly I created the back cover for my Willzon digipak. I used the same image that I had produced for the front cover, adapting it with the same effects in order to create the same effect on the audience. I used the same font that is present throughout my entire digipak so that it remains consistent. The font is also bold and therefore makes it stand out against the vibrant colours and detail of the background image. I, again, chose a white colour to continue the consistency as well as allowing it to stand out and grab the attention of the reader. This is important as the track list is the most important information present on the back cover and follows the conventions of this section of a digipak. The Parental advisory sticker that I have placed in the corner of the page not only fills an otherwise empty space but also follows the conventions identified for a digipak back cover. 

Magazine advert reflection

How did you use your research into magazine adverts to start planning your own?

The research that I carried out on other magazine adverts has aided us when deciding upon the crucial aspects that we need to include in our own advert such as: the album title, artist name, release date etc. It also gave us an insight into the layout of the adverts that usually appears in magazines so that we could then therefore follow a similar template.  

The changes that I would make to my original paper design is to include more information about the album such as songs that feature within it as well as the release date etc. I would also need to change the artist title from 'Sonnentanz' to our own creation 'Willzon' as we hadn't decided on a name at the time that I created it. I would also change the image thats used as it is to do with music video rather than the artist. It therefore doesn't comply with the dance genre conventions as we decided to break the conventions in our music video. I would change it to some kind of club scene with an image of the artist so that it is more relatable to the target audience. 

The ideas and inspirations behind my paper design is the narrative of our music video as it featured a couple and displayed the up and downs of their relationship. I also attempted to draw one of the locations that we filmed so that the connection could be made between the music video and magazine advert. I also researched a variety of other dance artists magazine adverts to access the information that needs to be displayed on the advert as well as the conventions that are present.

The paper design did not help me when creating my final photoshop design as I decided against my original and changed it completely. It did however highlight the aspects that I would like to include my identifying which ideas did not work.

My Final Magazine Advert Design:

My final magazine advert was created using photoshop which allowed me to create a professional looking advert. I took the image that I had previously created for my digipak and used it as the background image. This club image I felt was more conventional to the dance genre of our music and would therefore reflect and present this to the audience. It uses the same colour scheme that has been present throughout all of my ancillary designs as well as concealing the identity of the artist. I believed that this would be a technique that would help to create a hype over the artist as it would entice the audience to research further. By using this image I felt would make all of my ancillary products consistent and help to create an audience and artist relationship as well as making it more recognisable.

The advert displays all of the crucial information that is required for a magazine advert in bold font in a layer over the image. The purple fill colour once again complies with the colour scheme to create consistency and the light white outer glow helps to make the text appear bolder and brighter - therefore grabbing the attention of the reader. The artists name is once again written in the same font that has been used within the digipak so that the audience can become familiar with it and recognise it.