Sunday, 6 December 2009

Script for Evaluation Podcast

Here is the script for a podcast that will evaluate our final products.


1. How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Grace: Using a digital video camera enabled us to construct and complete our music video whilst providing a clear narrative and insight into the artist. For example, we filmed a variety of shots of the band playing, including close-ups of individual members and their instruments. We were able to construct Proppian character types through our camera skills. For example, we used POV shots and tracking shots of the main character to establish him as the Hero.

Amy: For A2 we used the software imovie9, which was a lot more advanced than imovie8. It enabled us to create daydream-like effects, add colour to individual shots of the band members, and offered a wider range of editing tools such as fast-motion and slow-motion effects to create the fast paced life styles of teens in our shots of the party and slow, romantic shots of our couple for the love story narrative. It also enabled to effectively lip sync and create a fast-paced music video.

Grace: We used websites throughout the research, planning and construction stages. Unsigned.com enabled us to find an unsigned band within the same genre we are working in, as well as access the lyrics and mp3 of the song by contacting the band.

Amy: We used photoshop.com and blibs.com to edit and adjust our magazine poster and CD Cover. For example, we added cartoon-like and colour-pop effects to create a light-hearted mood to our CD Cover mock-ups and make the album title and certain colours stand out. On blibs.com we were able to target the online audience by creating an animated banner for our MySpace page, as well as experiment with a variety of fonts for our poster and CD cover.

2. In what ways do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Grace: We have constructed a conventional fast-paced, light-hearted pop rock music video. For example, when editing, we used quick straight cuts between fast-motion shots of a party during the chorus, which is parallel to the fast-paced and jumpy music. We identified this convention of fast-paced party scenes from our music video analysis, for example Paramore’s ‘That’s What You Get’.

Amy: We used conventional settings such as a party, which is found for example in Green Day’s ‘Jesus of Suburbia’, a school, a stock setting for pop rock music videos, for example in blink-182’s ‘Josie’ video, and a skatepark, which is found in Simple Plan’s ‘I’m Just A Kid’ video. We followed the conventional use of props such as mobile phones to target our teenage audience, such as in Paramore’s video for ‘That’s What You Get’, and props to connote a young, rebellious identity to the audience such as alcohol bottles, conventional in pop rock videos such as in the party scenes in Green Day’s ‘Jesus of Suburbia’.

Grace: We also used conventional camera shots found in pop rock music videos, for example, during shots of the band playing, we included close-ups of instruments and individual band members, especially the main singer. We identified this convention whilst analysing videos like Paramore’s ‘That’s What You Get’, in which the main singer and instruments like the drum kit and guitar are constantly framed in close-ups.

Amy: We developed the use of different coloured shots used in a split screen to introduce the band members in McFly’s ‘Five Colours in Her Hair’ by using individual shots of the band members and adjusting the colours of the shot whilst editing, so each band member had their own colour, which were pink, blue and green. This creates the conventional light-hearted mood, fun and energy of a pop rock video, whilst also giving more of an insight into our artist by providing an identity for the individual band members.

Grace: We utilised the conventional storyline following a teenage Proppian hero in his quest to rescue the princess in our music video. This conforms to the pop rock genre as from our textual analysis we identified this in videos such as Wheatus’ – ‘Teenage dirtbag’ and Simple Plan’s - ‘I’m just a kid’. We also utilised conventional and stereotypical ‘teen’ issues within our music video of love, relationships and friendship, which is for example found in the love story narrative of Wheatus’ ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ video.

Amy: Our CD Cover uses the conventional central image of the artist framed in a medium shot, such as in Weezer’s Blue Album, to capture the costume and body language of the artists to put them on the ‘same level’ as our audience. We have used the conventional youthful, casual clothing such as hoodies and shorts, such as in Paramore’s Riot cover, and the body language of the artists is laid back e.g. hands in pockets, hoods up in order to connote the stereotypical rebellious attitude of youth, to attract our target audience.

Grace: We made sure the lead singer was the focal point of the cover and had a direct mode of address with the audience- he looks straight at the camera, his head cocked to one side. This is a convention of the pop rock album cover- for example, Gwen Stefani in No Doubt’s CD Cover for Return of Saturn, and Hayley Williams in Paramore’s Riot cover. The colours of our CD Cover are conventional bright, clashing colours, however we decided to ‘pop’ the colour green whilst leaving the rest our image black and white, in order to make the album title stand out on Amy’s t-shirt and clash with the bright pink band name. We found this use of one bold colour used on Weezer’s Blue Album and Green Day’s Kerplunk.

Amy: We followed the conventional layout of a magazine poster so information on our product was clear and easy to read and understand; we placed the band name at the top of the page, an image of the band and the album title and information on the album underneath, in bold, capitalised font, which is used in for example Panic At The Disco’s magazine poster for their album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. The use of a plain background, as in the magazine poster for New Found Glory’s Hits, grabs the audience’s attention. We also followed magazine poster conventions by including a website address and ‘Available at HMV’ at the bottom of our poster.

3. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Grace: Overall, through constructing a stereotypical representation of youth in our video, CD Cover, magazine poster and Myspace page, we have effectively targeted our audience. For example, the fast-paced, hedonistic lifestyle we have portrayed in our music video appeals and is even admirable to the teenage audience. Applying the ‘hypodermic needle’ theory, one could even suggest that our video could cause a ‘moral panic’ by injecting the ideology of this rebellious lifestyle to our audience. On the other hand, one could also apply the Uses and Gratifications theory and argue that the audience could personally identify with the characters, situations and lifestyle portrayed.

Amy: We have produced an effective marketing campaign for our artist by creating a Myspace page alongside our magazine poster and banners. This helps us reach more of our target audience as we are appealing to the ‘online age’, making us more accessible to our audience. Also, by creating three different magazine banners for three different magazines, we are targeting more of our target demographic. For example, our black and white magazine banner has a darker feel so would be used in Kerrang! Magazine, like the black and white image on Feeder’s poster for The Singles, also found in the before mentioned magazine.

4. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Grace: Our audience feedback helped us to produce a more effective Myspace page to aid the selling of our artist, as it was suggest that we try personalized backgrounds. We added a graffiti background to the web page and now feel it looks more personal and professional.

Amy: We were told our video worked effectively for the pop rock genre as it felt ‘realisitc’ and therefore would target our audience, and the CD Cover worked well because it connoted the stereotypical rebellious attitude of youth.

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

Completed Music Video

Overall, our music video works effectively for the pop rock genre. Our audience feedback told us that the party scenes and narrative of our video was realistic and targeted the audience well. Through constructing a stereotypical representation of youth, by using close-ups of alcohol bottles, a 'love story' narrative and fast motion party scenes, which connotes the stereotypical fast-paced and hedonistic lifestyle of youth, we have targeted our audience who would identify with the characters and settings.

We found that we had developed our skills in camerawork, in the variety of camera movements and shots we used, since our AS Level work last year. For example, in this video we effectively constructed an identity for our artist through the variety of close-ups during band performance scenes, as well as connoted Proppian character types through POV and tracking shots of the Hero, etcetera. Also, we used iMovie 09 to edit our video which helped us create fast-motion, slow-motion and different coloured or dream-like effects, and use the conventional fast-paced straight cuts in pop rock videos.

We have constructed a fun, laid-back image of our band through use of bright colours and shots of them laughing. This puts them on the 'same level' as their audience, making them relatable and likable. A feminist analysis of our video would highlight the unconventional use of instruments for the female band members, which means we are targeting and providing more admirable role models for a young, modern female audience.

The thorough research and planning that has been carried out meant the filming ran smoothly, and the end product fits perfectly with the pop rock genre. I feel I now have plenty to write about in the evaluation stage in the A2 examination.

Shooting Schedule for Music Video

Here is a copy of our shooting schedule:

Date

Location

Int/Ext

Day/Night

Shot Description

Cast needed

Props needed

07/11/09

Kate’s house

Internal

Night

Kate and friends getting ready before party

Katie Chivers and friends

Make-up

07/11/09

Tom’s house

Internal

Night

Tom and friends drinking

Jaz Coates and friends

Beer bottles and cups

08/11/09

Party Bedroom

Internal

Night

Tom asleep on bed;

Tom looking at phone in room;

Tom opening door and Kate coming in room;

Tom and Kate together in room

Jaz Coates and Katie Chivers

Empty bottles and cups, mobile phones for boy and girl, girl’s bag

08/11/09

Party

Stairs

Internal

Night

Kate walks upstairs

10/11/09

Music room

Internal

Day

Band playing

Band members

Instruments

12/11/09

School corridor

Internal

Day

Tom and Kate receive party invitations

Jaz Coates, Katie Chivers, Shuja Pasha, background characters

Invitations

14/11/09

House Party

Internal

Night

Shots of party

Jaz Coates, Katie Chivers, background characters

Alcohol bottles, cups

15/11/09

Skate park

External

Day

Shots of skate park and sun in sky

Locations and Cast for Music Video

Cast
Main boy (Tom) played by Jaz Coates
Main girl (Kate) played by Katie Chivers
Girls' boyfriend played by Shuja Pasha
Party-goers
Person handing out invitations

Band:
Main singer (Danny) played by Joe Stark
Bassist (Amy) played by Amy Meredith
Drummer (Lydia) played by Grace Beard

Locations
Bedroom at party
Kate's bedroom
Tom's bedroom
School corridor
House party
Skatepark

Completed CD Cover, Magazine Poster and Myspace Page


CD Cover

Front cover


















Inlay front















Inlay back















Back cover














Magazine Poster

















Magazine Poster Design Ideas

We have created three magazine banners in order to effectively promote our product.

In the first banner, we used http://www.photoshop.com/ to 'pop' the blue colour on this image which would grab the audience's attention. The neutral, even font would be suited to a musically credible magazine such as NME magazine.

We feel that the black and white image and uneven, anarchic font would make the second magazine banner more suited to a rock magazine like Kerrang! magazine.

In our third magazine banner, the font is bold and easy to read and the bright, eye-catching image has a light-hearted feel which would make this magazine poster suitable for a magazine with a younger target demographic, such as Smash Hits!.

We have created three different banners to suit three different music magazines, as we found from our research that pop rock is a mainstream genre and therefore want to sell and promote our artist by targeting as many audience members as possible.


This is an idea for our full page magazine poster. The bold, quirky, uneven font connotes a young, fresh image to the band which matches the natural, outside setting of the image. By 'popping' the blue in the image and using blue lettering at the start of words, this magazine poster has connotations of freedom and youth by creating a fresh, relaxed mood. Also, the use of a plain white background means the information and image are clear and eye-catching, effectively drawing our audience in.

We have included a release date and information on what is included on the album to persuade our audience to buy the product, and a myspace address to appeal to our teenage target audience.








From audience feedback, we decided that in order to create an effective combination of products, the font of the magazine poster should match that of the album cover.


















As part of our promotional package, we have created a Myspace page for the band.

www.myspace.com/somethingelseofficial















We have included our band profile as well as a promotional banner and our new music video.

From audience feedback, we have decided to change the background of the Myspace to a graffiti background, so it further promotes our album and makes the Myspace more personal and professional.































Something Else myspace banner
I created this animated banner on http://www.blibs.com/. It is an effective way of promoting our album to the online audience as the flashing letters and bright colours grab the audience's attention. I decided to include 'Available now on iTunes' as this is how most people, in the online age, access music and therefore would be especially effective on our Myspace.

CD Cover Design Ideas

Hand drawn designs


Draft 1

I decided to use an unstructured, bold font for the band name in the style of graffiti. Its messy, graffiti style appeals to the target demographic as it reinforces the rebellious stereotype of youth. I have also chosen to use bold, primary colours such as red, blue and yellow as they grab attention and target the young audience by creating a light-hearted mood. The outside setting connotes freedom, which is further enforced by the smashed brick wall, connoting the originality of music and creating an anarchic mood. The central image of the band is conventional to the pop rock genre. The main singer has a direct mode of address with the audience as he grins straight at the camera, which pulls the audience in. By positioning the female members more in towards the side of the frame, and giving them less extroverted body language, their position in the band is connoted and makes the main singer the focal point of the cover. A feminist analysis could read that this reinforces the ideology of male independence and power, which would target male members of the audience, however by framing all three members tightly in a long shot I am connoting them as equal and as a unit, which reinforces a the stereotypical 'teen' issue of friendship, targeting the demographic.
Draft 2
This idea plays on the use of parody which is found in many pop rock album covers, specifically the parody of a comic strip. By using comic strip codes such as comic-strip style borders, a caption and comic-strip style capital lettering, and an image of the band shooting off into the air, this cover clearly parodies the conventions of a comic strip which connotes a fun, light-hearted mood. It is conventional to pop rock album covers such as Green Day's 'Kerplunk', and connotes that the band have a sense of humour, appealing and selling the artist to the fun-seeking target demographic, making them more likable. The use of the large, bold, capitalised red and yellow font parodies the 'Superman' font; this intertextual reference would be recognisable to the audience so grabs their attention effectively. The main singer again is the focal point of the cover and has a directly addresses the audience with his cheeky grin. The use of including the instruments- guitar, bass and drumsticks- on the cover anchors the pop rock genre.


Mock ups

Mock up 1
Our first CD Cover mock up presents a positive image of the band through the use of bright lighting, a green, outside setting with trees and grass in the background, and happy, smiling facial expressions. This communicates to the audience that the band are young and fresh, whilst also having connotations of the conventional laid-back, fun attitude of pop rock music. It challenges stereotypical representations of youth being anti-social and rebellious, and connotes instead that they are 'salt-of-the-earth' types. However, our audience can still identify with the artist through use of costume: bright trainers that stand out against the bark, hoodies and denim jakcets, which are all conventional casual costume of youth, and the laid back body language. The font we have chosen is scratchy and uneven, giving connotations of rebellion and anarchy, and the slanted album title looks as though it is scratched on the tree. This and the album title itself creates a playful, daring mood that would appeal to the target demographic. However, we decided not to choose this CD Cover as the band name is hard to read so does not grab the audience's attention, the band are positioned to the left of the frame, and so do not follow the conventions of a pop rock album cover in that they are not the focal point of the cover, most of them do not look at the camera so do not establish a connection with the audience, and overall the cover looks too naturalistic and so does not fit with the conventional quirky feel of a pop rock album cover.

Mock up 2

We changed the colouring of this image on photoshop.com to make it look like a cartoon, which is conventional to pop rock album covers. The bright, cartoon-like image immediately grabs the audience's attention and connotes that the band are fun, bright and quirky. The graffiti in the background creates an anarchic mood to the cover, yet the band members stand out through bright costume which would appeal to the fun-seeking nature of the target demographic. We felt that an effective way to include the album title was if we used the slogan on Amy's t-shirt, as it stands out against the white and is eye-catching and original. The central image of the band is the focal point of the cover, and the main singer has a direct mode of address with the audience by looking straight at the camera, which pulls the audience in. Also, the personality of all three members is connoted through their body language, for example the drummer leans against the wall and looks out into the distance, connoting the stereotypical 'I-don't-care' attitude of youth. This allows the audience to be more interactive with the text by being able to pick a favourite. We chose a bold, scratchy font which looks like graffiti for the band name, however still felt it did not stand out enough.
Mock up 3
This time, we used the same image but changed the image to black and white, whilst making the colour green 'pop', on photoshop.com. This effectively made the album title stand out on Amy's t-shirt. We then chose a bright pink, bold, slanted font to grab the audience's attention. We felt the clash of green and pink on the cover was eye-catching and gave the band a fresh, unique image.
We have chosen this album cover because we feel we are targeting our teenage audience effectively, through constructing a stereotypical representation of youth. The use of the skatepark setting and the graffiti background, combined with the central image of the band members having their hoods up and hands in their pockets, connotes a stereotypical laid back, rebellious attitude with which the audience can relate.

Planning: Storyboard for Music Video

I have uploaded the storyboard my group and I have created to aid our planning for the music video.












Monday, 2 November 2009

Planning: Music Video Timeline

Intro (16 seconds)

A pan of a room depicting the aftermath of a party, ending with a shot of the main character asleep on the sofa

Intro (1 second)

Jump cut to main character’s face as he wakes up

Intro (3 seconds)

Straight cut to band playing in small bedroom

Intro (4 seconds)

Medium close-up of main singer playing guitar

Intro (4 seconds)

Camera tilts to capture drummer playing drums

Intro (5 seconds)

Medium close-up of bass guitarist

Intro (3 seconds)

A shot of a teenage character handing out party invitations in school

Intro (10 seconds)

A shot of the whole band playing in bedroom

Intro (2 seconds)

Medium close-up of main singer approaching microphone

She left me quicker than I could say "it's over";
We both know what we were waiting for. (6 seconds)

A low-angle tracking shot of the main character walking down the corridor. He receives a party invitation


She said we'd still be friends (2 seconds)

A close-up of the party invitation

I'll never see her again (2 seconds)

Shot of female character with her friends, who also has an invitation, looking over at him


I just can't hang around for her any more (4 seconds)

Shot of main character smiling back at her.


I swore I'd never get over her;
But now I've found another, I can see her when I close my eyes. (7 seconds)

The girl begins to walk over to him, but her boyfriend arrives and puts his arm round her, and they begin to walk away


I'm misery - you must be mystery;
We'll take (3 seconds)

Shot of the main character looking upset and then turning and walking away

this town and turn it upside down tonight. (4 seconds)

Close-up of girl looking back at him over her boyfriend’s arm

I stray away from the light like a vampire (4 seconds)

A shot of the main character and his friends drinking in a skatepark before the party



Sleep all day stay up all night (4 seconds)

Close-up of skateboard


Come along for the ride and (3 seconds)

A wipe: one side of screen shows girl getting ready in her bedroom and looking in the mirror; the other is a shot of boy and friends drinking at skatepark.

just close your eyes and (2 seconds)

Close-up of female character in her side of screen

hold on tight. (2 seconds)
Close-up of male character in his side of screen


There's something you should know (4 seconds)

Shot of the band playing in bedroom

(2 seconds)

Shot of people arriving at party


Turn on the radio (2 seconds)

Shot of female character amongst the crowd


I wrote this song for you (3 seconds)

Shot of band playing in bedroom


Meet me at 6am daydreaming on sleepwalk avenue (4 seconds)

Shot of male character amongst crowd looking over at female character


Did you feel your heart beat (3 seconds)

Close-up of main singer singing

beating baby? (2 seconds)

Female character notices male character


Did you start breathing heavy? (4 seconds)

Male character drinking with friends; ignores her


I've never had the luck (2 seconds)

Medium close-up of female character looking down and getting something out of her bag

to ever stay in love (2 seconds)

POV shot looking down at her phone


Don't ever wake me up (1 second)

Medium shot of male character taking phone out of his pocket

until (1 second)

Close-up of main singer singing into microphone

I've (0.5 seconds)

Fast-paced straight cut to close-up of drums

had (0.5 second)

Fast-paced straight cut to close-up of singer

e (0.5 seconds)

Fast-paced straight cut to close-up of bass guitar

-nough (0.5 seconds)

Fast-paced straight cut to close-up of singer


I took the time to think this over (4 seconds)

Medium long shot of main character sitting on bed in empty room, looking down at his phone


I lost my faith in every one I knew (3 seconds)

POV shot looking down at his phone, which has a text message reading ‘Hi?’



I tried to make you cry; but I got no reply (4 seconds)

Shot of girl’s boyfriend surrounded by other girls; he has his arm round one of them


I just can't hang around for her any more (4 seconds)
Female character stands up and walks away angrily


I swore I'd never get over her (3 seconds)

Female character squeezing through crowd to make her way upstairs


But now I've found another, I can see her when I close my eyes (5 seconds)

Shot of a group of teenage characters at the party drinking and playing music on iPod speakers


I'm misery - you must be mystery (2 seconds)

High angle shot of girl weaving her way through crowds upstairs


We'll take this town and turn it upside down tonight (4 seconds)

Medium shot of girl’s boyfriend showing off his muscles to surrounding girls

(1 second)

Close-up of guitar


I stray away from the light like a (2 seconds)

Close-up of main singer

vampire (1 second)

Medium shot of bass guitarist


Sleep all day stay up all night (3 seconds)

Shot of whole band playing


Come along for the ride (2 seconds)

Over-the-shoulder shot of main character opening door to see girl on other side

and just close your eyes and hold on tight (46 seconds)

Over-the-shoulder shot of girl smiling up at him, before pushing him back into the room and closing the door behind her.

(1 second)

Shot of whole band playing


There's something you should know (3 seconds)

Close-up of main singer, this time smiling whilst singing

(2 seconds)

Shot of bassist smiling

Turn on the radio (2 seconds)

Shot of male and female characters laughing together in bedroom

(2 seconds)

Shot of the sun coming up


I wrote this song for you (1 second)

Close-up of main singer


Meet me at 6am daydreaming on sleepwalk avenue (4 seconds)

Shot of drummer


Did you feel your heart beat beating baby? (4 seconds)

Shot of female character laughing and looking at camera



Did you start (2 seconds)

Close-up of main singer

breathing heavy? (2 seconds)

Shot of male character looking at camera happily


I've never had the (1 second)

Shot of sun in sky

luck (1 second)

Close-up shot of female and male character moving toward each other as if to kiss

to ever stay in love (1 second)

Close-up of main singer


Don't ever wake me up (2 seconds)

Close-up of bassist

until I've had enough (2 seconds)

The couple embrace; the camera then tilts down and ends on a shot of her mobile phone in her bag, with a text message saying ‘Hi J


Video:

3:04 minutes long