Question 1A

Question 1a from amber mackenzie

question 3- what have you learned from audience feedback?

Question 3 what have you learned from audiences from amber mackenzie

evaluation question 1bcd

Question 1 evaluation [autosaved] from amber mackenzie

Album advert

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

When I was constructing my digipak, I wanted to ensure there is continuity between the cd and the style of the music video in addition to the sound of the song. Keeping the entire product coherently fluid is likely to satisfy the audience and improve the quality of the overall product.

Aesthetic is the main way I have tied my digipak in with my product. The pastel theme is in my album and the music video. They’re both using very soft colours which is a stereotypically feminine aesthetic matching the likely demographic of the fans of the artist. The song is rather calm and does obtain a very feminine feel to it so the pastels reinforce it making the CD coherent to its content. My digipak has an overlaid filter of faint crinkles and my music video has a lot of filters done in post-production in order to age the clips. As half of the video has a nostalgic feel, I felt the image should match the emotions conveyed. The crinkles imply that something has aged as the video is a journey of two siblings growing up apart.

Another thing that I tried to do in the construction of my products was ensure that the digipak speaks to the audience. The audience are positioned with the girl in the video and for the majority of it, her journey of events is followed. The sound of the song is what this decision was based on due to the fact the voice is feminine and soft. The passivity of it is calming which I tried to carry through to the music video and the digipak as it takes a simple image done with muted, pastel colours. The abstract image was inspired by art from the 1970s where shapes and colours were often used in a way of simplicity to provide meaning and evoke thought. Henry Jenkins’ theory of audiences are textual poachers provides a useful way of understanding how audiences are able to create their own unique perspectives regarding deeper hidden meanings and that way, they are able to interpret their own meanings. The goal is to utilise the ambiguity of the cover to provoke wider conversations on social media regarding the subject of the digipak as fans discuss and debate possible meanings which is likely to generally raise awareness of the product. This would also be beneficial to the artist as they are unsigned and relatively unknown with a small following.

I have also included word pictures of two of the bands songs as the inside panels of my digipak as it continues the abstract theme of art. This deconstructs the songs and refocuses meaning upon significant words which could redirect the audience onto alternative representations of what the songs are about. The fragmentation of them conveys the symbolism of how things that are broken can still be art and adds an interesting twist to the passive digipak without sticking out to the point that it looks out of place. This has been done by remaining consistent with a pastel colour palette, mainly featuring blues and purples. Doing this also helps the artist establish their identity regarding the type of content they have to offer to audiences in society. It is important that the digipak depicts what the CD will contain in order to best establish tone so in production, I tried to create a product that did that. As the band produce some relaxed pop songs, I have the digipak a simplistic feel with pastels. Some twists like the textured background add to the aesthetic making it a CD that fans may want to showcase. This will, once again, lead to more conversations about the band.

Andrew Goodwin’s theory of suiting genre is another thing I have done. We kept a clear relationship between the song and its music video. As the song has many points where it builds, we used this to showcase the main parts of the video. This is when the key events happened in the narrative. It is additionally debatable that the sound of the song indicating that a journey is taking place. The high pitched notes suggest excitement which we tried to convey in the video as the journey of two long lost siblings reuniting occurs. Although here I conformed to the conventions of the song, I did change the song as we found it to be too long for the narrative we had. We cut out a chorus due to the fact that we found it to be a little to repetitive. As the band is new, we felt it was of great importance that we keep our audience engaged with the song and ensure they don’t become bored. Doing this will hopefully keep our audience captivated.

Digipak

Front

Back

Side 1

Side 2

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

The use of media technologies when making our video enabled us to work creatively as media producers in addition to aiding communication and collaboration with those I worked with.

There are many different technologies we used in order to be creative for this project. Having our coursework on a blog allows us to select the layout of our planning and evaluation making all blogs individual. This allows the blog owner to have full ownership of the product in addition to allowing for creative empowerment. As blogs on blogger are an ongoing multimedia platform, we can continue to update and edit them according to rapid feedback that is received, this makes blogs a practical, appropriate technology. My media blog allowed me to split my work under specific sections using the labelling tool which enabled my work to maintain an organised structure showing the breakdown of each section of this project, from research through to evaluation. Also, as blogs are accessed using the internet it permitted me to upload any required content such as stills from proficient sites due to the fact that blogger is a mass media. In addition to this, I could get feedback from my peers in addition to my teacher as they can access my blog as an audience. Editing our music video was also a way to be creative. Due to the high variety of post-production options, there was a lot of choice when it came to the techniques we wanted to use when editing. As we had the ability to edit our footage into a sequence, this provided as another creative outlet in addition to adding individuality to our music video. With the camera, we had control over the settings in terms of focus and zoom allowing creativity and further widening shot capability in terms of what we were able to produce and the addition of the instant playback setting allowed us to know straight away if the shot was okay giving us knowledge on if we need to re-shoot anything.

Use of technologies in media also enabled collaboration and communication to be a lot easier and more efficient. When we filmed, we used an SD card in order to get the footage onto the editing software. As the video was a collaborative production, this was convenient as we could separately film content and later piece it together when editing, the process of getting footage onto the computer using the SD card was relatively fast allowing us to get on with the edit with the time we allocated ourselves. The use of non-linear editing software further enabled collaboration as it let us edit our shots in any order, going back to things and further editing them non-chronologically so we could remove parts that were filmed again and improved. This let us refine our video to a higher quality. Technology also enabled us to communicate as we had to email the artist for permission to use their song “paper stars” for our music video and without technology, this could not have been done.

Technologies also allow access through the internet. Using the internet, we did all of the planning for our music video. Regarding my research, the internet held very high importance as without the use of google, it 
would not have been possible for me to find the unsigned band we used. This let us to the track we chose to make a music video for "paper stars", without the internet, it would have been very difficult to source such a variety of unheard-of bands to choose from. We additionally used YouTube to watch a large variety of videos in order to provide inspiration. I was also able to embed the video onto my media blog. This allowed my tutor to continually watch the progression of the video and provide feedback on how to improve. It was a clear way to share the video and present my work. We also used sites that show the demographic of target audiences to ensure the content we created was appropriate to the people who would listen to that genre of music. We also made visual plans online using technologies. The access to the software to do this allowed me to be creative with my planning.

music video completed

Analysis of two digipaks

Muse

The front cover of this CD takes a black background with bright blue, the contrasting colours creates an electric sense due to the vibrancy. The lady on the cover appears to be glowing with blue which provides a supernatural sense to the cover aiding the space-age theme that appears to be. This is reinforced by a moon or planet in the top left corner. This links to the style or their music aiding fluency between the album and the songs within it. The back cover has the three band members at a low angle shot making them look large and powerful in this space-age world implying they’re powerful in regards to the genre they fit into. Additionally, having them dressed in black with a bright blue background reinforces this dominance. This also conveys how they are establishing themselves as a rock band as oppose to a boy band elevating their status. This appeals to the audience due to the fact that is has the band member’s faces on it as the audience are fans. The space theme is also likely to appeal to their fan base’s aesthetic.

R.E.M

As R.E.M were one of the first alternative rock bands, their alternative style is evident in their digipak. The artwork for their album was done by Howard Finster who produced alternative abstract art and got along well with the band. The group using his artwork for their album is symbolic of how they establish themselves as an art house/ artistic band. The front cover is disjoined with random seeming scribbling’s that are done so finely they appear as scratched in aiding their alternative aspects. Doing this removes them from being mainstream maintaining their place within their niche market. The multi-coloured snake going across the entire album cover provides a grungy sense as the coloured that don’t go together provide an interesting twist. The digipak unfolds and opens out multiple times providing something for their fan base to properly open and explore generating a lot of hype around the product as people want to know what’s inside it, this is exciting to their fans. Furthermore, the handwriting is the lead singers which further links to audience appeal as it provides a more personal touch to the album.

moodboard and inspiration

Audience demographic

narratology

My music video follows a narratologically simple plot which has a linear structure. At the end of the linear sequence, the text ties off to a close making it a closed text. The narrative is convergent as there are multiple strands that all tie together when the text comes to a conclusion which are the siblings meeting at the end of the text. When they meet, the video reaches a climax which matches with the music at the time. The text has a lot of symbolic items, particularly in the scene with the boxes, all of the childhood items have symbolism as both siblings have the same items and the stars are additionally symbolic as they signify hope. The adoption papers provide the audience with the knowledge that they are siblings as the story focusses on the two coming back together. Our video uses a framing device at the start which is videos of their childhood before the main characters were separated through adoption. Through editing, the video appears aged making it a separate chapter from the rest of the video yet it does establish the tone of the video.

Models of audience segmentation

The first method of separating audiences into categories is through demographics. Demographics can be defined as measurable data about a population/ group of people. The demographic scale takes factors including socioeconomic status, age and gender to place people on the scale stating how likely it is for them to use a certain thing. In regards to the strengths of this, it certainly provides a gage on target audiences through stating who would possibly be interested in what. Additionally, it provides results. However, demographic measurements equally have drawbacks that contrast this. The statistics are based on a sample group that may not be relevant in terms of a factor such as location. This is likely to lead to a lack of accuracy in results.

The next method is called the tribe/ subculture model. This takes subcultures such as punk and creates a list of categories in which an individual must fit within. The benefits of this method are the fact it does provide the reader with a certain level of information regarding subcultures furthering their understanding. As well as this, the website acknowledging all of these subcultures is credible as they are sharing the variety of life with their audience. The drawbacks of this method include the fact that someone may be offended if their subculture is given a poor or inaccurate representation and that the website is still attempting to put people into categories. People may also fit into more than one subculture as their identity is fluid and people can form their identity through taking signifiers from different subcultures.

The third type of model is titled the physiographic model. This is where there are seven categories and the creator’s state that everyone belongs to one of them. This is inaccurate due to the fact that an individual can fit into more than one of these categories as people are rather complex to classify. Additionally, the categories have very vague titles and no other information is provided. However, it does have the benefit of providing rough data.

The final category that can be used is referred to as habits and lifestyle. This is where people can type in any form of entertainment and find out what type of people like it and their basic demographics. The benefit of this is that it’s interesting to find out what similar interests the people may have and it could provide people with recommendations on other things they may like due to this. The negative side of this is that after testing the website, it seemed very inaccurate regarding its data.

Conventions and shot planning

Annotated lyrics

Examine how Radiohead uses strategies and structures to shape meaning

The music video for “Just” by Radiohead utilises a linear narrative structure which can therefore be examined using Todorov’s concept of narrative. The video can then be divided into a three act structure as the first third is the protagonist walking, in the second he lies down and is questioned rather aggressively by pedestrians and the third act is when the rest of the people join him in dying down. Although there are three acts, the video experiences equilibrium and disequilibrium but it refuses to have a new equilibrium that is comprehensible to the audience as the video cuts when the man explains why he’s lying down before he’s joined.

The video symbolises the complexity of life through the lack of ideological closure provided by Radiohead. As a narratologically open text, it affects the audience as it makes them feel frustrated as they don’t know what’s happened, furthering this ideological closure that makes an audience feel comfortable. The video does, however, have a linear storyline which is comprehensible and the curiosity drives the storyline but when an ending is not clearly given it’s likely to frustrate Radiohead’s audience as when the piece builds up as it suggests a denouement.

The narrative can be understood as being driven by the protagonist at the beginning as walking drives the story forward as a proairetic code. Along with this, others include the subtitles as they drive the narrative forward opening new nareems to continue the video. Also, the subtitles not being present in the section when they’re needed is known as the enigmatic code which causes the remainder of the video to frustrate the audience. The ground is displayed as a symbolic object but the audience never find out the symbolism of this which adds to the enigma of the video.

Moodboard

how do music videos speak to/ interpolate their audience?

Music videos aim to speak to their audiences and position them in a specific way. This is done through ideology, imagery, positioning and narrative.

Nirvana- Smells like teen spirit-

In this video, the audience are positioned in the crowd watching the live performance by the band. The singer often looks into the camera creating a relationship between himself and the audience. Additionally, it uses ideology to rebel against American high school culture through the cheerleaders being placed within the hellish yellow colour palette video. This positions the audience in the perspective of agreement with the audience regarding this ideology.

M83- Midnight City-

In this video, the audience are not positioned within the plot of the video. By doing this, there is a definite sense of mystery and you gain a sense of knowing without the characters awareness. This further conveys the mystery of the supernatural elements of the video. Additionally, not having a protagonist even for the audience to follow removes the audience from feeling involved further conveying the lack of realism. However, occasionally, the eyes from the children look into the camera in an accusatory way as if they’re being watched which is by the audience. The theme has grunge undertones due to the location of the video being in an abandoned seeming building which may relate to the style of the audience.

Our video-

In our music video, we will position our audience in an observational perspective, they will not be a part of the video but watch from the outside. The lifestyle of the characters is aimed to be regular and relatable but could be aspirational due to the imagery placing emphasis on the aesthetic of the video. Our narrative will have three chapters and a protagonist for the audience to follow around in regards to their journey throughout the video.

timeline

chosen song choice

In the end, we decided to use this song as we felt it held the most potential to create a successfully interesting and creative music video that held all the narrative devices and techniques that are required of us. This song holds an interesting beat that is split into sections, allowing of a creation of a narrative to be formed as well as having appropriate lyrics that we decided could be intertwined with the narrative to add a performance aspect to the piece. This song has a clear set of indie pop conventions to follow, which will add ease when filming to appeal to an audience, and this will also be useful in later evaluations of our piece. The overall recording is of a good quality, with an equally clear backing track, meaning the overall quality of our video will not be hindered by the sound. The only issue that may arise will be the repetitive nature of both the beat and the lyrics, however we hope to overcome this by only loosely matching the lyrics with the narrative, and instead focusing on the themes that arise from listening to this piece- specifically, the theme of a journey.

We have emailed West Coast Massive regarding the copyright permissions of using their music, and they have happily allowed us to do so.