Evaluation Question 4- How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Evaluation Question 4- How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Evaluation Question 3- What have you learned from your audience feedback?

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Evaluation Question 2- How effective is the combination of your main product and the ancillary tasks?

Evaluation Question 2

Evaluation Question 1- In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge form and conventions of real media products?

Evaluation Questions

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge form and conventions of real media products?

Software used to create my digipak

Software I used to create my digipak

I used two different types of software to create my digipak as they both offered different effects and and tools. 

They were 

• Picasa
• Microsoft Word

Picasa is an digital photo editing software. It is quick and easy to use as it has a file importing section where you can insert the memory card and it will import all of the photos from the memory card in seconds. I felt that the basic features such as cropping and adding colour enhancements was very simple but effective as it produced high quality images. 

It also let you organise all of your photos together in a folder so when you came to edit a photo it was much more easy to find.

Because we could't download 'Photoshop' editing our digipak meant that we had to use two or more different forms of software as Picasa didn't allow you to change the images around if you needed to. Microsoft Word helped us to move the images around freely and they had tools such as borders so we could mark out the how I want my digipak to look. 

iMovie- Software used to create my music video

iMovie- Software I used to create my music video

The software I used to create and edit my music video was iMovie. I found that this software was easy to use and it had everything I needed such as transitions and the option to add text. Having a Mac at home aloud me to use iMovie before which make me feel confident using the software, moreover in AS media we used iMove to create out thriller openings. There were a range of techniques to use on iMovie, some of them being, cutting, cropping, transitions, photo's, adding sound, video adjustments, audio adjustments, cropping and rotation, changing things like brightness, exposure, contrast and saturation, video effect and there are lots more. Below I will talk through the technique's I have used. 

Creating a project

This is the project gallery, where the different projects are kept, so here I've kept my first, second and final draft and this was easier and it helped me not get mixed up with my other drafts. To create a new project you select 'File' and 'new project'. 

There is then an event library where you import all of your clips in you may use for the music video. 

To import a clip there is a tool on the side of the screen which looks like a cam recorder to indicate this is where you get the footage from. 

Adding music

Adding music on iMovie was very simple. All you had to do was to selected the music option on the side of the screen then drag it into the project you wanted to fill the music with. The the music will play with the clips.


Selecting a clip & Editing tools. 

To select a clip for my music video i had a folder with all of my footage in so that it doesn't get lost or mixed up with everyone else. To put the clip into the project I had to drag it into the project folder. The to edit the clip a little settings tool is on the side of the clip. Different options come up such as video adjustments, clip adjustments and audio adjustments. 

The video adjustment lets you edit the presentation of the picture, so the brightness, exposure, contracts, satureation, and also the white point allows you to adjust the white point on part of a picture. The Audio adjustments lets you control the volume of the clip of even take all the volume off. The option of ducking, lets the volume to reduce of the other tracks been played. The fade in and fade out, makes the start and the end of the music, and again it allows a manual which lets you choose it by yourself, or automatically. 

Trimming the clip

This is the most useful tool when it comes to lip syncing. The trimming tool allows you to trim the part away that you don't want of the clip. It is located on the 'Windows' tool bar. Then a little window appears where the selected clip appears with a yellow boarder. This is easy to see clearly which part you will be editing. After you select the part you want you press done and it trims the clip for you.

Final magazine advert

Final magazine advert

This is my final magazine advert that I have created for my album 'Blonde Louis'. I am very happy with the overall advertisement as it conforms to real media products. I wanted to keep the same image from the front cover of the album to the poster, which is a method lots of artists use. This is to increase the brand identity of my band as the repetitive image makes people recognise the band and their album. 

I wanted the text to be the same throughout the poster as this links in with the brand identity it also it gives uniformity to the image. Moreover I wanted to add ratings onto the poster from critics to show the professionalism of the band. It is also advisory for the audience hopefully persuading them to buy the album. 

The use of interactivity was a key element when creating my advertisement. Convergence is very important for both consumer and produces so I wanted to add a QRCode so the target audience or person interested in buying the album can can it on their iPhone and it makes buying the album instant. 

Ideas for magazine advert

Ideas for my magazine advert. 

I wanted my magazine advert to be similar, if not the same as my album cover as this will be 'Blonde Louis' debut album. It is conventional of new bands to use the same or similar image in all of their advertisements as it increases their brand identity as a band. Therefore it would be clearer to their target audience. 

I want my advertisement to feature in music magazines such as Q and NME as people who buy these magazines are into music and new upcoming artists. It is also a great platform to promote the band as they are very popular brands using synergy to create websites and music channels. This means that I will be advertising to a wider audience. 

Below are some examples of magazine adverts and the inspiration they have gave me. I wanted the magazine advert to be quite simple. I have been inspired by the 'Wheres Wally' books for my digipak something which I want to incorporate in my magazine advert. I thought that it would be a good idea to take lots of different photos of the band from the shoulder upwards and merge them together so it create some image. I also think that it is extremely important to have the band on the advertisement so the audience can familiarise them with Blonde Louis.

Research into magazine adverts

Research into magazine adverts

After researching popular album advertisements I discovered that the artist usually uses their album front cover as the advertisement image. As you can see here this album advertisiment is the same picture taken from there album cover so people can recognize it, if it was a different picture the audience my be un sure of what album they are trying to promote. 

Another convention of magazine adverts is that  there is not a lot of text on the image. The use of buzz words is a very popular factor as it persuades the audience to buy the album. Phrases such as 'Out Now' which is capitalized puts emphasis on the fact that the album is out and easily accessible. 

Moreover there is usually some sort of rating on the advertisement. This is given by the magazine company themselves. Usually people buying the magazine value their opinion so it is a benefit to the band/artist as if the ratings are good them people should buy the album.  

The artist/band also adds additional information of the advertisement which may not be on the album. For example they usually put the website on and places where they can download the music instead of buying it form a store. This opens up the artist to 'branch out' or synergies into different media platforms increasing the audience and giving them different ways to access the the album. 

Feedback from final digipak

Feedback from my final digipak

I was really pleased with the overall product and thought that it was important to get feedback to show how I have improved from my initial ideas. 

Firstly the main point of focus was on the use of font. My peers explained that the use of the same font throughouty digipak  created continuity and added a quirky style to the product. Furthermore they thought that it was a effective idea as the font has become part of the bands brand identity. This is used by artists such as 'Blur' and I wanted to incorporate it in to my digipak. 

Secondly, the front cover of the digipak reflects the indie genre due to the lighthearted nature. One of my other ideas was to have the band posing in the garden. However I decided not to do this as it wouldn't reflect the personalitys of the band. This is why my peers commented on the use of the nada repeated images pulling different faces to highlight their youth.

The only criticism of my album cover was that there are not props of instruments, however when I showed them the insert which is the instruments then they agreed that it was a better idea to put the instruments elsewhere as it doesn't take the attention away from the band.

The most commented on element was of the use of the blonde wig. They thought that it was a comical twist on the name 'Blonde Louis' and makes the album stand out because of the irony. 

Final digipak

Final Digipak

Album Cover 

The album cover is fun, cool and youthful. I was inspired by the Beatles 'Hard days night' album which had a similar concept of the band members faces being duplicated. I used a variety of props that have been inspired by 'Wheres Wally' such as the glasses and matching tops. Instead of red and white stripes I chose to use check shirts which is a popular type of clothing for indie bands, I also used sunglasses intead of glasses to give it a trendy vibe. Most importantly i used the prop if a wig to relate to the bands name 'Blonde Louis'. This adds an element of intertexuality. Furthermore as it is their first album it's conventional of the band to have their image as the main focus point as this shows brand identity so their fans can see what type of people they are.  The reason I used the name 'Blonde Louis' as the album title is to follow the conventions of new albums as they often use just the name of the band or artist to promote their brand image and get the audience family with their name. 

CD Disc

As the front cover is quite bold in appearance I wanted the CD to reflect the same style but tone it down in terms of images. I decided to go for a plain white background with the bands name 'Blonde Louis' in bold lettering that followed the theme. I thought that having just the band name was very effective as when the person opens the album the CD reinforces the name to the audience. Also it is clear who the band are. I was influenced by a british indie band 'Arctic Monkeys' as they have done CD discs like this. 

Back cover

I wanted the back cover to follow the same simple and bold theme but also look different to the front and the CD. I followed conventions of digipaks by putting the band on the back cover which is used alot in first albums. Moreover i wanted to challenge conventions as the text is usually central. I wanted to place it in a unique place to highlight the indie genre as they often don't follow what other artists do. I think it adds a unique element. I also used two types of barcodes. The first is the standard barcode, but the second is a QRCode so the buyer can scan this on their smartphone and accesses different content relating to the band. I also used the record label 'Columbia' which is a rock/indie record label to so that that is the type of music they will be producing.




Insert

For the insert I didn't want to have the band in the image, but instead i used the props of the guitar, drum set and keyboard. I did this to reflect the genre of the band as being indie as no instruments have featured in my digipak other than this. Moreover using the bands name over again reinforces the brand identity but also gives it a pop art feel which I was trying to achieve.

Digipack- trials

Ideas for an album cover

First attempt- Blonde Louis album cover.

This is my first idea for my Blonde Louis album. I think that it captures the band image well as it shows them as young fun people. Moreover the setting is in rural countryside which reflects the indie genre. However I think that it is missing something in terms of creativity. I don't believe that it looks like an album cover but more like the back of the album. One element that I like is the positioning of the text as it is clear and easy to read. Another is the props of the music instruments, it clearly identifies them as a band and their style of music.


































2nd attempt- Blonde Louis album cover

I prefer the second idea of the album cover to my first because I feel like it looks more professional. I used a filter to make the image seem unique. Also the style of the image matches with the font as it is cool and quirky. However this is not the image I want to use because I feel that it needs to relate more the the title of the band as it such a unique name.

3rd attempt- Blonde Louis album cover

Out of the three album cover this is my favourite. I love the boldness of the images and the retro pop art feel which reflects the 90's era. I also feel that it relates to the indie genre as well the the band pulling faces giving it a fun element. Also the white background makes it look a lot more professional than the first one and the pop of colour makes it stand out to the others. I think that the blonde wig shows the link between the band name and the image clearly.

Font ideas for my digipack

Font idea's

Below are some font ideas for my digipack. I think it is important to have a clear font so that you can read it straight away which saves any confusion for the audience. Moreover it is also imperative that the style of the font is unique, this identifies the band's image and also the genre of the music. If the font is in bold bubble writing then you would associate it with  the pop genre, whereas if it is edgy and harsh then you would relate it to the indie genre.

Above are some fonts that i may use for my digipack. I have selected a variety of fonts all of which I think are 'cool' in some way. I have ask my class for some feedback on what font they prefer. This way it makes it easier for me to choose but also it allows me to see which one is more effective.

The results

1st font- 3

2nd font- 0

3rd font- 1

4th font- 2

5th font- 0

The first font was the most popular. They said that it reflects the cool edge look the band have. Moreover it has a youthful vibe to it which attracts my target audience. This is the font I will be using for my digipack.

Digipak Idea/Inspiration

Digipak idea

I wanted my digipak to be fun and interesting as often the indie genre is just this thus conforming to the conventions of an indie album cover. I decided to base my digipak on the hit selling books 'Wheres Wally'. The idea came about as the name 'Blonde Louis' focus's on the features. Every time I think of 'Blonde Louis' i think of a young boy in a blonde wig. Moreover the indie fashion involves stripes and the nautical trend, similar to that of Wheres Wally.  I think that is very significant that they named their band 'Blonde Louis' as it shows they think the image is key to the band. Therefore i had to incorporate the name with a intertextual element as the name is so unique but simple as it based on a person and their features. As Blonde Louis is an indie band their style is often quirky and retro referring back to the 90's as this was the influence when they were younger. Wheres Wally is also a quirky book from the 90's which was predominant in many childhoods. I though that incorporating this intertextual link between to different forms of media, into my digipak would create a fun, interesting and quirky style drawing two different audiences together. 

Instead of them dressed up as wally I though to use a blonde wig and guitar instead on the glasses, therefore it still keeps an element of originality. The Blonde wig referees to the name on the band and the guitar will reflect the genre of the band.

I also found inspiration from one of the Beatles album as I like how simple it was I was thinking to incorporate this into my digipak maybe on the cd. The other inspiration came from the Beatles album 'A hard days night' as I though I can incorporate the pop art style into my album cover.

Examples of professional digipak's

Professional Digipak's 

When I started to research digipaks, I felt it would be best to use some of my own as inspiration, that way it made me get a better idea of what a digipak feels like. 

1. Led Zeppelin- Mothership

Album cover

I thought that this front cover was very striking due to the bold use of colours. You can tell that the genre is rock because of the lightening bolts at the top of the album. This is one of the conventions of rock music and this symbol is widely recognised.

CD and opened

I liked how the layout was simple on this digipak as many digipak a have unique layouts. Personally, I prefer this layout as it is more pratical. Moreover the CD ties in with the theme of black and red adding continuity.

Insert

The insert is similar to the front cover. This is so the audience is familiar with their style they are trying to achieve. Moreover the symbol of the plane is very iconic for 'Led Zepplin' which adds to those brand image. 

2. The Beatles- A Hard Days Night

Album cover

I think that this album cover is very unique and stands out due to the pop art feel. It has each member of the band on the front which adds to the bands image creating a brand identity. It had conventions of the 60's such as bold images so it follows the rock n roll genre.

Inside

    

I like how this is unique inside. It folds how containing different slots for the insert and CD. The image of the apple is very iconic for the Beatles so it becomes instantly recognisable. Also i am inspired by the used of a mid shot to show the band together which lets the audience became familiar with the band.

What is a Digipak?

Digipak's

Part of our coursework is to create a digipak to go alongside our music video. I have done some 

research into digipaks and how much it contributes to the overall success of the song. Digipak is a 

patented style of CD or DVD packaging. A CD digipak is usually folds out to four sections, each featuring different images of the artist or their influences. Digipaks always contains the artist or bands CD, a bonus item, it could be a DVD of their latest tour, posters, bonus tracks ect. 

In all, digipaks are designed in a way which is meant to attract fans and target audiences. They must have a aesthetically pleasing cover to attract the age, gender and the type of person who will like and listen to the music . However digipaks are also created for the companies finical interests, unlike regular albums which are easily downloadable from illegal websites, digipaks incise people into buying extra content which gives the artist some worth. 

For example Kasabians- Velociraptor contains a DVD with behind the scenes footage and bonus live tracks. 

Feedback from final cut

Feedback from final music video.

My feedback from my final music video has improved vastly compared to the rough cut. The main areas i wanted to improve on were:

• Lip syncing
• narrative
• The closing shot

After i got all of this feedback i took it on board and focused the re filming in these areas. My final music video synchronisation was a lot better and showed the continuty from the previous rough cut.  Another one of my peers said that the use of props such as drums and guitars added to the indie mise en scene. The narrative was a lot clear because i re filmed some shops to show the lead singer and the love interest arguing and together. After viewing my final cut, my school friends also commented on how the ending was more effective as it finished of both the narrative and the performance. Moreover, they have said that the band image that I have created is clear and corresponds with the genre of music and my target audience.

Final music video

Final Music Video: Blonde Louis- Sleep on the Floor

This is my final cut for the Blonde Louis- Sleep on the Floor music video. I feel that i have achieved more than i expected in terms of the editing and found it enjoyable to create. Hope you enjoy! 

Shot list

Shot list

• High angle close up of the keyboard
• Midshot of the keyboard and band player
• Zoom in on drums
• Long shot of drum set
• Midshot of band members playing table football 

• Extreme close up of guitar

• Mid shot with pan from right to left to show the whole band
• Close up of hands

• Long shot of band with main singer lip syncing

• Close up of lead singer

• Zoom out of the boy and girl
• Extreme close up of lips
• Mid shot of drummer

• Close up of phone
• Over the shoulder shot.
• Mid shot of keyboard then zoom in
• Arch shot of the sky
• Long shot of main singer and girl 
• Pan from left to right of the couple walking
• Close up on singer
• Extreme close up on drum set

• Tilt up of the drum set

• Extreme close up of lips
• Mid tilted shot of drummer
• Tilted angle of the band
• Fast paced editing of a variety of shot types
• Long shot of the band
• Tracking shot of female upset
• Pan of the drums

• Close up of singer singing and the girl

• Mid shot of the band coming together
• Zoom out
• Fade to black.

Deleted scenes from my rough cut

Deleted scenes from my rough cut

Below i have the deleted scenes from the rough cut and the reason why i deleted them. The main issue with my rough cut was the lip syncing as it wasn't in time with the music. Other than that i was very happy with my rough cut as i dedicated a lot of time so when it comes to the final cut it is much easier. 

Re-filming

Re-filming

After completing my rough cut, I decided to re-film some scenes from my music video as the quality was not as good as i expected.

1. Re filmed the some parts of the performance, the lip syncing wasn't as clear so i needed more shots.  I decided to meet up with the band.  In the meeting, I let my band members know, in order to improve the lip synchronisation it would take some time from the band members to learn the song. So prier to when I filmed again, I typed the lyrics on a word document for the band members to learn. 

2. It is also important that the band members where the same outfits again for the performance, i want it to look like it has been filmed in one day. 

3. Film some new parts of the narrative. Some of the shots were shaky, so i put my camera on a tripod to make sure the shots were still. Also i wanted some shots to be inside so i filmed more scenes inside so i could get the mellow atmosphere. 

Feedback from my rough cut

Feedback from my rough cut

The feedback i received from my rough cut was mainly positive. This is due to the amount of time i spent on making my rough cut the best to my ability. I did this as it would help make editing easier when it comes to my final cut.

The main areas of improvement were on:

•  Lip syncing- in the rough cut the lip syncing wasn't always on time. To achieve the best marks i am going to change the length of some clips so the lip syncing matches the lyrics in the music.
• Filters- Some of the filters in my rough cut were inconstant, to create consistency i am going to change the filters so they are all the same. 
• The ending- the ending in my rough cut is very weak. I am going to reshoot some scenes so that the ending is more effective.

My peers also gave me feedback on the good aspects of my music video.

They said that the narrative was clear and there was a balance between narrative and performance.
The bands image is very well represented. The audience was able to tell the genre of music straight away. They also like the location and setting. They gave positive feedback on the performance being outside saying it was cool and different but also reflects the typical british countryside.

Rejected shots

Rejected Shots

During filming I wanted to film a variety of shots to decide which ones were the best.  I have put together a variety of rejected shots as i don think they fitted in with my music video.

1. The first shot was the band mates jumping on the trampoline with the instruments, although i felt like this portrayed the band as fun and immature it didn't really fit with the indie genre. 

2. The second clip is a high angle shot of the drum kit. Although i though this was a good camera angle the camera became very shaky due to not using the tripod. I wasn't going to add this in as it made the footage look to amateur. 

3. The third shot is a mid shot of the lead singer and the love interest playing. However they're better shots of the two playing so i wanted to add the professional looking ones.

4. The final shot is of the lead singer singer the first verse of the song. This was the initial idea for him to sing parts of his own but i later realized that to get the band identity they need to sing together.

Rough Cut

Rough Cut 

This is my rough cut for my music video, Blonde Louis - Sleep on the floor. It is my first attempt at editing a music video and overall i am pleased with it. Of course there are some issues that i need solve such as the lip syncing, which at some parts is out of time. Additionally i have some problems with iMovie with importing my footage and many clips were lost. However when i get my audience feedback i will re film these parts as some of them were effective shots that established the brand image. The next stage is to get audience feedback so i know which places that need improving.