Wednesday 28 December 2011
Mise-en-scene
I will be filming in the woods which will give a gritty, dark atmosphere. It creates a sense of loss and loneliness, not knowing where you are. Another part of the video will be filmed inside a house, creating a sense of allowing you to be yourself. It's your home and that's where you can let everything out. I want to contrast these two atmosphere's in my video because it will be reality - we only feel ourselves when we're in our own comfort zone, home.
Dolly Run
Before filming I knew it would be a good idea to do a 'dolly run' - practice run - before hand. It would help me make the shots I want perfect when I film properly. I tested camera angles, shots and lighting. A video will be uploaded soon.
Monday 26 December 2011
Filming.
I am hoping to film on Wednesday 28th December. With any luck the whole thing should be shot from 1pm until it begins to get too dark. I will be using a HD camcorder with a tripod. I will have make-up and extra clothing on hand for my actress and I will have the music playing on a phone/iPod touch so that it helps her with where the storyline is.
An animatic will be uploaded soon.
An animatic will be uploaded soon.
Props and More Sound
Chosen clothing.
Cigarettes.
Red Lipstick.
Simple props but they can really add something to the video.
The reason why I want her to be smoking is to symbolise her carelessness. It's only at the end of the video that I want her to be seen smoking so that it's a surprise to the audience when they see it. Females smoking represent power (just like a femme fatale in film noir). In the end she maybe realises that she has the power?
The importance of the red lipstick shows her femininity. It's supposed to symbolise sexiness and adult sexuality. I want to use this because not only does it just go with her look, but for what it symbolises too. She is the femme fatale in this video.
At the beginning of the video I want there to be no sound at all until the music kicks in. There will be no diegetic sound throughout the video while the song is being played but at the end of the video there will be the sound of footsteps going through the woods. I need to test whether to have the footsteps as diegetic sound or create a foley test and put the sound in over the top (non-diegetic).
Cigarettes.
Red Lipstick.
Simple props but they can really add something to the video.
The reason why I want her to be smoking is to symbolise her carelessness. It's only at the end of the video that I want her to be seen smoking so that it's a surprise to the audience when they see it. Females smoking represent power (just like a femme fatale in film noir). In the end she maybe realises that she has the power?
The importance of the red lipstick shows her femininity. It's supposed to symbolise sexiness and adult sexuality. I want to use this because not only does it just go with her look, but for what it symbolises too. She is the femme fatale in this video.
At the beginning of the video I want there to be no sound at all until the music kicks in. There will be no diegetic sound throughout the video while the song is being played but at the end of the video there will be the sound of footsteps going through the woods. I need to test whether to have the footsteps as diegetic sound or create a foley test and put the sound in over the top (non-diegetic).
New storyline.
The story is about a girl who as you can see is heartbroken. She’s walking through the woods but is paranoid that someone is following her (but who?). As she begins to run she falls and then there is a short flashback to her in her home crying and ripping photo’s apart. She looks down at her arm at one point and there is a bruise. The girl then gets a text from an unknown number saying “He’s not worth it, he’s been unfaithful.” Laying on her floor crying it cuts back to her running in the woods and throwing leaves everywhere in anger. She keeps thinking she hears someone so she lights up a cigarette and walks along the trail in the woods. While this is happening there is a faded flashback sequence imposed on the top of her running over a hilltop smiling. Camera starts spinning along with her and then she falls back on the floor but in the woods crying. As the song ends she turns her head and lays on the floor looking at the camera. As the music fades out you can hear footsteps at the end of the video.
Sound
This is the version of the song I wish to use for my video and I have contacted the artist to let her know that I will be using it. Written by Gabrielle Aplin and this version was performed live at Maida Vale sessions.
Stylist Choices for Actress.
I want my actress to be very fashionable as she's representing Gabrielle Aplin's style. I want her to have an 80's -esque style with a modern twist. It will be casual yet fashionable.
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| This shows the kind of style I would like my actress to be wearing. A thick knitted cardigan, thick gold statement jewellery and a printed t-shirt. I would also like her to be wearing light faded skinny jeans or fashion patterned tights with either converse, vans or brogues. |
My actress' hair is fairly short so I would like to make it messy so she looks distressed. I may had in a hair piece like the one above just to finalise the look. Her make-up will consist of smudged mascara (as she will be crying) with smoky eyes and either red or purple lipstick.
The look that I have chosen for her in the video is also the look that will be on the cover of Gabrielle Aplin's album. You will not see the model's face as it may be covered by her holding a sign with the title information on it. I will explain it more in a separate post.
I chose this look for my actress as the indie/folk genre of the video fits in perfectly with this look. It's the kind of style that will never go out of fashion and more importantly, it's the style of Gabrielle Aplin.
Both images are from weheartit.com. No copyright intended.
Camera Angles and Shots
The theme for my video is going to be very dark. I want the audience to feel intense when watching it. Therefore, I am going to need very intense shots and angles. Close ups tend to make the audience relate with the actor (eye contact) so at the start of my video there will be a close up of the actress staring into the camera.
There will be plenty of tracking in my video as the camera will be following the actress through the woods. This gives a feeling of being followed and the audience will hopefully feel like their going on a journey with the actress. Hand held shots will be used so that it will give a little depth to the video in the fact that I don't want the whole video to be stiff with the camera being on a tripod.
Over the shoulder shots, extreme long shots and medium shots will also be used to create a variety of views for the audience. I will use panning in a small sequence of the video but to create a strange, controversial feel to it. The whole video will be shot at eye level with maybe a few sequences at a low angle. This is not only due to the fact I am only equipped with a 5" 6" (estimated) tripod but it will create the perfect atmosphere for the audience. The low angle will create a sense of sadness and depression.
There will be plenty of tracking in my video as the camera will be following the actress through the woods. This gives a feeling of being followed and the audience will hopefully feel like their going on a journey with the actress. Hand held shots will be used so that it will give a little depth to the video in the fact that I don't want the whole video to be stiff with the camera being on a tripod.
Over the shoulder shots, extreme long shots and medium shots will also be used to create a variety of views for the audience. I will use panning in a small sequence of the video but to create a strange, controversial feel to it. The whole video will be shot at eye level with maybe a few sequences at a low angle. This is not only due to the fact I am only equipped with a 5" 6" (estimated) tripod but it will create the perfect atmosphere for the audience. The low angle will create a sense of sadness and depression.
Wednesday 21 December 2011
Actress Sorted
I'm still working on a new plot idea but I have my main actress, Alice Bowen. She has the perfect look for my video and her acting skills are really good. I am hoping to film over the next couple of weeks as that gives me enough time to finalise my plot and give Alice enough time to prepare. I have let her know the song, the location and a rough idea on how she needs to act.
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Storyline Change.
Due to some casting difficulties I will be changing most of my plot and putting in a new and better idea. I am in the current stage of drafting up some ideas with a concept board and an animatic.
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Location - part two
Apart from filming in a woodland area, I also want to film a few short scenes in a house made out to be the personas. I don't just want to film in a random house as it may not have the lighting and ambience that I'm looking for. I want to film in an old fashioned home that has a very vintage feel. The image below is from weheartit.com but it just portrays the atmosphere that i want to create in the particular scenes.
However, I may find it difficult to find a place like this as I will need to get permission from an owner. It would be safer to film round someone's house who I am familiar with e,g, family and friends. My own home could be idealistic with a few changes. These could easily be made by moving furniture, adding small objects etc. Below is a picture which could give the effect of a miserable environment. I don't want my audience to feel miserable when watching the video but I want them to respond in a way that they can recognise the emotions within the song and video. Courtesy of weheartit.com.
However, I may find it difficult to find a place like this as I will need to get permission from an owner. It would be safer to film round someone's house who I am familiar with e,g, family and friends. My own home could be idealistic with a few changes. These could easily be made by moving furniture, adding small objects etc. Below is a picture which could give the effect of a miserable environment. I don't want my audience to feel miserable when watching the video but I want them to respond in a way that they can recognise the emotions within the song and video. Courtesy of weheartit.com.
Tuesday 22 November 2011
SMART Targets
I'm setting myself some targets to ensure that my blog is up to it's highest standards. These are:
- Keep time management
- Take basic posts and turn them into proficient or excellent ones
- Start concentrating on production more than research now
- Find cast
- Find out what equipment I will need
- Write out a proper narrative
- Keep time management
- Take basic posts and turn them into proficient or excellent ones
- Start concentrating on production more than research now
- Find cast
- Find out what equipment I will need
- Write out a proper narrative
Chosen Song and Copyright
So as I said in my 'script ideas' post my chosen song is Gabrielle Aplin - Ghosts. This song is a very personal song to her and I want to be able to portray those feelings in the video. Obviously because I can't have her starring in the video I'm going to get another girl to star in it. It will be made obvious to the audience that it is not Gabrielle herself. To the audience, it will be like watching a scene from a movie - the character is acting out to represent the audio. By doing this it will really give the video a more narrative response.
After sending a message to Gabrielle Aplin, I simply asked her if I could use her song in my project and I politely stated that if I didn't get a reply then I would need to proceed with using her video. Since not getting a reply, I will be able to use her song for my project. I checked before hand with a few people to check that this was okay.
After sending a message to Gabrielle Aplin, I simply asked her if I could use her song in my project and I politely stated that if I didn't get a reply then I would need to proceed with using her video. Since not getting a reply, I will be able to use her song for my project. I checked before hand with a few people to check that this was okay.
Location Ideas - Part One
Reading through my draft script idea I want to film the majority of the video in the woods. In Norwich there are plenty of places to film. One place which I know very well would be perfect for filming. Mousehold Heath, situated around Heartsease and Sprowston is my first choice as there are many secluded areas which is just what I need for the filming.
The above pictures perfectly portray the ambience that I want to create in my video. I want it to feel mysterious and haunting.
The second location that I found is a well-known public park in Old Catton called Catton Park. It's a very vast piece of land and is surrounded by a small area of woodland. It isn't my first choice but looking at photo's it does have a haunting feeling to it. My only concern is that it will not fit in with my criteria.
Looking at the two locations I am drawing towards filming in Mousehold Heath as it has all the elements that I am looking for. It's also a much larger location so there is more variety in the places that I can film.
In the second part of the post I will be looking at different locations to film the indoor scene in. Preferably I want to find someone's house which has a very vintage feel to it. I need good lighting and I need space to be able to film in good depth.
The above pictures perfectly portray the ambience that I want to create in my video. I want it to feel mysterious and haunting.
The second location that I found is a well-known public park in Old Catton called Catton Park. It's a very vast piece of land and is surrounded by a small area of woodland. It isn't my first choice but looking at photo's it does have a haunting feeling to it. My only concern is that it will not fit in with my criteria.
Looking at the two locations I am drawing towards filming in Mousehold Heath as it has all the elements that I am looking for. It's also a much larger location so there is more variety in the places that I can film.
In the second part of the post I will be looking at different locations to film the indoor scene in. Preferably I want to find someone's house which has a very vintage feel to it. I need good lighting and I need space to be able to film in good depth.
Thursday 17 November 2011
Ideas for digipak covers
Just to clarify, a Digipak is used mainly for CD singles or special editions of CD albums. The style of a digipak differs from a normal CD case (Jewel Cases) as they typically consist of a gatefold paperboard or card stock outer binding. These cases are capable of holding more than one plastic tray to hold the CD/DVD.
All of the above pictures represent the genre of music that my music video will feature.
All of the above pictures represent the genre of music that my music video will feature.
Script Ideas for video
Looking back at my research I know that my target market would prefer a narrative video that tells a story rather than one that has no point. The song I have chosen to promote is the song "Ghosts by Gabrielle Aplin". The song is a very dark yet beautiful song and the main theme is about feeling alone. It could be due to heartbreak, arguments etc. I want to incorporate the feeling of not knowing to the audience. I want them to have an active mind and be able to figure out when she's heartbroken or whether it's something else. It creates the mystery.
In the beginning I would like to have the main persona (female character) to be standing alone in the woods and to lip sync to the first few lines looking quite sad yet powerful. Throughout the first verse which is up to 0:43 I want her to wander round the woods and be looking over her shoulder like someone is following her. She needs to portray paranoia. When the chorus kicks in I need to up the anti and make her start running. She trips and laying next to her is a note it will be along the lines of "feeling alone." She gets up and as she does it reaches a flashback where she's in her room crying and throwing things off her bed. Some things she throws will be a clue as to why she's upset - photo's, gifts etc. At the end of the second verse she's hysterically crying and burning a picture.f It shows she's heartbroken but it will take an active audience to work it out. When it comes back to the chorus she's running again and passes a shadow of a man. She stops and turns back and he's gone. When the lyrics start "I'm pulling pictures of the wall.." she runs back to her house and trashes her room again. Near the end of the video she sings the end lyrics into the camera and then it jumps back to a clip of her sitting in a ball and then a hand comes out and offers to help her up. You're not too sure who it is though.
This is just a rough draft of the narrative and I will develop on it further once I have actors and locations sorted.
In the beginning I would like to have the main persona (female character) to be standing alone in the woods and to lip sync to the first few lines looking quite sad yet powerful. Throughout the first verse which is up to 0:43 I want her to wander round the woods and be looking over her shoulder like someone is following her. She needs to portray paranoia. When the chorus kicks in I need to up the anti and make her start running. She trips and laying next to her is a note it will be along the lines of "feeling alone." She gets up and as she does it reaches a flashback where she's in her room crying and throwing things off her bed. Some things she throws will be a clue as to why she's upset - photo's, gifts etc. At the end of the second verse she's hysterically crying and burning a picture.f It shows she's heartbroken but it will take an active audience to work it out. When it comes back to the chorus she's running again and passes a shadow of a man. She stops and turns back and he's gone. When the lyrics start "I'm pulling pictures of the wall.." she runs back to her house and trashes her room again. Near the end of the video she sings the end lyrics into the camera and then it jumps back to a clip of her sitting in a ball and then a hand comes out and offers to help her up. You're not too sure who it is though.
This is just a rough draft of the narrative and I will develop on it further once I have actors and locations sorted.
Adverts in magazines
Recently I was looking through NME magazine and there were so many adverts for album promotion. NME magazine targets around the same market as me so it would be really good to put Gabrielle Aplin's album advert in that magazine. The magazine special editions were called NME Originals, with some featuring articles from other music titles owned by IPC, including Melody Maker, Rave and Uncut magazines. Notable issues so far have featured Radiohead, The Beatles, Punk rock, Gothic rock, Britpop, The Rolling Stones, Mod, Nirvana, and the solo years of The Beatles. NME is ready for a singer-songwriter like Gabrielle Aplin. She's fresh and would appeal to the target market who read NME.
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Prezi of Florence and the Machine
I created a prezi of a deconstruction of Florence and the Machine's new album cover as it fits into the same genre I want to create and it will help me get an idea of what I want to create. I also looked into the advertising strategies that she has to promote her album so that I know the best exhibition methods for my advert.
The album cover seems to suit Florence Welch perfectly. It looks very much like her kind of style (fashionable, mysterious etc). To understand how to get my album cover looking representative to the artist, I have looked at the entire production of a digipak and what I need to do to get the same response. Pullouts in the album with lyrics give the target market a wider range of media. It seems to help them understand the songs which may give them more interest in the artists' songs. In Florence's album, "Ceremonials" English novelist Emma Forrest contributed an essay to the album which can be found in the CD edition. This could draw in a particular audience as they may be interested in Emma Forrest but maybe not Florence Welch. A whole production team is involved in creating a digipak. There is the production team who actually produces the album's songs etc. (Label) and then it is sent to a distributor who will help with the process of releasing the digipak. Universal Music Group produces and distributes their own music and then exhibits it in a magazine or poster etc. However, with Florence's label "Label Fandango", the no-budget record company has a strictly DIY theme to it, with the tag line "No frills, All thrills". Inspired by other indie labels Transgressive, Marquis Cha Cha and Dance To The Radio, it specialises in limited edition seven-inch vinyls, released in a generic black and while sleeve branded with the "Label Fandango" logo. It compliments its Fierce Panda parent, who recently ceased producing limited singles to focus on full length releases. The records are designed to project bands on to further opportunities with more major record labels, examples being Royworld and Air Traffic (who have since signed to Virgin Records and Tiny Consumer of EMI respectively).The label has released 24 limited edition singles to date.
The album cover seems to suit Florence Welch perfectly. It looks very much like her kind of style (fashionable, mysterious etc). To understand how to get my album cover looking representative to the artist, I have looked at the entire production of a digipak and what I need to do to get the same response. Pullouts in the album with lyrics give the target market a wider range of media. It seems to help them understand the songs which may give them more interest in the artists' songs. In Florence's album, "Ceremonials" English novelist Emma Forrest contributed an essay to the album which can be found in the CD edition. This could draw in a particular audience as they may be interested in Emma Forrest but maybe not Florence Welch. A whole production team is involved in creating a digipak. There is the production team who actually produces the album's songs etc. (Label) and then it is sent to a distributor who will help with the process of releasing the digipak. Universal Music Group produces and distributes their own music and then exhibits it in a magazine or poster etc. However, with Florence's label "Label Fandango", the no-budget record company has a strictly DIY theme to it, with the tag line "No frills, All thrills". Inspired by other indie labels Transgressive, Marquis Cha Cha and Dance To The Radio, it specialises in limited edition seven-inch vinyls, released in a generic black and while sleeve branded with the "Label Fandango" logo. It compliments its Fierce Panda parent, who recently ceased producing limited singles to focus on full length releases. The records are designed to project bands on to further opportunities with more major record labels, examples being Royworld and Air Traffic (who have since signed to Virgin Records and Tiny Consumer of EMI respectively).The label has released 24 limited edition singles to date.
Second Questionnaire Results
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| I asked this question purely for the fact that there was no point in asking people who were not in my target market. Luckily they all were so my results will be very useful. |
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| The majority of the target market like to get involved when watching music videos so they like to see a storyline which is just right for my plot idea. |
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| With everyone that I asked saying that they love to know the meaning of the song or video it will be great for me to add a narrative that relates to the meaning of the song. It will give those with an active mind the chance to become active. |
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| Luckily with having a music video that relates to the song it will help my target market understand the song a lot more and they will be able to relate to the lyrics. |
The point of this questionnaire was so that I could find out what kind of narrative to do that will allow my target market to enjoy it. They want to see something that will let them relate to the lyrics and be able to think about what is happening in the narrative.
My Second Questionnaire on Audience Types
Audience Types and Deconstruction of a music video
There are many different types of audience so I had to look at my research carefully to come to an appropriate conclusion. By choosing 17 - 22 year olds of both genders it widens the market for Gabrielle Aplin (the artist I have chosen). However, there is one other aspect that I must consider and that is whether my audience will have an active mind when watching the music video - meaning they will be engaged in the video and want to work out exactly what is happening - or will they have a passive mind, meaning will they just sit back and watch the video and absorb the video how it is. I want my audience to engage in the music video so I am preferably looking for an audience with an active mind. A music video that does use this state of mind is Ed Sheeran - Lego House;
CLICK HERE to view Ed Sheeran - Lego House music video
At first the audience recognises the main character in the video as Rupert Grint. You begin to notice in the video that he's playing Ed Sheeran because of their similar looks. While watching the video at first you will have a passive mind as it just looks like Rupert Grint miming to the song dressed as Ed. However, as the video progresses you see that not only is Rupert an impersonator but he's obsessed with Ed Sheeran and is trying to live the same life as him; in other words he's in love. But you really have to watch the video and get involved with the situation as it just drastically changes. For someone that has a passive mind they would just take the video as it is and not understand the true meaning behind the song and the video. There are some shots in the video that help the audience to work out the enigma. For example, when Rupert Grint is holding a picture frame you wonder what it's of. Then later on in the video a panning shot shows you slowly of who the picture is of. It gives a more dramatic effect.
I want my music video to have the same effect on the audience as Ed Sheeran's did. I want them to realise the meaning and mystery behind the song. To find out whether my audience had an active or passive mind I created another short questionnaire.
CLICK HERE to view Ed Sheeran - Lego House music video
At first the audience recognises the main character in the video as Rupert Grint. You begin to notice in the video that he's playing Ed Sheeran because of their similar looks. While watching the video at first you will have a passive mind as it just looks like Rupert Grint miming to the song dressed as Ed. However, as the video progresses you see that not only is Rupert an impersonator but he's obsessed with Ed Sheeran and is trying to live the same life as him; in other words he's in love. But you really have to watch the video and get involved with the situation as it just drastically changes. For someone that has a passive mind they would just take the video as it is and not understand the true meaning behind the song and the video. There are some shots in the video that help the audience to work out the enigma. For example, when Rupert Grint is holding a picture frame you wonder what it's of. Then later on in the video a panning shot shows you slowly of who the picture is of. It gives a more dramatic effect.
I want my music video to have the same effect on the audience as Ed Sheeran's did. I want them to realise the meaning and mystery behind the song. To find out whether my audience had an active or passive mind I created another short questionnaire.
Thursday 3 November 2011
Exhibition for Album Promotions.
Artists and bands first get noticed by doing small gigs in a local bar or event. However, they still need a marketing plan to get them noticed. An effective marketing plan must be done in the right way. They will need to know where to promote the artist/band. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are the best ways to get people noticing music nowadays. Also, Youtube is a great way to get talent noticed e.g. Conor Maynard and even Justin Bieber. Most artists/bands conventionally get their albums promoted in a popular magazine or on television. My research, however, indicates that this is an effective instrument for publication and promotion. I need to investigate exhibition and distribution methods in more detail. I will most likely do another small questionnaire to debate which fashion magazine to publish it in.
Tuesday 18 October 2011
Analysis of similiar ancillary texts.
So that I know exactly what kind of theme I need for the cover of my digipak I need to do some research on some artists CD/DVD covers. I will make sure that they are the same genre as Gabrielle Aplin.
The first artist that came into my head was Lisa Mitchell. She's written and performed amazing songs such as 'Neopolitan Dreams' and 'Romeo and Juliet'. I found 2 CD covers for 2 of her singles and I wanted to deconstruct them.
When you look at the first image you see her standing in some woods in a big coat. The colour has been changed into a dark burgundy shade. The second image is much brighter than the first. You see Lisa leaning out of a cottage window and is surrounded by green leaves and trees.
The first image is very haunting and the colour could reflect on the emotion of the single. Both images reflect on her voice and her music. Her genre is very much like Gabrielle Aplin's - indie/folk. Both of the covers are in very private places and look hidden. This could reflect on Lisa Mitchell as a person and how she likes her privacy. Or it could be how she feels. Lonely? Hidden? The second image is a lot brighter and as I said before, this could portray the emotion of the song as 'Neopolitan Dreams' is a very happy song.
To get a decent digipak cover I need to make sure that the cover reflects Gabrielle Aplin's personality and her music. It can tell a story in itself.
When I have got all my questionnaire results back and into a presentation I will ask my chosen target market what they think of these CD covers and I will also show them some music video's which I will deconstruct in the near future.
The first artist that came into my head was Lisa Mitchell. She's written and performed amazing songs such as 'Neopolitan Dreams' and 'Romeo and Juliet'. I found 2 CD covers for 2 of her singles and I wanted to deconstruct them.
When you look at the first image you see her standing in some woods in a big coat. The colour has been changed into a dark burgundy shade. The second image is much brighter than the first. You see Lisa leaning out of a cottage window and is surrounded by green leaves and trees.
The first image is very haunting and the colour could reflect on the emotion of the single. Both images reflect on her voice and her music. Her genre is very much like Gabrielle Aplin's - indie/folk. Both of the covers are in very private places and look hidden. This could reflect on Lisa Mitchell as a person and how she likes her privacy. Or it could be how she feels. Lonely? Hidden? The second image is a lot brighter and as I said before, this could portray the emotion of the song as 'Neopolitan Dreams' is a very happy song.
To get a decent digipak cover I need to make sure that the cover reflects Gabrielle Aplin's personality and her music. It can tell a story in itself.
When I have got all my questionnaire results back and into a presentation I will ask my chosen target market what they think of these CD covers and I will also show them some music video's which I will deconstruct in the near future.
Tuesday 4 October 2011
The Music Industry
The music industry is there to sell compositions, recordings and performances. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the music industry was dominated by the publishers of sheet music. By the middle of the century sheet music was seen as the largest player in the industry: in the commercial world people began speaking of "the recording industry" and it slowly grew larger. There are so many people and organisations involved in the industry, not just the artist/band and producer. There are music publishers, directors, engineers, record labels, retail and online music stores, performance rights organizations, booking agents, promoters, music venues, road crew, talent managers, business managers and entertainment lawyers. There are four "major corporate labels" that dominate recorded music - Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI. Each of the corporations consist of many smaller companies and labels serving different regions and markets. This is similiar to the film industry. To make a music video it's essential to have a producer, a distributer and an exhibitor. For example, a producer would be someone like L.A Reid, the distributor would be EMI and an exhibitor would be MTV who would broadcast the music video on their channel.
So to conclude, to make my music video I need to make sure that I research on sound, lighting, editing, camera and in general the composition of the music video.
So to conclude, to make my music video I need to make sure that I research on sound, lighting, editing, camera and in general the composition of the music video.
Wednesday 28 September 2011
My questionnaire design.
Before I created my questionnaire I needed to take a few things into account. There are 2 types of design in a questionnaire and these are Quantitive and Qualitative.
Quantative:
Demographics
Statistics
Factual
Closed questions
Qualitative:
"Rich" data - not a 'yes' or 'no' question. It's wide variety
Opinion or judgement
Open or free questions
Subjective
Less valid or reliable questions
To get the perfect questionnaire and to get an accurate idea of my target market, I considered both design options to give me good results. I needed to look carefully over each design idea to make sure that the questionnaire I was giving out was fair and that people could understand it. It would also give me a wider range of questions and answers.
A well designed questionnaire is essential to a successful survey. However, I must develop my own intuition to what constitutes 'good design' since there is no theory of questionnaires to guide me. I also want to make sure that my questionnaire is liable to both genders as I don't want to rule out one.
Quantative:
Demographics
Statistics
Factual
Closed questions
Qualitative:
"Rich" data - not a 'yes' or 'no' question. It's wide variety
Opinion or judgement
Open or free questions
Subjective
Less valid or reliable questions
To get the perfect questionnaire and to get an accurate idea of my target market, I considered both design options to give me good results. I needed to look carefully over each design idea to make sure that the questionnaire I was giving out was fair and that people could understand it. It would also give me a wider range of questions and answers.
A well designed questionnaire is essential to a successful survey. However, I must develop my own intuition to what constitutes 'good design' since there is no theory of questionnaires to guide me. I also want to make sure that my questionnaire is liable to both genders as I don't want to rule out one.
Friday 23 September 2011
Contacting the artist
Due to copyright reasons I want to make sure that it's okay for me to use Gabrielle Aplin's music. So via her myspace I sent her a message asking if it was all okay. I am currently awaiting a reply but fingers crossed everything will be fine!
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Creating my questionnaire
I decided to use Google Forms to create my questionnaire and I have composed a number of detailed questions. I will post this questionnaire on tumblr, facebook and twitter so that I can get a wide range of answers. I chose this layout because it's quick, easy to use and simple for the audience to answer. It will give me clear results at the end of the questionnaire too.
Here is the link to the finished questionnaire..
Here is the link to the finished questionnaire..
Marketing Research
I'm about to begin my marketing research to find out who my main target audience is for Gabrielle Aplin. I need to find out who listens to her music and who would be interested in buying the promotion package I am creating as this project. I will begin by creating a questionnaire on Google Forms and asking a wide range of people several questions about the type of music they listen to and if their interests would lead them towards Gabrielle Aplin. I will begin the questionnaire today and will get the results up on my blog as soon as possible.
Thursday 15 September 2011
Technological Determinism Theory
The real definition of this is that it shows how us as an audience and as individuals will act, feel and think when it comes to society and how technology changes throughout the years. How will it affect us? We spent a 2 hour lesson where our teacher showed us a presentation of how technology has changed and how it has affected her. We learnt that society will encourage us to use more modern technology as it all connects together. For example, the internet; it's the database of all information. Many businesses have made their mark by using it, so how would they have got to that point without it? My main point is that we need modern technology to feel updated and connected with the rest of the world. However, that is what society does to us.
Friday 8 July 2011
Semiotics
"The theory of signs and symbols in language and the meanings they convey. In marketing research, semiotics is used to identify and evaluate the true meaning that underlies consumers' linguistic responses, to decode their cultural frames of reference and behaviors."
There are many different terms of describing semiotics and the definition above is one of them. It is all about looking out for the signs and signifiers in media. This is where denotation and connotation comes into it. Denotation is noting what you see in an advert and all the aesthetics. But connotation is dissecting the advert and noting what the real meaning of it is. As an example I am going to look at an old Coca-Cola advert and find out the real meaning of it.
At first glance of the advert, all you see is one man giving another man a coke. You can also see text and another bottle of coke at the bottom right. The wording at the top says "Stop for a pause.. Go refreshed". To some people this may just look like a catchy phrase. But when you connotate the advert as a whole you notice that the wording is very persuasive. The coloured "STOP" and "GO" are intended to make you want to stop and go for a coke. The text at the bottom isn't asking you whether you would like one, it is telling you that if you buy one then you will instantly become refreshed again. The italics are intended to catch the audiences' eye. Finally, back in the era when this advert was created, social class was a very huge deal. However, Coca-Cola wanted to deliver the product to any class (as you can see in the advert). They are showing that no matter how much money you have, Coca-Cola is made for you.
There are many different terms of describing semiotics and the definition above is one of them. It is all about looking out for the signs and signifiers in media. This is where denotation and connotation comes into it. Denotation is noting what you see in an advert and all the aesthetics. But connotation is dissecting the advert and noting what the real meaning of it is. As an example I am going to look at an old Coca-Cola advert and find out the real meaning of it.
At first glance of the advert, all you see is one man giving another man a coke. You can also see text and another bottle of coke at the bottom right. The wording at the top says "Stop for a pause.. Go refreshed". To some people this may just look like a catchy phrase. But when you connotate the advert as a whole you notice that the wording is very persuasive. The coloured "STOP" and "GO" are intended to make you want to stop and go for a coke. The text at the bottom isn't asking you whether you would like one, it is telling you that if you buy one then you will instantly become refreshed again. The italics are intended to catch the audiences' eye. Finally, back in the era when this advert was created, social class was a very huge deal. However, Coca-Cola wanted to deliver the product to any class (as you can see in the advert). They are showing that no matter how much money you have, Coca-Cola is made for you.
Target Audience
I want to address a popular audience that are interested in fashion and music. I done a few questionnaires and asked a wide range of people their views and I came to the conclusion that the best age group would be 17-25. Although it can be difficult I want to target both male and female in the music promotion as both genders are just as interested in fashion and music.
I will upload evidence of my questionnaires a little later on.
I will upload evidence of my questionnaires a little later on.
Setting my brief.
Before I continue on with my first presentation research I want to get started on my set brief. I have chosen brief 1; A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music video promo video, together with [what I have chosen] a cover for its release as part of a digipak and a magazine advertisement for the digipak.
I have chosen this brief because it expands the range of work that I want to get across in A2. I want to interpret fashion and music together and show how they can work. There is definitely a gap in the market here. I was thinking of choosing an artist with an indie/folk genre and have an iconic look that will allow the chosen target market to relate to. I personally think there is a gap in the market for a female singer/songwriter like Gabrielle Aplin. She has a great personality that comes across in her music and she has an incredible fashion sense that will allow her fans to follow her clothing. A clothes line could also be in the future for her. I think it will work well for everyone. From personal views, my family and friends would absolutely love it, and for those who are in my potential target market, it's perfect.
I have chosen this brief because it expands the range of work that I want to get across in A2. I want to interpret fashion and music together and show how they can work. There is definitely a gap in the market here. I was thinking of choosing an artist with an indie/folk genre and have an iconic look that will allow the chosen target market to relate to. I personally think there is a gap in the market for a female singer/songwriter like Gabrielle Aplin. She has a great personality that comes across in her music and she has an incredible fashion sense that will allow her fans to follow her clothing. A clothes line could also be in the future for her. I think it will work well for everyone. From personal views, my family and friends would absolutely love it, and for those who are in my potential target market, it's perfect.
An example of borrowed interest.
Borrowed interest is something that most media advertising uses. In simple terms it means taking something related to another type of media text and initiating it into your own advertising. For example, in Topshop they borrow the interest of other designers such as Pamela Love and Michael Van Der Ham. They use this interest to draw the target market of the designers to their own collections.
Friday 1 July 2011
Topshop and Intertextuality.
Once again I have challenged myself as intertextuality is very hard to find in a retail store. However, by looking at their '214' magazine it is very clear that they promote their website, their store and all the other texts they have created. This is the cover and a few pages from the magazine:
Topshop uses the magazine to create more publicity for the website and the store. If the target market looks at the magazine and if they love the clothes, then they will want to go instore and find the clothing. They use intertextuality in a very discreet but clever way.
Topshop uses the magazine to create more publicity for the website and the store. If the target market looks at the magazine and if they love the clothes, then they will want to go instore and find the clothing. They use intertextuality in a very discreet but clever way.
Preparation for the first presentation.
I have chosen an artefact that proves to be very popular in all aspects of the media. I have chosen Topshop. Although at first glance you would wonder my reasoning for choosing a fashion retail store, but it is infact included amongst various media texts.
I need to prepare a presentation to my class about why Topshop is so big and how the media presents that. I reguarly order clothing off the website and I usually get their own magazine called '214'. I will discuss that in more detail further on.
Topshop aims at a wide variety of people. "Our target market is 15 to 30 year old women, but internally we target everyone who loves fashion, regardless of age or income". This quote from a Topshop representative shows just how open and determined Topshop are to be a friend to their fanbase. As I said earlier, they have a new magazine (to target people who don't use internet), they have a widely known website, an international retail store, an iPhone app and also a blog that has updates of recent fashion statements and artists' work. Having all of these media texts creates a fanbase for Topshop from every angle. They are able to target anyone who loves fashion in their favourite ways. Later on I will do some research and ask a few people what they think of these texts.
This all links in with audience theory and the two step flow concept. It's all about people going instore or online and they see how incredible everything is and they will tell friends or family about it. This creates a domino effect. I will look further into this when I discuss to everyone about how and why Topshop used the two step flow concept and how it became so successful.
In separate posts I am going to include how Topshop uses borrowed interest, their intertextuality and how they advertise to their target market about the different ways of getting the knowledge of their clothing. Topshop has used all of these in the three media texts that I will be discussing. The website, the online blog and/or the iPhone app and the magazine.
I need to prepare a presentation to my class about why Topshop is so big and how the media presents that. I reguarly order clothing off the website and I usually get their own magazine called '214'. I will discuss that in more detail further on.
Topshop aims at a wide variety of people. "Our target market is 15 to 30 year old women, but internally we target everyone who loves fashion, regardless of age or income". This quote from a Topshop representative shows just how open and determined Topshop are to be a friend to their fanbase. As I said earlier, they have a new magazine (to target people who don't use internet), they have a widely known website, an international retail store, an iPhone app and also a blog that has updates of recent fashion statements and artists' work. Having all of these media texts creates a fanbase for Topshop from every angle. They are able to target anyone who loves fashion in their favourite ways. Later on I will do some research and ask a few people what they think of these texts.
This all links in with audience theory and the two step flow concept. It's all about people going instore or online and they see how incredible everything is and they will tell friends or family about it. This creates a domino effect. I will look further into this when I discuss to everyone about how and why Topshop used the two step flow concept and how it became so successful.
In separate posts I am going to include how Topshop uses borrowed interest, their intertextuality and how they advertise to their target market about the different ways of getting the knowledge of their clothing. Topshop has used all of these in the three media texts that I will be discussing. The website, the online blog and/or the iPhone app and the magazine.
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