Digipak, Website Homepage or Magazine Advertisment

I have chosen to create a Digipak and a Magazine Advertisement for the artist. I have chosen to create these two media products as I feel I have the skills in order to create both a high quality Digipak and a Magazine Advertisement. From my format research it was clear to me that these are the two I as I also prefer the look of a magazine advertisement and a Digipak over a Website Homepage as I fell that Digipaks can be quite boring an unnecessary.

Digipak Format Research

Digipaks typically consist of a gate fold (book-style) paperboard or card stock outer binding, with one or more plastic trays capable of holding a CD or DVD attached to the inside.

Since Digipaks were among the first alternatives to jewel cases to be used by major record companies, and because there is no other common name for Digipak-style packaging made by other companies, the term Digipak or Digi-Pak is often used generically.

                                                               

As you can see from the images above a Digipak needs to be well designed and have information about the song or album so therefore if i choose to create a Digipak for my chosen song i will have to do some research into the song.

There are many different designs of Digipak. some have 3 pages as you can see from the image above but other Digipaks could have between 2 and 5 pages. This means i have to consider what genre of music has normally a certain amount of pages in order to cater for my target market.
















What I have learnt from these images is that I can either have information about the album or specific song or I can have images that I feel relate to the album or specific song within the album. So looking at these images has shown me that i can have a variety of features on my Digipak if i choose to create one.

Website Home page Format Research

As you can see from the image bellow that POP website homepages are quite immature in a sense. Which is shown by the font used throughout the homepage is a clear indication that the band has a target market of teenage girls. This is also shown by the house colours on the homepage. As you can see the main colours are black white and purple. as black and white are quite plain colours this emphasises the purple elements within the website homepage which again indicates that the website has been specifically designed for teenage girls because as a teenage boy I don't find the website aesthetically pleasing as much as I do if the page had more blue or red on it.

                                                                                                                                      












What I have learnt from this website home page is that to cater for my target market I need make the website homepage have a sense of immaturity in order to cater for my target audience of teenagers of both genders but instead of using purple to cater just for teenage girls i need to find a colour which caters for both genders of teenager. But as the band is a POP band the website has a very specific layout to it, everything is level with everything else and has a very efficient feel to it as everything looks like it is where it should be. This means as my artist 'Bruno Mars' is a pop artist the website homepage I create.

The image above is the website homepage of Bruno Mars and as you can see it is very structured with the different information about the recent activities of Bruno Mars going down the middle and what sort of information you can find out o  the website on the left hand side in its own bar. This website is very simplistic but very well structured and it is clear to see the creator of the website wanted to create simple yet structured website in order for the target audience of Bruno Mars have no issue when using the website and are able to navigate easily. This means that if I choose to create a website homepage I need it to be simplistic yet structured, just like the two website home pages I have looked at.

Magazine Advertisements Format Research

These days we see all kind of products being advertised in the mass media. From pen refill to diamond jewellery, everything seems to be advertised by the companies. Companies advertise their products for a number of reasons. The basic idea is to introduce and promote the product for sale. When a company launches a new product it advertises the product in order to create awareness and consumer interest. As magazines are one of the most viewed products in the media industry, this means that it is vital for companies or different institutions to advertise their products in relevant magazine. For example, a digipak for a a new song or album would be advertised in a music magazine that is written around that specific genre.

As you can see from the advert above. Kiss FM is being advertised in a music magazine. this is being advertised in a music magazine as Kiss FM is one of the UK's leading radio stations therefore a music magazine is good place for KISS FM to be advertised as it is being targeted at a relevant and specific audience.

As you can see from the image above that Jay-Z's album 'The Blueprint 3' is being advertised. What makes this good advertisement is that all important information is shown clear and differs from the colour in the background. this shows me that when i produce my Magazine advertisement that i need to ensure that all important information needs to be read easily. 

Also, everything looks sharp and looks like it has a place in the advertisement in the magazine. It is very structured. As my genre is POP this means that my advertisements for a magazine need to be structured in order to please my target audience.

Bruno Mars Moodboard

This moodboard is a moodboard of Bruno Mars which shows me that if I choose for the actor to sing towards the camera is shows that i can have an actor from any ethnic background as Bruno Mars is from Hawaii which means he doesn't look white British nor African American. this means that i am able to use anyone for my video if I decide to have the actor looking at the camera and miming, I don't necessarily need to take into consideration the ethnic background of the character.

Diary 20th-24th

This week I will be bringing all my feedback i have received and put them on my blog. i have gathered feedback in numerous ways, one of which you have already seen with the focus group i had and filmed. But I have also gained feedback through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook which have both given me a greater insight as to how I can make my music videos as realistic, as professional and as relatable as possible. I will also be creating my story board which will give an insight as to how my music video will be layed out and will sure what the mise-en-scene will look like throughout the music video.

Diary 13th-17th October

During this week I managed to gain knowledge of what people expect to see in POP music video. I will then screen shot responses from members of the public and will post the screenshots on my blog at a later date in order to fit in with the work as i will be looking at what type of artists are within the POP genre, what clothes they wear and their appearance and how they influence the fashion of present day society.

Character Development

Character Development

James (Main Character)

During the song, James feels sad that he has lost the girl he loves. This means that the actor playing the part as James needs to be able to act in the way they would feel if they had lost the girl they love. Whether it was to another guy or maybe they just grew apart. Either way James feels sad and depressed and is in a reflective mood throughout the video. This means that the mise-en-scene throughout the music video needs to be dark but have a reflective feel to it. When the video cuts to the times he spent with his girlfriend we learn about what type person James is. He is a kind, nurturing person willing to help anyone but doesn’t understand why he was left as he did nothing wrong.

Emily (Supporting role)

As Emily is the love of James and his only regret is letting her go. The actress I need to use needs to be pretty and petit in order for the audience to develop a deep relationship with cheer and make them feel that she is the perfect girl. As she is the love of James, when the camera cuts to her the effects of the video will emphasise all the colours within the shot in order to show her innocence and how he is happy when he thinks about the time himself and Emily were spending together.

Emily will be wearing a white top and jeans. I have chosen to dress her oin these clothes as this is today's fashion and as the video is POP. My target audience will be able to relate to her as a lot of teenage girls dress this way at the present time. And boys find girls who dress like this attractive in a general sense. So therefore both genders of teenager will be able to relate to the music video.

Decisions

Decisions

Within this document I will be discussing my shortlist of the different features within my music video. Features such as Mise-en-scene, actors and costumes

Mise-en-scene

Dark eerie feel to the video which doesn't really go along with my genre and its target audience. as POP songs are very much upbeat this won't appeal to the target audience mainly being teenage girls. for this reason I have elected not to choose this Type of Mise-en-scene as music videos are marketing tools for the song. This will mean that the song won't sell to the specific target audience of teenage girls.

Bright coloured scenery will be used a little bit in my music video when the actor reflects on the time he spent with the girl he loves which shows happiness and warmth when he thinks of her. but when the video cuts back to reality it goes back to being darker and sad which then reflects how he is feeling in reality.

Actors

For my music video I will need 2 actors. One male and one female. The male actor with have a much larger role within my music video because originally I decided to have more than one narrative being shown throughout the music video but then decided that I will have just one narrative as this means that the audience will then be able to develop a much deeper relationship with the characters unlike the relationship with the characters if I have more than one narrative this means that the audience won’t feel as involved In the song or feel like they know the characteristics and emotions of the each character.

Costumes

As my target audience of my music video is the general teenage girl population this means that I will have to use clothes that a fashionable in the present day. Otherwise the target audience won’t be able to relate to the music video which in turn will make them less interested in the music video. Therefore not allowing the song to reach its full potential when it is either available to be downloaded online from apps such as iTunes or in shops such as HMV

Feedback and Opinion on the POP Genre

Jesus of Suburbia Music Video Analysis

Mise en scene

Mise en scene throughout the music is very dark and creepy which have connotations of evil, of hate and a lack of self-control. The fact that everyone in the music video dresses in a similar with the dark clothes, tattoos and strangely coloured hair is a clear indication that they are in a rebellious area full of people who don’t like to follow rules. This then links to suburbs of different cities around the world as there are areas where crimes rates are higher and young people are rebellious.

The main character in the music video at the start is wearing black and is at a party with a young girl. As the boy is wearing a full black outfit, this is an indication that he has lost his innocence and rebels against any rules he may be told to follow. In contrast the girl he is with has pink hair and white dress and a bracelets which is a clear indication of innocence therefore making the boy seem like the more ‘experienced’ and more rebellious one out of the two. Later on the in the music video the girl starts to wear a lot more black and has gained tattoos. This means that the boy has had an influence on the girl as she now looks like a rebellious teenager because of the black clothes and tattoos unlike the innocent girl she used to look like with the white dress, pink hair and bracelets, this is also a sign of purity.

Another example of mise en scene is in the toilets of the supermarket. As we now know that the boy is a rebellious and is somewhat of an angry person we see him vandalising the toilets within a local supermarket. The fact that he is vandalising the toilet has links to his clothes, hair and face. This links to these features as he is not cleanly shaving, has black spiky hair and has dirty black clothes on this the again links back to the fact that he is from a suburb and socialises with people who feel they have been done wrong and feel they should be rebellious against the rules. E.g painting graffiti under the bridge and vandalising the toilets in the supermarket.

Editing

Throughout the video there are consistent quick cuts as this give a sense of chaos which is what we imagine is like within the mind of the main character as mist of the time he is probably intoxicated with some sort of substance. This also gives an indication of what is it like living in a suburb of a city. As it is very busy which is emphasised by the constant quick cutting throughout the music video.

Camera

From the start of the music video camera shots are vital in the way we perceive the video as when we look at the boy we are looking up at him from down below and when we look at the girl we view her at a higher angle. This emphasises that the boy is superior to the girl which in turn indicates the boy is in control of what the girl does and has authority over the girl.

Another example of using camera shots to create affect is when the boy is threatening the girl and puts her up against the wall. The director has purposely used shaky cam in order to create a sense of chaos and to create a certain atmosphere for the rest of the music video

Sound

Sound throughout the music video is mainly non-diegetic because the actual song plays over all the actions within the music video besides 2 parts, the one at the start which introduces the music video. This part of the music video is again used to create an atmosphere for the rest of the music video. This is done by the constant use of swear words and consistent shouting which then sets the scene and shows the viewer what type of people they are in the music video and what attitude they have.

Marketing and Distribution of Music Videos

As Music videos are ways of marketing a song it means that the distribution is the most essential part of the marketing and distribution process. because if the music video is distributed to the wrong place viewed by the wrong target audience then this will affect the revenue and will come as surprise when the artists and their management team realise the song didn't make as much revenue as they would have originally predicted. As music videos are mainly shown on dedicated TV channels to certain genres. this again emphasises how essential how distributing the music video to the right place is one of the most important facotrs within the marketing and distribution phase that the song and music video go through. For example, if a POP music video was distributed and shown on a heavy metal music channel then it will be being directed to the completely wrong audience therefore not maximising the potential of the music video, otherwise the production of the music video was just a waste of capital from the production companies point of view.

POP Colour and Costume Moodboard

POP MindMap

POP Artists Moodboard

Theories and Theorists of Music Videos and Movie Trailers

Hypodermic needle model: This is a theory that indicates that the audience I not clever or articulate. So if we see something for long enough then we will start too believe that this is true or right. E.g Nazi Germany. The hypodermic needle models links to the stereotype of Americans being stupid television watchers.

Andrew Goodwin Music Video Theory:

 There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals

1. There is a relationship between music and visuals
2. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work.
3. There is frequently reference to notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
4. There is often intertextual reference 
5.   Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

Richard dyer believes that artists are people constructed by media companies to have a financial gain and target one specific audience/group of people. Richard Dyer insists that real artists have a long lasting significance if they make sociological or cultural impact, if not. They will be forgotten by their most avid fans within a few years.

Many disparate approaches are possible when music videos are being dissected. One of the most common methods of analysis is to break up the music video into black and white boxes. Almost everything is then perceived as opposites – trash or art, commerce or creativity, male or female, naturalism or antirealism, etc.

'Latch' Music Video Analysis

Media Diary: 8th-12th September

Media Diary

This week I have had the choice of creating a music video or a trailer. I have elected to make a music video. I have chosen the pop genre. This means that my music video will contain emotion, bright colours and an upbeat soundtrack.

This week I have also started my analysis of the music ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ which is a rock video based in a suburb of a big city. The band is called Green Day who are w ell known rock band amongst youngsters in both America and the United Kingdom.

This week I have also reviewed movie trailers in order for me to obtain the skills needed in order to analyse and sort of video. Whether this video is a movie trailer of music video.

The History of Music Videos

A music video videotaped performance of a recorded popular song, usually accompanied by dancing and visual images interpreting the lyrics.

in researching music videos i found out that in 1981, the U.S. video channel MTV launched, airing "Video Killed the Radio Star" and beginning an era of 24-hour-a-day music on television was born. With this new outlet for material, the music video would, by the mid 1980s, grow to play a central role in popular music marketing.  therefore making music videos one of the main marketing strategies that artists use

I also found out that the long-running British TV show Top of the Pops began playing music videos in the late 1970s, although the BBC placed strict limits on the number of 'outsourced' videos TOTP could use. Therefore a good video would increase a song's sales as viewers hoped to see it again the following week. In 1974 the American rock band Sparks was sanctioned by the UK to create a video clip to promote their hit single This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us, and this use of music in video has been considered by many to be the first of its kind in Britain. 

Music Video

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos date back much further, they came into prominence in the 1980s, when MTV based their format around the medium.

Music videos use a wide range of styles of contemporary video making techniques, including animation, live action filming, documentaries, and non-narrative approaches such as abstract film. Some music videos blend different styles, such as animation, music, and live action. Many music videos interpret images and scenes from the song's lyrics, while others take a more thematic approach. 

Preliminary Trailer Evaluation

What went well?

The feature that worked the most within our group when making the trailer was the ability too listen too have everyone's opinion valued when editing the trailer during the process of making the trailer a high quality, well edited trailer. another feature when creating the trailer that went well was how organised the team was, we knew where we were going to film and when we going too film. we were in constant contact with each other therefore making communication within the team efficient and fast which in turn allowed us to create a high quality trailer for our preliminary task.

What didn't go so well?

Although everyone's opinion was valued and respected when producing our trailer. the majority of the work was done by 2 people as they felt that the other weren't capable and lack the computer skills in order to produce a high quality trailer. I felt that was a bad thing because not everyone was given the chance too develop their skills but was acceptable as we wanted a high quality trailer as and end product.