Completed Print Productions

Panel 1 Option 1

Panel 1 Option 2

Panel 2



Panel 3



Panel 4



Poster

Evaluation: Question 3

Question 3: What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

Brief profile of target audience

• Gender - male
• Age - around 18 to 22
• Ethnicity - British
• Preferred genre - indie rock

In order to fully understand the preferences of the audience demographic and establish whether my music video and print productions appeal to the target audience, I constructed a short questionnaire asking a range of both males and females aged between 17 and 22, for a rating of 1 to 5 on various different aspects of the production and wrote a short summary of the issues raised, suggestions for improvement and praises received. This feedback was extremely valuable in ensuring a sound knowledge of the target audience's predilections and therefore ensuring a successful production.

SCAN QUESTIONNAIRES

Print Productions:
 

Evaluation: Question 2

Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product with ancillary tasks?

In order to enable the audience to easily identify my music video and print productions (digipak and poster advertisement) as related, I aimed to establish a relationship and sense of community between the two; the reoccurring theme of British patriotism shown throughout the video production aimed to be reflected in the ancillary task.

After gathering a range of images considered to be 'typically British,' I also decided to use my knowledge of British films from previous media tasks and exam theory work, to gather inspiration for panels 1 to 4 of my digipak. I also predetermined that I would use the strongest image from the digipak for the poster advertisement also (or one strongly similar), after conducting research on the Arctic Monkey's famous album Whatever People Say I am which uses this technique to create a strong link between advertisement and product; the audience is able to easily distinguish the album after taking note of the poster.

Arctic Monkeys' album cover

Arctic Monkeys' poster advertisement

Considering the persistent idea of 'reckless youth' presented in my video, I decided to look into films such as This Is England, Fish Tank and Made In Britain which also present the idea of a 'broken youth' for inspiration; British films such as these appear to focus around the idea of surroundings and the effect they have, most commonly featuring urban, city settings. 

Urban setting in This Is England

Urban setting in Fish Tank

I took this idea and decided to use a classic, red brick wall as a foundation for the digipak panels and used it on panels 1 and 4, adding layers during the editing process to develop these. Panels 2 and 3 were made by splitting an image I took whilst filming in the back streets of Norwich; this image, with the dark colours, generic brick wall and scattered graffiti works extremely well with the theme of Britishness, appearing similar to the surroundings that can be seen on the existing productions mentioned. This image was also used for the poster, therefore allowing the audience to effortlessly associate the digipak with the poster.

ADD IMAGE
As highlighted previously, it was important to me that the print productions fully relate and appear similar to the video, hence why my idea of following a theme of urban Britishness was successful; throughout the video the actors are seen on normal, ordinary looking street locations. In fact, the first street location to be seen on the video is in the exact location of the image used for panels 2 and 3 and for the advertisement also. 

The use of the street locations, most predominantly the iconic small city lanes, are seen to be distinctly British therefore supporting the reoccurring theme of 'broken Britain' throughout both video and print productions.

'Broken Britain' in This Is England

Another link between the video and ancillary task was the drastic contrast in gender; the video is seen to be entirely male-dominated throughout, whereas the front cover (digipak panel 1, both option 1 and 2) features an unknown female face. This was done in order to create ambiguity and interest in the audience; the audience is left wondering who the character is and what her significance is. By challenging the gender stereotype that is so heavily supported and elevated throughout the video, the allegorical message behind the track and perhaps the entire album is left open to interpretation. Being one of my most favourable albums, this idea, again, came from the Arctic Monkeys album Whatever People Say I Am which features a simplistic 'mug shot' of a random male as the front cover. I decided to use this idea to evoke interest from the audience by using a face unknown to fans, although decided to alter the gender of the model in order to raise suspicions of an underlying misrepresentation or oppression of gender in every day life and, more specifically, the indie-rock genre as a whole.

ADD PHOTO

Evaluation: Question 4

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

Knowledge of technology was essential throughout the process of creating my production; a wide variety of technologies were used across the research and planning areas as well as during the filming and editing stages.

Firstly, all written work and processes involved in the music video task had to be documented and presented on online blogs that could be accessed through the internet. This made transporting work more flexible as the blogs could be accessed from any computer, regardless of location. The interactive blogs also allowed me to embed various videos and images to illustrate explanations and act as evidence to support points made throughout my planning and research stages. The embedding of images also allowed for screenshots of my final production, as well as other existing videos, to be uploaded and used in support of choices towards genre. Another advantage to using online blogs was the access to past blog archive; all past blogs can be found on the CNS Media website which provided aid and inspiration when inventing creative and suitable ways to present work. Access to these blogs also aided me in finding helpful links and websites for my own research.

The most frequently used technology throughout the research stage of my coursework was the internet; as explained previously, the internet is accessible from almost any computer or laptop, making it widely available regardless of location. Providing access to millions of websites, the internet allowed me to gather and evaluate a wide spectrum of information that proved vital in the construction of my research pages. In particular, the search engine Google was of extreme help,enabling me to access information on a wide variety of artists and bands within the genre from a wide range of linking websites, as well as accessing reviews and ratings from various music bloggers and reviewers. Popular website, YouTube, was a significant site when performing research on the existing music videos around today as well as aiding the discovery of new artists and productions. YouTube was also used to upload my final production so as to be easily accessible at all times, able to be embedded onto my blog and also able to fulfill the brief; an advertisement for the track. The sharing site enables democratization; sites such as YouTube have created an opportunity for small-time, unprofessional producers to reach wider audiences and promote their production free of charge.

Screenshot of blog & embedded image

A similar wide range of technologies were also used throughout the planning stage, however the computer scanner also served as paramount in this process; the storyboards I created to map out a rough idea of narrative and general shots I planned to use. This was one of the first planning stages and was therefore vital to display on my blog. Various different software programs were used to present such planning; Microsoft Powerpoint, Microsoft Word etc. A knowledge of the different programs available helped me in creating some variation in the presentation of my text and images. The interactive blogs and uploading ability meant that practice photos and images of suggested camera shots and still images could be embedded into the planning posts to illustrate meanings and descriptions, providing the audience with a clearer idea.

As expected, the actual production and shooting of footage required a sound knowledge of various technologies; firstly, the digital camera ______ was my own and therefore I was more aware of the possibilities and variations to picture that the camera could produce. I found one of the most useful tools found on the camera was the shooting mode selection; I was able to choose alternative shooting modes to adhere to subtle light changes as well as turning to beauty mode which eliminates the distorted image that is so common with close up shots. Another effective tool on the camera was the optional manual focus; the ability to direct and chose the focal point of an image is extremely beneficial when trying to create shots that evoke ambiguity and depth. Although not used on the final production after deciding the effect did not suit the genre, the zoom facility allowed for a range of experimental zooming shots from one stationary position. Furthermore, the capacity to review and re-shoot footage is vital for me in ensuring a good quality shot. Reviewing and deleting footage would not have been possible on lower-technology cameras (film cameras). Lastly, my mass storage memory card allowed for high definition footage to be stored onto my computer hard-drive without a loss of quality.

Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, the editing software used to construct and create my music video, offered a wide range of effects and tools to open a range of creative opportunities. The most prevalent tool I used was the speed duration tool; this

Adobe Premiere Pro CS6

utensil allowed me to increase the speed of the individual clips so as to become almost comical and reflect the fast pace of the track. This utensil also allowed me to contrast this in slowing down the last closing shot of the video to mark the end of the production. 

In regards to mise-en-scene, the colour variation device allowed for aspects such as the brightness and contrast to be altered in order to create a more appealing appearance as well as to aid in establishing genre; video's and images that conform to the indie-rock genre tend to be darker in colour and more dramatic and deep in contrast. The close up shot of the guitar, in particular, was one clip to undertake this change in contrast and colour intensity;

Close-up shot of guitar. Colour intensified.

Unable to show the original, I am unable to clearly demonstrate the change in colour intensity, however, considering the comparison between this introductory shot and the following footage within the remaining couple of minutes, it can be seen that this edited image is more effective in grabbing the audience’s attention and creating interest, as well as helping to immediately establish genre; The close-up shot of the guitar is a generic convention of the indie-rock genre and therefore it was essential for this shot to be influential on the audience.

Microsoft Word

Finally, in regards to the evaluation, I used Microsoft Word 2010 to construct my answers to the questions and copied and pasted the contents of the document to the blog site (www.blogger.com) to be published onto my blog. Before this text was confirmed and published, I used the spellcheck tool on Word to ensure all grammar and spelling was correct.

Question 1: UNFINISHED

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

In order to fully establish genre and ensure the music video was appealing and attractive to my target audience, I used many conventions typical to the indie-rock genre, covering a wide spectrum of aspects; mise-en-scene (including location, costume, objects and props, lighting and performers), narrative structure and the generic representation of British youth.

Street View

Bedroom Location

In regards to location and setting, I decided to use an ordinary-looking street location at times to reflect the ideas and aims of stereotypical videos within the genre; many artists within the indie-rock genre use common ordinary locations to enable the audience to place themselves in the position of the band members/artist. This idea was used in alliance with the generic convention of performance within productions of this genre; most videos use footage of the band, whether it be real material from a live gig or a staged performance specifically for the production. Although my production conforms to this generic convention, the video challenges the generic locations used to present these performances by placing the actors in what appears to be a stereotypically messy young boy’s room, giving the impression of ‘band practise’. I chose this location in order to challenge the range of typical locations used within the genre, as well as aiming to develop the sense of familiarity felt by the audience in such an intimate and casual setting.

All-Male Cast

In alliance with this generic use of a performance, I decided to follow the conventions of indie-rock further by using an all-male cast. As explained in my previous post ‘Casting’ the band that first created and recorded the track have since split and I was therefore unable to involve the original artists in the filming of my production, thus the generic convention of artist featuring/performance is converted and challenged. I strategically selected a masculine dominated cast in order to stay as close to the band’s original image as possible as well as ensuring the video conformed to the generic conventions of the genre. It was essential that the actors used for the production were of male gender and between the ages of 18 and 22; this was done to reflect the male dominance and general age of those featured in a large majority of indie-rock music videos, in addition to encouraging a stronger relationship between audience and performer through similarity in age and gender. This relationship is essential in creating a successful music video and relates directly to Gunther Kress’ media theory in which he states that the ‘audience feels a sense of belonging and collective identity due to easy relation and placement of themselves in the position of the performers’.

Male-Dominated

Throughout the media, British youth is represented as reckless and careless in regards to social morals and standards, commonly associated with alcohol, drinking, violence and antisocial behaviour. Television series such as Skins and films such as This Is England present British youth as a problem, suggesting that the attitudes of this social group are damaging to society through the abuse of alcohol, drugs and reckless behaviour. In a survey conducted by Uk Youth (a charity youth organisation) it was concluded that 76% of reporting of youth is negative. They also claim that ‘the evidence compiled demonstrates clearly that young people are overwhelmingly victims of negative stereotypes, either being portrayed negatively or not at all.’ Although using several aspects of the negative stereotype within my video, I have challenged the common representation of youth by presenting activities such as drinking, smoking and general stereotypical youth behaviour as amusing and harmful only to the insouciant individual. Although my production may be argued or questioned in regards to the condemning of such behaviour, the inclusion of such activities were involved so as to conform to the generic conventions of the genre as well as to ensure appeal to the target audience. My production and similar existing productions such as Reckless by popular indie band, You Me At Six, reinforces the potential audience’s hedonistic lifestyle in a more positive light. The production Reckless (as discussed in my previous case study) can be exhibited to support this idea; the video shows band members of the same age, gender and ethnicity to my target audience to be encompassing activities that involve alcohol, excitement and general boisterous, enlivening behaviour.

Close Up Shot of Guitar

Another way in which my production conforms to the generic conventions of the indie-rock genre is the inclusion of the guitar; indie-rock music is typically created by more traditional musical instruments such as guitar (usually with a heavy bass beat), drums and strong vocals. The close-up shots of the guitar were inspired by various indie bands who constantly use a variety of close up shots of the instruments involved in the composing of the music. Using this shot at the beginning of the video helps establish genre immediately. A second prop that was used to establish genre was the knitted beard and glasses combination. Humour proves to be a reoccurring theme throughout the indie genre, commonly created through the use of random and unusual objects and actions. An example of this within a real media product would be the dinosaur puppet used to create humour in the song Next Girl by successful American rock duo, The Black Keys. I decided to include the knitted beard and hat mask in order to add an element of comedy and reflect the genre, as well as to reinforce the idea of a carefree, joyful track/image.

Completed Music Video

Possible Images For Album Pack

Initial Ideas/Images

In order to successfully show the patriotism of the band and its music I decided on a theme of 'indie Britishness'. I decided to portray a lessened image of the stereotypical 1990's 'broken Britain' by looking to films such as This Is England and Fish Tank for inspiration and ideas.

My first idea was to use a reoccurring theme of the classic red brick wall and therefore took several images of various, half decrepit brick walls to form the background of my back panel. Regrettably, due to circumstances out of my control, I unfortunately lost the memory card on which most of my initial photos were stored and therefore I cannot post the rest of the original images taken. The image below was one of options I had, but was not used for the final 4th panel.

Red brick wall

Whilst finding possible locations to film I came across this wall setting, located down one of the older side streets of Norwich city. I decided to use this image for panels 1 and 2 of my print productions due to the combination of colours and the symmetry of the doors and windows. The graffiti seen on the doors and the general run-down appearance of the wall fully portray and reflect the genre and also successfully reflect the British, brick wall theme.

Whilst in the editing process I decided to experiment with the contrast and brightness of the image but to avoid changing the colour grade or adding any drastic effects in order to appear more realistic and keep to the original 'indie' style.

Below are two variations of brightness and contrast that I considered using for my final panels. I decided on option 2, the darker of the two, as I believe it more so represented the 'grungey' side of the genre as well as portraying the idea of 'broken Britain' more comprehensively.

Option 2 was also used for the poster advertisement; by using the same image on both the poster and the digipak the audience is able to easily associate and recognise the two as being related.

As predicted by myself, the original size of the image meant that it would not fit to be spread across the templates for both panels 1 and 2. To overcome this problem I split the image into two and placed each half on opposing panels. The remaining space was then filled by a duplicated section of the wall and strategically positioned to ensure the joins were not obviously without inspection. With the wall having naturally eroded and discoloured this task proved very difficult and took a pain-staking long time to perfect. Although not flawless due to my limited knowledge of Photoshop, I believe this was done sufficiently and does not effect the overall strength of the photo.

Option 1

Option 2

Whilst gathering research on existing print productions from bands and artists in the same or a similar genre, I came across the iconic Arctic Monkeys' album, Whatever People Say I Am. The album artwork for this provided me with inspiration for the front panel (panel 1) of my own digipak; the simple image of a solitary person. During the filming process I took several photos of the actor in order to have a range of images available to chose from, selecting the below image (option 1) as most appropriate, however, when the time came to edit, I deemed this image to be less effective than first thought. To overcome this I decided to retake the photo, but, due to time constraints and problems organising an available time for both myself and the actor, I was forced to use an image of myself instead (option 2).
Although at first appearing to be a problem, this idea worked out well in that I was able to change my initial idea of conforming to the generic conventions of the genre into a challenge of the stereotype by featuring a female on the front cover instead of the usually male-dominant genre. The ambiguity of the female figure also enables the audience to interpret the message of the entire production in their own way.
Option 2 was selected and was consequently edited onto an identical brick wall to that used on panel 4.

Option 1

Option 2