A2 Media studies evaluation

Music promotional packageRuth Heffernan

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and

evaluation stages?Apple MacsThroughout our whole project we used the Apple Macs. We chose to use these, as they not only have a lot more programmes on but they allow us to use software that can’t be used on a normal Microsoft computer.

The program that we mainly used was called iMovie. This allowed us to upload of our videos directly from our camera straight onto the computer. Once our footage had been uploaded, we were able to edit and cut our clips to help us to develop a music video.

iMovie allowed us to change the colouring of clips for e.g. we chose of music video to be in black and white which was achievable on this program, by either reducing the saturation to 0% or pressing the black and white button under clip adjustments. We were also able to get rid of the sound on our clips as this sound wasn’t at the same tempo as our song. To do this we hovered over the clip we wanted to edit, and then clicked the blue arrow that appeared and clicked on video adjustments. We were then able to reduce the sound to 0% and put the ducking up to 17%. We chose 17% as this meant that our soundtrack wasn’t too loud but at the same time it wasn’t too quiet.

For our music video, we decided during our planning that we wanted to have a split screen within our video. For this to be successful we need the use of the programme Final cut express. This software allowed to import our clips from iMovie. However to do this we had to first save them as a new project and export them from iMovie to allow them to be exported and then imported onto final cut express. From the image below your can see that import is under file and this is also an example of what final cut express looks like.

Below is an example of where the imported clips can be placed and ordered into a sequence.

The screen below is where we could see the changes that we had made. This is the screen that allowed us to see our split screen in action. This screen is one if two and was shown on the right of our screen.

This is the second screen, where we were able to make the alterations to our clip for e.g. changing the length. We were able to see our clip playing here but not the whole clip as a whole. We could only see the clip we were editing.

Below is an example of our split screen.

CeltxThis is the programme that allowed us to construct our storyboard. This was vital for when we started our filming as it showed what shot was being used at each part of the song. We took our own images and put them into a storyboard, which also included the length of each shot, which lyrics are used and what particular shot was being used. Overall, we stuck to our storyboard, apart from a few alterations we may have made whilst filming.

BloggerThroughout this whole project I have updated my blog at regular intervals to show my progress. This was mainly used to show my planning as this was a big bulk of the coursework. However, it also allowed me to post up our music video , digipak and poster. This allowed me to view my own progress and see any mistakes that I had made so I could correct them.

InternetThe internet contributed in my planning a lot, as it allowed me to view existing indie videos, CD covers (digipaks) and band posters, which helped to develop my knowledge on the generic conventions on the indie genre as this was our chosen genre. The main sites that I used were Google, slideshare, blogger, facebook and youtube. I used Google to help me research existing digipaks and posters to help me in not only making my own but developing my knowledge within the genre.

I used slide share mainly when transferring PowerPoint's onto my blog such as the PowerPoint I made on the generic conventions of the indie genre. Below is an example from my blog of my use of slide share.

I used facebook to help me to receive audience feedback on my video by sending my video out in a message to friends and family. It is also helped us to communicate with our band members.

I used youtube a lot when doing my planning, as not only did we need to analyse music videos, but I needed it to help me to learn the generic conventions of a typical indie genre, which helped in the planning and making of my own. Below is a link to an example of one of the many videos that I watched within the indie genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkaMiaRLgvY&ob=av2e

For our music video, it was necessary to convert our song, which was from youtube into a file that accessible to allow us to import it into iMovie so that we could use it for our music video. We did this by using this website: http://www.youtube-mp3.org/

Filming, Digipak and poster equipment-Video camera – Used for filming The footage needed for my music video-Tripod – Needed to help keep the video camera steady and straight whilst filming-Camera – Used to take photos of the band for use on the digipak and the poster-IPod and IPod speakers – Used when in rural location to allow the band to listen to the soundtrack whilst filming-Lighting – Needed when taking photos for the digipak and the poster to ensure that the photos were the best that they could be.

PhotoshopThe was used mainly when editing the photos we had taken for our digipak and poster to make them look better. We Removed the saturation to make the photos black and white to match the video and made only the pictures/logos on their tops in colour and we thought that this looked effective and went with the style and genre of the music. Below is the photo that we used on out digipak and poster.

Scanners and PrintersDuring our planning these were quite vital, as not only did they allow to print off our drafts for our digipaks and posters, so we knew what needed improving, but it also allowed us to scan our planning onto the computer so that we could upload them to our blogs to use as evidence of our planning. We also used the printer to print off various copies of our storyboard, so each member of our group had a copy to refer to when filming. We also printed off the lyrics, which we had typed, so that we annotate them, to try and interpret different meanings to the lyrics, which would help us when planning what was going to happen in our music video.

Mobile PhonesThese were vital in the communication of our group. Mobile phones were the easiest way for us to keep in contact and arrange dates and times to meet up for filming.

In what ways do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions

of real media products?In the first phase of our planning and research we worked on the textual analysis of 5 music videos in the genre that we were planning to use, which in our case was the indie genre. This was in order to help us to develop our knowledge of the generic codes and conventions of the genre we were interested in using for our own music video. From watching and writing textual analysis’ of these videos, we were able to take note of parts of the parts that we liked, so that we could incorporate what we liked into our questionnaire to find out whether our target audience would also like it. We also did this so we could incorporate some of the same shots, edits and lighting into our own music video. After we finished our research we decided that for our own video we were going to link the lyrics with the visuals as this was very generic to the indie genre, so we decided to conform to this convention.

The Kooks - Naive

From our research we found that mid shots are commonly used within the indie genre, which allows the artist to be the main focus, as they are looking into the camera, creating a connection with the audience. Throughout our video we used a lot of mid shots. This uses the codes and conventions from real media products as we thought that this looked the best.

Our production

The Kooks - Naive

We also used a lot of mid/long shots throughout the video as this enabled the viewer to see not only the character but their surroundings also.

Our production

Our production Arctic monkeys – when the sun goes down

The Foals – Spanish Sahara Kings of Leon – Sex on fire

Below is examples of the uses of long shots in Indie music videos, which as you can see are frequent and generic to this genre. These clips show that our video uses the codes and conventions of real media products

Split Screens – We decided to use a split screen in our video, as we thought that it helped our video to look more interesting and from our research, we found that this was generic to the indie genre, so we decided to conform to this convention, as we felt that it’s something that the audience wouldn’t be expecting, so it helps to keep their focus.

Oasis - Wonderwall

Our production

Mise en scene and location – outside places such as streets and parks and generic to the Indie genre, due to their simplicity. As you

can see that we have chosen to use the codes and conventions of real media products.

Arctic Monkeys – When the sun goes downOur production

Oasis - Wonderwall

Performance – We have chosen to challenge the codes and conventions of real media products when it came to performance, because not only did we feel this looked better, but it was more convenient and we didn’t have the correct equipment for the performance part of our video to follow the codes and conventions of real media

products. Instead of doing our performance outside, we chose to use the drama studio, with proper musical equipment, which helped to establish the bands image.

Oasis – Don’t look back in anger Our production

The kooks – She moves in her own way

Props –The three main props that we used were guitar, drums and microphone, which from our research are generic to the Indie genre. We chose to the follow the codes and conventions of real media products as we thought that not only the appearance of the band was important but we thought that it would help to promote and improve their

popularity.

Edits

From our research we found that straight cuts are generic to the indie genre and they tend to go with the rhythm and pace of the songs, which contributes to the continuity of the song. We decided to conform to this convention, I think that it helped the audience to follow and understand the video better, as well as keeping them interested.

Ancillary Texts

We also did a similar thing for our ancillary task. We did 5 textual analysis’ of a CD front cover/back cover and the inside inlay left and right. This again helped to develop our knowledge of the generic codes and conventions of a digipak, which helped us in developing our own in the same genre. Below are a few examples of the CD’s we chose to analyse.

From our research, we found that a lot of people within the indie genre have an image of either the artist of band on the front cover or of unusual images, which tended to be for the more known artists/groups. When research band covers we found that a lot of indie bands present a dominating photo for their album front cover, showing them as a strong collective, with a good inter band relationship. The overall style tends to be simple, which the audience to focus actually on the band. This also helps the band to create a connection with the audience. We decided to conform to the convention of having a band image presented on the front of the album. It presents our band as a strong collective, which the audience can easily focus on.

From my research the inlay of the CD digipak, usually has a certain theme, that matches the colours throughout the album. The colours all seem to be similar. We decided to conform to this convention. Below is an example of the Florence and the machine album ‘Lungs’ inlay and an example of our own. As you can see the colours follow through and are similar to the colours of the rest of the album. We decided to conform to this convention as we thought that it was important to have a certain colour throughout, so that our audience were able to recognise that our digipak was promoting our video. Our inlay is in black and white, to match our video and poster. We chose to use images of the band, as their image is very important in promoting their music.

The back cover of the CD digipak, usually just lists the track names, with sometimes and image, but from the majority of the ones we researched, the back covers tended to be plain. However, on some there is an image which links back to the front cover, for example Florence and the machine ‘lungs’. The back cover to his album, has a sketched picture of some lungs, with the track lists coming off parts of the lungs. As a group we decided to challenge the convention, as we used an image of the band holding up a black board with the tracks written on. We did this because we thought it would make our album more unique, and because when researching other digipaks, we found that sometime within the indie genre, their albums tend to be very random. However, we still decided to go with the overall colour scheme of black and white.

The typography throughout a CD digipak of the indie genre tends to be very simple and bold, for example the album cover for The Verve ‘Urban hymns’ uses a simple font that is easily readable. We decided to conform to this conventions by using simple text, written in big letters, that are easily readable, so that are audience can recognise the album instantly. This simple, block font also connotes a more masculine side to the CD, as our band is male dominated.

From researching and looking at different posters within the indie genre, we found that the majority of images that are used are the same as the images used on the CD digipak, or its of an image that links to the album title. We decided to conform to the convention of using the same image on the poster that we used on our digipak, as we thought it would be easier for our audience to make the link between the digipak and the poster. We decided to use five star rating at the time, and quotes from well known music magazines stating their opinions. This helps our audience to feel that the band are respected, which helps to persuade our audience to buy the album.