Evaluation Question 1

We were given the task of planning and producing a music video of an unsigned band that follows or challenges the genre conventions of the genre of the song. For our music video, we chose the genre indie folk so I researched the codes and conventions of indie folk music videos so I would know what to include in my music video. The conventions of this genre include, being set in an outdoor location, the inclusion of an instrument that is featured in the song, casual clothing, star image created by the singer being in the music video and a mainly performance based music video.

After deciding the genre of our music video and researching the codes and conventions, we had to think about the location for where my music video, digipak and magazine advert would be set. A convention of indie music videos is being set in a natural area, such as a field or in a forest. A good example of this is Tom Odell’s I Know.  He is the only person in the music video and he is just walking through a forest which may symbolise loneliness. This influenced our music video as we wanted to suggest loneliness.

We then decided to conform to these conventions by setting our music video in an isolated field. The isolated field symbolises loneliness as there is no one around. This links with the song as the person she is singing about keeps coming and going but in the video he isn’t seen so he must have gone. We predominantly focus  on the performance side which made our music video more laid back and less formal. This is also a convention of indie music videos. For example, Gary Barlow's recent music video for 'Let Me Go' mainly shows him playing the piano in the middle of the street whilst everyone else joins in with their own instruments or just dancing. Using the same locations for our digipak and magazine advert allows the audience to create a link between our media products, which will help with advertising.

Another convention is the singer appearing in media products to create a star image. We decided that we definitely wanted the singer to appear in all of our media products, as it would advertise her as well as the song. The singer appears in the majority of the music video, as it is mainly performance based.  She is also in our digipak and magazine advert. The song we chose is dominated by an acoustic guitar and a single vocalist. An example of this convention would be Ellie Goulding, as she is in her music video for ‘The Writer’, but she is also on the digipak and magazine advert. On the front cover of the digipak and magazine advert, I used Photoshop to blur the background which created a focal point on Bella. I decided to do this as Bella being the main focal point would then create a star image. Tom Odell’s digipak Long Way Down influenced me to do this as I saw the effect the blurred background had on the audience and how it drew attention to Tom Odell.

 A convention of indie folk is the use of instruments. As the main instrument in the song is an acoustic guitar, we decided to use an acoustic guitar in our music video. But we challenged this convention as the guitar did not feature heavily in our music video and it was not used in the digipak or music magazine. The guitar allowed us to create a link to the folk side of the song. Fans of this genre of music are likely to prefer the traditional conventions of the music so it was only right to include the guitar, even if it wasn't for long.

Long shots are used to establish the setting. For example, at the beginning of ‘Like a Hobo’ by Charlie Winston, there is a long shot of the setting to show the location to the audience. In my music video, I chose to use a long shot of Bella in the trees to show the location to the audience. It is important to show the location as the setting would have to be appropriate for the genre of the music.

Mid shots and close ups are often used to emphasise the artists emotions but they also reflect the words of the song. This is why I chose to use mainly mid shots and close ups. As it is a rather emotional song, I decided that close ups and mid shots would allow the audience to feel the emotion of the singer which could possibly create an audience/artist bond. Close ups and mid shots also reflect the words of the song so using these shot types would link with Goodwin’s theory of amplification. As this is her debut single, the close ups allow the artist to introduce themselves to the audience as well as showing the emotion they are trying to express.

Costume is a very important convention as it can dramatically reflect the mood of the song. The indie style of clothing is alternative to modern trends, for example indie teenagers are likely to wear converses instead of Nike air max trainers. Throughout our music video, the singer wore leggings and a jumper with stripes across the middle. This is a very casual outfit which is what a lot of indie teenagers tend to wear. Also, if she is wearing casual clothing, then normal teenagers are likely to relate to her as they will see that she is also just a normal person. Ellie Goulding is a similar artist who just wears normal clothing in her music videos. For example, in Guns and Horses, she is just wearing a checked shirt with black leggings and black boots. We decided that the singer should wear the same costume in all of our media products as the audience would be able to make a direct link with the music video, digipak and magazine advert. Makeup is also important as it can give the audience an indication of which era the video is set in. We decided that the singer should wear minimal makeup as she is going for the casual look and it wouldn't look right if she was wearing a load of bright makeup. An example of makeup being important, is Paloma Faith’s ‘Picking up the Pieces’, she has very subtle makeup in her videos with a pale face and red lipstick, this suggests that her music and music videos are supposed to be similar to the 50s. Ellie Goulding also wears subtle makeup to fit in with the natural, casual look.

Props are used in indie music videos as they can change the whole look of the video. We decided to only use a guitar, stool and a bench as props in our music video to keep the casual look. A good example of this is Lana Del Rey’s ‘National Anthem’. The audience can see her glamorous and expensive looking house. This suggests to the audience that she is wealthy and well respected.

A convention of indie music videos is the link between the visuals and lyrics. The only time we really conformed to this convention was when we used close ups to show the singer singing, but apart from that, we challenged this convention. The song is about someone that keeps coming into and going away from her life. We purposely decided that his person wouldn’t be in the video as it would link with this person going. The song is also about her letting go of him.

The main magazine advert that inspired me was the advert for Tom Odell’s Long Way Down. Tom Odell’s music is similar to Molly Grace’s and I liked how his advert was simple yet effective. I decided to blur the background of the front cover of my digipak and on my magazine advert as it created a focal point on the singer. However, I decided not to have the artists name and name of the song, the same size as I wanted to advertise Molly Grace more than the song. I did like the different font colour’s used to separate the artists name and the name of album as it drew attention to them both separately. The front cover picture for the Long Way Down digipak is the same as the magazine advert which would link the two together. Jessie J’s Who We Are album cover and magazine advert are also the same. I liked this idea but I decided not to use the same picture, but I used very similar pictures instead. On the magazine advert, the singer is standing side on but it facing forwards, so her body is facing the text which will draw attention to it. But on the digipak, she is completely facing forwards which will draw the audience in.

Looking back on my product, I believe that I have created a video that expressed all of the emotions within the song. I have challenged and conformed to the genre conventions necessary as I wanted to cater to the needs and wants of the target audience. But to create someone new, I had to be innovative and challenge some conventions and ideologies surrounding the indie folk genre. 

Evaluation Question 2

Evaluation Question 3

For my products to be the best they possibly could be, I had to get audience feedback. This allowed me to understand exactly what the audience thought of my products, what they liked and what they disliked. From this, I was able to make any changes that they thought was necessary but I was also able to keep what the audience liked and maybe make those parts more consistent in the rest of my products. I wanted to use different ways of receiving audience feedback, as it would potentially allow me to get different opinions and possibly get more reliable feedback. To get audience feedback, I used questionnaires and focus groups. There are a few advantages and disadvantages of these methods. To get more feedback, I could have used more ways of receiving audience feedback, such as semi-structured interviews. As people are less likely to lie to your face, this may have been more reliable and I could have changed the questions depending on the previous responses, this would allow me to get all of the information I need.

After filming, I looked at some of the footage I had so far and asked a few people on what they thought of it.  When we first started filming, we only used one location and therefore, I didn’t use a variety of shots. This was brought up when I was given feedback so I decided to add extra days of filming so I could use different shots in a different location to add variety. Because of this feedback, I also decided to film extra shots in case they didn’t turn out as planned. An example of this would be, when I filmed the shot of the sun over Bella’s shoulders. A few people commented on how they liked this shot, and if I hadn’t of had the previous feedback then I wouldn’t have had that shot in my music video. This shows the importance of being given feedback during the process of creating media products.

I used a questionnaire before making my music video so I would be able to establish what the target audience expected from my music video. I used the website SurveyMonkey to send out my questionnaire as I was able to send it to my target audience, it would be quicker and easier for them to answer it as they wouldn’t have to fill in any papers and then send it back. I felt this was a good choice as I good quite a lot of responses and they helped influence the construction of my music video. One of the questions I asked was “Do you prefer performance or narrative based music video, or both?” The majority of people said that they prefer performance based music videos, so we took this into consideration. However, there were a few people who said that they like narrative music videos or both. From this, we decided to include a slight narrative in our video to keep our target audience happy and this will also attract a wider audience.

I decided to use questionnaires as they are quick and easy and I can get a wider sample, which will allow me to get the views and opinions of a lot more people. However, there are some drawbacks of using questionnaires that I took into consideration. These drawbacks include reliability; questionnaires are not the most reliable source of information as not everyone takes them seriously and could be making up their answers. Also, it is very unlikely to get detailed answers from questionnaires so I am more likely to get quantitative data rather than qualitative data.

I also used focus groups for a more detailed response. Having a focus group allowed me to get more detailed responses which I could analyse and it also allowed to question my specific target audience, which is helpful as I need the opinions of my target group to assess how effective my products have been. However, there are still some drawbacks from using focus groups. These weaknesses include the wording of questions; using leading questions may corrupt my data as they may say the answers that I am looking for rather than what they actually think, but they are less likely to lie to my face which is an advantage. They may, however be camera shy and therefore not go into as much detail in their answers.

When showing my ancillary texts, a few people commented the colour of the font on the magazine advert and the back cover of my digipak. Because the colour was black, the audience couldn’t see it that well which would potentially make my ancillary texts ineffective. I therefore, changed the colour of the font to a natural colour, which not only allows the audience to see the writing more clearly, it also matches the background. Changing the colour will make my ancillary texts stand out more which will draw more attention, giving the artist recognition.

Also when showing my ancillary texts, a few people said that I should include the acoustic guitar that was in my music video. I decided not to do this as I wanted to challenge the codes and conventions to test how successful this would be. Perhaps it wasn’t best to challenge this with a new artist as she is still establishing herself. It would have been better to do this with an already established artist.

In conclusion, audience feedback is crucial as it allows you to get a second opinion on your work. It also allows you to find out what your target audiences think of it before it is finished so you can make changes if necessary. From the feedback I received, I was able to make changes to make my products more effective. The feedback I received suggests that my products have been successful; however there are ways to improve it.

Evaluation Question 4

Evaluation Question 4

Digipak

Magazine Advert

Final Music Video

Planning for ancillary texts

 Digipak plan

For the front cover of my digipak, I plan to blur out the background to create a focal point on the main singer. This will hopefully create a star image which will benefit her as she is not yet an established artist. I also hope to have Molly Grace on the top left of the digipak. I have decided to have Molly Grace larger than Come and Go as she, as an artist needs more recognition than her actual music. Because she is a new artist, it is important to show the genre of her music through the digipak and magazine advert as her target audience are likely to want to listen to it and they will be drawn to it.

I want to use a location shot for the back cover and the cd panel of my digipak. This will then draw the audience to what is written on the back and the cd which will advertise her music. On the back cover, I will include a barcode and a track list to inform the audience what is included on the CD.

For the other three panes, I want to use pictures of Bella in the locations where we shot the music video. This will create a direct link between the two for the audience. The font I want to use is either Helvetica or Forte as it will fit the genre of the music and will fit the artists’ music and personality. I will use black writing, unless there is another colour that looks better but I will test different colours to see which fits the best.

Magazine Advert

For my magazine advert, I want to use a similar picture to the cover of my digipak, possibly even the same picture. This will allow the audience to make a direct link between the magazine advert and the digipak, which will create a star image. I will use the fonts Helvetica or Forte to fit with the digipak. On the magazine advert, I will include a rating and a comment from a music magazine, information about an award the artist has recently won, the release date and information about her website/social networking pages. 

Health and Safety

Before we could start filming our music video, we had to think about possible risks. Because of this, we had to take out a health and safety risk assessment before filming. Before assessing the area, we need to make sure that we identify the problem and then come up with a solution.

1.       Props

We only have two props; a guitar and a stool. The guitar will have to be in a case to make sure that nothing happens to it. Both of these props must be in a safe place when not in use to make sure that they are not lost or damaged.

2.       Costumes

The costume must also be kept in a safe place to make sure that it doesn’t get lost or damaged. We are only having one outfit in our music video so clothing must be kept clean and it must be kept in a place just for costume. Having a hanging rail for the costume will keep every neat and tidy, ready for filming.

3.       Technical equipment

When filming, we need to make sure that we have good lighting to have the effect we are hoping for in our music video. Sound will not be an issue as the song will be added in the post-production stage and we are not having any other sound. But we will need to make sure that everyone is quiet during filming as the performer will need to concentrate on lip-syncing. All technical equipment must be kept in a labelled box to prevent damage and also so we know exactly where it is.

4.       Filming problems

As we will be filming outside, the weather will need to be decent as we will need to keep up the continuity. It would look odd it was sunny for one second and then suddenly there was snow on the ground. However, we have backup days for filming in case we aren’t able to film one day. Sound will not be a problem as it will all be added afterwards, using premiere pro. Our school is currently a building site due to building a new school so this may create a lot of noise. We want it to be as quiet as possible so Bella can lip-sync as well as she possibly can. However, it is not all bad if she isn’t completely in time as it can be edited later on. The camera will need to be fully charged before filming to prevent running out of battery during filming. After filming, footage will need to be uploaded onto the school system straight away to prevent being damaged or lost.

5.       Fires or drills

We are filming in a school which increases the chances of having a fire drill. As Bella is the only person, we will both make sure that we know exactly where the fire exists are and where to line up in the event of a fire. As we are filming outside, it is unlikely that we will be affected by the fire drill, but as we are at school, we will have to be wary in case something does happen.

6.       Interruptions

       It is likely that there will be quite a few interruptions as we are filming in public places. However, we have chosen isolated destinations so hopefully there won’t be too many interruptions. If we are interrupted, then we shall explain what is happening and ask them to kindly leave or be quiet. 

Codes and conventions of an indie music video

Performance

A lot of artists in the indie genre tend to feature a live performance in their music video. This is to keep the focus on the actual music and the talent of the artist.
Recently, there has been a narrative included in the music video to break it up and give it a story to keep the audience interested. This allows the artists to compete with similar artists who have narrative videos that are heavily  based on a story to make it memorable.  In the indie genre, there are artists who use live performances in their music video, for example Passengers Let It Go features him singing with shots of him and his band behind the scenes to break up the music video. Live performances promote the artists as the audience to feel as though they are building a relationship. It also shows the audience that the artists can actually sing live. An example of a live music video is All Time Low’s Lost in Stereo music video.

Narrative

Narrative music videos are popular with most genres. However, in the indie genre, narrative videos aren’t as popular as performance videos as artists are like showing their audiences that they actually can perform and build a relationship with their audience.

However, narrative music videos are a great way to stand out from the crowd as artists and bands can be as creative as they like due to new technology. Narrative videos also hold peoples attention better than live performance as the audience will want to see what happens. An example of a narrative music video is Ellie Goulding’s video for How Long Will I love You. The video is actually taken from the forthcoming Roger Michell short film “Tom & Issy”. So not only is this promoting Ellie Goulding, it is also promoting Roger Michell’s film. 

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is important in indie music videos. A lot of indie artists have their own look and don't like to follow crowds. They can create their own look through the use of props and their appearance themselves. 

Props can change a music video completely. For example, in the music video for National Anthem by Lana Del Rey, she is posing around her glamorous and clearly expensive house. This suggests that she is wealthy and well respected in society. 

In a lot of indie music videos, instruments are often essential, especially an acoustic guitar. I decided to follow this convention by having the artist play an acoustic guitar in my music video. An example of artists playing instruments in their music video would be Ed Sheeran’s Lego House, where he is shown playing his guitar throughout the video.

Costume is also important in indie music videos as it will give each artist their own identity and set themselves apart from everyone else. Unlike pop artists looking very glamorous and expensive, a lot of indie artists tend to stick to casual clothing. For example, in Ellie Goulding’s music video for The Writer, she is simply wearing a sleeveless shirt and high waisted shorts.

Sound

Diegetic sounds are often used throughout the music video to help set the atmosphere. For example, in the music video for National Anthem by Lana Del Rey, she ends the song with a small speech and it begins with fans screaming. 

Different effects can be added to the sound to create a certain atmosphere. Effects are not often used in acoustic music videos as they like to concentrate on the artists talent rather than distorting it. 

Camera

Full length shots are used to show the setting of the video and give us a clear view of the artists and their outfits. This is important in indie music videos as artists can be seen as style icons and therefore need to be seen fully. The setting also needs to be seen to help the audience understand the message behind the video.

In indie videos, crane shots are used for live performances as it allows the audience to view the artists from different angles and it will also help them focus on the artist throughout the video. Crane shots are useful for continuity as it hardly leaves the artist.

Tilts and pans are used to make the setting clear and can move from left and right so the audience can see the full set. This often helps tell the story as it may be a key feature in the music video.

Close ups are the most common shots as it introduces the audience to the characters or artists. This may be done to highlight what the artist is singing or to portray a certain emotion.

Editing

With new technology, editing is relied on a lot as it can make or break a music video. Usually in indie music videos, editing is mainly used for smooth transitions between each shot.

Fast and slow cuts between shots should reflect the pace of the music to truly be effective. 

Effects can be added to completely change the look of a music video. In indie music videos, it is very common to make a music video look as though it is old and worn and being played from an old tape. Black and White is often used to portray this but sepia is also used to make it look rustic and sometimes vintage. For example, the music video for Someone Like You by Adele is completely in black and white to show the emotion of the song.

Magazine Advert Analysis

Music Magazine Codes and Conventions

Digipak Analysis

Ellie Goulding - Bright Lights

Front cover

The front cover for Bright Lights has one main picture of the artist, Ellie Goulding. This is because people will recognise her and realise that the product is related to Ellie Goulding.

The image of Ellie Goulding gives a care-free and relaxed feeling which is what the artist would want her audience to feel when listening to her music. The picture relates to her genre as her music is quite relaxed and care-free.

The colours used on the front cover go well with the relaxed them of the digipak. They are more warm and natural, rather than harsh and bold colours.

The text is in a bigger font than the title of the album. The is because the artist is the branding identity of the album, she is the selling point. So her name is in bold as she is the most important part of the album. 

CD cover

The CD cover is the complete opposite of the front cover, the CD has a single bright colour on the cover compared to the mixture of calm colours of the front cover. This suggests that you can’t just the actual album on the cover. Or that the album has something for everyone.

The yellow used is warm and welcoming; it’s also very eye-catching which will grab the audience’s attention.

The text and the font used on the CD s the same as the one used on the front cover. This links the whole digipak together.

Ellie Goulding is still in a bigger font size than the album title which signifies her importance.

Back cover

The text on the back of the cover is the same font that has been used throughout the whole digipak, this creates continuity on all of the panels of the digipak. The colour of the text is also the same.

The colours used on the cover are the same as those used on the front cover, there are also bright lights which links with the title of the album, which is ‘Bright Lights’.

Kaiser Chiefs - Employment digipak analysis

Digipak analysis from ellieplummer

Tom Odell - Long Way Down Digipak Analysis

Storyboard

Focus Group Analysis

What is your favourite genre of music?

We asked this question as we thought it would give us an idea of whether they would watch our music video or not. The genre of our chosen song is indie. We also asked this question in our survey and alternative/indie turned out to be the most popular genre of music. In our focus group, one person said that indie is their favourite genre of music. We had already chosen our song at this point but we had a backup song in case we couldn’t use the song or we needed another genre of music. We also asked this so we could find out what kind of people would watch our video and it would also help us create a target audience. From the results of our survey and focus group, we were able to make an audience profile to give us a better idea of who would watch our music video. Someone else said that he “likes all genres. If it’s good music or a good music video then I’ll like it”. We would also aim our music video at him as he is also likely to watch our music video. The last person said their favourite genre of music is “pop rock, because I feel that the lyrics mean something and it’s quite lively.”

What do you expect to see in a music video?

This question is useful for us, as it has given us an idea of what people will be looking for in our music video. We took these answers into consideration and decided to use some of these things in our music video. Someone said “Always something quite unusual, definitely seeing a band playing instruments”. Our song is not from a band but the lead singer will be playing the guitar. Someone else said “People in casual clothing, a variety of different locations”. Our main character will be wearing a jumper, leggings and a beanie which is casual. When choosing our costume, we looked at Ellie Goulding for inspiration. “Band footage and people having a good time”, again, we don’t have a band and our song is quite sad so they won’t be too happy but there will be a few shots of them having fun together. Hopefully, this will meet people’s expectations of our music video.

Do you prefer narrative or performance music videos?

We asked our focus group whether they prefer narrative or performance based music videos. We also asked this question in our survey and the majority of people said they prefer both types of music videos. Everyone in our focus group also said that they prefer a mixture of both, performance and narrative music videos. Someone said that “Performance looks quite fun and narrative allows you to understand the story behind the lyrics”. Because of this, we have chosen to use about 70% performance and 30% narrative. This will then allow the audience to feel as though they are watching the artist performing live but they will also understand the story behind the song.

How often do you watch music videos and where do you watch them?

Everyone said that they watch music videos on YouTube, because of this; we will be uploading our music video onto YouTube which will hopefully result in our music video being seen by as many people as possible.  One person claims to watch music videos at least “fourteen times a week”, someone else watches them “once or twice a week” and the last person watches them “everyday”.

Shooting schedule

This is our guide as to when to film for our music video. We will need to keep to this schedule in order to finish on time. This is just a basic guide as there could be a situation that will stop us from filming. This could be something like bad weather or our artist is ill so she can't come in to film. We took this into consideration and allowed some time at the end in case we haven't managed to film everything we need.

Location scouting

To create our music video, we needed a location to film it. We already had our idea so we knew the kind of location we wanted. We looked at music videos of the same genre and we also looked at codes and conventions of our genre of music. We looked at a lot of Ellie Goulding, Kate Nash and Marina and the Diamonds videos. A lot of Ellie Goulding’s music videos are set in big open spaces. We mainly looked at The Writer and Guns and Horses. Kate Nash’s video for OMYGOD! Is set at a beach but we knew that we definitely didn’t want our video set at a beach so we decided on an empty field.

After watching The Writer by Ellie Goulding, we knew that we wanted to film in a big open space where no one else is around. This will hopefully give the audience a sense of loneliness and isolation which will suggest the emotion behind the song. This should also help the audience connect with our artist as they may have experienced similar emotions and they will be able to sympathise with her.

We also looked at the music video for Burn by Ellie Goulding, the music video is bright but is has a colour effect on it so the light doesn't look as natural. We liked this as it is different, like our genre of music. This video is also filmed in a big open space. It looks like it is filmed at a runway at an airport which is usually quite an isolated area as there aren’t many people around. We liked the idea of filming at a runway but we wouldn’t be given access to film there. So we went back to the idea of an empty field.

Overall, we have chosen an empty field where there aren’t many people around but there are trees about so it’s not completely empty. There aren’t many scene changes in our music video but we didn’t want to have too many changes as it may not make sense to the audience. After finding our location, we created a shooting schedule and also filled in a risk assessment. The location is not far from school or Bella’s house so if anything happens, we can easily go back there to take care of whatever needs to be done. We are starting filming in the middle of September but we should be finished by the beginning of October. We have a back-up plan if this is not completed. 

Goodwin's Theory