Research into similar products - Advert and album cover

As I continue plan my album cover and advertisement I have still been looking into others to take inspiration. Here is the advert for Marina and the diamonds album 'Electra Heart'. On this advert it features the name of the artist at the top in bold white writing. The fact that the artist is first automatically draws the audiences attention and allows them to know who is releasing an album. Below is the album name in the same font keeping with the house style adding to the overall ethos of the magazine. Also how the image if of the artist and it is the focal point of the advert, as it is in the middle of the page allows the audience to identify who the artist is and what album is being released. A common convention of an album advert is that the featured song from the album is at the bottom of the page, which this advert has. This advert is effective as the whole house style and ethos is all keeping in with the artist.

The album is also effective because the main focus of it the artist as the cover is very minimal, allowing the audience to focus on her. The fact that the album and advert is very similar is helpful to the audience as it will make it familiar to them and when the audience sees the advert they'll know what to look for when buying the album.


Looking at the advert and album has been helpful as i now know that the synchronicity between them is important as it needs to be clear to the audience that this artist is releasing the album. I can take inspiration from this when creating my products however these are near enough identical but i think with mine i want it to be similar but not exactly the same which make it interesting for the audience.

Research into similar products - Advert layout

Continuing on from my last post, where I look at what is included on a music advert I am now looking at the layout of an advertisement.

I have first looked at the artist Jessie J  and her advertisement. From what I have noticed an advert usually consists of an image of the artist that fills up most of the space, which helps make known to the audience that she It the artist behind the new album and the image through the pose of the artist highlights what type of music they produce. The artist name and album title is the usually placed in the centre of the advertisement which is effective as this is what is trying to be marketed to the audience. Furthermore what is usually included towards the bottom of the page with the advert is the featured songs that is included in the album. The fact that this is near the end of the page is effective as the featured song is what the audience have probably already heard so as this will be read last it will make the audience more inclined to go and purchase this album because of the fact they'll remember the featured song. The publishing company and the record label is then included on the bottom corners as for the majority of the audience will not read this however a few who are interested might, which is a good reason why they are there. 

 Here is another example, which is The Killers album advertisement. As you can see that the layout of this advert is very similar to the one above. Things such as the album title and artist name, record/publishing company and the featured track has all been included. However the only difference with this one is that instead of an image of the artist, it is an image of the album cover. This is also commonly used and especially more so with indi/alternative artists. 

Looking at the layout of theses album advertisements have been really useful as I can used these as a guide when creating mine. Also looking at the one by an alternative artist was helpful as my artist is from the same music genre. 

Research into similar products - Advert

I've been looking into what features on an album advert. Here is an example of one which is for the band "You Me At Six". On the advert it features the band name boldly in the middle of the page which instantly draws the audiences attention to it. Below the name of the band is the album name in a smaller font, this is effective as it helps to put more emphasise on the band and helps to distinguish between the artist name and the album. The realise date of the new album is in yellow which is different to the other font colour that is on the advert making it known to the audience and making it clear as to when it is released. Also the fact that is states the different platforms the album can be obtained is useful to have on the advert. The artwork that is behind the text is similar to the actual album artwork which helps the audience to when they go to buy the album as they can recolonise it easily. On the bottom right it has the albums producer which is also a common convention on a poster.

Looking at this advert has been helpful as it has given me an idea as to what to include on my advert.

Research into similar products - Back cover, Digipak

I have been looking at the codes and conventions of digipack and in my previous post (Digipk) i looked at the front of the digipak and now i am analysing the back cover of Lana Del Rey Ultraviolence album. As you can see on the back it has another image of the artist, from a different angle this time suggesting that this is a different side to the artist. Also in the image her face is the focal point as everything around her is in a darker shade further emphasises that this is her album and she is looking towards the song tracks bring the audiences attention to the left of the pack. The names of the song in the specific order that they are in tell a story about the album and gives the audience and insight to the theme of songs. The bar code on the top left corner is a common convention of a back cover of a digipak. Furthermore on the bottom left it has extra information about the album and about the record label.

Looking at the back of the digipak has been helpful as now i know that to include on the back so when i come to create mine it will look realistic.

Drafting and Planning - Font type

I've been looking into fonts i could use on my digipak and my album advert and i found a font that i feel is appropriate. 

I found this font 'Medusa Gothic' which i want to use for my ancillary products. This font is bold which stands out to the audience which is important as the text on my ancillaries is important and i would want the audience to read it. Also the accents at the points of the letters gives a slight classical edge to the font linking to the style of music my artist has as even though its alternative WoodKid uses classical instruments such as trumpets in his songs.  I will be using this font throughout as i want my products to be cohesive.

Research into similar products - Digipak front conventions

This is the front on Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence digipack. As you can see it features an image which is of the artist, the use of this instantly allows the audience to recognise who's album it is making it an identifiable feature when they go to buy it. The album is very minimal allowing the audience to focus on the image of the artist and the album name. The album title is in bold block letters making it very easy to see and relates to the album name as it a daring title. The black and white house style that is used for the whole front makes the album look sophisticated. The fact that the top of the album us shaded, including the artists face and the bottom is bright shows a contrast between the artist and the album connoting that the bold album had comes from the artists dark times. Furthermore it relates back to the actual album name as the word 'ultraviolence' is said to be poetic slang.

On the spine of the album contains the name of the artist and the album, the amount of songs and the fact its a deluxe edition. Having this on the spine is effective as when the album is stacked on the slef the audience can quickly see the album without having to pull it out. Also the fact that "2 CD deluxe limited edition" is in a larger and bolder font, drawing the audiences attention to it.

Looking at the codes and conventions of the front of the digipack has been useful as i know what to include on the front of mine and how to make it link to my artist and their genre.

Drafting and planning - Titles

I am in the stage of editing my music video and currently i am thinking about how i want the titles for the video to look. Here below is an example of one, as you can see at the start of the video it features the name of the band and the song. The way the titles appear in front of the actual music video footage is effective as it doesn't interrupt the video, keeping the flow of the video. Also the style of the titles work well with the video as the colour red has connotations of danger, linking to the name of the song.

         

I've also looked at Lorde royals, music video as this features titles but in a different way to the one above. In the video towards the start there is a black title card that features the artists name and the song name. The style of this was very simplistic as there is minimal writhing and uses only two colours, black and white. This is very fitting with the artists ethos as her videos are very minimalistic.
             

Looking at the styles of these titles that are used in the videos has been helpful as it has given me an idea what i can use for mine. In my opinion i think that the titles used for Lordes music video will be fitting with my video, however i want to try out and experiment with the first style of titles as this may work well.

Organisation - Chroma key

I am still in the process of editing my music video and currently i am working on my colour powder throw scene. In this scene the protagonist has coloured powder thrown on him to represent him breaking free from society. My Idea for this was that the background and the actor is in black and white, then when a coloured powder is thrown that is in colour. This is quite an advanced editing technique so i found a youtube tutorial on how this is achieved so i can use this to help me.

       

This video explains that this technique can be done with chroma key on movie plus. By watching this video i now know how to do this effect, it is a long process however it will help me achieve my desired video.

Drafting and planning - Digipak cover ideas

I have been planning what i want to be on the front cover of my Digipak and i now have an idea as to what it will be. My music video 'Run Boy Run' is mainly about 'escaping social norms' so with this in mind i based my music video of someone trying to runaway from a technology obsessed society. I want to be able to represent that with the front cover of the digipak.

I like the idea of having a close up shot of shoes in a running positon as this links to the actual music video and highlights what the song and music video is about. The image will be in black and white because it fits into the theme of a suppressed society and also that the music video is in black and white. However, as in my video the protagaist 'breaks free' and this is represented through the use of colour powder being thrown on him, i want that to be shown on the front too. So the image will be in black and white but with something in the image that is in colour to hint toward what happens in the video.

Furthermore as my video has a technology element to it, i wanted that to be shown some how. I then thought of how Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror Tv show is a great inspiration. His Tv show is a satirical comment on how our society could turn out to be like in the near future and the show especially focuses on how technology can easily become a disadvantage in life. The titles for the show, which is the photo on the left is a cracked device screen and i think something like this could work well for my digipak cover.

Looking into what to have on my digipak cover has been really beneficial as now my initial ideas have developed so now i am able to do some drafts of the cover.



 

Research Into Target Audience - Footage Feedback

I am in the process of editing my music video and sifting through my footage. I need to make sure what i am including is effective for the overall music video and if my audience likes it, so i took to Instagram to gain some instant feedback.

I created a group chat and posted this clip and asked what do they like about it ?

The feedback i received was very positive as they all was able to understand the shot and what it reveals. The fact that the responses i got was from my target audience proves to me that my video will be effective and suitable for them. I will be definitely using this clip in my music video as it got great reviews.  

Organisation - Editing

I am currently in the process of editing my music video and i have about the first minuet done. I have been using my story board to help me which has been very useful as I am able to see what should be where. As you can see in the image below I have added in, the clips, the song and some sound effects. As I've said in a previous post (sound effects post) I will be including sound effects, I have so far used the iPhone ringtone and a vibration effect. At the start of my music video the main character revives calls from an Unknown person and I felt that without the sounds this would not be very clear to the audience. I have also been editing my video in a linier way as this will effectively help me complete it. I will be continuing editing in order to get a first draft finished so then I can improve my video.

Organisation - Filming of Colour powder

 As i have said in a previous post that i will be using colour powder in my music video to throw on the main character. I wanted this to look vivid so i ordered actual Holi powder from India that they use is their festivals in order for this to look authentic. As i only had one set of powders i had to make sure that i got this shot right the first time as i was not in the position to re shoot the scene.

In order to do this i enlisted 5 people including myself to help. To set this shot up i had the character standing in front a brick wall and the camera on a tripod in a medium close up shot. Then i had two people either side of the camera out of shot, ready with a colour to throw. I wanted the different powders to be thrown and specific times, so i told  my helpers "once the first person has thrown, wait 2 seconds and till the next". Also as its a music video and i don't need the diegtic sound so i was able to instruct the helpers too. 

As you can see in these photos that the filming of the scene worked and i was able to get the footage i required. Pre planning this shot was really helpful as it enabled me to effectively film without any problems.

Drafting and Planning - Digipak Woodkid

I have been looking into Digipaks so i have decided to research my artists one Woodkid "The Golden Age". The images on the left are from the Digipak and the first one is of the front of it. The album cover is simplistic and only featuring the colours black and white. This links to the style of Woodkids video as they are all in black and white which is a running theme he has. The keys on the cover is effective as this is a running motif in his music video trilogy, so this hints towards that. Also by having minimal writing on the front and only including, the artist, album name and the featuring tracks 'run boy run, Iron' this interests the audience into buying the album.
The disk is simplistic also which fits with the artists theme. However the featured keys, that are now in black creates a contrast and draws the audiences attention to listen to the music as the keys on the on the disk is as if the CD in the unlock to the music. Inside the digipack as you can see in the third image, there is an insert for the album. I was not able to find an image for the inside of the insert, however whats included is the people who helped make the album and a note from the artist. Continuing with the theme the back of the album is again simplistic fitting in the housestyle and it has all the tacks that are on the album. The track names have a theme also and its like they tell a story. This is effective as the audience can get a feel of the album and what is to come when listening to it. Looking at the Digipak has been helpful as i can see what an effective digipak looks like and from this i am able to take inspiration to create my own.

                                                                                                           

Organisation - Video footage

I have completed the filming of my music video, which was a success and now i am looking through the footage i have to see what i can use in editing. Here is an example of a clip i have filmed

As this clip turned out to well i will be able to use it, however it needs some editing. In the clip you can hear diegetic sounds and the clip is if colour. I will mute the clip in editing as i am having the song Run Boy Run as the only sound and also i will change the colour of the clip to greyscale to create the black and white effect i am planning to have.

I will continue looking through my footage and write the time references of the part i want to use.

organisation - Weather 2nd check

As i have said in my previous blog post i said i am planning to film my music video on the 1st February, which is today depending on the weather. I have already checked the forecast in advance however i wanted to check this morning to make sure the weather is still fine.

As my call time is 9am i need to check before then, so on my way to my first location i took a photo to see if the weather looked good and from what i can tell there is no clouds meaning that the filming can go a head. Also by taking this photo it has allowed me to see if there is enough light to film, which there is.