Print Advert Analysis

 Ellie Goulding's advert for the album 'Lights' uses a house style which is the same as that of her CD cover.  The fonts are consistent and so it the use of the colour gold.  There is also the use of the golden glitter effect which goes well with the title of the album.  The artist is promoted using a close up of her head and shoulders.  Star ratings of the album are used to encourage people to buy it, suggesting it is high quality music.  The dominance of the image and the central position of the artists name make it clear to the audience that she is the artist it's talking about, instantly drawing in interest from people who are already fans of her and her music.

Florence and the machine's advert for the album 'lungs' uses a main image that includes a set of lungs, providing a clear link with the album title and album cover. Along with the use of the same font for the band name, this helps to create a house style for the band.  The main image is the dominant feature of the advert, drawing in the attention of the viewer. The text at the bottom gives you extra information about the album, such as exclusive content, to encourage you to want to buy it.

Digipak Analysis

Analysis of three digipaks from the Indie Pop genre.

Extra Filming

Today we are filming some more performance shots as we discovered we didn't have enough during the editing of our rough cut.  We hope to have the final cut of our video complete by the end of wednesdays lesson.

Rough Cut Feedback - Focus Group

For our focus group we chose three people who would fit into our target audience and asked them the same questions as the Facebook feedback.



Rough Cut Feedback - Facebook

 

 

Editing Update

In todays media lesson we continued to edit our music video.  We first edited in all the parts that we had specific clips in mind for and then filled in as much of the rest as we could.  We focused on making sure that the cuts in the video fitted to the beat of the music as this is an important feature of music videos.

We have now completed the rough cut of our video.  It contains a few gaps which we will need to film more performance in order to fill.  We will do this along with other changes such as effects after we have got feedback from our focus group.

Editing

We have started the editing process for our video and aim to have completed a rough cut of our video by next week so that we can show it to a focus group of our target audience.  We are using Final Cut Express to edit our video. 

 

We are starting by filling in the sections of the video that we a certain about, that are staying the same as the original story board.  We have also got some new footage from new ideas we had during filming which will also be put in where we had problems filming our original ideas.  For example we have some footage that aims to show our heroes superpowers which was not in the original storyboard. 

 

 

We will add effects to the video after we have gained feedback from our focus group.  We have also had the idea of adding text over our video to help explain the narrative, similarly to how it has been done in other recent music videos such as Lady Gaga's 'Telephone'.

Filming Complete

We have now finished filming. Next week we can begin the editing stage of our video production.

Filming Update

Today we have completed a large amount of the narrative part of the music video.  We have filmed the opening scene of the video and the scenes near the end which are located around Ludlow Castle, which is aimed to look like a prison for our video.  We have also filmed the scenes where the heroes pickpocket an unknowing civilian.  We have made sure to gather a large amount of footage with different shot types and angles to ensure that our music video contains enough cuts for the genre.  The final part we have filed is where the heroes and villains are making plans to rob a house.   

 

The photograph on the left was taken to be used as the photograph that a fan of the superheroes asks to have signed towards the end of our video.  The idea is that adter seeing it the hero who has been behaving like a villain realises what they have been doing is wrong and decides to be good again.  This scene will be filmed in the next filming session.

 

 

We only have a few shots left which will be filmed on Wednesday.  This will include some of the heroes superpowers and the scene with the fan wanting an autograph.

Filming update

All parts of the performance element of our video have now been recorded. 

 

 

We have filmed our performer Ryan out in the woods.  We have made sure to include a variety of shots including close ups in order to promote our artist in the video.  We have had him listening to the song and singing it during filming so that we will be able to do successful lip syncing, an important convention of the performance aspect of a music video.

 

The last few filming sessions will be focusing on the narrative part of our video.

Time Management

Our next step in making our music video is to start filming.  This is a calendar showing the dates for filming and the start of editing.

Audience Theory

Creativity

 

Prop/Costume responsibilities

Our video will need a few props and several items of costume but it will be fairly cheap to acquire them as we have a lot of them already.

Risk assessment

 

This chart shows the hazards we may encounter when filming our music video.  It states how we will be minimising risk to ensure we stay safe during filming. 

Costume, Hair and Makeup

This is a skirt that will be worn by one of the heroes.  It is appropriate because of the shiny material that makes it look like part of a superhero costume.

This image shows several elements of the superheroes costumes.  Using the colourful tights makes them look more bright and like a hero rather than a villain.  The costumes are aimed to be fairly redundant and symbolic of superheroes.

This is elements of the villain costume idea.  The dominant use of black fits with the idea of dark evil characters.

This is me in my villain costume.

This is an idea for the heroes makeup.  It uses gold glittery makeup because gold is seen as a warm colour that reflects the good side of the heroes.

This is how the hair of the lead singer for the performance elements will probably look.  It is styled to fit with the Indie genre as it is a youthful and rebellious style.

Choreography

Choreography ; from BOliver3

Time Mangement - Filming

Ryan is free to be filmed in our Media lessons on Monday afternoons and second lesson on Wednesdays.  We will use this time primarily to film the performance aspect of our video, as well as narrative in the same locations.

Facebook Group

 

Our group has created a private facebook group which we can use to communicate with eachother outside of college.  It allows us to share creative ideas, share planning notes and remind eachother of tasks that need to be completed.  It also helps us with time management and may be used for audience feedback at a later date.

 

 

Storyboard

This is the storyboard for our video which has been exhibited in time to the music so that we can get a feel of how the video will look as a whole.

Cast/Crew Photos

Hannah, Sophie, Beth and Hazel - The Production Crew

Ryan - Lead Singer

Hannah and Hazel - The Villains

Sophie and Beth - Heroes turned Villains

We are using these people in our music video because they are the right age to go with our target audience of 16-25 year olds.  The lead singer also looks fitting for the indie genre and we will be able to style his hair appropriately.  We wanted everyone to be roughly the same age because of how similar to each other the heroes and villains are supposed to be.  We chose to use ourselves in the video because it will make it easier for us to create our video as we see fit, without having to explain our ideas and theories to separate actors.  It also means we can make the most of filming during our Media lessons.

Pitch Audience Feedback

1.  What do you like about our theme?

·         I feel you have a good theme that matches the Indie genre.

·         The good turning bad idea is original.

·         The use of superheroes fits in well with the target audience because it is something everyone is familiar with.

·         The superhero theme is more interesting than the common Twilight themes.

·         Theme is alternative linking to other Indie bands.

·         The superhero theme is fun and exciting.

·         I like the idea of superheroes turning bad because it is unique and hasn’t been done much before.

·         The superheroes seem relevant to the song.

2.  Why do you think our theme is appropriate to the genre?

·         It’s a unique video idea, not overused.

·         The theme is unusual which makes the idea seem entropic.

·         It’s the kind of theme found in the Indie genre and it will be exciting.

3.  How could it be improved?

·         I feel you could improve on the narrative part of the video.

·         It shouldn’t have the forest as the main setting.  Explore more possible locations.

·         You could perhaps have more of the performance element as well.

·         The costumes could be less bright, colder colours.

·         You may want to have more of a structured narrative.

·         You could add some more genre specific characteristics.

·         The location for the singing may feel a bit romantic.

4.  Any other ideas?

·         Have more of a variety of locations.

·         Could use more explanation of why they turn bad.

·         Use an urban location as well as forest.

·         Maybe focus more on the performance and presentation than the narrative.

·         Maybe involve locations such as the park or other public places.

5.  Random queries about our presentation?

·         I feel that the idea matches the genre well as Indie explores different ways to present their music videos.

·         You could consider the meaning of the forest more, why that location?

Overall the idea for the music video appears to be quite popular and the audience thinks it fits in with the genre.  It has been suggested that we try to expand the variety of locations used so we will aim to develop this into the video.  We are also going to make sure the narrative is relatively clear within the video.

Pitch

Time Management - Groups free time

Below is a timetable of when the people in our group are generally free to commit time to our music video.

Narrative Theory - The Killers - When You Were Young

• In this video there is the idea of binary oppositions as mentioned in Levi-Strauss' theory.  It could be argued there is both Good/Bad and Love/Hate.  This is because the couple are both in love and seen as good people, but then when the man sleeps with someone else he is seen as bad and she most likely has some hatred towards him and the woman he was sleeping with.

• Todorvs theory is also followed to a certain extent.  If you ignore the first scene and start at the beggining of the flash backs we see the girls normal life, the original equilibrium.  We then see the disruption, the husband sleeping with another woman.  This leads to the recognition of the disruption when the woman walks in on them together.

• The lead woman could be seen as the 'princess' in the video, but the man starts as the 'hero' and develops into the 'villain' as the narrative progresses.  You could also therefore say he is a 'false hero' because he acts like one at the beginning but then changes.

 

The binary opposition of good and bad is something that will be used in my own video, as we will have the Heroes and Villains.  Similarly to this video, our Heroes will also be both good and bad in different sections of the narrative, a slightly entropic idea as they are normally just the good guys.

Narrative Theory - Ellie Goulding - Your Song

• In this video the artist can be seen as the 'Princess', an idea taken from Propp's narrative theory.  This is because she is singing about her 'Hero', the guy who makes her happy and the one who the lyrics state that this song is for.  We can tell she is the main character in the narrative because she gets nearly all the screen time and lots of close ups.

• Barthes' theories can also be applied to this video.  Their is an enigma code because we are told all about the man she loves, but he is never shown on screen.  In the following close up screenshot we see her looking off camera as though she could be looking at him, which she does a lot in the video.

• The symbolic code is used throughout this video.  Her clothes show her as an average girl, and doing everyday things such as going for walks makes her seem similar to us.  She is being portrayed as very down to earth and ordinary, an image that is very different to other artists auch as Lady Gaga or Florence and the Machine.

In my own video we will also have 'Hero' characters.  They will be slightly unconventional as they will act more like a 'villain' for a large section of the video. 

Narrative Theory - One Night Only - Say You Don't Want It

• At the end of the video it is very much an enigma code.  The two main characters see themselves in the mirror as dogs, and then are dogs.  There is no explanation for this in the lyrics.

• The two main characters could be seen as the 'Hero' and the 'Princess'.  The 'Hero' is also the lead band member and therefore gets the most screen time.

• The surroundings are a symbolic code.  When you see a city that is run down and littered you expect their to be gangs and danger.  The band are seen as a gang walking the streets, rather than a group of friends out for a chat.

In my music video there will also be a lot of symbolic codes.  It will be most clear in the costumes because the Heroes will be wearing masks which suggest they are some kind of vigilante.

Audience Profile

Music Video Analysis - Goodwins Theory

Redundancy and Entropy

Redundancy in a music video is that which is predictable or conventional. Entropy is the opposite of this, something unpredictable or unconventional.

Florence and the Machine - Spectrum:

Redundancy:

• Dance routines: There are choreographed dance routines that contain moves which fit with the beat of the music.  The ballerina costumes worn by some are these dancers are accurate to how you would expect them to look for professional ballet dancers. 

• Portrayal of the artist: The artist is being portrayed in an elaborate way due to the design of her clothes and the large use of makeup, which is in fitting with her brand identity and the alternative genre of her music.  There is also close up shots of her face to promote her.

• Link from lyrics to visuals: The lyrics do have a relation to the visuals.  The song is all about light and colour which is clearly being expressed throughout the video.  There are also certain lines of the song that are matched to particular colours as shown below.

When we first came here, we were cold and we were clear

This line is reflected in the image by the use of cold colours such as blue and reflective or clear decorations.

Entropy:

• Mise-en-scene: The overall image being portrayed is very wacky and although it contains things we recognise, such as Egyptians and Big Ben, it is combining them in a very unexpected way.  It almost appears more like a theatre production with sets than a music video.

• Performance:  We don't not see any of the band or microphone style performance you would often see in a music video.

• Genre: The genre of the music video is indie ar alternative.  Usually in these types of videos we have more of a narrative that fits the lyrics, whereas her video is more like a stage performance in a theatre.  This links with the idea of synergy and how music videos often share characteristics with other media types.

Asking permission to use song

My group for the music video is Hazel Litten, Beth Oliver, Sophie Noble and myself.  We have decided on the song 'More than know' by Canterbury to use for our groups music video.  We have asked them for permission to use the song via Facebook.

Representation, ideologies and values in an Indie Pop music video