Evaluation

Evaluation Questions

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

From our research we were able to discover the forms and conventions of music videos. We found that the common forms and conventions of music videos, that are included in music videos from all genres, are; the artist performing in a studio and/or at a gig and a story being told using actors/actresses. We decided to use all the forms and conventions of music videos that we had discovered in our music video. We found the within the forms and conventions of all music videos there are some specific common themes that appear in music videos for particular genres. The music video we were creating was for an indie band so we specifically looked at the forms and conventions of music videos for indie/alternative rock bands. We found that many indie bands music videos the artists got very involved with the music and the crowd (For example The Cribs - Our Bovine Public and The Libertines - Don't Look Back Into The Sun). We found this to be a common form and convention of music videos within this genre so we decided to include it in our music video. Our music video showed the band performing to a crowd at a gig and also playing together in a studio setting were the band were bale to get more involved with the music. Also we found that many indie bands liked to use story telling in their music videos (For example Arctic Monkey - When The Sun Goes Down). Again we found this a very common form and conventions of music videos within the indie genre so decided this would be appropriate to use in our music video. The story telling part of our video tells the story of the song and shows a girl stumbling the streets after a drunken night out. Our music video mostly stuck to common forms and conventions music videos within our specific genre. However we did want to challenge the forms and conventions of music videos and included something that would make the video unique and perhaps hasn't appeared in music videos before. This was the burning piano idea and this was included to challenge the common features of music videos and make our music video stand out. We also used forms and conventions of album covers and artist magazine advertisements in our ancillary tasks. Many indie bands use nonsense images on their album covers and posters to be unique and we found this to be a common feature. We decided to follow this form and convention, but to develop it further so it linked in with the theme of the EP instead of linking in with the band. This is why we used an image of the car and a pair of shoes on the digipack to link in with the theme of growing up, whilst following the nonsense form and convention of this genre, and we used an image of a girl walking away again doing the same thing. We found many forms and conventions of music videos and our ancillary tasks which were very useful in the production of our work. However even though features of these tasks are common for a reason we found it important to develop or even challenge the forms and conventions of the tasks we completed to maintain uniqueness within our work.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

From our research we found that many artists link in their music videos, album covers and posters when advertising new material (For example a new music for a new single from their new album will all link). We decided it would be very important for us to link our 3 texts together as it would enable audiences to recognise the 3 different tasks and they will be memorable. During our projects we found it difficult to link the band in with the 3 tasks as we had trouble with the images for the digipack and magazine advertisement. Therefore we decided to link the theme of the song and the whole EP with the 3 tasks, rather than linking the band themselves. The EP carries the theme of 'growing up' and the challenges you face whilst turning from a child to an adult. The song that we have used for the project tells the story of a girl who is lost and alone after a drunken night out. We therefore felt it would be appropriate to link all 3 tasks with the theme of 'growing up'. This theme will also attract the primary target audience of teenagers who will be able to relate to the songs and the theme of the EP. The video features the band, who are all at this stage in their life, and also tells the story of the 'drunken girl' using an actress. This therefore includes the theme of 'growing up' that the target audiences will be able to relate to. The digipack uses two original images (front and reverse cover) which both link to the theme. The front cover is a picture of the back of a car with all of the bands instruments hanging out of the boot. This image links well with the theme of growing up, as a car symbolizes the period in your life when you are gaining your own freedom, as you are no longer having to rely on anyone else, and you gradually turning from a child to an adult. We have tried not to drift too far from the band, whilst including the theme of 'growing up', as the band are still fairly unknown; therefore we included the instruments and the bands name in the image. The reverse image for the digipack is of a pair of child’s shoes and a pair of adult shoes next to each other. This links in with the theme of growing up as it shows both children and adults shoes presenting the stage in your life when you are no longer a child, but not quite an adult. This again links with the other tasks and will attract the target audiences. Both images have a vintage affect on them which gives them their own uniqueness which links in with the poster. The poster is an image of a girl walking along a street alone; this again was taken to link the 3 tasks together by sticking to the theme of 'growing up'. Also this image uses a vintage affect giving it a uniqueness linking in with the digipack images. Our research enabled us to realise that our work needed to link to be effective. We have found that deciding on the theme of 'growing up', because of the song we used and the EP, we were able to link our work which will be good for attracting audiences and being memorable. Also the theme itself means the main target audience of teenagers will be able to relate to the work and therefore be more likely to listen to and remember the band.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

After completing our advanced media production we showed our music video to a group of year 7 pupils to gain some audience feedback. We interviewed 3 pupils after the viewing to see what they thought. This is the video of the interview:

We received a lot of positive feedback from the interview with the year 7 pupils and we also received criticism that we could use to improve our current video or use if we were to create a new music video. First we learnt from our audience feedback that our video was very creative, it included good ideas and they flowed very well together. Also the group we interviewed really liked the burning piano idea, they said it was very unique and eye catching. We have learnt from audience feedback that is important that the video flows well and the ideas are creative and not boring. Also it is important to included memorable parts in the video to create uniqueness and make it eye catching for audiences. The audience feedback also included some negative comments that we could use to improve our video or improve our work in the future. The pupils said that the video lacked a clear story line and that the majority of music videos has a story line in them. We have learnt from this that if you chose to include a story line in your music video you must make sure that the story being told is clear to the audience. The pupils we interviewed also said that in the 'studio' scene the camera lacked movement. They said that the use of close ups and shots was effective, but they improvement could have been made by including more movement in the camera work amongst the band members. From this audience feedback we have learnt that it is important to use a range of camera angles and camera movement in the video and also the camera work should relate to the scene being shot. The pupils also said the video was too happy in places for the song and it didn't relate to the lyrics. We learnt that ensuring the song relates to the video throughout is an essential part of making a music video as it links the two together and makes the music video more memorable to audiences. Lastly the audience feedback pointed out a problem we had previously attempted to fix. They said that in the gig scene the footage was too dark, even though we had adjusted the brightness. We have learnt from this that it is important that all of our shots are clearly visible and the light for filming is suitable. Our audience feedback has enabled us to see what we have done well and what things we could included in future work and enabled us to see things we have done poorly and we could improve upon in future work.

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

Throughout our advanced media production we used a variety of different media technologies at different stages of our project. Firstly in the research stage we used the Internet to carry out a lot of our research. For example we used Google images to research album covers and posters/magazine advertisements for specific artists. Also we used video sharing sites like YouTube to research different types of music videos. Also we used sites like YouTube for some techniques we used in our music video. For example the creation and use of the steadi-cam and the burning piano. We used different media technologies in the construction of our music video including the steadi-cam itself and a standard dolly tripod. We were able to use these to create different types of shots including tracking shots and dynamic shots. We used two different types of cameras in the production of our music video and they were; the Canon MV830 camcorder and the JVC Everio HM-200 HD camcorder. We also used different media technologies in the planning stages of our advanced media portfolio. We used social networking sites like Facebook and we used Emails during our planning stages; for example to organize recording and filming etc... Also we carried out some planning videos, before creating our final music video, in which we used a single recording mic to record sound for the practise videos. During the editing of our music video we used two different types of media technologies in terms of editing software. We used both Avid Studio and Pinnacle Studio 15 to edit our music video manipulating things like transitions, colour/brightness, sound and other effects. We also used media technologies for our evaluation stage of the project. We used video sharing sites like YouTube to share our videos with others. This is a form of audience feedback as people are able to view the music video and leave comments displaying their views. We have used multiple media technologies at different stages throughout our project and each of them has made it possible to complete our advanced media portfolio.

Music Video

Before the music video was fully completed we had to adjust the brightness of the 'gig performance' scene as the footage was very dark and it was difficult to see the band. Once this was completed the music video was completed. This is our final music video:

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Album Cover

After looking at the previously finished digipack we decided that we needed to make some changes to ensure the images were to the best of our ability and the album cover would attract audiences and be memorable. The first change was on the front cover of the album. We had to adjust the contrast of the image were the sign saying 'The Basement People' is located. This is because in the previous image the bands name was unclear and adjusting the contrast has made it easier to see; which will ensure that audiences are aware of the bands name. We also had to edit the reverse image of the album cover. We decided that we should change the color and style of the text on the reverse of the digipack. This is because the previous text looked unprofessional and the color was inappropriate. The adjustment of the font and the color made the reverse image look more professional and eye catching to audiences; this is so they remember the album cover and remember the band. These are the final images for our digipack:

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Poster

After looking at the previous poster we deiced that the text was weak and we would need to edit it to ensure that the poster looked as professional and eye catching as possible. We removed the text from the previously finished poster and added new text that was larger and the color was more appropriate. This therefore ensured that the poster was eye catching for audiences and displayed all the necessary information and was completed to the best of our ability. This is our final magazine advertisement:

Music Video - Editing Process

We used Avid Studio Editing Software to edit our music video. We had to combine all of the shots we had taken of the gig performance, studio scene, 'story-telling' scene and burning piano scene to create the music video. We used fade transitions, reversing footage, adjusting brightness levels and adding text to create the final piece. This is a screen shot of avid studio whilst we were editing the video:

Once we had finished the editing there were a few problems that needed adjusting to ensure that the music video was completed to its highest standard.

Digipack - Editing Process

After encountering the problems with our digipack and poster image we decided that we weren't going to use the whole band in the photo, but instead use an image that relates to the theme of the song and the EP itself. The the theme of the EP is 'growing up' and all the challenges you face at different stages of your life. The song 'T.Y.P.I.C.A.L' looks at one of those stages, which is the girl experiencing her first time drunk and lost after a night out. This theme also links in with the age of the band and therefore their primary target audience.We decided that if we relate the theme of the EP to the digipack the image will become very effective, particularly with linking the 3 pieces of work together and relating to audiences. After brainstorming some ideas we took the following picture for the front cover of our digipack:

We decided on photographing this picture, after discussing some ideas that would relate the image to the theme of 'growing up' and also wouldn't drift it too far from the band. Firstly this image relates to growing up because the age at which you get your first car you acquire freedom and feel much more like an adult; as you no longer have to rely on others. Also we've linked in the child side by having Jack have his thumb up out the window. This shows they are still a little bit childish and are not quite adults, but they are getting older and becoming more independent, linking in with the theme of growing up. This will hopefully attract the younger audiences as they will be able to relate to the songs in the EP. We have tried not to drift to far from the band, whilst incorporating growing up, by including our guitars and drums in the image. This will also be effective with attracting audiences, as we are quite unknown, so they will know we are a band. Lastly to ensure the band was still presented in the digipack image, whilst keeping the to the theme of growing up, we included the band name in the photograph This will be effective, as our band is farily unkown, so it important that the band name is clear; so that audiences are aware of who the atrist of the album is. For the image on the reverse side of the digipack we decided that we would stick with the theme of growing up; However, this image would not need the bands name, but would need to be an appropriate image for text to be added. This is the orginal photograph that we took for the reverse side of the digipack:

This is the original photograph that we took for the reverse side of the digipack. The photograph sticks with the theme of 'growing up' and is an appropriate image to add text. We decided to use the adult shoes and child's shoes next to each other as it symbolizes growing up. As I have said before this links in with the theme of the songs in the EP. The fact that we have used adult shoes and childs shoes shows that the album symbolizes the period of time when you are no longer a child but not quite an adult shows that the images link in with the theme of the album. We decided to make the photographs have more uniqueness we should edit them using software and also we should add text to the reverse side; including websites and track listings. This is a screen shot of the editing we did on the images:

We used Adobe Photoshop to edit the brightness and contrast of the image to make it black and white and to also create more of a vintage look to the image. We thought this would create more of a unique style which audiences would recognize and remember and link with the band. We did the same for the reverse image of the digipack and we also added text to that image. This is the reverse side of the digipack:

After creating the digipack we noticed a few areas that we wanted to edit further before being happy on our final piece.

Poster - Editing Process

Similarly to the digipack image we decided that we were no longer going to use the photograph of the whole band for the image on the magazine advertisement. We thought it would be more appropriate to use an image for the magazine advertisement that links in with the theme the EP and therefore links in with the two other tasks. As I have said before the theme of the EP is 'growing up' so we wanted the magazine advertisement to link in with this theme. This is the original image that we took for the poster:

We wanted the image to link in with 'growing up' whilst again not drifting too far from the band. Therefore for this image we decided to use Amy (the lead singer) as the person in the photograph. The image links in with the theme of growing up as it shows the girl walking alone along an empty street; this therefore represents growing up and turning from a child into an adult linking in with the theme of growing up. We also decided for the poster image to edit the photograph in Adobe Photoshop and make the photo more vintage and unique. It was also important for the photograph to be suitable for adding text to. This is what the image looked like once we had added the band name, EP release date and track listing:

We decided that we wanted to edit the magazine advertisement further make it look more professional and eye catching to audiences and to have an overall more sound final piece.

Burning Piano Scene

The final scene we had to film was the 'Burning Piano'. This took place in a field surrounding Ed's house because it is the safest area for a fire and also is the most easily accessible place for the piano. We placed the broken piano in the centre of the field away from any fire hazards and secured the immediate area. We set up cameras in several locations around the piano and set it alight. The cameras filmed for the duration of the burn so we will be able to pick out the best shots when we come to editing. These are a couple of pictures taken from the 'Burning Piano' shoot:

Outdoor Scene

We arranged the outdoor scene filming for an evening, so that it would be dark and the town would be empty, and therefore we could imitate the girl stumbling down the streets in the early hours of the morning. We organised to meet with the actress and then took a number of shots in and around the cemetery and the town centre using the steady-cam. We did this to create a feeling of imbalance and dizziness for the viewer, which is what the girl in the song would be feeling after being intoxicated with alcohol.

Studio Performance Filming

We had decided that the 'studio scene' would be best located in Ed's outhouse. On the day of filming me and Ed met up early on and set up the outhouse for filming. We took time in arranging the set and seriously considered the mise en scene. We arranged the amps, drums and guitars so that all of the members of the band could be clearly seen. Also, we set up cameras in various locations so that we could get different angles during filming. Lastly we positioned 'caution tape' across all the amps to enhance the set. This was also done as a relation to the video as it links in with the theme of a lost, drunk girl who should be avoided. Whilst filming we took time to video the set of the 'studio performance' scene. This is the video of the set:

Gig Performance Filming

After looking at possible locations for the 'Gig Performance' parts of the music video we decided that we were going to take the oppurtunity to film 'The Basement People's' recent gig at the Folkestone Quarterhouse. This did however come with some problems as the day before the gig the lead singer Amy contracted bronchitis, which meant the gig and also filming were very close to being cancelled. However, luckily Amy was still able to perform and we were able to gain some good footage for from the gig to use in our music video. Here are some photos of 'The Basement People' taken from the gig:

Recording - Resolving Problem

After trying to get the song semi-professionally recorded we decided we were going to use a similar technique we had previousy used to film the practise videos. Thanks to Ed we were able to use his mic and laptop to record the song similar to before. However, this time we decided that we would record each of the individual instruments into a single mic, using a metronome as a time keeper, and then mixing all the the audio together with a programme on the laptop we recoded the sound in to. This also meant that we no longer needed my friend, who was going to help us semi-professionally record and mix the song, as we were now doing everything ourselves. After carrying out this recording and mixing process we created a good quality piece that is good enough to use in the music video. This is a link to the recording of 'T.Y.P.I.C.A.L' we created:

http://soundcloud.com/thebasementpeople/the-basement-people-t-y-p-i-c

Recording - Problems

A few days before we planned to record the song 'T.Y.P.I.C.A.L' we were informed that we would not be able to use the schools recording studio on the day we had booked. This was a huge problem for us as it was very difficult to find a time when the whole band plus Ed was free to record. We were now unable to use the school recording studio as there was no time available when everyone was free. This meant we had to look at other possible ways of recording the song to a good standard for our music video.

Digipack and Poster - Resolving Problems

After encountaring the issues we had with our orginal ideas for the digipack album cover and the poster we met up and discussed some new ideas. We realised that from our previous research into album covers and posters that not all artists use pictures of themselves when promoting, some use logos and other use random images that are memorable. For example one band that we looked at called 'Two Door Cinema Club' use a Cat on their album cover. This is the album cover for the debut album 'Tourist History':

After looking back at this research we decided that perhaps it would be more suited for us to use an image that doesn't neccessarily inlcude the band. We discussed new ideas and decided that we should use an image that links in with the theme of the song and the the music video. This made sense as from our research we found that many artists link together videos, posters and album covers for specific albums/singles/events. We decided that we would photograph images that display youth and 'growing up' as this is part of the theme of the song and more so the theme of the EP titled 'Adolescent'. This would mean that we would have a theme that ran thorugh all of our project and linked all the pieces together.

Digipack and Poster - Problems

After generating our final ideas for our digipack album cover and our poster we had decided that a full band picture, whislt performing, would be a the best option for the poster and the album cover. However, after taking some photos we decided that this technique was not very effective. Here is an example of some of the photos taken in the first shoot for the album cover and poster orginal photography:

We found it very difficult to photograph an image with all of the band present. This is when we decided that this idea would not be very effective and we would need to discuss new ideas for orginal photography for both the digipack album cover and the poster.

Flow Chart

We created a flow chart so we can keep track of what task we have to carry out throughout the creation of our advanced media production. This is a print screen of our flow chart:

Storyboard

After organising the recording we decided to begin the detailed planning of the filming process. Firstly we decided to draw a storyboard for the music video so we would have an idea of the final peice. The storyboard is designed to be a guide for the final product and also this will make filming and editing process a lot easier. Here is a copy of the storyboard for our music video:

Shooting Schedule

The next part of the planning for the filming was to create a video shooting schedule. This is so we can determine the order the parts of the music video will be filmed and have a general idea for the mise en scene of the different parts of the music video. Also, we can begin deciding the dates for the filming. This is a copy of our shooting schedule:

Recording

As I have said before we have decided that we are going to get the song semi-professionally recorded for our music video. After discussing some possible locations of where we could record we decided that our schools recording studio would be a suitable place to record the song for our music video. Firstly I had to email the head of music at our school so that we can book the studio for a couple of weeks time. This is a copy of the email that I sent:

I have since spoken to Mr Barker and he has given us permission to use the studio on Friday 18th November. I then had to email my friend who is studying music technology at college to come and help us use the recording equipment and help record the song. Also Matt will be mixing and mastering the track for us so that we get the best sound quality for the music video. This is a copy of the email I sent him:

I have also recently spoken to Matt and he has confirmed that he will be available for that day to help us. Lastly I had to email the rest of the band to let them know the date and time of the recoring and the plans for the day. This is a copy of the email I sent the rest of the band:

Music Video - Practice Video

After planning some of our music video we decided to carry out a couple of practice videos to get an idea of how to create a music video. Firstly my band did a cover of 'What You Know' by 'Two Door Cinema Club' which was recorded by a single mic into a laptop as well as being filmed by 2 video cameras at the same time. We then edited the footage and added the audio and this was the video that was created:

We then did the same process for the song we will be using in the music video 'T.Y.P.I.C.A.L'. This is the video we created:

From these videos we were able to get an idea of what it is like to create a music video. We were then able to realized some changes we would have to make when we come to make our final video. We have decided that when we do make our video we will record the song and the video footage separately because it will improve the sound quality. Also we decided that instead of recording all of our audio into one mic we will organize to get the song recorded in a semi-professional studio so the sound quality is much better.

Burning Piano Idea

After discussing our research and generating our ideas we decided we are going using a 'burning piano' in our video as part of the non-performance footage. Ed has an old broken piano and we thought it would be a good idea to burn it and use the video footage in the video. This is because it will make the video unique and be a remembering point for the audience. Also it does link in with the lyrics and the song. As I have said before the lyrics of the song tell a story about a girl who is lost and confused after a night out drinking. This links in with the burning piano idea as she as feeling as though everyone and everything crumbling away around her. The piano will be burnt similar to this picture and be shown at various stages throughout the video:

The Song - T.Y.P.I.C.A.L

The song we have decided to do use is by my band 'The Basement People' and the song is called 'T.Y.P.I.C.A.L'. The lyrics to the song are as follows:

Smeared lipstick, intoxicated smile, it’s quite beautiful, it’s quite beautiful.
Lights bleeping off the city streets, pavement cracks not so sleek, hazy rewinds, nights before revealing.
Muddy knees, dirty teas.
T.Y.P.I.C.A.L x3

Girl in the bright blue coat, her stockings ripped but nobody knows, where she’s been, where she’s going, oh little lady, loosing time. Snakes and ladders, never ending line.

Gutter bound, elusive acts, it’s quite beautiful, it’s quite beautiful.
Nights approaching things look bleak, facing facts feeling weak, broken bottles, nights before concealing.
Muddy knees, dirty teas.
T.Y.P.I.C.A.L x3

Girl in the bright blue coat, her stockings ripped but nobody knows, where she’s been, where she’s going, oh little lady, loosing time, snakes and ladders, never ending line.
Breakdown


Girl in the bright blue coat, her stockings ripped but nobody knows, where she’s been, where she’s going, oh little lady, loosing time, snakes and ladders, never ending line.

The song tells a story of a young girl lost and confused trying to finding her way home in the early hours of the morning after a night out drinking. She feels as though the world is crumbling around her and she is alone.

Filming Locations

After deciding on the ideas for our music video we had to begin to plan the filming process. We first looked at the different possible locations we would use for filming. We decided on a few different places to film for each of the different parts of  the video:

Studio Setting
Outhouse
Basement

Gig Performance
Googies Art Cafe - http://www.googies.co.uk/
Folkestone Quarterhouse - http://www.quarterhouse.co.uk/
The Lanterns - http://www.thelanternsfolkestone.com/

Burning Piano Scene
Fields surrounding Etchinhill

Story/Outdoor Scene
Folkestone Town Center
Cemetery

Research - Final Ideas

After combining our product research, analyzing our audience research and discussing ideas we have come up with the final plans for our advanced media production. We have decided that our music video will consist of some shots of the band 'The Basement People' performing and some footage telling the story of the song 'T.Y.P.I.C.A.L'. We will use a studio scene and footage from a gig as the performance parts of the video and we will use an actress for the story-telling parts of the music video. For our magazine advertisement and digipack we have decided to use photographs of the band together as these will be the best way for audiences to recognize a fairly small and unknown band.

Research - Possibilities

From my research I have discovered many ideas that we could include in our music video and many possible options we could use for our digipack and magazine advertisement. The music video could show the band performing, tell the story of the song or show both. The digipack and magazine advertisement could display a photograph of the artist, the artist logo, an image or photograph that may or may not be related to the album or even and image of the band that has been manipulated using photographic effects. I now must combine my research with my groups and discuss ideas to generate the final ideas for our advanced media production.

Audience Research - Questionnaire Findings

Our questionnaire findings were very useful in giving us information on audiences views of music videos and band/artist advertisement. Our questionnaire was handed to approximately 100 people and we received 51 completed questionnaires back. Here is an outline of our findings:

Purchasing Music

Out questionnaire findings showed a little difference in the amount of money spent on music and how it is purchased between males and females. However there was a difference in amount spent on music and how it is purchased across age groups. Our findings showed that younger people spend between £26-£35 per month on music compared to older people who spend between £6-£15 per month on music. Also the research showed that younger people tend to use internet downloads as a means of purchasing music and older people continue to buy CD's and Vinyl's.

Music Preferences

We found that music genre preferences did differ across gender and age. We found that young males seemed to prefer 'Drum and Bass/Dubstep' and young females prefer 'Pop' and 'Hip-Hop/Rap'. In older people we found that males prefer 'Rock' whilst females prefer 'indie'.

Music Videos and Artist Advertising

Our research showed that young people watch music videos on a daily basis on the Internet, whilst older people rarely watch music videos and if they do it would be on the television. Also we found that across all ages and genders that people prefer music videos that tell a story and also show the band performing as well. Lastly from our questionnaire we found that people recognize artist from images that are different and unique to the band/artist and do not necessarily relate to the album/tour.