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.

Audience Research - Questionnaire

After carrying out product research I have come up with some good ideas for what types of things we should include in our music video, digipack and magazine advertisement. Before making our final decision we have decided to carry our some audience research ion the form of a questionnaire:

Questionnaire – Music Videos

This questionnaire is designed to research viewer preferences in music videos. Please answer truthfully and complete as much as you can. Many Thanks.

(1)    Please select your age group.

Under 16 [  ]  16 -25 [  ]  26-35 [  ]  36-45 [  ]  46-55 [  ]  55+ [  ]

(2)    Please select your gender.

Female [  ]  Male [  ]

(3)    Where do you purchase your music?

Internet Downloads [  ]  High-street [  ]  Other (Please state) [  ]

_____________________________________________________________________

(4)    How much do you spend on music per month?

£0-£5 [  ]  £6-£15 [  ]  £16-£25 [  ]  £26-£35 [  ]  £36-£45 [  ]  £46+ [  ]

(5)    What genre of music do you prefer? (Please tick multiple options)

Rock [  ]  R&B [  ]  Indie [  ]  Pop-Punk [  ]  Pop [  ]  Drum and Bass/Dubstep [  ]  Hardcore [  ]  Acoustic [  ]  Hip-Hop/Rap [  ]  Other (Please state) [  ]

            

           _____________________________________________________________________

(6)    Do you watch music videos? If yes, where do you watch them?

Yes (Please Select) [  ]  No [  ]

                

            Television [  ]  Internet [  ] 

(7)    How often do you watch music videos?

Daily [  ]  Weekly [  ]  Monthly [  ]  Rarely [  ]  Never [  ]

(8)    Do you prefer music videos that show the artist perhaps performing or actors/actresses telling the story?

            Actors/Actresses telling a story [  ]  Artist Performing  [  ]  Both [  ]

(9)    Do you have a particular favourite music video? If yes, what is it?

            Yes (Please State) [  ]  No [  ]

_____________________________________________________________________

(10) Who is your favourite music artist? And how do you recognise them? (For example logo or photograph)

_____________________________________________________________________

Thank you for filling out this Questionnaire.

Filming Techniques - The Steadicam

After carrying out our product research we noticed particular filming techniques that created interesting effects in the videos that we looked at. One technique we picked out in a number of the music videos we looked at was the use of the 'Steadicam'. We decided that this particular technique would be very useful in our music video and would be very appropriate for our video. We looked at some videos of the 'Steadicam' on YouTube and this video showed us some other uses of the Steadicam and also how to make one.

Product Research - Magazine Advertisements

To complete the magazine advertisement we will also need to use band images, they may be the same as the album cover or they may be different to advertise a particular gig, single or album. To get ideas of what types of images bands use in their advertisements I have carried out some product research in this area:

Two Door Cinema Club - Tour Advertisement

This poster is similar to the album cover that just uses a photograph of the band/artist as the center of the poster. The name of the band and the name of the album/tour that is being advertised is also present. This is a possible option for us to use a photograph of the band as the image for our magazine advertisement.

Sonic Boom Six - Album Advertisement

Some bands/artists use logos or symbols to advertise themselves and a way for fans to recognize them. These are often used on posters and advertisements so people can quickly recognize bands/artists. Also sometimes bands/artists use other images or photographs that sometimes relate or sometimes don't relate to the album/tour for the primary image on their posters. These options are all possible ideas for our magazine advertisement image.

The Cribs - Tour Advertisement

Similarly to the album covers some bands/artists use software to maniluate photographs of the band/artist. These images can be used on posters and magazine advertisements. This is again is an idea we could use for the image on our magazine advertisement.

Product Research - Album Covers

To complete the digipack we will need to create an album cover; whether it be a photo of the band, an edited graphics image or a picture relating to the album. To get ideas of what types of images bands use on their albums I have decided to carry out some product research in this area:

The Libertines - Time For Heroes

This album cover displays a photograph of the band, the name of the band and the name of the album. It is a fairly simple idea for an album cover and is a possible option for us to use as the idea for our digipack photograph.

Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

This album cover is completely different from the previous one. It doesn't have a photograph of the band, but instead just has an image that doesn't include the band members. Sometimes albums like this display an image that relates to the album and other time the picture on the front of the album is completely irrelevant. However the idea of using an image that doesn't include the band is a possible idea for our digipack image.

Sonic Boom Six - Rude Awakening

Lastly some album covers use images of the band that have been manipulated using photo editing software. They don't just use a standard photograph of the band, but they use effects and sometimes other images to create a final album cover. Again this is another possibility for us to use as our idea for our digipack image.