THE MUSIC VIDEO

THE CD DIGIPAK

THE WEBSITE

Link to the Website 

The Homepage

Wasted Words - The Performance Cut

Evaluation Task 4: How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

In class we created a spider diagram showing all the different technologies we have used along Media Studies course. I colour coordinated this diagram to make it visually clear how divergent we were with technologies. All the names, such as Monkey Survey, written in red were the use of the internet. All the names, such as Sony NX5, written in blue were examples of cameras we have used in production. Additionally, all the names written in green, such as Photoshop CS6, were examples of software we have used. 

For example, Wix, is an example of an online technology we used. Wix is an online website creator, which we used to create a website for the band, Lion The Weak. This was part of our post production stage and we used this website as an ancillary product to promote the music video for the band. On this website we could use a series of social networking links to offer the band's audience to share the products on their own networking profiles. 

Photoshop CS6, is an example of a software we used in order to create a part of the promotional campaign. We used this software when editing the CD DigiPak, and adding layers onto the image such as the logo and images of the band on them. This professional piece of software, is easy to use and shows how creative prosumers can be when making their products. 

The Sony F3 is an example of one of the cameras we used during the shoot of the promotional video. We were very privileged to be able to use this camera on the shoot day as it is very professional and we were able to take high quality shots of the band. It is important to use good quality cameras when shooting music videos as it shows the audience their success. 

 

In preparation for filming our Evaluation task four, we re-watched our video and wrote a script referring to all the different technologies we used during the production of the shoot day and in post production when editing and cutting the video. 

Evaluation Task 3 - What have you learned from the audience feedback?

The Focus Group

In order to get an in depth response of our promotional campaign we got a focus group together where we asked some of our viewers for some of their feedback.
We undertook two focus groups and I feel this one was the most successful as we were able to build more of a debate over our music video, website, and CD DigiPak.

The Completed DigiPak

The final product of the CD DigiPak for Lion The Weak was very successful and I feel like we have produced a cover that truly represents the conventions of the band. 

This is the spine of the DigiPak. This is a common feature on albums, 

YouTube Statistics

This screenshot tells us when our audience was most intrigued in our video. 

 

This screenshot tells us how long our audience are watching for and how many views we have.

This screenshot tells us where the number of views spiked since the upload back in December. The chart also tells us where most of out views have come from. We can tell from this information that we have a global audience. Being at a multinational school, we are at an advantage because families of students all around the world will be watching.

Survey

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

To answer this question my group and I are going to conduct a survey, using the online website Survey Monkey, and undertake a focus group session, in which we will gather people that are part of our target audience and ask them direct questions responding to the promotional campaign.








The First Survey collected the information of our audience, so would could gather the information that included their gender, age, and their preference of music.
The Second Survey included questions that were all about promotional campaign including: How effectively does theme of the music video relate to the genre of the song, Would you download the track, How was our casting choice? 







The Results 



Overall we did not receive many answers for our online survey. However, limited, we did receive some useful information from our second survey, especially when it came to finding out how the audience listen to their music. We found out that our audience preferred to download music instead of buying albums in store or streaming music online. This is useful information when it comes to the distribution of the band's products. 

Evaluation Task 2- How Effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

In response to this question we have created a documentary to reflect how effective we think of products of our promotional campaign have been.

Evaluation Task 1 - In what ways do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The Website 

This is the final design for the homepage of the website. Over time we have changed the font, background and colour scheme. 

We have complied to conventions of websites by including links to social networking sites throughout the website so the audience are appealed to follow the band of their promotional accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Additionally we have applied to typical conventions by including a page that contains all the information of upcoming dates and venues the band will be playing in. This is all because the website is apart of a promotional campaign for the band. 

 

This is the Bombay Bicycle Club's homepage, which we took as inspiration for our product. For example, we liked using a continuous background throughout the website and using signature dots as an element design, as we thought this was visually attractive and flowed with the colour scheme.

We also included a page that sold merchandise of the band including, sweatshirts, phone cases and vinyl stickers. This is appealing to our target audience of young people that enjoying indie pop band merchandise. On these products the bands signature, # or logo are printed, spreading the branding of the brand.

It is common for band's to sell promotional products on their websites, for example Bombay Bicycle Club and The 1975 apply to this convention. 

 

 

Overall I feel that the website mainly complies the normal codes and conventions of typical band's websites. Lion The Weak's image is sold through the website and applies to spreading the word of the band, which is important as they are new in the market and need to be able to communicate to a large audience. 

The CD DigiPak 

 

The design of the front cover was taken from George Ezra's music video Cassy O', which includes a series of aerial shots of circular items.The inside cover includes pictures of the band, I felt it was important to sell the image of the band somewhere in the DigiPak to show the audience who they were listening to because they are a new and upcoming band. The images are casual, reflecting the laid back image of the band. 

The whole style of the DigiPak is to show the audience that the band are creative and a 'work in  progress'. Having met the band we know that they all enjoy a good cup of tea, which sparked us to use tea as a central image.

George Ezra's Cassy 'O

This is the DigiPak of Bombay Bicycle Club's latest album. Like our DigiPak the same colour scheme runs throughout, which is typical of most albums. 

Overall, I feel that the CD DigiPak challenges and conforms to typical DigiPaks. It challenges conventions because the image of the band is not on the front cover. It conforms to typical DigiPaks becuase it includes song titles, bar codes, different fonts, the title of the album and the title of the band.

Research and Planning of the artwork

I created this image using Photoshop. The title of the band is eye catching and aided by the fiery border. If we were to continue using this design idea, we would try to recreate this image, or something similar, in real life.

These are different album artworks
that fall indie the Indie Rock Genre 

We experimented with crumpling and burning paper and taking photographs with flash/ no flash in order to discover the best way of exposing the band name

We decided not to have a photo shoot of the band and make that the main image of the DigiPak because of our research indicated to us that using quirky and unusual album artwork was more popular to illustrate the image of the band. However, as our band is new, we decided that on one of the pages we would include printed photographs of the band scattered on the work top to introduce the band members 

A quick annotated drawing of the first ideas
of our album artwork for the DigiPak

The main intention for the DigiPak is tot communicate with the audience that Lion The Weak is a new band and by using a work bench background, we are showing that they are not a finished product and are a work in progress 

The idea of taking 'Birds Eye View' shots of the work bench was inspired from The George Ezra music video Cassy O' - this video has been the creative influence for a lot of our decisions throughout the process - because George Ezra falls under the same Indie Pop genre as Lion The Weak

George Ezra, Cassy 'O

What are Codes and Conventions?

Codes are signs, which create meaning. They are divided into two categories, technical and symbolic.
Technical codes are used to tell the story in a media text, e.g. through the use of camera movement and angle.
Symbolic codes can be used for branding.

Conventions are highly recognized ways of doing something. The audience have to read those conventions in order to make them familiar to their genre, for example.

Codes and Conventions work together to create a shared understanding of a media text and provides a platform for the audience.

WIX - Website for Lion The Weak

In order to portray the star image of the band, we are creating a website for Lion The Weak. We are using the free webpage builder, Wix, which has enabled us to create a professional website.

There is a 'widgets' feature on the website, which allows us to be able to include features such as links to social networking sites and a PayPal logo on our store page, that come at a low cost, or in our case for free. Building the website is clear and Lion The Weak's website is applicable to smart phones as well, which would be of interest to the band's target audience.

Calum in the group has taken most of the responsibility of creating the website, however I have been involved recently to make a few tweaks. For example, below you can see I am changing the thickness of the text to make sure that all the words are clear for users. 
I have also removed the sound cloud link on the Homepage as this would not be typical of a band's website. When I discuss this move with Calum I will propose that we include the sound cloud links on another page, dedicated to their music.

Additionally I have created some of the merchandise for the band on our 'Store' page. I created the sweatshirt using another online website. I included Lion The Weak's signature, promotion and a comical picture on the back to entice their audience. We based the price of the products off other band's websites and band t shirt of our own. These products can, in theory, be purchased using online PayPal accounts. 

Evaluation of research and planning

Evaluating the Rough Cut

At the moment we have a performance cut and a narrative cut.

At first we reviewed all our rushes and selected footage we wanted to use. Some shots were rejected because they were out of focus, were not interesting, included mistakes- which is nothing we weren't expecting.

2nd Shoot Day

  

Today was the filming of the dance and stock motion elements. I have taken pictures to document the process of the day.

Today was the filming of the dance and stock motion elements.
First thing we had to give the dancers their costumes and do their hair and makeup. Then we could bring them onto the ready built and furnished set.
Obviously, we started off by shooting a wide of the dance and then went in closer on the action, by changing the lens of the Sony F.
For the stock motion element, we kept the Canon 5D camera in the same position in order to create the effect of the lion appearing.

I felt that overall we had a successful day. However, at the beginning of the process we lacked communication skills between the group and we often forgot to make it clear that we were 'standing by' and ready to 'roll the camera'. But once we were reminded of the importance of the commands, we became more focused as a group.

Performance Cut Feedback

 After the first shoot with the band, using 'Premier Pro' editing software, we cut a performance cut for our music video. After this was completed, Luke gave the group some feedback of what we can work on and what he liked. 

What he liked:

- The camera work was very well executed and was complimented through the editing 

-The tracking shots added a great texture to the piece

Criticisms:

-There was often random shots where the audience could only see the wallpaper during the tracking shots, showing that we need to cut more regularly between shots
-As it is a performance ased video we need to include more shots of the singer- this is what management would be interested in
-Finally, he said that we should cut into the start of the track a bit later, as it starts off as a bit dead

As a group we have taken this feedback very positively and will help us become more confident when editing the dance element/

Music Video Shoot