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

In my coursework I had to create a music video which adapted the conventions of a specific genre of my groups own deciding. Before I came to a starting point I had to research into what a music video actually consists of, in substantial depth. Key items that stood out include from the research was the fact that each genres conventions alternated. This covered areas such as Cinematography, Editing, Mise – en – Scene and various other areas have their own specifics which needed to be catered for if a music video under a ‘genre’ identifier is said to be conventional. This transition in specifics can be seen in clear contrast of genres such as Pop and Rock due to the themes that they persist on getting across to the audience. With Pop for example there is a constant focus on the artist as they are treated like a star (related to Dyers theory), whereas in Rock the main focus is on the genre characteristics such as instruments and a clear narrative, this being one example among many others. In addition we focused on theory elements to the music industry. One example that we looked at was Goodwin’s theory which looks at the common parallels of music videos. One major point among the many others of the theory is the fact that a music video is consists of 3 main elements; Performance, Narrative and Concept. For our music video we had to decide what one we would use or all of them.

My group of Jazz, Luke and Ben decided to choose a song which is rather diverse as it is from not a rather popular genre as we knew from our experience and later target audience research. This was Tame Impalas ‘Feel like we only go backwards’. This song belongs to the Psychedelic Rock genre and has a music video which clearly reflects the genres main characteristics and roots alike. From viewing this video and others within the genre, such as bands like Animal Collective which are rather more extreme and abstract in comparison. As a group we began to build a strong idea of what needed to be included for the video to be conventional to the genre. The main ideas include a clear reference to drugs consonantly whether apparent or in the format of an interpretation that can easily be picked up upon, alongside with a use of bright colours (all bold colours of the spectrum) to engage the audience, no idol or clear engaging with the artist themselves and finally a narrative that is hard to define but unique and once again is open to the audience own thoughts. We as a group felt that all of this could be achieved and placed with our created music video due to our ability and confidence. Therefore it is clear that the music video will consist of all 3 elements of Goodwin’s Theory as I and my group have decide on the narrative that we will be portraying of a relationship and the fallout of the break-up, with its links to drugs which is the concept and finally we have opted to use a artist whom will be lip syncing with the lyrics in between the narrative.

This was until we completed our audience research, from this we concluded that the genre was not popular among the masses, therefore as a consequence we decided to make our music video more alike more mainstream genres in attempt to gain notice and attraction from wider audiences.

From this as a group we decided to create a mixture of the two genre characteristics so that it would appeal to both sets of fans, this is why our music video has elements from both of the genres at questions, Pop and Rock. Our music video therefore conforms and challenges the conventions of real media products as we have a mixture of genres and have not just follows the ideology of what one genre dictates as it platform which defines it from others. Items included from Pop, a singled out artist that is relateable for audiences, camera angles, narrative with references to the real word i.e. drugs, committing suicide. Which are current and relevant issues that bring conversation and debate as they are issues which are portrayed by the media on a regular basis. From Psychedelic Rock we see the use of slight colour tints, Kaleidoscope effects and once again the strong links to drugs which overlaps from pop and is slightly different as in Pop the use is glamorized where the other the side effects or ‘buzz’ is the point of focus. By doing this we feel that as a group we have made a product which will please both sets of our target audience as we have made a product that crosses multiple genres and catered for both genres accordingly and on an equal basis as explained, therefore as a consequence reaching out to wider audiences rather than appealing to one single and small demographic. Our target audience by definition is the already existing members of the Psychedelic Rock genre, in addition to that of the alternative genre. In addition I hope to capture the attention of more popular genres such as Pop and R&b due to the narrative that we have created which reflects the ideologies of them genres as mention around drugs and relationships /break ups. 

Final Group Magazine Advert

Final Group Digipak

Music Video

Final Cut of White Rhinos - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards 

West Hatch High School 16807

Harry Hyett - 3242

I worked alongside;

Ben Yarwood - 3184

Luke Durrance - 3224

Jazz Chrystie - 3214

Rough Cut - Miss Georgiou

Audience feedback is important item that needs to be considered in the final stages of the making of a music video. This is due to the fact that this is the demographic that our final music video will be showed to or alike, and there feedback will be completely bias as they are not part of the group which made the video. It also will give us constructive feedback that we will be able to use and then apply to the video so that audiences will find the video more appealing and error free. This is why it is important to create a rough cut of the video at the point where we feel it is in the final stages of production and is suitable in the context of Editing to show to people outside of the project to then gain this feedback.


We received audience feedback through the class by presenting each others music video to each other and then writing both areas for improvements and areas that we felt stood out from the video also. After this we discussed as a group and then gave them a mark out of 40 depending on where we felt as a collective it fitted in on the mark scheme. We have also gained feedback from our questions we done earlier on in the course and also comments from YouTube that we had put links to via various social media sites such as twitter and Facebook.



In the music industry this feedback would highly benefit our production and the music industry as we would be able to make the music video better and more appealing in relation to the feedback. By doing this it will increase the popularity of the video as errors or areas for improvement have been addressed. By doing this it may increase the amount of purchases that the audience therefore having a direct impact on sales and the amount of revenue that the label makes than as a result will be reinvested into the industry.

Positives

1) Variety of Shots
2) Clear Narrative
3) Editing Techniques / Styles

Negatives

1) Some shots are too long
2)Lip Syncing
3) Not a lot of performance within the video.

When we go to improve our music video over the next following weeks we will mainly focus on get the clips we need in order to follow the feedback given by the audience, this includes more lip syncing shots that we can put in with an extensive length so that the video becomes for performance based. In addition we will collect more shots of items that would could possible use so that we can make the shots shorter.

Group Digipak - Miss Miller

When we went to create a group digipak we decided to alike the magazine advert conform to the same routine that we followed when we went to create our group digipak as a collective. We first opened up all of our digipak separately on each of the Mac’s then we compare each slide and took out the best ones for adaptation for the final digipak.

Colours, We have infinitely used a wide array of colours throughout the whole of the digipak.

These include slight undertones and bright bold colours alike. This is because we wanted to at the same time be conventional and subversive of the genre alike. This is to have a significant impact on both the genres prior audience and the wider audience as it in my view appeals to both sets of fans. The purple and dark undertones on the front and back covers, conforms to the genre strictly as these are colours that are frequently seen in digipaks that we have analysed. In addition from my personal view, as I do not deem myself a hard-core fan of the genre, I find these images visually pleasing as they are different from that of covers we see from mainstream items that we see. The inside covers may come as a shock for audience as they are completely different and are surprisingly different. This is due to the fact that they are images which have been made darker but the contrast has been increased to make the light on the image stand out. I wouldn’t say that these are at all linking with the genre but there are connotations that can be seen within which include the idea of hallucinogenic's and their effects on the body and particularly eyesight.

There are various conventions of the genre which can be clearly seen for example on the front cover there is a clear reference to drugs as we see a flying rhino with an altered in colour background which once again backs up this viewpoint.  This can be seen slightly on the inside covers have they have been altered as previously mentioned to stick to this theme. There are also some items which are not conventional to the genre which include the CD, although it links in with the front cover it has been stripped of its drug related colours therefore being a raw image that is unaltered and visually pleasing. The link made can be seen to represent the two views of drugs being the highs and the lows or even addiction and being clean. Finally the back cover is very unconventional as it is simple and it was is normally seen on rather mainstream genres as it displays all the necessary information which includes artwork of the artist also.

The layout seen of the digipak is of what is expect to be seen by audiences. This includes a front cover displaying all the necessary information which includes items such as the band name and album title. This again is replicated on the back cover which sees again some artwork of the artist himself and all the necessary items that the audience wants/needs to see such as the song lists and there indexes into where they are positioned on the album. On the inside covers we see some more artwork from the album that links in with the music video if the audience has seen it then it will be recognisable for them. Finally there is a panel dedicated to the artist in which a personal message is displayed to give the digipak a personal touch.

We have stuck with a consistent theme throughout with regards to font type. The font is very similar to that of old computer text when they were first invented so it already as some quirky connotations, which can be somewhat be related to the genre as it can be seen in some sense as a random collection of weird items. I feel due to the text being spaced out it  can be clearly read and therefore consequently all information is convey as intended.

Apart from wording that we have used to convey information to audience, we have used emotive language in order to create a bond between audience and the artist the message is as seen. The artist personally thanks the audience for being fans and then being loyal to them. The emotive section is where he states that he wouldn’t be in his position of it wasn’t for them therefore making them responsible for his fame which can be seen when he talks about the massive difference in his life and that he is true grateful for it.

We used at least one item from each member of the group. From myself we used one of the inside slides of the outside of Liverpool street station and the back cover which involves Jazz sitting on a wall with a fountain setting. From Luke we took the idea of the actual CD which had a sky setting on in. After this we decided to use the magazine advert as the front cover for the digipak as we felt that we needed to have some consistency within the relation between magazine and digipak to therefore consequently make it recognisable for audiences that are new to the band as it may be hard to find if there is no link whatsoever. From Ben, keeping with the theme of consistency we also decided to keep the relation of the inside cover towards the setting so we used an inside shot of Liverpool street. Finally from Jazz we decided to use the panel that involved the artists personal message to the fans. All of the panels were very similar but it was the personal message that sold it for the group as it was direct and meaningful.

Strengths and Weaknesses of each members digipak.

Luke, I feel that his digipak was very bland and did not fit under the criteria of any genre mainly as it was rather a collection of un-edited images. The images do not adhere slightly to the genre and there is a rather limited use of Photoshop. The images are mostly not in focus and have been stretched due to the size. His text style if very likeable, readable and consistent. Another positive would be his CD cover designed which would be arguable the best out of the whole groups. The only improvement I would make to it is the fact it doesn’t state that it is the White Rhinos CD and then therefore be easily misplaced by audience if they do not remember whom it belongs too.

Ben, I feel that his digipak is far less consistent than Luke’s as there are no corresponding links. The colours match in some slides and not others, which can also be said for the font of the text which is the same on some slides and not others. It in truth looks like a random collection of slides that have been put together. I feel that these inconsistency’s will disengage the audience and rather put them off purchasing the product entirely. I do like the way that he has edited the image that we used in the group digipak of the inside of Liverpool street as it directly shows the connotations of the genre with the bright colours and dark undertones of compete opposite which actually have an outstanding effect.

Jazz, his digipak strongly promotes the genre as it strongly conforms to the genre itself as we see drug related items being portrayed as well as the use of a Kaleidoscope effect which links remotely to the genre. I like the way he has taken the white rhinos and has transformed them in a sea of bright and vibrant colours which are the same as the mentioned effect. Apart from this his other slides are rather different as they have wobbly effects and other slides which lack colour or are not similar. In addition the font is not the same on all slides adding to his inconsistency. 

I think that our digipak partly adheres to the conventions of our chosen music genre, this is due to the fact that we have used bright bold colours with a balanced mix of dark tones also. In addition we have also subverted the genre as we have also used recognisable locations which are usually related to more popular genre, this is as we have tried to focus in onto that audience. In a line to this we have also used reliable images of the skyline that has been edited to make an interpreted link to the genre.

I feel that this will appeal to both sets of our overall target audience due to how we have laid out the structure of the digipak. The panels that will be seen by the audience when purchasing this product are the Front and Back covers, we have purposely toned them down to make them appeal to most of the demographic as they are quote plain and convey the message and information clearly. The audiences loyal fans are drawn in by the inside covers as they bear the ideology of the genre as they are heavily edited colour wise making them have the psychedelic connotations.

Once again I felt due to the process that we used in order to make the group digipak alike the magazine advert we worked together as a  joint venture and made decisions democratically so everyone opinion was heard, in addition improvements that were made in the same manner.  I found the process very collaborative and positive as no arguments or disagreement were made between members of the group.

 

Group Magazine Advert - Miss Miller

Prior to this task we all created our own individual magazine adverts. These were our own and reflected what direction we felt that we should take in regards to the final Group Magazine advert. To decide on one magazine advert that would then be altered by the rest of the group we all came together in a group meeting and proposed all of our magazine adverts to each other. We then discussed the positives and negatives of each one and then what was the overall majority approach that the group felt that we should be taking in order to conform or subverts the genre and how it should appeal to fans either the restrict audience of the psychedelic rock genre or as well wider audiences of which will be engaged and find a poster attractive therefore enticing them to find out more information and ultimately buy the songs/album.

Luke, His advert took a more simplistic view with a plain background of the sky with waves within the clouds which looks visually stunning. He also opted alike me for the information present being clear and effective but it was not bold and did not stand out. This in my opinion is very visually pleasing for the audience and will draw attention from the moment from it is seen.

Jazz, His magazine advert is rather plain and has no real links with the genre. We simple see a London skyline that has been distorted at the top to almost replicate fog or something similar. Beside this we see a plain text which has no style or meaning portrayed to our target audience.

Ben, His advert was rather a random collection of items which had no correlating sense or motif and therefore would have been meaningless to audience, and disregarded rather easily as it has no appeal. In the advert we see a desert location plastered with a grainy filter on top. In  addition we also see a army style writing in yellow stating the Band name and album title. Finally we see a plain photograph of a white rhino which has no correlating sense as this animal does not live in the desert. It doesn't not conform and somewhat subverts but due to its inconsistent look it was discarded from the start.

Once all entry's had been narrowed down we decided to use Luke's as a basis for the overall advert as we felt it was the most appealing and attractive for audience, but as a collective we all agreed that slight changes needed to be made in order for it to be conventional to the genre and also appeal to wider audiences. We also agreed that an icon or centre piece needed to be added to the poster because it was too plain at that given time. We then took my idea of using White Rhinos from mine and bens adverts as it directly relates to the band name that we decided on. We decided to incorporate as we felt certain elements from each of the posters what equal effective and by bringing them all together it would make it as appealing as possible.

We have decided to use bold colours with a dark tone that reflects the change in the night sky. These colours include a dark blue with a light pink. They somewhat reflect the colours of a 'shepherds delight' or Red Sky in the morning, Shepard's Warning, Red Sky in the night, Shepard's Delight. This symbolises belief in superstitions. This is not as intended but it adds an insight into the meaning behind the colour scheme and makes it relatable for wider audiences that are not familiar with the genre as it is an attractive and pleasing image to look at. Purposely we have opted for this colour scheme as it reflects the value of the genre as this can be seen consistently throughout prior adverts for that we have seen aside from the ones that we have analysed. The bright colours represent narcotics and particularly there influence on the body and altering thought patterns of the users which somewhat justifies the use of the Rhino and why it is distorted which we hope the audience will be able to interpret easily.

The two images that we used in the advert include the use of the background of the sky and altered clouds, and of a Rhino. At first they seem a bit of a mismatch but with way we have edited the images there relation can be justified. We opted for the use of the sky as it is rather alike one of Tame Impalas own except it uses a park of some sort. It alike due to its simplistic approach but effective repercussions as it is highly appealing to audiences due to the quality of the image and the fact it allows the audience to decide on what they think the images hidden meanings are, like my interpretation above. The other which has been used of the Rhino it to make the overall image not seem as simplistic as intended in addition we needed to add a motif to keep our overall package relatable, using this as a symbol/icon. We chose this due to the fact it directly relates to our band name and can be deemed as conventional to the genre as it links in with the idea of influences and use control under drugs as they may see a random collection of events that is not wholly understood by themselves, this is what we have tried to create as the two have no links whatsoever. When we first put the Rhino in without any effects it make our work look unprofessional, but with a quick brainstorm we corrected this as we decided to make it transparent, giving the idea that it is not real and a fragment of imagination in addition we wanted the images to be incorporated so we decide to blend the images together hence the wave effect on the upper body of the animal in question.

The layout of the poster is very simplistic but can be said is effective. From Top to Bottom we see first the name of the band/artist as this is the first thing that audiences will be looking for as they are keen to find out what it is the poster represents. After this we see the centre of the poster with the Icon which has a direct link with the first and therefore represents a connection. Finally we see the name of the album being released and the fact that the product is indeed out now giving valuable information to audiences and directly influencing if they buy the product or not. This information that is being presented is of that which is only needed. By doing this all information is taken in as it will only take minimal time to process. And because of this the audience can rather focus on the meaning behind the image seen as this is in fact the main focus point.


We chose the font that we did as it is simplistic and it gets the message across as efficiently as possible as all information is displayed clearly and in a bright white colour which is the complete opposite of what is seen on the background. The font is in bold and uses spaced out capitals so it can be seen clearly up front and far way.

Once again the only strong use of language used apart from the obvious choices and use of emotions is the language stating the release of the album "Out Now". It has persuasive connotations, influencing the audience to buy the product as they have no reason not to almost creates the idea that the audience have to buy the product now.

I feel that our  advert strongly conforms to the genre as we have stuck to conventions such as a bold and attractive colour scheme, have connotations of drugs with the Rhino and the waves in relation to mixing the two, also the font is particularly conventional as it is simplistic. I feel that this will appeal to both of our target audiences as it is of a standard and has certain items such as the colour scheme and Rhino which will appeal to the genres audience this is due to the fact these are what they expect to see when they think of the genre as similar patterns have been made due to the random links and vibrant colours , while wider audiences may be engaged by the image visually and colour and may be the slight randomness which may be picked up on due to narcotic references or related to the band name at the minimal after they have though about it for a period of time.

I found working as a group a easy and effective task as we all worked together rather well. We all agreed on a the approach that we should be taking of conforming to the genre but being appealing to wider audience also. We also agreed that on the process that we should be taking in order to mutual agree on what advert we should use as a basis and then what we should do to adapt it so that it can be as best as possible in terms of the groups ability on Photoshop and content that can be used. We all suggested ideas of how we could improve the advert implemented them, then had a communal vote if it should be appended or undone, we repeated this until we all felt as group no further improvements could be made. By doing this I felt we worked as effective and progressively as possible enhancing the time in which we completed the task and its overall look and consequently its effect on the audience.